The new news 24 thread

[MikeR]

this flipping Meriva , design fail or what  , you can slide the back seats for and back to get more load space or leg room , and when the seat is forward they have this nice spring coveredflap to cover the void left by the seat when its moved forward for more load space  .......  that you could put a 12 pack in !!!!!!! ,  X2 , one each side !!     its funny what you find when you strip the trim out ...

[Pillock]

Looks nice that Pony, checked the reg and it's had ONE SINGLE MOT fail in the past 12 years, for a bulb and some washer fluid. That's not bad.

[phil_lihp]

Picked up this heap of megashite on Thursday night:

 

 

 

Super-basic early X2 Pony. It's in remarkable condition (genuine 26k with no welding or body repairs) but is probably the most miserable joyless vehicle I've yet experienced! 155 X 13 tyres as well.

 

I have previously had custody of an early 90s Nissan Sunny in silver as a loan car from a local garage.  It's hard to think of anything more tedious, forgettable and mildly depressing but it looks like you might have managed it.

 

Back in about 1995 my parents' neighbour bought a brand new Pony X2 in bright red with all the extras he could spec, it actually looked rather flash.  Must have been a runout model I guess, looked a bit different to yours.  Philibusmo had a beige one a few years back which I think he didn't get on with, hopefully yours will be a bit more successful.  It looks extremely tidy.

[HillmanImp]

Is anyone near Seatons near Stamford? Spotted this on Facebook:

 

 

Apparently the owner doesn't like to sell stuff but I can't see this getting crushed. Can anyone pop over and see if a) its any good, its up for sale and c) how much.

 

Its probably not a goer but I cant see it getting cubed.

[wuvvum]

Glad you got that Pony, Lord_Knackers - I was seriously tempted myself at that price, would probably have had a punt if I wasn't in clearout mode.

 

 

A while back I decided (after trying to give an angry blast to someone who'd just cut me up) that the horn on the Rover 45 was too polite.  I had one of those BFO 18" chrome air horns that I'd bought to fit to the Perodua but couldn't find anywhere to squeeze it in.  After a bit of pissing around I found that it'd fit perfectly behind the bumper of the 45.  So yesterday I spent a fun* afternoon removing the front bumper and fitting and wiring in the compressor (I did it properly, with a relay and everything, although I haven't fitted a fuse to the live feed yet).  The easiest way to mount the horn seemed to be to bolt it through the bottom of the bumper, so I used my Gumtree bargain cordless drill to drill the holes, then found that the bolts supplied with the horn weren't long enough for the thickness of the plastic.  Luckily the hardware store in the village came up trumps with 3 M6 bolts, 3 Nyloc nuts and 6 washers for the grand sum of 63p. 

 

Hose connected up, hit the horn button and FARK ME that's loud!!!  I had one of those horns before, on the Delica, but that was buried back under the bonnet - this one is right at the front of the car and the bell of the trumpet is right by the intercooler grille in the bumper, so the full 150dB can escape unencumbered.  Refitting of the bumper was the reverse of removal (made easier by a liberal application of GT85 to rusty threads, and harder by the fact that I had been less than conscientious in collecting the bolts I'd removed).  I've got to use it in anger already, when some tit in a Freelander went through a red light in Norwich.

 

Today (or rather the bit of today after I managed to get my sorry arse in gear) has mostly been spent putting the CX back together in preparation for its MOT on Monday.  The sill covers are normally held on by big flat plastic nut type things that screw on to studs sticking out of the sills, but most of the studs have now disappeared as a result of sill weldage, so the drill came out again and they're now mostly held on with self-tappers with large washers.  The interior trim is more or less all back together and I found a matching pair of Goodyear tyres the right size in the back of the van - the fronts on the CX are very borderline.  No idea if the Goodyears will be any use or not as I have no memory where I got them from, but I've also got a cheap Runway tyre that I know is OK, and the spare is good (if ancient), so between the four of them there must be at least two usable tyres.  I've painted over the few odd bare metal / filler bits with not quite the right shade of purple - it was the closest I could find in the Holts paint range.  I do have the paint code for what is on the car, but getting a tin of paint mixed up is 3x the price of the Holts tin and in my experience older metallics usually end up being a shit match anyway.  All I can do now is keep everything crossed for Monday...

[Guest Hooli]

My mum had a Pony X2 years ago, I found it undrivable! At the time I was running around in a Mk3 Escort & a MG Midget so used to pushing brakes to stop. The brakes in the Pony were so over servoed they locked up with a firm glance & I just couldn't get used to them at all.

[Ghosty]

Rovers with airhorns are for winners

[phil_lihp]

The Octavia's back out on loan at the moment, poor thing is being whored out like the village bike at the moment.  When it's back though, I've decided it's time for a change.  I'm bored with practical and sensible dieselly nonsense, something older or quirkier would be nice although the budget is tiny - any Xantias about?  Ebay seems devoid of them and they have been on the to-do list for some time now.

[TagoraSX]

Fleet reduction plan is not going well......

 

[Ghosty]

V8! 

 

Niiiiiice.

[Lord Sterling]

I have a feeling a sneaky plan to keep the Rover is forming - after all it's going to need welding before it's worth selling...

Your going to weld a big Volvo over the Rover?

[nigel bickle]

Fleet reduction?

 

Gurlies.....

 

[phil_lihp]

Fleet reduction plan is not going well......

 

 

Goes without saying, obviously, but that is absolutely glorious.  They were rare when new, must be very few left now.

[MorrisItalSLX]

I have recently acquired a $2 set of roof racks from the tip for my Jag, they need a lick of paint and fresh bolts but will be handy to have.

 

What are other people's opinions to gutter-mount roof racks? My Dad says they are awful, they damage the car and I should take them back to the tip.

[captain_70s]

Fleet reduction?

 

Gurlies.....

 

image.jpeg

Is that one of those Polish vans I can't remember the name of?

[Supernaut]

The Octavia's back out on loan at the moment, poor thing is being whored out like the village bike at the moment.  When it's back though, I've decided it's time for a change.  I'm bored with practical and sensible dieselly nonsense, something older or quirkier would be nice although the budget is tiny - any Xantias about?  Ebay seems devoid of them and they have been on the to-do list for some time now.

 

Scabby but solid Xantia HDi available in Aberdeen...

 

I find it's too sensible and dieselly for me and I would rather like another LS400 or similar, seeing as I don't use the car for commuting.

[nigel bickle]

Captain 70's- t'is exactly that

 

A Zuk pickup, badly lashed over by a local, recently purchased ( from a scrapper) & delivered to a friend close to the German border. It's due to be picked up Monday night and womble here late week.

 

Of indeterminate age, with limited brakes, lights, wipers etc, borked tyres but essentially sound ( sills, inner& outer possibly) but dirt cheap.

 

Once legal it's going onto 'go-fer' duties - to replace my sad old 403 pickup that will retire gracefully. T'is time.

 

It's going to beat the Finnish Florian here, but only just. Joy

[nigel bickle]

Heres a few more pics

 

 

 

 

I re ion it'll be truly awful. Luverrly..

[Ghosty]

Insurance is definitely a yes on a 740 wagon, which is ace news.

Just need to wait for the bastard A4 to sell because of Old Man being a cunt, and I can start looking for one in earnest.

Have some ammunition though, there's one up on eBay reasonably locally and Old Man won't humour it as long as the A4 is around. If another comes up further away I can just say 'well there was one really quite nearby but you wouldn't consider it' then bugger off on OMG EPIC COLLECTION.

Still, if the A4 sells this week by some miracle I could still get it.

[Sloth in a bowl]

He's probably right, but if you want to carry stuff on the roof it's your only option. Some bits of inner tube might reduce the damage to the car.

 

 

Agreed, never clamp directly to the gutter, always through a bit of heavy but flexible rubber.

[DeeJay]

NB 

I think I'd be looking for headrests first thing.

[oldcars]

That pony is class.

[clayts450]

10 minutes of groping around under my glovebox and doing battle with an apparently welded on cable connector, I now have a four speed heater blower on my Streetshite again - love £5 fixes, me

[worldofceri]

Took the Omega for a run over to a mate's this weekend. He gave me a hand cleaning up the interior.

 

 

I like it even more now the dash and seats are a bit cleaner. Turns out the steering wheel is grey, not black. Who knew?!

 

 

Home Bargains bargain upholstery cleaner removed a load of filth from the seats with minimal application of elbow grease.

 

 

Only issue with the interior is the passenger grab handle is knackered for some reason so I'd like to source a replacement.

 

 

My mate's wife had agreed to buy a piece of second hand furniture she'd seen for sale on FB. I offered to go over with them to collect it in case it wouldn't all go in their car (it's a big solid wood thing that splits into two sections). Turned out neither section would go in either car, so the bloke very kindly lent us his trailer and the Omega did the honours towing it back. We must have looked trustworthy, if slightly stupid (they'd given us the dimensions of the furniture, after all).

 

 

I was quite proud I managed to back it up their drive in one go.

 

Got a slight issue though. The battery has taken to going flat overnight. Weird as it's been fine all week despite several short trips and shunting it around on the drive, then the day after I take it for a decent run, the battery is flat. Not sure if there's a charging issue, but I suspect something has drained the battery overnight. Nothing obvious though; all courtesy lights etc go off. I've pulled the hrw relay in case that's the culprit, but only stabbing in the dark at this stage. Anyone know of any 'usual suspect' to investigate?

[DeeJay]

Towbar electrics damaged causing a drain?

[worldofceri]

I don't think it's that...

 

I've just driven about 50 miles (after having to jump start it) - no warning lights or anything - and less than 5 minutes after switching off, it won't re-start.

 

I'm thinking shagged battery.

[Hertz]

Sold the GTA Atmo last week, the Turbo one is up for sale now after passing it's MOT after 12 years in slumber. Reason for sale (s)? 

 

 

It's 70's tastic with Blue Velour interior. Been off the road since 1996. Going to be another project but it's a solid base.

[taxi paul]

Well my Foster child came Friday morning. Said hello gave him some cash to buy his dinner. Off he went and I haven't seen him since. I had to wait up till 4 am on saturday morning waiting for police to ring me to take statement. Was knackered last night and was asleep by ten. Woken at eleven by the police calling to "search " the house. Nice coppers ,has allways.still no sign of him today. In better need I have sold the gay pug and my caravan. So I is rich.well not really. Have made enquiries on a set.of front speakers and electric ariel for the celica from scrapyard.

[trigger]

I went to a Autojumble this morning and saw this 1957 Morris commercial. It looks great and was even registered locally to me too. In the back was a old tricycle with a petrol engine on the front wheel.

 

 

 

 

It's gone a bit of continental driving.

 

 

 

This tatty than it looks early Jag belonged to a stall holder.

 

 

Old Douglas motorbike on a stall for sale.

 

 

 

 

In the car park was also this odd spec'd Mk1 Mondeo, it was from Denmark, front fogs and washer jets, rear headrest and twin airbags but Si trimmed seats without the side bolsters, no sunroof or air con and a Ford radio without even a cassette deck.

 

 

 

 

Moving on I found my old Alto where it still sits on a garage forecourt after 3 years waiting for the oil pump to be replaced, seeing it looking green and more rusty was a shame.

 

 

 

Before.

 

 

This was with it too.

 

 

And lastlybi saw this Twingo at the garage I'm buying my SD1 from.

 

 

[Brodders]

Moving on I found my old Alto where it still sits on a garage forecourt after 3 years waiting for the oil pump to be replaced, seeing it looking green and more rusty was a shame.

 

 

 

Before.

 

 

This was with it too.

 

 

Ah, you were in Stowupland. That Alto always catches my eye whenever I go past.

 

Last time I was there there was a 740 estate, a mid 80s Passat and various other vehicles around the back. However, I never manage to get any photos as I pass, as I always seem to be in a rush whenever I go by the place.

 

What is the story behind the Alto anyway? It's been there a while and I wonder how it ended up there everytime I see it.