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Father Ted

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Today I attacked the Tipo's rusted offside track rod end locknut, armed with a brand new Halfords 20mm open ended spanner.  Previously I had tried  my 19mm but it was too small.  Fortunately the other side had yielded to mild force and a mole wrench before graunching anything.  The offside would not shift with a mole wrench the other day.  Typically, the shiny new spanner was too flippin' big!  I searched my tool kits for the other curved jaw mole wrench which I could not find the other day.  Using two moles, one to grip the track rod and one on the locknut. lots more penetrating fluid and the new spanner as a hammer, the nut released and I was able to adjust the tracking by the same number of turns used on the other side.  A test drive showed a further reduction in the pull to the left.  It was not excessive to start with but now it's barely noticeable.  I can live with that.  We will see how the tyres wear and give the tracking a further tweak if necessary.  

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Did some googling on the error codes on the C4 due to EML and ESP warning lights on. It revealed that the most common cause of ESP failure was the brake light switch. So lashed out twenty quid on a good quality switch with the modified harness. It arrived today so fitted it, was confused at first as no sign of it my the brake pedal, then realised there was a cross shaft to the passenger side. A delve under the passenger side revealed the switch, swapped it over easily enough. Found a label on the old switch with the year 2012 on it so wasn't hopeful of a fix. Cleared the codes again and went off for a drive, no ESP or EML lights came on whereas they came on straight away before. So fingers crossed for a cheap fix, as a bonus now the heater fans are working I tried the aircon and that works too, superb! The car is definitely still slow for a 110 bhp engine, so going to service it this weekend and also slip a EGR delete plate in and see if that helps. If it does I'll get a new EGR valve in the future when more flush.

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I have come to a decision on my Land Rover, it has to go. I don't have the enthusiasm or facilities to look after it myself and lack the income to keep paying someone else.

 

I have never got on with this one, despite that on paper it should suit me better than the truck cab one that I liked and shouldn't have sold.

 

It's gone in for an early MOT before sale, predictably it failed (lights which were working immediately before, probably dirty fuses/contacts and an axle seal leaking).

These will be done and then I have the fun of trying to sell it, it's not good enough, in my eyes, to ask top money, which means dealing with people who want perfection for scrap money. I doubt anyone on here will be interested but I will put a for sale thread up here first. I have hardly driven the Land Rover for months, at the moment I prefer the C15.

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Just spoken to my estate agent. Still needs confirmation from the horses mouth (other solicitors) but it looks like everyone is ready to exchange. Mid march for completion is the target. *Keeps fingers crossed*

 

I better get into the garage, put the engine back together and start tidying!!

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Today I attacked the Tipo's rusted offside track rod end locknut, armed with a brand new Halfords 20mm open ended spanner. Previously I had tried my 19mm but it was too small. Fortunately the other side had yielded to mild force and a mole wrench before graunching anything. The offside would not shift with a mole wrench the other day. Typically, the shiny new spanner was too flippin' big! I searched my tool kits for the other curved jaw mole wrench which I could not find the other day. Using two moles, one to grip the track rod and one on the locknut. lots more penetrating fluid and the new spanner as a hammer, the nut released and I was able to adjust the tracking by the same number of turns used on the other side. A test drive showed a further reduction in the pull to the left. It was not excessive to start with but now it's barely noticeable. I can live with that. We will see how the tyres wear and give the tracking a further tweak if necessary.

Find a bit of empty road and drive on the wrong side. If it still pulls left it's out. If it pulls slightly right then you've got it about spot on. (Logic - Roads have a crown in the middle. That causes an accurately set car to pull slightly left. On the wrong side it should pull right).

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Just spoken to my estate agent. Still needs confirmation from the horses mouth (other solicitors) but it looks like everyone is ready to exchange. Mid march for completion is the target. *Keeps fingers crossed*

 

I better get into the garage, put the engine back together and start tidying!!

 

Hope it goes smoothly and to plan.  In my experience, and that of friends, the actual exchange of contracts unleashes frenzied moving activity with you trying to move out and the new owners trying to move in....simultaneously.  Meanwhile, everyone's rental vans require several trips and risk overstepping the rental period.  Unless you've gone posh with Pickfords, of course  :-D .

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Find a bit of empty road and drive on the wrong side. If it still pulls left it's out. If it pulls slightly right then you've got it about spot on. (Logic - Roads have a crown in the middle. That causes an accurately set car to pull slightly left. On the wrong side it should pull right).

Yes, as tested.  Great minds etc.  The Tipo's castoring action is quite strong and the crown effect is very noticeable.

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Hope it goes smoothly and to plan. In my experience, and that of friends, the actual exchange of contracts unleashes frenzied moving activity with you trying to move out and the new owners trying to move in....simultaneously. Meanwhile, everyone's rental vans require several trips and risk overstepping the rental period. Unless you've gone posh with Pickfords, of course :-D .

Haha yes. This is the first time I've moved from a house that I own to another. Done it with my parents when I was younger but they dealt with all the complexities, so looked smooth sailing from my end!

 

As I have a lot of stuff (or junk as my wife calls it) we decided it would be best to get a company in to do it. Not as expensive as I thought it would be. 750 quid all in and that includes them disconnecting appliances, disassembling beds + wardrobes and then redoing it all at the other end. Pretty much worth it for that money alone. I hate moving appliances!

 

Will also move my garage contents into a storage unit. My tools are quite precious to me and something that can easily disappear without me noticing for weeks. So I'll rent a van or something, get a Big Yellow Storage locker and dump the contents into one of them for a couple of weeks.

 

The biggest stress and complication? Moving the 1100. Still not entirely sure how I'm going to achieve that. Just hoping I can book someone to move it on the day or something. :?

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With the 1100, do you get on well enough with one of your neighbours to stick it on their drive for a few days before and after the move? It would be one less thing to do on the day.

That's what my wife said. I could do I suppose. I'd rather move it the day before and leave it on the road at the new place. However the parking is quite tight around there and my wife is worried that it may upset the neighbours before we even move in...

 

I rather not move it on the day as something else to worry and get stressed about. Guess I could leave it on the road and arrange for it to be moved in the evening.

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Put it in the lock up.

No one will complain if you park the MG at your new place.

That is something else that was considered. However I didn't want to pay out for two lots of (expensive) transportation. I also got a letter yesterday to warn me that for two weeks around when we're looking to move the area will be newly tarmaced and that I will loose access to the garage. So I'd need to move it either before or after then.

 

Tbh its the cost that puts me off the most.

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Thanks very much for thinking of me.  

 

It's not looking good atm.  I managed to cope for 36 hours by being relentelessly positive and convincing (succesfully) other colleagues that this was for the best  I even convinced my own rather anxious Dad that I'd rather GTFO now than hang about.

 

I've crashed in the last hour.

 

Sadly, what I do is such a huge part of who I am. Ironically I don't even want to do it any more! 

 

We'll see eh?  We'll see. 

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That is something else that was considered. However I didn't want to pay out for two lots of (expensive) transportation. I also got a letter yesterday to warn me that for two weeks around when we're looking to move the area will be newly tarmaced and that I will loose access to the garage. So I'd need to move it either before or after then.

 

Tbh its the cost that puts me off the most.

Shirley the MGB is tax and test free so you could (insurance obviously permitting) drive it out the lock up and replace it with the 1100?.

 

Isn't there another shiter that would be delighted* to have it on their drive for a week or two in your area (preferably one who doesn't look at oil pressure gauges)?

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Shirley the MGB is tax and test free so you could (insurance obviously permitting) drive it out the lock up and replace it with the 1100?.

 

Isn't there another shiter that would be delighted* to have it on their drive for a week or two in your area (preferably one who doesn't look at oil pressure gauges)?

The MGB is taxed, MOT'd and insured (no idea if it runs ... its been months), so would/should be able to drive out perfectly happily. However its getting the 1100 up there that is the problem. The lack of brakes (it doesn't even have a brake pedal at the moment!) would make it rather fraught and dangerous to tow. The garage isn't that far but there is a very steep hill that would make pushing a rather hazardous exercise too.

 

Post 1997 driving licence and lack of tow bar also prevents me hiring a trailer. :neutral:

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I'd been using the C15 for the last couple of days, no great distance though. On a couple of occasions I noticed some  dampness under the front, but didn't think too much about it.

 

The first trip of over 20 miles and the low coolant lamp is on. Topping up and I can't see a leak, the hoses and joints are dry, yet it's finding it's way out somewhere and dripping from the valance to the floor.

 

Old cars Eh?

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Late as usual but some pics of my trip up to Drum's abode to borrow the fly tipper. Needing to move some soil and pissed off filling bags it seemed a good idea :-D

 

5 minutes into journey, someone parked in a puddle!

 

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Returned with the spoils!

 

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To find Drum fettling Roffle Omega.

 

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Spoil dumped but severious lack of traction led to a bit of rescue work.

 

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Rescue vehicle must've started! Bit like signalling a new Pope

 

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Looks a bit spikey. "hope tae fuck I dinnae get a sudden rush o grip" :shock:

 

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JOB JOBBED!

 

20190223_155702.jpg

 

 

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This must be the spot of the year! Even after millions of those mis-labelled Corsas, this is what I first think of as a Nova.post-17481-0-71592500-1551338462_thumb.jpeg

 

Wonderful that one is still in use. A beetle-based kit car with a fibreglass body has to be a likely candidate for "last shite still drivieable" in my pension-poverty future....

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