Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - what is planned for 2025

[RobT]

Oh dear, it was a bit short of water but the radiator was next on the list to do. I'm glad it didn't pop in France a few weeks back!

 

Will get towed home and decide what to do next. In the meantime Mr and Mrs Cyl have kept me fed and watered, so there's far worst places to be with a knackered Rover...

[richardmorris]

Perhaps you could sneak away in one of the many cars without them noticing?

 

Safe journey whatever.

[egg]

Liked for being warm and dry, not for Rover HGF

[Slowsilver]

Ouch.

Didn't notice the massive hole in the Alfa's tyre when I took the wheel off.

No wonder it wouldn't inflate.

 

Shame about the temperature today.

Would have got more done if I could have felt my fingers!

Enjoyable autoshite round-table conference chez the Sixes afterwards though.

 

Comment of the day by quicksilver while admiring RobT's Rover 623 on arrival at the FoD:

"Nice car. Honda engine too, so no problems with HGF."

 

Fast forward about 6 hours. OMGHGF.

 

Hope you get home OK Rob.

 

[beko1987]

Oh no Rob, that's a bit pants. At least the mpg will be good on the way home...

[richardmorris]

Oh no Rob, that's a bit pants. At least the mpg will be good on the way home...

 

An ex Thames Tortoise 2cver told me that when at university he’d loosened the rear brake lines on his Dyane, called the Aa and got trailered home for Christmas as he couldn’t afford the petrol.

[Six-cylinder]

Rob is on his way.

[SiC]

Over 3 hours for a breakdown collection?! Blimey.

[beko1987]

Bummer, sad end to the day. Hope it's fixable man

[beko1987]

Over 3 hours for a breakdown collection?! Blimey.

Doubt he was high priority what with being at a house being fed and watered.

[quicksilver]

Oh dear, I fear I jinxed the Rover. It clearly can't take a compliment as we all agreed what a nice car it was and then it went and did the dreaded OMGHGF, ungrateful swine. Hope Rob gets home safely and thanks once again to everyone who came for an enjoyable if cold day.

[quicksilver]

As we all know you can trust an Autoshiter so when I was offered a good condition fully running Visa I jumped at it and signed on the dotted line, then I went to see what I had bought!

"Easy restoration, few small jobs needed for MOT"

[beko1987]

Never welded...

[RobT]

Over 3 hours for a breakdown collection?! Blimey.

It was the usual send one van out to diagnose (despite telling the call centre it was suspected HGF) and then another to tow me home.

 

Got home at midnight so the day has been a long one. I'm leaning towards getting it fixed rather than bailing out, and assuming it's still on the original head gasket 163k miles isn't a bad run before it's gone pop.

 

Apart from that and the chilly weather it's been a good day!

[Mrs6C]

It was a pleasure to have your company while you waited for the AA and recovery truck. Stuart seemed like a decent sort and quite happy with the prospect of towing you off to south of London! Which route did he take?

[RobT]

Likewise, thanks for your hospitality! He did the A41, M25 eastbound to the M11, then down into east London and through the Blackwall tunnel. He'd only had the Transit a few weeks and the heated seats were a nice bonus. He's worked for the AA for 22 years and started off with a Maestro van...and said good things about it, so having a decent bloke to chat to made the trip home bearable.

[Six-cylinder]

1st of May, I decided to dance with our Metro instead of round the Maypole!

 

It was a pleasure to drive even if I did look for 5th gear!

 

The only niggle is that it is not keen to start even with a jump. It will bump start just fine so I am guessing earth/starter. It has now gone to my favourite garage 

[Six-cylinder]

The Lancia Gamma is booked into the Chiltern Hills Rally near Aylesbury 20th May, the tyres are 30 years old and the car has some tremor at 60 mph. Saturday I managed to win a set of four young, lightly used tyres on eBay.

 

 

This morning I removed the wheels from the Gamma and have taken the alloys to be refurbished. Yes for those who were with me on Sunday I took the Alfa wheels along so old Lancia tyres can be fitted for the purpose of moving the Alfa.

 

 

A big thank you to GoGentley who today collected the replacement tyres from London and bought them to my house. 

[hairnet]

you taxed the twin visa (i bloody hope so)

[Six-cylinder]

you taxed the twin visa (i bloody hope so)

 

It needs an MOT first.

[hairnet]

No problem innit

[Six-cylinder]

A sad day saying goodbye to my Audi convertible after 5 years, but a friend asked if he could buy it when I told him about the leaking heater matrix and all the work it is to change it! 

[AnthonyG]

Good to see the Metro awakened from its seasonal slumber!

 

I know what you mean about the ‘missing fifth gear’, having driven it I know what all those 1980s road testers were going on about. An A-Series somehow seems to have more character than the K-Series though. It’s that evocative gear whine.....

 

With the Audi, think of it as a problem off your hands and some cash placed on them!

[Fabergé Greggs]

Hows the C15 going? I still really really want one!

[clayts450]

Good to see the Metro awakened from its seasonal slumber!

 

I know what you mean about the ‘missing fifth gear’, having driven it I know what all those 1980s road testers were going on about. An A-Series somehow seems to have more character than the K-Series though. It’s that evocative gear whine.....

 

There are similarities - my Streetwise still has the lovely whine at city speeds (20-30), and when it pulls off in first it reminds me so much of the old Metro I had, and the even older one I learned to drive in.

 

However, the difference is over 4K revs where the K roars and the A just used to, well, whine some more. Lovely sound in either flavour

[Six-cylinder]

Hows the C15 going? I still really really want one!

 

Our C15 is running well and MOTed until August, but is on SORN as we had 4 estate cars on the road. One Volvo is sold and the Mercedes 200TE is taken off the road for me to drive the Saab Convertible so maybe if Mrs6C needs to carry Orchard group stuff it will get retaxed. I am making an effort to have less cars taxed at any one time.

[Six-cylinder]

Good to see the Metro awakened from its seasonal slumber!

 

I know what you mean about the ‘missing fifth gear’, having driven it I know what all those 1980s road testers were going on about. An A-Series somehow seems to have more character than the K-Series though. It’s that evocative gear whine.....

 

 

For just a short while I had both on the road and all logical thought gave the win to the 114i, but Mrs6C told me which one we were keeping!

[hairnet]

For just a short while I had both on the road and all logical thought gave the win to the 114i, but Mrs6C told me which one we were keeping!

too right listen to the voice(s)

 

audi bye bye (yay) unless 5 pot dont buy another

[Six-cylinder]

Is anybody interested in a short notice meet up at the Field of Dreams over this coming Bank Holiday weekend (5-6-7 May) with good weather forecast?

[purplebargeken]

Sounds do'able to me.