The new news 24 thread

[derskine]

Who's idea was it to stop fitting drain plugs to radiators.

I've been meaning to put some anti freeze in the Cortina for a couple of weeks, I had it in my mind it would take 10 seconds what with having a drain plug.

Tonight I realised the mk1 escort radiator I have fitted doesn't have one, so bottom hose off, realistically it didn't take that much longer but I was still pissed.

[Bren]

Sure is, although i'm hoping to put it to a slightly different use. It's an old Swaymar tuned Essex 3.1; 10.5:1 compression, stage 3 heads, Group 1 spec camshaft plus a few other bits and pieces. Should be quite fun when i'm done with it.

 

Is it a pukka swaymar lump or big valve heads on a stock bottom end?

[M'coli]

I'M BACK FROM MY ADVENTURE.

 

I've not really been anywhere, I just managed to lock myself out of the forum every time I tried to get on, got frustrated, gave up, forgot, got stuck in a vicious circle.

 

I did however pick this up while I was gone;

Are the valves in the bottom head in this pic the same size as the ones in the top pic, or is this a comparison picture to show how the head differs from standard?

[Skizzer]

 

I'm looking for a picture of a dealer sticker from Tim Brinton Cars Ltd, Bury St Edmunds.

 

Early 80's with the Talbot logo, internetz only has the earlier Chrysler version.

 

Is there not a place that makes these retro main dealer stickers and number plates?

 

Yes there is - DMB Graphics: http://www.dmb.uk.com/cat/122/dealer-sets.  They'll do them to order.

[Skoze]

Is it a pukka swaymar lump or big valve heads on a stock bottom end?

 

Big heads, Powermax high comp pistons, Group 1 spec cam, looks like it's running standard rods (like most), but not had it apart enough to see what's been done inside it properly yet. Spoke to the guys at Burton about it as it was advertised as being one of theirs, though they reckoned it all pointed more towards Swaymar. I'm not overly bothered where it came from as i'm going to be going through it pretty comprehensively.

 

Apparently it was the B engine for an old Mk1 Capri national hot rod, the A engine was fully ARP'd-out, shot peened, the works, but then that wasn't £350! 

 

And Mr Ecoli, that's a comparison between standard, although I do wonder what would happen if I ran those two together. 

[M'coli]

Good stuff!

[Lord Sterling]

Mo and Merc save day.

 

Girl who I work with found her car battery had gone flat after she'd left the side-lights on. As per usual, despite owning 2 sets of jump leads, none of them were with me. So, colleague_girl jumps in with me (commenting on how nice the Merc is, thank goodness I'm not driving that 827 Coupe) where we find the next door tyre place claimed they didn't have jump leads, nor did the car washing place in the same yard, so off down Stratford road we trundled eventually getting to a Petrol Station who actually had a set. Girl pays for jump leads and off we go back to her car through a maze of backstreets upto aviod the non-moving traffic on Stratford road.

 

Soon Merc is hooked up to Girls Focus and it bursts into life. Job jobbed.

[EssDeeWon]

Early Launch Car (June 99' R75 Connie V6) has popped up on fleabay. I don't really have the money or the room for it......

 

So im just watching it, and will defiantly maybe not be bidding 

[Craig the Princess]

Soon Merc is hooked up to Girls Focus and it bursts into life. Job jobbed.

Is that a euphemism?

[vulgalour]

Okay, I don't think Xantia estates are rare any more.  Here's another one spotted today locally while getting a lift for art supplies.

 

 

 

 

I can only conclude BXs aren't rare either because there's two of those locally up here too.  The only conclusions I can draw is that Stockton-on-Tees is a time and space anomaly, people never throw anything away up here or all the statistics you read about old cars are lies.

[Mr Livered]

I can only conclude BXs aren't rare either because there's two of those locally up here too.  The only conclusions I can draw is that Stockton-on-Tees is a time and space anomaly, people never throw anything away up here or all the statistics you read about old cars are lies.

Well I dunno because I had never heard of Stockton-on-Tees, so I looked it up. Seems that this town was the birthplace of the friction match - which proves that it's the sort of place where anything is possible.

[dollywobbler]

Got the headlamp alignment checked on the XM to see if that solves the mystery of why folk keep flashing me (I say keep, generally two or three on a 100-mile journey). The passenger side was a touch low, the driver's side was spot on. Mystery unsolved then. The sunroof is letting in more rain than ever, but the rain never stops long enough for me to try and do something about it. There's also a definite knock from the front end. Hoping for a spell of decent weather this weekend so I can give it a good going over (and get the winter tyres on) but there's also the NEC. Can't fit everything in!

[The Moog]

4 secondhand courtesy switches fitted to the civic, which now has got its headlight buzzer back. Vital as means I wont get called out to a flat battery due to Missus Moog leaving lights on.

 

Also fitted 2nd wiper stalk which has fixed the non wiping. I didn't realise that civics and Rover 400s were related.

 

Things left are to fix the water drip by the heater matrix (think it is blocked drains, regas AC, fit radio by soeting out a good ground,change oil, change ht leads, distributor cap and rotor arm.

 

Then need to think about reversing sensors plus seeing if I can fit remote central locking.

 

Aside from the lack of power I think Missus Moog likes the car.

[coalnotdole]

The man who bought my spare scimitar GT came to collect it today... It's gone of to Cornwall for restoration. There's now one less fibreglass car in my life! Funds will go directly into the straight 6 to fund the respray / carbs.

 

It was this onehttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1967-Reliant-Scimitar-GT-Coupe-Project-barnfind-se4-ogle-restoration-ford-v6-/231370948252?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item35dec87e9cin case anyone was wondering.

[dollywobbler]

4 secondhand courtesy switches fitted to the civic, which now has got its headlight buzzer back. Vital as means I wont get called out to a flat battery due to Missus Moog leaving lights on.

 

Also fitted 2nd wiper stalk which has fixed the non wiping. I didn't realise that civics and Rover 400s were related.

 

Things left are to fix the water drip by the heater matrix (think it is blocked drains, regas AC, fit radio by soeting out a good ground,change oil, change ht leads, distributor cap and rotor arm.

 

Then need to think about reversing sensors plus seeing if I can fit remote central locking.

 

Aside from the lack of power I think Missus Moog likes the car.

 

Instead of reversing sensors, what about trying to get a reversing lens for the rear window? Not sure they're entirely suited to the angle of the Rover's rear window, but you can get ones with adjustable angles. Sod technology - I still prefer to see what I'm about to hit!

[The Moog]

Not sure missus Moog would use it. Got a spare set sitting in garage so shouldn't take too long to do.

[DS20]

Put an Acoustic Parking Device (towbar) on the car. Reverse until you hear the bang, then stop.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I've just arrived at Heathrow, it's absolutely pissing down and traffic is it's usual nightmare. On coming off the M4 there are 3 lanes of traffic going into the Heathrow Spur Road , the middle one is blocked, all I could see at first was a cloud of steam.....you've probably guessed where this is going.

Yes, a lovely looking 04 plate BRG Rover 200 was doing its party piece, expect to hear about this on traffic reports any time soon.

Edited to add;

Sorry meant 25, oh and forgot to put OMGHGF !!! To piss off whoever it is that says not too.

[twosmoke300]

Moog , why are you changing the ht leads etc ? Honda OE stuff is really good quality and rarely gives trouble . Valve clearances being tight is the cause of most running problems on Honda's . Normally shows up in cutting out at junctions on warm up.

[Honey Badger]

Moog , why are you changing the ht leads etc ? Honda OE stuff is really good quality and rarely gives trouble . Valve clearances being tight is the cause of most running problems on Honda's . Normally shows up in cutting out at junctions on warm up.

Aye, I'll back this up my Accord V6 is still on its original leads after 130k and 15 years with no trouble, aftermarket parts are nowhere near as good as the original Honda/Denso bits.

[The Moog]

Only reason is that garage where got timing checked mentioned leads looked ropey. They are Bougicord so not sure if they are org or not. If it saves me money I am happy

 

No issues with car, just trying to do preventative service it so it doesn't go bang on Missus Moog. Been sitting in leaky warehouse for a few months so wanted to be a 100% sure

[stuboy]

nowt much we at work have finally got replacement vehicle for our aging knackered partner..

 

2008 crossover

quite funky.. its an eHDI 

 

out with the old in with the new..

[andy18s]

Put an Acoustic Parking Device (towbar) on the car. Reverse until you hear the bang, then stop.

Having had someone use 1 of these to reverse into our Outlander and smacking a nice hole in the front bumper,whilst cracking both the main radiator and the aircon cooler,I wouldn't recommend it myself...

[Angrydicky]

What's a bloated brand new car got to do with autoshite?

[ruffgeezer]

Aging knackered partner? Talk to me!

[dollywobbler]

Our own Alex G gets quoted on the Beeb. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-30049739

[hairnet]

modern peugeot - bwhahahahahahahahaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[dave21478]

Another day, another litre and a half of DOT4 pissed across the garage floor trying to get some life from the Land Rover clutch.

 

I am mentally preparing myself to have to drop the bloody powertrain again and change the slave cylinder. Will deffo get OE parts if it comes to that and if I ever meet Mr Borg or Mr Beck, clutch manufacturers, one of them is likely to get a slave cylinder hammered up their japs eye.

[Skizzer]

The Rover's reluctance to start seems to be down to the battery:  it was fine the other day after I'd given it a full charge, but now once again it doesn't want to know.  

 

Fair enough, says me, it's only an old boggo battery in there, I'll get a nice fresh heavy duty one with lots of CCAs.  Eventually I find one the right dimensions, 680 amps, marvellous - even a reasonably competitive price at Halfrauds so I don't have to wait for it to be delivered.  Wahey!

 

Picked it up, brought it home, dropped it in - fugging terminals are the wrong way round.  Bollocks.

[stuboy]

Aging knackered partner? Talk to me!

being scrapped next week i believe...