The new news 24 thread

[Lankytim]

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/vosa_traffic_enforcement

 

Bored?

How to wind up a VOSA operative if they stop you.

 

 

AKA How to have your MOT revoked and car crushed every time you leave the house.

 

Regarding Repo'd cars sold at auction, they are usually transported to the other end of the country to be sold, so the previous owner doesn't see them driving around and vandalise/steal them.

[Cavcraft]

{facepalm}

 

Corsa's shat it's oil pressure sensor switch. A nice pool of Castrol's finest is now sitting under the car

[trigger]

Thursday afternoon i got the Cortina up on the car ramps in the garden to try and fit the new genuine Ford back box I bought, after nearly a hour of trying to separate the rear section from the centre i got the hump and gave up .

 

Yesterday i took it down the tyre and exhaust garage around the corner for a bit of heat action, they popped it off ok for me but my new one won't fit now, arse, it is the wrong bore size, i think it's a OHV box which is a bummer, luckily the motor factors next door was able to get one in for me for this morning so I'm now waiting for the garage to ring to say it's finished, It was bad enough taking it down there in the first place with the amount of piss taking i had out of it

 

I also found these dates chalked under my car as well, I'm not sure what they mean.

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The Alfa 75 passed its MoT today. Then promptly seized its rear brakes up on the way back from the testing station. I reckon that having not been used to their full potential in several years, something in the circuit objected to the pedal being stamped on during the brake test. The fact that it has inboard rear brakes does not bode well for my labour bill if the calipers have to come off - I'm hoping it's something more simple like a collapsed flexi.

 

I had to get involved in the rear brakes on my 75, and found they werent that hideous to work on, despite the rep. Access is not great, but if you get the thing well jacked up you can get to 'em, the calipers themselves are nowt particularly complicated. I think you have to wind the piston into position with a circlip plier, like a rear disc on more or less any car, then theres a little locknut poking through that you have to nip up to lock the position. I'm sure yours will just be suffering from lack of use as you say.

[trigger]

ARGH!!! Nightmare, the new exhaust that's arrived this morning also doesn't fit, This time the bore size is too small and they can't sleeve it or weld it on, Marvious, It now looks like I've got to replace the whole system as the next part is all one piece and most likely original still, More expense.

 

I'm now seriously thinking of doing what i was going to do and replace it with a stainless system, it won't be a hell of a lot more, £339 all fitted, On the plus side the car sounded as grunty as fook driving it home with no back box fitted.

 

Oh and in other news I've just spoke to a chap who says he has a loft full off parts, wings, doors, windows etc for £100 which iis very cheap so I'm going to take a gander this afternoon and might buy them.

[Shep Shepherd]

At long last, I got around to investigating The Volvo's overdrive solenoid's wiring today. The connection to the car's main loom was dirty and loose, so I cleaned it and remade the connection. I have no doubt that the car will still not have overdrive when I test drive it this evening, though*

 

I think that I'll need to replace the overdrive solenoid to get things working (everything else in the transmission department checks out fine), but it looks like a real sod to get to, as it's located on the side of the gearbox with little clearance between it and the car's body. A job that can wait until spring, I think.

 

 

 

 

*Correct. This situation is getting VERY wearing now

[Cavcraft]

If they're any good Trig you'd be mad not to.

[Cavcraft]

Oil pressure switch now replaced, an easier job there cannot be. £5.04+VAT didn't break the bank either.

The spares Corsa which my lad spent days stripping has found a home as a complete (what's left of it) car so just had to piss about bolting various body panels back on to it!

Birthday present is here, one of them there car polishers, so will have a go at buffing up the Audi tomorrow as a practise run then do the Merc and my lad's car.

[The Moog]

Stuck the spare on the T25 this afternoon and fixed the cap that the speedo is driven from at the same time.

 

After faffing about with jacks and bits of wood, ended up going to machine mart and getting a 3 ton 4x4 one with quick lift. Makes life sooooo easy.

[FredTransit]

Next month we are moving storage yards. See my 'Oh Crap' thread.....

[Shep Shepherd]

Got TV2's N/S/R window to go up with the driver's side switch for the first time in months by simply spending ten minutes carefully taking the switch pack apart and poking/cleaning its contacts. Another job which I've been putting off due to lack of time/good weather sorted. For free

 

It almost makes up for the lack of progress in sorting out The Volvo's lack of overdrive...

[Pete-M]

Talking of old Cortinas has reminded me I've got a set of four of the wooden bits from along the door tops on 2000Es.

 

They're straight and undamaged but seriously need a refurb as the laquer was buggered when I removed 'em 20 odd years ago.

 

[Father Ted]

Anyone know why Jetronic appears to have morphed into Alan Partridge?

[RobT]

ARGH!!! Nightmare, the new exhaust that's arrived this morning also doesn't fit

 

I know the feeling Trig, the new one I got fitted to my Montego today doesn't quite fit properly, so I'll have to get under there and do some faffing to stop it vibrating against the subframe. Can't be arsed going back to the garage who did the job, so a bit of old car bodgery awaits

 

Another subject - numberplates. I need one for the BX as the front one is cracked in several places so I presume it won't pass the MoT in April. Where do you lot get yours from, Halfords/factors/ebay?

[Father Ted]

Another subject - numberplates. I need one for the BX as the front one is cracked in several places so I presume it won't pass the MoT in April. Where do you lot get yours from, Halfords/factors/ebay?

eBya

I picked up a single number plate for the trailer (but could have got a front one) for £4.99 delivered with no fannying about with log books and proof of ID

[RobT]

Ta Ted, cheaper than the £15.99 minimum from Halfords then.

[Lacquer Peel]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230339435882

 

The original front number plate on my 405 was pretty rotten so I got a pair of these as I needed a trailer plate anyway. Saves messing with post-2001 font plates on an old car, which look awful, and plastic plates that degrade very quickly.

[trigger]

These are the people i use, they have one up in price slightly but still cheaper then anywhere else and they give a brilliant service.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/iankaren/m.ht ... 4340.l2562

[Father Ted]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Caravan-Trail ... 615wt_1016

Gone up to £5.90 since I last ordered

[Mike D]

Hey Trig, I bought some plates off them last week for the 840 - tenner delivered for a pair, they're cock on

[trigger]

I've been using them for a few years now, You always get a next day service and they look spot on, I've recommended them to a few friends who also prise them up, They used to be £7.99 for a pair so they have gone up £2, still sod all though.

[R9UKE]

Well the Mégane has been written off thanks to the woman up the street reversing out of her driveway in her hubby's C5 Estate thinking she's still in her Ka.

 

Supposed rear axle damage has written it off. Now to do the impossible and find a Meggy as well spec'd up as this one was. Or maybe a 2.0 Avantime or Vel Satis...

 

[Cheggers]

Popped a new thermostat in the 944 as the old one looked like it'd been attached with a hammer. I know this doesn't sound like a major undertaking, but anyone with a 944 will have a wry smile on their face at the thought of shifting "that" circlip

[wuvvum]

I won a Yamaha Diversion project on eBay earlier in the week, and went to pick it up today. I drove down in the Transit; seller was just outside Romford, and getting there without going into the LEZ involved going down some roads which were not really suitable for a LWB transit. Got there and back OK though, Transit didn't miss a beat and did 250 miles on £50 of diesel, which I work out to be about 32mpg - not bad considering, although I wasn't really caning it apart from the last few miles of the A11 on the way home, where I opened it up to see exactly what it would do on the sat nav before it ran out of revs (78mph as it turns out).

 

Tomorrow morning's job is to get the bike out of the back of the van (buggered if I was going to attempt it in the dark) and then see if I can get it running - engine turns over fine but doesn't seem particularly keen to fire, but it's stood for a few weeks so might benefit from plugs being cleaned etc. The fuel tap leaks slightly, but only when it's being turned - if I leave it alone it seems OK. Headlight doesn't work (sidelights do) and the chain is rather loose, but other than that I can't see it needing a huge amount to get back on the road. It's done a lot of miles (82K) but the Diversion engine is not exactly highly strung (60bhp from 600cc) so I'm hoping it'll be OK.

[The Moog]

The speedo hub cap on the T25 bounced off somewhere doing 50 mph! Bugger. They dont seem to stay on. Got Carat wheels and I dont think they hold it on like the steelies.

[eddyramrod]

The carport canopy I referred to in the Grin thread... this morning I spread it on the gravel in the back yard, then hung it on the washing line (it was put away wet). The damage doesn't look too bad at all, the worst being concentrated in one corner. I've salvaged some big swathes of cloth fom one of my damaged covers and I reckon I can repair this one. Beige patches on an olive-green cover, FTW! I might even post up some pics.

[RobT]

I've been using them for a few years now, You always get a next day service and they look spot on, I've recommended them to a few friends who also prise them up, They used to be £7.99 for a pair so they have gone up £2, still sod all though.

 

Cheers, will go with them then. One job off the list!

[Father Ted]

CBA starting a new thread but have some delightful 60's style Car and Caravan Rammell:-

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/caravan-concourse

[messerschmitt owner]

The carport canopy I referred to in the Grin thread... this morning I spread it on the gravel in the back yard, then hung it on the washing line (it was put away wet). The damage doesn't look too bad at all, the worst being concentrated in one corner. I've salvaged some big swathes of cloth fom one of my damaged covers and I reckon I can repair this one. Beige patches on an olive-green cover, FTW! I might even post up some pics.

take the pics on the day the landlady visits!

[dollywobbler]

The Mini has made it to Cornwall without losing vast quantities of oil. However, on the day of departure, I did notice that one of the headlamp trims is missing. Must have disappeared while my wife was out in it the night before. Went for a look along her route but no sign of it. Sod.

 

2CV is proving difficult to start at the moment, and has made some very impressive 'gun going off' backfires! I'm hoping a spell of drier weather will make her feel better, especially as the new spark plugs that I've ordered seem to have failed to arrive. Grrrr.

 

Discovered why the Maverick has been making a horrible burning smell. Should have linked it to the squealing alternator belt sooner... Managed to tighten it up but by heck it's a horrible job! Much easier if you remove the battery and top hose I imagine. Not even slightly convenient! My right wrist looks like a depressed Emo teenager's.