The new news 24 thread

[High Jetter]

Kolley Kibber I remember from Graeme Green book, but you're correct. Dates back to 1927

[Zelandeth]

7 hours ago, egg said:

Ages ago, I remember @Joey spudsaying a set of low level caravan ramps can be useful for certain jobs. So, I got myself a set for Xmas.

Because I work* in the road, I think they are more comfortable to use than a jack and stands because they don't pose much of a risk to anyone else. There's a few jobs that can be made easier from rust proofing and cleaning to minor bodywork and mechanical tasks. I know one is slightly overbalanced here, so I need to work on positioning.

That's a bloody good idea...I am totally getting a pair of them.

Getting to the oil filter on the Jag currently requires me to faff about jacking it up, getting axle stands in (which is a chore in itself) etc...With these I reckon I might just about be able to squeeze in the gap to reach it...Still a pain in the proverbial as it's almost directly above the left hand exhaust downpipe...but that's always the way with these things.

[stuboy]

13 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Kent is a bloody long way from NE Norfolk

where in kent did you pop into

[wuvvum]

Cranbrook.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

That's a bloody good idea...I am totally getting a pair of them.

Getting to the oil filter on the Jag currently requires me to faff about jacking it up, getting axle stands in (which is a chore in itself) etc...With these I reckon I might just about be able to squeeze in the gap to reach it...Still a pain in the proverbial as it's almost directly above the left hand exhaust downpipe...but that's always the way with these things.

I'd be a bit worried about how much weight those ramps can support. Also I'm not sure they're really designed to be fail safe enough design have someone under them. Alright for the extra height to get a jack under though. 

I personally like to jack a car up and put my metal ramps underneath. A lot less hassle than axle stands plus a car is (usually) pretty stable on its wheels. Jacking it up and putting on stands, rather than driving up is a lot less risky. No chance of them slipping out when driving up and no chance of driving off the end. 

[RayMK]

A minor Tipo update. After its recent £916 welding/MOT indulgence it has had the good grace to continue to be reliable and pleasant to drive. I splashed out a further £23 for a pair of tailgate struts last week because my swearing when my skull was attacked by the hatch catch was upsetting the neighbours. Last week in a fit of man logic regarding what the hell to do with 50 or so cassettes cluttering up my hi-fi, the answer became clear. Replace the Tipo's aftermarket Radio/CD player with a radio/cassette player. This would enable me to play my way through the cassettes to see which were worth keeping, a task far too tedious to do while sitting next to the hi-fi in the house. The Tipo now has a NOS Sony XR-5800R obtained for an extremely reasonable £40. So far I've listened to one tape, a compilation of late Beatles stuff that I recorded yonks ago and last played when I owned a Renault 20. The tape is ok - it did not jam - but someone, probably my kids when they were younger, had randomly added tracks of their favourite rubbish music and also had had finger trouble with the settings.  It's not  a particularly high quality cassette tape and I can re-record the material from CDs if I get desperate, so that's the first one for the bin. At the current rate I'll have finished checking the tapes by 2022. 

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

I'd be a bit worried about how much weight those ramps can support. Also I'm not sure they're really designed to be fail safe enough design have someone under them. Alright for the extra height to get a jack under though. 

I personally like to jack a car up and put my metal ramps underneath. A lot less hassle than axle stands plus a car is (usually) pretty stable on its wheels. Jacking it up and putting on stands, rather than driving up is a lot less risky. No chance of them slipping out when driving up and no chance of driving off the end. 

Yeah, I'd definitely make sure they weren't the only thing supporting the car.  Though I'd think they're pretty sturdy, the axle loading on a camper fully laden in camping mode isn't exactly small.

Getting the Jag onto the full size ramps is a major pain because it's so low, has that damned splitter on the front and a huge front overhang.  None of my jacks go high enough to get the wheels onto them without doing highly dodgy feeling two stage nonsense...and even then it feels precarious as the tyres are about an inch wider than the ramps.  You also become very, very aware of how heavy the drivetrain is when jacking the front end up!

The quoted kerb weight is somewhere around 1700kg as I recall, and 450 of that is just engine and gearbox!

As you say though, I'd be making very sure that there was a secondary and tertiary backup on hand.  Just would be nice to reduce the setup for changing the oil filter to 10-15 minutes rather than "about an hour" if I can.

[egg]

@SiC - good points, and things I considered. There is another style of these ramps called leisurewize sold by Argos and others that had reviews about collapsing even though they are rated for 5 tonnes (as are the ones I have).

But in the end, the rating doesn't matter if they squash you. The ones I bought have a square structure underneath which looks resilient, but I wouldn't be crawling in and out for hours with them. I chose them as easy to drive on and inconspicuous to use in the street compared to the higher metal ones.

They will provide easier access to the i10 oil filter and when I eventually change the front bumper and wing due to the accident, will make the process a bit more comfortable. As the i10 is about a tonne (kerb weight) I think it will be ok. Mondeo is 1.3 tonnes, so I think I'll will use them with it too.

Will update if I have any issues with them.

[beko1987]

How much do they cost? They look more structural than the random wood I usually use to get the xsara nose up over the ramp bottom (usually I don't care and scrape the fuck out of the bottom of the bumper but the xsara is so blobby I fear it'll rip off) 

Said wood usually only lasts 2 goes before it snaps with a crack that makes all the birds in a 1/4 mile radius fly away... Could be an easy to store set of ramp extenders

[egg]

£20

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161912-1-Pair-Level-Wheel-Leveller-Levelling-Ramps-Caravan-Motorhome/27233975314

[dave j]

I use them sometimes just to get a bit of height so I can get the trolley jack under easier.  They are always in the back of the camper, have used them to get underer the camper before too when I had a problem with the camper and I was away from home

[wesacosa]

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MotorMugs?fbclid=IwAR06qVvIgXfwziWUZSGoT3juQj5Cbuc35Kp2nUK5Bb4rxEkR5TAzLw9t1wA

Just seen these when browsing. No idea if they any good or not but look quite cool

 

[richardmorris]

12 hours ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

That’ll be a £6,600,000 load, then,

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/aston-martin-db5-goldfinger-continuation-makes-public-debut

That looks right, I misremembered the plates obv.

[richardmorris]

7 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

That looks right, I misremembered the plates obv.

Also at work this morning, something that looked like a batmobile but was a Lamborghini veneno. Not heard of it but many millions of £!

[Stanky]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Also at work this morning, something that looked like a batmobile but was a Lamborghini veneno. Not heard of it but many millions of £!

Ha, to me that looks like one of those OMG replicas of a Lamborghini made from an MR2 and loads of isopon and plywood.

Money truly does not buy taste

[NorfolkNWeigh]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

That looks right, I misremembered the plates obv.

No, they all come with the James Bond number and childish bits, possibly not even road legal like the DB4GT Continuations they did  last year. Presumably if you’re that rich you’ve already got Astons you can drive on the road .

Such is the James Bond obsession of even wealthy adults, see also the Mercury Cougar from OHMSS going for £300k + at auction this week. You’ll probably see that through the window soon!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

18 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Collectioned. 

When you’ve finished with it please roffle it. Then everyone can buy a ticket for @Cavcraft, sort of crowdfunding torture.

[richardmorris]

2 hours ago, Stanky said:

Ha, to me that looks like one of those OMG replicas of a Lamborghini made from an MR2 and loads of isopon and plywood.

Money truly does not buy taste

It wasn’t pretty. And a truly tasteless one was £7million!https://uk.motor1.com/news/373869/most-expensive-lamborghini-auctioned-veneno/

 

 

[omegod]

After a wee break from tinkering I've just picked up an 05 Honda Jazz auto, quick look over and it's a decent wee car, idle surge issue which I think I have sussed out. I need a project over the xmas time as I seem to get very depressed every year. I haven't driven an auto for years so did the left foot on the brake error and near went through the bloody screen  

[Yoss]

5 hours ago, wesacosa said:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MotorMugs?fbclid=IwAR06qVvIgXfwziWUZSGoT3juQj5Cbuc35Kp2nUK5Bb4rxEkR5TAzLw9t1wA

Just seen these when browsing. No idea if they any good or not but look quite cool

 

That's a good selection of random crap cars. I wonder if they'll expand the range? I mean Capri and Sierra will appeal to a large market but the Renault 25 and Toyota are truly niche. Were they just picked at random? 

[Cord Fourteener]

14 minutes ago, omegod said:

. I haven't driven an auto for years so did the left foot on the brake error and near went through the bloody screen  

Why do they make the brake pedal so big that it sits right where your clutch foot goes???

[Asimo]

13 minutes ago, Tim_E said:

Why do they make the brake pedal so big that it sits right where your clutch foot goes???

So it can be comfortably used by either foot.

[Cord Fourteener]

4 minutes ago, Asimo said:

So it can be comfortably used by either foot.

They advocate left foot braking in the roads?

Every time I drive an auto, which is occasionally ie when I'm driving my parents car with frail and very narky parents in it I catch it when ever there's a hazard to react to and give them cause to moan!

Driver error I know but it always gets me, just because it's only occasionally I drive it.

[MarvinsMom]

this morning the bastard toyota decided that it did not want to go to the shops this  morning.

as a reward for replacing the exhaust the other day, this morning it didnt want to go. it wouldn't start off our jump leads either, though it did go quiet happily off the roadside assistance fellas booster pack. 

and apparently kerry says it won't start this evening too, in spite of me taking it for a damn good thashing this afternoon.

so we need a new battery for it.

triffic.....

i did however get Kerry xmas present.

nice eh?

and that signature? its Harris Mann's its gone off to santa to be wrapped up in time for the big day.

 

[clayts450]

50,000 miles into my same day courier adventure and today my breakdown cherry was finally popped.

Nearside rear tyre flat as a pancake, went on the M1. Luckily* for me it was in the smart upgrade section (just north of J13, just before the bit where you 'rev up your engines (it's Scotty Kilmer)' for the burst from 60 to 70mph. Thankfully there was a handy gap into the works access, so I was able to pull out of the live running lanes (recovery guy said well done for thinking on my feet...or rather my three working tyres anyway).

Lucky break was because it's free recovery in that section of roadworks, so I didn't need to fuck about ringing the RAC. 10 minutes and along came a recovery truck (BDV Recoveries, based in Yorkshire - bloody brilliant guys) took me back to Newport Pagnall to enable me to change the wheel. Naturally as soon as I get the wrench out, it chucked about a year's worth of rain onto Newport Pagnall service station. Amazingly the Combo had a full size spare, a brand new Continental no less.

Delivery accomplished, albeit two hours late. I offered to forego my fee for the job with the shipper which is the accepted etiquette in the trade - rang him and kept him updated, but he wouldn't have it, said 'shit happens' and that he'd ring me Monday with more work - top bloke.

Glad I've got that one done and dusted, should be okay for another 50K hopefully. Gonna take the busted Cross Climate down to F1 tomorrow to see if it's fixable, or if not get a replacement - can't really have three all-seasons and a summer tyre.

[wuvvum]

Been having a poke around the Iveco today - first time I've seen it in daylight.  It's just as scruffy in the light as it is in the dark.

To be fair none of it is unexpected for a 24-year-old Iveco.  I have a feeling the most recent MOT test may have been somewhat lenient - the cab steps in particular are looking a little crunchy in places - but I suspected that would be the case so it's no surprise.  As is usual with these, the RSJs which make up the chassis are rock solid.

Opening the bonnet reveals a rather different state of affairs, and suddenly the 63K recorded mileage becomes more believable.  I don't think I've ever seen an old van engine that clean.  I do still struggle with the fact that something that size only makes the same amount of power as the 1-litre triple in a VW Up, but there you go.

It has these high-security Yale type locks on all the doors, and a (presumably dealer fit) immobiliser, so I don't have to worry too much about it being nicked by Cavcraft in the middle of the night.

In the back is pretty big.  I can stand up straight without banging my head.  I measured the load bay and it's actually 12' long and 5'6" wide, so the Innocenti would fit in - unfortunately the rear doors are only 5' so that might be a bit tight unless I take the mirrors off.  I will have to do some more measuring.  And then work out how the feck I'd get the Innocenti up there.  It would be useful to have the garage space though - I really don't like the Renault 6 living outside in the winter.  Alternatively I could sling a mattress, a gas burner and a Porta Potti in the back and become one of these Van Life wankers.

The indicators decided that they were going to work fine today - not sure what they were playing at yesterday.  I am still going to invest in an electronic flasher relay though as the hazards are still dodgy.  The main beam turned out to be a relay issue after all - there are two separate main beam relays, one for the flasher and one for the main beam proper, and the latter had failed.  I've swapped them over for now, but I'll buy another relay in due course.  Everything else seems to work fine.  I've also temporarily bodged the hole in the exhaust with gun gum, which has quietened things down a bit.

It's definitely a heap, but so help me I do actually rather like it.  It's been a while since I've had a van which is nothing like driving a car whatsoever, and I do enjoy having something you have to actually "drive" rather than letting it do most of the work.  It really is basic - no electric windows, no central locking, no airbags, no ABS.  It doesn't even have PAS, which is unusual for one of these - although the steering is surprisingly manageable, much better than a non-PAS LT35 or LDV 400.  The gearbox takes a bit of getting used to with its dogleg first and oddly spaced ratios.  To my mind though that's how a commercial vehicle should be.  A little extra power wouldn't go amiss ( @BeEP's LDV400 would leave it behind in a drag race) but even then that makes you think ahead and conserve momentum so it's all good.  Overall a quite satisfactory purchase.

 

[HMC]

My Volvo S60 is excelling at being a functional, uneventful car. I love it’s total competency. Ok maybe aside from the ocean liner turning circle.

[Zelandeth]

41 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Been having a poke around the Iveco today - first time I've seen it in daylight.  It's just as scruffy in the light as it is in the dark.

To be fair none of it is unexpected for a 24-year-old Iveco.  I have a feeling the most recent MOT test may have been somewhat lenient - the cab steps in particular are looking a little crunchy in places - but I suspected that would be the case so it's no surprise.  As is usual with these, the RSJs which make up the chassis are rock solid.

Opening the bonnet reveals a rather different state of affairs, and suddenly the 63K recorded mileage becomes more believable.  I don't think I've ever seen an old van engine that clean.  I do still struggle with the fact that something that size only makes the same amount of power as the 1-litre triple in a VW Up, but there you go.

It has these high-security Yale type locks on all the doors, and a (presumably dealer fit) immobiliser, so I don't have to worry too much about it being nicked by Cavcraft in the middle of the night.

In the back is pretty big.  I can stand up straight without banging my head.  I measured the load bay and it's actually 12' long and 5'6" wide, so the Innocenti would fit in - unfortunately the rear doors are only 5' so that might be a bit tight unless I take the mirrors off.  I will have to do some more measuring.  And then work out how the feck I'd get the Innocenti up there.  It would be useful to have the garage space though - I really don't like the Renault 6 living outside in the winter.  Alternatively I could sling a mattress, a gas burner and a Porta Potti in the back and become one of these Van Life wankers.

The indicators decided that they were going to work fine today - not sure what they were playing at yesterday.  I am still going to invest in an electronic flasher relay though as the hazards are still dodgy.  The main beam turned out to be a relay issue after all - there are two separate main beam relays, one for the flasher and one for the main beam proper, and the latter had failed.  I've swapped them over for now, but I'll buy another relay in due course.  Everything else seems to work fine.  I've also temporarily bodged the hole in the exhaust with gun gum, which has quietened things down a bit.

It's definitely a heap, but so help me I do actually rather like it.  It's been a while since I've had a van which is nothing like driving a car whatsoever, and I do enjoy having something you have to actually "drive" rather than letting it do most of the work.  It really is basic - no electric windows, no central locking, no airbags, no ABS.  It doesn't even have PAS, which is unusual for one of these - although the steering is surprisingly manageable, much better than a non-PAS LT35 or LDV 400.  The gearbox takes a bit of getting used to with its dogleg first and oddly spaced ratios.  To my mind though that's how a commercial vehicle should be.  A little extra power wouldn't go amiss ( @BeEP's LDV400 would leave it behind in a drag race) but even then that makes you think ahead and conserve momentum so it's all good.  Overall a quite satisfactory purchase.

 

Nice.

To me driving a van which doesn't have a dogleg first, huge steering wheel and a driving position so high you feel like you're sitting on the roof just feels wrong.

This is just how things are meant to be arranged.

[barmatt]

On 12/18/2020 at 9:35 PM, wuvvum said:

And home.

 

I'd love to stealth camper something like this, although I'd like a tad more than the 75hp this had from the factory.

What are / were the external power sockets for? 

[LightBulbFun]

14 minutes ago, barmatt said:

What are / were the external power sockets for? 

for charging the Electric Tippen Delta @wuvvum plans to keep inside the van obvs...