The new news 24 thread

[Pat Earrings]

Polished up the headlamps a treat. Wet and dry sandpaper and then plast x with a drill attachment. They weren't bad just needed doing and looks miles better. Acetone on the middle grille has brought it back to chrome which also look better, but I may just get another as the Saab lettering has its silver paint wear off. Unfortunately the wind tipped over my whole bottle so I can't do the other 2 but another bottle is on order. Loving this car.

[EssDeeWon]

Managed to get this moved and put away on Saturday.  Now garaged and SORN’d.  A bonus it’s been dry here recently so the car went away dry. 

[Bren]

First fire up of the rover since I overhauled the injectors and re plumbed the fuel system. It fired up straight away - previously it needed lots of cranking

[Yoss]

This hose reel holder has been attached to the side of our house, certainly since we bought it nine years ago, and I suspect an awful lot longer than that. 

It's been getting fragile for a few years and finally let go last week. 

What was left on the wall looked like some sort of medieval torture device. 

 

 

So I needed a replacement and had a little rummage in the garage. 

 

 

 

And came out with this. 

I hope to clean and polish it in the next few days. What could be cooler than having a Dolomite Sprint wheel stuck to the side of your house, and actually serving a purpose too. 

Even better, it's held on to the wall by two Triumph 1300 sump bolts. 

These were the longest bolts I had. They still don't quite stick out the other side but there's enough length to keep the wheel in place quite happily. If I turned the wheel round they would poke through but then it wouldn't look like a Sprint wheel would it? 

I have tried drilling a slightly bigger hole on the inside of the wall (it's only a single skinned porch) to recess nuts into. 

This is a trial fitting. I'm not going to do it properly until I've cleaned the wheel up and even then I might not bother as it seems to be sitting there quite happily as it is. 

[Jenson Velcro]

Thank fk that’s over Not surprisingly I found more work was required but done now. I also have a list to tackle over the next few months....but it is at least ready for work this week.

By way of a change I finished the machining of my cylinder head holder. This will allow me to hold the cylinder head from an old pedal and pop moped I’m building up, and skim it in the lathe. 
 

Too many projects and not enough time.

[ruffgeezer]

16 hours ago, ruffgeezer said:

Had a go at starting this big metal slag today... 

With the decompression lever open, it turns quite freely, and is a lot tighter with it shut which is positive. 

It doesn't appear to draw any fuel from the overhead tank, but that may e as the level in it is low. 

I can't see anywhere on it to set it to a starting position as mentioned in the manual, so I might have to clean it up some more tomorrow before I give it another go. 

 

Still no real joy, there's a thud through the exhaust but no real sign of life. 

[Saabnut]

7 minutes ago, ruffgeezer said:

Still no real joy, there's a thud through the exhaust but no real sign of life. 

Have you bled the fuel system through? There is not much else to go wrong with these. Make sure there is fuel in the tank and wind over with the decompressor lever engaged a few dozen turns. Crack off the fuel supply line a couple of turns or so and wind over until fuel comes out from the joint.  Close up the pipe fitting almost all the way, then wind over whilst nipping it up. Wind up to a fair speed and drop the compressor lever and sit back in a cloud of smoke and noise.

[Sh'Eds]

Had a reasonably productive weekend, though Saturday was a write off due to Covid jab reaction. 

Got rear differential installed, new fuel lines run and most of rear suspension back in place. 

Did manage to find a leaky brake pipe so that's another job to add to the list.

Even had a helper for some of it, though he disappeared before the fun* bit of installing a 34 year old composite spring which require more jacking tension than seemed reasonable.

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Just after taking the CX out for a run in the sun. Nothing noteworthy to report. 

[ruffgeezer]

1 hour ago, Saabnut said:

Have you bled the fuel system through? There is not much else to go wrong with these. Make sure there is fuel in the tank and wind over with the decompressor lever engaged a few dozen turns. Crack off the fuel supply line a couple of turns or so and wind over until fuel comes out from the joint.  Close up the pipe fitting almost all the way, then wind over whilst nipping it up. Wind up to a fair speed and drop the compressor lever and sit back in a cloud of smoke and noise.

Yeah I think it'll benefit from some more fuel in the tank, I might grab a can of fresh diesel as the nearest place to get red is a fair way out of my way. 

[HMC]

I drove the 280 today and held it in 2nd and 3rd along some favourite roads.

Verdict- much more body roll than a w210 but also a far more satisfying wail at higher revs.

 

[Lord Sterling]

12 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Hmmm. I might* be able to sort out the clicking check-strap on the drivers door of the 407. Out of interest I was looking at it yesterday and noticed that one of the 10mm nuts were missing and other was very loose. I tightened up one with a handy 10mm spanner I keep in the car and the closing and opening the door was much quieter. I have some spare 10mm nuts so will try and fit one after work.

Edit*

Replacement wheel has just arrived:

The tyre is better than one currently on it.

Sadly the badge is missing but I could probably grab one off the current wheel or something. Its not important and can wait. This means I can take the car for a wash too on my next day off.

Yep! Sorted out the door. No more clicking for the check strap! All it needed was one nut tightening and another added and tightened. Silver nut at the bottom is the newly added nut.

Silent door opening and closing now in motion.

Wheel has been unwrapped, cleaned and put into the boot. I haven't got my breaker bar so will grab on my next day off and swap the wheel over.

The tyre on it is almost like new but one of those craply named 'Goodride' tyre. Its a lot better than the one on the incorrect alloy which is starting to crack along the sidewall.

[artdjones]

The engine loom is very complex.

This is the kind of job where you end up knee deep in parts. That's about half of it. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

1 hour ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Just after taking the CX out for a run in the sun. Nothing noteworthy to report. 

 

[richardmorris]

Should anyone have watched top gear yesterday, the two lancias are looked after by All Italia in wrexham that now do my x1/9.

also, this is a link to car sos on the jenson interceptor that I saw at goodwood last November. Not watched it yet, but I may be in the background on the track.

 

https://dai.ly/x801mds

 

https://dai.ly/x801mds

[brownnova]

9 hours ago, stuboy said:

Found and old supplement from news of the world

Hang on, I own three of the cars featured in this article.... does that mean I’m cheap? 

[chaseracer]

Looks like we've nearly got us a racing car...

Shell (with aluminium roof) painted and permanently attached to the chassis, suspension connected, steering functional, braking system complete, gearbox checked and in, wiring well on the way, instrumentation mostly done.  That's a week's leave accounted for!

What else do we need?  Ah yes - an engine...

[richardmorris]

7 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

Looks like we've nearly got us a racing car...

Shell (with aluminium roof) painted and permanently attached to the chassis, suspension connected, steering functional, braking system complete, gearbox checked and in, wiring well on the way, instrumentation mostly done.  That's a week's leave accounted for!

What else do we need?  Ah yes - an engine...

Brilliant-you can now send me lots of information for the 2cv column due tonight! Otherwise it’s going to be very panda heavy!

[chaseracer]

Go with chauffeuse de taxi niecelet & pandas this time - I'll sort you out for the next issue!

[stuboy]

13 hours ago, brownnova said:

Hang on, I own three of the cars featured in this article.... does that mean I’m cheap? 

do you reuse tea bags after the 2nd cup made?

[Spurious]

2 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

 

It's like it's saying "please can we go on a run again"

[Yoss]

It does look like it's lurking rather than parked doesn't it. 

[SmokinWaffle]

3 hours ago, HMC said:

I drove the 280 today and held it in 2nd and 3rd along some favourite roads.

Verdict- much more body roll than a w210 but also a far more satisfying wail at higher revs.

 

Is that stock ride height? Looks so high?!

[Yoss]

2 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Should anyone have watched top gear yesterday, the two lancias are looked after by All Italia in wrexham that now do my x1/9.

also, this is a link to car sos on the jenson interceptor that I saw at goodwood last November. Not watched it yet, but I may be in the background on the track.

 

https://dai.ly/x801mds

 

https://dai.ly/x801mds

I had Top Gear on in the background last night, wasn't really paying attention. Then those two Lancias appeared and my attention was aroused. I was very disappointed when they spent about 10 seconds on them and 55 minutes faffing about in their so called midlife crisis cars. Why go to all the trouble of getting them there and then practically ignore them. They have their priorities seriously wrong. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

11 minutes ago, Spurious said:

It's like it's saying "please can we go on a run again"

Get into her five times a day, and take her to heaven and back.

[dollywobbler]

Headed up to North Wales today for a bit of colour. In the Matiz. It's last long drive was up to North Wales in November. 500 miles between the two visits. Midlands tomorrow where the Matiz will receive some bodywork TLC.

 

[puddlethumper]

1 hour ago, dollywobbler said:

Headed up to North Wales today for a bit of colour. In the Matiz. It's last long drive was up to North Wales in November. 500 miles between the two visits. Midlands tomorrow where the Matiz will receive some bodywork TLC.

 

Would that be at DFTR ? I was round there a couple of weeks ago and they said that you were expected. They are doing a bit of welding for me the end of the month for the Mot. Great guys.

[brownnova]

2 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Headed up to North Wales today for a bit of colour. In the Matiz. It's last long drive was up to North Wales in November. 500 miles between the two visits. Midlands tomorrow where the Matiz will receive some bodywork TLC.

 

Hang on... I recognise those cars.... 

[wuvvum]

Had a 5-day weekend but didn't get as much done on the fleet as I might have - Thursday I was mostly playing with pushbikes (although I did finish installing the wiring for the diesel heater in the Trafic), Friday I did my annual spring clean of the house which I finished on Saturday morning, and today the weather was shite.

Saturday afternoon I jacked the petrol C2 up and took the wheel off to have a look at the brake and work out what tools I'd need.  The caliper retaining bolts were Torx and really fucking tight - I actually bent my expensive chrome vanadium T45 bit undoing the top bolt.  As it turned out I didn't actually need to take the caliper off, but hey ho.  Sunday morning I had a nice lie in, eventually got up and mowed the lawn, then went down to the car park to carry on with the C2 brake.  It turned out that what was causing the brake to bind was the pads being completely stuck in their carrier - the HBOL said "withdraw the pads" but didn't mention having to use a rubber mallet to get them out.  The problem was that the pads had gone rusty all round the edges - I imagine they'd been in there a long time, there's still plenty of meat on them but I don't think the rear brakes do a lot of work in a car like the C2.  So I sanded the rust off, re-greased the pads and refitted them - they went back in with just finger pressure so I'm going to call that an improvement!  It's going back in next Monday for the sill to be welded and then a retest, so I'll find out then if I've mended it or not.

While I was in brake mode I decided to try the vacuum bleeder on the front calipers of the 164, having had no luck with the rears last week.  The results didn't look particularly impressive with the fronts either - just a big stream of bubbles coming out of the bleed nipples, in fact a couple of them were only giving air.  I even took the offside caliper off to turn it "upside down" (technically the right way up as it's actually a nearside caliper fitted upside down) so I could bleed it properly, but that made little difference.  So I gave up, put the bleeder away and went on to the next task, which was to get the Innocenti out of the garage then shove the Volvo in there so the Innocenti could come onto the drive for a bit of fettling.  The Innocenti started up after a bit of cranking and drove happily out of the garage where it's been since October.  The Volvo also fired straight up and reversed out of the drive, but then as I drove off down the road I discovered, much to my surprise, that I actually had a brake pedal.  Not a brilliant one - I certainly wouldn't want to attempt an emergency stop from 70 - but for driving the few hundred yards to the garage at 15mph and then manoeuvring in the brakes were quite adequate.  I resisted the temptation to take it for a longer spin down the road, but it's certainly encouraging for whenever it comes out of the garage again (probably once the Innocenti is MOT'd).

Monday I got very little done due to the fact that it was howling a gale and snowing on and off - I did give the Innocenti a quick wash to clear the dust and cobwebs off, and had a quick rifle through the boot - finding, to my annoyance, that having just bought a set of front brake pads off eBay there was actually a set already in the boot - whether they were ones I'd bought years ago and forgotten about or ones that were in the car when I bought it I have no idea.  Anyway, the ones I've just bought are the same size, so that's encouraging...  About the only other thing I got done was to take the carb off the Spacy ready to be stripped, cleaned out and put back together again (properly this time, with the diaphragm that I forgot to put back in last time I cleaned it out ) which should hopefully see that running again.

[brownnova]

2CV out on parts collection duties today.... even drove through a snow storm to get to Rhyl to pick this up...