The new news 24 thread

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, egg said:

This is a nice little artefact, my dad found this invoice for him buying his first car in 1970 - Hillman Super Minx. The Canterbury registered Mini (990 FN) traded in was his mum's apparently.  £3.8k is £250 in today's money.

The Minx was East Sussex registered, and it was driven down to St Tropez in 1972 after my dad had met my mum.

Prop: P M Nutter, of Wincheap. You sure that's gen?

[stuboy]

Treated the car too better speakers.. wanted 4 alpines but only 2 in stock. Wasnt gonna spend too much on them

[egg]

Must be something I could Vactan on the i10, ah engine mount!

[stuboy]

Speakers changed in the v6, now I can listen to Billie ray cyrus cds better

[egg]

If you remove the air box, couple of screws etc, on the i10, the pcv valve is right in front of you.

It was a bit grimy but functional

Squirted with WD40, and put back, as replacement not needed yet.

Easy job. Stamped K for Kia I suppose.

[SiC]

Massive itchy feet for another car at the moment. I'm desperately holding back as we have a few painful bills coming in and we desperately need a new kitchen. However the £300-500 cars I keep seeing are desperately tempting. BUT that money will be better budgeted on replacement panels for the Dolomite...

[Split_Pin]

Arses.

I had a go at removing the strut on the Audi today as it's drumming away like Tommy Lee.

I got everything loosened with my Clarke impact gun but I couldn't get the thread cleaned up enough to get the lower strut nut over the thread, no matter how much I cleaned it. The nut was literally smoking with the heat.

However this bolt was starting to round off and the impact gun wasn't shifting the nut any more. 

I also snapped the 10mm bolt holding in the brake line carrier however the strut is scrap anyway.

Before I got in more of a pickle I admitted defeat and tightened everything back up. I'll book it into my garage tomorrow.

Still fairly happy though as all the nuts that needed to come loose did. The strut lower bolts were  spherical blobs of rust but cleaned up well.

Also my 3 day migraine disappeared as I worked away, the joys of not having to rely on a car due to WFH!

Hopefully only be half an hour in the garage to change the strut over.

Potential rofflage of this car once the strut is fixed, seen a few other cars I'd like to try and the 75 and Corsa are staying put!

[stuboy]

Painted the misses car door... umm colour is great...

At night..

Around the corner..

In another town..

Another county...

Another town.

[wuvvum]

Not got as much done this weekend as I'd planned, thanks to the poxy fugging weather.  I did make some progress on the Škoda though, for which I now have a HBOL thanks to the excellent @Six-cylinder.  I replaced the bulbs in the heater control panel so I can now see the heater controls in the dark.  I was also planning on replacing the bulbs in the instrument cluster, but that came to nought - I got the dash panel detached, but to actually pull the instrument cluster out far enough to get at the bulbs you need to disconnect the speedo cable from the gearbox end.  This is held in place with a knurled collar which is obviously meant to be undone by hand, but having been in place for quite possibly 24 years now this wasn't going to happen.  There's no way to get a pair of pliers on it without removing the exhaust, which I really couldn't be arsed with.  However I found these in my box of random useful stuff:

Bought in the days when Poundland still sold useful things, they plug into the lighter and make a dim white light perfect for lighting instruments.  I've wedged them in at the bottom of the clocks and I'm pleased to say they're spot on - dim enough to not be distracting but bright enough that I can now see how fast I'm going in the dark.  I might even get ambitious and wire them in to the sidelight switch at some point, but probably not.

The headlight aim was far too low - I'd wound it up as much as I could with the manual adjusters on the back of the lights, but it still wasn't good enough.  I pulled the pipes off the hydraulic headlight levellers which confirmed that there's bugger all fluid in the system.  So I removed the adjustment knob from the dashboard - if it's not fitted it can't fail a test...  Then following a tip on a Felicia forum someone posted a link to on here, I took the hydraulic adjusters out of the lights and wound them out manually.  That has done the trick - if anything they're a little too high now, but there is plenty of downard movement on the "proper" manual adjusters if needed.

The broken centre exhaust hanger has been replaced - it's not quite as secure as I'd like it but I don't think it's going to go anywhere.  There's not that much weight on it anyway to be honest.  The hook on the underside of the car had a massive metal circlip on the end - not sure whether that was original or a later addition to hold the hanger in place, but I had to attack it with a large screwdriver to get it off and I wasn't able to get it back on again.  The hanger can't come completely off the hook though as the handbrake cables are in the way, so I'm going to leave it.  I've also slapped some Gun Gum on the holes in the rear silencer.  So that's all the obvious MOT fails done - I'm going to book it in for a test in the next few weeks and see what happens.

I went out in the Toyota today and was less than impressed to find a lake in the nearside rear footwell.  The car has never leaked before.  I'm hoping that it's just that the window wasn't quite completely up to the top, as I don't fancy having to trace another leak.  The Renault 6 is rather damp inside but that's never been 100% watertight.  The Volvo is also suffering from wet carpets on the passenger side - this time though I think it's because of the quarterlights not sealing properly.  I've bought a big tarpaulin to put over it as a temporary measure - I'm thinking of treating it to a "proper" car cover for the winter.  I'm also half thinking about getting rid of the Scudo and putting the money I'll be saving on tax towards renting another garage - the Renault 6 really needs to be under cover through the winter, and as it's smoll there should be enough room around it to stash the stuff I'm currently storing in the van.  It's no use as a van anyway - it still starts on the button but the head gasket has gone and it's pissing out diesel so I can't actually go anywhere in it.

Yesterday I picked this up from Duxford.

It was another one of those "f*** me that's cheap" listings on eBay which I luzzed a bid on a couple of weeks ago and ended up winning.  Third gear is difficult to get and it has an exhaust blow from somewhere near the front, but it drives fine other than that, everything seems to work and it's tested until February.  It even had 3/4 of a tank of fuel in it!

[mitsisigma01]

4 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Yesterday I picked this up from Duxford.

 

Tell us more coz the picture ain't showing 🤔

[LightBulbFun]

Just now, mitsisigma01 said:

Tell us more coz the picture ain't showing 🤔

refresh the page they should be working now  

[Zelandeth]

Yep... taking the driver's side carpet out of the Jag before we had the torrential rain in the last few days was a good call.  There is a good 1/4" of water in the driver's door well.

There were three points it was previously getting in...as far as I can tell it's still getting in through all three.  Windscreen seal, heater through somewhere (guessing a blocked scuttle drain, though I've not yet got in there as the retaining screws are stripped), and through the driver's door.  May need to make sorting that a job for this week.

[LightBulbFun]

14 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Yep... taking the driver's side carpet out of the Jag before we had the torrential rain in the last few days was a good call.  There is a good 1/4" of water in the driver's door well.

There were three points it was previously getting in...as far as I can tell it's still getting in through all three.  Windscreen seal, heater through somewhere (guessing a blocked scuttle drain, though I've not yet got in there as the retaining screws are stripped), and through the driver's door.  May need to make sorting that a job for this week.

ahh Autoshite

where the Invacars have carpets and the Jags dont...

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

ahh Autoshite

where the Invacars have carpets and the Jags dont...

Well I know it leaks like a proverbial sieve so was just proactive about it!  Drying out a metal floor is a lot easier than over an inch thick pad of carpet and sound deadening...plus the carpets are just glorified mats in the XJ-S so just lift out.

Really wish I had somewhere under cover to store it over the winter, but that's just not happening at the prices I was quoted back when I was looking for somewhere to put the Lada. 

[clayts450]

Yesterday I got a few bits done on the Coupe and the 620 ahead of their tests (Coupe is already overdue).

Hopefully stopped the squeaking caliper on the Coupe (think 'jumping up and down on a squeaky bed' type squeaking) and sorted out the wonky seat. Just need some silver tape to stick over a potentially sharp dent (not sharp at all, but not taking any chances) and I think I need a fog lamp bulb - only one is working, but then again there may only be one cos US car, and no mention of fog lights in the owner's manual.  Oh and a sticky label telling the tester how to shut the bonnet.

Thought the 620's test ran out on Sunday but it's actually a week on Wednesday which is handy as I need to go Gun Gum on the centre silencer section's ass - wee little pinhole which is farting like a good un. Also regreased the front caliper slider pins and there was an awful lot of groaning coming from the brakes when I lifted my foot off the pedal - seems to have cured it, although annoyingly* on yesterday evening's test drive I think I only hit one red light out of about eleventy billion - I really was Mr Greenlight last night. Will have to have another look at the handbrake cos that's a regular fail point on these cars. Also re-sealed the slightly worn rubber bushes on the upper suspension joints with superglue and will colour them in with a black marker pen again - they've not split but they are wearing. Got past the test last year, no reason to suspect it won't work again. But then again...

Also did the 10K oil change on the van last week, and am using that Millers Ecoshmizzle stuff - seems to have quietened the engine a little. For 142K on the clock, it's a solid wee thing.

 

 

[SRi05]

Drove upto Fort William, Arisaig and Mallaig today, took the new (to me) Saab. Not what I originally planned for October week but making the most of it 😄

[Chris2cv]

Took the 2cv out on Saturday. Firstly to the garage , to get the oil leak checked out.  Both rocker covers leaking. That's a relief as gasket is cheap and an easy job, albeit I've got to get the garage to do it now as they did the diagnosis. (Engine was very dirty and I'm getting a lot of aggro about it leaking, while not currently having a driveway or garage)

Ordered the gaskets, in a good mood so rode up through various lanes and to Whitstable for a wander. Car was sounding increasingly loud as I went further. "Please be the air box come loose again", I thought.  Had a look. Not the air box.  Roughly 50p sized hole in the silencer. Bugger! It only passed an MOT a week and about 40 miles ago!  Went online to ECAS, who have supplied my parts for ever. They said, you'll probably need at least the tail pipe as well. Ended up buying 3 sections. Unlike many suppliers, I trust what they tell me, and would rather end up keeping spare sections than end up having to go back again when the next section comes. Back to the garage next week then!

Then to top the day off, in the evening monsoon, a LOT of water came through the roof of our new loft extension, in at least 10 places! Buckets lining the stairs  and loft and not a great night.  Almost glad to go back to work!  Almost.

 

[Cavcraft]

Tried my best, but it was an absolutely awful car so it's not so bad that it happened. The Daewoo had locked itself on the truck, the driver had to break the window to get in so he could move it to put the 406 on. Fair play to CTB, good price and excellent service.

 

 

 

Also, a recent eBay purchase arrived yesterday, to replace the missing boot badge...

 

[egg]

My wife has just had a minor accident in the i10. She is shaken up, car came round the corner and hit her down a country lane. Bloody glad she wasn't in the Mazda even though it was minor. 

Driver's door not opening.

Driver behind my wife caught the incident on dashcam.

She's 25 miles away in Charing (I'm at home) picking up my daughter. She is going to cautiously start coming home, but might need to go and get her.

Shit.

[SmokinWaffle]

On 10/8/2020 at 1:01 PM, SmokinWaffle said:

Picked up a Panda with 30k on it yesterday that's been sitting for at least a year.

 

Think this would be interesting to make a thread about as I clean/recomission? 

 

On 10/8/2020 at 4:56 PM, wuvvum said:

I love how you've gone to the trouble of replicating the shadow when blanking out the numberplate.  Top MS Paint skillz there.

Thread is now made, and I got written permission from the CIA to reveal the top secret numberplate (I cba to edit all of them, not even sure why I did at first...):

 

  Also put the MX5 on eBay, so I look forward to the interesting enquires!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184486702196

 

36 minutes ago, egg said:

My wife has just had a minor accident in the i10. She is shaken up, car came round the corner and hit her down a country lane. Bloody glad she wasn't in the Mazda even though it was minor. 

Driver's door not opening.

Driver behind my wife caught the incident on dashcam.

She's 25 miles away in Charing (I'm at home) picking up my daughter. She is going to cautiously start coming home, but might need to go and get her.

Shit.

If she/you need any help, let me know. I'm close to Charing.

[catsinthewelder]

Fingers crossed for you Egg, its never a nice situation but it sounds like it could have been worse.

 

I finally have transport,  the Focus stopped charging last week and I convinced myself that it would be an awful wiring fault I'd never be able to get to the bottom of as it came just after I'd been messing about behind the battery fitting a bonnet release.  Fortunately my tame mechanic convinced me to let him fit a new alternator and I've just picked it up, still need to reassemble various bits of airbox and glovebox that I removed but at least its going.

The 405 conked out on Friday with charging and steering issues.  I think I've fixed the power steering issue with a fluid change and I've just put yet another aux belt on but its flapping around like mad so I need to get new tensioners which isn't proving easy.

I've had the Safrane running and driving today too, it needs an ABS light extinguishing and fresh gearbox oil but apart from a tyre going soft it seems to have coped well with sitting for a few months since the test ran out just before the world went odd.  Would be good to get it back on the road soon.

[egg]

Just a new wing needed? Bumper damage was done by Ken!

 

[egg]

Door won't open because no longer have a panel gap...

[wuvvum]

That doesnae look too bad to be fair (although probably still quite scary when it happened).  Also i10 wings probably easier to get hold of (especially in Appliance White) than Mazda 323 ones...

[catsinthewelder]

If thats all it is it seems barely worth having to worry about declaring it to the insurance.  Could it be worse underneath though if the door won't open?

[wuvvum]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hyundai-i10-2011-13-5-Door-Hatchback-Crystral-White-O-S-Drivers-Front-Wing-RH/164399566968?fits=Car+Make%3AHyundai|Model%3Ai10&hash=item2646fa5078:g:Oa8AAOSwJJFfbKm1

[egg]

Yes, more minor than I'd feared, the Toyo that hit her was slightly worse off.

I want to report it but not claim, I think.

[egg]

Shame it's pissing down here, or I reckon remove the wheel and arch liner and I could pop it out enough to open the driver's door.

[egg]

Ok, so unscrewed a couple of arch liner screws and made it convex instead of concave. Door opens now, just rubs a bit!

 

[egg]

Took it out for a drive, and it drives fine. Obviously, possibly damage I can't see, but MOT in two weeks anyway!