MrDuke

I can haz klub membrshipzz? 1.4 for All The Horses, fairly worrying electrical gremlin somewhere under the bonnet, but the leccy windows are flawless. Genuinely does not feel like a 23-year-old car to drive. [/threadhijack]

Fitting the 45 with a nice shiny 52mm throttle body resulted in the (not unknown) issue of a high/erratic idle, which while bearable, ideally needs fixing with a minor remap. Shortly afterwards, the exhaust also started blowing from somewhere in the middle section. Easy fixes both. My dilemma is that I'm currently getting an utterly awesome-sounding muffled pop from the exhaust on over-run, and I'm worried that fixing one or both of the above issues will remove it. Such are the quandaries of a shallow twat like myself. On the plus side, the TB's added a shocking amount of low-end torque without much effect on mpg, so no regrets in fitting it.

Speaking of the dizzying height of professionalism from BBC reporters:

Either that or he'd just spied someone using one of the plastic cups.

I'm genuinely shocked that my cack-handed OMGHGF repair has held up over a 500-mile round trip at prolonged *allegedly* excessive speeds in 30º+ temperatures. I made Bedford in around 3:40 with no explosions. Go me. @Sunny Jimis a solid-gold legend for organising this, it was an awesome weekend all round. $hite cars, forum legends, and alcohol, all in one of my absolute favourite parts of the UK. Also, BEST_DUG_EVAH. Thanks to everyone who put up with my inane semi-drunken blatherings and industrial-grade snoring, and apologies to @davidfowler2000 for despoiling one of his spoons (my offer to effect a repair with wob and sandpaper still stands). I loved finally meeting all the people who I'd 'known' for years, even if I was too inebriated to actually express it. Cannot wait for the next one. If @Cord Fourteener could just put in a few more hours on the Highland pipes before then, it'll be 100% perfect.

Loving the new haircut Mat. Not too sure about the dress, though...

If you're very lucky, I might be able to find my Erik Carlsson rally-spec die-cast model. Don't get your hopes up, mind.

Y0 @Sunny Jim do you know if the derelict garage near Llanrug still has the Horizon and Capri rotting away outside? Potential photography pilgrimage?

Is there a limit on how late we can arrive on Friday? I'm hoping to get there before 20:00, but my plans usually get shat on from a great height.

Slate museum is good, as is Electric Mountain (or at least it was 10 years ago)

Good points, but right now I'd happily take huntsman spiders, malaria risk, and the occasional flash flood in return for the ability to breathe comfortably and sleep at night. Obviously my attitude will change completely once it cools down again...

This hot/humid weather doesn't need to do one. It needs to stay the ****ing same long enough for me to acclimatise to it, just like people in far hotter/more humid countries do. I'm currently gasping like a bronchially-challenged fish and wiping litres of sweat off my head/arse/chair/floor every few minutes (despite the fan & iced water), in the certain knowledge that a couple of weeks will see a plunge in temperatures and probably a ton of drizzly rain. How/why the hell did any sane civilisations stay long enough in Britain to make it an actual 1st-world country? It has the most utterly stupid, crappy, inane climate of any place on earth. I can't blame global warming - it's apparently been just as retarded for the whole of recorded history thanks to eternally-battling weather systems, and still people actually CHOSE to stay here and build cities and stuff. WHY?!

In that case, you might as well take the SMR to the summit of ¾ of the way up Yr Wyddfa. (Because apparently it takes years to replace a short length of single narrow-gauge track)

I can take them (assuming they're not F1 or tractor tyres).

A brew would be most welcome, thankyou!

Am I OK to take Saabnut's number, or is there a waiting list? 1. davidfowler2000 - both nights trailer2. Brownnova - both nights tent or car3. Beko - both nights tent (might be added mum and stepdad in the same tent)4. Supernaut - both nights tent5. Juular - both nights car6. catsinthewelder +kids both nights tent7. Fumbler- both nights car8. chaseracer - both nights tent or car9. EightMegs - Both nights, tent10. wuvvum - Saturday night - Travelodge11. Twosmoke300 plus 2 or 3 guests (awaiting confirmation) - both nights van and tent12. cms206 - both nights, camper13. ghosty - both nights, car14. Captain_70s - (Maybe) both nights, car or tent.15. Fatharris - both nights - tent16. 3VOM - both nights - car, tent, something17. 320touring - both nights tent or car (TBC)18. horriblemercedes both nights, tent19. Hillmanimp - both night, tent or camper.20. Kirton - Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights camper21. Dave_Q - Saturday only, maybe van, maybe moped + smol tent22. Cord Fourteener - Saturday night - two kids - camping, Sunday breakfast for 1 and 2 halves.23. taxi paul - Saturday day visitor + (possibly) some family24. dozeydustman - (if can get cover) Saturday - car25. reb- (if the time-off gods allow) both nights - car26 - Anthony G, Friday & Saturday night, staying off site.27. Six-cylinder - b&b booked locally Friday & Saturday nights28. maxxo - both nights ten29. Jaypee - both nights, car #galaxy30. LightBulbFun - unfortunately now unlikely to make it but he can keep his number just in case31. BL Bloke - both nights, staying off site32. MondeoBlues - both nights, tent33. hairnet - Fri maybe, Sat deffo, staying local (bring plenty of cake)34. bezzabsa - both nights, van (maybe with mattress)35. Aldo135 - plus 3 kids, both nights in tent36. MattJY - both nights, tent37. stripped fred - Saturday night - camping38. Zelandeth - Saturday night - camper van39. Jim Bell - day visitor Saturday40. Conrad D. Conelrad - day visitor Saturday41. binhokker668 - both nights - car/tent42. Volksy - both nights - car/tent43. MrDuke - both nights - camping44. Lacquer Peel - both nights - van45. sdkrc - Saturday - car46. Sunny Jim - both nights, own bed 10 mins away - egg roll & coffee

This happens every single time I come here now. Usually if I spam 'Retry' about 10-12 times it eventually connects, but sometimes it just flat out refuses. It could be an issue at my end, but I've no idea what.

Top tip: before assuming that the horrendous noise & stuttering steering are due to your PAS pump being totally fragged... try actually checking the fluid level in the reservoir. Relief at the cause was wholly eclipsed by embarrassment at my fuckwittery. Belated query - am I right in thinking that PAS/ATF fluid is 'backwards-compatible', i.e. Dexron 3 will work with anything older?

Yes! Gave it a good thrashing down the A421, no (new) noises appeared and the header tank still contains water. Result. Of course, I'm assuming that I've done something wrong/forgotten something and in another 50 miles or so it'll hurl all its toys out of the pram in epic fashion. Oh well, it was good practise - and I've acquired another 20+ scars on my hands to impress teh_laydeez with. Please never, ever ask me to help change a head gasket on anything less than 30 years old. Thanks to everyone who lent me tools/offered suggestions/watched with interest/made K-series jokes/etc.

I have a (mostly complete) Halfords Advanced socket set, so I imagine that will be fine?

A request for this weekend - can anyone provide a torque wrench? I've 'mislaid' mine (have a horrible feeling it's 250 miles away, with the ex) and will need one for the head bolts. Beer will be provided by way of thanks.

I was reliably informed recently (possibly by @bub2006?) that Autogreens use an old Toyo tread pattern. I've no idea how the actual rubber compares, but apparently they're not a bad steer.

That Triumph looks like what would have happened if BL still existed in the 90s.

That would be ideal, it leaves me the whole afternoon to break my car even more. I'll PM you next week sometime to confirm.

I can pick him up en route, assuming my engine doesn't violently seize or boil itself into oblivion. (Don't worry, it'll be fiiiiiiiiine...)