Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - a Workshop Day Today

[eddyramrod]

10 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

Cor! now we are talking! I had no idea that the Bedford CF got the V8's over there, I know it got the inline 6 holden, but no idea they also got V8's!

@eddyramrod did you know that? imagine a V8 pre-facelift bedford CF with Automatic gearbox, I think that would be the ultimate Bedford CF for you if I am not mistaken?  

 

it would be really interesting to do a shootout/comparison between a V8 Beford CF and a V8 Sherpa (did the transit ever get a V8 option in any markets? I know it got the Essex V6, but apart from the Super-van I am not aware of a transit V8?)

I knew about them but I'm pretty sure I've never seen one.  But then I've never been south of the Equator or east of Cyprus, so I think my chances are slim.  And yes, it would have to be Ultimate Bedford, certainly.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Not on principle but the fuel cost!

EFA

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, hairnet said:

just watching bangers and cash where they fettle a ds21 pallas

why is the trimmer gadge saying it needs a vinyl roof ffs

1 its french

2 roof is not metal

he said its period - yeah if its english

im hoping they dont

watching them bid on a fergie tractor now

Least DS got sorted, am watching now. Spendy Fergie

[MorrisItalSLX]

45 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

(did the transit ever get a V8 option in any markets? I know it got the Essex V6, but apart from the Super-van I am not aware of a transit V8?)

I have heard of V8 conversions of MK2 Transits in Australia based on factory 4.1L straight six Transits using Falcon parts, but never from factory.

[Six-cylinder]

Winter!

When Mrs6C worked in Houston, Texas November was when I liked to visit her for 6 weeks!

[hairnet]

how far a walk to the shop

no starting from that lot

 

[Six-cylinder]

It is raining now and the DS is suffering from Droop!

[Six-cylinder]

Ever since I have had the Rolls Royce the clutch has dragged ever so slightly, which means it grates going into gear stationary. It has been embarrassing crunching gears every time I drive it. I have arranged to have it looked at so it will be ready for New Year’s day at Stoney Stratford Classic car gathering if the weather is decent. Today I had to drive it 30 miles on mainly dry roads to take it to the workshop where it is being looked at. It was an enjoyable drive even without a heater.

The DS saga continued today, first the pump packed up with the car in a lay-by on the other side of the road, then I bought a standard manual pump only to find it had been fitted with an electric pump. We bought and fitted an identical looking electric pump that leaked. Last Saturday we fitted another pump and it worked and did not leak. Sunday I went to drive the car and it cut out. It had no petrol in the filter. Phil came back today and fixed it owning up to having kinked the rubber petrol pipe under the car! 

[Volksy]

I had a 1969 Holden powered Bedford CF. It had the 186ci (3.0l) straight six. They could be had with the 202ci (3.3l) six also. But didn't know about the V8.

I'm assuming the sixes were the same as used in the Cresta etc over here.

 

[hairnet]

Yeow

[Six-cylinder]

I will tell @ianbmw to get my Royale fixed as it now worth a fortune!

[Six-cylinder]

Today I collected our Citroen ZX TD Avantage Estate from my favourite garage with a fresh MOT and service. They fitted the new rear brake load valve and replaced the rear brake shoes. Also they fixed the new n-s front door handle I bought from Lithuania.

We have now had this ZX for 13 years and done 65,000 miles in that time. It was bought as a spare car just because it looked great and was cheap!

It got loaned out because we did not need it and the last loan was to my younger son Richard who claimed it was ruining has street cred and could he borrow one of our BMWs instead. That was a few years ago and when Richard returned it I said I would sell it but Mrs6C said she wanted to keep it and use it so we still have it.

[ianbmw]

Surely driving the ZX was punishment for clocking up air miles in the E30!

 

I don’t work outside in the snow!!!

[richardmorris]

ZX 1.9d will outlive cockroaches I think.

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, ianbmw said:

Surely driving the ZX was punishment for clocking up air miles in the E30!

I don’t work outside in the snow!!!

It was after the ZX when he asked  to borrow my 1987 BMW 535i SE Manual and "I said son if you can insure it you can borrow it!" I thought as he was only 23 years old at the time insurance would exclude him, but somehow he managed it. Six months later he said the petrol on the 535i was killing him and could he have the E30 325i instead. He had managed to keep the notoriously unruly 3.5 E28 on the road so I did not hesitate to grant him his wish.

That is when it all went wrong and he aquaplaned the 325i up a central reservation bashed the lower valance but worse then drove the car to a place of safety having cracked the sump. The engine was seized as it had leaked all its oil out. The car then sat around at the FoD waiting for a savour. That is when you put in a replacement engine I had bought. Trouble was it turned out I had been scammed and the replacement engine was junk. Even if there was a pause I never did work out how you worked up the enthusiasm to fit the second engine I bought. The second engine was great.

My son needed a car as soon as he bashed the E30 so I lent him my E36 323i black coupe, fortunately he never crashed that!

You don't work in the snow so you are good for the rain then! That Royale is a £15k car you know.

[ianbmw]

It is amazing how many cars I’ve fixed in the garage! But blimey that e30 was quick once it was fixed!

[wuvvum]

I'd love a go of an E30 325i one day.  Sadly decent ones are out of my price range these days.

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, wuvvum said:

I'd love a go of an E30 325i one day.  Sadly decent ones are out of my price range these days.

The day I bought it and proudly parked outside a Jaguar dealership Jan 2013 and the day I waved it off the drive in April 2022.

Why, rust in the roof and the cost of the road tax. 

[brownnova]

On 05/11/2024 at 20:02, Markeh said:

I'm sure I've just seen your old W123 estate as a background car on the ITV drama Joan.

I was sure it was that one when I watched it last night! Glad to have my suspicions confirmed! 

[MAF260]

23 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Today I collected our Citroen ZX TD Avantage Estate from my favourite garage with a fresh MOT and service. They fitted the new rear brake load valve and replaced the rear brake shoes. Also they fixed the new n-s front door handle I bought from Lithuania.

We have now had this ZX for 13 years and done 65,000 miles in that time. It was bought as a spare car just because it looked great and was cheap!

It got loaned out because we did not need it and the last loan was to my younger son Richard who claimed it was ruining has street cred and could he borrow one of our BMWs instead. That was a few years ago and when Richard returned it I said I would sell it but Mrs6C said she wanted to keep it and use it so we still have it.

Which is your favourite garage please? I've recently moved nearby and need to find some good/recommended local businesses.

[hairnet]

On 22/11/2024 at 16:54, Six-cylinder said:

Today I collected our Citroen ZX TD Avantage Estate from my favourite garage with a fresh MOT and service. They fitted the new rear brake load valve and replaced the rear brake shoes. Also they fixed the new n-s front door handle I bought from Lithuania.

We have now had this ZX for 13 years and done 65,000 miles in that time. It was bought as a spare car just because it looked great and was cheap!

It got loaned out because we did not need it and the last loan was to my younger son Richard who claimed it was ruining has street cred and could he borrow one of our BMWs instead. That was a few years ago and when Richard returned it I said I would sell it but Mrs6C said she wanted to keep it and use it so we still have it.

Beast

[Six-cylinder]

3 hours ago, MAF260 said:

Which is your favourite garage please? I've recently moved nearby and need to find some good/recommended local businesses.

The Garage is Dorill Auto Service, Sherington Bridge Farm, Newport Pagnell, MK16 9JA.  01908 612615

Mark who runs it has become quite selective with the work he takes on partly due to his father passing away last year who used to work with him. He says working on old stuff is frustrating when you can’t plan how long a job will take because of stuck or rusty parts and unavailable locally supply of parts.

@Zelandeth has had his 2006 Peugeot Partner worked on but he would not take on his 1988 Renault 25 Head gasket.

Mark is more than capable but he has plenty of work so will turn jobs down he does not like.

I have been told when I get my 1976 Opel Manta back that will be the last big job he does for me. Don’t get the impression the relationship has gone sour because he will still look after our cars as usual. We have our own WhatsApp and he will message with me after hours. I have tea with Mark when I visit and he has lent me his personal Triumph 2000 & 2500 overnight for me to take to Club meetings.

I am extremely grateful for everything Mark and his late father has done for me over the last 15 years servicing and repairing most of our running cars. In addition they have tackled some of the project cars we bought dead. This included recommissioning our 1984 MG Metro, Lancia Gamma including an engine rebuild, BMW 2500, Lancia Trevi, Triumph 2500TC and currently Opel manta.

 

[richardmorris]

10 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

The Garage is Dorill Auto Service, Sherington Bridge Farm, Newport Pagnell, MK16 9JA.  01908 612615

Mark who runs it has become quite selective with the work he takes on partly due to his father passing away last year who used to work with him. He says working on old stuff is frustrating when you can’t plan how long a job will take because of stuck or rusty parts and unavailable locally supply of parts.

@Zelandeth has had his 2006 Peugeot Partner worked on but he would not take on his 1988 Renault 25 Head gasket.

Mark is more than capable but he has plenty of work so will turn jobs down he does not like.

I have been told when I get my 1976 Opel Manta back that will be the last big job he does for me. Don’t get the impression the relationship has gone sour because he will still look after our cars as usual. We have our own WhatsApp and he will message with me after hours. I have tea with Mark when I visit and he has lent me his personal Triumph 2000 & 2500 overnight for me to take to Club meetings.

I am extremely grateful for everything Mark and his late father has done for me over the last 15 years servicing and repairing most of our running cars. In addition they have tackled some of the project cars we bought dead. This included recommissioning our 1984 MG Metro, Lancia Gamma including an engine rebuild, BMW 2500, Lancia Trevi, Triumph 2500TC and currently Opel manta.

 

My mechanic friend is getting that way too, capable of working on Bentley turbos to rebuilding a box of bits Willys jeep. But picky about taking on new projects - happy to do the 2cv and x1/9 but not a possible new traction avant.

[Zelandeth]

Two Wrestlers Garage in Newport Pagnell are also decent - but they're also always absolutely rammed so you need to plan ~a month in advance.  Plus they have near zero off street parking, so anything that's not road legal that's not just going to be an in-MOT-out job is always a bit of a challenge logistically and they're likely to turn down.  They're also reluctant to take on longer jobs as it's a small place and they only have one ramp aside from the MOT bay.

I've really struggled to find anyone willing to get their hands dirty with anything but the most basic of jobs on anything older than the daily.

[Wibble]

When I told my local classic friendly garage proprietor that I’d booked my Senator and Cortina in with his wife, he called me an absolute bastard and said he was calling in sick for those days😆. I then gave him a tub of Roses chocolates and said sorry. He smiled, gave me a loan car and said he’d sort whatever they need🙂

[Six-cylinder]

2 minutes ago, Wibble said:

When I told my local classic friendly garage proprietor that I’d booked my Senator and Cortina in with his wife, he called me an absolute bastard and said he was calling in sick for those days😆. I then gave him a tub of Roses chocolates and said sorry. He smiled, gave me a loan car and said he’d sort whatever they need🙂

I have the same relationship with Mark who always complains about my choice of cars!

[richardmorris]

5 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

I have the same relationship with Mark who always complains about my choice of cars!

When I borrowed your xm some years ago I sent a photo to my mechanic- he replied that “you better hadn’t have bought that”. Has threatened me when I’ve mentioned Citroen C6 s too.

[Six-cylinder]

7 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Two Wrestlers Garage in Newport Pagnell are also decent - but they're also always absolutely rammed so you need to plan ~a month in advance.  Plus they have near zero off street parking, so anything that's not road legal that's not just going to be an in-MOT-out job is always a bit of a challenge logistically and they're likely to turn down.  They're also reluctant to take on longer jobs as it's a small place and they only have one ramp aside from the MOT bay.

I've really struggled to find anyone willing to get their hands dirty with anything but the most basic of jobs on anything older than the daily.

I have had a new to me local mobile Mech do some work for me. He has changed the fuel pump on our Citroen DS and is part way through changing the head gaskets on my Mitsubishi Sigma V6.  It is early days yet to understand what he is good at/willing to do, but the signs are good.

[richardmorris]

9 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

I have had a new to me local mobile Mech do some work for me. He has changed the fuel pump on our Citroen DS and is part way through changing the head gaskets on my Mitsubishi Sigma V6.  It is early days yet to understand what he is good at/willing to do, but the signs are good.

Does he know that he’s being dragged into indentured servitude  for the rest of his life?

[Mr Pastry]

Going back 5 years or so I used to use West End Garage in Buckingham - a proper helpful old -school place who knew their stuff, and an interesting building which I think was formerly a brewery.  They still seem to be in business, although as with the others mentioned they have limited space and MOTs are the main business.  I was happy with what they did.  I won't give a recommendation as it is so long since I used them, but certainly worth a try.