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Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: bASeman's Spot of the Year award.


BorniteIdentity

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^^ What Snagglepuss said.
I was going to ask Bornite if he loved his wife based on his gift ideas, but bottled it as I've never actually met the fella. 
I'd at least have left some expensive perfume and a couple of bath bombs in the glove box to show I really cared.
He definitely loves her....

In an economical, reliable way that has his motor running easily on a frosty morning without the need to take to to burly oil stained gentleman on an industrial estate once a month. That's love .. or just Toyota love.

I have never met him either... I will get my coat ...
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10 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

My dad had one identical.As a man who has owned 37 Reliants,2cv,126 and a Bond,I found it unbearably slow and hated every second driving it,and when I declined free use of it that should say how autoshite it is lol

Was it a pre-facelift e110? Ours is the facelift with 1.6VVTi and - whilst not fast - is certainly not slow. It would be about the same as a 257k 2.0 Avensis! 

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1 hour ago, Braddon81 said:

A quick interruption to the Corolla Party - just seen this on Fb for breaking, might yield some useful bits. ☺️

Screenshot_20191227-143917.png

Thanks. I’ve tried to buy stuff from him before and struggled. Despite attempting to travel a 500 mile round trip, he’d not give me any advance warning of when he’d be at his unit - so I was supposed to just drive up on the off chance. (!)

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Granvia is becoming difficult atm. The other week it refused to start; a result of me pumping up a tyre using the 12v pump without running the vehicle (it’s also had very little use).

Today it wouldn’t start at all - just a click. This normally means the negative battery terminal has worked itself loose (the clamps don’t go quite tight enough). Sure as fuck I give it a tap and off we go. 

Later on, same thing. Turning the key seems to cause it to disengage battery from B8AEBA0D-40A7-4E6E-B6DE-42392CF13BFA.thumb.jpeg.7f682abd87d43320b5a10fef32e315dc.jpeglead so nothing. Unfortunately my son was in the process of opening the sliding door at the time which has a motor to pull itself closed. The rear door is now stuck shut with no manual override. Joy.

The fuse box is Jap AF but it seems to be this layout. It isn’t clear what fuse it might be (if indeed this is the problem. Everything else seems to function)

Any further thoughts? 

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Just now, Mally said:

I'd clean the battery terminals and clamps, charge the battery, and fully tighten the clamps for a start.

Done. It’s only the negative one that is loose really. It’s been that way since I put a Varta battery on. I also disconnected the battery for an hour - hoping for a reset or some divine intervention. 

Nada.

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It's worth noting that many of the post type batteries have the negative terminal slightly smaller than the positive - so you can't put the leads on backwards I assume.

Sounds like you might have two positive terminals on your battery leads there.  For the sake of a few quid it's worth changing out for a new set, especially as they're probably getting past their best by this age anyway.

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Sorry to hear about the Granvia, hope you get it sorted OK.

Have a D-reg Sierra Base postcard shot to cheer you up:

49333776671_054165d155_c.jpg

A27, Worthing old postcard late 1980s by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

It made it to 1988. I'd like to think that the couple raising their hands on the left are acknowledging their appreciation of it being a Base.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It’s been a busy old day for shit cars. First up, we all went out for breakfast and took the Corolla. I’m continually amazed at JUST how good it is. It’s 20 years old FFS! I have to say, honestly, it’s nearly perfect. 

I then met @alf892 at one of his old colleague’s house. This guy is an expert body work man - and I needed him to give the Mini a good look over to see how we get another MOT come May.

Very quickly it became clear I’d be spending a considerable amount of 2020 without the car. To keep costs down, and to avail myself of his expertise, it’ll be a case of driving it over there in May and forgetting about it. We’re definitely on for a rear subframe, offside sills and possibly a bit of floor. The brief is to make it as robust and solid as possible with the structure, and to preserve as much of the original car as possible when it comes to the bodywork. 

So the Sierra will see front line duty this summer. Although, I really want a MK1 Clio before they all go - so if I can find one it might be that becomes the summer car. If anyone knows of one (must be manual, petrol and pre face lift and ideally a colour) then please let me know!

On the way back from Kimbolton, I found myself in the middle of a MINI convoy. There must have been about 16 of them of all variants. I pulled over so I wasn’t interfering with their cavalcade, and got so many beeps and waves that it was a bit embarrassing! I did try to find if there’s was a meet so I could join them but no info online could be found.

I’ve just ended the day by glueing a bit of trim back into the Corolla, and by degreasing the engine bay. 
 

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On any other 20yr old heap id say that was load bearing grease and to leave it alone. 

But that has come up proper! 

Kimbolton mini club is / was one of the most active iirc. Shame you encountered them in the Toyota really. 

Although you might still be there, defending the use of non factory number plate screws or whatever. 

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8 hours ago, Timewaster said:

On any other 20yr old heap id say that was load bearing grease and to leave it alone. 

But that has come up proper! 

Kimbolton mini club is / was one of the most active iirc. Shame you encountered them in the Toyota really. 

Although you might still be there, defending the use of non factory number plate screws or whatever. 

I was in the Mini! They were all beeping and waving cheerfully, but I'm not sure of Mini vs MINI protocol so didn't convoy with them!

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14 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I was in the Mini! They were all beeping and waving cheerfully, but I'm not sure of Mini vs MINI protocol so didn't convoy with them!

They wish they had a mini, but last time they had one, much of 2010 was spent under it. So they sacked it off and bought a car they'd have time to drive. The beeps aren't then being friendly. They are both jealous that yours works. But it's also them feeling sorry for you. Knowing that the hot metal glue gun will be required. 

 

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41 minutes ago, New POD said:

They wish they had a mini, but last time they had one, much of 2010 was spent under it. So they sacked it off and bought a car they'd have time to drive. The beeps aren't then being friendly. They are both jealous that yours works. But it's also them feeling sorry for you. Knowing that the hot metal glue gun will be required. 

 

I have to say they all looked amazing. R50s in blue and yellow, R53 in red, a beautiful R57 in baby blue. I'd definitely have a low spec one in interchange yellow if I could find one. And find the money!

I might tap them up. 

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10 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I have to say they all looked amazing. R50s in blue and yellow, R53 in red, a beautiful R57 in baby blue. I'd definitely have a low spec one in interchange yellow if I could find one. And find the money!

I might tap them up. 

Sell a mini and you can afford any gen1 MINI one.  Remapped for 125 bhp ? 

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  • 2 weeks later...

A year ago today my Nan’s mini appeared in the tat thread - and so began one of my lifetime’s greatest adventures.

Again, heartfelt thanks to all those involved. As I suffered the kicking of redundancy, depression and absolute desperation - there was a little ray of light out on the driveway. 

Particular thanks to @alf892 who fixed the whole bloody thing, never once accepting any gratitude. He, and the car, really were my salvation. 

1200 miles and counting. 
 

E3F3DD63-9E3D-4D4F-BF01-C8ECA3FA6CA2.thumb.jpeg.71ceb089ed831dde81e7320342b51614.jpeg

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