HMC- Mr Chowdhury’s Mercedes

[Six-cylinder]

The biggest white elephant (in all senses) ill ever own is road legal for another year....

 

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Pointless but very satisfying at the same time, coming to a filling station near you!

I don't want you in Buckingham there will be no petrol left for anybody else!

 

Well done.

[Kiltox]

I love that about 80% of the photos of that shitter so far have been in the dark. Doing its surveillance roots justice

[Skizzer]

Excellent work!

 

Er, I take it we shouldn’t read anything into the hazard lights being on, then?

[phil_lihp]

Excellent news.  Is it back firing on all 8 cylinders now?

[HMC]

Excellent work!

Er, I take it we shouldn’t read anything into the hazard lights being on, then?

Yes, all fine just a bit of fleet shunting in anticipation of the pug 205 arrival tomorrow.

 

Excellent news.  Is it back firing on all 8 cylinders now?

Yes, I changed the plugs and leads and it's running sweetly, although the exhaust has a bit of a blow so it still sounds fruity.

[wuvvum]

Excellent work.  Look forward to seeing it at shitefest, assuming the bank approves the second mortgage.

[mat_the_cat]

On an LDV related note I have an unused set of Magnacor leads for a V8 that you assemble yourself, you can have them for postage if they're any good to you?

 

If HMC isn't interested in these I would gladly throw a few quid your way...

[Zelandeth]

Still mind that we had an E plate Range Rover through the garage with the V8 in.  Someone had stuck a cherry bomb box on the back.  I didn't realise how...well...bloody epic it sounded initially because it was actually pretty well sound proofed.  Until I pulled out of a junction "briskly" one day (it got designated as the general runaround for a few weeks as it was cheap, scruffy and still had tax and test on)...at which point the (rotten) upper tailgate glass sprang open.  Not having anywhere convenient to pull over to sort it, I figured I'd just deal with it shortly, and put my foot down.

 

The expression on my face the moment the rev counter touched 3000 rpm must have been a bloody picture.  The thing sounded like a 60s Ferrari!

 

I never bothered closing the tailgate again after that...and I'm pretty sure that the exhaust note is the only reason the fuel economy suddenly dropped to single digits.

 

I dearly need to own something with that motor in one day.

 

The thought of this van making that noise though... it's the absurdity of it that I love.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

I'm unsurprisingly delighted that I know this thing will once again be up on the hallowed pages as available and I may one day be able to jump on it.........

[tooSavvy]

.... Why the banged about interior panelling/liners?

 

TS

[Lacquer Peel]

That touring car livery Volvo is mega naff IMO.

[cort1977]

Is the white elephant a keeper?  Worth looking at an LPG system?

[HMC]

After a few delays the 205 is here!

 

 

First impressions- lightness, visibility and fun!

[Six-cylinder]

I do like 205s, good choice.

[bramz7]

Indeed, whilst my 205 has proven to be a bit broken and grumpy, it handles like a huge go kart and is comfy.

[eifion]

That looks ace. A year ago I'd never driven a 205, but I've grown very fond of mine since I bought it. 

[HMC]

Sad face-

 

Happy face-

[Zelandeth]

That is very much on the list of things I need to get sorted on the Lada before the show season this year - the crusty wings don't look out of place - the modern typeface front plate does!

[HMC]

.... Why the banged about interior panelling/liners?TS

I think all that has happened in the 13 years since it was sold on by Scotland Yard. "Forensic" examination (a quick nosey aroundunder the seats etc) seems to suggest it's been an event organising vehicle and a builders hack. Must've been a flush builder.

[cort1977]

Is that the dealer that used to be on the Chiswick roundabout?  Seem to remember they had  T16 rally car in there at some point in the early 90s.

[SiC]

I think all that has happened in the 13 years since it was sold on by Scotland Yard. "Forensic" examination (a quick nosey aroundunder the seats etc) seems to suggest it's been an event organising vehicle and a builders hack. Must've been a flush builder.

Maybe they were done during Scotland Yards ownership and those dents have many stories to tell!

[HMC]

Is that the dealer that used to be on the Chiswick roundabout? Seem to remember they had T16 rally car in there at some point in the early 90s.

Yes I think so, I saw a reproduction dealer sticker online and used the details from it to mock up my own approximation of what a dealer plate from 1988 may have been like. Used "fancy plates" and went on the show plate maker. I specified the reflective honeycombed background for added 80s-tastic ness.

[SierraMikeHotel]

I met a surveillance officer once. He told me what he did, then rounded it off with, "there definitely are tools left in this van overnight!" *rimshot*

 

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[HMC]

A productive weekend. Met Gadgetgricey who collected the merc c180. Been using the Wartburg all week which is tremendous fun to pilot, and I've unpicked the ply lining from the back of the LDV to reveal the bare bones of its surveillance van past. I'll post up some pics when I have better light but meanwhile a quick shot of a Wartburg/GSA face off...

 

 

[mat_the_cat]

I met a surveillance officer once. He told me what he did, then rounded it off with, "there definitely are tools left in this van overnight!" *rimshot*

 

Tools or stools?

 

Well, if you're in there for a long time...

[chaseracer]

That's a shit joke, Mat.

[Ghosty]

How did you spec the honeycombing? I think that’d look ace on my Volvo.

 

Never mind, mobile Google was confusing me.

[Skizzer]

Is that the dealer that used to be on the Chiswick roundabout?  Seem to remember they had  T16 rally car in there at some point in the early 90s.

It is, and they’re still there selling Pugrats. I think the 205 Turbo16 has moved on though, unsurprisingly.

[bramz7]

Hnnng that GSA is so lush. Actually your whole fleet is quite enviable.

[Felly Magic]

I do hope Mr Wobbler gets a go in the V8 Sherpa and reviews it, I bet it's faster than an MGB LOL