The new news 24 thread

[bub2006]

1.5td lumps 68bhp 1.7 n/a engines 59bhp 1.7td 75bhp slowly rising to 80bhp just before cdti engines bouht in around 2003.

[wuvvum]

They did do a non-turbo 1.5D version of the Corsa B for a while - it was around 50bhp, so not excactly a ball of fire.

[Negative Creep]

Took possesion of my Granddad's Punto today

 

 

In true old giffer style, he's owned it from new and covered 24k in that time - in fact I believe it only left Kent on two occasions. Every single receipt from new, serviced on the dot, warmed up before he drove anywhere and totally original. Annoyingly though, the radio doesn't work. It switches on but no sound at all so may be the interal amp that's buggered. Whilst I have all the stuff to fix it at home, that could mean driving all the way back there in silence. Thanks to the "useful" continuous insurance legislation, I'm now going to have to SORN the Bluebird as well

[Cavcraft]

Yep tthey defo do an n/a 1.5 diesel in the Corsa. I wish this was a turbo diesel as theyte mental. Thetes a few niggles with it but mostly bodywork stuff.

[dollywobbler]

Wuv - I think the MOT is only concerned with whether the brakes work. Can't imagine they'd be that strong with no servo and all-round discs though.

 

Bluebird thermostat gasket is the culprit. It's dripping quite nicely. With all the faffing to get the 'stat fitted earlier in the week, I fear I've mullered the new gasket. Now considering options. One is to try and bodge it up (I can't find my blue sealant nor could I buy any in town. Rubbish! I might try making a new gasket though...) the other is to just take the new BX. Which runs out of tax tomorrow and for which I don't have the full V5 yet (so I'll have to take all of my docs and find a Post Office somewhere).

 

I shall proceed with plan A initially, though plan B would also yield a useful saving in fuel costs, though it has a really bad wheel wobble, so I'd need to raid the estate for bolts to enable me to fit my winter tyres as I'd be replacing alloys with steel wheels.

 

Life is never bloody simple is it?

[bub2006]

Never knew of a n/a 1.5.,learn somethin new every day!

[Cavcraft]

Took possesion of my Granddad's Punto today

 

In true old giffer style, he's owned it from new and covered 24k in that time - in fact I believe it only left Kent on two occasions. Every single receipt from new, serviced on the dot, warmed up before he drove anywhere and totally original. Annoyingly though, the radio doesn't work. It switches on but no sound at all so may be the interal amp that's buggered. Whilst I have all the stuff to fix it at home, that could mean driving all the way back there in silence. Thanks to the "useful" continuous insurance legislation, I'm now going to have to SORN the Bluebird as well

 

 

That really does look good, they're very easy on the eye those Puntos.

[skattrd]

Cav - I doubt you'll want it, but I do have a turbo exhaust manifold from an Isuzu engined 1.5td Corsa B if you fancy doing silly things and possibly destroying the engine ... no turbo though as I used that on one of my kei cars.

 

Today I eventually got the ABS and cruise control sorted on the Volvo. After 3x sensors fitted over the last few weeks it still wasn't working, in the end it was 2x ABS rings on the front driveshafts, £3.49 each. However whilst doing these I did notice that the bushes in the rather beefy wishbones were looking a bit worse for wear ... MOT due soon so better get these sorted asap.

I have also picked up some cheap 15" steel wheels with snow tyres for it, I trial fitted them today and luckily they just clear the front callipers, so I'm ready for winter.

[Negative Creep]

Took possesion of my Granddad's Punto today

 

In true old giffer style, he's owned it from new and covered 24k in that time - in fact I believe it only left Kent on two occasions. Every single receipt from new, serviced on the dot, warmed up before he drove anywhere and totally original. Annoyingly though, the radio doesn't work. It switches on but no sound at all so may be the interal amp that's buggered. Whilst I have all the stuff to fix it at home, that could mean driving all the way back there in silence. Thanks to the "useful" continuous insurance legislation, I'm now going to have to SORN the Bluebird as well

 

 

That really does look good, they're very easy on the eye those Puntos.

 

 

I do agree the mk.2 is a very attractive shape. Naturally Fiat realised their error and quickly released an ugly facelift within a few years

[dollywobbler]

Bother. The thermostat seal is also stuffed on the Bluebird. Decision made. We'll just go in the BX instead. That meant ditching the front pair of alloys to get rid of a nasty wheel wobble, so she looks a bit odd at the moment.

 

Why only two wheels? Because I only have enough wheel bolts to fit two wheels. I had a set of four (for the spare if needed) that came with the car, and pinched another four from the BX estate (one from each wheel). That means the TXD is now running on a pair of winter tyres up front, but initial testing suggests they're still plenty grippy in the dry. I'll take it easy on them though as I don't want to wear them out!

[Negative Creep]

Check Engine light came on in the Punto for a few seconds, but hasn't since. Hmmmmm. Since it's Italian it's probably par for the core, although then again I can conclude ALL MODURN CARS R RUBISH AND DRIVEN BY GHAYS

[Lord Sterling]

WORD UP YA'LL

 

Work has made me very tired, today I woke up at nigh-on 2pm. I decided I didnt want to spend the day watching Homes under the hammer or whatever and crack on with the Micra.

 

A few weeks back I bought a couple of rear interior trim panels from the scrappy, I offered them for fitting but couldnt for the life of me get the bolt that holds the seatbelt on the B-pillar off so gave up. Today I managed to loosen the bolt it with a big ratchet from my mates garage, then at another mates car-wash I cracked on with getting the trim changed over:

 

B4:

 

AFTA:

 

Took me about 10mins per side being careful and I'm well chuffed with the results. After that I treated the thing to a wash'n'wax.

 

A few weeks ago, I bought some Micra fog-lights. Along with the fog lights, the lad also threw in a rear ashtray, and as if that wasnt enough he chucked in the headbrake surround with it. REZULTz.

 

I couldnt be arsed to change the surround so chucked in the Grey rear ashtray to replace the beige one I had:

 

BEIGE:

 

GREY:

 

Beige/Grey/Greige they really are old peoples colours arent they?

 

Anyway, its not the right shade of Grey but I dont care, I got one in my otherwise low-spec Micra.

 

NOICE WUN AR KID

[dollywobbler]

Forgot to mention. I saw this today. Needs some TLC (but will probably be scrapped next week I imagine).

[barefoot]

I'm not sure it's the right place to post this, but thought y'all might like it.

 

 

in the car park at Boots / Derby, absolutely immaculate - automatic & lots of disabled stickers / passes inside - amazing.

[HMC]

That looks bloody lovely! Coventry (Ryton?) registered

[Cavcraft]

Cheers Skatt, a kind offer but I'm leaving the Corsa 'as is' for now, many thanks though.

 

Today I may (hint, hint WOLRD OF WARCRAFT) be getting another motor. In doing so I shall have more faces than several town hall clocks, as to me it's the car version of an Iveco.

Bit of a merry-go-round in the lock up department, Merc out (and gone) Cavalier in, Nissan moved (bastarding Gumtree target audience FAIL) and the Corsa will probably be ine of the garages later too.

 

*Edit: I also bought another cycle yesterday, hoping to collect it this week coming. It's a funky modern version of a funky old fashioned bike, though it's probably going to be too small to ride too much!

[Richard]

Focus?

[Cavcraft]

Worse. Far, far worse.

[Cavcraft]

The latter, you win the cigar!

[Cavcraft]

In other news I now no longer own a Corsa diesel and I may have to do some more town hall clock/multiface interspersing about Gumtree

 

I might no longer have a Nissan either tomorrow as Corsa buyer tabled me an offer for that too. Just not quite enough to tempt me tonight.

[Cavcraft]

Also in other news the Nissan should be off tomorrow, just received a deposit for it via Paypal.

[Tayne]

.

[Cavcraft]

It's an e-cigar. A bit like an e-threat from some bellend on a Corsa forum, or an e-mail from Orange, it'll never actually get delivered sorry. The thought was there though.

[Pete-M]

Impreza header tank seal has popped. Oh joy. Doesn't actually lose much coolant but steams like Ivor the Engine trying to outrun a Pendalino. Header tank is an alloy one made in two parts then pressed together with a rubber seal in the middle - which appears to cause more Subaru deaths than Colin McRae ever managed.

 

Search eBay and all that's out there is knackered looking old ones or full stainless race type ones. Call to Import Jap parts place and Im now £96 worse off but should have a nice shiny new OEM one tomorrow...

 

Still, could have been worse. Just lucky the tank is above one of the exhaust manifolds so as soon as it leaks there's a huge cloud of steam, otherwise it wouldn't have been that noticeable and could have led to OMGHGFx2..

[Negative Creep]

Drove the Punto home from Kent and managed 54mpg, with another 38 through town today. OMG MODURN CARS R GR5

 

However the engine light keeps flashing. This was causing concern, but having read the handbook it says to ignore it unless it stays on. I guess this is the point were I add an Italian build quality joke?

[vulgalour]

Went to see the possible donor Princess today. It's a fairly rotten HLS in Champagne Beige with a brown vinyl roof. It does have all the good bits I need with the exception of a front valance which I shall have to straighten out on mine but it's very crusty and very damp due to a couple of holes in the roof caused by rot where the vinyl roof has split.

 

£350 is the asking price, which includes delivery of the car for me to dismantle it, and collection of a rolling shell for the vendor to do with it as he pleases, which works out well for me. I'm waiting on word from the assessor (any day now) to decide the fate of mine, but I suspect there'll be some epic A-team type shenanigans where I call upon a crack team of shite fixers and get mine up and running again, even though some of my nearest and dearest keep telling me I should scrap Serendipity.

 

Full report on my build thread shortly.

[HMC]

The Collected the volvo on our way back from Germany via south london. The 850 reeks of cannabis, drives well enough but is a bit neglected in places. No rust to speak of, and a decent turn of speed when required. I've yet to have a really decent look round it. It came with a gangsta rap cd in the player

[dollywobbler]

Just got back from the big trip in the BX. That's taken it to just over 1000 miles in my ownership already. It clonked, creaked, groaned and occasionally failed to rise (moving the height lever got it moving) but it got us there and back and managed 54mpg while delivering impressive performance. The winter tyres seem very grippy, which is nice. The stereo is absolutely rubbish. Which is less nice.

[Pete-M]

Been a mad old day. Waited in for the Royal Mail to deliver the new header tank for the Impreza. "Before 1" they promise, so three of us waited in the house for Pat to get the day rolling. Pat must be SAS trained as he managed at 11:35 to drop a little red "Royal Fail" note through the letter box without being spotted, knocking or ringing the doorbell. 11:40 I'm outside the Sorting Office getting a manager to ring Pat to find out where the hell he's hiding. "He'll be there in less than 20 mins" says the manager chap, "I'll be there in 2, waiting for him with the little red fail slip in my hand". 5 mins later a battered Royal Mail Transit skids to a halt outside my house being driven by a very pissed off Pat. "Sign there", hands me the box and wheelspins away.

 

Took 10 mins to change the tank, refill the system and job done.

 

Went to a friends house and got him to run me to the garage where I'd sort his EML issues, then on up to get the Jag.

 

Jag back. Forgotten just how bloody epic a thing it is.

 

Loads of jobs to do. Valet it. Get it tracked, fit back bumper properly, get new rear arches, rear Bilsteins and trailing arm bushes, couple of plates needed underneath, replace the saggy headlining and get it all painted nicely.

 

Oh, and I need a Conti 255/45/17 if anyone has one...

[Lacquer Peel]

Car park dings?