83C's Shite-esque Fleet: Oh Ship!

[83C]

I'll try them tomorrow then, cheers for that.

 

Journeys end:

 

 

Now for the long drag back on the train....

[83C]

Fleet reduction progress:

 

I've bought another car. It does mean two will be sold, however.

 

Kerleckshun Fred incoming on Wednesday.

[83C]

Astra van progress:

 

Somebody in the past made an absolute pigs arse of installing a radio:

 

Yes, that is sellotape being used to insulate wire ends.

 

Today I was down the scrapyard (Newbery Metals in Newton Abbot, decent folks and good prices) to get a driver's seat to replace the one that the previous owner's spaniel had gone opencast mining in.

 

Whilst I was there I chopped the radio plug out of a scrap Astra with a few inches of loom. It took 20 minutes in a station car park to graft the new section on using nothing more than a pair of side cutters, a lighter and some heat shrink. When it's that quick a job to do it neatly, why make such an appalling cack-handed job of it in the first place?

 

 

And radio fitted:

 

 

I also couldn't resist doing an instrument cluster upgrade:

 

Old dull dials:

 

New set:

 

There actually was method in the madness, the instrument cluster lens was scratched quite badly on one side so I figured I might as well replace the whole unit.

 

Seat not fitted yet as I need a big vacuum cleaner for when I do.

[83C]

Today I took a trip to that there London village and came back with this:

 

 

It's a Mercedes S430.

Good points;

• It's not in Taxi Silver

• It's not got a taxi engine

 

Bad points:

• Grotty bits on lower door edges and front wings

• Radio doesn't work

 

Otherwise, it's exactly what you'd expect. Comfy, very quiet, fast and surprisingly economical. I averaged 34mpg back from London, with the cruise set to 70 all the way. Quite something when this is what drags it about:

 

 

More than anything I want the radio working. It had the Bose option fitted so it should be good. Trouble is, I can't get it to power up at all. Any ideas?

[Longblackcoat]

Is it a COMAND audio unit (double DIN, built in sat nav/CD)? If so, they have a bit of a habit of 'just breaking'. I had the same happen to mine - just stopped working one day - and I ended up sending to a bloke in Croydon who, for a bit over £100, managed to get it sorted. Let me know if you want his details.

 

Edited to say: obviously check power, fuses etc first. But if everything else is fine, it might well be the on/off switch (it was with mine)

[83C]

Yes, it's the early version of COMAND. Properly optioned up too, 6-CD, Bose, Nokia phone still in the centre console, even Linguatronic.

 

Can the head units be swapped easily? I may have access to a spare unit for not much money.

[Longblackcoat]

Yes, it's the early version of COMAND. Properly optioned up too, 6-CD, Bose, Nokia phone still in the centre console, even Linguatronic.

Can the head units be swapped easily? I may have access to a spare unit for not much money.

Depending on the unit, swapping's pretty easy.

[83C]

Busy day today.

 

Regular readers of this thread may recall the Astra's drivers seat looked like a small land mine had gone off under it.

 

Replacement now fitted:

 

 

Moquette doesn't match unfortunately but it's much better than what was there.

 

Also said goodbye to the Xantia:

 

 

I was getting whinged at about its continued presence so unfortunately it had to go.

[83C]

The Astra now has a new bonnet and a rear light lens is winging its way via the South Pole, or whatever diversionary route the courier elects to take this time.

 

Whilst I was at the scrapyard retrieving the bonnet I saw this:

 

 

A perfectly intact-looking C1. I can only guess major mechanical fault or electrical borkage, but either way it shocked me.

[83C]

New bonnet:

 

 

Drivers side wing needs pulling in, the slam panel is slightly bent so pushing that back out should drag the wing back into line.

[83C]

Tomorrow the Astra can goes in for test. Unfortunately the only local place that had a slot available was Kwik Fit.

 

So, do Kwik Fit still try and fleece people? Let's find out....

[83C]

Astra tested, Astra failed. Nowhere here wanted to do the welding until the next leap year had passed, so a quick advert on Faceache and it went the next day.

 

In its place a Peugeot Expert has arrived. More on that later.

 

Meanwhile I've been trying to sort the audio system on SMS Friedrich der Grosse. Mercedes use a fibre optic system for all the different components to talk to each other. The replacement COMAND head unit works fine, but now the Bose amp and the CD changer aren't firing up. There is power to them but the area around them is wet (common S class problem) so I suspect they've been damaged by the dampness. Not bothered about the CD changer (who uses CDs these days anyway?) but I want the amp working. Secondhand ones seem to be £80-£125 on eBay, so I need to open this one up and see if there's anything obvious that could have failed.

[83C]

Well, it had to happen.

 

I'm taking a step back from the Shite lifestyle. A combination of workload and lack of spare time mean I've had to buy something diesel, estate and vaguely modern. The S-class was hugely comfortable but I don't have the time to sort it out properly, and the Peugeot has FTP'd. I've run cheap motors pretty much since I passed my test, but with changes in lifestyle I need a modern.

 

I don't entirely want to trust just having one car so I'm on the hunt for something cheap and shite like a Mk.4 Fiesta. If anyone knows to one, ideally a 1.3 for maximum simplicity, let me know!

[twosmoke300]

Sure you dont want an audi 80 ? 

[83C]

Knowing the history of it, tell me more! It might grace the works car park once again....

[twosmoke300]

Did you used to own it ?

[83C]

No, but the previous owner is stood right in front of me as I type this!

[twosmoke300]

You have pm

[83C]

The 'almost-modern' has landed, pictured below with its predecessor. It's not a bad steer:

[loserone]

I bet that will be more reliable than an old Pug.

[Noel Tidybeard]

i hate to add mitt but they do make an ansome wagon

[Felly Magic]

I bet it's more reliable than the VAG plastic parked at the side of it too

[83C]

Time I did an update on this fred. 

 

Current fleet:

 

1984 Leyland Tiger - SORNed, though should be MoT'd next week or two.

1993 Kawasaki ZZR 600 E1 - In the back garden with the rear wheel out, awaiting new chain adjuster bolts.

2005 BMW E61 525d - Solid, dependable, exactly what I bought it to be.

2006 Triumph 1050ST Sprint - MoT imminent.

 

And the latest acquisition:

 

 

The £50 C15. Collected last night from Eavb last night, top shiter and totally up front about the state of the vehicle. It's clearly had a colourful life, but for my needs it'll do just fine for a couple of months. The plan is to use it for a few jobs I need doing (effectively a self-propelled trailer), and it'll be sold on - the latest it'll be moved on is 28 July 18 because thats when the 'spare' insurance policy I have used on it ends.

 

Sporting pretensions with the Corbeau GT bucket seat:

 

 

Slight tinworm on the door:

 

 

There will be some fleet alterations coming up, as the Triumph is being MoT'd the Kwak will be sold. An advert will go up as soon as it's back together, but i'll be after around £600 for it. Delivery possible. I'm still looking for a decent Transit-sized van too.

[Fabergé Greggs]

I’ve got a pal who may well be interested in the Kwak- where are you located?

[83C]

Mainly the South West, Truro and Exeter.

[bangernomics]

I’d be interested in the c15 as and when available.

[83C]

It's possibly already spoken for, but if it falls through I'll let you know. A mate of mine in Cornwall (a shiter through and through but doesn't post here) asked for it the day after I collected it.

[83C]

Been a bit busy:

 

 

Pre MoT inspection on the Tiger, as well as sorting out an iffy valve in the rear air suspension.

 

The go bits:

 

 

11.1 litre 260bhp Leyland TL11 mated to the Leyland Hydracyclic 5-speed semi-auto. 

 

All ready for MoT now, should be in next week or two if all goes well. 

 

When you've just climbed into the cab of a vehicle up in the air, this is the view you have:

 

 

This is not the view you want of the access ladder:

 

 

Just after I stepped off them I heard 'CLANG' as they slipped back and landed on the floor. I wasn't up for jumping 6ft down to the ground so I waited 15 mins for the site owner to come and put the ladders back up....

 

The BMW has also had some surgery:

 

 

Both rear arm rose bushes very knackered. Was a long fight and I broke my removal/refit tool because of how tight they were, but success in the end. 

 

There will be two Kerleckshuns this coming week, and a disposal. More on all 3 as they happen....

 

 

[83C]

Kolleckshun happening, the first of two this week. My current view:

 

 

Not currently moving.

[83C]

Now on the move again:

 

 

Major signalling issues around Swindon apparently.