HMC

Lovely car. Re the reverse thing- I remember well buying my first 2cv off Graham at the 2cv workshop in Cornwall. He pointed at the gearshift diagram on the dash and said “ look- AR (arrière) it means avoid reverse”

Gave the new shape 900 a bit of a shakedown today. As it’s got winter tyres fitted already it’s top of the list for Germany transport at the end of the year (obv assuming boredom hasn’t set in) No hot running, happy at various speeds on the A38 and th climb over the moor on the route back. It reminded me of the “birdlip route” that standard-triumph used to use for testing, odd to think that the engine in this GM platform sharer has origins amongst those woodbine smoking standard triumph engineers.
 
Anyway it drove fine, and at a stop off I got a quick pic before my phone died. I’m not sure of the exact colour, but it was almost a match for Dartmoor...

Gave the new shape 900 a bit of a shakedown today. As it’s got winter tyres fitted already it’s top of the list for Germany transport at the end of the year (obv assuming boredom hasn’t set in) No hot running, happy at various speeds on the A38 and th climb over the moor on the route back. It reminded me of the “birdlip route” that standard-triumph used to use for testing, odd to think that the engine in this GM platform sharer has origins amongst those woodbine smoking standard triumph engineers.
 
Anyway it drove fine, and at a stop off I got a quick pic before my phone died. I’m not sure of the exact colour, but it was almost a match for Dartmoor...

Gave the new shape 900 a bit of a shakedown today. As it’s got winter tyres fitted already it’s top of the list for Germany transport at the end of the year (obv assuming boredom hasn’t set in) No hot running, happy at various speeds on the A38 and th climb over the moor on the route back. It reminded me of the “birdlip route” that standard-triumph used to use for testing, odd to think that the engine in this GM platform sharer has origins amongst those woodbine smoking standard triumph engineers.
 
Anyway it drove fine, and at a stop off I got a quick pic before my phone died. I’m not sure of the exact colour, but it was almost a match for Dartmoor...

Lovely car. Re the reverse thing- I remember well buying my first 2cv off Graham at the 2cv workshop in Cornwall. He pointed at the gearshift diagram on the dash and said “ look- AR (arrière) it means avoid reverse”

I sold this last Saturday.
 

 
I've been umming and ahhing about it for a while, and I've had someone bugging me for a while to buy it, I was just going to sorn it over winter but with cash being waved under my nose I bit.
 
I wasn't sure I had done the right thing until I saw him drive away and the big cloud of blue smoke pouring out the back behind him. The valve stems need changing and I couldn't be arsed to do it, this way I've got all my money back that it owes me and I've had a year's worth of fun out of it.
 
I've still got the van and the Marina, the van might go too as I fancy something else and the Marinas being prepped to be displayed at the NEC in November.

So after telling myself no more cars, something rare, insanely weird and must have (for me) appeared on the internet earlier today.
I'm just waiting to hear back if the sellers parents are happy with a deposit....
 
The tension is killing me.

Crapi;
 

 
Look at me in my XR3;
 

The view from my kitchen window today. Three French dizzlers.
 

 
Wot went rong with car styling. Discuss.
 
Although for a modern I quite like the Modus. Looks OK in giffer gold.

Outside in the pissing rain trying to change the Xantia's drive belt (bits flew off it last week), I had a delivery. It's about time I bought a car off bramz...
 

 
These were an optional extra on the GTS-X. Frickin' YES.
 

 
Standard equipment was this snazzy interior and sports steering wheel.
 

 
I've given up on Xantia fixage today. Much more fun to potter about with the 19.
 
Edit: after reading the brochure properly, the yellow fogs were actually standard equipment. PAS was an option. Steering at slow speeds requires monumental effort, so this doesn't have it! Must check the pressures.

DB seem quite good at that. I Had a late 90s CLK once- 3.2v6. Eight litres (!)

No second thoughts it’s that very good value x300

Lovely car. Re the reverse thing- I remember well buying my first 2cv off Graham at the 2cv workshop in Cornwall. He pointed at the gearshift diagram on the dash and said “ look- AR (arrière) it means avoid reverse”

Yes indeed, it’s lovely thanks.

Sold/sold/swapped/swapped/swapped.
 
I respect hugely devotees of a single marque, even a single car. Deep down I’d love to be that person. “Owned for 48 years by xyz....” I just know that’s not me. In fact I’m the opposite of that. I’m not saying that’s good, but there it is.

Sold/sold/swapped/swapped/swapped.
 
I respect hugely devotees of a single marque, even a single car. Deep down I’d love to be that person. “Owned for 48 years by xyz....” I just know that’s not me. In fact I’m the opposite of that. I’m not saying that’s good, but there it is.

Lovely car. Re the reverse thing- I remember well buying my first 2cv off Graham at the 2cv workshop in Cornwall. He pointed at the gearshift diagram on the dash and said “ look- AR (arrière) it means avoid reverse”

Lovely car. Re the reverse thing- I remember well buying my first 2cv off Graham at the 2cv workshop in Cornwall. He pointed at the gearshift diagram on the dash and said “ look- AR (arrière) it means avoid reverse”

Let's get up to date! Having collected the car of my youth, I met up with a friend of my youth (still friends today) and she insisted we went on a pedalo shaped like a swan.

 
She always was a bit odd. Probably why we get on so well. Thankfully, she also gets on really well with Mrs DW.
 
Then I went back to my old house and managed to park right outside!

 
Then we found a rusty KA to park next to.

 
Then we went to sleep. I awoke and drove to Milton Keynes. I met kei cars.

 
Yes, I spent TWO HOURS polishing the Matiz before that shot was taken. I still haven't done the roof. I know polishing cars at a show isn't the done thing, but I was so ashamed by how filthy it was that I felt it needed some love. Happily, people did come up to reminisce about them!
 
Then I drove home. Three hours later, I was still not home. However, it isn't the Rover, so at least it didn't need fuel.

 
About 40 minutes after that. Reunited after 17 years!

 
Let's recap. While the car was at my pal Chris's workshop, he fitted a new CV joint (it turns out both are knackered, so one still needs doing) and a complete exhaust system including cat. On Saturday, we fitted a new coolant hose, lobbed some coolant in and I went for a test drive. I then went off to fit a new battery. Result? All seems pretty ok. One wheel bearing is noisy (I'd forgotten about that!), there's an occasional smell of oil burning on exhaust (which I thought was just oily fingerprints at first, but it still does it) and the rear mirror is still on the floor. 
 
To drive, it's quite good fun. It sounds hilarious and grips better than you'd think. The steering is super-direct PAS, and I found I kept over steering (not over-steering) at times. It responds like the bloody Invacar. That makes it a bit unsettled at motorway speeds, but it'll sit at an indicated 70 very comfortably, and faster noisily. The new exhaust has a horrible resonance at 55, so I tried not to do that. The brakes are shite, but new discs have been recommended as the old'uns are quite rusty (it wasn't clocking up many miles). It badly needs a service too. I'm convinced it isn't pulling as cleanly as it should.
 
I've also remembered that one reason I replaced it is that the seats are comfortable, but only for 1.5hrs. 3hrs is quite painful. The ride is pretty atrocious, much like the Nippa (and other oriental cars I've driven. I don't think they have such shit roads).
 
On the plus side, the quarter lights mean you can open the window on a motorway without blowing your own head off, the heater is very good and it looks like a cute purple frog. £100 well spent I think.

I adore Daewoos, and I intend to make one my next car. Especially the Nexia, being their earliest gift to the UK market alongside the Espero.
 
The M100 looks like a happy little car, and I've never seen upholstery like that in any other Matiz, nor a preface that late. eBay/AutoTrader/etc hunts have shown me that they'd all pretty much changed to an M150 by the Y reg. I would say that the particular Matiz there is some ultra run-off special.
 
Let's not forget that the M150 also costs nigh on £200 to tax.

Sold/sold/swapped/swapped/swapped.
 
I respect hugely devotees of a single marque, even a single car. Deep down I’d love to be that person. “Owned for 48 years by xyz....” I just know that’s not me. In fact I’m the opposite of that. I’m not saying that’s good, but there it is.

Yes indeed, it’s lovely thanks.

All time forum record for a distance swap completion? Thanks Holbeck was great to meet you again!

Gone To a serial shiter

Better general pics in daylight, plus number plate and tweed porn.