The new news 24 thread

[vulgalour]

Scored a full brand new set of shocks for the 414 for just £80 and located in Middlesbrough which is just around the corner from me.  Very pleased about that as it affordably replaces the worn out units and should make it more fun to drive.

[Noel Tidybeard]

i had to go for a meal earlier with mrs fp's grandad and her mum and dad, mrs fp's grandad requested I be a pall bearer with mrs fp's dad and uncles at mrs fp's nans funeral whilst I am deeply honoured to be able to carry this wonderful woman's coffin, I am also torn feeling there are members of the close family who really should be doing it instead of me, when I questioned it they told me she would have wanted me to do it, i have accepted but can't help the feeling im just hoping people don't feel bad vibes because of their choice

 

you have been chosen- anyone else can fro

[BavarianRetro]

The MGB looks like an "LE", the last 1000 (520/480 split, I think, but can't remember which way round) were Bronze roadsters and Pewter GTs with an "LE" stripe - that that one appears to be missing and the Stag/2500PI style alloys it wears.

 

So, correct colour, correct wheels, late car missing the stripe.

 

They'd normally be 1981/2 "X" suffix registrations

[Richard]

I expect that MGB is one of the last which somebody stored unregistered in the hope that it would rocket in value and eventually sold/registered years later

 

A load of them turned up on eBay about five years ago. All from different sellers IIRC, it must have been the time to get rid. I don't think any of them got past £20k, which barely covers inflation.

[Lacquer Peel]

I got over half a ton of free fuel for the van today.

It likes a load in the back but the rear tyres (inflated for light loads) were quite pudgy and the brakes needed a big shove. I know VW brakes are shit but could it be the load compensation not working properly?

[skattrd]

After over a year of being my most used vehicle and completely reliable (we'll not mention the occasional failure to start when hot last summer) someone was a naughty boy today:

 

 

That's red Aerodeck leaking brake fluid

Fortunately that happened literally outside the garage and I got home in the Espace, investigation next weekend.

 

 

[richardmorris]

A load of them turned up on eBay about five years ago. All from different sellers IIRC, it must have been the time to get rid. I don't think any of them got past £20k, which barely covers inflation.

Not to mention storage costs. They were outdated and unwanted at the time. A few years in storage wasn't going to help. Thirty years later, yes they're nice, but worth no more than any other looked after example.

[vulgalour]

I have chickened out of towing the Renault home :/  The rules of towing an uninsured, untaxed, un-MoT'd car are somewhere between grey and muddy and there's a strong possibility of a £300 fine and 6 points on my license (if I'm the 'driver' of the towed vehicle) if we get stopped.  It's very annoying, I only need to move the car a few miles to get it into storage and this is a problem that research has lead me to believe I am not alone in.

 

Given the cost of towing it home legally, I'm better off just buying the ignition components I think it needs to run, buying tyres and booking it in for that MoT.  There's other things taking precedence financially at the moment which is why it's not happening yet and I'd actually rather be working on the Princess but I dunno.  Just feeling a bit meh about it all right no, mojo at a bit of a low with the car tinkering just the past couple of weeks for some reason.

[Noel Tidybeard]

tow it to mot

[Noel Tidybeard]

The MGB looks like an "LE", the last 1000 (520/480 split, I think, but can't remember which way round) were Bronze roadsters and Pewter GTs with an "LE" stripe - that that one appears to be missing and the Stag/2500PI style alloys it wears.

 

So, correct colour, correct wheels, late car missing the stripe.

 

They'd normally be 1981/2 "X" suffix registrations

 

looks like you were right

 

The United Kingdom received bronze painted roadsters and a silver GT model limited editions. The production run of homemarket limited edition MGBs was split between 421 roadsters and 579 GTs.

[Kiltox]

Might need something with a long MoT and preferably automatic to replace my Scenic - would appreciate the heads up if anything's about

[skattrd]

Might need something with a long MoT and preferably automatic to replace my Scenic - would appreciate the heads up if anything's about

 

Try clicking on a for sale tag on the board - that lists everything with that tag.

[MarvinsMom]

had, for once a productive day tinkering with old heaps today.

 

been and changed the metro's oil and filter, plus squeezed some fresh grease into the suspension swing arms, and then got some fresh grease squeezed into the mini's swing arms and ball joints, plus as a bonus we got the new temperature sender and patch cables fitted. they have only been kicking around in the draw for 2, possibly 3 months?

 

this was in preparation for going to Rockingham motor speedway for mini-fest next weekend, with the mini, and using the metro too over the next couple of weeks, i'm just hoping that the weather holds......

[greengartside]

Day 1 of the £150 Zafira project.

 

From this...

 

 

To this.

 

 

 

Mucho improvo! Amazing at how much effort was actually needed to shift the mould and moss, I really had to work the pressure washer hard on this one.

 

I have given it a quick look-over. I found a knackered battery in FATHA'S shed that just provided enough juice to run it by means of a jump off my Fiesta. New battery needed then...I ran the engine up to temperature - no bubbling or overheating from the coolant tank and the fan cuts in at just over half-way on the gauge. The engine, I shit you not, has got to be the most sweetest Ecotec I have ever heard. It's whisper quiet when it's idling.

 

Not sure when the timing belt was done as there is zero history with it, so I'll get that done as soon as funds will allow (and obviously the decision of the M.o.T..)

 

I left it to idle for 15 minutes., there was a bit of water coming out of the exhaust but I guess that's because it's been sat a while? There was some wispy grey/black smoke when I revved it, and it smelled rich / left black carbon spots on the floor from the exhaust so I'd say either cat or lambda sensor is fucked?

 

Clutch seems good, brakes are dragging on the back so would need looking at. Handbrake cable is broken on one side. Goes in gears okay.

 

Cosmetically the lower half of the bodywork is covered in tar spots, plenty of scratches on the driver's side but it's a £150* car so I'm not expecting perfection. I may even get some Star Silver touch up and have a go at filling in. O/S mirror doesn't work on the electrics and the fillet(?) is missing, so a trip to the scrappy's will be in order. I'll grab an aerial and maybe a spare wheel & jack as they are missing too.

 

Mileage bulb is blown so a quick flash of the torch revealed it's just about to click over to 135k. I'll get that replaced in due course. SWMBO wanted a Zaffy with heated front seats - so I checked and found the wiring is present for them! So will be fitting them in the future.

 

*Actually it wasn't £150, I found £1 down the side of the rear seats so it's cost £149. CA$HBACK.

 

On the face of it, it looks alright but we really need to bosh it in for an M.o.T to see what really needs doing. I'll start the ball rolling probably next week on that.

[cobblers]

 

On the face of it, it looks alright but we really need to bosh it in for an M.o.T to see what really needs doing. I'll start the ball rolling probably next week on that.

 

 

As a very rough guess:

 

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Brake cable has wires broken and is significantly weakened (3.5.1b)

Nearside Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Nearside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

[greengartside]

Yeah I've had a little read of what it's failed on, it doesn't look like a mega list so hopefully we can get it sorted!

[cobblers]

Aye a lot of it could hopefully just be fettling and a brake cable. The emissions are probably an iffy sensor or a shagged cat.

[holbeck]

Just seen Jeremy Corbyn on the 10 o' clock news, being driven from his home in a mark 3 Astra!   Respect.

[Guest Hooli]

 Though I'm intrigued as the cap had 2 bayonets approximately 1/3 and 2/3 around, and just those 2, what's that about?

 

It's meant to stop you fitting it the wrong way around.

[wuvvum]

Today was the first day in fugging ages that it's managed to stay dry all day, so I got a few bits done.

 

Started off by fitting a new (electronic) flasher unit to the Spacy as its MOT is coming up soon, and the old mechanical flasher relay was a bit temperamental.  The indicators now flash much more regularly, and are unaffected by engine revs, headlight operation etc.  The back lights were playing up, with the brakelight flashing along with the indicators and everything rather dim, but that turned out to just be a loose multiplug.  It's not quite MOT ready yet though, it still needs the back brake sorting, for which I'm going to have to dig the spares bike out of the back of the Movano - a task I'm not looking forward to as it currently has a 3-seat Transit minibus seat sat on top of it, which is right at the limit of the weight an 11-stone weakling such as myself can lift in and out of the van. 

 

I also fitted a new flasher unit to the Volvo.  This one is a transparent unit with a fancy flashing red LED in it - I'm wondering whether that could replace the (now non-functioning) dash lights.  Of course fixing the indicators on the Volvo is akin to putting a sticking plaster over a cut on the finger of a terminally ill cancer patient, but it's something that would have needed doing anyway in the unlikely event that I ever get the bloody thing back on the road.

 

I hadn't done anything with the Innocenti for several weeks so decided to give it a wash and then take it for a spin.  Annoyingly, it's suddenly developed several areas of Milford Cubicle on the roof, which I'm not happy about.

 

 

 

No idea what's caused them, but they do spoil the appearance of the car a bit.  I might attack them with T Cut tomorrow and then slather the whole roof in colour match polish, see if that improves things at all.

 

I then had a bit of a play with the Primera.  The chap I bought it from mentioned that the brake pads were getting low, so I went on eBay to order a set.  Unsurprisingly there's different sorts so I whipped one of the front wheels off the car to have a look.  Turns out the pads are actually nearly new all round.  Had a look at the paperwork and what the seller had been pointing out as an advisory on the MOT was in fact a fail, and had obviously been remedied to get it through the test.  So there's a couple of quid saved. 

 

I still haven't put any petrol in it either, still running around on the fuel that was in it when I bought it.  I did tip in half a litre of oil though as it was close to the minimum mark on the dipstick.  I went to visit a mate in it last night and drove back late along some of my favourite back roads, and my initial impressions of the handling have been confirmed.  Even the odd tyres on the front (the offside is a snow tyre ffs - no wonder I was getting tyre squeal coming off roundabouts) don't seem to phase it, although I might invest in a couple of better quality part worns for it (or I might just go the cheapskate route and swap the rears with the fronts).  Other than the warning lights on the dash, things I've found that don't work are the stereo, the front fogs and the aircon (which kicks in but doesn't seem to get cold).  I can live with all of those.

 

Here's a couple more pics of the car in all its dented glory:

 

 

 

The seats are upholstered in a typically tasteful* mid-'90s Japanese style, and look a bit shit to be honest, but are actually really quite supportive.

 

 

Last night's "spirited" drive has dropped the average fuel consumption below 40mpg though.  It'll be interesting to see how it does round a track...

 

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

i dont think the gt were very common in green

[Brodders]

i dont think the gt were very common in green

I think green was quite a popular colour for Primeras (and several other mass produced cars) in the mid to late 90s. I remember seeing loads of green cars around about 10 years ago (when cars from the previously mentioned time period were getting into a reasonable price range) but now it is a colour that you rarely ever see on a car less than 10 years old. I wonder what has caused this decline.

 

Anyway, on topic, nice work on the cars; it will take time to sort, but hopefully it will be worth it in the end.

[Lord Sterling]

Day 1 of the £150 Zafira project....

Yo Greens, I *might* have some Vauxhall wheel trims for this. Will need to check at Telford garage, if I've got them, they're yours for postage or I may possibly even drop off seeing as I'm all over the bloody country these days.

[bub2006]

What size are they? I've some brand new wrapped trims I aquired a few years back.

[Guest Hooli]

i dont think the gt were very common in green

 

I've only ever seen them in green

[Sheefag]

Today was the first day in fugging ages that it's managed to stay dry all day, so I got a few bits done.

 

Started off by fitting a new (electronic) flasher unit to the Spacy as its MOT is coming up soon, and the old mechanical flasher relay was a bit temperamental.  The indicators now flash much more regularly, and are unaffected by engine revs, headlight operation etc.  The back lights were playing up, with the brakelight flashing along with the indicators and everything rather dim, but that turned out to just be a loose multiplug.  It's not quite MOT ready yet though, it still needs the back brake sorting, for which I'm going to have to dig the spares bike out of the back of the Movano - a task I'm not looking forward to as it currently has a 3-seat Transit minibus seat sat on top of it, which is right at the limit of the weight an 11-stone weakling such as myself can lift in and out of the van. 

 

I also fitted a new flasher unit to the Volvo.  This one is a transparent unit with a fancy flashing red LED in it - I'm wondering whether that could replace the (now non-functioning) dash lights.  Of course fixing the indicators on the Volvo is akin to putting a sticking plaster over a cut on the finger of a terminally ill cancer patient, but it's something that would have needed doing anyway in the unlikely event that I ever get the bloody thing back on the road.

 

I hadn't done anything with the Innocenti for several weeks so decided to give it a wash and then take it for a spin.  Annoyingly, it's suddenly developed several areas of Milford Cubicle on the roof, which I'm not happy about.

 

SAM_0138.JPG

 

SAM_0139.JPG

 

No idea what's caused them, but they do spoil the appearance of the car a bit.  I might attack them with T Cut tomorrow and then slather the whole roof in colour match polish, see if that improves things at all.

 

I then had a bit of a play with the Primera.  The chap I bought it from mentioned that the brake pads were getting low, so I went on eBay to order a set.  Unsurprisingly there's different sorts so I whipped one of the front wheels off the car to have a look.  Turns out the pads are actually nearly new all round.  Had a look at the paperwork and what the seller had been pointing out as an advisory on the MOT was in fact a fail, and had obviously been remedied to get it through the test.  So there's a couple of quid saved. 

 

I still haven't put any petrol in it either, still running around on the fuel that was in it when I bought it.  I did tip in half a litre of oil though as it was close to the minimum mark on the dipstick.  I went to visit a mate in it last night and drove back late along some of my favourite back roads, and my initial impressions of the handling have been confirmed.  Even the odd tyres on the front (the offside is a snow tyre ffs - no wonder I was getting tyre squeal coming off roundabouts) don't seem to phase it, although I might invest in a couple of better quality part worns for it (or I might just go the cheapskate route and swap the rears with the fronts).  Other than the warning lights on the dash, things I've found that don't work are the stereo, the front fogs and the aircon (which kicks in but doesn't seem to get cold).  I can live with all of those.

 

Here's a couple more pics of the car in all its dented glory:

 

SAM_0140.JPG

 

SAM_0142.JPG

 

The seats are upholstered in a typically tasteful* mid-'90s Japanese style, and look a bit shit to be honest, but are actually really quite supportive.

 

SAM_0141.JPG

 

Last night's "spirited" drive has dropped the average fuel consumption below 40mpg though.  It'll be interesting to see how it does round a track...

 

wuvvam, you weren't on the M3 in this on Sunday were you?

[Skizzer]

Might need something with a long MoT and preferably automatic to replace my Scenic - would appreciate the heads up if anything's about

 

Fancy a V8 Discovery 1?  It's gone in for MOT today and might be up for grabs in a couple of weeks as I could do with space for some possible incoming grade A chod.  Might have to wait until the end of the month as my sister-in-law is visiting with her dozens of small children so I need all the seats, but after that it could be up for grabs.  Could deliver to Chelters for my train fare home, and it'll be outrageously cheap.

 

Can't do a pic as Flickr seems to be broken, but let me know if you're interested.  I'll advertise it here first anyway.

[Skizzer]

Thank you, kind sir.  That is indeed the vehicle in question.

[Sheefag]

I rather like that.

[Skizzer]

That's because you didn't spend most of last week trying to get the flaming wheels off it

 

It's not a bad old bus though:

 

It has LPG but the pump seems to have stopped working (I haven't investigated, I just run it on petrol).  

It's got new front tyres and is getting a new battery.  

One of the sunroofs (or something) leaks a bit, because Discovery.

It's pretty un-rusty for one of these - the rear arches have been done and the boot floor is good.

It runs well - mmm, V8 yumminess.  Autobox works well with only the lightest of clunks.

Cosmetically not too bad - no dents but it's a bit scruffy in places.  There's some ally reaction around the LPG filler and a lump of paint has flaked off the top of the O/S front wing.

Interior needs a good clean.  It's had a very half-arsed clean from me, and might get another if you ask really nicely and I get around to it, but Vulgalour I'm not.

 

Mileage is about 150k.  It's in Swansea.  I'm thinking £750, which is about what I paid Andy18s for it a while back.

 

I'm about to find out what it needs for MOT.  Wish me luck.