dollywobbler

Simple but satisfying jobs today.
The carpet underlay in the front was switched round so the cutout for the pedals was in the right place.  Still don't know why that didn't occur to me when I was fitting it - though having to work around school kids running around my driveway at the time probably didn't help.

The observant among you may also spot the other thing I forgot yesterday afternoon.  The fuel switch was left on overnight.  I can however now confirm that the needle and seat in this carb are decent enough to prevent the whole tank decanting itself overnight.  Though it did leak by enough that I created my own little recreation of that video of them crossing the border the day after the fall of the Berlin Wall when I started the car up.  Thankfully after five minutes or so of driving the biblical levels of smoke reduced to invisible again.
As I had hoped the carpets had fully dried overnight.  They're not spotless by any means but I think are a hundred times better than they started out.

My suspicion was that once they were in the car that the marks would be far less apparent.
Think I was right.


Perfect?  No.  However it's a 39 year old car, and based on that context I think is entirely acceptable.  The area by the pedals is looking in really surprisingly good shape given there's no separate heel pad or anything there.

Not sure what these carpets are made from, but it seems to be pretty hard wearing whatever it is.
Next issue I wanted to address was the door cards.  Nothing says quality like trim that fits this well.

The main reason for that is that a whole bunch of these clips were missing.

Of the eighteen that should be in that door card there were three present (and four in the driver's door).  With them all present and correct it looks...a bit better.

Being totally honest this card is never going to sit absolutely right as it's been quite badly water damaged and is warped as a result.  It's a lot better though.  Doesn't flap around a bunch when the door closes now either.
Same was done on the driver's side.  That one at least has escaped any major water damage so is sitting properly.
It's actually looking like a car again!



If you're really paying attention you may have noticed that the driver's side window winder has changed from chrome to plastic.  That's because I have two plastic ones but only one chrome one and then being mismatched was bugging me.  Yes the metal one looks nicer, but I'll take them matching over individual visual appeal.
Really need to get the parcel shelf under the dash out to give it the same treatment as the rest of the carpets as it's absolutely filthy.  That might wait till the weather is a bit warmer though so I can just leave it in the sun to dry.  
The carpets will come out again at the same time as I want to get the bulkhead behind the shelf rust proofed same as the floors, and to get proper paint on the area beneath the B pillars so the current tide mark isn't so obvious.  Shorter term all the carpets need to come out the boot so it can be properly dried out and rust proofed as well.  That requires me to empty all the crap out first though!
While in the boot, I did spot a convenient spot to mount some concealed speakers if I did decide I wanted to fit a stereo at some point in the future, which honestly I doubt I will.

Between the carpets being back in the car (and no longer saturated) and the cooling shroud now actually being bolted together the car is waaaaay quieter to drive.  Don't get me wrong, it's still ridiculously loud, but it's a thousand times better than it was.  You can actually have a conversation at 50mph just by raising your voice a bit rather than actually having to shout.
Here's the before and after from the day I got the car and today inside.


Quite the difference.
Externally not much has really changed though!

Greetings Shiters, hope all are well. 
Found myself in urgent need of alternative transport,  last week. Long story cut shorter, after just shy of ten years I changed jobs and the new role involves a fair bit of training up and shadowing,  plus some cab hopping as my designated truck wont be ready until March. 
Thus, my commute has gone from a 3 mile round trip to 60. For nighttime shifts it's been OK as I have borrowed the wife's Puma, but for day work all I have is my Series 3 Landy. 
Now this is fine on paper and I can, have and probably still will do mega miles in it, but sub-30mpg a shit heater and general Landroverness has lost its appeal very slightly.  The cost alone isnt amusing any more. Also I'm 40 this year, and aching for a excuse to buy something as I haven't bought a car for myself for fuckin ages.
Last Thursday I had a paid day off sorry standing down shift (this new job is the tits) so decided to go car shopping. 
Budget a grand, targets: 45 to 50mpg, cheapish tax and ability to seat four a bonus - originally was gonna get a van but the RFL LOL and lack of child carrying capacity quickly ruled them out. 
An hour on autotrader and three phone calls I had my target. The guy sounded like a normal human being and was genuinely surprised I hadn't just ghettoblasted his inbox with stupid offers. Mrs Scruff was at work and unlikely to want to ferry me about after doing the school run etc etc so I decided to be totally self sufficient and get the train. Worse case scenario, if the car was shiter than I expected, I could walk to work and borrow a van to get home. 
First job was route planning. Took the Land Rover to the yard where I keep all my old kak and left it there:

Next a pleasant walk to the station. Here i punched my destination into the ticket machine, and once id got myself off the floor went on the interweb and got a ticket twenty five quid cheaper:

Stamford station looking a little shabby in the cold. 
It's not far to Northampton, but my cheapo ticket meant changes at Nuneaton and Rugby, no matter I had plenty of time and it was a nice day for window gazing. 

coffee rating 3/10 

It was pitch black by the time I got to Northampton, and very cold so I got all extravagant and got a taxi. Nice Passat in case you need to know.
I shit you not, the driver was on his phone the whole ten minute or so, on some live cam bonking chat with a Eastern European (I assume from the lingo) sort. He must have sent her fifty quid by tapping his screen on the journey, she didn't even get her bits out. By the time I was about to say something we were there anyway, I told him to keep the meagre change as he will need it if he's addicted to bongo chat while driving. 
Anyway the car was much better than I dared hope, it was the cheapest example I'd seen and been described as having "more dents than a golf ball" but mechanically sound. Fortunately the guy had floodlights on his drive but TBH I didn't look that hard, you just know don't you? I went round the block with him and it felt tight as a drum, everything worked and after handing over 800 notes I was the tenth owner of this beauty. 

I insured it sat outside his house, taxed it (swearing a little it wasn't a 35 quid tax one as i smugly thought i'd researched but its not too bad) and then drove it home. 
Been going to and fro work in it for a week now and its great, I really like it! It is rough, but that's fine as I can leave it anywhere and not worry. It is absolutely mint inside and everything works. 


 
I have NO history of anything except what the guy I bought it from had done (DPF, various sensors, shockers etc). Its got 188k on it, I'm going to do the belt ASAP and then just see how we go with it. 

But what we REALLY want to know is, how goes the Horsebollox camper?

Good stuff! Sorry for the delay. As you can imagine, it's been a bit hectic. Someone has gone through every single application.
As it happens, the museum is letting us have more space so the 350 is one section and then the overflow will, I suspect, be just as interesting and diverse again.

Good stuff! Sorry for the delay. As you can imagine, it's been a bit hectic. Someone has gone through every single application.
As it happens, the museum is letting us have more space so the 350 is one section and then the overflow will, I suspect, be just as interesting and diverse again.

Pleased to say that diversity seems to be winning so far. Everything from pre war to brand new pretty much!

The Sierra would be very welcome. This isn't your typical show, so cars don't have to be a certain age, or a certain standard.
But, no reason why you can't choose one of our discounted tickets and ask to park in the main car park.

Good stuff! Sorry for the delay. As you can imagine, it's been a bit hectic. Someone has gone through every single application.
As it happens, the museum is letting us have more space so the 350 is one section and then the overflow will, I suspect, be just as interesting and diverse again.

Sorry folks. Bit late to the party. I'm one of the organisers of Rustival and I'm chuffed folk actually want to come! Autoshiters very welcome. 
Cost is £11 which includes museum access. We've sold out the main 350 car display area already but we'll have more space thankfully.
The main reason for having an "open to all" policy is to bring an end to the infuriating "does it qualify?" comments. Whether this is a sensible policy remains to be seen.
No obligation to use friendship corner and YouTubers are easily ignored. 😉

My stepdad, a very early member of this forum, since “ retired”;     has asked me to publicly THANK Stuart, from the North Island, NZ, for his substantive & immeasurable assistance.
They had met, previously, in the Uk, & he was willing to hrlp with the purchase of a  reliable car,  then volunteered to meet  him at the Airport (200 mile round trip) delivered him to his hotel- exhausted after a very lengthy journey. &  got the bus home! 
Later,  they all had a lovely  day exploring out, in Stuno’s Caddie, and he helped again at the end of the break ( even flying down to the South Island) taking a great deal of stress out of what could have been a very real, long distance problem.
He couldn’t have been kinder, or more helpful & Nigel wanted it acknowledged, here ( where they first ‘ met’))
 
I’ll not be commenting further, or responding- because this isn’t ‘ my fight’.  So no snide comments please ( as is your norm here, now. 

Good stuff! Sorry for the delay. As you can imagine, it's been a bit hectic. Someone has gone through every single application.
As it happens, the museum is letting us have more space so the 350 is one section and then the overflow will, I suspect, be just as interesting and diverse again.

Good stuff! Sorry for the delay. As you can imagine, it's been a bit hectic. Someone has gone through every single application.
As it happens, the museum is letting us have more space so the 350 is one section and then the overflow will, I suspect, be just as interesting and diverse again.

Panic over.
I have now received an email to confirm I am one of the 350 in the Mitsubishi Sigma at Rustival.

Sorry folks. Bit late to the party. I'm one of the organisers of Rustival and I'm chuffed folk actually want to come! Autoshiters very welcome. 
Cost is £11 which includes museum access. We've sold out the main 350 car display area already but we'll have more space thankfully.
The main reason for having an "open to all" policy is to bring an end to the infuriating "does it qualify?" comments. Whether this is a sensible policy remains to be seen.
No obligation to use friendship corner and YouTubers are easily ignored. 😉

I think the main reason I sold my Scimitar (12 bloody years ago!) was the obvious reason...

Sorry folks. Bit late to the party. I'm one of the organisers of Rustival and I'm chuffed folk actually want to come! Autoshiters very welcome. 
Cost is £11 which includes museum access. We've sold out the main 350 car display area already but we'll have more space thankfully.
The main reason for having an "open to all" policy is to bring an end to the infuriating "does it qualify?" comments. Whether this is a sensible policy remains to be seen.
No obligation to use friendship corner and YouTubers are easily ignored. 😉

Hope you get to enjoy some travels together. Such a rare, almost utterly unloved car these days. Which makes it prime for this place.
Did see one advertised in Belgium with a BMW flat twin crammed into it... Fast and rare!

Ah yes, the inevitable royal connection. 
I had to sell a Fiat Uno with a dented front wing for the same reason. 

Sorry folks. Bit late to the party. I'm one of the organisers of Rustival and I'm chuffed folk actually want to come! Autoshiters very welcome. 
Cost is £11 which includes museum access. We've sold out the main 350 car display area already but we'll have more space thankfully.
The main reason for having an "open to all" policy is to bring an end to the infuriating "does it qualify?" comments. Whether this is a sensible policy remains to be seen.
No obligation to use friendship corner and YouTubers are easily ignored. 😉

Pleased to say that diversity seems to be winning so far. Everything from pre war to brand new pretty much!

I think the main reason I sold my Scimitar (12 bloody years ago!) was the obvious reason...

I think the main reason I sold my Scimitar (12 bloody years ago!) was the obvious reason...

Pleased to say that diversity seems to be winning so far. Everything from pre war to brand new pretty much!

Sorry folks. Bit late to the party. I'm one of the organisers of Rustival and I'm chuffed folk actually want to come! Autoshiters very welcome. 
Cost is £11 which includes museum access. We've sold out the main 350 car display area already but we'll have more space thankfully.
The main reason for having an "open to all" policy is to bring an end to the infuriating "does it qualify?" comments. Whether this is a sensible policy remains to be seen.
No obligation to use friendship corner and YouTubers are easily ignored. 😉

Sorry folks. Bit late to the party. I'm one of the organisers of Rustival and I'm chuffed folk actually want to come! Autoshiters very welcome. 
Cost is £11 which includes museum access. We've sold out the main 350 car display area already but we'll have more space thankfully.
The main reason for having an "open to all" policy is to bring an end to the infuriating "does it qualify?" comments. Whether this is a sensible policy remains to be seen.
No obligation to use friendship corner and YouTubers are easily ignored. 😉