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

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Just seen Bornite and some bird sitting in a Mini , on the fucking telly!!!!!

 

Not sure what he was doing but either he'd got the case off Pulp Fiction on his lap or his bollocks were glowing, all very disturbing.

Almost as disturbing as his grimacing and straining at the back of the Mini- you need to see it.

[BorniteIdentity]

Just seen Bornite and some bird sitting in a Mini , on the fucking telly!!!!!

 

Not sure what he was doing but either he'd got the case off Pulp Fiction on his lap or his bollocks were glowing, all very disturbing.

Almost as disturbing as his grimacing and straining at the back of the Mini- you need to see it.

I have a very, very deviant sense of humour. When he said ‘rock it’ I decided I’d try and make love to it instead.

 

If it’s not in next year’s calendar I’ll be fummin’

[shoddybanger]

Huzzah! What a story. May the Mini continue to bring many happy motoring moments to BorniteIdentity and his for years to come.

 

This goes to show how a car is often more than just a mundane means of transportation, and how we can grow attached to it, especially if it's been around during a meaningful part of our lives.

[egg]

13:21

 

BBC Look East (West)

 

I had no idea there were two different 'Look East' programmes until just now!

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0c1w4tx/look-east-west-evening-news-04022019

[mrbenn]

13:21

 

BBC Look East (West)

 

I had no idea there were two different 'Look East' programmes until just now!

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0c1w4tx/look-east-west-evening-news-04022019

 

Good man.

 

Particularly enjoyed the bit where our agent in the field demonstrates the sticking brakes

[beko1987]

There's a big contender for the 2 bucket wrongun thread there, with 1 dry rag and the humping at the end is a particularly nice touch!

 

Your probably their dream random bloke too interview too with your day job experience!

[HillmanImp]

I'm slightly disappointed that they didn't name the forum it was spotted on, or more to the point try and make it SFW like the chap at Cholmondly who calls it Auto - excretia or something.

[trigger]

There can't be many people who have dry humped a Mini on Look East!

[Christine]

Smacks of me finding "our "  Austin 7 last year only it was sold the previous month ..

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/30619-is-my-old-car-still-on-the-road-gp-4427/

[gadgetgricey]

If it’s not in next year’s calendar I’ll be fummin’

 

November 2020

 

[Ben_O]

Brilliant story!

 

This almost never happens. We get people over on theminiforum all the time asking for help tracking down previously owned Mini's and nothing ever turns up.

 

Good luck with the restoration

 

Ben

[BorniteIdentity]

All done with Telly now, and hopefully done enough IV’s that I never have to do another one ever again. I’ll let you know what, if any, other publications do a bit on it.

 

In the meantime it’s now about practicalities. First job is to see if it will, albeit briefly, run. Then it’s brakes (pedal is on the floor) and clutch (it’s permanently engaged and likely fubard)

 

Perhaps a little bit of Dealer Porn is a good payoff for this post.

 

[SiC]

Clutch probably done the seizing onto the pressure plate thing that my 1100 did.

 

Engine, do a fresh oil change, plugs out, oil in bores, give a turn over to check free and lube up and then run on the starter to build oil pressure. Then plugs in, check fluids (engine oil, coolant, dash pots) and give it a go.

[BorniteIdentity]

Clutch probably done the seizing onto the pressure plate thing that my 1100 did.

 

Engine, do a fresh oil change, plugs out, oil in bores, give a turn over to check free and lube up and then run on the starter to build oil pressure. Then plugs in, check fluids (engine oil, coolant, dash pots) and give it a go.

 

All looks good.  The guy did start on things evidently as the plugs look brand new.  However, just a click on the turn of the key.  Nada.  (Video is on twitter but, sorry/not sorry/ I CBA going through the monumental ballache of trying to get it on here!!)

[adw1977]

Perhaps a little bit of Dealer Porn is a good payoff for this post.

 

7D5F2783-D8A7-4D90-9613-2B8B0C59519F.jpeg

Interesting BL / Austin Rover logo on the number plate.

That was already out of date when the car was new!

 

Jan 1982:

 

Oct 1982:

[Angrydicky]

My June 1985 B reg Maestro still had BL plugholes on the numberplate (as well as moulded into all the plastic trim etc). Three years out of date!

[Spottedlaurel]

Great to see that this has worked out.

 

Bonus for me seeing it on the Suffolk 'DX' reg, I've had a few of them myself. I was wondering where it'd come from, Kerridge's is still around. These shots from 2010:

 

Kerridges, Needham Market by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Kerridges, Needham Market by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Kerridges, Needham Market by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Last shot was of a separate building they had across the road, now converted to residential.

 

Drove past there not long ago, I think they now do MG?

[BorniteIdentity]

Great to see that this has worked out.

 

Bonus for me seeing it on the Suffolk 'DX' reg, I've had a few of them myself. I was wondering where it'd come from, Kerridge's is still around. These shots from 2010:

 

Kerridges, Needham Market by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Kerridges, Needham Market by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Kerridges, Needham Market by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Last shot was of a separate building they had across the road, now converted to residential.

 

Drove past there not long ago, I think they now do MG?

Kerridge’s MG now yes! I was going to take the truck via Needham on my way home but was short on time and didn’t fancy that sharp turn through the railway bridge. Will pay a visit once we’re roadgoing.

 

The number plate was the third thing that made me think it could be our car; right after the fact it was the right colour and in Norfolk. We had two (H)DX cars concurrently - The Mini (then with my sister) and my father’s Sierra LX. A few days after I agreed the purchase...it came to me as to how I memorised the mini’s reg

 

A (first prefix letter issued) 4-7-3 (dialling code for Ipswich) HDX (same as Dad’s sierra)

 

Hoping, against all odds, to get it to Felixstowe for May. I don’t care what it looks like - in fact I’d rather it looked rough - but I’d like it there.

[Felly Magic]

I think Kerridges regret taking on the MG franchise to be honest, I don't think they are shifting much new tin

[BorniteIdentity]

https://twitter.com/danielfoxfm/status/1093036109796466688

 

 

 

Click - but no spin or start.  Not even a cough or a fart.  I'm going to pay more attention to the earth later today, and perhaps employ a little violence too.

[BorniteIdentity]

Ps - a few more links here.  I'm posting them for my own records, nobody else's - so don't feel obliged to read the bloody lot.  Really, it's the same thing rehashed over and over!

 

https://metro.co.uk/2019/02/05/man-found-late-grandmas-old-mini-shopping-new-car-online-8431825/

 

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2019-02-06/bringing-bessy-the-mini-home-three-decades-on/

 

(I need to start wearing properly fitting clothes that don't make me look 30 stone)

[Craig the Princess]

 

https://twitter.com/danielfoxfm/status/1093036109796466688

 

 

 

Click - but no spin or start. Not even a cough or a fart. I'm going to pay more attention to the earth later today, and perhaps employ a little violence too.

Earth lead first point of call, also check to see if the accelerator and choke cables have sized as the electricity can use these if the earth connection is pants and melt the cable into the plastic surrounds.

 

If not then look at the solenoid.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I'm sure you will have checked this but the stuck clutch could well be a seized arm. Easy enough to free off. It's been a while since I looked at an a series but I remember there being a large steel arm coming out of the gearbox.

[ruffgeezer]

He gets everywhere, that bloke!

 

Really pleased for you, I wish I had ties to something as cool!

 

(Metro, Wed 6th Feb)

[wuvvum]

If I ever have occasion to appear in photographs on news websites in the future, I must remember to wear more flattering trousers.

[Parky]

I watched your twitter vid Dan and earth lead is definitely the first port of call. I know the battery is probably flatter than flat but with the jump leads attached it should have enough oomph.

 

My Chevette made exactly the same desperate clicking sound when the earth lead on that decided to play silly buggers. Clack clung clack clung! Which I think was the solenoid sort of working.

 

If you can’t be arsed with cleaning up earths, running the jump lead from the block to the body might produce a bit more earthiness and get things moving again

[BorniteIdentity]

I watched your twitter vid Dan and earth lead is definitely the first port of call. I know the battery is probably flatter than flat but with the jump leads attached it should have enough oomph.

 

My Chevette made exactly the same desperate clicking sound when the earth lead on that decided to play silly buggers. Clack clung clack clung! Which I think was the solenoid sort of working.

 

If you can’t be arsed with cleaning up earths, running the jump lead from the block to the body might produce a bit more earthiness and get things moving again

 

I tried that a soon as I got back from lunch - negative lead from my freshly charged jump pack straight onto the chassis of the car.  It's definitely connected up as the lights are all on.  I've kicked the starter but still no progress.  I'll try a hammer and some violence in a bit!

[BeEP]

Another cause could simply be a stuck starter motor.  Well worth taking out (2 x 9/16" bolts and a 7/16" nut holding the lead to the solenoid) and cleaning up with WD40 until the inertia bit turns and slides nicely.

[BorniteIdentity]

Another cause could simply be a stuck starter motor.  Well worth taking out (2 x 9/16" bolts and a 7/16" nut holding the lead to the solenoid) and cleaning up with WD40 until the inertia bit turns and slides nicely.

 

I think this is most likely.  I just had the jump pack positive connected to the positive lead on the mini - the negative to the body and there was power - I then ran a lead from block to body too.  There were sparks, so i'm confident we had a great connection.

 

Click.

 

Hammer used on starter.

 

Click.

 

I will have to take it apart I guess.  Unless I'm missing something simple - but it's such a simple set up that I can't think there's much to be missed!

[garbaldy]

Excellent story and good luck getting her back on the road.

 

It's also reminded me of a very funny story, over ten years ago a mate I grew up with found his familys old car that brought fond memorys of driving holidays, I can even remember Being shoehorned in the back as a kid for hours on end too,

He went to see it and decided he just had to have it for family happiness, he went home and borrowed money and over bidded like a madman to buy the car which he won and has been happy with ever since, the whole family was enjoying the car and lavished loads of money on it to make it as good as new.

Roll on 6 years and my mother passed away and in all of her worldly goods was a picture in her photo album of both our family's on a driving day out and with the cortina proudly in the background wearing a very similar plate with only a couple of digits difference, he's still upset these days over it.