Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - a Workshop Day Today

[Six-cylinder]

Today was Milton Keynes Mini club breakfast meeting, with extra Binis! Another Mini Club joined us this morning.

My 1984 Mayfair has been fighting us, but in spite of the weeping water pump I decided to take it. It starts readily and once warmed up drives well with good power for a 998cc.

I am not sure if the drum brakes are improving or I am just getting used to them! 4 other people have driven it, one said they were dangerous, one said they were below par and two they were as good a drum brake Minis get!

I enjoyed driving it today and it has now done 57 miles since it came back on the road after its 25 year rest.

[richardmorris]

My god, that deserves an award. You took the correct car to a model specific meeting? 

[Stinkwheel]

Is it just me that objects to Bini's turning up at Mini club events. And as note to self, must finish the other halfs mini, it has become a garage ornament recently

[New POD]

11 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

Is it just me that objects to Bini's turning up at Mini club events. And as note to self, must finish the other halfs mini, it has become a garage ornament recently

Remember that the Oldest BINI will be built in June 2001. And Generation 1 versions are as reliable as a metro turbo. Without the rust. 

So maybe give the owners some Slack. 

[Stinkwheel]

11 minutes ago, New POD said:

Remember that the Oldest BINI will be built in June 2001. And Generation 1 versions are as reliable as a metro turbo. Without the rust. 

So maybe give the owners some Slack. 

Oh OK, if i must. They just seem a long way from an A series and 4 speed box with Moulton suspension, not to mention being made by a different manufacturer. Picky i know, but then I am generally  

[New POD]

1 minute ago, Stinkwheel said:

Oh OK, if i must. They just seem a long way from an A series and 4 speed box with Moulton suspension, not to mention being made by a different manufacturer. Picky i know, but then I am generally  

I've always imagined that Generation 1 was designed by Austin Engineers at Longbridge who fully expected the assembly line to be there, and the Rover 75 assembly line to be in Cowley. 

Which is why the Austin (Midlands) gearbox of shite was fitted, the Powersteering dodgy, the Wiring systems a bit mediocre, and the roof lining saggy.  Because they applied the same level of Attention to Detail as they did to designing the Metro Turbo 28 years earlier.  

 

[Six-cylinder]

2 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

Is it just me that objects to Bini's turning up at Mini club events. And as note to self, must finish the other halfs mini, it has become a garage ornament recently

I know what you mean, but the Milton's Keynes club definitely promotes both and that makes it ok in my book. Some members including the organisers have both a Bini and a classic or 4!

I wouldn't mind a Bini at some point as well as the Mayfair.

[Six-cylinder]

Sad day for my favourite rechargeable tyre pump, @Mrs6C let the smoke out of it last week and it has not worked since.

Today I opened it up, the motor smells burnt and the cooling fan had lost all its fins.

I think it has lost its fight for further pumping!

[beko1987]

13 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Sad day for my favourite rechargeable tyre pump, @Mrs6C let the smoke out of it last week and it has not worked since.

Today I opened it up, the motor smells burnt and the cooling fan had lost all its fins.

I think it has lost its fight for further pumping!

There a label or ID on that small 12v looking motor?

[beko1987]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

I know what you mean, but the Milton's Keynes club definitely promotes both and that makes it ok in my book. Some members including the organisers have both a Bini and a classic or 4!

I wouldn't mind a Bini at some point as well as the Mayfair.

I don't see an auto bini being a bad runabout for you tbh. The front 2 seats shouldn't be too cramped, and you'd be able to pick a  cheap one to hack about in for little expense I imagine 🤔

[Six-cylinder]

43 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

I don't see an auto bini being a bad runabout for you tbh. The front 2 seats shouldn't be too cramped, and you'd be able to pick a  cheap one to hack about in for little expense I imagine 🤔

At the moment my Fiat Seicento is doing the job of errands car.

45 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

There a label or ID on that small 12v looking motor?

 

[hairnet]

2 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

 

I wouldn't mind a Bini at some point as well as the Mayfair.

ROFLCOPTER of the day

worse than the one you have

AND you cant fix it with a hammer

[hairnet]

2 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

 

I wouldn't mind a Bini at some point as well as the Mayfair.

ROFLCOPTER of the day

worse than the one you have

AND you cant fix it with a hammer

[Six-cylinder]

I am getting better at and more used to driving the 1933 Rolls Royce. The result was I did not feel wore out after 64 miles yesterday working the heavy steering and clutch, non-synchromesh 1st & 2nd gears, increase braking distances, reduced acceleration and lower cornering speeds. 

I joined the Loose Alliance car group for this event where anything is welcome and they used me to keep the flag pole upright! 

[Six-cylinder]

I was amazed it just started!

I was getting concerned that I had not driven my 2016 Range Rover for over a month and even more than most cars, later Range Rover's do not like sitting around unused. I had a non timed errand to do this morning, it was not blocked in, so it seemed a good time to jump start or what ever was necessary. Nothing it just started with one press of the button!

[Talbot]

On 06/08/2025 at 16:42, Six-cylinder said:

Does that only use one 18650 cell?  I'm amazed!

[Six-cylinder]

10 minutes ago, Talbot said:

Does that only use one 18650 cell?  I'm amazed!

You are right two, with an end plates welded together.

[beko1987]

On 06/08/2025 at 17:42, Six-cylinder said:

At the moment my Fiat Seicento is doing the job of errands car.

 

The kicker will be having to strip it down to check it's not something bespoke, but

Etc

Dunno how cost effective repair vs replacement would be though. 

Looking at how all the apparatus is at the back of the motor, and the front is just a cooling fan it could be mildly specific.

I'm amazed it lasted more than a few uses as it is tbh 😂 There's probably an identical motor powering something important deep DEEP in the range rover 😬

[Six-cylinder]

55 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

The kicker will be having to strip it down to check it's not something bespoke, but

Etc

Dunno how cost effective repair vs replacement would be though. 

Looking at how all the apparatus is at the back of the motor, and the front is just a cooling fan it could be mildly specific.

I'm amazed it lasted more than a few uses as it is tbh 😂 There's probably an identical motor powering something important deep DEEP in the range rover 😬

I have stripped it down and I have never found a cheap electric device that was so hard to strip, being pressed and glued together I broke the circuit board and case getting it apart. I was amazed to find the outer case was aluminium and not plastic. It is now dead.

We had it for 3+ years and I remember it being quite expensive, but worked very well. I could not find the same Osram model for sale but the replacement appears to be £80. I bulked at £80 and bought an unbranded £25 Chinese one.

[hairnet]

RR eek

Can you retro fit epas to flashest motah on here roller

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 06/08/2025 at 16:42, Six-cylinder said:

Sad day for my favourite rechargeable tyre pump, @Mrs6C let the smoke out of it last week and it has not worked since.

Today I opened it up, the motor smells burnt and the cooling fan had lost all its fins.

I think it has lost its fight for further pumping!

i think you are being very brave/stupid blaming scary Clare 😲

[IronStar]

Re: Pumps

The ones that come bundled with modern* VWs are ace. I can also attest for Lidl's Ultimate Speed one that got me back on the road a few times. 

Both can be had for £notmuch, and the ones from VWs are probably going to be unused as well.

[Noel Tidybeard]

55 minutes ago, IronStar said:

Re: Pumps

The ones that come bundled with modern* VWs are ace. I can also attest for Lidl's Ultimate Speed one that got me back on the road a few times. 

Both can be had for £notmuch, and the ones from VWs are probably going to be unused as well.

see also honda, mini & mercedes*

 

*my ebay merc one has a light in the gauge!

[beko1987]

Thirded! I've got one branded vw I got given from a scrap car and it's fucking ace! I chopped the ciggy lighter plug off it and currently there's 2 male spades and I grab my 12v drill battery to use. Could quickly be adapted for croc clips to the cars battery too if needed. The ex had the same in the back of her vauxhall (I didn't get to grab it before the car went for scrap annoyingly)

Every year in the summer I sit out the front and Charlie gets all his friends to bring me their inflatable toys and I'll pump them all up (I'm the only one with the ball inflator adapter it seems).

I made my air bed inflator cordless in the same way. Sadly the usb plugs in the car aren't as PD as they say they are so usb c modding them didn't work. I either take my drill battery with us or use the cars battery if out and about.

I'd be amazed if the range rover doesn't have one under the boot floor. I guess you've never been under there though like the good range rover owner you are 😊

[Six-cylinder]

22 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Thirded! I've got one branded vw I got given from a scrap car and it's fucking ace! I chopped the ciggy lighter plug off it and currently there's 2 male spades and I grab my 12v drill battery to use. Could quickly be adapted for croc clips to the cars battery too if needed. The ex had the same in the back of her vauxhall (I didn't get to grab it before the car went for scrap annoyingly)

Every year in the summer I sit out the front and Charlie gets all his friends to bring me their inflatable toys and I'll pump them all up (I'm the only one with the ball inflator adapter it seems).

I made my air bed inflator cordless in the same way. Sadly the usb plugs in the car aren't as PD as they say they are so usb c modding them didn't work. I either take my drill battery with us or use the cars battery if out and about.

I'd be amazed if the range rover doesn't have one under the boot floor. I guess you've never been under there though like the good range rover owner you are 😊

Some years ago I was donated a couple of new cigar lighter air compressors from a member of this parish that were surplus because the new Ford vans had them replaced with spare wheels and the kit to fit them. They were better than most cheap tyre inflaters, one died but the other one is still working great.

My Range Rover has a cheap looking air pump for the suspension, but does have a full sized spare wheel.

 

[Six-cylinder]

Yesterday @Slowsilver helped me check why I had a tail light out on the Rolls Royce.

Turned out it was a simple bulb failure, but not a bulb I had come across before being a twin contact fitting. Slowsilver saved the day by having one in stock.

[Six-cylinder]

Yesterday evening I had spotted a Facebook post about a possible meeting of Brackley Classic car club so I decided on such a warm dry evening to give it a go. It was on and a chap turned up on spec talking about his 1935 Daimler 15HP Tourer. Then he changed has line from next month to I will go home now and get it.

Well if you don't ask, you don't get. Can I get a lift to your home so I can have a ride back in the Daimler please? Yes I got my wish that turned a pleasant evening into a special evening.

[hairnet]

anything going on on saturday ya big toff ya

 

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, hairnet said:

anything going on on saturday ya big toff ya

 

I have been asked to join a village car parade event at Marsh Gibbon. 

[Bmwdumptruck]

18 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Yesterday evening I had spotted a Facebook post about a possible meeting of Brackley Classic car club so I decided on such a warm dry evening to give it a go. It was on and a chap turned up on spec talking about his 1935 Daimler 15HP Tourer. Then he changed has line from next month to I will go home now and get it.

Well if you don't ask, you don't get. Can I get a lift to your home so I can have a ride back in the Daimler please? Yes I got my wish that turned a pleasant evening into a special evening.

 

 

 

Evenley? Rode through there last night.