How much shite is too much shite? Starting a New Career Aged 63

[BavarianRetro]

I collected a 109 Land Rover Safari roof for a chap because I was coming North with an empty trailer. Arrived at his house and he helped me unload it.

"Can you help me carry it in?"

 

"No bother. In the shed?"

 

"No. Just in here."

 

"The house?!"

 

"Yes.........Just in here."

 

"The living room??!!"

 

"Yes"

 

"You're single aren't you?"

 

"Noooh................well.........er...............Yes"

[Guest Hooli]

I posted a pic of my Bonnie in my kitchen on a FB Triumph owners group, most of the responses said 'are you single?'

[danthecapriman]

Absolutely amazing collection. Your a legend!

 

Must say, of all the awesomeness listed here it's the little Saab 92b that wins for me! Such a great looking little thing.

[DodgeRover]

I posted a pic of my Bonnie in my kitchen on a FB Triumph owners group, most of the responses said 'are you single?'

They were all from ladies just checking if you were available.

[hairnet]

apart from the other sctsch eddy is the closest

 

and a serial saab licker - how many times for just that floppy top eewar???

 

surprised hes not bee up to lick some already

[eddyramrod]

Meh, this is only my third time with it.  It's a Saab, it'll be back!  As for going up... I've just had a weekend in Inverness, how do you know which way I went?

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Drooooooooooooooooooooooool - outstanding........ I've pined over Sonnet(s) here as NL has a few more apparently. They really are lovely...... After yesterday evenings homefront - I'd take the single option for a snippet of this little lot in a heartbeat!

[Saabnut]

Hopefully, that is the collection peaked, as today it reduced to 54. The 1950 Talbot Sunbeam 90 was collected by its new owner. After 3 years of sitting, all 4 tyres took air and it rolled freely. Of course, I am now suffering sellers remourse. Despite never driving it more than 100m on the drive, I liked the car and still think it had potential. Three years and no progress tells the story though....

[eddyramrod]

With the tyres up that looks even lovelier.  I would love to just get it fit for use, and drive it without worrying about the cosmetics.

[hairnet]

With the tyres up that looks even lovelier.  I would love to just shag it senseless

[eddyramrod]

There are limits....

[Saabnut]

The new owner plans on doing the minimum to it (apart from fitting modern shite seats and seat belts so his wife will go in it) and return it to the road. Pete does not do pretty (apart from his wife of course, in case she ever sees this!)

[Split_Pin]

I dont think Ive ever seen a picture of a 92 other than in posed, arty Magazine shots so seeing a 'real' one is an absolute treat. What a honey.

[kinkersaab]

I was going to ask if that was pete. The horid old landy gave it away. Do give him my best

[drum]

How come the name Saabnut?

 

Epic thread!

[Saabnut]

How come the name Saabnut?

 

Epic thread!

 

At one point I had 27 Saabs (now down to a much more reasonable 21 ) I am TFatC on all other forums, and registered here with that years ago with a long dead email address. The forum in those days did not do it for me and rarely visited. Years later I had forgotten all the log in details, and needed to log in to send a pm on a rare visit, so used a new name. Did not expect to ever use it much, so no real thought went into it. Of course, I found myself coming here more often, and now you are stuck with me!

[drum]

No explanation needed. I was trying to be funny! Lol.

 

I might know Pete too. Babs?

 

By the look of the scenery, we might be in the same part of the world.

[Saabnut]

No explanation needed. I was trying to be funny! Lol.

 

I might know Pete too. Babs?

 

By the look of the scenery, we might be in the same part of the world.

Yes, same Pete!

 

Small world, I am near Laurencekirk

[Saabnut]

Now, I promised myself that I would try and get the collection of shite down to a dull roar. Last week, I even sold one! Determined to keep up the good work, today I went and collected a new item of shite! In my defence, I had agreed to this one before the new found love of reducing shite (1 does count doesn't it?) and the price was right. I think this is the first Jap shite I have had in several years, so it was time for a change.

 

The shite in question is a Toyota MR2 with the 2 litre twin cam motor, and has a stainless sports exhaust, tasteful Chav stickers and a tatty drivers seat. What it does not have is rear bumper, lights, a few minor panels and no interior at all. When told this I assumed it was lacking seats and door trims, carpets etc, but no. It has a drivers seat. That is it. No soft furnishings, no dash, no crash panel, no headlining, nothing. What it also lacks (currently) is registration plates and V5c, although the PO assures me he has the log book and will dig it out. He has just moved house post divorce, hence the need to move the Merde on. Apparently he had it running when he got it, and planned on getting a donor car for the interior. Instead he bought and restored an MGBGT and a divorce! It is a few years since it ran, all 4 tyres were flat and brakes seized, but a bit* of hammering had it rolling after blowing up the tyres.

 

A quick look over it and it seems very solid, just a couple of small plates required towards the rear of the outer sills, same place both sides. The inside of the inner sills, floorpans, boot floors etc are all still shiny. Plans? I will try and get it running, and then move it on as a potential track car or resto project and failing that sell good parts to recover costs and bridge the rest. When I agreed to buy it, a few months ago, the plan was to use it as a track car, but have given that idea up now, but I was committed (or should that read I should be committed)

 

Any way, the pictures, no collectshun pics as it was 20 miles away, and was just winched onto the trailer, as per the first picture.

[DodgeRover]

Ideal for run what ya bring at your local Tarmac oval...

[Supernaut]

Jesus wept.

 

Even track cars need brake lights and some dials FFS!

[Saabnut]

Currently at my French abode, so thought I had better update with the limited quantity of shite I have down here. Firstly, a bit of a cheat in as much as this is not actually mine. My friend who is based in Malaysia but currently lives on a sailing boat last moored in the Bahamas but heading this way soon, likes to spend his summers touring Europe and Scandinavia with his partner. So far he has completed most of mainland Europe and most of Eastern Europe. So far his travels over the last 3 summers have totaled over 18k miles. Over the winter he has left his transport in my barn, ready to continue his exploration of Scandinavia this summer. Th bonus is it needs to be kept running so I get to use it whilst here in France.

 

What is the ideal transport for this sort of adventure? Yes, a 1966 1200cc Triumph Spitfire! He is as mad as I am, picture taken in the autumn outside my local pub.

[Saabnut]

Next, more minitractor shite! This is my lawnmower for the big bits, fitted with a 1.8m flail mower, it mostly wins the battle with the brambles around the edges of the fields. With just under 6 acres, despite it size, it takes a long time to cut it all, so tend to leave about 4 acres for my neighbour to grow hay.

 

1989 Kubota 2850, 30hp 4 wheel drive

[Saabnut]

And finally (my collection of shite here in France is in its infancy as my time has been spent renovating the house) is my boat shite. An early 70s GP14 sailing dinghy, recently arrived here. There is a large freshwater lake with a sailing club, bar etc less than 5 miles away and access to the slipway and water is FOC if you live locally.

 

 

[HMC]

Love the local pub! As approved by John Wyer Automotive Engineering....

 

[Saabnut]

With the UK shite total sitting at 55, the new found enthusiasm* for reducing the shite has continued at a pace*! Having done nothing worthwhile for the last week due to man flu , on Thursday I decided I was not going to garner any more sympathy and took photos of the modern white Ford Transit and stuck it on the bay of evil, at less than scrap value to get it gone. By this morning it had received 3 bids, although still at less than scrap value, so confident the collection is heading in the right direction, I went out to stock up on essentials, bread, milk and tobacco.

 

Decided to take the scenic route to the shops, and call in and visit Kinkersaab of this electronic parish to drink his coffee. All was going well, until the subject of compost corner inevitably came up. There, staring at me in all its evil was a prime* example of French shite. Kinkersaab helpfully* explained that with a months MOT left and previous weldage to both sills, it was headed for the bridge unless rescued by a fanatical chod botherer, at which he looked pointedly at me! Now, I have never owned one of these and have never wanted to, but it did have a tow bar so could prove to be useful. A quick look underneath showed the repairs had been done well, no evidence of further rot and a newish exhaust. A test run showed it drove well, with a slightly noisy wheel bearing, but most importantly, the radio worked.

 

So a deal was done at what the scrappy would pay and I will collect it tomorrow. I do not want one of these, and can think of no reason to keep it, so the plan is to clean it up and put it in for a test. If it passes without too much work it will be moved on cheaply, and if it is beyond it I will run it until the test expires and weigh it in, keeping the battery for my troubles. I am sure it would be easier to just buy a battery, but surely not so much fun!

 

I apologise for the quality* photographs, I just snapped a couple to get the reg no to do an MOT history check, not expecting to buy the damn thing!

[Datsuncog]

There, staring at me in all its evil was a prime* example of French shite.

Bloody hell. My dad came home with an identical one in 2001, as a replacement for his 16v Laguna. I hated it on sight, and always mentally referred to it as 'The Hippo'.

 

It was, in fairness, very reliable and spacious (plus he REALLY liked the little hand trolley thing in the boot), and it towed a caravan all round France on several occasions with no complaint. I only ever drove it when my Mk2 Fiesta was otherwise off the road; other than getting used to the high driving position, dash-sprouting gearlever and centralised electronic speedo, it wasn't that awful to drive. My brother got done speeding in it (still not quite sure how or why that happened, all these years later).

 

Eventually it was swapped for a Megane Sportwagon diesel, though I did spot it about three years ago, packed with kids and absolutely hanging, going through a McDonald's drive-thru... I can only imagine the state of the interior now.

 

My opinion on these has softened a little over the years; hopefully this'll be a decent enough hack for you, and maybe it'll live a little longer anyway? Love 'em or loathe 'em, they're distinctive anyway...

[Saabnut]

Picked it up today after a friend offered me a lift over, which saved messing with the P38 and trailer. I have to say that apart from a slightly noisy wheel bearing, everything seems to work and it drives well* even if it is no ball of fire. Performance is steady, but it handles better than something this shape should. Not a favourite, but not the most disliked motoring shite I have owned.

 

As for the photos, well, it was only 20 miles away so am I doing this right?

 

 

[Split_Pin]

I think there are a fair few on here who really rate these. Most examples I see now and for as long as I can remember appear to have been welded in the middle of each sill.

 

Hopefully earn you a bit of coin!

[Saabnut]

Well, the Hippo passed its MOT so basically saved from the scrappers, just have to decide what I am going to do with it now!

 

The collection is down by one this weekend as the hateful Golf (below) went to a new home. The modern Transit sold* on ebay today, but not counting that one as away until it has been paid for and collected.

 

So, back to 55 for now......