The new news 24 thread

[stuboy]

Fil wanted to try the new wheels and tyres to see if the rub, they don't thankfully.. he's gotta replace the light bowls as a tad crumbly,  question for u shiters the rear seats in the Rickman, I said there possibly metro seats but he reckons there escort ones but I think the patterns wrong..

[Split_Pin]

3 hours ago, High Jetter said:

That's a job I have to do as my pump is not working. Is bumper off easier than the wheelarch liner route?

It's the only way imo. Mine was easy as all the shitty fastenings have been thrown away by the previous owner and the rest were in good nick. Came off in less than 5 mins.

[Bren]

Treated the vectra to a polish. I forgot how big it is - I felt like I was polishing a van.

[aotb]

Did a collection- didn't seem worth a thread as it was local!

Yes, another one.   I spotted it on ebay almost as soon as it was listed, went to view it and paid the (very reasonable!) price for it within a few hours  The eagle eyed may have noted the scaffolding, which isn't just for show - Seats/Belts/Extinguisers are out of date, but fine for Targa type events in the short term. It's been laid up for four years so the first job will be an MOT and put a few miles on to iron out any issues. It only needs a small amount of welding- much less than the one I already have! Took it for a trip around the farm tracks when I got back and it's a wonderful drive. The furthest I have driven my other one was off the transporter and in to the workshop, so it was nice to find out what they are actually like to drive. 

The body is definitly functional rather than pretty, but that's perfect for what it is.

[Rustybullethole]

Mot time again for the transhit. Gave it some love with the mig last year ( laying on a sheet of celotex in the snow curb side)* so being short on time got a mate to run it in for me whilst at work. Busy busy as ever get the call and can tell by time of voice the words he are about to say. It’s fucking fucked mate, big time. He asks me what I wish to do pointing out he passes the scrapie on his way home. Erm, cancel the test I’ll have a butchers over the weekend.

Arse. 
Didn’t get a pic of the rear spring hangers as got stuck in making good, well better anyway. It’s an old transit at the end of the day and likely to be replaced by a horse or milk float soon thanks to ulez.

Lots of van cut up and swept away

old chopped out 

And new let in

Not my best work though hopefully get another year.

Finished the job with a perfect * colour match for a seamless finish

*celotex is great for laying on in the cold. Doesn’t set alight either which I feared it might 

[Cord Fourteener]

On 3/25/2022 at 9:13 PM, barefoot said:

Give it not a second thought, that's fuck all damage in comparison to poor @AnnoyingPentium & his utterly fucked red car...

 

Very true. Mine is absolutely fine in every way apart from the squashy grey thinking matter in the front that sometimes doesn't think 😅

[SiC]

18 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I'll see if I can get a new seat loom

Chop and solder them. Connectors are always a weak point in electronics. 

[brownnova]

Oh,  my reverse light lense seems to have fallen off somewhere on the A55… 

[Rustybullethole]

Could be worse. I find it’s easier to find sellotape than red electrical tape.

[junkyarddog]

Went to a local cars and coffee event today.

I've never seen a hearse at such an event,so went safe in the knowledge that I'd be the only one.............

 

Well I was wrong.

You couldn't make it up 🤣

[Lankytim]

The passenger front window seal on the Fusion hasn’t fitted properly for at least 15 years and despite some half assed attempts in the past remained unfixable.
 

Today was the day I attempted a slightly less half arsed fix. The seal was pulled out and clamped between some bits of metal and a pair of mole grips, boiling water was poured over the rubber to try and soften it and allow it to reshape under the improvised clamps. An hour later and the seal was refitted… annoyingly the window still didn’t close all the way but the seal had obviously flattened out a little.  I decided to get tough and clamp the seal in situ, using a towel to avoid damaging the door. Another kettle of hot water was applied and after an hour the result was slightly better again, but the window was still trapping the rubber. With some Vaseline smeared over the offending area the window would finally close so long as I lightly pushed the rubber behind the glass as it went up. Not ideal but hopefully over the next days and weeks the rubber will finally get the message and stay put when the window opens, preventing it being trapped when it closes. 

I suppose I should just get a new window seal from a breakers for £3 or whatever, but where’s the fun in that? 

[hairnet]

2 hours ago, brownnova said:

Oh,  my reverse light lense seems to have fallen off somewhere on the A55… 

speeeeeeeeed caused it

[brownnova]

3 hours ago, brownnova said:

Oh,  my reverse light lense seems to have fallen off somewhere on the A55… 

Good news!!!! 

It fell off on the drive… so it was there when I got home! 

[New POD]

Probably when.you slammed the boot

.

[Crackers]

^^^

Three convertibles and a Rover.

That's optimism.

[Fumbler]

3 minutes ago, Crackers said:

^^^

Three convertibles and a Rover.

That's optimism.

The Autoshite equivalent of Four Weddings and A Funeral.

[RoverFolkUs]

Anyone who dubs all Rovers to be unreliable has probably never had one

My 25 suffered HGF, ok fair enough that's a weak point

But my old 414's only "major" thing that needed doing was an aux belt in my nearly 3 years of ownership. It was only the clutch that killed it in the end as it wouldn't have been worthwhile paying someone else to do it. In hindsight I should have just done the clutch myself, that was a bloody good car and had only done about 48k miles. All other expenditure was for tyres + normal servicing. And a track rod end.

My 45 I had for about 2.5 years, again, totally reliable. Only issues were a snapped exhaust centre section and a failed alternator regulator pack. I feel ashamed to admit that I think I only ever gave it one oil change in that time! It needed a tickle with the welder for an MOT one year, but it was 14 years old at the time and had been standing in a field for about 5 years of that so I think it can be forgiven! Again, probably one I shouldn't really have sold.

 

Admittedly, I do have a similar prejudice but against French cars. I've never had one and vow never to. Maybe I'm missing out (magnifique hydrodynamique etc etc) but I've seen enough trouble out of them that I don't want anything to do with them

[HillmanImp]

I think it was a joke guys. 

[RoverFolkUs]

13 minutes ago, HillmanImp said:

I think it was a joke guys. 

I do realize hence not quoting him or directing my reply at him, it was just an open comment to put my point across from experience of owning various Rovers

[RoverFolkUs]

20 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Water off a duck's back to me man, I only value informed opinions, like you say, own one and you might change your mind. 

French cars are great, again, try one before deciding. Some are bad, yes but a good one is very rewarding and characterful. My old MK1 Megane, won on ebay for £160 will probably be the best car I ever owned, all things considered. I never had any trouble with it either. My Clio 172 was great as well, a bonkers idea of a car that puts you right inside the mad minds of those who came up with it when the dephaser kicks in! Very fragile but totally worth it. Shame mine was rusty and had to go.

 

A Clio 172/182 is on my list of "wants" but I'd never be paying silly money for one, also a pug 206 Roland garros to see what they're about and a MK2 Mégane RS. A non-sprung barge would also be considered for wafty comfort

So yes I will wait to own one before forming a concrete opinion!

[HillmanImp]

37 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I do realize hence not quoting him or directing my reply at him, it was just an open comment to put my point across from experience of owning various Rovers

I'd say it was more a comment on owning convertibles in the UK. The other car could be a Fiat, Citroën or whatever.

Didn't expect to ever have to explain something like this on Autoshite. 

[RoverFolkUs]

3 minutes ago, HillmanImp said:

I'd say it was more a comment on owning convertibles in the UK. The other car could be a Fiat, Citroën or whatever.

Didn't expect to ever have to explain something like this on Autoshite. 

True  

[HillmanImp]

1 minute ago, RoverFolkUs said:

True  

But Rovers are shit.

[HillmanImp]

Just kidding. 

[STUNO]

Wellington man's 1993 Toyota Corolla racks up 2 million kilometres (msn.com)

There's not much to add to that story, just the power of regular servicing and no salt on the roads !

[Ghosty]

https://espirituracer.com/cochedeldia/coche-del-dia-rover-416-gti-r8/

Randomly stumbled across this article in Spanish about the 416GTi - and they've nicked @RobT's pictures! 

[HillmanImp]

Went to fit the new fog light to the Elgrand today but didn't check if the old one worked first. Now I know both don't work but maybe because I've broken something. 

Also, when I was doing this ImpJr must've switched on the interior light as the battery is now flat. 

I also bought some gas for the welder today and am surprised to see its still the same absolutely ridiculous price as the last time I bought some, as I presumed it had probably gone up loads in the last couple of years but they probably realised there's a limit on how much they can fleece the hobbyist before we just rob canisters from the pub. 

[Fumbler]

Just parked up

And about to start my final 2 weeks at college. Probably the most comfortable drive yet.

[wuvvum]

The Rover still won't start.  I took the ECU out again and discovered that one of the pins has snapped off, which probably isn't helping.  I'm not sure whether this is going to be repairable or whether it's new ECU time.  I'm going to try running a live feed from the battery to the in tank fuel pump (I assume the fat purple and white wire is the main feed for that...) to see if I can get it to at least fire up.

I did manage to get the bottom ball joint freed off though, which is good - it means I now only* need to remove the brake caliper, the driveshaft and the track rod end and I can pull the strut out and fit the new spring, so it can at least sit level whilst it's broken down on the car park.  This is good as it means I don't have to actually go underneath the car, which I don't like doing unless it's up on the ramps - which it obviously won't drive onto if it doesn't start.

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 26/03/2022 at 16:52, stuboy said:

Fil wanted to try the new wheels and tyres to see if the rub, they don't thankfully.. he's gotta replace the light bowls as a tad crumbly,  question for u shiters the rear seats in the Rickman, I said there possibly metro seats but he reckons there escort ones but I think the patterns wrong..

deffo metro seats- backrest down flip whole seat forwards (besides i recognise the seat patern from my montego days)

escrote would be lift base, backrest fold forward into space left behind