The new news 24 thread

[Cord Fourteener]

Let's have a Mondeo vs Vetcra dis track rap battle featuring @Brenand @stuboy

[Ged]

Oil sump relocation

[Lankytim]

I got up early today after a night shift to pick up some Volvo 140 wheels that I don’t really need from Stockport. The seller had a box of 140 parts that I also purchased, luckily the box had a pair of front indicator lenses that I was desperate for but it also contained a load of stuff I don’t need. Anything you’re after for the 164, @wuvvum
 

On the way back I dropped into ATS at Macclesfield where the bored looking lad working there told me Laguna's aircon had a leak and was borked, commenting that someone had tried to paint the aircon button black. Never mind, even if it did gas up ok I recon it would’ve all leaked out by the time I next had opportunity to use it next year. Hopefully the Groupon voucher can be used on the wife’s Jazz instead. 

[Jazoli]

I also had an ATS aircon service today for the E class, it was working perfectly but hey ho Groupon deal and all that, they removed 736g and refilled 950g so the gas was a little low and I figured it couldn't do any harm for it to have a recharge and oil topup. 

 As it was the first run I've had in weeks where the engine got properly warm I tackled the glow plugs (I was put off after reading @Snake Charmer 's woes) but fortunately they all came out fairly easily, the warning light has disappeared and all is good.

It's providing sterling service and I can't see any reason to change it anytime soon. 

I'm hoping to slather it in dymax or bilt Hamber underneath as the winters are harsh up here, hopefully I'll summon up the energy to do it before the salt goes down! 

[stuboy]

One kinda win... can u spot the difference

[mat_the_cat]

10 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

@mat_the_cat were you on the A1M yesterday about 9.30pm ? Spotted a green and white LT going North. I doubt there's another one.

Not me this time, so there must be an impostor!

[JMotor]

At some random field in englandshire. 

With some GM products. 

Seen this Manta. Maybe they're on here? 😉

 

[richardmorris]

3 hours ago, Bren said:

It's the only estate I have seen finished in digital green. It averaged 53 mpg from Warrington to Dawlish - that was loaded and with a roof box. The auto makes it easy to drive but it is a bit of a slug.

It still looks well but sadly it is starting to show it's age.

It’s only 15. Or do you mean behaving like a teenager?

[wuvvum]

2 hours ago, Lankytim said:

Anything you’re after for the 164, @wuvvum

Slightly random one actually - I can see you have a hub cap in the collection, I have a full set of those but I've lost one of the funny little stumpy bolts with the tapered head that holds them on to the wheel - don't suppose there was one of those in the box?

[Bren]

9 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

It’s only 15. Or do you mean behaving like a teenager?

No. It could do with a facelift.

[stuboy]

3 hours ago, Cord Fourteener said:

Let's have a Mondeo vs Vetcra dis track rap battle featuring @Brenand @stuboy

can i fix it first

[Cord Fourteener]

13 minutes ago, stuboy said:

can i fix it first

Yes probably for the best. 

Then rap battle 😜

[brownnova]

Local car show tomorrow, we’ve taken the 2CV last two years, think it’s the turn of the Pontiac this year. Thought I’d give it a quick once over, but that turned into a full polish, and use of products to make it gleam! 

That’ll do. 

[puddlethumper]

3 hours ago, mat_the_cat said:

Not me this time, so there must be an impostor!

A doppelganger no less. It was exactly the same colours as yours. The green even looked the same shade. Must have seen yours and thought, that looks good I'll copy that. Copying is the height of something, can't remember what.

[puddlethumper]

6 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

But you've got indicators, proper orange ones as well. 

I'll have to make sure they don't work.

[paulplom]

I've been doing a fair few miles on the C90 so decided to check the oil and adjust the brakes. Zero oil on the dipstick oops. I bought some from tesco to top it up and had a ride over to Westgate Road in Newcastle for the correct stuff. Back home and did an oil change. It seems a lot quicker and more resposive now it's got some oil in it. The gear change is also less stampy and requires just a gentle tap now.

 

[paulplom]

It's been cutting out at the lights on rare occasions but always restarts first kick so wasn't too bothered. This has been getting worse over the last few weeks and it's got to the point where it won't start and I've had to bump it in second gear. It cut out at the traffic lights at home yesterday and refused to start. I pushed it home and decided to strip it. I think that air filter is original to the bike! It has a new carb so why it wasn't replaced then I've no idea. I removed the pulg and gave it a clean with sand paper. It's a nice healthy beige colour so the fuelling must be okay. I put the plug back in and it fired first kick 3 times out of 3 so that's the issue then. On to ebay and orderd air filter, iridium ngk and I high performance coil and ht lead all for £27. It promises to deliver 40% more spark.

I love being out and about on the bike it gets loads of attention from the public and plenty of nods from bikers although hd riders are miserable pricks.

[Asimo]

Been driving this (330d, auto, 4wd) delivering it’s owner to Heathrow. Obviously a massively capable car somewhere  under all of the software and powered toys. But all that unfamiliar technology made for an exhausting drive.  Would like the modern drivetrain / brakes / suspension / tyres in a car equipped to 1975 standards!

[Lankytim]

14 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Slightly random one actually - I can see you have a hub cap in the collection, I have a full set of those but I've lost one of the funny little stumpy bolts with the tapered head that holds them on to the wheel - don't suppose there was one of those in the box?

I don't think so, but I'll have a look. I've got some more of these hubcaps knocking around so I may have a spare in the garage. 

[artdjones]

1 hour ago, Asimo said:

Been driving this (330d, auto, 4wd) delivering it’s owner to Heathrow. Obviously a massively capable car somewhere  under all of the software and powered toys. But all that unfamiliar technology made for an exhausting drive.  Would like the modern drivetrain / brakes / suspension / tyres in a car equipped to 1975 standards!

Just buy a base model VW.

[Jazoli]

3 hours ago, Asimo said:

Been driving this (330d, auto, 4wd) delivering it’s owner to Heathrow. Obviously a massively capable car somewhere  under all of the software and powered toys. But all that unfamiliar technology made for an exhausting drive.  Would like the modern drivetrain / brakes / suspension / tyres in a car equipped to 1975 standards!

Exhausting? 😂😂😂

[Bren]

Torbay motor club had their show today in Paignton.

The green mustang and black catalina were my faves.

[JakeT]

This weekend meant I can now add ‘mis fuel repair service’ to my shiter CV.

 

One of my friends youngest sister is learning to drive. She was out with help in the car, and needed to fuel it up. Nobody helped, so she put 40 litres of diesel into a VW Fox… with a petrol engine. Not realising she had done wrong, she proceeded to drive it, until it died. They had it recovered back to their field and left it.

 

Saturday morning I was heading round to help him set up for a small FoD type event we do every year with some friends. Namely camping, fire, and a big BBQ. Lots of drink, too. I said I’d get the diesel out of the fox, since paying someone to do it seems off, and they’ll keep £80 worth of diesel while they’re at it, too.

 

Fortunately being a Brazilian market car with an engine more at home in the 90s, it was easy to find the fuel hose that feeds the injection rail. Using one of those clickety-clack little electric fuel pumps we could draw from the tank nicely, and get it drained.

 

This went swimmingly, with the pump connected to a 12v bench power supply, until we had half a tank. It couldn’t draw from the other side, but the cars own fuel pump could. A painstaking find of the fuel pump relay (strangely there’s NO information on the VW Fox online, and the owners manual didn’t show where the relays were) it was found. A little jumper wire, and the fuel pump happily pumped the rest of the dizzer out. 15 litres of fresh petrol in, and would it go? Well,  no. It ran happily on brake cleaner, but would die on its own fuel.

 

After ‘some’ beers, and feeling suitably dusty the next morning we had another go. It would cough, but nothing else. With my thinking* cap on, there was probably some diesel left in it, and diesel has a higher specific gravity than petrol. More pumped out, and would it run?

 

Of course! Quite a lot of smoke at first from all of the diesel in the exhaust, but it cleared. A run up and down the field with a couple of handbrake turns for good measure and it’s back to being abused by a new driver.

The leftover diesel will go in their Ford 330 tractor since it will run on fermented pig swill.

[trigger]

I've had a weekend of crap cars, Saturday dad came round and helped me get the Volvo finished off at last, it needed a lot of brake work which took time, new calipers all round, new pads, rear shoes, brake shields etc which was a right faff as well as new tyres fitted, the work all paid off though as it's now a lovely looking car.

How it was when i collected it.

and after two months of graft and expense!

and bit different! the corner had took more of a knock than i realised and damaged the wheel and wishbone which i replaced, the wheel was very kindly given to me by a stranger on the internet, he dropped it at a DPD drop off for me and and i paid the £8 delivery!

 

I've done a few miles in it today and it's driven lovely, like a 70's car registered in the 90s! I'm not sure I'll keep it but I'm pleased i stuck through repairing it as it was due to be banger raced, It's only done 49000 miles! It still needs a little bit of welding and a few stickers replacing.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Stunning transformation @trigger!!

[Fumbler]

Well that's the BX gone. Listed this morning, chap phoned up, came down and paid full price for it. One final (chaotic) parting shot

I'll miss this one.

[trigger]

Then onto today, I went and bought this!

Yep another Dolomite! I'm sure a few people are wondering why I've bought another when i only just sold my Sprint, well, this is a 1850 which is much more reliable and easier to live with and It's a 33000 miles, father and son owned car that's never been restored or welded and is really in timewarp condition plus the best bit is that this cost £6000 less than what i sold the Sprint for which wasn't anywhere nearly as nice.

It's a late Pre-HL model but had all the HL spec but not the tinted glass, It was a Mann Egerton Colchester ex demo hence the triple digits and has only covered a remarkable 3000 miles since 1983!

It does need a bit of love, the paints faded and needs a good mop, the interior needs cleaning too, the brake pull to the left slightly and the carbs needs setting up better but all minor stuff.

This does leave me with too many cars now, the Astra was meant to have sold and gone to Scotland but the sale fell through Friday so I've still got it but someones coming to view it tomorrow so hopefully it be gone and i can get the Volvo back inside.

[stuboy]

nice buy

[artdjones]

They were very attractive cars back in the day. I had a Russet Brown 1850 HL from 1989 to 91, replacing a 1500HL in Inca Yellow. The only thing I didn't like was the wheels, I always felt they looked a bit gormless with the centres sticking out as much as they did. When my brother's Marina estate got scrapped I put the wheels from it onto the 1500, which improved the looks as the rims were more dished. It didn't seem to affect steering or handling.

[Rust Collector]

This evening we got back from our European road trip / holiday / family visit / puppy collection. We left on the 7th, and meandering around the continent we have covered 5,316km according to the odometer reading now - I serviced it and recorded mileage (kilometerage?!) just before we left.

The trip was really good fun, with the baby on the way this was our last adventure before family life becomes a thing in October. Lots of happy memories have been made including getting engaged on a beach in Croatia amongst many other things. The insight is a two seater so I think this was its last hurrah as it won’t be practical for future trips with a baby and 2 dogs… it won’t be leaving the fold though, it’s looked after us well and run faultlessly, plus I’m a soppy bastard and I now have an enormous amount of sentimental attachment to this car. Neighbours must have thought I was mad, out on the driveway telling the car she’d done well and thanking it for looking after us once I’d finished taking the bags out the boot 😅

I’m exhausted, beer and sleep now.