The new news 24 thread

[barefoot]

Forgot to post this on Wednesday.

 

Hoorah - today (Wednesday) is the second anniversary of me buying my little Scirocco from HillmanImp & joining the ranks of you shitters.

Apart from a battery, alternator belt, drive shafts, OEM clutch cable, new gear lever shift bearing thing, tyres, radio, strange unobtainable rusted out rear suspension bit, same again - other side, 3 new shock absorbers, replacement gearbox, new gear knob, carburettor, new rear carpet & bowl for dog, door pins, discs, pads, rocker gasket, strut tops and front struts it's been pretty much trouble & cost free.

I've actually even washed it two or three times, it's been great & I have kept it much longer than I ever anticipated.

 

& now that I've sorted all the little niggely bits out that used to irritate me I have rather a fine little car that I intend to keep for a bit longer.

[Junkman]

Can do! But c'mon chaps - big Mercs are automatically Autoshite.

 

Damn right they are. I think you did very well with your new Führerwagen.

[vulgalour]

Apart from a battery, alternator belt, drive shafts, OEM clutch cable, new gear lever shift bearing thing, tyres, radio, strange unobtainable rusted out rear suspension bit, same again - other side, 3 new shock absorbers, replacement gearbox, new gear knob, carburettor, new rear carpet & bowl for dog, door pins, discs, pads, rocker gasket, strut tops and front struts it's been pretty much trouble & cost free.

 

This made me chuckle rather a lot, if it's not already in there I'm sticking it in the Quotes thread!

[HillmanImp]

Forgot to post this on Wednesday.

 

Hoorah - today (Wednesday) is the second anniversary of me buying my little Scirocco from HillmanImp & joining the ranks of you shitters.

Apart from a battery, alternator belt, drive shafts, OEM clutch cable, new gear lever shift bearing thing, tyres, radio, strange unobtainable rusted out rear suspension bit, same again - other side, 3 new shock absorbers, replacement gearbox, new gear knob, carburettor, new rear carpet & bowl for dog, door pins, discs, pads, rocker gasket, strut tops and front struts it's been pretty much trouble & cost free.

I've actually even washed it two or three times, it's been great & I have kept it much longer than I ever anticipated.

 

& now that I've sorted all the little niggely bits out that used to irritate me I have rather a fine little car that I intend to keep for a bit longer.

 

Good to see you have sorted all the things I neglected to mention in my for sale ad.

[dollywobbler]

Spent all afternoon fending off frostbite to try and help a friend with this timing-chain-snapped Mitsubishi Delica. He discovered the painful way what that chuffing noise was. Flappy chain! We were just trying to investigate how broken it is today but to get the timing cover off, you seemingly have to remove almost everything. Alternator, battery, battery tray, water pump, thermostat housing, vacuum pump, viscous fan, air con pump etc etc. We had to abort due to loss of feeling in vital body parts.

 

Then jumped into the Bluebird which continues to annoy. The thermostat can't be aligned correctly because it's not bloody working. Ugh. Cars.

[barefoot]

Good to see you have sorted all the things I neglected to mention in my for sale ad.

 

Forgot about new speedometer - thanks, it's still great.

[dollywobbler]

Bluebird is now on Ebay. It's going to be a crap Christmas unless I clear the decks a bit. Naturally the stupid, unintelligible questions are flowing in already, though I was genuinely disappointed to have to rule out a swap for an LDV Pilot.

 

Maverick is also likely to be part of the cull, but I'm laning in it in a couple of weeks, so it won't be up for grabs until after that.

[Guest]

Joyous battery charging fun is apparent whenever I take the 460 anywhere:

 

 

 

A few weeks ago SCTSH_ANDY rang me to say that the battery on the Volvo was flat. He'd noticed it hadn't been moved for a while because of me working stupid amounts of cover at work and playing the guessing game with the timetables at University. He was unit bound and fancied shifting it, given that it was covered with leaves and a good 75% of his neighbours are of the off the curtain twitching twat variety. Given what happened last time, it would only have been a matter of time before they reported it as abandoned and it got HIAB'ed off to some fucking pikey storage depot, despite it being taxed and legal (short story: because Trafford).

 

I'd managed to flatten it after a particularly shit Sunday afternoon stuck in jams on the M60 throughout some pissing rain. The engine wasn't generating enough load to let the [new] alternator do its thing, and with the lights, blower and heated window being on it was probably discharging at a fair rate.

Anyway, it's back running again and all is well. I got utterly raped changing the insurance over to an M33 postcode (a £94 difference for a three mile drive down the road), I still haven't fitted the MOMO Daytona (despite making one good wheel out of two) and the brakes are still moderately bollocks. I need to sell that second wheel on the bay - it's not mint by any means but a Daytona and matching 9016 boss is pretty hard to come by these days. Got no interest for it on the VOC other than a couple of retards offering a fiver for it so it will be auctioned when I get the chance.

 

Did I mention I got a pair of wings for it? A pair turned up on a K plate CD Auto Turbo being broken for spares in Accrington, just down from the smashed urbex brilliance of Huncoat Power station. That car had less miles on it than mine, had been fully waxoyled from new and had two owners its entire life. It ended up at the breakers because the late owner's family decreed the car to be 'too hard to drive', let the MOT run out and called the specialist in to take it away. There must be a few first series 400s out there, because it lost its wheels, bonnet, wings (to me) and most of its wiring loom in the space of a fortnight.

 

Anyway, I need to take it on a long run so that the battery gets completely rejuvenated.

 

Wouldn't it be great if I had a space that I could drive it into and leave it overnight?

[vulgalour]

Today, Sam and I met with and talked to and enjoyed the company of an Autoshiter who isn't on Autoshite. We have nagged him some more to get himself over here, he's a serial hoarder of some grade A chod. I placed a deposit on the Ledbury after test driving it and trying (and failing) to find unreasonable things that are wrong with it. The car feels and behaves really well, runs very nicely and felt spot on for what I use a car for. Only real issues are a broken parcel shelf, a small dent in the bootlid, a spectacularly bodged on passenger door mirror from a Golf and a sagging headlining fabric (they all do that, Sir).Next Saturday, Dad and I will be going over to collect it and pay the balance.

 

Interestingly, said Autoshiter who is not on Autoshite managed to talk me out of part exchanging the Princess in a brief moment of shared rationality. It would be far better for me to store the Princess for free at home, apparently, than paying to get it transported to Birmingham only to have to pick it up at a later date. He was okay with the idea of storing the Princess and possibly even fixing her, but for some reason we both decided it would be far better that I keep her and save up to get her fixed next year properly, doing some of the smaller jobs myself that I meant to do anyway before the whole stupid incident occurred.

 

Today was undertaken as a passenger in the plush and comfortable surroundings of Captain Slow's Montego and I very much enjoyed myself. A thread will be forthcoming on the Ledbury just as soon as I have it home.

[TimothyClaypole]

Actually did something car related for once and went to pick up an exhaust for my 2002 from Leyland.

 

It was a bit shit to spot anything though especially on the A628:

 

 

Was going somewhere near Leyland:

 

 

Then my retarded TomTom decided that the M62 was my best bet to come back on, yeah what about the roadworks ffs...

 

I did see a Centurion Tank at the side of one roundabout though so it wasn't all bad.

[dollywobbler]

The highest bidder on the Bluebird has the user name "BluebirdBanger." I'm guessing that isn't a reference to cheap, old motoring. However, it's only at a mighty £155 so far so there's hope yet, with almost a week to go. Today has been punctuated by messages from other Bluebird fans rather than OMG IZ OLD LMAO or SWAP 4 PIK N MIX 2NITE. Which is nice.

 

I've also decided that the Maverick must go as I must prove my insanity by buying a knackered pre-facelift Discovery 1. Possibly even a V8...

[TagoraSX]

I've also decided that the Maverick must go as I must prove my insanity by buying a knackered pre-facelift Discovery 1. Possibly even a V8...

 

I you must buy Disco, and I would strongly advise against it, try to find an early 200TDi.

[Pete-M]

V8 EFi (preferably on gas) is the only correct way.

[Guest]

Gave the 460 a good 100 mile run tonight, and lobbed the battery on charge at the unit for good measure.

Started to clear the unit up as well, because I'm sick of it looking like a shit tip and the 9000 is as good as dead for the time being. Andy can't get near it because of work. Looks like we might have a brief reprieve in the Wirral too, which gives me more time to prepare the ground in Stockport and save up for the inevitable brown lunching in transport costs.

 

Hit a badger on the A538. Actually, I hit it twice - with the front and rear nearside wheels and got the arse of the car in the air briefly.

I didn't even have time to swerve - it just trundled out in front of me from a nearby hedge - and it didn't stand a chance as there was no way I could have stopped in time. As it looked like a fat raccoon in the light of the piss awful torches attached to the front of the 460, I spun round and had another look to confirm no snakes or mushrooms were involved. I don't think it suffered thankfully - the first blow flung it backwards, and the force of being dragged under the car and bouncing off the floor did the best thing possible in the circumstances and snapped its neck.

 

After its run the 460 starts far more easily - the battery was a little bit jiggered again by the time I'd returned to it. It really could do with going inside overnight and getting charged up - but that ain't happening in Stockport unless I put the 9000 on jack crawlers and shove it sideways. I suspect the best thing to do would be to take the battery off and take it home or to the unit to charge up over a couple of days, and then take it back to the 460 and lob it on - farting around charging it up here and there just isn't working. It's a bit of a piss take, to be honest - but what's new?

 

Thing is, I think the CEM is on the way out, too.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Got the Argenta out the yard and did a little bit of welding on it yesterday as it might be going to a new home in the not too distant future. MOT booked for Saturday morning, that will make 4 MOT’s in 4 weeks!

[Tayne]

Picked up my BMW from the bodyshop this morning.

It was wet when I arrived but the paint match looked great (it still does in the dry), the new wing was on, the rust was gone from the rear wing and the wee spot under the bootlid had also been sorted. The chap also stonechipped and waxed the inner wings.

 

However this afternoon I noticed the cabin didn't seem to be getting warm.

Experimenting in asda's car park revealed no heater blower (everything else seemed to work) so I checked the fuses and then had a look under the bonnet around the new wing.

Nowt.

Internet research reveals the my final stage resister has failed.

So I now have to look forward to pulling the footwell part to replaced a glorified electronic thermometer.

[RobT]

I've had cash burning a hole for the last few months, so rather than buy new carpets for the flat (women and their ideas eh) I've just bought an E30 325i instead It's not mint and the MoT is short but the price woz right, and it'll give me something to tinker with over the winter months. And it's only 3 miles away so sadly no epic tat colleciton thread I'm afraid, but will post up pics tomorrow when I get it.

 

Also means I can give preserve the Montego for a bit longer by using the Beemer as my daily over the winter. So there you go, BMW sacrificed to save Montego - the world as it should be!

[dollywobbler]

Nice one Rob. Look forward to the EPIC tales of 3 miles.

 

I've just been cleaning the Maverick up as the Gumtree ad has generated a fair bit of interest. Even if no-one actually comes to look at it, it's a bit of a novelty to have it clean inside and out! Pics to follow. Too busy drinking tea now.

[barefoot]

Here's one not to miss - Aldi wheel trims - £10.99

 

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/sp ... _27441.htm

 

They are truly something special.

[dollywobbler]

Yup. Maverick is pretty clean and shiny now.

 

Annoyingly, I'm heading out in it this evening (on-road only) so it'll soon be dirty again. Hopefully the coat of wax means I can just hose the dirt off tomorrow though...

 

Needless to say, the flurry of interest seems to have died away. I'll get it on Ebay once the Bluebird has sold. I'd like to rush it to market because I've found a Discovery that sounds ideal, but I should probably take more time to find the right one really.

[rml2345]

^ Nice Job Dolly, looks mega shiny!

Bit of an update on the old 740 ownership saga... Sadly no pics as they would be duller than a dull thing that hasn't been polished in 17 years and left under a rock in the garden.

Anyway...

At the mega servicing binge a couple of months ago it was discovered that the threads holding the sump plug onto the sump were fubar'd. Alas being late in the day the plug was bolted on as best as it could be and covered in sikaflex so I could drive the damn thing home and forget all about it for more than a month

Naturally it started "Marking it's territory" again a week or so ago and with no garage/workshop/driveway/space/waterproof overalls it went into the local garage to be mended...

£60 and a Scania sump plug later (allegedly) it has stopped leaking oil from the sump but might be leaking oil from the crankshaft oil seal.

Needs a back box too.

Happily I managed to mend the broken foglamp in a more autoshitey way using silicone glue so the karma should be good for a bit whilst I get the other stuff sorted.

[ruffgeezer]

Got bored, dun a drawing, remembered why I don't draw often:

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Hey thats qual! sell it to a 15-yr old for their GCSE art portfolio

[cort16]

It turns out that you can't get wheel arch repair panels for Ford Pumas, which is a bit like saying you can't get KFC for fat people given how they rot. I've managed to cobble a repair section together out of a bit of old Kia Cee'd wing I found on a scrap pile and it's looking pretty straight forward so far. It makes a nice change to do a little satisfying job rather than getting involved with a mega-weld-athon like I have with my other shite.

[barefoot]

Winter tyres on Scirocco today.

I know it's a bit early, but I was aware that the tracking was a little bit out (30 degree clockwise steering wheel - no other apparent problems)

& wanted to get it all sorted before it became time sensitive etc.

Chap swaps wheels over, on ramp, sets up lasers & calls me to have a look

Apparently nsf toe out - 8mm

osf toe in - 2mm

'So that makes it 6mm out, and Scirocco's only adjust on the o/s which will leave the steering wheel way out' says he.

'Off you go & track it then', says I, And I'll straighten the wheel when I get home

(the VW badge was upside down when I bought the car, so I'm guessing it's been off before)

Chap comes back

"Track rod seized up but for £20 I can heat it up & free it off" he declares.

 

'And for a tenner I can buy a new one' I replied.

In the fullness of time I will attend to this, wheels changed for free but my question if I may...

 

8mm toe out on the near side is massive & will doubtless wear that tyre at a frightening rate,

but I don't appear to be able to make this wheel slide even when negotiating roundabouts at the speed of a complete & utter teenage twat.

Are these things linked?

[ruffgeezer]

£20 to free off a track rod? that isn't far short of half an hour's labour round these parts, what is he warming it with, his arsehole and a tin of Heinz?

[vulgalour]

New car insured, collection time confirmed, shitey transport to the top secret location secured.

 

Mission: Ledbury has officially begun.

[skattrd]

Brakes were sticking on the Volvo, so dropped it off at the garage and picked up the Saab.

I'd forgotten how much fun 3rd gear on boost is in the Saab

[Negative Creep]

Had the Punto plugged into a fault code reader to see why the engine light keeps flashing. Comes up as a misfire due to an injector fault, although the mechanic thinks new plugs may cure it. Today the electric steering failure light came on with no obvious ill effects, but stayed off the next time I started the car. Maybe typical Italian "quality", but I have to admit I don't have much confidence in it and get the horrible feeling something like the ECU or electric steering system will go, essentially writing off the car

[dollywobbler]

Bluebird currently at a whopping £201 on Ebay with less than 24 hours to go. Someone's coming to look at the Maverick tomorrow. BX is off the road as a rear brake pipe snapped during the rear arm bearing change. The garage is awaiting a replacement. The MOT runs out on Tuesday.

 

So, I might have left myself with just the 2CV again!