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

[egg]

On 4/17/2020 at 6:33 PM, BorniteIdentity said:

Any tips on Bumper Bolts? I’d like to work that rear end this weekend. 

Here M8

@fordperv is correct M8 x 15mm or 22mm.

The clips @sierraman mentioned are available https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Ford-Retainer-6123961-/254061803429

[wuvvum]

Isn't one of the bumpers on that Sierra off something completely different, or am I getting mixed up again?

[BorniteIdentity]

1 minute ago, wuvvum said:

Isn't one of the bumpers on that Sierra off something completely different, or am I getting mixed up again?

The back is from a Nissan Sunny. I’ve got a MK1 Ford bumper to add.

[vulgalour]

That rear bumper does fit remarkably well, all things considered.  Nice that you've got a proper one to go on though.

[Split_Pin]

Great news on the rear screen!

[Ben_O]

Couple of days for outer sills on a mini is perfectly doable but it's all going to depend on what you find underneath them. I would factor in new jacking points too.

 

Does it have standard narrow sills currently fitted or wide coversills?

[BorniteIdentity]

Nothing doing here that can compete with this week’s threads from @Skizzerand @Slowsilver. There’s even an entire string of posts from @hairnet that I deciphered within the hour! 

Still. Unplanned titivating happened on the Corolla. Whilst emptying the boot I thought  I’d check the state of the spare wheel. Jinyu. FML. Who pays proper money for that junk?!!! Trouble at mill though; surface rust breaking out like acne in the spare wheel tub. 

 

TBH I was glad of something to do- other than decorating! 

Old Kurust deployed

And Silver Hammerite once dry.

This isn’t a @Peter C standard job but I’m borderline delighted with how it’s come out. I’m going to do the undercarriage once my Vactan arrives and consider it a job jobbed.

[BorniteIdentity]

In other news, the Toyota Corrode-ah has a brief stay of execution but will likely leave the fleet later in the year. 

[Skizzer]

55 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Nothing doing here that can compete with this week’s threads from @Skizzerand @Slowsilver.

All I’ve done is click on a screen and refilled a bloke’s flask of tea after he brought me a car. You’re doing actual fettling.

(Yes, we sanitised the flask before handing it over.)

 

I’m glad you’ve figured out what GVG’s back bumper is from.  It’s such a good fit we weren’t sure at first it wasn’t correct. Proper shade tree mechanic repair, that.

[Angrydicky]

On 4/19/2020 at 10:32 PM, vulgalour said:

That rear bumper does fit remarkably well, all things considered.  Nice that you've got a proper one to go on though.

It's quite a bit too narrow, the exhaust cut out is on the wrong side so it's just resting on the tailpipe at the back, and held in place with a self tapper on either side!

I think it's a great bodge! But it will be nice to see it back to original.

[BorniteIdentity]

Huge thanks to legendary shiter, car botherer and all round nice guy @JimHfor sending some reading material my way this week, completely gratis. It’s perfect, and I love it. 

Probs gon give these lads a tinkle, see if they’re still open. Given Coronavirus and the fact it’s been 40 years it’s probably 50/50.

And finally, the official line on tyre pressures. Everyone you ask will tell you something different - so this is nice. 

 

Cheers, JimJim. You the man. 

[Shep Shepherd]

OX14 1AU is a DHL depot these days.

Alas, poor Abingdon, a town which has lost so much since 1980 (MG/BL, Morlands brewery, the railway branch line). Still a lovely place to visit, though.

[Dick Longbridge]

This is an interesting read on BL's special tuning department @BorniteIdentity

https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/129911/leyland-st-who-knows

[JimH]

13 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Probs gon give these lads a tinkle, see if they’re still open. Given Coronavirus and the fact it’s been 40 years it’s probably 50/50.

 

 

Glad it got there. BL Lickers will probably know that in earlier iterations of the handbooks the adverts for Special Tuning were more detailed and would usually have a long list of mouth watering things to buy like fuel injection systems and Amal carbs for your 8 port heads. Just the sort of thing you need to read about when you have just bought a 1300 Marina DL.

I have somewhere a typed letter from ST with a list of things they could supply for Dolomite Sprints. This included an independent rear suspension set up which IIRC would have cost you 50% of the new car price.

[BorniteIdentity]

I'm having a minor crisis over a potential car purchase.  I don't *think* I'll have the plums to do it, mostly because I always end up overwhelmed with guilt when spending anything even vaguely approaching sensible money on myself.  

I made private enquiries with the vendor of a very nice "Modern Classic" about 3 months ago and heard nothing.  At the time I could have justified the purchase a bit more easily, as there were two cars here that could have been offloaded to offset the cost.  The guy never replied so I'd stopped thinking about it.

Yesterday, completely out of the blue, the chap emailed me with a huge apology that he'd lost my email address.  

The car isn't for sale on the open market, so that gives me a bit of time to make a decision.  It's (seemingly) a very nice example and looking at the guy's collection of cars he's not short of a bob or two.  He describes it as A1 Condition (but then mentions 2 rust bubbles in the next sentence!) He bought it to leave at his holiday home in Northern Ireland but is never really there -  so would sell it to me for what he bought it for 5 years ago.

I've never spent £3700 on a car I don't need.  Yes there are cheaper available, and yes I know this is AS where you're supposed to buy the worst example of the least desirable variant and then spend a fortune fixing it up before raffling it for 72 pence. So I might be best getting advice elsewhere.  But I've been buoyed by recent "high end" purchases by people like @HMCand @Skizzerand wonder if I should just give it a go.  Also, the last time I saw one in this sort of shape (and colour palette) was about 7 years ago.

Anyway, just a brainfart.  Nothing to see here!

[Dick Longbridge]

Ask yourself if there's space on the drive and whether you really need it.

No? Get it bought! 

[Eyersey1234]

What he said ^ I'm sure you can use man maths to justify it to the Mrs

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Is it a brown 190e ?  If so do it, you deserve something nice to drive after the misery of the bASe and Mini.

[The Moog]

One question would be whether you can get the money back if/when you come to sell. If so then it is basically a free car ... if you cant then just buy it anyway 

 

I wouldnt worry about what others spend or dont spend. 

[BorniteIdentity]

Just now, NorfolkNWeigh said:

Is it a brown 190e ?  If so do it, you deserve something nice to drive after the misery of the bASe and Mini.

Nearly.  

Really, all I need to satisfy myself is that I can 'get out of it' without 

1. Crippling loss
2. Too much hassle

To date, I don't think I've sold a "spare car" for less than I've bought it for.  Perhaps that little 306 Cabriolet but we don't talk about that and I had way more than £300 worth of fun in it.

The problem is valuing them.  You see rough ones sell for under a thousand pounds still, and dealers trying to push them out between £6 and £10k.  They're all so different that it's really difficult to gauge what's a fair price.

 

[BorniteIdentity]

1 minute ago, snagglepuss said:

One question would be whether you can get the money back if/when you come to sell. If so then it is basically a free car ... if you cant then just buy it anyway 

Beat me to it.  

Whenever I've piped up to the boss that I'm buying a car, it's always been along the lines of "it'll be difficult to lose money on it" rather than "yes but look how sexy the headlamp wipers are".

!

[Skizzer]

For me, it comes down to these considerations, in no particular order:

- is the cash available and not required elsewhere?

- can I store the car in the dry so it doesn’t deteriorate (much)?

- is the price fair, so that I can reasonably expect to get at least most of it back if/when I do need to sell?

- is it on my list of cars I really like?

- does Mrs S like it?

- Am I reasonably comfortable this isn’t just another psychotic episode of out of control car purchasing?

If yes to all of the above, it’s pretty low risk really. So GIB.

[BorniteIdentity]

23 minutes ago, Skizzer said:

For me, it comes down to these considerations, in no particular order:

- is the cash available and not required elsewhere?

- can I store the car in the dry so it doesn’t deteriorate (much)?

- is the price fair, so that I can reasonably expect to get at least most of it back if/when I do need to sell?

- is it on my list of cars I really like?

- does Mrs S like it?

- Am I reasonably comfortable this isn’t just another psychotic episode of out of control car purchasing?

If yes to all of the above, it’s pretty low risk really. So GIB.

It's a really good way of looking at things.

1. I've sort of got the cash.  I certainly will have by the time I'm allowed to fly over to collect the bloody thing.
2. Dry storage? No chance.  It's too big, and even if it fitted it would end up moving something else out into the wet.
3. The price is fair.  It's no better than that though.  I've always said "You make your money when you buy, not sell" but I don't think it's a rip off
4. It's THE car for me in the perfect colour.  I'd probably rather a big petrol than a big diesel but I haven't seen a petrol one in this colour for sale for 7 years
5. The wife is totally and completely indifferent.  She doesn't like the amount of cars outside the house though, so I'm suggesting gates to obscure that from passers!
6. I always try to wait three days after I see something I want - to making an offer.  If I still feel the same way after 72 hours it's normally OK.  

I dunno.  It's simultaneously a lot of money and also not.  I've dropped him a line with a few more questions to see what he says.

[HMC]

Mystic HMC

I bring what is within, without.

It’s a w124 7 seater estate

The rust bubbles are on the front wings.

One tyre, yes one tyre has an old date stamp and should be replaced.

The rear suspension spheres. Hmmm they, they are GOOD.

It’s overall  one of the nicest out there and you should buy it.

Your welcome ?

[camryv6]

My worry would be why has it not gone up in value in the last five years ?

[BorniteIdentity]

36 minutes ago, camryv6 said:

My worry would be why has it not gone up in value in the last five years ?

Maybe it has. Because it’s not on the open market it’s very difficult to judge. It’s probably about bang on for value, maybe a bit rich. 

[Split_Pin]

Your answers to Skizzers pertinent questions are satisfactory.

Number 1 and 4 are the most important!

[Shite Ron]

44 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

It's a really good way of looking at things.

1. I've sort of got the cash.  I certainly will have by the time I'm allowed to fly over to collect the bloody thing.
2. Dry storage? No chance.  It's too big, and even if it fitted it would end up moving something else out into the wet.
3. The price is fair.  It's no better than that though.  I've always said "You make your money when you buy, not sell" but I don't think it's a rip off
4. It's THE car for me in the perfect colour.  I'd probably rather a big petrol than a big diesel but I haven't seen a petrol one in this colour for sale for 7 years
5. The wife is totally and completely indifferent.  She doesn't like the amount of cars outside the house though, so I'm suggesting gates to obscure that from passers!
6. I always try to wait three days after I see something I want - to making an offer.  If I still feel the same way after 72 hours it's normally OK. 

Point 6 is very sensible, point 4 sounds like you have made up your mind and point 1 you can afford it without going into debt. I would say get it bought! Resale value and current value are irrelevant really, if you really like it you will not sell it so who cares supposed market value. My man maths says you would lose more than the purchase price in one day if you bought a brand new car. Also the current situation we are all in proves you must enjoy life while you can.

I understand the concern about spending so much on a car when most of mine cost a week’s wages. I have bought a couple in this price bracket and had the same worries as you justifying the cost to myself but can honestly say I have not regretted buying them, the days of cheap proper cars are over.

 

[HMC]

I’m may still have some proper mb roof bars lying around I can give you. 

[BorniteIdentity]

11 minutes ago, Shite Ron said:

Point 6 is very sensible, point 4 sounds like you have made up your mind and point 1 you can afford it without going into debt. I would say get it bought! Resale value and current value are irrelevant really, if you really like it you will not sell it so who cares supposed market value. My man maths says you would lose more than the purchase price in one day if you bought a brand new car. Also the current situation we are all in proves you must enjoy life while you can.

I understand the concern about spending so much on a car when most of mine cost a week’s wages. I have bought a couple in this price bracket and had the same worries as you justifying the cost to myself but can honestly say I have not regretted buying them, the days of cheap proper cars are over.

 

All good points, but I'd never buy a new car so that isn't relevant.  I absolutely haven't made my mind up, and generally I write things down in order to talk myself OUT of them! 

It's a lovely example, but I'm passed kidding myself that "This is my forever car".  I've already got two that I'm absolutely stuck with for life, probably three.  

The other problem is actually getting the blood thing.  The collection would cost about £100 for the plane (worst case - it used to be about £30) £150 for the ferry (best case) and a couple of days off work. It'd be a grand adventure, but I just need that reassurance that I could sell up and not look stupid/feel guilty.