Skizzer

My dog created a 1/24 scale replica of that in the back garden this very morning.  In a colour that Barrett will love, too.

Cracking.  Looks great in that colour, too.

Mo, you are Batman for Rover 800s - swooping out of the sky to right wrongs then flitting back with a cheery wave to your mysterious cave.  I love it.
 
The Sterling Koop looks proper bo, too.

See, 48 oval holes.
 

 
I can remember this after 40 years!

Visited the Auld_boy Hyden today who owns the Grey Sterling in this picture:
 

 
He has been having trouble with his door drivers-side handle which broke but just about opened the door. Obviously being an old boy this concerns him so I manged to get my hands on a drivers door handle, however, France came a callin' and we both couldn't find the time to get it on before I left, I did however try my best but my limited tools, space and time meant I really couldn't get the handle on.
 
A couple of weeks ago I met up again with Hayden, we went to Summit Garage to try anf get it booked in, but they complained that the door handle wasn't complete and brand-new or summat, so we went and got his car booked in at my mates place in Cradley Heath, then today we went to get the door handle fitted on.
 
Door handle was on within something like 15, maybe 20 mins, (I didn't see it get put on as I was dragged into some other jobs, like helping with a Renault Scenic electric handbrake)
 
Whilst we were there I decided to try and pull out the fusebox and get some point soldered. Seriously, I am ABSOLUTELY SHIT at soldering, I didn't manage get any solder anywhere, I've just never got on with it, I really don't know why. I was great at arc welding which is sort of like a bigger, hotter, firey version of soldering. However, I must have done something right as his windows, sunroof and seats started working again!
 
We didn't have time to get his car cleaned out and hoovered but that's for another day. He offered me money but I refused as I like to see someone happy and another Sterling given a bit of TLC.
 
Also, it was nice on this rare occasion to get home and not see chav wankers kicking footballs all about the place and hanging about on next-doors wall.

Wot Junkman said.  As with any investment though, the trick is picking the ones that are cheap now but will become expensive soon: Aston DBSs 10 years ago, Interceptors 5 years ago, low mileage, tidy classic Range Rovers 2-3 years ago etc.  We have a thread about that every couple of months.
 
Or, get an aircraft hangar, fill it with one of everything and sell shares to people on the basis that some of the cars might go up in value.  Don't forget to cream off 3% of their investment up front and another half a percent every year.  Autoshite Investment Management:  PUTTING THE RUST INTO UNIT TRUSTS.

Mrs Skizzer is fairly tolerant and will be putting herself on the market if I get an Avantime, a Saab 900, a Princess or any kind of project.

Actually, that's not such a bad idea, come to think of it. 

My dog created a 1/24 scale replica of that in the back garden this very morning.  In a colour that Barrett will love, too.

I was going to make a joke about a Fiat 131 Panollama, but you'll be glad to know I stopped myself.

The first thing I thought on seeing that picture was that's not a Toyota, it's a Volga.  Only then did I think about llamas.  Does that mean I need therapy?

Thought for a minute your numbers had come up and you'd bought an Esprit.  Finding one of those with rusty bodywork would have been an achievement, mind.
 
I'm sure* that battery will be just fine.

Ah.  Bugger.
 
I'm sure someone will be along shortly with a more helpful suggestion.

A high powered turbocharged car, in the wet, up a mountain, in fog. What could go wrong? Nothing.
And nothing did.
 
 
We made it up to the M62, out over the moors and other than the junction with the M1 being shut and requiring a detour, the run home was uneventfull.
 
 
 
Home by midnight:
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
And she is all the way in.
 
 
 

 
 
 
Job jobbed.
 
 
Collection 1000% complete.
 
 
Thus ends the begining.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-FORD-SCORPIO-AUTOMATIC-GOLD-/171465961241?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27ec2aef19

I like the way that Jag is classified as '2-axle rigid body', when judging by the floorpan picture it's only held together by sheer bloody-mindedness.

Everything went ok on a blast around the block and it was starting to get dark, and to rain. Cash was exchanged for further handshakes and we were ready to go.
 
Overrun turned his pop up headlights on and the car died.
 
Dead.
 
"Probably just the battery" said the seller. "Cells must have gone." then there was a pause. "Did you bring one?"
 
No sir.
 
No we did not.
 
 

 
 
Everywhere is shut by now, its after 8 o clock and the car isnt covered for recovery as it is not taxed or tested. So seller chappy brings out an alternative Ford specific battery, with square terminals, that doesnt fit, and which is also flat. I walk away down the street.
 
Mobile phones are taken out and text/phone calls are made in search of a battery.
 
 
I declare that there is no option but to leave the car where it is (half on a drive and half in the road) and return to collect another day.
 
 
Overrun is not that kind of man.
 
 
 
After many calls and let downs, a lad called 20watt arrives with a battery.
 

 
 
"We call him that as hes not too bright."
 
 
Well how very rural of you. Stupidity aside, he managed to source and deliver a working battery in less that half and hour. And it fitted. And it started the car. And it made the lights work.
 
Intelegence aside, I think the lads a fucking hero.
 
 
Then the battery clamp snapped. 
 
Three cheers for 20watt.
 
 
Overrun jammed some blankets against the battery to wedge it in.
 
 
"Thats good enough."
 
 
Hero that he is, 20watt then offers to drive is to a garage for pez, air and the moneyshot.
 
 

 
 
We are officially off!
 
Collection is now 50% complete!
 
 
 
Here comes the money....................

I was gonna say, I'd have been stomping around in a huff if there were nitro cars doing burnouts on the track and I'd missed it
 
I'm not so keen on the FoS. It is a completely different type of event and exactly how you described it. Revival is really laid back and everyone there is there for fun and racing; totally different atmosphere.

Starting to make progress today. Overall plan is to get the minimum done to change it into a camper on v5.
 
 
That means it needs bed, storage, sink/water and cooking.
 
Scored a sink, tap and draining board from ebay for £14 delivered. Won this gas cooker for £20.
 
Going to create a modular cooker/sink in short term.
 
Then started building the bench/bed. Going to have two benches with the table being the middle of the bed. Width wise it is around 170cm so just making the benches 130cm long.
 
Only had a rusty saw and manual screwdriver, so took me around 2 hours to get this far.
 
 
Costs so far
 
Van £500
Cooker £20
Sink £14
Wood, screws brackets £38
 
Sold seats for £1
 
Next steps
 
Build other bench
Fit hinged lids to boxes
fit box facings
Build table
Build sink and cooker unit
Build gas box
Fit gas drop out
Source water storage options
Buy cushions for the bed/seating area
Bolt all in
Send off v5
 
 
After that is all done;
Insurance
Insulation
Remove carpet from walls
Fit 5 speed gearbox
Paint van
Sort brakes out
 
Fit leisure battery
Fit wiring
Fit better water storage

After extensive* research it may be this actual ugly mother tricycle Berkeley T60/4
 
 

My dog created a 1/24 scale replica of that in the back garden this very morning.  In a colour that Barrett will love, too.

From St. Matthews letter to the PeSCATarians; Exodus 19;93,
 
In the begining there was

 
 
God did look upon it know it was good.
 
 
But then he said "Really, it needs more power. And more rust. And ye olde pop up headlamps. And an engine in the middle. And the rear wheels to transmit the drive. In fact, sell it. And buy something more suitable outright."
 
This was our lords command.
 
And man did sigh and turn on the internet.
 
AND THEN THERE WAS LIGHTS.
 
 

 
 
 
John 1972;
 
"Cars with no tax and no test, shall always be far from here. Be ye aware, but unafraid"
 
 
 
Pilgrimage level 2A begins.
 

 
 
 

 
 
County Durham was departed in good light and under good spirits. Tools were stowed. Oil was packed. Jump leads also.
 
"Is it not worth taking a battery" Said I.
 
"What the fuck do you know,?! there is NO way we will need a battery" Said Overrun.
 
 
So off we set to view a car that had been off the road for ten years, had no tax or test, and was known to be sprinkled with brown.
 
 
Our destination was not far from Oldham. In a hilly, moory, villagey area. City boys ROLL OUT!!!
Lying sat nav told lies about it not taking long.
 
 

 
Delays.
 
 

 
 
Lorrys
 
 
 
Scenery
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Picturesque village.
 
 
We must be getting close.

I reckon 70's & 80's Lancias could be a decent investment, for what they are I reckon they're good value. They probably won't though until I sell mine.
£2-3k will get a tidy Beta in most shapes, and shonky heaps like mine can (occasionally) be found for under £1k.

Its all about having somewhere to put the bloody things while they 'appreciate'. I dont think its very difficult to pick interesting cars to 'barn' that will turn out to be good investments. I think anythign thats a bit interesting thats 10-15 years old will be so cheap today that it will only go up in value. Even a Rover 25 GTi or a Nissan Primera GT would make good investements I reckon if you could put them in a theoretical free dry secure shed for 10 years. I think even I have a few that, in percentage terms will have been bloody good buys!!!! But, if i'd had to pay storage on them all the time i've had them, or use and maintain them for the same time, they would have been a total fuppin money pit. I dont think you can make much money out of 'general' classic car appreciation. OK some odd cases work well with bits of exotica and semi-exotica but in the main, maintenance/storage/ownership costs cancel out any appreciation 10 times over. If you picked a 'winner' like a Range Rover or a 205GTi a few years back, it will be worth more now than when you got it but if you've been blezzing about in it in the mean time I guarantee you will have wiped out any gains years ago.

Wot Junkman said.  As with any investment though, the trick is picking the ones that are cheap now but will become expensive soon: Aston DBSs 10 years ago, Interceptors 5 years ago, low mileage, tidy classic Range Rovers 2-3 years ago etc.  We have a thread about that every couple of months.
 
Or, get an aircraft hangar, fill it with one of everything and sell shares to people on the basis that some of the cars might go up in value.  Don't forget to cream off 3% of their investment up front and another half a percent every year.  Autoshite Investment Management:  PUTTING THE RUST INTO UNIT TRUSTS.