The new news 24 thread

[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.

[Tayne]

Fancy a V8 Discovery 1?  

 

Can't do a pic as Flickr seems to be broken, 

 

 

 

 

[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.

[holbeck]

That does look nice.

[Spottedlaurel]

 

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/emergency_services_called_to_vehicle_fire_on_the_a11_1_4602140

 

Oops.

[Kiltox]

That might well be the itch I need to scratch especially if there's a tiny bit of room for negotiation on the price 

Don't suppose it's a BRC LPG system is it?

[andy18s]

Damn you Martin.....

If you can throw-in a conversion to lhd i'd have have it back in an instant.....

[Bren]

 

I have painted and lacquered the spoiler for the A6. Sikaflex will be used to bond it on. However, I have to flat and polish it first.

 

The rattle cans I used were not cheap (£23 for paint and lacquer from Ireland via ebay) but they are without doubt the best I have used. Upol plastic primer was applied first

 

I could not stomach paying £275 to have this done professionally.

 

Why do bodyshops make it sound like they are splitting the atom?

[andy18s]

The view from the hotel in downtown Veliko Turnovo once we'd checked in.....

[anonymous user]

 

space for some possible incoming grade A chod

Lancia Gamma?

[Skizzer]

Damn you Martin.....

If you can throw-in a conversion to lhd i'd have have it back in an instant.....

Soz mate!

 

That might well be the itch I need to scratch especially if there's a tiny bit of room for negotiation on the price

Don't suppose it's a BRC LPG system is it?

There might be a bit of wriggle room I suppose, let's see how much it owes me by the end of this week! Not sure what LPG system it is, there's a certificate somewhere.

 

It is a useful thing and very pleasant to roll around in, but I need to do a bit of fleet reduction and the Disco, Audi and Vauxhall are all on the like-but-could-survive-without list. The Golf will follow but I want it up and running first.

 

Lancia Gamma?

You might think that, I couldn't possibly comment.

 

Plans are a bit complicated, so we'll see what (if anything) works out.

[Kiltox]

Let me know how the MOT goes - definitely need to scratch the Disco itch before they get more scarce / go up in value 

[Kiltox]

First quote's in to repair my FiL's Picasso - £2,718 

Skizzer - start cleaning that Disco 

[wuvvum]

 

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/emergency_services_called_to_vehicle_fire_on_the_a11_1_4602140

 

Oops.

Bloody aircooled motors.  Now if he'd had a nice sensible Sherpa that would never have happened.

[wuvvum]

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

Nope, soz.

[Sheefag]

Saw a Primera GT identical to yours being driven in a spirited fashion near Basingstoke.

[254575]

replaced the inlet manifold gasket on the Streetwise over the weekend and what a transformation!

no more lumpy starts or white smoke trail the red arrows would be proud of.

 

I wonder how many IMG failures have been diagnosed as OMG HGF on the k series?

it looks a bit of a daunting job, but with numerous combinations of 3/8" drive bars all the bolts were on and off with no issues

[anonymous user]

I went down to Bridgend earlier (it's been raining on the TR7, somebody please buy it quick, before it dissolves) to collect my straightened and now slightly less dented back bumper for the Bentley. In the layby, where you go over the Sarn junction, was parked a Volvo 240 GLT estate with a for sale notice in the window. I didn't dare stop to see how much in case it is cheap and I feel I have to buy it. (If it's there tomorrow and I can stop I'll probably have a look)