The new news 24 thread

[vulgalour]

I was so excited/appalled that I posted before I checked the other threads. I'm great* at posting news, me.

[ashmicro]

That 3 litre is immense!

[Cavcraft]

It's an Austin 3-Litre, as seen on the eBay thread. C series 3 litre engine, also fitted to the MGC. They shared doors with the Maxi and Landcrab (I think) and survival rate numbers must be desperately low now which is a shame.

[barrett]

My day:

 

1. Open boot lid

 

2. Snap both hinges clean in two

 

3. Laugh

 

I LUV OLD CARZ

[Guest]

My day:

 

1. Open boot lid

 

2. Snap both hinges clean in two

 

3. Laugh

 

I LUV OLD CARZ

 

I nearly got you a couple of BOND ROADTESTZ at the NEC today but then realised I was on Pooks' stand and they wanted £6,000,000 for the privilege. By the sound of things you were WEL BUSY with JOBS [literally] IN HAND.

 

So SOZ.

[Vin]

That's the thing wiv OLD CARZ. If they were that fuckin gud thed still mek em. etc. etc.

[Guest]

That's the thing wiv OLD CARZ. If they were that fuckin gud thed still mek em. etc. etc.

 

Quite. Bloody snow, bring back foreigners, etc.

[Rocket88]

spam bump

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I have repaired the central locking in my mondeo - bought a new door solenoid from the scrapyard for a tenner and fitted it which got it to centrally lock again, then i bought a 'new' secondhand key/fob off eBay for £6, programmed the car to accept its immobiliser transponder and c/l signal, and we're back in business. Fuggin marvellous!

[Mike D]

Damn Megane is still having a random hissy misfiring fit! its getting dangerously close to me losing all patience with it and shoving it mercilessly over the bridge

 

Mr.B, do you still want rid of the 220?

[cobblers]

Crack the old fob open Bollox, the microswitches usually fuck up/drop off the pcb entirely/break one of the solder joints, they're a pretty easy fix.

[barrett]

I nearly got you a couple of BOND ROADTESTZ at the NEC today but then realised I was on Pooks' stand and they wanted £6,000,000 for the privilege. By the sound of things you were WEL BUSY with JOBS [literally] IN HAND.

 

So SOZ.

 

Chaars me daars, I already have the Autocar r/t from 1965. Bought the mag for £1 at the Brighton Sunday market when I was about 9 because of the Bond content and decided there and then that I'd have one 'some day'

 

Thanxx for the thought though, and cheers for collecting my Kosmischen too. Still not got 'em yet, Gary just put them on the Maestro for a laugh and they look weirdly great.

[vulgalour]

I have had a troubling day with the Maestro. On the way home I kept getting a serious misfire which went away when the car had warmed up, I'm hoping it's a glitch because it's been perfect up until now. Started to get paranoid about noises and smells too, so I had a look under the bonnet when I pulled up in town and it looks like one of my driveshaft boots has perished completely and needs replacing. Thankfully I'm off work tomorrow so I'll add it to my shortlist of cleaning the car, readjusting the tappets, fitting a new gasket and getting a new set of keys cut because the one I have lost the bit that holds it together and is now difficult to use.

[garycox]

Thanxx for the thought though, and cheers for collecting my Kosmischen too. Still not got 'em yet, Gary just put them on the Maestro for a laugh and they look weirdly great.

 

EVIDENCE

 

[Pete-M]

They do weirdly suit that.

 

[Rod/b]

Ford have had my 2010 Explorer in for two and a half weeks to change the oil and fit a couple of track rod ends. Useless fucking wankers to a man.

[STUNO]

Ford have had my 2010 Explorer in for two and a half weeks to change the oil and fit a couple of track rod ends. Useless fucking wankers to a man.

 

They have probably lost it by now. Why does it need track rod ends so quickly anyway ?

[Richard]

The track rod ends on my 2007 Transit didn't manage much over 10k. It got pattern replacements but even these have had to be replaced at least once.

[mk1_4dr]

After much reading and digesting of information to make sure that I'm not going to cause it to go pop, I'm now all prepared to attach a boost gauge and controller to the Volvo.

 

I imagine its going to feel a spot lively going from 135bhp @ 4psi to 200+ at 12psi. FunFun.

[dollywobbler]

Had a great time at the NEC, telling people proudly how wonderful BXs are before returning to mine in the car part to see how much LHM, oil and diesel it had spewed while I basking under the orange lamps of awfulness inside the building. Lots is the answer. Everything seems to be leaking much more than it did before I left home, and I've got to go to Kent and back this weekend. It's like automotive roulette, but I'm hoping to improve things this week.

[Lankytim]

It was FUN when I did that mod to my old 940!

[dollywobbler]

It's an Austin 3-Litre, as seen on the eBay thread. C series 3 litre engine, also fitted to the MGC. They shared doors with the Maxi and Landcrab (I think) and survival rate numbers must be desperately low now which is a shame.

 

Anorak fact. The Austin 3-Litre and MGC do NOT use the C-series engine. Despite an identical 2912cc capacity, the 'big' selling MGC and 3-Litre used an almost entirely new engine with a seven bearing crankshaft. It seemed to offer no benefit whatsoever over the older engine, didn't really fit the MG at all and both cars were complete failures. No wonder our car industry imploded.

[mk1_4dr]

It was FUN when I did that mod to my old 940!

 

This is just stage one of 'teh plan'

I've got my feelers out for a 15g turbo, an LSD from a Jeep (same Dana axle), an Iveco intercooler and some 16" steels off a mondeo to clear a upgrade. 300bhp should feel, well, erm, interesting in an old boat like this.

 

Then it'll be a laugh.

[dollywobbler]

Now we're back on-line, I can reveal that the Maverick has gone to a new home. A friend locally has bought it for £845. Quite pleased with that. Still a loss after the work done, but more than I paid for it and the cash has come in very useful, helping to clear a £215 bill for the work done on the new BX so far.

 

So, that's just the BX (about to undertake another roadtrip) and the 2CV left on the road. The old BX estate is still running, but SORNd and going no further than my driveway. It's currently full of wood again as it was easier to load the car up than fill our woodstore in the pouring rain yesterday. Great fun watching the car self-level as I filled it up (left the engine running as the battery was flat).

[Pete-M]

Granada is off to pastures new this evening.

 

Little Austin 3 litre gem. Rear suspension was self leveling but in order to keep it on an even keel the engine had to be running when, for example, a caravan was hitched up to 'em. Used to see loads of them on the M6 with cavavans on the back and the nose on a very snooty angle.. Also, if memory serves me right they were the stiffest shell for years as BL over engineered it massively. New fangled monocoque stuff...

[Lord Sterling]

Well! Seeing as we are back in business......

 

Last weekend I took a small trip down to visit Brad. We were to try and get my Sterling better protected against Winter seeing as Rovers dont like mixing thier bodywork with the likes of snow/sleet/road salts.

 

Firstly, the passenger side underfelt was changed as it got wet during the summers downpours when a leak sprang in my car due to a blockage of the water channels in the sunroof, passnger seat was taken out, carpet taken up, old underfelt cut out and new one placed back in, also an £1 coin was found as well as a Golf tee.

 

Then I took off most of the rubber seals around the door and boot edging to pack them grease as water tends to get trapped in these areas:

 

 

The rubber seal along the doors previously had water trapped and the metal was looking pretty manky but not corroded. I'll have to have a go at tidying them up some time.

 

I greased up inside the arch lips as wtaer/dirt gets trapped there, the arches are solid and like new so I dont want to have to find rust blistering through after winter.

 

Meanwhile, Brad got to work on the 825 Coupe he bought from DNJs mate a few weeks back, its starting to look a lot tidier, it really needs a few minor jobs to get it in a nice and clean condition again. One job that was proving to be a PITA was removing the passener-side front wheel, the outside of the tyre was pretty bold and Brad had some spare wheel with good tyres lying around. The first 3 wheel nuts came off without too much fuss, the but the final 4th wheel nut was proving just too much.

 

The wheel nut had a smaller socket hammered over it, this didnt work. Soaking the thing in WD40 and hammering it, hamering the wheel to pieces, didnt work, taking a pick-axe to it and finally angle-grinding the wheel off in which the grinder finally got tired and burnt out.

 

 

Brad did finally get the wheel off, but only after a few days of trying.

 

The car as it stood last weekend:

 

 

Whilst Brad tried to get the wheel off, I changed the Sony stereo system for an original one which hooked up to the boot mounted CD changer, with that I managed to score myself some Classical CDs.

[barefoot]

 

 

...Whilst Brad tried to get the wheel off,

I changed the fag lighter for an original one ....

 

Hammer a smaller Sterling over the Lord...

 

It's great to be back.

[Mr Lobster]

Boring fleet update.

 

Renault 4 F6 - plodding along quite happily, need to find some better front seats and going to need a few minor jobs doing. Shall be ordering parts from France shortly ready for a bit of winter jiggery pokery.

 

Seat Toledo - Reliable apart from the turbo coming a bit loose. Easy enough sorted though. Still does 34mpg everywhere.

 

Kangoo dci - SOLD! List of mechanical failures added to by breaking a torsion bar. Handily this happened in Cornwall which is only 360 miles from home resulting in a long trip home courtesy of the RAC (who I have to say were brilliant). Secondhand back axle purchased and fitted and found itself on eBay. Replaced by -

 

[Futureshite] Mazda 5 2.0 - Many doubt the wisdom of buying a newish, large, petrol engined car. But it was about £2k cheaper than the equvalent diesel. Thirsty though. Tried an economy run to the NEC and back but still wasn't much better and anyway economy runs are boring so I just got on with going fast and as a bonus I'll get a few more Shell points so everyone's a winner.

[cort16]

I've finished the wheel arch on the Puma. I'm pretty happy with it and have stone chipped it and seam sealered it all inside, which Ford didn't bother to do.

There was a bit of rust on the bottom of the passenger wing, which actually turned out to be some serious grot thanks to a massive dirt trap behind wing (nice one ford).

I cut it out and welded in the bottom of that KIA Cee'd wing I used to make the rear wheel arch and it was a great match. That friggin KIA wing's been a god send I've seriously picked the bones of it.

 

I've also maybe found someone to take the TR7 on. My mates quite handy with the welder and likes BL Tat (he's got an SD1 and P6) so is having a think about taking it on.

I hope he does as I'd rather not break it.

[skattrd]

RVR sold - sorry ruffgeezer.

The Maestro passed it's MOT earlier this week, needing only minimal tinkering and should be the next of the fleet to go. That will just leave the Saab as the remaining car of fleet reduction phase 1.

Phase 2 will likely see the Alfa going, after getting the lpg sorted and another MOT.