The new news 24 thread

[meshking]

15 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Already not mentioning the brand new starter or electronic ignition. But then Darren Arthur is involved…

Well, if Mr Arthur is involved I'm sure it'll all* be above* board 

[wuvvum]

Moderately productive weekend this week - didn't get much done yesterday as it was quite windy with occasional showers, but I did get the other replacement hinge fitted to the back of the Maxus after the comically short M8 bolts I ordered for it turned up earlier in the week (even then they were slightly too long and needed two washers on them to get them properly tight - I'd misunderestimated just how thin the hinge mounting points are on the Maxus).  Turns out the original upper hinge was also partly seized - the door now swings freely, which is less than ideal when it's windy as the door stop mechanism has long since disappeared, but at least it shuts properly now.

Then I took the van for a bit of a run to charge the battery.  Pulled out of my road and trundled along at 30 and some tit in a Freelander came steaming up behind and sat right on my arse.  I stuck rigidly to 30 until we reached the NSL sign, then I changed down into 3rd and floored it, and amusingly left him for dead - until we got to the next village where he predictably came hooning up behind again...

This morning as it was sunny and warmish I went for a drive up to the coast in the Visa.  I figured that it was a nice day to sit at the side of a B road waiting for the AA.  As it turned out the Visa behaved itself and managed 10 miles with no issues to speak of.  I do need to fix the back end of the headlining up though, at the moment the rearview mirror only shows about 6' behind the car.  I did try to get the clip out yesterday but it wasn't having it, so I think I might have to drill a couple of holes and screw the headlining into place.  I also tried to adjust the driver's door mirror as that was angled way too low, but the glass didn't seem to want to move and when I pressed a little more insistently it fell out - turns out the adjustment mechanism is worn out and not holding the glass in place so someone had superglued it in.  So I got out the Gorilla glue and glued it back in, but at the right angle for me.

I took the 107 to the jet wash this morning as it was absolutely filthy - it's now looking slightly more respectable, but more importantly I also gave it a good blast underneath to get rid of all the salt and crap that it will have been plastered with having been my daily all winter.  Then once it had dried out I got out the cavity wax and sprayed it into every hole I could find on the underside of the car.  It may pass another MOT yet...  I did notice after I finished jet washing it that there was some water dripping in through the interior light fitting, so I've squirted some Captain Tolley's round the base of the aerial which I'm hoping will cure it.  I was supposed to be fitting the new rear brake shoes as well, but I really couldn't be arsed to take those on today, and the brakes have stopped grinding anyway so they can wait a bit longer.

The other thing I'd been intending to do today and which I did actually get done was to remove the bonnet latch mechanism from the Volvo.  The latch hasn't worked for about 15 years - most of the time that hasn't been a problem as the bonnet has been kept down by the secondary latch, but if I'm going to be driving it at any more than town speeds this summer I really need the bonnet to be properly shut.

The latch came off easily enough - that car continues to amaze me with its seemingly total lack of seized fixings - and a quick examination of the latch revealed that it wasn't actually seized as I'd assumed - the mechanism was moving freely - but the return spring had rusted to oblivion and snapped.  Brookhouse have the springs in stock for about a fiver so that should be a relatively easy fix.  The bonnet cable is of course now quite reluctant to move having been untouched for 15 years - I've pulled the end of the cable out from under the slam panel and sprayed penetrating oil down the sheath, but I'm not holding my breath - it's probably going to be new cable time, Brookhouse has those as well but they're 30-odd quid which is a bit steep I thought.

The other thing I did on the Volvo was to have (yet) another attempt at fixing the quarterlight latches back onto the glass.  I've tried every sort of glue known to man, and even the sticky pads used by Autoglass for that very purpose, but nothing has lasted more than a few minutes.  This time I've tried about the only thing I hadn't previously attempted - those little Loctite kits for fixing interior mirrors back onto your windscreen, which contain a tube of glue and some mesh stuff that you put between the mirror and the glass.  Roys of Wroxham had them reduced to £1.99 so I bought a couple thinking they'd be worth a punt at that price - it turned out that one was enough to do both sides so I now have a spare.  I've left them to cure overnight and I'll try them in the morning to see if they're going to hold for any longer than my previous attempts...

[JJ0063]

Productive weekend

Saturday morning went for breakfast with the in laws to Arbuckles in Downham Market, came home and did 1.5 hours logged in to work. In the afternoon I sorted a load of the garage as it was rammed full after moving in. Got about half done. Put some OSB in the rafters so I could put a load of shit up there. Had a tinker with the 125 and made a tail tidy.

Today I did another 1.5hrs work then went out and did the oil change on the Scirocco, hoovered it and generally finished getting it ready to be sold.

Amber then asked me to hoover her Fiesta so I did that, no idea how she manages to get her cars so bloody filthy, just shit everywhere - crumbs, hair, sweet wrappers.. 

It was a lovely sunny day so I thought as the extension lead was out for the hoover, I may as well get the pressure washer out so did her car and the bike. Our friends have been renovating and extending a bungalow they bought about a year ago 7 doors away so we’ve got quite friendly with them again now we live so close. She was parked at ours as Amber and her were having the afternoon together and she jokingly said I can wash her car if I like… I wish I’d got a pic of it but I actually wanted to do it for the satisfaction of seeing the end result.

Bright red VW Up! That was honestly absolutely black from middle down. Bartered, scrapes and trims hanging off, paint flaked patches etc. The thing is hanging. Gave that a very quick snowfoam and going over. Looks a million times better now. 
 

This evening I’ve listed the Scirocco on eBay and put my feet up! 

[wesacosa]

Looks like signs of scandal down in sleepy Thornton le Dale 😳

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11796399/Bangers-Cashs-Derek-Mathewson-71-leaves-wife-40-years-colleague-Vicki-Ivens-45.html

[cobblers]

8 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

Looks like signs of scandal down in sleepy Thornton le Dale 😳

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11796399/Bangers-Cashs-Derek-Mathewson-71-leaves-wife-40-years-colleague-Vicki-Ivens-45.html

There's always some weirdo in the comments section:

Except that's not quite how it works Peter, is it?

 

[goosey]

Never been on a Housing estate before with red street lights….until last night

[cobblers]

14 minutes ago, goosey said:

Never been on a Housing estate before with red street lights….until last night

???

[Zelandeth]

16 minutes ago, goosey said:

Never been on a Housing estate before with red street lights….until last night

First time I've heard of them actually being fitted anywhere here, but I'm aware of at least one streetlighing manufacturer (Holophane) who offer both red and amber versions of their LED street lights.  Only place I've actually seen any was in the US next to a nature reserve where they had been fitted to minimise the impact on the local wildlife.

Bloody wish we had those around our neighbourhood, it's like walking around on a hospital operating table at night around here, ridiculously over-lit and a horrible cold bluish white.

Plus the light pollution level is just ridiculous.  It's a rare occasion that you can make out more than half a dozen stars at night.

[Asimo]

Red leds: much more efficient and longer lasting than “white” leds.
 

No excuse for any other street lighting imho  (## campaign for real dark)

[dome]

17 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Already not mentioning the brand new starter or electronic ignition. But then Darren Arthur is involved…

What's the story with this guy? 

Just watched the video, it does mention they changed the starter and fitted electronic ignition? Or am I missing something?

[Stanky]

On 24/02/2023 at 21:41, Stanky said:

I fell into a time warp earlier.

Driving home from collecting the Dacia from the paint shop I followed a Citroen ZX Volcane up Portsdown hill on the M27, then overtook an immaculate H-reg Vauxhall rascal on the a32. 

I haven't seen an example of either vehicle IRL for about 15 years!

Time warp continues. A Citroen SM in a really nice bronze colour was being driven the other way thorugh Fareham as I drove to work this morning! They are still amazing looking cars. Also brave move considering the roads round here are still heavily salted.

[AnnoyingPentium]

6 hours ago, goosey said:

red street lights

Spells danger, y'know.

[Back_For_More]

Fun weekend...... Had a blast. 

Took Friday off as I had to switch dates on a course for Mr B. He was over from Belgo land so we went off and made Bhutanese bows for the day.... 

Late edit - he's 12yrrs old.... 

Then Saturday as his 2nd surprise I had him off roading in a Land Rover td5. Surprisingly he was in a manual and only stalled it twice - 1 of them a hill start. He loved it and we're now scouting ebay etc... for a project smol SJ or similar 😁

[richardmorris]

2 hours ago, dome said:

What's the story with this guy? 

Just watched the video, it does mention they changed the starter and fitted electronic ignition? Or am I missing something?

Must have missed it. Don’t think it showed them changing them though. He has a history of 2cv companies and doesn’t have a good reputation.

[brownnova]

Next door to the MoT station is a used car place. I occasionally wander in and have a browse, especially if they have anything unusual in. Imagine my surprise when I drove past and saw this in the yard!

 

He was closed Saturday by the time we’d finished the test, so I popped back on my way home from work today… it’s a little crusty, but not too bad… I really don’t need another car which needs a lot of attention do I? 

[schonker]

When do you pick it up?

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Imported in 1996 apparently. Shown a bit too:

http://triumphmayflowerclub.com/events/rallies/northernrally2017/

I wonder how it ended up looking a bit down at heel on a used car lot? 

[Dyslexic Viking]

9 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I wonder how it ended up looking a bit down at heel on a used car lot? 

I guess owner died and family just wanted to get rid of it.

[Mally]

Did the Mayflower have a wooden frame like the Renown?

[Mally]

A 75 Tourer is very boring to drive after a Street KA.

It also means you spend much more money on stuff 8 feet long.

[Andyrew]

43 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

I guess owner died and family just wanted to get rid of it.

Id say the owner probably bought it at night, then in the morning see it for the first time and realised what an awful looking car they are. 

Its like 3 guys who never met each other designed it, one got the top, the other the bottom and last guy did the wheelbase. 

The back half is like when you start to run out of space on the paper as you write a long sentance.

 

[artdjones]

9 minutes ago, Mally said:

Did the Mayflower have a wooden frame like the Renown

Unitary steel.

 

5 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Id say the owner probably bought it at night, then in the morning see it for the first time and realised what an awful looking car they are. 

Its like 3 guys who never met each other designed it, one got the top, the other the bottom and last guy did the wheelbase. 

The back half is like when you start to run out of space on the paper as you write a long sentance.

 

I'm not what you'd call a fan of the Mayflower, but that stupid twee colour scheme doesn't do it any favours. Something a bit quieter would be an improvement.

[vulgalour]

@Andyrew While I can't disagree with you, I still find the Mayflower incredibly charming.  Standard are guilty of the same weird rear axle location with the Vanguard 2 which also manages to look worse than the Mayflower.

[wuvvum]

Today I have mainly been spending an obscene amount of money.  Among other things I've spent over £250 on bits for the Volvo, the bulk of which was made up of two tyres (I went for a pair of little-used part worn Dunlops in the end rather than new Nankangs) and a pair of rear brake discs.  I've also bought a new rear tyre for the Mobylette, and a new Noco jump starter, although the majority of that was paid for by Halfords vouchers I got from work.

[D.E]

I'd fancy a Mayflower! Not in that colour scheme though, which makes it look like a clown car...

 

[Dyslexic Viking]

23 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Id say the owner probably bought it at night, then in the morning see it for the first time and realised what an awful looking car they are. 

Its like 3 guys who never met each other designed it, one got the top, the other the bottom and last guy did the wheelbase. 

The back half is like when you start to run out of space on the paper as you write a long sentance.

 

It is much better than most cars made in the last 25 years.

Which is not difficult. They are weird and not the prettiest from the time period, but I like them anyway. I can say the same about the Vanguard 2 as @vulgalour posted.

But in my opinion, even the ugliest pre 1960 car is better looking than the best looking modern one.

[brownnova]

2 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Imported in 1996 apparently. Shown a bit too:

http://triumphmayflowerclub.com/events/rallies/northernrally2017/

I wonder how it ended up looking a bit down at heel on a used car lot? 

Top sleuthing! Wonder where from?

[LightBulbFun]

13 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Imported in 1996 apparently. Shown a bit too:

http://triumphmayflowerclub.com/events/rallies/northernrally2017/

I wonder how it ended up looking a bit down at heel on a used car lot? 

 

11 hours ago, brownnova said:

Top sleuthing! Wonder where from?

not sure it has been imported from anywhere, looks a lot more like a V765 Jobby to me  

as in someone in 1996 found it in a barn or such got it back on the road and registered with the DVLA in 1996 with sufficient evidence to claim back its original registration mark PWJ737 is a late 1960's Boeing before engine upgrades period May 1953 Sheffield registration mark, the archives of which still exist so you could see who first registered it/owned it and correct the date of first registration with the DVLA  

[Split_Pin]

11 hours ago, Mally said:

A 75 Tourer is very comfortable to drive after a Street KA

Yes.

[tom13]

23 hours ago, goosey said:

Never been on a Housing estate before with red street lights….until last night

That the new estate by the Park Gate near Kidderminster?