The new news 24 thread

[JohnK]

Once I start using it properly for work next month it doesn't matter how low it goes as the 47p/mile expenses will sort that out.

[tooSavvy]

T'other day, I tried to do a Too Savvy shot whilst on holiday in Wales.......

 

And got photo bombed by my own missus for my trouble!

 

DSCF3335.JPG

 

 

FTFY

 

TS

[LC Torana]

If your 1970s headlights are not bright enough, blame switch and connector resistance.

 

Fit relays.

 

Decent sealed beams do not lack for lumens. Nor throw.

 

In particular, Lucas 75W inners are magnificent lights*.

 

 

*assuming you are ever driving somewhere where you can actually use high beam.

[dollywobbler]

 

 

*assuming you are ever driving somewhere where you can actually use high beam.

 

Thankfully, I do or the XM would probably have gone a long time ago. The main beam is pretty decent. 

[dollywobbler]

Everytime I wash this car, I'm reminded just how bloody huge it is.

 

Was wondering whether it's worth washing it given it'll be clocking up over 700 miles in the next week. But if you don't give them the occasional wash, they can get spectacularly grim. Kent Monday and Tuesday, Welsh borders Thursday, up to Llangollen for a camping weekend (with caravan) Friday.

[beko1987]

I just jacked each front wheel up to check the wheels or summat, and the front passenger has very much lots of side to side movement. Fine up and down, and it spins freely, but it donks side to side.

 

I jacked her up because I've just come back from the tip and heard a very loud hollow clonk over the shit roads.

 

Is it the bottom balljoint? I laid under it and rocked the wheel and it did move down there. Would this be causing my stiff, notchy steering?

[beko1987]

Of course, I find this out now, at 3.59pm with euro car parts closing at 4.00pm, and I need to drive to poole and back next week.

 

Never mind, it's ok when driving for now...

 

Lol Euro have no stock anyway

[cobblers]

Autoworld Chesterfield have definitely excelled this morning - Our lass has just come back from getting a new key coded into her car and while it was there they did a "full health check" on it for some reason, and recommended that the 3000 mile old front tyres are getting nearly ready for replacement with "just 3.2mm tread" remaining.

I presume they've tried to measure the tread depth using a surveyors clickwheel or something.

 

Anyway they also gave it a wash, buff and a interior valet. I suppose the money they make changing tyres for no reason can go towards paying the people who wash cars for no reason.

[ruffgeezer]

Sold PaRuff's old Dispatch today, didn't fancy gambling the mot so sold it with just shy of 2 months ticket for £240

[skattrd]

Sold PaRuff's old Dispatch today, didn't fancy gambling the mot so sold it with just shy of 2 months ticket for £240

 

I take it my mate didn't get i touch about the Dispatch did he?

[dollywobbler]

I just jacked each front wheel up to check the wheels or summat, and the front passenger has very much lots of side to side movement. Fine up and down, and it spins freely, but it donks side to side.

 

I jacked her up because I've just come back from the tip and heard a very loud hollow clonk over the shit roads.

 

Is it the bottom balljoint? I laid under it and rocked the wheel and it did move down there. Would this be causing my stiff, notchy steering?

 

Could be, though I'd be surprised at a loose balljoint causing stiff steering. A seized balljoint, perhaps. I'd be quite concerned myself. Balljoint failure is not fun. Wasn't that what happened when this car was collected?

 

EDIT - steering column UJs can be another source of stiff steering.

[beko1987]

No, that wasnt balljoint failure, it was loose wheel bolts I think, the balljoint was fine. Damn, shame that wouldnt be the cause of the steering issues, I didn't know if it was moving, then getting caught in that position until I wrenched the steering back. I'll have to think of a plan to get it fixed before I go away...

 

I sprayed grease all over the steering UJ I found in the engine bay, sadly that did nothing. I checked the power steering fluid too, it's at the right level, although looks horrible, but less horrible than it did before I did a bit of a flush

[vulgalour]

I could be wrong on this one, but Chompy had a Saxo with stiff steering, more so one way that the other that I think was caused by a bent wishbone.  It was a few years ago and I've slept since then so my memory is a little hazy.

[dollywobbler]

I could be wrong - I'm exceedingly wary of balljoint failure, which is why I was freaking out when the XM developed a horrible clonk (which turned out to be a missing brake pad anti-rattle spring - one heck of a rattle!).

[Stanky]

Just back from the pez station where I took the Saab through the automatic car wash thing as Shell had sent me a voucher to get it free. I;ve never been through one before so was a bit of a novelty.

 

Micro_stanky was given strict instructions not to touch the door handle or window winder and was good as gold. She was a bit freaked out when the spinning brush thing went over the windscreen but otherwise seemed quite excited by the whole thing.

 

overall 4/10 for clean, though it was the 'quick wash' option. If they want to hook people in then why not offer a free voucher for the bells and whistles wash, wax, dry and blowjob option? Anyway, its come out less well than when I wash it myself with a bucket of soapy water and a soft broom, but was free and I needed pez anyway so gets an extra point for that. Overall I doubt I'll bother to pay my own money to get a wash done again, but would do it again if it was free.

 

Predictably it didn't do a very good job of the wheels, despite being a simple design, they are a bugger for getting covered in brake dust and substantially less easy to clean than they look! I reckon it'd do a good job on some flat wheels like Pirelli P-slots or the ones those mega-mpg volvos have. Or hubcaps.

[stuboy]

changed the cat on the gf's nissan tino, runs much better no more stammering,shaking and cutting out and stinking of fuel..

[cort16]

I built a new shed today from one of these 9000 part tin shed in a box things. As is the way with any project I take on u have to fuck one thing up. I'd finished it all, put the doors on but the wouldn't shut right . Took them on and off about 5 time until I realised I'd put one of the doors on upside down and the outside door handle was stopping the door closing ,

My elecy screwdriver had chucked it by this time so I'm now inside watching peppa pig. I'll fix it tomorrow if it doesn't blow away.

[richardmorris]

Ran out of petrol in the 2cv this morning. Happily I was just reversing out of the barn space on the way to the petrol station. Emptied the can in and then immediately put another 22litres in it,( 25 litre tank). I've not refuelled since September so i knew it was on fumes! All set for Drive It Day.

[The Moog]

I built a new shed today from one of these 9000 part tin shed in a box things.

 

I feel your pain. I am on day two of mine. Just realised there are two almost identical sets of screws. The wind is making it a nightmare to put up..

[tooSavvy]

^^^ Kat-Kut

 

Little Tyke very 'helpful' (wd-40 on the trainer sole for extra speed) cos believes 'weigh in' CAT = Toys -R -Us visit......

 

.... you lying toad!!

 

 

TS

[skattrd]

Moog/Cort - any recommendations for these tin sheds? I was looking at some largeish cheapish ones .. £400 or so for 10x13 new, or would I be better looking at something s/hand?

 

Apols for OT.

[vulgalour]

Dollywobbler, is this racing 2CV familiar to you?  It had a big muffin on the boot lid and I recall you saying something about muffins and 2CVs.  Spotted on a trailer when Mike and I were on our way back from Nottingham last night and it was in convoy with another car towing a 1980s green caravan.

 

 

[cort16]

I bought mine off Argos it was half price for 120 quid 6ft by 5 ft. Seems pretty flimsy (not helped by my shoddy construction ) although it has a 12 year warranty .

The instructions say so don't start putting it together unless you can finish it as they're so light they'll just blow off in the middle of the night and the first you'll know about it is when you turn the news on and see it sitting on top of a Vauxhall corsa in the asds car park 10 miles away.

 

I've got mine weighed down with sand bags until I can epoxy some threaded bar into the slabs out the back .

[dave21478]

Assuming its a single skin shed, hit the diy shops and get a load of polystyrene sheets. (Get the high density stuff, not the normal stuff made from the white balls that breaks easily like they package tellys with).
Cut to size and stick on the insides of the walls with a snug fit between the stiffeners. Stick it in place with a tube of no more nails. 
This helps cut condensation and adds a little more rigidity to the shed.

[cort16]

News just in in a bird has done a massive shit all over it

[andy18s]

Those tin sheds do like to bring on condensation in the colder weather

Used to keep tinned goods/cans in 1 I had at my old kebab shop, and when it started getting frosty the inside would be literally dripping...

Couldn't seem to make any difference by changing the ventilation.....unless the doors were left open which kinda defeated the objective

[The Moog]

I would build a wood one next time. This is more hassle than it is worth, you need 15 hands to do it. As Cort says merest sniff of wind and it is a nightmare.

 

It's a 6x10 and paid £170 ish for it from Amazon.

[trigger]

I thought i'd share a few photos of a van a friend has just bought, it's was Lord Walpole's of Norfolk estate van before being parked up 39 years ago and has only done 16000 miles.

 

It's meant to be the only RHD Moskvich 434 van left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tetleysmooth]

I had last week off work.

I had planned to smarten my V70 up a bit and generally shower a bit of love on it.

I was going to have a butchers at a couple of other cars too.

Put Mrs Tet's Pajero of doom in for the mot on Tuesday. Did it pass? Of course it bloody never.

Exhaust blow at the manifold, couple of bulbs, and a cv boot had come off. In between getting parts, weather and having to do other stuff, I finally managed to get it re-tested this morning.

Done nothing to my V70. Bloody, bloody Mitsubishi.

Back at work tomorrow.

 

Mrs Tet drove this for the first time since I did the work on it.

She's had no need of it as she's on jury service at the mo.

When she got back, I asked her what she thought of it now.

I expected to be showered with praise, but instead she said 'Still noisy, ain't it'.

After fixing the manifold blow, and another leaky bit I found underneath, it really does sound like the day she bought it. I hate the thing, but even I was impressed.

Why did I bother spending almost my entire weeks' holiday making the bloody thing good again!!

[vulgalour]

That Mosk-van is enough to make anyone moist.