The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

Red Arrows are flying overhead this afternoon at 16.50 - am going home early to watch.

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/red-arrows-flight-today-route-18442324

[Pat Earrings]

So despite the miserable weather I spent 30 mins fitting a pioneer Bluetooth/dab stereo I had kept in my cupboard in the very likely chance that I may buy another car which indeed I did. Routed the aerial and mic wires just fine and sounds a thousand times better already. Also removed the silly red "at" stickers that were on the trim, came off easy. Aside from that, I have the air con regas booked for tomorrow, and I am swapping the front wipers for the denso hybris blades which in my opinion really do look the most OEM style flat blade. Also got a upgrade rear aero wiper arm on order which will complete the slight refreshed look. Love this car!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

That stain remover and fullers earth combination seems to have worked better on the Citroën stains than I dared hope....

 

[Zelandeth]

4 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

*sniffs hands*

...think it might be Castrol....

Well at least that should taste less revolting than LHM...

[richardmorris]

Well that was quite loud.

[rickvw72]

Rusty old Fourtrak project progressing. Had new box section crossmember in, and I had to cut of and repair the nearside rear spring plate.

Had to remake 90 percent of the offside one.

Theres been various small repairs also, and I think I’m down to 2 main structural points left to weld up. 

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

4 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

That stain remover and fullers earth combination seems to have worked better on the Citroën stains than I dared hope....

 

That went well. Very well. 

 

[dozeydustman]

6 hours ago, sims00 said:

 

There are so many Y tho?s in that picture.....

[GBJ]

On 6/17/2020 at 4:35 PM, Bren said:

Today I fitted the vectra's bumper brackets. Off with the bumper - 

the brackets were held on with ali rivets. I have rivets and a gun but once they are on you cannot adjust them - I used screws instead.

 

The offending part - the top screw in the wheel arch should pull the sliding bracket towards you. Ours were broken.

The end result is a much better ( but not perfect) fit. The only fly in the ointment is that the air con radiator looks shagged - aluminium fins everywhere.

More expense.

It looks as though you have stopped the car half way up the ramps?

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Where's the progress?

[N19]

Dropped the hire van back at the company today, and went to pick up the Bluebird to go home. Click of death from the starter motor. Worked on the third attempt, behaved fine, then same thing a little later on.  The perfect* thing to happen when you've just moved and all your tools are in disarray!

[Carlosfandango]

It’s not as if I’ve enough shite to be dealing with but I’ve decided that I’m going to start working getting this pile of poo roadworthy. Just in case we might get some sun for the summer and I can smoke about in it with no roof.

Like an arse. 
 

CFD 

[Bren]

2 hours ago, GBJ said:

It looks as though you have stopped the car half way up the ramps?

 

It was up enough to get the bumper off - my idea being I could rest the bumper on the ramps.

[richardmorris]

Any guesses what this will be? I can't tell yet. Missed it driving off, but the number plate on the rear is white and says        PROVA

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   B081

[richardmorris]

[HMC]

Some sort of Cunningham? They usually raced in white and that font looks a bit Le Mans-y

[Tadhg Tiogar]

37 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

....number plate on the rear is white and says  PROVA  B081

Italian registered, for testing purposes, hence PROVA. Not sure about the "B", but it might be registered in Bologna. 

[richardmorris]

17 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Italian registered, for testing purposes, hence PROVA. Not sure about the "B", but it might be registered in Bologna. 

Interesting. This Italian has just been push started.

[wuvvum]

Could it be some sort of Cisitalia?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

20 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Interesting. ...

Just checked. The plate is a Bologna registration,  reading "BO" rather than just "B". PROVA test plates are commonly used by car manufacturers and dealers for prototype and product testing.

New Ferrari models were often shown in the press carrying "PROVA MOxxxxxxx" plates. "MO" in this case being Modena, home of Ferrari and balsamic vinegar. 

[richardmorris]

3 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Just checked. The plate is a Bologna registration,  reading "BO" rather than just "B". PROVA test plates are commonly used by car manufacturers and dealers for prototype and product testing.

New Ferrari models were often shown in the press carrying "PROVA MOxxxxxxx" plates. "MO" in this case being Modena, home of Ferrari and balsamic vinegar. 

So which manufacturer was based in Bologna?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

5 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

So which manufacturer was based in Bologna?

Ducati and Lamborghini are Bologna-based.

It may not have been a manufacturer but a car dealer.

[MorrisItalSLX]

On 6/18/2020 at 2:39 AM, Zelandeth said:

Ah, so it's going to be one of *those* days is it?

Pardon my ignorance, but I’m struggling to spot the bother.

[Zelandeth]

17 minutes ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

Pardon my ignorance, but I’m struggling to spot the bother.

Just having had to go out for the third time chasing a prescription, the door light cover decided to forcefully eject itself from the car when I opened the door and tried very hard to get itself run over by other traffic.  You'd be surprised how far it managed to get away from my car!

[HMC]

2 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Just checked. The plate is a Bologna registration,  reading "BO" rather than just "B". PROVA test plates are commonly used by car manufacturers and dealers for prototype and product testing.

New Ferrari models were often shown in the press carrying "PROVA MOxxxxxxx" plates. "MO" in this case being Modena, home of Ferrari and balsamic vinegar. 

I like how many sports racers of the late 50s and 60s were “testing” most works Ferrari’s- testarossa, p cars etc with a quick sprayed over stencil and AVANTI! Later Fiorano was built which gave them more options.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Oil coolers and some other parts for the CX run over to the workshop. Have seen the entire cylinder head resting on a bench there....

[MorrisItalSLX]

1 minute ago, Zelandeth said:

Just having had to go out for the third time chasing a prescription, the door light cover decided to forcefully eject itself from the car when I opened the door and tried very hard to get itself run over by other traffic.  You'd be surprised how far it managed to get away from my car!

At least your light covers come off, the covers on my XJ6 are so firmly wedged in place you need to prise them along with a screwdriver, not something you want to be doing with a 35 year old piece of plastic!

Is the little locking screw a self tapper or a proper machine screw? I’ve got a 50/50 mix.

[Zelandeth]

12 minutes ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

At least your light covers come off, the covers on my XJ6 are so firmly wedged in place you need to prise them along with a screwdriver, not something you want to be doing with a 35 year old piece of plastic!

Is the little locking screw a self tapper or a proper machine screw? I’ve got a 50/50 mix.

It should be a machine screw I believe.  Obviously I'm now missing one!

[Pat Earrings]

Groupons ATS regas worth every penny. All regassed fully, no leaks and holds pressure. Was just empty and now I've got ice cold air con in time for our "hot" summer...

[xtriple]

Car is off in for new discs and pads on Tuesday now, was supposed to be this Wednesday but Pete forgot. He is a hopeless sod, he really is! However, he is a bloody fine mechanic who actually likes his job (rare) and always does a superb and thorough job. He just needs to learn how to charge now as he is way too cheap! He is the guy that serviced the CLK and the XJ-S last year and charged me about a hundred quid for each of them and that included MOTing them!

Okay, a tiny bit more for the MOT but he really is too cheap.

I requested he got Brembo brake discs and pads and I want the fluid changing etc and a good checkover while he's at it, He  just suggested he's going to charge me a couple of hundred all in. Maybe £250.

However, his garage really should be condemned as a health hazard! It's a proper old skool oil ingrained dirt floor place and it's full of old chod and the collected detritus of 30 years in one place. I love the place but I do remember to always wipe my feet on the way out to save the road from getting dirty