HMC

OOH a ghia, lovely. Especially so as it’s the plush cloth not leather. The leather on these just looks and feels like plastic, the cloth is so much nicer IMO.

There must be a collective term for them. An armada? A pillage?

Back home after a bit of a Dartmoor potter about This has got tonnes of history- it was on the road till about 1968 and then was left untill returning to the road in 1991. All the docs and history suggest it’s done 31k from new. It certainly drives more lightly and crisply than the other ones I’ve had. The photos are from 1988/89.

Likewise I offered on yours via Facebook, and the vendor was going to get back to me, if it wasn’t collected; which it was. I’ve had a 100 and a 110 and a dead 80 (which I never actually drove) and wanted to try a less nose heavy one for local pottering.

Blown away by the history

Currently driving back over Dartmoor….

Pez shot, obvz

LIVE collection- coffee done, and the vendor is actually picking me up.

Fleet news- Crown vic sold, loved it , fantastic for tyre squealing getaways, but a box ticked. Ive bought something else, which also has a bench seat (clue). I’m collecting it in a bit of a Dartmoor/ Devon road trip, tomorrow. Any guesses?

As this is the 110 does that mean it’s all steel? IIRC they changed over from birmabright to steel doors/ bonnet/ boot around the time the 110 was introduced.

I remember that one as well, I was so into pc at the time that I can still remember that he collected it with a blue 3 door Range Rover with his “long suffering wife, Morag” Pc also did a buyers guide around the same time with a fit bird and a p4 on the front cover.

Nice one, I had my eye on that one as well.

Quite a few people I know are annoyed by the cost of servicing, never do it, and use the mot to catch safety critical issues and forget the rest. Not people I’d like to buy a car from.

Peeling wood, worn carpets, degrading headlining and a picnic table.

Thanks! Yes the Chinese and thariks are very handy! Yes, good point needed a slam. This thing has truely dreadful paint. It was originally a sort or dark royal blue, visible in the shut lines but has had a blow over in a mid blue that has a satin finish. I love it; it seems to be what an early 80s banger would be like.

Well, I charged the battery, changed the plugs first thing. I was suspecting as per @RobT that it might be the condenser but as I don’t have a replacement, and I’m a wishful optimist I decided to fire it up - And it started and runs perfectly. Not sure what the diagnosis was to be honest and Hence I’m a bit wary of it doing it again- but it’s a runner!

Thanks for all the go to advice on the non start VDP1300. I broke out the multimeter and found I’ve got power to the pump, and a pulled off the feed to the carb and it’s delivering fuel to the carb like a champ. There’s power to the coil, and I pulled a spark plug and found no spark. The plugs are all ancient so I will change those tomorrow. So it’s narrowed down to ignition but unsure if plugs or distributor- surely if it was dodgy plugs it would cough a bit at least? I also wondered if the carb float could be stuck and shutting off the fuel feed. The plugs didn’t look particularly “wet” 🧐

I’ve got some glass on the way from the USA. Any of your fleet you would want to trade?

Meanwhile I’m using the crown vic, as a daily, for which it’s totally capable; the council neglected roads around here are matched well to the rugged enchanced police spec. Currently I’m toying with offers of either a swap for a 2010 merc e class estate, an Austin maxi, or some money with it against a rover p5b. Or just keeping it. Or a swap/ deal against anything any of you might suggest?

Ah right, yes the wipers and fan are working. I’ll get a multimeter and test that power is getting to the fuel pump later, thanks.

Good point, although I’ve since put 10 litres in, and gauge not registering toward “e” from bump stop, with ignition on makes me wonder if power to / wiring associated with the pump could be an issue if the gauge also affected? Thanks for this, definitely no “ticking” going on, I had a quick check of the wires but nothing more than a quick once over, will report back once I’ve done what you’ve suggested.

This surprisingly solid but scruffy little thing arrived yesterday, offloaded by a gruff polish man, and promptly refused to start. Turns over readily. had to leave it on double yellows all day with a rain soaked note of apology. Surprisingly I didnt get a ticket, maybe they took mercy? Anyway i towed up up to my car park and at the weekend I’ll have a play and see what’s what. It was happily driving around London, and it’s got fuel in the tank. Apparently the fuel gauge was working but now it doesn’t. Could there be an issue with power to the pump? I’ve checked the fuses and beyond that I’ll start checking for fuel and spark at the engine on Saturday. At no point did I hit it with a stick. Any go to ideas?