Drive It Day 2017 - by a miserable idiot scribbler.

[alcyonecorporation]

 

Yes, you're actually getting a Drive It Day report out of me. Let's get the melodrama out of the way first: the Amazon still isn't right. 

 

 

In hindsight, I got chauffeured up to North Wales in a most excellent carriage. It turned up on Drive It Day. 

 

 

Essentially, it was a train. 

 

 

The train travelled on the M56 bound for Anglesey. Junkman and Conrad were involved. 

 

As we neared the spot in Anglesey where the Amazon was to be picked up from, we got word that the starter had failed and that we needed to do one while they sorted it out. It had a persistent running issue which eventually saw a Weber carburettor fitted. 

 

 

So we did one to a lovely cafe in Amlwch where I took a picture of Junkman's face. 

 

 

On Drive It Day, we went for a walk round Amlwch Port harbour.

 

 

Junkman and CDC didn't seem to mind. Mrs Junkman wanted to know when we would return home. We told her that cars were broken. She understood. 

 

 

I was still taking pictures of cleats and harbour items at 4pm on Drive It Day. The car still wasn't ready. 

 

 

As CDC and I discovered evidence of ancient man using a Microsoft ergonomic mouse, a call came through confirming the Amazon was 'ready'. 

 

 

The Rover awaited.

 

 

 

Twixt Amlwch and the specialists, we stopped at the confusingly named Red Shell Garage, once an Esso petrol station. It had been a while since the forecourt had dispensed fuel. 

 

A skeet around revealed a moribund XX 800 Sterling in the compound behind: 

 

 

I was riffing like fuck off the student 'first DSLR picture' potential the day afforded, and saw no reason to stop. 

 

 

Soon after picking the Amazon up, it assumed its favourite position on the A55. It loves breaking down on the A55. The specialist had left barely any fuel in it to get me to a filling station. It ran far better than it had done previously, but the hesitation on part throttle was still there - and it conked out before we could get to a forecourt. The nearside caliper was also screaming like a banshee, the indicator flasher relay had called it a day and, overall, the brakes were still dismal. 

 

 

Conrad returned with some fuel; having blagged a water bottle off a passer-by, we slung some pez in the tank using an Olivetti type writer manual as a splash guard. 

 

 

 

I went and stuck some more fuel in, then took the Amazon back to the specialist so they could have another go at sorting the problems out. The end credits theme from The Bill played.

 

 

Amazonless, I ended up driving back to Manchester in the P6. It was as astonishing at cruising motorways as Rhyl is horrible. We also passed the Mostyn Funship on the way back. It was dark, but it was there, like the Eiffel tower behind a smoggy Paris sunset.

 

Summary:

 

Day out: 8/10

Amazon: 3/10

A55 rest areas: 6.5/10

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch: 8.5/10

[privatewire]

Excellent photo-journalism, would read at work again ***** 11.5/10

[mercrocker]

Zillionty-out-of-ten for P6 Waftage.....Right round the clock at 3000rpm!

[fatharris]

Top report!

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Guest Breadvan72]

All good, except that DRIVE IT DAY IS EVIL.  We must resist the notion that every day is not Drive It Day.  

[eddyramrod]

He's got a point there.  Every time I take my Cadillac out, it's Drive It Day up here!  And that's usually three or four times a week.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

All good, except that DRIVE IT DAY IS EVIL.  We must resist the notion that every day is not Drive It Day.  

 

 

That's why we went for a walk round a harbour. 

[Junkman]

We did drive quite a lot though, considering that Drive It Day is actually Drive Fuck All And Waste Your Time Being Parked On A Meadow Day.

[alcyonecorporation]

We did drive quite a lot though, considering that Drive It Day is actually Drive Fuck All And Waste Your Time Being Parked On A Meadow Day.

Unavailable in Lincolnshire.

[Parky]

Car Magazine from 1989 called - it wants its quality photography and journalism back

[trigger]

Nice photos. Shit luck with the Amazon though.

[alcyonecorporation]

Nice photos. Shit luck with the Amazon though.

I appear to have exhausted my quotient of goodwill with the old car gods.

[Jon]

More of this type of thing, please. Have duly noted that I should attempt to put more close-ups of things in my reports.

[alcyonecorporation]

More of this type of thing, please. Have duly noted that I should attempt to put more close-ups of things in my reports.

I enjoyed posting it. Reminded me of ye olde Autoshyte.

[dollywobbler]

Aren't there some Amazon folk a little closer to home? This lot don't seem to be having much joy...

 

Nice photos though.

[Pillock]

bump 4 a real thread, or something.

 

Enjoyed reading that, cheers. 

[Brodders]

Great write up and superb photos. I think there are a few potential calendar shots in there.

 

Hopefully you can get the Volvo sorted out without too much hassle, as I, and I reckon a lot of others on here, want to see more of it. It looks very nice indeed.

 

Good luck anyway; keep us updated with how it goes.

[Skizzer]

Fab. 1000 extra journalism points for spelling Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch correctly too.

 

Bit shit about the Amazon though.

[Lord Sterling]

 

Ah! So that's where I left it. I knew I had some more Rover Sterlings somewhere...

[robinmasters]

Wud reed again, illuminati conspiracy blud

[Alusilber]

Well, Drive It Day for me this year was "Spray With Zinc Primer The Bit Of Sill Flange Where The Underseal Flaked Off Because It Was Bent To Buggery By The Guy Who Fitted The New Tyres Last October And That I Had To Bend Back Into Shape With Pliers Day".

[Junkman]

Fab. 1000 extra journalism points for spelling Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch correctly too.

 

 

That can be misspelled?

Who would notice?

[Guest Breadvan72]

 

Ah! So that's where I left it. I knew I had some more Rover Sterlings somewhere...

 

 

Doesn't look phooked enough to be one of yours, Sterls.    [Runs away]

[chaseracer]

Ah! So that's where I left it. I knew I had some more Rover Sterlings somewhere...

 

What you need is some wheel trims, young Mo... 

[PiperCub]

We did drive quite a lot though, considering that Drive It Day is actually Drive Fuck All And Waste Your Time Being Parked On A Meadow Day.

 

And have idiots pointing fingers and criticising the panel gaps, the fact the nut flats don't all line up or the windscreen wiper blades are original spec. Yeah, think I'll give that a miss, got some drying paint that needs watching. 

[wuvvum]

I totally failed at Drive It Day this year.  I didn't even manage to be the oldest van at the dump - I thought my P reg Trafic would be by far the most elderly vehicle there, but then some bloke turned up in a scruffy 1966 2CV van - sadly he only had one thing to dump so by the time I'd finished what I was doing and gone back to the van to get my phone he'd buggered off again.

[Junkman]

And have idiots pointing fingers and criticising the panel gaps, the fact the nut flats don't all line up or the windscreen wiper blades are original spec. Yeah, think I'll give that a miss, got some drying paint that needs watching. 

 

According to my sadly late friend Roland, nothing is more exciting than watching paint dry.

He was - as usual - right.

[Guest Breadvan72]

I totally failed at Drive It Day this year.  I didn't even manage to be the oldest van at the dump - I thought my P reg Trafic would be by far the most elderly vehicle there, but then some bloke turned up in a scruffy 1966 2CV van - sadly he only had one thing to dump so by the time I'd finished what I was doing and gone back to the van to get my phone he'd buggered off again.

 

 

I once got totes trumped at the local tip in London N1 when I went there in a Jensen with the boot full of assorted cack.  Some bloke then rocked up in a Rover P4, with the whole car overloaded with gopping rubbish.