End of year shite report.

[Craig the Princess]

I'm not very exciting.

This has been the daily driver - 20,000 miles, the only cost has been the cambelt and two oil changes. Needs two tyres (the rears are getting quite perished) and a new boot carpet (spilt 5 litres of oil )

 

This went back on the road in November 2010 so has been getting some use, it's big boot coming in handy for weekend camping trips.

 

In January we went up to Edinburgh to pick an FSO Polenez up for RichieG

 

In May we got our Applejack Allegro running by using an engine from a scrap Allegro, it did a trip up to Yorkshire for a car show but the gearbox was borked so the engine came out agains and is currently sitting on the floor

Sitting next to is (with next to nothing done this year is a purple allegro. I had the welding done two years ago (it got an MoT after being off road since 1992, owned by us snice 2004) and started prep-ing for paint. It's still at that stage.

 

 

In June we picked up a Herald for tonedepear with out trusty LDV 400

while picking it up we saw a tractor for sale by the person with the Herald so we bought that, a Nuffield DM-4

 

Mrs the Princess bought this off our housemate this year

following the purchase of this in 2010 (all we have done this year is buy the piston rings it needs

 

We took the 100 club Princess to a car show on a trailer, seen here next to one of the other two known survivors (needs welding)

 

In September we did a banger rally to Romania (and back) in an Allegro. First purchased off ebay advertised as an engine, then sold to a friend then given back after a boat paint blue paint-job. The car was a start even if here were a few issues en route

 

I also managed to impale my housemates Maestro van on a post

 

Last one for this year was the Metro Mayfair seen recently

[Cavcraft]

Sorry if I missed it Craig, but what is the '100 Club' Princess about?

[CIH]

Pretty shit (not shite) year for me. Back in Feb I brought my Silvia out of storage and had it transported down from Manchester;

 

Where I preceded to tear it down and do a chassis overhaul;

 

It sat like that pretty much like that since about a month ago where reassembly didn't quite go to plan. Six degrees of camber on the front;

 

So a shit ton of money and work and I'm left with a not quite complete S12, though it does go and stop. I now find mysrlf pretty much bored stiff of cars and little inclination to finish it, though that may improve when my parts from America finally arrive.

 

No dailys in the mean time, meaning |I've been stuck in a shitty little valley with nowhere to go and nothing to do.

[Craig the Princess]

Sorry if I missed it Craig, but what is the '100 Club' Princess about?

 

The 100 Club was a special edition. BL ran a 100 club for it's top 100 dealerships, in 1982 they could either get a Rover SD1 3500 or a special Princess based on a 2200 HLS but with some special additions such as electric windows, sunroof, special two-tone paintwork, velour Spanish Rose (purple) interior.

 

Kevin Davis's website knows more than I do

http://www.leylandprincess.co.uk/Prince ... %20100.htm

[Cavcraft]

Cheers Craig, interesting read that thankyou. Just drooling over that and the Special 6!

[RoadworkUK]

Well, this was my debut year in this parish, I officially joined on New Years Eve eve 2010. Can't believe it's only been a year. Thank you for having me.

 

Shite wise, I'm clearly a total novice.

 

 

Started with this which I sold almost immediately for a handy £1000 profit. Heartbreakingly pretty car, nice to drive, fabulous interior. Did zero to lessen my desire to own an Alfa. Not a diesel next time though.

 

 

Already had this, been a constant since 2008. It's been totally wonderful, sickeningly reliable and deliciously economical. But dull. Currently living in my Nans garage, needs a battery and i can't promise it won't need work for its MOT. It'll be pressed back into service when the below lapses in MOT;

 

 

What can I say? It's been... emotional. Started at 55k miles, changed (one of the) cambelt(s), now done seven thousand trouble free (ish) miles in my hands. Coming off the road in January to hibernate through the salty months.

 

Now bought a house so expecting no small amount of upheaval.

 

Photos are probably too big. Sorry about that.

[Wilko220]

Due to having a job with preposterously long hours, my motoring escapades are pretty small beer compared to some of the absolute LEGENDZ on here, but here goes.

 

I began the year thousands of miles away working abroad, but returned home in March. Before I went off for my six months away I stupidly flogged what was then my only motor, in a mad hurry, for a ridiculously low price - you know, somewhere around the cost of an annual service for the bloody thing.

 

 

It was bought by a 21-year-old Royal Marine who wanted a 180 to replace the one he had just piled into a tractor. I imagine that, since acquiring my pride and joy, he has exercised the absolute utmost of care with it and driven it like a grandmother*.

 

Anyway, the upshot was that, on my return from sunnier climes I was in desperate need of a sensible daily driver. Then, a family bereavement led to my being bequeathed this:

 

 

Previously, I wouldn't have touched one of these with a barge pole - although making sure I regularly park it next to my neighbour's untaxed bright green Escort cabriolet with Lexus lights has succeeded in making it seem an altogether classier prospect.

 

I have to say that, despite my prejudices, it's turned out to be a very well put together machine which has aged better than most. It had barely moved from its spot on the driveway for seven or eight months when I drove it 400 miles home from Edinburgh - and it didn't miss a beat. And it's been a thoroughly safe pair of hands since. However, a lifetime on Scottish roads mean it's got some OMG RUST issues, which I have made a start on but lack of time has prevented me completing.

 

Although with RWD and 1600cc POWAR, it's ace for exercising some super low-speed drifting skillz, I do intend to move the Beemer-lite on soon (watch this space) - and that's because I have upgraded to this handsome gent.

 

 

In this case an impeccable history and what was, all things considered, a bargain basement price led me to a remarkably sensible drunken impulse eBay buy. Not having switched my insurance over, I've only had one waft in it so far - although on the plus side, at least while the Rover has been sitting idle on my mother's drive, its HG has been less likely to self-destruct.

 

Project-wise, I acquired this sexy animal earlier in the year:

 

 

I've always HEARTED Rootes Arrow cars and now I have one - albeit one in the least desirable colour EVAR, with stupidly wide tyres, a reprehensible boy racer steering wheel, and various electrical issues. However, first project was the bodywork...

 

 

...so after doing some of the prep-work myself and acquiring a couple of new panels, I decided to invest in the services of a professional for some respray action. A friend of a friend is doing it inbetween other jobs, so it's taking a little while. In the meantime, I've sourced some sensible wheels from rootes_arrow1725 of this parish, which I have recently been giving myself various lung diseases by attempting to refurbish in time for when I finally get the Sceptre back.

 

 

The constant workhorse throughout has been this - although, as I work in an office, when I say workhorse what I really mean is under-used indulgence...

 

 

I love this beast - it's super reliable and makes me feel king of the road. However, I'm in two minds whether to do the sensible thing and move it on next year, or expend some serious time and DOLLARZ by attempting to do it up. There can't be many of these bad boys left in minibus form and I fear an eBay sale would result in, at best, another camper or, at worst, the grubby hands of a scrap dealer.

 

So that just leaves the famous "no frills Peugeot"...

 

 

This wasn't mine but belonged to my brother - who is not an Autoshite member. Very proud to say that I saved this little parcel of epic win from the bridge and facilitated a sale to WackywacerWill who has since done an amazing job getting it through an MOT but ruffled a few feathers with some controversial OMG LOWEREDDD action. Whatever you think though, it's certainly preferable to the alternative future it faced...

 

And that's about it - here's to more fun in 2012.

[254575]

2011 in

 

Austin Maestro 500 City 1986

MG ZS + 2002

Rover Montego Countryman 1994

Austin Maestro HLE 1983

Ford Explorer V6 auto 1999

Rover Maestro LX 1990

Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2001

 

2011 Out

 

MG Maestro Efi 1987

MG Maestro 1600 1984

Austin Maestro 500 City 1986

MG ZS + 2002

Rover Montego Countryman 1994

 

End of year Roll call (Current Fleet)

 

Austin Maestro HLE 1983

Ford Explorer 1999

Rover Maestro LX 1990

Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2001

Rover Maestro Clubman 1992

Austin Maestro L 1983

 

all working as well!

had a bit of a sell off in august, due to new baby.

 

[ashmicro]

Nothing exciting I'm afraid - I bought and sold a diesel Xantia, and cannot find the one and only photograph I took of it!

 

Sold this:

 

 

 

Bought this:

 

 

 

Fixed this. These BMWs are shit not shite. Rubbish build, poor design.

 

 

 

Got this through the MOT for a mate's daughter:

 

 

 

Sorted the gearbox out on this XJ Sport for another mate. It was DIRT cheap and in reasonable nick too. Sovereign grille for you spotters out there

 

[Mash]

No movements in or out here at Mash Towers I'm afraid. The Starlet has proved a joy to use as a daily for long and short trips and will definitely be part of the fleet for some years to come, despite my regret at not being able to successfully run an 80s car on a daily basis over the last few years

 

The Datsuns have been enjoyed through the year, the Violet in particular having some long journeys where it never missed a beat and very capable of keeping up with motorway traffic. The Datsun 1000 has had a little less use and next year ought really to see it come off the road to start getting it into as near prisitine condition as funds will allow - it certainly needs catching now whilst still solid in the impossible to replace areas!!

 

The Triumph 1300 is now thoroughly run-in after the engine rebuild last year though I am a little disappointed with it; it performs well but just seems to still be a noisy, hopefully I haven't done anything in the running in period, perhaps some investigation next year is called for. That said, it's been great to have this car back in fine fettle to remind me why I would never part with it!!

 

That just leaves the Mazda 323 GT which has been on the back burner awaiting its fate. Unfortunately it really is time to say goodbye and it will be up for sale in the new year Sadly I don't have the time or funds to devote to this car which though roadworthy and in generally good condition, really deserves to be a full project. It's taxed again and I ought to use it a bit, but it will have to be moved on soon.

[Alexg]

Still have the GTI

 

 

The MG was stripped down to find rust rust and more rust. It went to a new owner a couple of weeks ago

 

 

Its bright orange replacement arrived thursday

 

[eddyramrod]

Remember how delighted I've been with this baby?

Well it's gone. Sold, and been taken away tonight. The rest of the fleet is still available though, except the grey Mazda. If I sell another car soon I can buy some replacement alloys and get back into fixing it up.

[flat4alfa]

Right, resurrection threadage - rather that starting anew, (or just to be annoying)

 

 

Started the year by continuing in this WBoD turbo diesel comfortmobile

 

Which had relegated the wonderfully dependably wagon to spare in the corner of the drive duty due to needing a clutch imminently

 

Had this kicking around from previous year storing it for a mate who had more surplus cars than a surplus.  So bought it off him as part of his new year clear-out, rather than lose sight of it

 

Past springtime, bought this and it became the SBoD as the WBoD was so rusty its bottom fell out.

 

As the season changed, bought this in to be the WBoD as the SBoD was too quick and frantic and went over agreed insured mileage

 

However, next week the WBoD gets replaced (well before its time) by another, quite different WBoD, relegating the current to being either available for sale or Wife will have it to use instead of her beloved Multipla.  I won't picture the new WBoD as I haven't paid for it yet and don't want to fate it.

[jonny69]

Came on here earlier in the year boasting about how I'd made my Ami reliable, posted proud pics of it outside my new work and it promptly shat itself later that week. Same recurrent problem - shit aftermarket fuel pumps. So it can go fuck itself once I've put yet another one on, because I'm selling it.

 

Anglia has generally been reliable all year except I noticed a bit of a weep from a rear brake seal a few weeks ago and I've not had a chance to strip it down and replace it. Can't moan too much because I last changed it in either 2002 or 2003 and for some reason I already have a pair of NOS cylinders in the spares drawer ready to fit. Stock 1500GT FTW.

 

Am now renting a council garage so it's also living in the dry.

[Ghosty]

You’ve resurrected the wrong thread!

[flat4alfa]

Uh ok where is the right thread?

[barefoot]

I've not posted on here previously as for the last couple of hundred years I've had a sensible, modest fleet of a T2, a Scirocco & a 944S. The last couple of years have been a little mental and I seem to have acquired a sensible, compact & bijou X308 & a HUGE VelSatis!