Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - Spring has Spung!

[Six-cylinder]

Today was the Lancia Gamma Lunch at an Italian restaurant near Aylesbury. A little disappointing because of a very poor weather forecast only one Gamma, while past years 7-8 Gammas have attended. I did not help as mine does not run well so I took the Seicento.

[richardmorris]

26 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Today was the Lancia Gamma Lunch at an Italian restaurant near Aylesbury. A little disappointing because of a very poor weather forecast only one Gamma, while past years 7-8 Gammas have attended. I did not help as mine does not run well so I took the Seicento.

Love the coupe, not so much the style of the moderns.

[Six-cylinder]

11 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Love the coupe, not so much the style of the moderns.

Some are badged Chrysler others Lancia.

[hairnet]

sok @Skizzer woulda turned up in his beemer

[Six-cylinder]

Call me a wuss if you like!

This morning I was taking the Mazda 323 to my favourite garage for a MOT and a check over when I encountered a flooded road, with an abandoned car. I know the road and thought that is only a few inches deep, but knew I would be in big trouble with Mrs6C if I took it into the water and it hydro locked so turned around.

For the return journey I collected my Range Rover from MOT and service. Knowing it has a 900mm wading depth I went back to the lane to play in the water.

Was the urge to put the Range Rover tyres in the water the same as when I was a child in welly boots!

[beko1987]

You'd put the Mazda into a pothole that wasn't there last time you drove the road that's now fully hidden and drop 2ft below the intake line and kill it, good call to not I think 👌

[richardmorris]

4 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Call me a wuss if you like!

This morning I was taking the Mazda 323 to my favourite garage for a MOT and a check over when I encountered a flooded road, with an abandoned car. I know the road and thought that is only a few inches deep, but knew I would be in big trouble with Mrs6C if I took it into the water and it hydro locked so turned around.

For the return journey I collected my Range Rover from MOT and service. Knowing it has a 900mm wading depth I went back to the lane to play in the water.

Was the urge to put the Range Rover tyres in the water the same as when I was a child in welly boot!

You got the tyres wet anyway! I’m reporting potholes every day on my commute this week. Last Saturday had five cars stopped with burst tyres/ broken rims on the a319 outside work because of a very sharp and deep hole hidden in flood water.

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

23 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Call me a wuss if you like!

OK, "Your a wuss".

😀

 

Most sensible - no point in wrecking a car in floods.

 

[Six-cylinder]

I had to call @Mrs6C again today as the Mercedes 200TE failed to start after I left the headlights on for less than 10 minutes. The battery is 6 years old and know to be dodgy. I have even bought a new one before Christmas, but never fitted it.

The event was a nice local car meeting today with about 40 cars.

[High Jetter]

Why was she absent from this distinguished gathering?

[Bmwdumptruck]

Pretty sure I passed that C15 on my way home. We had a club rideout over to Kineton to Gilks, but I had to be back by 2 so did the most direct route back via Buckingham and MK, diverting round the closure near Finmere. 
Saw the C15 and wondered if it might pop up on here. 

[hairnet]

2 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Why was she absent from this distinguished gathering?

driving about in working french cars obvs

[Mrs6C]

8 hours ago, Bmwdumptruck said:

Saw the C15 and wondered if it might pop up on here. 

It does, regularly!

Owned it for 11 years now. It's an excellent piece of kit.

[Bmwdumptruck]

22 minutes ago, Mrs6C said:

It does, regularly!

Owned it for 11 years now. It's an excellent piece of kit.

I ran one from 95-05 as my work van.  Bought nearly new finance repo for very little money, took it to 123k miles with hardly any issues.  Oddly I bought a later 2000W reg one to replace it but that turned out a nightmare having had some kind of smash which looked to have messed up the suspesion geometry which knocked out the final drive bearings.  Fitted a good sh gearbox but that went the same way very quickly.  Ended up trading that in for a new Peugoet Partner in early 05 which I had for a bit over 12 years till I bought my current Combo.  Fond memories but I wouldn’t go back to either by choice. Would love to get an old Astramax though. Wanted one back in the 80s but they were so expensive compared to the C15 and Renault Extra, which is what I had back then.  

[beko1987]

10 hours ago, Bmwdumptruck said:

Pretty sure I passed that C15 on my way home. We had a club rideout over to Kineton to Gilks, but I had to be back by 2 so did the most direct route back via Buckingham and MK, diverting round the closure near Finmere. 
Saw the C15 and wondered if it might pop up on here. 

Did the driver look cross or OK? (does he need to buy flowers?)

[DSdriver]

On 28/01/2026 at 17:35, beko1987 said:

You'd put the Mazda into a pothole that wasn't there last time you drove the road that's now fully hidden and drop 2ft below the intake line and kill it, good call to not I think 👌

I realised this week why traffic cones have stripes around them, it is so you can see how deep the flooded pothole is when the council have put a cone in it rather than filling the hole.

[DSdriver]

10 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

I had to call @Mrs6C again today as the Mercedes 200TE failed to start after I left the headlights on for less than 10 minutes. The battery is 6 years old and know to be dodgy. I have even bought a new one before Christmas, but never fitted it.

The event was a nice local car meeting today with about 40 cars.

Its amazing that the jump starter pack is always in the wrong car. Iffeel your pain.

[beko1987]

1 hour ago, DSdriver said:

I realised this week why traffic cones have stripes around them, it is so you can see how deep the flooded pothole is when the council have put a cone in it rather than filling the hole.

I drove past one the other week that had a cone 1/4 deep in it. Went past the other day and the cone was gone but the hole still there 😬

[Six-cylinder]

On Saturday I bought a vintage J & E Bates & Sons (Wolverhampton) Steamer Trunk for the Rolls Royce as there is no boot on my car.

Next job is to find a way to secure it to the luggage rack that is not permanent.  

I just need the weather to improve a little before I tackle that.

[motorpunk]

20 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

On Saturday I bought a vintage J & E Bates & Sons (Wolverhampton) Steamer Trunk for the Rolls Royce as there is no boot on my car.

Next job is to find a way to secure it to the luggage rack that is not permanent.  

I just need the weather to improve a little before I tackle that.

Aw shoot. Please don’t tell me that’s worth anything. I may have had one and used it as a BBQ … actually just ignore me, I can’t bear to know the truth. 🤣

[Six-cylinder]

9 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

Aw shoot. Please don’t tell me that’s worth anything. I may have had one and used it as a BBQ … actually just ignore me, I can’t bear to know the truth. 🤣

Don't worry a B&Q BBQ would cost more!

[hairnet]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334158451930?chn=ps&_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item

only realised it wasnt ££ till i clicked it

dont think youll be able to mount it without one unless someone could make you one

[Six-cylinder]

44 minutes ago, hairnet said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334158451930?chn=ps&_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item

only realised it wasnt ££ till i clicked it

dont think youll be able to mount it without one unless someone could make you one

My car came with a folding luggage rack and I had it fitted in December with the service.

[hairnet]

looking at the box theres a loop in the corner

find a mini leather bonnet strap and one either side to the rack?

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

11 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Next job is to find a way to secure it to the luggage rack that is not permanent.  

Period solution was leather strap with a buckle.

(Or multiple trouser belts leather straps to get the length)

[Westbay]

On 09/02/2026 at 12:05, beko1987 said:

I drove past one the other week that had a cone 1/4 deep in it. Went past the other day and the cone was gone but the hole still there 😬

Are you sure the cones gone or has it just got deeper ! 😂

[DSdriver]

50 minutes ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

Period solution was leather strap with a buckle.

(Or multiple trouser belts leather straps to get the length)

If you can find a roll of leather strip take it along to your local Timpsons and they will usually be most helpful.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, DSdriver said:

If you can find a roll of leather strip take it along to your local Timpsons and they will usually be most helpful.

Though an independant key-cutting or shoe repair type place may be cheaper than Timpsons.

[Mr Livered]

6 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Though an independant key-cutting or shoe repair type place may be cheaper than Timpsons.

Shoe repair shops are a load of old cobblers

[Six-cylinder]

On 17/02/2026 at 16:44, Mr Livered said:

Shoe repair shops are a load of old cobblers

No need for an extra trunk for the car we got from you!