The new news 24 thread

[Split_Pin]

I put the rear nearside door on my neighbour's Fusion back together yesterday. Unfortunately a few fixings had gone missing in the meantime, namely the little spring clip that holds the window winder on. However as we just cut the cables inside the door and wedged the window up, it won't be doing much winding so it is jammed on with blu-tac now.

It looks better than before without the gaffa tape round the window at least.

[Shep Shepherd]

Today is the 30th anniversary of The Volvo's first registration. It was supplied by Lex Brooklands in Colindale, north west London, which is still trading, albeit under a different name. I was going to drive the car back there today, but it seemed like an awfully decadent thing to do, given the current circumstances. Also, its battery is flat. Once I've given it a jump, I might drive to Basildon and back this evening.

I would have loved to have seen the car on that day. I bet that it looked amazing. Pity that it doesn't look so great nowadays; its paintwork is so thin in places that I daren't even attempt to polish it any more. I'd love to have it resprayed, but without a lottery win or a crowdfunding exercise it's not going to happen in the foreseeable future. The lack of MAACO and Earl Scheib-type bodywork places in the UK is lamented.

Here's a photo of the car ten years ago, when it still had half decent paint. A couple of days after this photo was taken, I drove it to eastern Germany and back without any issues whatsoever:

Fun facts about The Volvo: the car was given its pre-delivery inspection on 24th August 1990 at 7 miles, even though it wasn't registered for another week. It had its first service on 5th September 1990 at 500 miles. I suspect it was originally a demo car or management car, as it's fitted with a few quite desirable Volvo accessories and it's evident that it once had a hard-wired carphone.

I hope that it will last long enough to become tax and MOT-exempt, and to get the respray it so deserves.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

12 minutes ago, Shep Shepherd said:

Today is the 30th anniversary of The Volvo's first registration. It was supplied by Lex Brooklands in Colindale, north west London, which is still trading, albeit under a different name. I was going to drive the car back there today, but it seemed like an awfully decadent thing to do, given the current circumstances.....

Sometimes you have to put on the style. Just do it.

On the other hand, there's probably nobody left working at Colindale who remembers that particular car.

[N19]

I was hoping to take my Capri for a couple of photos on the original dealers forecourt in Keighley, which still exists, for its 40th year. Postponed until next year owing to covid, but still on the agenda. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I have no idea who supplied my CX new. No clues at all in the paltry paperwork. Dealer probably long gone anyway or subsumed into a Peugeot dealership (only one left around here).

I do know that it lived in Edgware for a while before going "oop Narth"

[barefoot]

And I wouldn't take my 944 back, because everyone I've ever spoken to at a Porsche dealership, has been a nob.

[lanciamatt]

A few jobs have been done on thema since last week when starter motor caught fire .luckily managed to put flames out .replaced said starter motor ,and this evening replaced OSF Flexi hose and brake pipe .just got drivers front Flexi to change now .

[lanciamatt]

Still not managed to get rid of fire extinguisher dust yet either ,that vid is first start up since fire

[dozeydustman]

Toyota has gone to the friendly ministry examiner for its annual, albeit Boris extended, test and will be done in the morning.

Left the handbrake as borderline so hopefully if that’s the only thing they’ll sort that when they do the air con regas.

[Split_Pin]

I cannot work out where or what this has come from. It is where the front of the car would be on the left most space on the drive but I leave all 3 of my cars there at any one time.

None are displaying signs of a leak of any sort and have not left a mark at any other spot on the drive. 

It's too clean for oil, has no smell and hasn't dried in.

Stumped.

[SiC]

Rain water drainage?

[Split_Pin]

It hasn't dried in.

[blackboilersuit]

Brake fluid? I had a pin hole in a flexi once that left driveway stains like that. No loss of braking performance and the fluid level didn't drop enough to set the low level warning off. 

[lesapandre]

Driving across London one night recently late in the C15 I gave up on Radio 4 on the 25 yo radio and twiddled the dial and this was playing somewhere. Future Islands - new to me (but anything later than Mud is to me). There is car content in the vid too.

 

[lesapandre]

Reminds me of the Still Corners. Re-soundtracking a well known road movie. Both indie US bands. 

 

[Lord Sterling]

Wow. I actually did some tinkering on the Peugeot 407 today. Amazing!

There was an annoying rattle that emanated from the drivers door area.  I eventually managed to get the drivers door card off. After getting the polystyrene-type door membrane off, the noise appeared to be coming from a screw that was held on the to the inside of the door that supported some sort of window channel. Goodness knows how but unscrewing this screw, shaking the channel a bit then putting the screw back in place seemed to help. The window channel didn't seem to be affected and the drivers window is still happy to go up and down smoothly.

Unfortunately, a couple of the plastic retainers broke as I pulled off the door card. It's why I hate jobs like that. I couldn't honestly be bothered to drive but the annoying noise seems to have dissipated.

I've bought a passenger side check strap as it doesn't have one and 2 new keyfobs as the current ones are falling apart.

[Split_Pin]

49 minutes ago, blackboilersuit said:

Brake fluid? I had a pin hole in a flexi once that left driveway stains like that. No loss of braking performance and the fluid level didn't drop enough to set the low level warning off. 

It seems at an odd position in the drive  as it isn't near where the wheels sit. Due to the Mrs not wanting a car in front of the door, mine are parked as far over as possible and usually sit in the same position. It is actually going into the garage to have some corroded sections of brake lines replaced on Thursday however so if that is the issue it will be picked up.

[somewhatfoolish]

6 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I cannot work out where or what this has come from. It is where the front of the car would be on the left most space on the drive but I leave all 3 of my cars there at any one time.

None are displaying signs of a leak of any sort and have not left a mark at any other spot on the drive. 

It's too clean for oil, has no smell and hasn't dried in.

Stumped.

Any of them have aircon? If the compressor shat itself there might be an oil leak and A/C lube is clear(or very pale yellow) and often does not smell.

[Split_Pin]

The 75 does, but it would likely be the condenser or a pipe at the front.

Still no staining or dampness under the car undertray though and it's all dry this morning.

Weird.

[Rocket88]

5 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Any of them have aircon? If the compressor shat itself there might be an oil leak and A/C lube is clear(or very pale yellow) and often does not smell.

I'd suspect that as well...........

[barefoot]

My 75 drips quite impressively, but my man with the spanners tells me that it's just condensation from the AC, it's nothing to worry about and They, (all airconditioned cars) All Do That, Sir.

[Split_Pin]

It's raining now and water isn't beading where the stains were, shall see if they are still there when it dries up.

[bunglebus]

Back to welding up the lovely* Corsa. This was supposed to be just a bit of bubbling at the back of the sill but of course it always escalates. 

This is the worst bit for me, looking at rusty holes and wondering what to do about them - so you make them bigger

Inner and outer sill and inner wheelarch all reconstructed out of a metal shelf

I've got to create the wheelarch and grind back all the welds but it's solid now. Only got to last another year or so before the old geezer will have to give up driving

[High Jetter]

8 hours ago, barefoot said:

My 75 drips quite impressively, but my man with the spanners tells me that it's just condensation from the AC, it's nothing to worry about and They, (all airconditioned cars) All Do That, Sir.

For sure, but would that stain the drive like that? Not in my experience of AC equipped cars anyway.

[wuvvum]

I once got some similar stains on the floor of my porch when some antifreeze leaked out of an old heater matrix I'd inadvertently knocked over, and some slugs then crawled into the puddle and partially dissolved.

[Burnside]

Lost a Cheapo wheel trim on the Stilo over the Bank Holiday weekend. So scanned the net and picked up a set of used Fiat Punto trims. As they are the bolt on type, unlike the original Stilo trim's.

Best part is they cost £5! 

 

[tabact]

Just got back from picking up the first Renault I've ever owned, the last one I even remember driving was a 5. I'm now the proud owner of SiC's Laguna and very pleased with it so far. I do like a sun roof epsecially one that works. Now to spend the evening reading the manual to figure out  what does what. Thanks to Si for picking me up from the station and in the AS way making it a very easy transaction.

 

[cms206]

Jesus.

One in.

[Cavcraft]

Transit (very sadly) unlikely to see another MOT. Been a fantastic van, done everything it's been asked of and more, including picking up countless motorbikes (including a dead Honda Goldwing) helping move my son twice, shit loads of tip runs etc etc etc. It also allegedly* did 100mph on a private test track with a motorbike in the back of it one day. Drives like a car, ace on fuel, pulls like a train and isn't the hopeless wheezy pile of old wank that the RWD 2.4 ones are, nor a  ticking time bomb like the Mk6 2.2 diesels..

Anyhow, armed with the fact I need a less rusty van that's the same size as the SWB Transit with no rear or side windows, hasn't done big miles and will swallow a motorbike with ease, I was going to go and view a Vivaro 1.9 (cam belt version) but a very timely (and chance) message from a mate yesterday changed that.

Am I interested in his van? Yes.

Is it the same size as the Transit?

 

No.

 

Has it got solid sides and rear doors?

 

 No.

 

Has it done reasonable mileage? 

 

Will it swallow a motorbike with ease?

 

 

Probs not, but will endeavour to find out.

[beko1987]

54 minutes ago, tabact said:

Just got back from picking up the first Renault I've ever owned, the last one I even remember driving was a 5. I'm now the proud owner of SiC's Laguna and very pleased with it so far. I do like a sun roof epsecially one that works. Now to spend the evening reading the manual to figure out  what does what. Thanks to Si for picking me up from the station and in the AS way making it a very easy transaction.

 

Oh marvellous! I'll look out for you on the road! 

Is that the white xantia I see peeking out?