Spottedlaurel

Toy/train fair up at Norwich next Saturday. Will probably give it a go.
In the meantime, visited this place in Evesham yesterday:

Not the Job Centre, but this interesting shop just here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nYAojLb9Xo7fpQcy9
Decent toy shop on the ground floor, I got a few things that I'm not allowed to possess until my brthday in a few days. Some older/secondhand stuff on the first floor, though nothing that I wanted.
Zero finds at Tesco stores to/from Evesham. Buckingham has the smallest toy department I have ever seen anywhere.

Today is actually spring and warm, so can now open up the garage for the first time since October.
The first job was to add a diesel additive and then change the fuel tank cap as the old one was leaking.
Old one don't look so good.
 
The only new one I found was this which a Mercedes specialist said would fit and it did.


 
Then it was time to start it for the first time since October and it started quickly this year, faster than last year but as always was a bit grumpy in the first few minutes.

 
My current phone doesn't film as well as the last one so this isn't the best but it's something.
 
Now got the charging tested after I made a completely new charging system this winter and the result is 14.56 at idle without headlights and 13.10 at idle with headlights, so can call this a success. The next thing is to look at the cooling system and change the coolant and maintenance and it is ready for the road again. Hope it happens within 2 weeks waiting for the roads to be clean and safe from salt.

Some disappointing news on the house side. It was all pretty much set in stone, we were only waiting for a bank statement that would proof we had the deposit in place for the estate agent to agree on the sale. Well, for whatever inexplicable reason my better half and her dad thought it would be a wise idea to have this sent via Post when they sorted it (I thought its easier to just have it all in a single account, hers), before a bank holiday weekend. Naturally the expected happened, Royal mail fucked up and didn't deliver, viewings happened on the long weekend, the previously motivated seller got a significantly better offer and we are out. I intervened and told gf/father in law to call the bank asap when the letter still wasn't here on Tuesday, we promptly got an email copy instead but even that would have cost us tens of thousands (!) of pounds in the end. Just another lesson to be learned, if something is important sort it yourself and never ever rely on anybody else. In 99 out of 100 cases people simply don't think or will fuck it up. Unfortunately a lesson I learn over and over and over again.
I don't think we'll get the opportunity we had there again but maybe the next one will at least offer a little more garage space. I also have more time to revive the other cars that will need to move eventually, so there's that...
Anyway, after picking up the parts for the Celsior last week I managed to make a little progress. I tried to clean the new bonnet but the dirt is so deeply ingrained that I'll have to get the polisher out next. I've also transferred the dual washer pipes exclusive to the Celsior over to the new bonnet, I still don't know why Toyota decided to go with two different setups for something as simple as washer pipes. Many different clips that were previously missing are back on the car and I finally managed to have a look at the lazy blower motor (yes it's somewhere behind all that wiring):

Fortunately there's just enough space to undo 3 bolts and drop it out from the bottom. At first I thought the transistor controlling the motor (there's also a separate more common resistor) at high speeds would be at fault so I rigged up its replacement. It became increasingly clear that it cannot be the source of the somewhat erratic motor speed though, especially when the motor works differently well depending on its position.

In the end I think the carbon brushes are just worn out, another indicator that the car will have significantly more miles than indicated. I tried to clean it all with brake cleaner and made an attempt at greasing the bearings. It's not seized up (like the W140 blower motor was) or fouling against anything so it can only really be the contact points of the carbon brushes being close to gone. I can press up on the motor shaft when it's installed and it suddenly goes twice as fast. It just doesn't get the voltage it needs anymore.
Anyhow, another drive into the countryside yesterday. Despite the remaining jobs it really is a great driver now. Here it is assuming it's Street Fighter position:


Almost. Hopefully a replacement blower motor will sort the airflow, I'll have to reach out to the local old school auto electrician to diagnose the radio and I might have a go at raising the coilovers in the back. Maybe even the A/C system could hold some pressure?

In the right lighting you could almost forget about it's cosmetic flaws, with some paint this could be a great looking car from any distance!

Another year of fun to (hopefully) be had out of the LS400! Looks like I did around 1,250 miles between tests, a little more than I'd thought. Just sorted tax and should be using it for work tomorrow after I drop the Laurel in at the garage.

Another year of fun to (hopefully) be had out of the LS400! Looks like I did around 1,250 miles between tests, a little more than I'd thought. Just sorted tax and should be using it for work tomorrow after I drop the Laurel in at the garage.

Another year of fun to (hopefully) be had out of the LS400! Looks like I did around 1,250 miles between tests, a little more than I'd thought. Just sorted tax and should be using it for work tomorrow after I drop the Laurel in at the garage.

Toy/train fair up at Norwich next Saturday. Will probably give it a go.
In the meantime, visited this place in Evesham yesterday:

Not the Job Centre, but this interesting shop just here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nYAojLb9Xo7fpQcy9
Decent toy shop on the ground floor, I got a few things that I'm not allowed to possess until my brthday in a few days. Some older/secondhand stuff on the first floor, though nothing that I wanted.
Zero finds at Tesco stores to/from Evesham. Buckingham has the smallest toy department I have ever seen anywhere.

Toy/train fair up at Norwich next Saturday. Will probably give it a go.
In the meantime, visited this place in Evesham yesterday:

Not the Job Centre, but this interesting shop just here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nYAojLb9Xo7fpQcy9
Decent toy shop on the ground floor, I got a few things that I'm not allowed to possess until my brthday in a few days. Some older/secondhand stuff on the first floor, though nothing that I wanted.
Zero finds at Tesco stores to/from Evesham. Buckingham has the smallest toy department I have ever seen anywhere.

Toy/train fair up at Norwich next Saturday. Will probably give it a go.
In the meantime, visited this place in Evesham yesterday:

Not the Job Centre, but this interesting shop just here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nYAojLb9Xo7fpQcy9
Decent toy shop on the ground floor, I got a few things that I'm not allowed to possess until my brthday in a few days. Some older/secondhand stuff on the first floor, though nothing that I wanted.
Zero finds at Tesco stores to/from Evesham. Buckingham has the smallest toy department I have ever seen anywhere.

So what did I get today? Well for a paltry £1 the Matchbox P1800 and £3 for the delicate matchbox cortina, both off the same dealer. Somehow the Volvo has past me by?


Then possibly spurred on by @MiniMinorMk3 £4 bought me this battered box Herpa 1/43 S Klasse in outrageous bright red (says the man who ordered a bright red Mercedes)  which really is a lovely thing and has never been out the box as I cut the sellotape holding it together! I think I will keep an eye out for these big Herpa’s in future.



Lastly on the £3 table is the Autoart Shogun I’ve been watching on his stall since lockdown it gets cheaper everytime 😂
Box battered, but I was taking a gamble at rock bottom prices!

What a gamble - it’s a beauty! Incredibly detailed, interior especially. The paint finish is excellent! For my shelf of things I like.



 

Toyfair buys  with @bunglebus this morning,  it first a few gratuitous  shots - seemed to be a lot of railway today too.

Giant (1/6th ?) 911 and quite a varied selection.


Lovely meths fuelled stinking trains 😂

Carry case


That Caprice can nearly came home with me again, as did the silver whizzwheels Muria. Everything this chap has is lovely 👍

Again more temptation with the £10 Solido’s especially the shorty 104.
 

I drove past Buckingham this morning, I was so close to diverting off the bypass and driving through town - would have been great to catch sight of this!

I was obviously bored after hours at work and eBay got the better of me. Had rather a large pile of boxes here when I got home, mostly of job lots I thought contained interesting stuff like this DeTomaso Mangusta

Years back I got most of the Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary series, bar these two that someone's obviously bought a bulk load of

Loose cars included a trio of Playart Mustangs

Buying the boxed Superfasts at the boot sale the other week got me looking at them online, they get bid up quickly but I got a couple for good prices. This one seems to be a factory error

Gruesome Twosome isn't often seen mint with both engines

Got a handful of Super GTs too, Capri is surprisingly tough to find in good shape

Revin' Rebel is one I have strong memories of playing with as a kid, definite Dukes of Hazzard vibes

I can't decide if this Dinky 914 is original or not. It's been done well if it is a resto

This was send in a plastic bag with a load of junk cars, no protection at all. Unfortunately it's gained various chips and a bit of pillar damage on its journey 

Datsuncub 

Rockets MK1 Escort, I'm sure someone said the body and base aren't interchangeable with the Whizzwheels version? Needs a repaint one way or another 

Spotted a bunch of Tomicas hiding with some more common cars

This was inside the ambulance 

A hat trick of Majorette Impalas was along for the ride

Found another 12 louvre Matchbox Baja Buggy, not quite as nice as the first

Polistil Bug is definitely better than the other one I already owned though

Lastly, a pretty decent Siku Trekker

Does this count?
Been messing about in the shed and made this from scrap timber, allsorts in there,  rimu, kauri, kwila, Teak, Totara and some Bamboo mostly from roadside collections and inorganic waste dumps.
Banana for scale 

Spanish department store finds 

Another iconic shite mobile joins the ranks of SEB vans here!
Bond partwork Sherpa van. 

 
Stripped.

Filler deployed, and rubbed down. This took ages to get right on this one for some reason.


Painting. Masking up around the windscreen base was trying too. The white stripe doesn’t follow any body contours or lines here so it’s got to be a smooth curve done with the tape.


 


Im pretty pleased with how this one came out. Just needs to dry off properly then reassembly. It’s a nice little casting though, definitely got the Sherpa look to it! Just a shame they cast the dents in!

My dream has come true, I’ve driven the Sierra up the A413, heading north west. The only issue that I’ve noticed is an erratic fuel gauge. I know the tank is almost full but the needle keeps dropping to zero, then rises and drops again.
First destination reached. A Gulf petrol station in Whitchurch, located between Aylesbury and Buckingham. Before I bought my first Sierra from my then girlfriend’s dad, he let me borrow it for a very extended test drive and I remember putting fuel in the tank at this very station, which, remarkably, still exist today.

I’m heading further up the A413 towards Buckingham. 31k miles will tick over shortly.

More very soon.

Sorry been a bit busy to add a proper move update earlier, so…
Moving day went really smoothly! My dad reluctantly agreed to tow with his Freelander so I hired a trailer for the day (£60 Rothwell Trailers). Both 309’s behaved themselves so it was straightforward to load and unload them. We took our time since there was no rush to return the trailer, but we had it back in only 3hrs which I thought was pretty good going.


Feels good to have cleared the drive at my old place so I can progress that towards sale. It does make my current place look a bit scrapyardey but hopefully the neighbours don’t take too much offence. I chose to hide the knackered gold one up the back facing away so as to be the least of an eyesore possible. I’ll get some car covers too.



I’ll be taking a break from these while I prep and arrange the sale of the old house but once done I should be in a better position to tackle some of my car projects in earnest .
-Steve-

Or print on normal paper and cover the plate image with a bit of sellotape before cutting it out. The worst might be is that yellows a bit over time, either live with it (patina) or run off a new one. 

Or print on normal paper and cover the plate image with a bit of sellotape before cutting it out. The worst might be is that yellows a bit over time, either live with it (patina) or run off a new one. 

Or print on normal paper and cover the plate image with a bit of sellotape before cutting it out. The worst might be is that yellows a bit over time, either live with it (patina) or run off a new one. 

Laurel and Skyline brochure review. Copying in @Spottedlaurel .
Also been recent videos on the 100A and 120Y also.  

From Wrexham local bygones FB page. 1982. My x1/9 was a dickens car in 1988.
 

And we are back! 500 miles and the Celsior took it like a champ! Check engine light now comes on randomly so I'll have to blink out the codes to see what's up. Aside from that it drives very well, with a few known electrical issues and a brake service left to sort out.

The rear bumper wasn't any better than mine so this will need to stay on for now. I took the bonnet though, it'll probably need painting as well but isn't dented and might clean up alright. With both cars having received plenty of poor paintwork before I think getting a perfect match is impossible without an entire respray, something we noticed only after swapping them. The seats look great though and should be a major improvement to mine. I definitely made the most out of the space the car offered 😂 

Plenty of other small bits in the boot that will hopefully make a difference when I get a chance to fit them, it's crazy how many parts aren't interchangeable between similar year cars despite them looking identical at a first glance. I'll probably end up getting my mirror from Japan...

Blimey! I saw the Space Cruiser in Norfolk back in 2016:
 
Great to see it still about.
But, that Granada! Fantastic to see one without chrome arch trims, wheel embellisher rings etc. Such a clean design.