Reputation from I_am_Diesel

I_am_Diesel reacted to Peter C in 1987 Ford Sierra Sapphire 1.8L - Earning its keep - see page 28 14 hours ago

My three toys (aka money pits), first time together.

I_am_Diesel reacted to MrT in Truck Shite March 13

I have been browsing on this site for a while, and, thoroughly enjoyed the pictures and the comments. I have no professional or practical connection with anything vehicle related, having been a lawyer, then a nurse which led to lecturing in healthcare law and ethics, and now retired. However, I am interested in old aircraft, railways, vehicles and warships.
As a little payback for all the stuff I have liked, here is a photo of the lorry my grandfather used to drive. So far as I can tell, it is a late 1940s Guy Vixen. He drove William Bates for a fruit & veg wholesalers in Nottingham, delivering to greengrocers etc. As a small child, I would sometimes go with him when he did runs into Lincolnshire to pick veg up from farmers, including his brothers, so we would stop for lunch or tea with them. Apparently he also got commission for doing deals as he knew what he was looking at with the crops. He was the youngest child, and in the prolonged pre-WWII agricultural depression, there wasn't really room for him. He moved to Nottingham in 1937 and worked for Bates until 1970. The Vixen was dark green with either yellow or gold lettering and a cream cab interior. The steering wheel was massive, and the gear stick used to wave about with no visible indication of the gear layout. It lasted until 1965 and then drove a new Morris FG or its Austin equivalent until his retirement.

I_am_Diesel reacted to Peter C in 1987 Ford Sierra Sapphire 1.8L - Earning its keep - see page 28 March 6

I had more time this afternoon to make some progress with the non bodywork related matters.
I drained the engine oil. It wasn't that dirty but it stank of fuel. Too many cold starts over the years and excess fuel probably washed down the bores into the sump, hence the smell.
Note to self - clean the sump and crossmember.

I overfilled the sump slightly, allowing for oil that will find its way into the filter.

The thermostat housing was filthy.

So I gave it a clean. Not perfect but it will do.

I hoovered and thoroughly inspected the luggage compartment.

Nothing to worry about other than some slight localised surface corrosion.

I painted the seams and rusty bits with the not so good matching Rust Oleum paint.

The floor carpet extends to the top of the rear panel and is secured with velcro. The bits of velcro stuck to the carpet need stapling back but are otherwise ok.

The other side of the velcro, which was stuck to the back panel, was knackered. Someone replaced it in the past and didn't do a good job of it. I removed the old velcro and adhesive residue and stuck down some fresh, unfortunately white coloured, very strong velcro. I'm not fussed about the white, it will be concealed behind the carpet.

Then the postman brought a nice little parcel that contained a new water pump and thermostat.

I fitted the new bits, together with the previously acquired fan belt.

Finally, I re-assembled everything under the bonnet....
....added fresh antifreeze....
....reconnected the battery....
.....opened up the garage doors....
....turned on the ignition.....
.....and....
.... the Pinto fired up straight away and ran like a dream. The engine is silent, runs smoothly on all four cylinders and nothing leaked out for the duration of the test.
Winner!!!!

I_am_Diesel reacted to ruffgeezer in Oh no, not ANOTHER one! 18/02/24 Topless french totty! February 9

So it started, as it often does, with a perusal of all the cheapish, localish, broken shit that was on ebay.
This one wasn't listed cheaply and I'd left my gambling pants at home, so I settled for a different approach. A conversation with the seller via messages and a promise to view promptly if it didn't sell via the auction.
You forget these little asides, dont you? You have these conversations fairly secure in the knowledge that most of the people on eBay are fine, upstanding, folk who wouldn't dream of pulling a seller's pisser when it comes to something like selling a car?
Well now, imagine my surprise* when less than an hour after the auction finished, the only bidder pulled out of the purchase. The car's owner, Scott, was good enough to get back in touch and offer me a viewing of the car.

There are one or two marks on the paintwork, but it looks very well on it's miles. The interior is very clean and a testament to the owner's late brother who has kept the car neat and tidy, but there is of course to be done or it probably wouldn't interest me at all!

To do:
Replace the battery and collect the car. MOT - last years advisories for rear discs & pads and both front arm bushes. Service - unused for at least a year. Roof inoperative - the biggun - but I like a challenge. There will doubtless be more as I work through the car, but it's a rare hen in that it's a 2.0 diesel with 6 speed box, full heated leather and auto lights/ wipers. Definately the right time of year to be getting into something like this I reckon.

I_am_Diesel got a reaction from CaptainBoom in Autoshite Calendar, Feb 2024 - Jan 2025. All dispatched! Some stock left February 4

Mine arrived on Friday. Thank you @CaptainBoom and thank you for the goodies. Mrs Diesel scoffed them.

I_am_Diesel reacted to cupoftea in LightBulbFun's Invacar & general ramble thread, index on page 1, survivors lists on Pages 24/134 & AdgeCutler's Invacar Mk12 Restoration from Page 186 onwards, still harping on... February 2

No thanks, I have visited that awful forum, obscenities every other word.

I_am_Diesel got a reaction from CaptainBoom in Autoshite Calendar, Feb 2024 - Jan 2025. All dispatched! Some stock left January 23

Yes please, a hangy one for me.

I_am_Diesel reacted to STUNO in STUNO January 21

Aahh well it was a lot of fun in a very good way. Nigel initially asked me if I could help find a rental car at a reasonable price. No problem said I , but this is total peak time for tourists. We managed to find cars at about $2400 for the duration, with prices up to several thousands more. Then the killer, nobody wanted a car collected at Auckland Airport and left at Christchurch. They ALL said no. Next option was to buy a car for that money, but what to get at short notice that will last a few weeks,(cars are EXPENSIVE in NZ). So I looked at what was available near me and luckily a 2002 JDM Nissan March had just been advertised a few hours earlier. So a phone call and I was away to look, I had already made an offer of her full asking if It became mine. After s very short drive it did become mine for $1500 and had 2 months test remaining and about 10 months registration, so if it survived it would be legal. the plan was to do the trip and sell to a wrecker when Nigel left, giving him a cheaper than rent trip. The last test paperwork was with it which detailed underbody rust and all the tyres had to be replaced because of cracking, so lots to spend.
The next bit was to get it to them, so I masterminded a plan, drive to Auckland Airport, meet and greet at 9.30 am or thereabouts, deliver them to their hotel, walk a coupe of hundred yards and get on a bus at 12.30 for the 4 hour ride home. That worked well and the day was great.
The Bickles then proceeded to give the poor thing the thrashing of it's life. Nigel also climbed underneath to check the rusty bits and declared it to be completely rust-free, the tyres had no cracking and the completely white plastic headlights that should have in my opinion failed the test meant that the test may have been a bit odd. I chose my words carefully there!!
The whole trip went well and the poor little 1400cc with a four speed auto that had covered 300,000 plus KM,s was returned to me at Christchurch airport on Friday morning as it had performed it's duties perfectly , not even using any oil . the trip covered the whole of NZ from Auckland to the very far south town of Bluff and back to Christchurch. For some reason we had decided that I should keep this little gem and take it home !
So yesterday morning (sat.) I left Christchurch and drove north to Picton to catch the ferry to Wellington. Once at Wellington at 10.30 PM I was still feeling fresh so turned right off the ferry and headed north, instead of south to a comfy hotel, The Nissan just purredthrough the night and I arrived home at 5.00 am this morning and got some sleep.
Some pics of the little darling taken a couple of hours agm.

Don't ask about the NISMO bits, I know NOTHING.........

I_am_Diesel got a reaction from mk2_craig in What have you bought yourself for Christmas? December 26, 2023

Got myself a screen washer bottle for my Mk1 XR2. Correct one, not cracked like the current one and for the princely sum of £10. Xmas win!