The new news 24 thread

[IronStar]

I really didn’t want to buy this, but it’s almost June, there’s absolutely nothing in 5x110 19 for sale that I like / am willing to pay for.  The wheels I rather liked were stolen from the garage late last year, so here we are. Tad bit under 400€ for a set of 4.

I still need tyres for Yugo Cabrio this year, and probably 155 and winter tyres for Bravo. An expensive year in rubber.

[lesapandre]

4 hours ago, captain_70s said:

Is that a Vauxhall on the far left with glazing? I recognise the Dinky, but not that...

Yes. Vauxhall Cresta - interestingly both Dinky and Corgi made the same model - and there they are side-by-side.

The Corgi is a slightly better and finer rendering.

[egg]

Car manufacturer Tatra explaining aerodynamics (1934) in a simple way for anyone to understand.

[crad]

the Berlingo had speaker wiring & original speakers, so it was my job to marry them together to create choons. connectors from a breaker were found, soldering iron borrowed, and my questionable soldering skills from year 7 & 8 DT were brought to the table. speakers work now, so that's a win. I am aware the solders look terrible, but if it works then... (door speaker photos non existent)

[captain_70s]

15 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Yes. Vauxhall Cresta - interestingly both Dinky and Corgi made the same model - and there they are side-by-side.

The Corgi is a slightly better and finer rendering.

Interestingly* the Dinky is a '56 Cresta, the Corgi is a '55 Velox. Identifiable by differing side trim and a larger rear screen on the '56.

[Sunny Jim]

Went over to Ynys Mon/Anglesey today to get some new front tyres fitted on the C15. A colleague's husband has a tyre fitting machine in his garage.

He also has this rather nice Renault 5 Turbo that he's restored in there too.

On his advice rather than go back across on the island on the A55 I took the B5109 from Llandeusant to Llangefni and the B5420 from there to Menai Bridge. 18 miles of some of the most fun and engaging B roads I've driven in a while. Sure you don't have the views of some of the roads through the mountains but the variety of bends and changes in elevation means you don't really want to take your eyes off the road. With about 60hp the C15 is all about keeping up the momentum on roads like that but all the more fun for it.

[stuboy]

At boot fair.. stashed in the auction lot... renault rodeo? 

 

I'm sure I've seen these before?

[Rustybullethole]

Cleaned inside and outside as its much easier at work not needing to hoof buckets/hovers and lecky down from the flat. 

Got 80 quid out the coin tray! 

That will keep me in petrol for a bit. Looks semi respectable from ten paces. 

Fluids topped up where required and spare oil doubles up as airbox bracket as it was falling off the intake. 

Popped out to the shops and it fell victim to a fly by shitting. Oh well. 

 

[Burnside]

A few months back, I posted this on the grumpy thread. 

This was once, the rear subframe of my Sister's Panda 4x4. 

So what to do?  There was only one option, after a rather expensive purchase via Italy off eBay later. 

The Panda was sent to my Sister's garage of choice, who got the fun task of performing the operation.

Under the little Panda now sits, a replacement rear subframe. ( Which I spent an age, cleaning and wire brushing before respraying it.)

Brand new trailing arms, ( another big expense) as the old ones were found to be beyond saving too. New rear springs and rear brake lines were changed while it was all apart. 

They even rust treated some areas at the rear. Which was a pleasant surprise, as that save's me some work. 

To help it along, I've given the outer subframe a coat of dinitrol 4941 that I had spare.

I'll purchase some cavity wax to treat the inner framework. Then over the summer, I'll tackle the underneath box sections and front subframe as well.

Hopefully that will keep it going another 19 years! 

[Lord Sterling]

Spent sometime yesterday cleaning the Jag inside. It regularly gets washed and because it's so little used, it rarely, if ever needs a clean inside. Except, you never see the debris that pass the mats down the edge onto the carpet.  There wasn't much.

The rear parking sensors have never worked in my ownership, its not a biggie, but I like things that work if theyre supposed to. I removed the spare wheel and battery cover to reveal some stuff I've not seen before:

I know there is a missing relay, apparently this is for a secondary fuel tank, which I don't have.

Not sure what the blue plug is for.

Ditto the 3-pin plug.

The small yellow wire with a covered spade connector is apparently a battery cut off that the vehicles had when they were shipped.

The issue with parking sensors is apparently down to one sensor or more that isn't working. If one sensor goes, the whole system stops. It does still self-check on start-up as it gives one long bleep which indicates the system is working, but one sensor is likely to be out.

Also, been watching on YouTube:  Authentiquesautos. A French chap who looks at old/rare vehicles in public parking areas. This pleases my love for old cars and my odd enthusiasm for parking garages. This Rover Sterling brought me out in a sweat 🥵

[Schaefft]

9 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Also, been watching on YouTube:  Authentiquesautos. A French chap who looks at old/rare vehicles in public parking areas. This pleases my love for old cars and my odd enthusiasm for parking garages. This Rover Sterling brought me out in a sweat 🥵

 

I've been watching him for a little while myself now. His enthusiasm for rare specs of ordinary cars is contagious.

Also Paris underground garages really hold some treasures. Probably all owned by wealthy giffers that haven't made it further than a 3 mile radius around said car park in the last 15 years.

[lesapandre]

Grauniad article this morning on "cloning" of number plates.

Not sure what they are on about really - yes a lot of people replace plates because they get damaged, are a MoT requirement, a cherished plate change, nicked, and to tidy a vehicle up or the like.

Usual hysteria comprising nuns and puppies - and seeding into the media usually indicates government is considering changes - I'd hazard charges relating to change of ownership etc. We'll see.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/02/cloned-number-plates-investigation

[IronStar]

35 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Grauniad article this morning on "cloning" of number plates.

Not sure what they are on about really - yes a lot of people replace plates because they get damaged, are a MoT requirement, a cherished plate change, nicked, and to tidy a vehicle up or the like.

Usual hysteria comprising nuns and puppies - and seeding into the media usually indicates government is considering changes - I'd hazard charges relating to change of ownership etc. We'll see.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/02/cloned-number-plates-investigation

To be fair, I always found it shocking that you guys can just order plates off a random internet supplier, and not have them issued by a government body. Not to mention that you still run different plate types and fonts.

Our plates have multiple watermarks on them to prevent cloning, and it will be very painful and costly traffic stop if you tamper with them. 

[Kiltox]

55 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Grauniad article this morning on "cloning" of number plates.

Not sure what they are on about really - yes a lot of people replace plates because they get damaged, are a MoT requirement, a cherished plate change, nicked, and to tidy a vehicle up or the like.

Usual hysteria comprising nuns and puppies - and seeding into the media usually indicates government is considering changes - I'd hazard charges relating to change of ownership etc. We'll see.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/02/cloned-number-plates-investigation

There is basically no control over the supply of plates though, they do have a point. 

You can order plates online with no documents yet it’ll be a RNPS registered supplier that’ll make and deliver them, completely ignoring the rules they’re supposed to follow. 

[mk2_craig]

Currently losing my shit over this photo that my mate sent to me. I have no idea when it was taken (I suppose it could be any time after about 1991) 

[Split_Pin]

8 minutes ago, mk2_craig said:

Currently losing my shit over this photo that my mate sent to me. I have no idea when it was taken (I suppose it could be any time after about 1991) 

@MattJY to the pear-shaped courtesy phone please.

[paulplom]

Clio with a boot. Merc with no cills and the most beaten up road 'legal' car I've ever seen.

[Cord Fourteener]

Oops it's been a while!

Happly driving the ex @ruffgeezer 2002 V70 diesel manual and generally giving it an honest work life, just crossed 380,000 miles and it looks like the clutch is on its way out 😒

That plus a list of other niggles seems to make acquiring another seems like the financially better idea. 

740 is still good though, it's having some electrical and general specialist bodgery done at a garage but it's otherwise good to take up duties again. 

[ruffgeezer]

2 hours ago, Cord Fourteener said:

Oops it's been a while!

Happly driving the ex @ruffgeezer 2002 V70 diesel manual and generally giving it an honest work life, just crossed 380,000 miles and it looks like the clutch is on its way out 😒

That plus a list of other niggles seems to make acquiring another seems like the financially better idea. 

740 is still good though, it's having some electrical and general specialist bodgery done at a garage but it's otherwise good to take up duties again. 

Oh no, don't tell me that. 😪 

I don't have the space for heroics just now!

 

[artdjones]

5 hours ago, IronStar said:

To be fair, I always found it shocking that you guys can just order plates off a random internet supplier, and not have them issued by a government body. Not to mention that you still run different plate types and fonts.

Our plates have multiple watermarks on them to prevent cloning, and it will be very painful and costly traffic stop if you tamper with them. 

I'm not having a go at any particular country, but the ones that have complicated regulations on everyday activities don't seem to be any safer than the ones that don't.

[Cord Fourteener]

5 minutes ago, ruffgeezer said:

Oh no, don't tell me that. 😪 

I don't have the space for heroics just now!

 

I've had the best part of 3 years, doing 12 or 14k miles per year, daily trailer towing, family and band lugging, brutal short journeys with long distance in-between with little more than normal service stuff needed. 

So I won't be asking my money back 😅

It's done me proud in fact and I'll be search for another one.

[EyesWeldedShut]

11 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Grauniad article this morning on "cloning" of number plates.

The Gruniad is excelling itself (yet again?) with a totally muddled article - like you, I'm not sure at all what the point of the piece actually is?
Interested as I bought a set of plates last night with 'just' a photo of my driving licence and an electronic number plate authorisation certificate (eV948) No V5C. Looks like I was engaging with a crim? Best I surrender myself immediately

Being bored (i.e. procrastinating (yet again)) I went looking:
The original PMB is about 'ghost' plates : https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-02-26/debates/7F6C2456-05E7-417B-BE9B-7DBA395BFEF5/VehicleRegistrationOffences(Review) Makes no mention of cloning but maybe they're going to whang in some more verbiage for the second reading (11th July) on the manufacture of plates?

The Gruniad suggest that the new submission includes : 

"Dr Michael Rhead, who has advised government bodies on the effective use of surveillance technologies in policing, approached registered suppliers and found more than 135 that were willing to provide plates without proof of car ownership, it is said."

“There is no vetting, no trading history requirement and no monitoring of members’ practices .... To date we have found over 135 DVLA-registered RNPS members nationally who were prepared to make cloned plates … and there will undoubtedly be more. One West Midlands criminal had recently supplied over 7,000 plates to the criminal underworld.”

Mr Big (the 7,000 plates guy) was not a RNPS member.  7,000 is a police 'estimate' - he was convicted on something like 320 (I think)
Also, being Devil's Advocate, - Dr Rhead's findings may be true but there's no requirement in law to prove you actually own the car -  ID + an entitlement to the number itself is sufficient, so, by that mark, 100% of the suppliers may be willing to supply plates without proof of car ownership?


 

 

 

[ruffgeezer]

4 hours ago, Cord Fourteener said:

I've had the best part of 3 years, doing 12 or 14k miles per year, daily trailer towing, family and band lugging, brutal short journeys with long distance in-between with little more than normal service stuff needed. 

So I won't be asking my money back 😅

It's done me proud in fact and I'll be search for another one.

It might be worth getting a proce from my mate Lee at LD auto services near Wrexham, he's a good lad, I'll dig his number up if you like.

[hairnet]

On 01/06/2025 at 21:47, Lord Sterling said:

 

 

maureen

extract digit

[Lord Sterling]

1 minute ago, hairnet said:

maureen

extract digit

vera

interact digit

[hairnet]

16 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

vera

interact digit

i have a friend who would be up for that but rover needs a friend

'i could be a friend to you......'

boggs might like rovers

 

[Cord Fourteener]

8 hours ago, ruffgeezer said:

It might be worth getting a proce from my mate Lee at LD auto services near Wrexham, he's a good lad, I'll dig his number up if you like.

Yes OK, worth a try, thanks!

[dollywobbler]

Eight years ago! This is why we generally leave catering to the Scotoshite Volvo Massive...

[loserone]

Ooh, whose was the Mégane coupé?

[dollywobbler]

Just now, loserone said:

Ooh, whose was the Mégane coupé?

I'm so old I can't remember. Was it Julian's? I mean, I only filmed it...