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


BorniteIdentity

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8 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Is that its last compulsory MOT?

As I understand it, it'll need another one next year as the car was registered in July and the MOT will (obviously) expire in April.

That said, I'm also a clot and an oaf who knows precious little about things - so will always have it tested.  What it WILL allow me is a week or so leeway if I want to plonk it on the road etc.

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  • 3 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

Ah, that’s a lovely car, what a shame it’s fallen into the hands of a helmet.

With those shit Weller wheels and it lowered as far as it’ll possibly go. Problem is its a short cut to the scrapyard when it falls into the hands of some big eared idiot with a padded baseball hat on. 

But it’s his money I guess. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 30/04/2022 at 08:36, Angrydicky said:

Ah, that’s a lovely car, what a shame it’s fallen into the hands of a helmet.

It's not that bad. Everything there is absolutely reversible in a matter of hours and let's face it, it's people who modify them like that, who give them the values they now have.

If it wasn't for them, they'd have all been scrapped.

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On 4/30/2022 at 8:36 AM, Angrydicky said:

Ah, that’s a lovely car, what a shame it’s fallen into the hands of a helmet.

Imagine gatekeeping ownership of base spec sierras. Odd. 

Cars can be not 100% standard and still good fun. Let people have fun, stop being so angry. 

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On 4/29/2022 at 7:34 PM, Vantman said:

Seen at a local car meet---

278484905_1478864665861358_3499464680042242969_n.jpg

its not too bad..

On 4/30/2022 at 12:35 AM, mk2_craig said:

At the risk of jinxing it, at least it hasnt suffered a matt black rattle can respray. Plus it still exists, so potentially able to be returned to 1984 junior photocopier sales rep condition. 

thankfully not matt black or bedliner black..

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On 4/30/2022 at 11:11 AM, Angrydicky said:

Yeah, it looked like the RR guy recommissioned it, got it back on the road (and it looked bloody lovely, props to him) before advertising it for sale. Then it went to a car ruiner.

I get it but if the stuff done is bolt on bolt off and doesn't change the structure of the car then it's just all good crack surely? End of the day you've got to have the stuff you own how you want it, as long as it can be put back for a future owner then it's sound 

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  • 2 months later...

Alright chums.

I’m at a bit of a crossroads with this thing atm. I really do want to keep it, but in order to do so it needs to be a lot more practical and a tiny bit nicer. Fortunately I have a fantastic paint man who doesn’t charge nearly enough, and bits are still easy to come by. 

Something I do need to sort is seatbelts. Huge thanks to @SiCfor putting me onto Securon belts. I can get all three rears for £80.

However, I’m not sure the mounting points are there? I expected to see somewhere to bolt in the buckles under the seat cushion, but nothing looks obvious. At all.

Am I being stupid as per?

F900A0AC-FC0E-48EC-A623-EE2EC3743FEF.jpeg

2B1A8E3C-09E1-43B3-A843-CC8754546A51.jpeg

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Blimey, this is taking me back to when I used to fit rear belts into all sorts of things in an attempt to keep the little Doblos safe. Still got the 7/16"UNF tap I used to clean the threads out with before putting the bolts in, somewhere. Make sure the holes are clean before you attempt to screw them in. Because paint, underseal, rust, dirt etc. 

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Are they those small raised black caps? I can just about make them out at the edges of the panel and at the 1/3 / 2/3 points along

sorry my phone didn’t update those last last posts as I’m in the middle of nowhere

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They will almost certainly be the same as on the old Fiestas I used to pull apart for spares. The black grommets with the slot in the top look like screws, but actually are just a push fit (may take a fair shove after four decades, see above comments re potential corrosion in the threads).

Window surround trim no doubt needs a 25mm or so hole strategically drilled to enable fitting the upper mount, but from memory there might be a faint circle moulded into the reverse side of the plastic in the correct location. 

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  • 1 month later...

So!  Now I no longer have a family, I don't really need a family vehicle - do I?!  So the T4 was advertised and a sale was agreed immediately to a prestigious shiter with form for buying long distance from me.  Here's how I'll always remember it - looking blue and absolutely massive outside my window.

image.thumb.png.188ecdc0dfc12db711328d1e5d7b1fbb.png

In a strange coincidence, I've ended up part exchanging it for another happy looking blue VW on a Y reg.

Look how happy it is!

image.thumb.png.c382c260c1193ed7c19936a1bcc74d38.png

I've got a local fella coming to have a look at it later today, as it's not quite what I need.  I've been bombing about in it over the last couple of days and it's quite brilliant, but I'm trying to be sensible.  

I really do think that the Sierra may be off to pastures new in the foreseeable, as I'd really like a 3 car fleet comprising

1- Business Leaf.  2 - Mini.  3 - Other.  

I'd really like position 3 to be something that's practical in every way.  I caught myself looking at LR County's earlier this week!  Perhaps a Freelander 1 would be more sensible bet, or maybe a decent w124.  For now, I'm totally undecided.

The next job is to use some of the excess funds from the van sale to fund the Mini welding.

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  • BorniteIdentity changed the title to Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: One out (more to follow)

Right.  I don't normally share my secrets ahead of time as I was, once upon a time, a bit paranoid about missing out on the gems to you shitehawks.  However, I'm now a complete hippy and realise that destiny is in the planets.  Or something.  

Seriously though, I do believe 'What is meant for you won't pass you by'.  So here we go.

This car, on paper, is everything I ought to buy.  I know the engines inside out, they are rock steady reliable, I need something useful, presentable and utilitarian and I really ought to just buy it

.image.thumb.png.15d5fc9b3fa088c389b17bfcdfe34986.png

It's strong money at £2500 with no ticket, but as we saw with @Rocket88's little one - nice ones fetch good money.  It's the right colour and the larger 5 door.  Money isn't particularly a problem and, on the basis I'd keep it for many years, not really a factor.

However, spidey senses were tickled when the guy (who spoke very eloquently on the telephone) gave a vehicle dismantler as the address to view.  Now, I work with a couple of scrap yards through work and they're both top blokes and very straightforward.  

This car is either

A) Genuine.  He bought it off an elderly neighbour during lockdown and hasn't done anything with it.

2) An undeclared write off because of that nudge on the offside front.  Possibly has had its catalytic converter taken and is holed undernearth

D) A mixture of the both.

 

Daventry is an hour away, and £2500 is a comfortable amount IF it's not a lemon.  I don't expect perfect, and the MOT history is lovely, but if I get there and it has a comprimised undercarriaged I'll be disappointed.

Anyone any suggestions?  

I know y'all probably thing I've more money than sense but it looks like a good proposition, as long as it has a decent cat (although 3sfe shouldn't struggle even without) and no holes.

If anyone's in Daventry and could poke it for me I'd be eternally grateful.  @alf892reckons I'm a spaz but he ought to know that by now anyway...

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185591140565?hash=item2b361810d5:g:DdgAAOSwzLpi~mCB&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoLwG1goWOCfiZY3MQXt6TU9of3Na6ld6Ku8aTIIJOXzIqoGj0FvJZnD4Sm9P7fzhwrNmupANfitRaiKVqPKzGPUOV4oLSZPc4yHlp%2Fk0MhZdG32bwM%2F%2FpltvL9i12nVK1N9nGL%2BCrB94%2FO1pYbPyn0oMMsh4o2wNsfzHHdWR0e0t5AEbf4rjp%2Fx5IQzQYEIx2d%2Fqvb5e4QcJ1DIcDhrmlvs%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8yA5P7vYA

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2 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Right.  I don't normally share my secrets ahead of time as I was, once upon a time, a bit paranoid about missing out on the gems to you shitehawks.  However, I'm now a complete hippy and realise that destiny is in the planets.  Or something.  

Seriously though, I do believe 'What is meant for you won't pass you by'.  So here we go.

This car, on paper, is everything I ought to buy.  I know the engines inside out, they are rock steady reliable, I need something useful, presentable and utilitarian and I really ought to just buy it

.image.thumb.png.15d5fc9b3fa088c389b17bfcdfe34986.png

It's strong money at £2500 with no ticket, but as we saw with @Rocket88's little one - nice ones fetch good money.  It's the right colour and the larger 5 door.  Money isn't particularly a problem and, on the basis I'd keep it for many years, not really a factor.

However, spidey senses were tickled when the guy (who spoke very eloquently on the telephone) gave a vehicle dismantler as the address to view.  Now, I work with a couple of scrap yards through work and they're both top blokes and very straightforward.  

This car is either

A) Genuine.  He bought it off an elderly neighbour during lockdown and hasn't done anything with it.

2) An undeclared write off because of that nudge on the offside front.  Possibly has had its catalytic converter taken and is holed undernearth

D) A mixture of the both.

 

Daventry is an hour away, and £2500 is a comfortable amount IF it's not a lemon.  I don't expect perfect, and the MOT history is lovely, but if I get there and it has a comprimised undercarriaged I'll be disappointed.

Anyone any suggestions?  

I know y'all probably thing I've more money than sense but it looks like a good proposition, as long as it has a decent cat (although 3sfe shouldn't struggle even without) and no holes.

If anyone's in Daventry and could poke it for me I'd be eternally grateful.  @alf892reckons I'm a spaz but he ought to know that by now anyway...

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185591140565?hash=item2b361810d5:g:DdgAAOSwzLpi~mCB&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoLwG1goWOCfiZY3MQXt6TU9of3Na6ld6Ku8aTIIJOXzIqoGj0FvJZnD4Sm9P7fzhwrNmupANfitRaiKVqPKzGPUOV4oLSZPc4yHlp%2Fk0MhZdG32bwM%2F%2FpltvL9i12nVK1N9nGL%2BCrB94%2FO1pYbPyn0oMMsh4o2wNsfzHHdWR0e0t5AEbf4rjp%2Fx5IQzQYEIx2d%2Fqvb5e4QcJ1DIcDhrmlvs%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8yA5P7vYA

The fact it’s ‘sold’ twice before doesn’t fill me with confidence I’ll be honest…

F0EC9571-D60A-46A4-B109-2642FF4928C0.png

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