HMC

Have we had this? feels very Bickle

Done about 100 miles in the F today. Verdict- a lot of fun, ride height a bit low (ive got a pump from years ago which will be needed) I did manage to split the rear screen when i got all enthusiastic and put the roof down over dartmoor coming back from exeter. I watched the coolant level and temp like a hawk, as you might in a £600 mgf, but all was well. Except the screen but thats easily sorted Assymetric exhaust action

Good intel. It looked familiar but i couldnt place it. I normally de-tat cars but i recon this is staying.

Took the shed-MGF out for a spin. I think it might meed the attention of a hand pump I bought when I had my last mgf, and also used on 2 rover 100s i previously owned. Cos its LOW. I mean, it looks nice and low but the ride is pretty stiff. Maybe im just getting old? Photos show the dreadful paint. But it drives a lot better than it looks, thankfully! The “16v “ badge is none original (what isnit off?) but it feels period as when valveage was proudly displayed on the car bodywork feels a long time ago now. Unforgiving light- but basically all the laquer has come off the NSF wing, and it’s falling off the front bumper/shroud and the bonnet. Im enjoying pottering about in it. When I last had one ( a long time ago) I used to try and unstick it on b roads an generally behave like an imbecile. Eg I remember I attempted a 4 wheel drift but it ended up correcting and recorrecting snap oversteer. What an idiot. Somehow i didnt crash it. Anyway im happy just pottering now, and to be honest with its metro underpinnings maybe this suits the car better anyway.

Must admit, i thought it went ok- 0-60 is supposed to be about 11 secs from contemporary road tests and it didn’t feel much off that. IIRC i put a set of plugs with the spares, i was so blown away by the plug lead change i didn’t bother with them at the time.

Fabulous! (im biased 😂)

Got to say i’m really glad @Weird Car bought it as having younger people prepared to get stuck in with old cars is fantastic. And this isnt, say, an allegro, its a rolls royce silver shad! Looking forward to fun road trip / general updates! For me this is what enjoying older cars is all about, id happily put a flamethrower to all carcoon / dehumidified air chambers. Driving is living imo.

There was one locally, for a decent price but decided against. Any excuse to buy a car, but lately ive been interested to scour the bargain bucket depths again. After covid things went a bit tits up for the casual banger buyer. Stuff got more expensive! I found it a bit depressing. Ive always been fascinated by how little money can provide a functioning motor car in no need work to be usable. Probably what lead me here back along. Lately ive found things changing, and for people prepared to dredge the internet, and sift through crap its possible to get road legal cars again, harbouring no terminal issues for not a lot. I nearly bought a 1998 volvo s40 for £250. 1.8 auto. Had a long ticket, and despite apparently a water leak into the rear footwells and some minor scuffs and scrapes it seemed legit. I decided against as ive never really lusted after mk1 v40s. Also having a van/ people carrier is quite handy with the ever changing friend profile resulting from collectively 5 kids between myself and ms_hmc. The need to haul bikes / other peoples kids/ have the interior trashed with dogs gave a specific set of requirements. Obviously its a bit rough, ready trashed, if you will; but it runs and drives just fine, and has an mot to jan 25. 2.3 manual- im suprised just how rapid it feels. Ideal to fill with booze over on a french trip. it was up at £895 (too much imo) but i sniffed a willing seller when it was parked on their grass and hemmed in by other vehicles. Apparently it was bought as a stop gap and no longer needed. Would sir accept £600? Yes, yes he would. Plus according the the vendor he was overwhelmed with messages from old skool ford people wanting him to have the engine but not the rest of the car?

The guy i bought it from just had gumtree offers to buy only the engine. Basically i got the whole car thrown in 😂

Im quite good at eeking out decent economy figures from unlikely vehicles, but having seen ms_hmc’s Russian dashcam driving style, im expecting gallons per mile from her side, but we will arrive earlier than expected, wherever we go.

The shad is going tomorrow, the p38 next thursday, but a mingebag OMG MPG chariot arrives tomorrow. £20 annual tax, any guesses?

Meanwhile, the mgf is tucked in

This £600 ford galaxy 2.3 is doing dog/ children duties. Another bargain bucket with about 11 months mot

one 👍😂

I will leave the shiter to reveal themselves

think its a non vvc. Jan 97 so an early-ish one

Question. what does a £600 mgf look like? This Long mot, body good but poor paint, and a long mot.

Third person title, is it a Matra Murena?

Cheers @catsinthewelder that looks epic! I think im ok with dates, just got to choose what to take (most likely impossible that far ahead given my proclivities) but i feel a rolls road trip would appeal to me.

A bit more of the bitsa interior. Upside- it’s semi trashed so very usable. (OSR door card- partially eaten by a dog?) Dog guard secured by a ww2 soviet machine gun sling The headlining is just the backing only, as it the internal a b c d pillar trim- The NSR 1/4 window still has the breakers yard markings on it for extra couldnt give a fuck points. Actually this glass is more tinted, and is optikool rather than the other side windows being triplex- so off a later model i think. Farthest off road so far Verdict- must try harder

That turns the electrics off, isolates the battery (almost like on a track car) not sure if i like it or not, apparently there was a parasitic battery drain and this was their solution, back when it was basically a meat and 2 veg tow truck with half the interior gutted.

Just to add some jeopardy its on air suspension still 😆

Ive got to say i just dismissed the p38 as junk but basically its nicer to drive, less rot prone and WAY cheaper than a classic, and also more unusual than an L322. As those age they are throwing up their own issues (weirdly they seem more rot prone than a p38)

Actually it seems to have been a rarely washed L322

P38 still going well, Quite a relaxed drive- not fast but it makes you relax and waft. It came with a George Michael cd in the player. Didnt he crash one into some parked cars at some point? Anyway I decided to slap a plate I had on it to add to the old money vibe….