MikeKnight

With all due respect, it's up to him what colour he wants it. Mind you I'm not a fan of purples of any shade, never have been. I just don't think purple suits any car ever.
 
He's quite good at flattening coach paint and making it look like a spray job, the Polo is testament to this. Though it is labour and time intensive.

SOLUTION

 

Pro tip for carpet dye, try to dye it on your lawn if it's dry and has sufficient space.
 
Grass will grow and you can simply cut the overspray away.
 
Vulg did it on the patio and the overspray is not going away. At all.

Ended up trying Hagerty first and ultimately went with them, very smooth process and the guy on the other end of the phone is professional but it also feels like you're speaking to a mate who understands classics.
£280 for a year and included RAC breakdown cover, spot on, good price!
I only need it a few months while I fix the Jeep (which is close to £400 to insure in comparison and I'm bloody 42 too, oof) so I'll likely cancel when I don't need it anymore, there's only a £25 fee for cancelling.
Fantastic.😀

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

To go with the big stupid Toyota Supra. Which decided to drop one of its repeater lenses on a road somewhere.. after randomly losing its nose badge at 70mph.. which are £100 used. Fucksake.
ANYWAY, this is about another big stupid dumb white car with terrible MPG because I sure do love buying four hundred gallons of petrol at a time.
I put my Range Rover L322 Supercharged on eBay because I fucking hate the thing and its millions of computers that throw a fit if the battery drops below a perfect voltage. Got very little in the way of interest, I had it priced correctly but no one is buying expensive RR's right now.
Then some random bloke in Leeds messaged me with "you wouldn't happen to fancy a swap for a Cadillac would you?".
WHY YES, YES I WOULD. BECAUSE I'M AN IDIOT.
So, messaging happened, time arranged and off to Wetherby services I go as it's roughly a half way point and easy to get to, with plenty of parking since most of its services are closed. Met the bloke, we both liked each others vehicles so the V5's were filled out and we both went on our merry way in the swapped vehicles.
THEN the Cadillac overheated, when it had driven there flawlessly.
THEN he called me and told me the RR was throwing up gearbox faults, when it had driven there flawlessly.
THEN the services I was cooling down at (half way home) with its lovely quiet car park suddenly had four police interceptors in it boxing in a druggie VW Golf. Right next to me. I did not take pictures, I did not think the angry looking officers would appreciate it... and the caddy was on another persons insurance temporarily so I didn't want them looking too closely at me anyway.
THEN I got home, the radiator pin-holed and the rad cap failed. Explains the overheating at least. It's not a Northstar engine thank God so the HG's in this are pretty bullet proof. It's the 4.9L version of the wonderfully named "Cadillac High Technology Engine".
------------
So I left the gorgeous, hateful, wonderful, spiteful fucking thing in the workshop to be looked at another day. Will need a new radiator, may as well do the pump and thermostat and flush the tits off it too since the current coolant mix is 50/50 tap water/sand.
Oh I should probably tell you what it is.
It's a 1991 Cadillac Fleetwood, import so LHD, came from Florida and is pretty much rust free. Guy had young kids so it needs a deep clean, everything is sticky and disgusting.
I only have the pics he sent me as I'm a lazy bastard and didn't take any of my own. I probably should at some point.
My head tells me I need to sell it and recoup the money that was unwisely spent on the RR it replaced. But my heart tells me to keep it held in a death-grip and hiss like a xenomorph at anyone who tells me to sell it.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Man. Been a long time since I posted here.
The caddy has sat gathering dust for the last three years, but due to my Jeep pissing coolant everywhere (thanks Mercedes block dumb designs) I needed something to get me around while I fix the Jeep over the next few weeks.
So the old white whale is back on the road finally!
Surprisingly needed two more coolant flushes before the water ran clear, the knackered radiator must have done a real bad job to sludging up the block, but anyway that's done and brand new coolant popped in it. Going to Manchester in it on Monday and Birmingham on the following Friday. It'll either do fine or I'll arrive as an overheated fireball.

Wow, going back and re-reading this thread was a blast from the past. What lovely memories.
Anyway.
This car will be going up for sale soon! If anyone here might be interested in something extremely rare and special.
Prices are insane and fluctuate wildly, some people are asking for £30k for low mileage ones.
Will likely put it up on Pistonheads for around £9k. It is well looked after and will come with a clean 12 months MOT.

Wow, going back and re-reading this thread was a blast from the past. What lovely memories.
Anyway.
This car will be going up for sale soon! If anyone here might be interested in something extremely rare and special.
Prices are insane and fluctuate wildly, some people are asking for £30k for low mileage ones.
Will likely put it up on Pistonheads for around £9k. It is well looked after and will come with a clean 12 months MOT.

Wow, going back and re-reading this thread was a blast from the past. What lovely memories.
Anyway.
This car will be going up for sale soon! If anyone here might be interested in something extremely rare and special.
Prices are insane and fluctuate wildly, some people are asking for £30k for low mileage ones.
Will likely put it up on Pistonheads for around £9k. It is well looked after and will come with a clean 12 months MOT.

I would just leave the AC off, but I can't put the windows down either as the outer rubbers are fucked and it scrapes the glass up.. so I'm just sitting there sweating like a chav in Halfords Ripspeed section.
 
Basic money shots here after I gave it a (desperately needed) wash. Was losing the light and on a crap phone camera, but better than nothing. I'll use my dads super swish expensive camera some point after I power polish and wax it.
 
Having trouble stopping the passenger side front indicator/sidelight unit from fogging up inside, despite sealing it so much it now rivals Fort Knox. I'll get it eventually, just have to find where the hell the water is coming in.
 

 

 

 

The rear factory shocks decided to finally die on me on my way to the workshop last week, so I decided it was time to swap them out for the new ones.
 
Mmmm new and shiny. They're Eibach lowering springs with basic KYB shocks. Not monstrously expensive.
 

 
The old shocks fitted to the car, pictured below. They were a right bastard to remove despite only being connected with a single bolt. The lower fitting is TIGHT as all hell with little to no leeway.
 

 
Removed from the car. They're pretty knackered.
 

 
I didn't re-use the dust shields because one of them was absolutely totalled. Must have got caught in the spring many moons ago. There are various theories on if you can safely run shocks without dust shields and my view is.. yes.. yes you can quite happily run without them. Unless you're driving on dust-covered salt flats every day. They're there so the shocks last longer, but with lowered springs that becomes a bit of a moot point as there's only like an inch of shaft showing at any time (teehee). I did re-use the foam bump stops but cut them down to half height because of the reduced travel.
 

 
The car sits much more level now and looks a lot better.
 

 
I'll likely do the fronts at some point in the near future, but the ones on the car are in decent nick so that can wait. The fronts are nowhere as near as bad as the rears were.
 
I have to admit I'm not that impressed with the quality of KYB shocks. I likely won't buy that brand again, but they're a decent stop gap while I decide if I want coil-overs or not.

Wow, going back and re-reading this thread was a blast from the past. What lovely memories.
Anyway.
This car will be going up for sale soon! If anyone here might be interested in something extremely rare and special.
Prices are insane and fluctuate wildly, some people are asking for £30k for low mileage ones.
Will likely put it up on Pistonheads for around £9k. It is well looked after and will come with a clean 12 months MOT.

SOLUTION

 

Tried to get the A/C re-gassed today but the compressor isn't engaging its clutch for some reason. Might be seized. Thankfully the workshop book tells you certain pins to short in order to bypass its control system and engage anyway, so I can determine if the sensor or the compressor itself is at fault. Also the high pressure side valve is leaking and it might have a fail-safe that stops it engaging in this case, so I'll change the valve out first.
I cleaned inside the car today, it was a long day, it was so bad.. so so bad.. I don't even want to think about it.. I've probably picked up consumption from it..
Anyway, I cleaned the carpets and found all this yummy coffee! Anyone for espresso? A really good crema head on this one! ?☕

SERIOUSLY
THE CAR WAS FILTHY
FUCKING FILTHY
It's at home now at least, fully insured and taxed. Was only £180 for the whole year fully comprehensive.
I'm going to need a new battery though, even though still displaying its green "I'm okay!" light this one doesn't seem to hold as charge very long.

Got the radiator back today, was flushed really well and I was happy with the repair.

Unfortunately the car had other ideas.
Once I got it reconnected, the pressure moving to a different part of the rad that hadn't had pressure in it for ages made the plastic end tank crack with a fizzing POP.

Well fuck. Guess I have no choice but to buy a new one now.
Also might call the car Epstein as it's probably had hookers in the back at some point and it tried to kill me while making it look like suicide.

Just ordered one from Rockauto, should be here early next week so I can get on with the ungrateful bastard and get it home.
The shipping cost more than the radiator itself.

With some ingenuity you too can have Cadillac seats!

To go with the big stupid Toyota Supra. Which decided to drop one of its repeater lenses on a road somewhere.. after randomly losing its nose badge at 70mph.. which are £100 used. Fucksake.
ANYWAY, this is about another big stupid dumb white car with terrible MPG because I sure do love buying four hundred gallons of petrol at a time.
I put my Range Rover L322 Supercharged on eBay because I fucking hate the thing and its millions of computers that throw a fit if the battery drops below a perfect voltage. Got very little in the way of interest, I had it priced correctly but no one is buying expensive RR's right now.
Then some random bloke in Leeds messaged me with "you wouldn't happen to fancy a swap for a Cadillac would you?".
WHY YES, YES I WOULD. BECAUSE I'M AN IDIOT.
So, messaging happened, time arranged and off to Wetherby services I go as it's roughly a half way point and easy to get to, with plenty of parking since most of its services are closed. Met the bloke, we both liked each others vehicles so the V5's were filled out and we both went on our merry way in the swapped vehicles.
THEN the Cadillac overheated, when it had driven there flawlessly.
THEN he called me and told me the RR was throwing up gearbox faults, when it had driven there flawlessly.
THEN the services I was cooling down at (half way home) with its lovely quiet car park suddenly had four police interceptors in it boxing in a druggie VW Golf. Right next to me. I did not take pictures, I did not think the angry looking officers would appreciate it... and the caddy was on another persons insurance temporarily so I didn't want them looking too closely at me anyway.
THEN I got home, the radiator pin-holed and the rad cap failed. Explains the overheating at least. It's not a Northstar engine thank God so the HG's in this are pretty bullet proof. It's the 4.9L version of the wonderfully named "Cadillac High Technology Engine".
------------
So I left the gorgeous, hateful, wonderful, spiteful fucking thing in the workshop to be looked at another day. Will need a new radiator, may as well do the pump and thermostat and flush the tits off it too since the current coolant mix is 50/50 tap water/sand.
Oh I should probably tell you what it is.
It's a 1991 Cadillac Fleetwood, import so LHD, came from Florida and is pretty much rust free. Guy had young kids so it needs a deep clean, everything is sticky and disgusting.
I only have the pics he sent me as I'm a lazy bastard and didn't take any of my own. I probably should at some point.
My head tells me I need to sell it and recoup the money that was unwisely spent on the RR it replaced. But my heart tells me to keep it held in a death-grip and hiss like a xenomorph at anyone who tells me to sell it.