Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - Traded Our matt pink car for a bright red shinny one!

[Six-cylinder]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

if you had fixed the Bedford CF beaver tail, you would be able to move *both* the Sigma and the Carlton without them ever having to work!

Unfortunately that would not work because with either of those cars the CF would bend in half, probably slowly like the way they drive or be seized and crushed by the law for being over weight!

[wuvvum]

ianbmw would have completed a full engine rebuild on the Sigma before that CF was half way down FOD Lane.

[Six-cylinder]

2 hours ago, ianbmw said:

May I suggest upgrading to a Vauxhall Carlton sir?

I have a lovely tax free, 2.8 6 cylinder Auto Vauxhall Royal with valour trim that I would like to drive about in, but you want to down grade me to a 1.8 4 cylinder with 3 pedals  and basic trim!

[LightBulbFun]

Just now, Six-cylinder said:

Unfortunately that would not work because with those cars either the CF would bend in half, probably slowly like the way they drive or be seized and crushed by the law for being over weight!

get a bigger Bedford CF then! what would that be? one of these? LOL

 

[Six-cylinder]

8 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

get a bigger Bedford CF then! what would that be? one of these? LOL

 

I can't believe he only paid £1,000 for it.

[LightBulbFun]

27 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

but you want to down grade me to a 1.8 4 cylinder with 3 pedals  and basic trim!

Pedals a Problem? how about 0.5 2 cylinder with No Pedals! (and a padded box for optional trim!)

[Six-cylinder]

14 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

Pedals a Problem? how about 0.5 2 cylinder with No Pedals! (and a padded box for optional trim!)

Some friend,  you want to down grade me further than even IanBMW!

[Six-cylinder]

This is what IanBMW wants  me to drive!

[warninglight]

5 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

I can't believe he only paid £1,000 for it.

I did a magazine feature on that Bedford probably in 2010 when it was still in Northern Ireland.

It was owned by an eccentric chap who from memory was an apple merchant in Co Armagh (Orchard County!)

Surreal to see it appear on youtube last week, and a bit sad that it's only £1000 worth now. 

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

This is what IanBMW wants  me to drive!

Patina!

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Patina!

 

[hairnet]

21 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

I have a lovely tax free, 2.8 6 cylinder Auto Vauxhall Royal with valour trim that I would like to drive about in, but you want to down grade me to a 1.8 4 cylinder with 3 pedals  and basic trim!

finger out

[hairnet]

13 hours ago, richardmorris said:

 

 

blocked

i dont wanna see that

[hairnet]

17 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

This is what IanBMW wants  me to drive!

winner

[hairnet]

21 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

 the CF would bend in half

 

wish it would

[Six-cylinder]

This afternoon the plan was with Phil a mobile mechanic to cure the misfire on the Gamma and check what parts I needed to remove the slight movement in the n-s front wheel of the Citroen DS.

It all went to pot, Phil forgot his timing light to even do the basic stuff on the Gamma so he put that job on hold. The Rolls Royce was blocking in the Manta and DS but would not start with a flat battery in spite of being started 2 weeks ago and the battery cut out switch being left off. We used up the jump pack getting the Gamma started. The Rolls Royce battery is now on charge and the plan is to revisit the problems next week.

Phil is currently running around in a 1989 957cc 4 speed base Fiesta, interesting but I wouldn’t swap my “Fix it again Toni” for his “Fix or Repair Daily”!

[Six-cylinder]

50 Years ago this month I passed my driving test.

My first car was this Hillman Imp Californian Coupe that was 8 years old. I never drove it on L plates. I learnt to drive on driving school cars, first lesson was in a Mini then he could not do the free period I had from collage so I went to another instructor with a Triumph Toledo. I passed after 8 lessons but also did a lot of practice by driving my patient father around in his 1973 Citroen GS 1220 Club.

[hairnet]

omg

cannot kill pushrod fiestas

 

[vtec-e]

I passed my test in the driving instructor's Fiesta 957. It was only a few months old, and I couldn't believe she allowed me to take my test in it!

First car was a 12 year old C-reg (1965) Mini 850, rusty as anything. Sorry no photos.

[rustdevil]

On 09/03/2026 at 13:52, LightBulbFun said:

Pedals a Problem? how about 0.5 2 cylinder with No Pedals! (and a padded box for optional trim!)

And a sports three spoke steering wheel

[Bear]

13 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

50 Years ago this month I passed my driving test.

My first car was this Hillman Imp Californian Coupe that was 8 years old. I never drove it on L plates. I learnt to drive on driving school cars, first lesson was in a Mini then he could not do the free period I had from collage so I went to another instructor with a Triumph Toledo. I passed after 8 lessons but also did a lot of practice driving by driving my patient father around in his 1973 Citroen GS 1220 Club.

That is a seriously cool car for a new licence holder though...

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

14 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

My first car was this Hillman Imp Californian Coupe that was 8 years old.

My first car a few of years after you was a 10 year old Hillman Imp Van.

 

Very similar to this

 

But more rusty!

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, Bear said:

That is a seriously cool car for a new licence holder though...

Not really.

A good freind had an Escort 1.3 Estate and even then the world liked that better.

1 hour ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

My first car a few of years after you was a 10 year old Hillman Imp Van.

 

Very similar to this

 

But more rusty!

I could not get it reliable. Everything went wrong except the head gasket which had been done just before I bought the car for £130 needing a gearbox. The list was endless but some I remember worn carburettor, the new gearbox replaced under warrantee but I had to remove it and refit it, Throttle cable broke, gear change flexible link broke, king pins etc. I keep it a year.

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

41 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

gear change flexible link broke

Mine the gear lever broke off just at the ball in the middle of the road when parking in Foster Hill Road, Bedford;

fortunately I was able to push it into the parking space.

It was hard to get into reverse because the flexi link needed changing, PO had just been gorillaing it into gear.

New lever (fitted in Bedford Midland Road Railway Station yard) and new flexi transformed the gear change. 

Also had Rotoflexes break up, rear shockers had to be replaced, welding to sills,  water pump replaced (in 4" of snow).

After about a year sold it to a guy at college for £130 same as I bought it for, who promptly had a head on crash, causing it to burn out.

 

Later I had two Sunbeam Stilettos, both of which had to have welding, which I did using a borrowed Oxy - Mapp Welding kit.

Remember them?

 

Most of the problem IMO with the Imps was down to lack of proper maintenance and a Garage Trade that found aluminium cylinder heads frightening.

The levels of botchery that cars were subjected to at that price level was ... !

 

 

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

On 15/03/2026 at 13:49, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

water pump replaced (in 4" of snow).

On 15/03/2026 at 13:49, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

Sunbeam Stilettos

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

Redcar?

[eddyramrod]

7 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Redcar?

No, green van.

[High Jetter]

2 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

No, green van.

Reliant, on last pic I meant.

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Redcar?

 

8 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Reliant, on last pic I meant.

No, Stafford.

[Floatylight]

12 hours ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

 

No, Stafford.

What area? Don't recognise the frontage style, thought maybe Doxey Road?