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

[hairnet]

8 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

Are we going to build a trebuchet in Saabnut's garden to fire it roughly towards London when the time comes?

Nah imagine the rocket..

......

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, captain_70s said:

Is there some secret agenda to take at far away from @LightBulbFun as possible to ensure the greatest degree of misery adventure when it gets collected?

well when she was at @red5's, @catsinthewelder *did* have this idea of himself driving her at least part way back home

what say you @catsinthewelder still game?

 

[Dyslexic Viking]

59 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

well when she was at @red5's, @catsinthewelder *did* have this idea of himself driving her at least part way back home

what say you @catsinthewelder still game?

 

I guess the used car market in the London area is a bit better than Scotland. So what about @Supernaut drives Rev down to London and buys a car there. He gets free transport south and you get Rev delivered. Thats's a win win situation for both of you.

[Supernaut]

1 hour ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

I guess the used car market in the London area is a bit better than Scotland. So what about @Supernaut drives Rev down to London and buys a car there. He gets free transport south and you get Rev delivered. Thats's a win win situation for both of you.

I used to like you, man.

Used to.

[catsinthewelder]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

well when she was at @red5's, @catsinthewelder *did* have this idea of himself driving her at least part way back home

what say you @catsinthewelder still game?

 

Definitely not all the way.

[Saabnut]

After a MUCH better day I am back home. I will post the full story on @LightBulbFun thread to keep it tidy, which is where any updates will also be posted to save some of searching for the latest.

Sufficient to say it was great to meet @red5 and some of his students. The Disco covered 890 miles in 2 days, towing, and never missed a beat!

[hairnet]

the breeze of insanity...................

nick - i wanna buy your crazy a drink

[HillmanImp]

I'm not following whats happening here? 

I can see a cars been collected buy who's car is it and whats happening with it? 

I may be somewhat out of the loop. 

[Saabnut]

7 hours ago, Tayne said:

 

How did you get that on there?

I cheated and took a third ramp and borrowed* a few students to push it on!

[Saabnut]

3 minutes ago, HillmanImp said:

I'm not following whats happening here? 

I can see a cars been collected buy who's car is it and whats happening with it? 

I may be somewhat out of the loop. 

It is LBFs car, a friend of mine is going to finish the work off so ably started by red5. Full story in LBFs thread.

[big_al_granvia]

Admit it, both rev and your cobra are made by ac and there is going to be a drag race at crail, rev gets to start at the 1/5 of a mile board

[barefoot]

2 hours ago, big_al_granvia said:

Admit it, both rev and your cobra are made by ac and there is going to be a drag race at crail, rev gets to start at the 1/5 of a mile board

Or a quarter of an hour earlier. 

[Snake Charmer]

On 07/03/2024 at 15:40, Supernaut said:

Are we going to build a trebuchet in Saabnut's garden to fire it roughly towards London when the time comes?

Just an idea, "light blue" touch paper......

 

[Saabnut]

A couple of days graft on the c900 has been succesful. First job was to change the brake light switch. I stupidly ordered the one specified for the 900 which turned out to be wrong. The next day one for a 9000 arrived which or course was the correct one, which came from a reputable supplier and was marked Italy. As it was made of super light plastic and broke on being fitted, I suspect it came from the remote Italian island with the capital called Beijing! A few minutes with a file on the mounting bracket saw the 900 one fit, which is of much higher quality.

Next the rear calliper had the handbrake adjusted and also the cable saw full function return. The other biggie was the blowing exhaust and a close look showed the bellmouth and the retaining flange on the cat had corroded away. The cat is the original but expected more than 149k miles and 34 years!  A phone call to BM catalysts had a new one the next day for 65 quid. I don't expect it to last long, but have kept the original to weld a new bellmouth to when I have more time.

A new battery clamp and starter lead were found and fitted, along with a new bulb in the repeater and a pair of new wiper blades had it ready and it passed the MOT for another year.

Whilst fixing the Saab I had no time to investigate/repair the AX as I hit a pothole and blew a tyre and bent a rim, and the Xantia of many shiters had been returned by my friend, so I have used that for the last few days. It still drives well if bouncy, starts every time but the electrical gemlins are getting worse. Sometimes on starting, the wipers start on high speed, and stay on until you switch the engine off, after which they are usually fine for the rest of the day. The side airbag warning light (I think) comes on and off as it feels like it. Trouble is, I still do not like it so am not prepared to spend money on a scruffy example that needs rear spheres, despite a long MOT, good tyres etc.

I soon have to go to Wigan to collect a replacement, and cartakeback down there have offered £270. But the train ticket can be had for 50 quid. I have never scrapped a viable car before, but it is tempting to save the hassle of public transport. Unless someone wants it for 300 quid and can collect from Wigan   I will have to make a decision when I get back from the NEC.

[Saabnut]

After last week’s terrible trip down to Worcester with the closure of the M6 I was not particularly looking forward to the trip south for the NEC show. Left roughly a half hour before I planned and had one of the easiest and best journeys south for many years

Arrived at my hotel near Preston before 3pm 

and now on my second beer 🍺 

[Saabnut]

After the madness of the NEC I had a couple of days R&R at my friends near Sheffield and then back home. The old Saab behaved perfectly and on the way back clocked up 150k miles.

Once home I had to do some PR work for the local motor club (something I do every year) for a night time navigational rally. This year I used the Xantia which behaved perfectly and was more economical than expected being used as a postie van! Many and varied warning lights came and went throughout and it has made up my mind what to do with it. The options were to use it to go south to collect a car and get CTB to collect it, sell it, or scrap it. It needs rear spheres, about 150 quid then a tow bar to be useful to me, about the same cost and then the electrical faults chasing down, especially the drain that will flatten the battery overnight. Even if I did all the work I would end up with a scruffy car I don't like.

So, what to do if fix and keep is not an option. It is still too good a car to scrap so that also rules out the CTB option. I doubt it would sell as no one wants a faulty scruffy car even if it is cheap and usable (if anyone wants to prove me wrong, get in touch). So, I have decided to keep it as a local runabout, up and down the muddy track, leave at the station for collections etc as no one would steal it and I wouldn't care if they did. I am not going to spend a penny on it apart from tax and will scrap it when the MOT runs out or something breaks that would mean it is not road legal.

This of course means a replacement is required so Thursday will see the Xantia left at the station and multiple trains to fetch it, with a night out at my favourite hotel. A live collection fred is a possibility.

Whilst at the NEC I agreed to buy one of my dream cars as a retirement present to myself. Of course, it is in Wales and Worldofceri is out of the game so I will probably fetch it myself if I cannot get a reasonable quote. Still, it would give me another night in my favourite hotel  

[hairnet]

trains

from scotland

brave man

[Saabnut]

Well, I tried, really I did. For only the second time in my motoring history, I am going to scrap a running, MOTed car. I have had the Xantia back for about a month and have been using it as a daily in the hope I would get to like it. The electrical drain meaning the battery has to be disconnected when left has been a pain, but manageable. The problem is the electrical problems, which come and go at random. The heater blower speed varies constantly between slow an silent and full on hurricane, entirely at random and several times a minute. The radio never worked, and now will not even accept a code. The front windows never worked, now the rears have done the same. One of the interior lights decided to come on. It would occasionally go off, but only for 30 seconds or so. I removed the bulb! The footwell lights are now on permanently, but may well be off next time I go to it.

I have done the fuse check/clean and the earths that I could find, but nothing made any difference and patience was running thin. The only saving grace was after reconnecting the battery, it would always start and drive well, despite the rear spheres making a bouncy ride. I did not want to do the spheres until I could solve the electrical problems.

Last night on my way home, dual carriageway, 11pm and biblical rain and spray, the drivers windscreen wiper decided, with no warning, to shear off so the wind blew it round until it rested on the door mirror. So I am calling time on it. Tomorrow I will drive it to the station whilst I collect its replacement, at the weekend I will take the trailer and fetch it home. Once here I will remove the battery and any other useful parts and rather than take it off the trailer, next week it will go to the bridge. Anyone want any easily removed bits for a Xantia 2 litre petrol Executive, speak up!

[SiC]

Sounds like this car really hates you and doesn't want to live! Shame it's dieing but then it's not exactly the best example out there to be worth preserving. 

[loserone]

I think @Tickman will be the most surprised to hear the sad news on the Xantia 

[Saabnut]

In typical fashion today I have another blood letting at the hospital (I am being cremated in instalments to see if I like it before booking the main event) so today is also my new to me dream car is being delivered. As I sit awaiting my appointment in the oncology waiting room I have just had a text saying it has arrived at my friends in Perth. My friend is going to store it for me whilst I make room in the shed. 
 

I am going to ask for a big bore pipe to be installed so I can get out of here and head south ASAP. 
 

Excite!

[Coprolalia]

2 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

In typical fashion today I have another blood letting at the hospital (I am being cremated in instalments to see if I like it before booking the main event) so today is also my new to me dream car is being delivered. As I sit awaiting my appointment in the oncology waiting room I have just had a text saying it has arrived at my friends in Perth. My friend is going to store it for me whilst I make room in the shed. 
 

I am going to ask for a big bore pipe to be installed so I can get out of here and head south ASAP. 
 

Excite!

Happy react for dream car.

Sad react for oncology involvement.

[Tickman]

Looking forward to see what the dream car is for a man that has an AC Cobra.

 

[Rust Collector]

I'm crossing everything hoping that it's a Facel Vega 😅

[Snake Charmer]

48 minutes ago, Tickman said:

Looking forward to see what the dream car is for a man that has an AC Cobra.

 

GT40!

[hairnet]

a 99 with an indenor in it

heres hoping the medical goes ok

[Saabnut]

Another 400ml donated to the incinerator and viewing completed. Needs a bit more work than the seller let on, but still pleased with it. It is the opposite end of the spectrum from the Cobra  

[Saabnut]

In case there was any doubt where it came from

And a bit more of a clue

[EyesWeldedShut]

It's a 96 minus 3?
My late uncle ran a 96 for a time which he would delight in demonstrating the freewheel clutch to us kids on the long downhill section of the (then) new Ayr bypass. Meant nothing to us sprogs
 

[Supernaut]

I wonder if there's a subtle* clue in the thread title...