pompei Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 All I can do is echo the comments already made - just brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Breadvan72 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I love this thread so much that I am throwing Ratdat an open invitation to comer around to my house any time, day or night, and shag my sister. OK, I don't actually have a sister, but the offer is sincerely meant. Bobthebeard and michael1703 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny69 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I am gonna 'evaluate' the current ms_Nutz by 'inviting' her on some shonky shite buying mission and seeing how she deals with it. Just be prepared for the fact that she might become the current future former Ms_Bo11eaux Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairnet Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 the pic of the traffic jam bet all the cars in shot were going wtf is that !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angrydicky Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Insane. Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratdat Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 I love this thread so much that I am throwing Ratdat an open invitation to comer around to my house any time, day or night, and shag my sister. OK, I don't actually have a sister, but the offer is sincerely meant. It's the thought that counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratdat Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 It's been a horrible wet day here so I couldn't do a great deal on this thing but I did give it a mega wash which has improved it a bit. I also removed the Fiat front bumper. The valance is in a bad way... not rotten but very battered. I'll have a go at removing it (it's welded on 510s) and bashing it straight but if it's a no go I can always rob the one of my other 510. One good thing... the SSS rear pillar emblems are in really excellent shape, they just need a bit of paint touching up... I also gave it a bit of a wash under the bonnet. I really need a proper hot pressure washer for this. I might see if I can hire one. Overall it's not bad under here apart from some very nasty rust around the fuse box. The hoses were completely perished so I had a look in the shed and dug out a set of new ones. I think this cooling system might need flushing though! Ewww! The radiator is clear though. I think I'm going to pull the head and the water pump and clean this right out otherwise it's only going to give me grief later. L series often pop their head gasket after sitting for years anyway so it'd pay to whack a new one on there. I bet the impeller has probably rusted off the back of the water pump too. I also installed some missing fuses in the fuse box but so far only the side lights and tail lights have come back to life. I think the wiper spindles have seized solid which is why the wipers won't work. The horn relay clicks so maybe some new horns will fix that but there's no life from the indicators. Heater blower works though! Just to see what sort of shape it was all in, I cleaned the dash and steering wheel. It all looks pretty good. It'll need a glove box door as an old sticker has melted the plastic texture in one corner but I reckon I can get one from the States of maybe from the club in Norway. One of the handy things about it being LHD. As you can see in the pic above, I donned some protective gear and removed the rancid carpet from the car. Amazingly it was all dry though. The floor looks pretty decent. Inner sills need some work but the actual floor pans are tidy. The boot floor and wheel well are properly shit though. I've had a poke and there's holes all over. No problem though. Tomorrow, if the weather is alright, I'll have a play with the engine and electrics. i really want to get it running properly, off of fuel from the tank rather than from a jar! lisbon_road, Peter Patina, Conrad D. Conelrad and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Not bad given it's been sitting in a northern french scrap yard for x amount of year. Amazing in fact, you'd think the water would have got in and rotted out the floors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratdat Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 Very lucky. If the interior had leaked like the boot has, the car would be in a dire state. The inside was also full of leaves ad pine needles so I wonder of it had a window slight open which makes it all the more amazing it's as sound as it is. There's still a ton of welding needed mind. DeeJay 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Breadvan72 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 MOAR FOATAZ PLIZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Breadvan72 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Are they any doctors in the house? I want to know whether it is possible to actually die from frenzied wanking. Ratdat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadworkUK Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I'm speechless. Dumbfounded. I've not been this impressed for absolutely ages. Even the amazing haddock and chips that I had in the North Laines pub in Brighton on tuesday; that was shit compared to this thread. Thank you very much for giving me a dose of inspiration. In fact, tomorrow, I'm damn well going to get up straight away and change my headlamp bulb. eddyramrod, Peter Patina, Ratdat and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_the_cat Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I want to know whether it is possible to actually die from frenzied wanking. I've done much research into this particular subject, and I'm still alive... Ratdat, michael t and oman5 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouseflakes Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 The valance is in a bad way... not rotten but very battered. I'll have a go at removing it (it's welded on 510s) and bashing it straight but if it's a no go I can always rob the one of my other 510.One good thing... the SSS rear pillar emblems are in really excellent shape, they just need a bit of paint touching up...I really need a proper hot pressure washer for this. I might see if I can hire one.I think this cooling system might need flushing though!I think I'm going to pull the head and the water pump and clean this right out otherwise it's only going to give me grief later.It'll need a glove box door as an old sticker has melted the plastic texture in one corner but I reckon I can get one from the States of maybe from the club in Norway.Tomorrow, if the weather is alright, I'll have a play with the engine and electrics. i really want to get it running properly, off of fuel from the tank rather than from a jar! I think you might need another wee before you do all that. Ratdat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeJay Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Prairie towing an old Datsun.Do you think anybody believes the sticker in your back window Ratdat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudsprint Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Hero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Great looking car, and a thoroughly enjoyable thread. There's almost a market for a travel book "euro Kar Kollection Kaperz" where mad folk like those on this board do stuff like this. Something like this is truly a dream of mine. Really must find a way to get everyday drudge out of the way for a Bit so I can do something like this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheggers Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 It looks to be in truly remarkable condition all things considered. What's parts availability like for these?? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratdat Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 Parts availability if pretty good in the States and Australia but they're getting very expensive. Things like panels, chrome trim and bumpers especially. Fortunately, I already have quite a lot of parts which I've collected over the years. I might have to get a new front valance which are now being reproduced, but most of the rest of the stuff need I already have. It is probably harder to rebuild one standard though as a huge amount of the aftermarket is geared towards modifying them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Breadvan72 Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 This thread makes me wish that I had manned up and bought and fetched that Pug 504 Pininfarina Coupe that was parked in a swamp in central France and was on leboncoin a month or so ago. I bottled it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruffgeezer Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I never even got a reply from the Monsieur that was selling the RE125 so you did much better than I did. Fantastic collection thread, it also goes to show how local you are to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratdat Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 I never even got a reply from the Monsieur that was selling the RE125 so you did much better than I did. Fantastic collection thread, it also goes to show how local you are to me! I reckon some sellers might just not want the perceived hassle of dealing with a foreigner. I made sure to make no mention of where I was from initially and wrote all emails in French but with a note apologizing that French wasn't my 1st language (at which I'm sure he though ' pas de merde, Monsieur Sherlock'. That way, whilst he would know I wasn't French, he wouldn't know that I didn't actually live in France which my be the off putting bit.I never asked if he spoke any English, even when I was there. I figured if he could and wanted to, he would, although being older generation and in a rural location, I knew it was probably unlikely. To be fair, I message plenty of buyers in the UK and never had a reply! And they have no excuse. I am pretty local to you. Just east of Louth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstraight6 Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 This is the best thread I've read on here, the way it's written and the images have made it a compulsive read for the last hour while having my daily tea fix, the car is superb..... eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheggers Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I reckon some sellers might just not want the perceived hassle of dealing with a foreigner. I made sure to make no mention of where I was from initially and wrote all emails in French but with a note apologizing that French wasn't my 1st language (at which I'm sure he though ' pas de merde, Monsieur Sherlock'. That way, whilst he would know I wasn't French, he wouldn't know that I didn't actually live in France which my be the off putting bit.I never asked if he spoke any English, even when I was there. I figured if he could and wanted to, he would, although being older generation and in a rural location, I knew it was probably unlikely. To be fair, I message plenty of buyers in the UK and never had a reply! And they have no excuse. I am pretty local to you. Just east of Louth.I've also found it really makes a difference what you put in your message. I always try to come across as friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely in the market for whatever it is I'm trying to view/ buy - anything to stand out from the dozens of "Giv u £200 M8 can collect 2nite HIAB lol" responses they must get. I'm sure in your case, the fact you showed enough respect to communicate in French made a difference. To be fair, yours was just one of those rare occasions when the stars aligned and it all worked out perfectly Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panhard65 Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I have bought quite a few cars through Leboncoin and always try emailing first using google translate and modifying it slightly until it looks right. You probably will get around a 60% success rate with replies. Every seller I have dealt with has been very helpful and even if neither of us know a word of each others native language we get by. The worst time was viewing 2 Renault domaines at a gypsy site. My french let me down big time that day, but I still made it out alive even though I didn't buy the car. If you agree to going to look at the car they will hold it for you no matter how many other offers they get. I expect there are exceptions to this rule but so far so good. I did have one seller who wouldn't deal with anyone who wasn't in France. He wouldn't answer my emails or the French speaker I asked to call him from the UK. I then had a contact call him from Switzerland and he sold the clock to him no problem, but he wouldn't post to the UK. So it had a bit of a trip before getting to me. I will have to see if I can find some more tat to bring back in June on my way home from Le mans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimo Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 As everyone above has said, Epic,100/10 etc.Impressed with total confidence in the Prairie just after a fair bit of work to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort1977 Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Thoroughly enjoyable thread. I asked out the wife about how she would react to an invitation to collect an old Datsun in France. She said a weekend in France would be 'lovely', i didn't point out that the reality might be slightly less glamorous. If you need any assistance with part shipping from the US I may be able to help, sometimes the delivery costs from US companies can be quite dear. Ratdat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompei Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Makes all the "Hi M8, I live 100 miles away, what are you going to knock off the price for my petrol" replies look pretty lame. chaseracer, Ratdat, Sigmund Fraud and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompei Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 There's a batterd Prairie still knocking around in Winterton - I took a few pics of it recently which I'll try and find and post up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holbeck Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Top thread. The best thing about it... it's nice to see someone getting something that they want. Luckythirteen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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