The new news 24 thread

[trigger]

Just a few photos from this afternoons meet, not my photos mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Ha! Good to meet your car anyway FakeConcern. She's a beauty

[Shep Shepherd]

Loving that Newport!

 

I'm sure I saw that Capri Perana in an issue of Fast Ford in the early 1990s

[Angrydicky]

Looks like a nice range of cars there Trig. I was going to come up in the Victor, but it would have been too much as I had to drive back to Canterbury this evening. I'm definitely going to get to at least one over the summer, though.

[stuboy]

today i went to sittingbourne and met up with fellow members of local car club to assist in changing cambelt on theres wifes mondeo..

not many pics as i was getting dirty..

my mate needs a halfords ste..

old belt (click on pic for vid)

http://vid69.photobucket.com/albums/i43/jiffybag/random%20crap/20150301_112020_zpsfetxx7dv.mp4

and first turn of the key (click on pic for vid)

http://vid69.photobucket.com/albums/i43/jiffybag/random%20crap/20150301_131419_zpsdbwjv6sc.mp4

[wuvvum]

I spent some time going over the cockmobile today.  The non-functioning offside sidelight bulb was soon replaced, but the indicator was slightly more involved as the headlight unit had to come out - thankfully not too much of a chore.  Turned out the bulb wasn't actually the problem - the problem was that someone had shoved the bulb holder back into the unit at completely the wrong angle so the metal contacts weren't touching.  I fitted a new bulb anyway, and the car now has a fully working set of that rarest of Audi options.

 

I then had a go at the rather stained front seats with some upholstery cleaner stuff, which has helped but will need a bit more lovin' to get them properly clean.  The lad I bought the car off was a heavy smoker and the inside of the windscreen was properly grimy.  A packet of screen wipes and some kitchen roll later and I can actually see out. 

 

The non-functioning fag lighter was indeed a blown fuse, now replaced.  The boot not opening looks to be a bit more of a deep-seated issue though - I got into the boot by folding the rear seats down, to find that the boot lid trim had already been removed, so somebody's obviously had a bash at fixing it.  Once in there it was easy enough to get the boot open by pulling directly on the catch, but there was no sign of life from the solenoid.  Reading through the handbook, the boot lock is supposed to have an effect on whether the solenoid will operate or not, and the lock barrel appears to be completely fecked, so that may well have something to do with it.  For the moment I just put it all back together as I have no immediate need to use the boot.

 

I did actually jet wash the thing yesterday (previous owner worked on building sites so there were clods of mud in the arches), but then it rained on the way home so it got mucky again.  It's still better than it was though, and it looks more respectable with the number plates in place.

 

 

The only other bit of fettling I got done today was to trowel some wob into the holes in the front wing of the Merc.  I started to sand it down but didn't get time to finish so it doesn't look brilliant at the moment, but still better than gaping rust holes.  The rest of the afternoon was spent shifting the fleet - my* car park is being resurfaced starting tomorrow, so everything's having to sit out on the road (mine and neighbouring roads) for a few weeks.  Although quite what the workmen are going to do about the Y-plate Civic that's been dumped on the car park I have no idea.

[mat_the_cat]

Took the van out for the first trip of the year...a 170 mile trip towing around 1500 kg. Fuel consumption down to 17 mpg but no issues apart from that!

 

Lovely weather.

[wuvvum]

I love that van.  I really want another LT35.  Shame they've got so expensive now.

[twosmoke300]

Wuv , ref the boot not opening , pull the nsf carpet up and make sure there is no water under there . It comes in the pollen filter housing and floods the control unit under there.

[Skizzer]

I've temporarily got the Yeti back, which has been out on loan to a friend until I get around to selling it.  Spent part of yesterday afternoon swapping it back to summer tyres and alloys (from winters on black steels) and making all the warning lights go out.  

 

The securing bolt for the driver's door check strap had worked loose so there was a series of loud clangs every time you opened or closed the door - obviously being a VW this needs a special tool, but luckily Halfrauds stock them in a little case of 100 different torx/screwdriver/etc bits for £12.99.  Barg.

 

It's always had a bit of character, this car, but now it's turned 5 years old and 80k it's starting to develop a bit of proper old car charm:  one of the tail lights keeps going out, but a sharp thump to the upper side of the lens unit fixes it for a week or so.  

 

It's just starting to get interesting:  shame I can't really afford to keep both it and the evil BMW.  MOT on Friday 13th.

[gm]

WTF ?

[Skizzer]

That's ace.  London Transport ran an ad campaign featuring a picture of a bus/tube/train combo exactly like that in the 80s when they introduced the Travelcard, because you could use it on all of the above.  Guess they (or someone) must have built a promo vehicle too.

 

Edit: http://london-underground.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/supercar-tube-bus-train-restored.html.

[320touring]

I think i've just managed to book a 7 day Nissan Leaf test drive..hopefully will be in my possession early April

[gm]

that seems logical, I'm surprised at how slim the tube section is compared to the bus. imagine coming round a corner to find the back end of a train in front of you

 

an idle thought : how come buses have a maximum number of passengers but tubes and trains can just keep cramming them in ?

[darkfour]

Rained most of the weekend so didn't get a chance to do much on the Plymouth. I have all the parts for the disc brake conversion but once the rains finally stopped I didn't fancy sitting in the mud while trying to install them. Instead I refitted the grill and bumpers so the car now looks less like an abandoned project.

 

 

 

I've got some work to do with the power steering conversion that's on the car. One of the tie rods is fully extended and the other is as short as it goes. Looking at what's going on it looks like the steering rack has been mounted in an offset position so that the steering column can fit between the exhaust and starter motor. It's a Frankenstein steering conversion  using a power steering rack from an early 90's Chevy Cavalier with tie rod ends from a 70's Datsun 510.

 

Not sure the best way to fix this at present. I may end up moving the rack and then using borgeson joints to go round the exhaust or shorten/lengthen the tie rods.

 

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Phew. Back home, utterly exhausted, but happy at this milestone, clocked up around lunchtime in Gloucestershire.

 

No dramas on the way back, other than the throttle jamming open on the Elan Valley Mountain Road! It tells you something that my hand was on the ignition key ready to turn the engine off just as the pedal finally did return...

[vulgalour]

Successfully reduced my fleet to three cars!  Mike has now filled the V5 in to take over ownership of the Corsa and I'm encouraging him to get using it because it'll be better for tootling than the Xantia is.

 

Anybody interested in a 90s Pajero?  Going to be inspecting one of those with Mike sometime this week.  All I know is it's a Pajero and for sale due to bereavement, more details when I have them.

[RobT]

The Metro passed it's MoT today, which is always a relief. Even though I only did a shamefully low 300 miles in it last year you never know....and as I'm now storing it at home rather than my lock-up faaar awaaay, I'll crack on with doing some jobs I've been meaning to do for ages just to keep it tip top. But before all that it's next outing will be Austin Morris day at Brooklands next Sunday, can't wait!

 

In other news, the ride in the 75 has gone totally to shit now, being crashy over bumps combined with a stiffening up of the steering at slow speeds. Perished ARB ball joint covers were advisories at the last MoT so maybe they've split now and knackered the joints. I'll take it in next week and get it checked out.

[barefoot]

Scirocco in for service and bits last Friday, I even had the leaking rocker cover gasket fitted and was feeling very smug with myself, so obviously when the fair lady barefoot & I went out in it on Saturday it misfired like a bastard at low revs, ran like a bag of shit & wouldn't pull top gear.

I am diagnosing a fubarred ignition lead and when I pulled them off to check this morning one of them fell to bits. Mackled it back together and it now runs superbly again but ordered a new set because that's the sort of bloke I am.

It will be at Shitefest again - I really ought to clean it at some point between the two gigs!

[cort16]

Mental hail storms today. It went from clear to about 4 inches deep of hail in about 2 minutes. I was heading through irvine and spotted a new Merc A class up on the roundabout and a distressed looking women standing staring at it.  I stopped and the tyre had came clear off the rim and it being a new car there was no spare and a tin of foam wasn't going to do much damage. As I was standing talking to her I heard a swwwwissssssh as a Golf GTi did exactly the same thing and went straight over the roundabout, about 10 feet away. He got out all nonchalant and was like "slippy eh". In the mean time someone on the other side of the roundabout had rear ended a van. I helped her find the number for Mercedes assist and buggered off. When I came back she was gone so I guess they came and hoovered her up.

[cort16]

I've been on the hunt for a set of MX-5 or MGF seats to go in my cortina and as i was off today I headed to the local scrappy who had an MG TF LE 80 in there.

I had to google it when I came home but seems like there was only 500 hundred of them and was unsurprisingly given the name for their 80th anniversary.. It had half leather half alcantara seats with 1924 - 2004 embroidered on them. Nice seats but "MG 1924 - 2004" might look a little out of place on the seats of a 1977 Ford Cortina.

Shame it's toast I bet someone would rub their trousers over it. It'd looked half plundered so no way back now.

[dollywobbler]

Mental hail storms today. It went from clear to about 4 inches deep of hail in about 2 minutes. I was heading through irvine and spotted a new Merc A class up on the roundabout and a distressed looking women standing staring at it.  I stopped and the tyre had came clear off the rim and it being a new car there was no spare and a tin of foam wasn't going to do much damage. As I was standing talking to her I heard a swwwwissssssh as a Golf GTi did exactly the same thing and went straight over the roundabout, about 10 feet away. He got out all nonchalant and was like "slippy eh". In the mean time someone on the other side of the roundabout had rear ended a van. I helped her find the number for Mercedes assist and buggered off. When I came back she was gone so I guess they came and hoovered her up.

 

Is it just me or have we seen hail like never before this winter? And it is slippery as f*ck. Last December, I drove the XM for miles through an enormous hailstorm, with absolutely no idea how much grip I did/didn't have. Terrifying. You don't notice a lack of grip when you're travelling at a consistent speed in a straight line. 2CV took some HAIL TO THE FACE on today's mission, but thankfully it didn't build up too much on the road. 

[cort16]

That was really mental. We had the same going to Glasgow yesterday and sure as shite there was a handfull of cars that had slid off the road.

 

I think it compacts into ice quicker than snow does it also seems to come on really hard and so you can go from blue skys and clear roads to oh shit, it's slippy as fuck in about 10 seconds.

When i got out it was maybe 4 inches deep all over so not insignificant.

[mat_the_cat]

an idle thought : how come buses have a maximum number of passengers but tubes and trains can just keep cramming them in ?

 

Guessing that it's deemed less likely for trains to come to a sudden, unplanned stop...

[dave21478]

Here we get mega-hail every now and then.

 

I have been lucky enough to never experience it myself, but my project Panda bonnet and roof look like that one above.

Scary stuff.

[320touring]

First attempt at making sweet and sour chicken Cantonese style..

 

Looks no bad and tastes ok:)

[EssDeeWon]

^What no stale prawn crackers and a pancake roll?

[Pillock]

 

 

Here we get mega-hail every now and then.

 

I have been lucky enough to never experience it myself, but my project Panda bonnet and roof look like that one above.

Scary stuff.

Our Touran bonnet looks exactly like that - there was a tornado and associated hailstorm in Leicestershire a couple of years back, Mrs_P was sat in the car too scared to get out as she could see the damage being inflicted on sheet metal... Other cars got windows put through. Oddly the roof is fine - larger area means more bouncy?

 

When the car got hit not long after, the insurance assessor wrote "hail damage" all over the paperwork to make sure only the wing and bumper were fixed, apparently they had a mega amount of claims for the hail but a lot of policies excluded weather conditions....

[DVee8]

I thought i was on facebook when i saw photos of someones tea.

[dollywobbler]

I did a bloggage about this weekend's roadtrip. https://classichub.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/the-200k-tin-snail-roadtrip/