The new news 24 thread

[The Moog]

The civic has disgraced itself again. I tried fixing the blow at the rear yesterday with bean tin plus exhaust paste. In this weather it hadn't set even though it had been left for 18 hours.

 

When I started the engine it blew straight through, as I tried to see the problem the middle section dropped on the floor. ATS have quoted me £77 fitted versus ECP £50 for just part

[trigger]

If you do sell it, I reckon you'll spend many years hence bitterly regretting it. Not least because you'll never find another one that nice for less than £stupid.

 

I think that is the problem, I keep saying that I'm going to sell it as i hardly use it but it's such a nice little car that I'm going to struggle to find a replacement, The trouble is that I've got a real itch for a change, I fancy something a little newer for up to £2000 which is capable of doing longer distances, I have the Retro Rides Gathering this years and maybe Shitefest as well as a few other shows. I keep looking at Mk2 Granadas, Sierras, Mk3 Escorts, Rover SD1's, Dolomites, christ loads of stuff!.

[alf892]

Capable of longer trip?

 

I can't see why the car is not capable.....used with mechanical sympathy. People did do longer journeys in the 70s you know!

 

I would agree that driving on some roads can be a chore in old stuff though. Get a decent map and plan a route that is more suitable. In all lot of cases journey times are not vastly different.

[dollywobbler]

I know where he's coming from. I can cope with a 2CV long distance, doing ridiculous rpm, but some cars just really don't like blatting along. My old 845cc Renault 5 springs to mind, which felt as smooth at 60mph as concrete milkshake. The car might be capable, but the sheer noise can be an issue for the driver, and older cars don't always appreciate the hardships of motorway life after many years of gentle use.

 

I may well eat those words next week as I take the 2CV on a 500-mile, long-weekend roadtrip. The trip will be all the more exciting because of this.

 

Yes, it has been a bit damp today since you ask...

[catsinthewelder]

If you arn't too fussed about it then you might as well get rid.  I like our classic small cars because they're pretty good on fuel so get plenty of use around town.  If you don't feel comfortable driving it long distances or like using it to nip round town then theres not much point in keeping it.

 

I really fancy a big saloon like a Triumph 2500 or a Rover but I know that  at 25mpg it'll only get used for the odd meet or when everything else is broken.

[barrett]

Have found an amazing car for sale which I really need in my life. Might be the only chance I'll ever have of getting one. And obviously I am totally broke. Any bright ideas for very quick ways to pull a few grand out of the air?

[Tayne]

Any bright ideas for very quick ways to pull a few grand out of the air?

Yes but it'll cost you "a few grand" for me to tell you.

[gm]

I took a walk round the 'interesting corner' of the local scrappies

 

Makes a change from the lines of knackered Vauxhall and Peugeots (and there's plenty of them)

[cort16]

I've finally finished welding up that fucking van . There's grot under the front sub frame i can't get to so I've dine my best* to fill in what I can and slavered plenty seam sealer overt shitty looking welds.

What a rusty pos it's an 05 too. I got a cheap outer sill for it but I can't be arsed fitting it now the patch I put in last time will have to do. It'll look fine one my painter mate fires a metric ton of wob on it.

[mat_the_cat]

 

Low mileage 2CV for sale next week?

 

Are those warning lights and switch original? Gloriously random positioning!

[dollywobbler]

Yup. That's what I'll do. Get it to a few hundred miles and stash it in a barn, then reap my financial reward on Ebay. I'll be rich, RICH I tells ya!

 

The fog light switch and warning light to the left are original. The indicator warning is a later fitment by me - I took the lamp from a German-spec 2CV, which had to have them from new. Oddly, UK 2CVs never had an indicator warning or main beam (the lower blanking plug) warning. I've lost my blue light - I did have one, also from that German 2CV (along with the cranked wiper arms) but removed it when I fitted relays, as I still haven't got around to threading a wire through the bulkhead from the relay.

[Richard]

I've seen five Rialtos in Shetland this week, four of them in the same garden. The one I saw in a garage forecourt had a Shetland "PS" registration, which makes me wonder if there was once a dealer here.

[HMC]

Noticed a few days back some bulges on the front tyre side wall on the bluebird, presumably a combination of age and damage from scuffing up against the kerb a few too many times. Not used it since then but to my suprise I noticed an advert for some " nissan alloys with tyres" from a supermarket ad it was quite detailed including the 114.3 pcd that is common to bluebirds and a few others cars, so may give them A call.

[Alan_Green]

I've seen five Rialtos in Shetland this week, four of them in the same garden. The one I saw in a garage forecourt had a Shetland "PS" registration, which makes me wonder if there was once a dealer here.

Yup, there was indeed a Reliant dealer on Shetland. In the '80's the islands were full of dem 3 wheelers. Cheap road tax. Rust resistant. Quite sensible transport really if there is nowhere to go.

[Richard]

Excellent, it's all Kia and Citroën now. Do you know where the dealer was? I might try to pap it if it isn't too far north.

[cms206]

"Andy, we're off to collect a new bus" - and with that the boss's 180k mile Rover 75 diesel whisked us to an industrial estate...

 

 

MOT til November, six good Bridgestone tyres, most of a tank of diesel and it pulls like a train - not bad for £500...

[oldcars]

I took a walk round the 'interesting corner' of the local scrappies

 

Makes a change from the lines of knackered Vauxhall and Peugeots (and there's plenty of them)

Cool, where is this please? Could do with a couple of bits off the Reliants.

[gm]

You may be familiar with the place already, the good* stuff is tucked away in the bottom far corner - I'd been loads of times before I discovered it.

 

http://www.scbvehicledismantlers.co.uk

 

SCB at newbridge, so near the airport the planes fly right over your head and scare the crap out of you when you have your head buried in an engine bay

 

 

The reliant a were in a bad way but you may find some useful bits. I suspect the owner is a sentimental old sod who is reluctant to cube these cars, he's never going to make any money off them

[oldcars]

You may be familiar with the place already, the good* stuff is tucked away in the bottom far corner - I'd been loads of times before I discovered it.

 

http://www.scbvehicledismantlers.co.uk

 

SCB at newbridge, so near the airport the planes fly right over your head and scare the crap out of you when you have your head buried in an engine bay

 

 

The reliant a were in a bad way but you may find some useful bits. I suspect the owner is a sentimental old sod who is reluctant to cube these cars, he's never going to make any money off them

Thanks, did'nt know about them. Are you free to walk around and have a look? Might pop buy soon, couple of things i need and would be much easier to get them local.

[dollywobbler]

Top 'finger over lens' action there CMS.

 

Seems a steal for £500. Sadly a bit big for our community transport needs (though we are looking for new minibuses). Actually, I'm a bit miffed about our buses. One is a 55-plate Sprinter with 80k miles on it. Sounds like the rear axle is absolutely knackered! I suspect the centre prop bearing is goosed as well. I keep seeing these things with stellar mileage on them. How?! It also has rot breaking out all over the body (though thankfully not underneath). Oh well. I used one of our VW Crafters to help an old lady move a chair today. Nice buses, though it's just had new shockers up front as  the bushes were all totally borked. At 52k miles.

[gm]

Thanks, did'nt know about them. Are you free to walk around and have a look? Might pop buy soon, couple of things i need and would be much easier to get them local.

Just say hello the the friendly* chap on the desk and wander round to your hearts content, bring your own tools and sturdy footwear - it's a bit boggy underfoot in some areas

 

Prices can vary depending on who is on the desk, the older chap is "best value" in my experience

[gm]

I just noticed you can see my little red mazda parked up in the background of the 924/944s photo - I hope no one thinks I was there to scrap it

[Alan_Green]

Excellent, it's all Kia and Citroën now. Do you know where the dealer was? I might try to pap it if it isn't too far north.

• Sorry, don't know where in Shetland the Reliant dealer is/was.
• I spent Summer of '86 in Shetland (for some strange reason) and found myself surrounded by Robin Reliants.  I was interested because the family car at the time was the Bond Bug below. 
• There was also an issue with return car ferry tickets being non-transferable preventing people from popping down to Aberdeen in one car..trading it in...and going back in the new car.  People had to buy 2 x single ferry tickets = expensive, so they just kept patching up the old cars they already had (bit like Cuba).
• All those Reliants will still be up there (not) rusting away in people's gardens.  The guy who has the Reliant breakers should go up there with a transporter and mop them all up. Or relocate there.

[Keymaster]

Me and her are off to look at a potential new house tomorrow. It looks alright, probably a bit overpriced

 

I'm more excited about looking at whats parked on the massive drive...

[dollywobbler]

Crikey. Someone who really does like their oddball Renaults.

[cort16]

Oof, Java green Avantime!

[fordperv]

"Andy, we're off to collect a new bus" - and with that the boss's 180k mile Rover 75 diesel whisked us to an industrial estate...

 

 

MOT til November, six good Bridgestone tyres, most of a tank of diesel and it pulls like a train - not bad for £500...

You really need to spray pi in front of the coach company name, i reckon pikey coaches would be a roaring success

[oldcars]

Just say hello the the friendly* chap on the desk and wander round to your hearts content, bring your own tools and sturdy footwear - it's a bit boggy underfoot in some areas

 

Prices can vary depending on who is on the desk, the older chap is "best value" in my experience

Thanks for the info mate, will pop along soon for a couple of bit.

[plasticvandan]

i have several reliant dealer lists at home from the 60s and 70s,will see if i can find out

[michael t]

Day off today so I've been busy flicking through the RTE archives, some fantastic stuff including tonnes of chod...  

 

http://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0115/672875-snow-and-hazardous-conditions-1985/