The new news 24 thread

[egg]

Does it have its own thread Ray? it deserves it!

[RayMK]

Does it have its own thread Ray? it deserves it!

 

Thanks.  No, it doesn't have a thread, mainly because the Reliant only does about 500 miles per year when MOT'd and gets very little attention from me.  The dormant periods and my increasing age would make it too difficult for me to remember, whereas News 24hrs is ideal and contains an interesting variety of posts    .

[Spottedlaurel]

Ray, you are living the proverbial dream. Midweek pottering in something old and unusual, stopping to admire views and eat sandwiches? Hurry up retirement!

[RayMK]

Don't wish your life away.  Retirement is quite pleasant if you remain reasonably agile.  When I work underneath cars, people think I've collapsed or been run over 'cos my two walking sticks are usually scattered nearby.  The permanently on holiday aspect is nice though  .   It was bloody freezing in the wind at Burton Dassett and the Reliant does not have a heater.  Fortunately it's only about 23 miles from home, so I could rush* back to get warm.  Oh.  The central heating boiler broke two years ago.  Will have to burn some more furniture. 

[MarvinsMom]

update of the update....

 

we got about 12 miles before the metro coughed, spluttered and stopped.

 

seems that the spark has either leaked out, or it just escaped.

 

suspects are the condenser or the coil. as these are available in our box of spares, so we are going to swap these bits out, and see if that makes any difference.

 

if not, 

 

then i don't flippin' know.......

update v 2.0

 

changed the dissy this evening for the spare one, which has "good" condenser and points fitted and gapped.

 

turns engine over, it coughs and splutters, like it WANTS to run, but cannot,

 

check everything over, i've managed to get the ht cables for cylinder 1 and 2 mixed up.

 

put the leads on the right way round, and car starts straight up (again).i let iut run untill the cooling fan kicked in, so at the moment, all seems well.

 

am going to drive it on the road tomorrow, will we get further than 12 miles before it stops again?

 

place bets now!!

[stuboy]

Rover of beauty on touch of frosty

[17-Coffees]

My parents amaze me with how well they know me, was told they found something I'd love at a local second hand shop, which they then bought me.

Useing the iPod so will limit it to one picture for now, but you guys will love it I'm sure!

 

There is plenty more where this came from!

[bramz7]

Little AX booked for an MOT in a week or so. Last MOT didn't really mention anything, hopefully that's a good sign for me.

I'll then break it to the Citroen specialist I'm taking it to that they are the chosen ones for the BX Estate rear arm bearings too, let's see how enthusiastic a response that gets....

[Essex V6]

Since the last time I went the stratospheric test hanger is open. This was brilliant- I walked in just after I arrived and no one else was around so had a personal guided tour by the friendly guide.

The Wellington hanger has now gone from the start/finish straight and the Loch Ness Wellington is now here.

I remember my dad taking me down to Loch Ness to see the Wellington being exhumed!

[oldcars]

My drive is full to overflowing...

IMG_0839.JPG

In fact it has overflowed as the rover vitesse has to live elsewhere!

75 and an Express van, living the dream 

[Bear]

So here's a question for the SVM...

 

If you take the dashboard out of a Volvo 740, but don't disconnect the battery, does it usually have some immense electrical drain and flatten it overnight, or did I do something daft like leaving a light on that I can't find any evidence of?

 

The 740's dashboard doesn't have solder, it has metal staples. Willing a dash bulb put pressure somewhere that made the fuel gauge work, so I'm going to replace the bulbs, and get some contact cleaner in there.

[dollywobbler]

My Reliant Regal MKVI passed its MOT this morning with no advisories. To celebrate, I drove it to Burton Dassett country park (piccies below), with a full tool kit and aerosol carb cleaner in the boot.  The car has not been on the road since last August when the previous MOT expired and I was half expecting problems from mucky petrol/tank crud after its long rest.  The drive there was ok and I parked to admire the view and have a sandwich.  When I restarted to drive home about 30 minutes later, the car would only idle.  The engine died at the slightest bit of throttle. Choke made no difference.  With the engine exposed by removal of the internal cowl (two toggle clamps), the Solex carb jets are easily accessed.  I removed each one in turn to blast with aerosol carb cleaner, also blasting the vacant orifice whilst the jet was out.  With everything re-installed and cowl replaced, the engine started readily and responded normally to the throttle.  The run home was uneventful.  Having got used to the terror of handling 17bhp (on a good day) and a fierce clutch while balanced on three elderly cross ply tyres, I sort of enjoyed it. 

 

Lovely. I used to commute over Burton Dassett on my way from Northants to Stratford. One icy day, I stupidly decided it'd be fun to see how slippery it was. Came careering down the otherside in the 2CV. Couldn't brake and even engine braking caused a skid. Ahead of me, a Vectra had already spun off and was driving back onto the road. Oh. I stopped by driving into a hillock at the side of the road. It worked! Good ol' steel bumpers.

[dave21478]

Hmmm.

 

*prod*

 

FFS.

 

*buff*

 

*weld*

 

*skoosh*

 

Fixed.

 

 

 

 

FFS.

 

*weld*

 

fixed.

 

 

 

[ruffgeezer]

There is another day of work between me and my latest collection, I am quite excited and hope that I will like the car I have just bought having not seen it for more than 10 minutes before.

 

It's only done 300k miles, wcpgw?

[HMC]

It's been a rover themed day......

 

I found one in a hedge....

 

And drove a less valuable one, and fitted some new old style font plates to it....

[worldofceri]

.... exited house to jump in car. Person of oriental shade is standing at the corner of our terrace, looking.. errm.. shall we say 'focussed' on the near horizon/agitated about being made to wait.

 

I'm in the car now, watching him in the door mirror, and - boom - a DarkBloo A4/tints and even more oriental/bearded guy pulls up [back to front baseball hat* winning!]

 

'My' guy heaves in through the open window & retreats back across the pavement and - boof - into the flat.

 

A4 is gone*.......

 

A: Was this his brother bringing him the spare front door key, as he was desperate for the dunny...

 

B: I should keep my eyes down... ?

 

 

*no photo of Audi, for lazy spotters thread/police5 sozz

 

 

TS

'Your' man was purchasing narcotics from the dude/s in the A4, I expect.

[richardmorris]

I remember my dad taking me down to Loch Ness to see the Wellington being exhumed!

I remember watching it on blue peter!

[stuboy]

Driving between sites dropped of client and check oil warning light came on dam vw's...lol so borrowed this hunny to go buy oil.. over confusing heating controls to take eyes of the road .. and automatic handbrake take 1secs too long to come off...how inconvienient...lol

[beko1987]

The trick is to put it in d, blip the throttle to take the handbrake off without really moving then move off as normal! I've learnt that, otherwise it strains against the bandbrake

[stuboy]

The trick is to put it in d, blip the throttle to take the handbrake off without really moving then move off as normal! I've learnt that, otherwise it strains against the bandbrake

this turd is manual

[DodgyBastard]

While changing the shocks on the lada I had an idea!

I think these espace wheels could work...

 

Sent from my F5321 using Tapatalk

[dave21478]

Got back home just now to find people from the village flapping in the street. Turns out the unlikeable old dude at the end of the village dropped dead from a heart attack. They tried reviving him while waiting for the hambulance but it didnt work.

Bummer, etc.... I dont take pleasure from his death even though he was a mental right-wing twat. He was one of those super-fit types that goes jogging every couple of days and runs marathons for fun despite being in his 70s, while I sit here eating noodles and am about to scoff a whole tube of Pringles.

 

On the plus side, thats one less vote for lePen. 

 

I wonder if its a bit too soon to go and make his wife an offer for one of his Panhards?

[RobT]

It's a good job on-street parking is free where I live.

 

 

The Ford in front has a massive tow bar which I managed to twat with the Omega's front bumper.  More patina added!

[Spottedlaurel]

While changing the shocks on the lada I had an idea!

I think these espace wheels could work...

 

In similar vein:

 

Wartburg 1 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

[Bobthebeard]

Work has recommenced on the Oldsmobile. Partly due to decent weather and also some encouraging messages from Purplebargeken!

Rear brakes need sorting, pads are down to the metal so are being replaced. A general wire brushing and clean up of the rear suspension etc is underway.

It all looks fairly grotty underneath but so far is very solid under the grot. Broken monoleaf transverse rear spring was replaced with a multileaf metal one (from Canada, seriously difficult to source!), plus new isolator pads under the ends of the spring.

 

[blackboilersuit]

Set to after work today and 400 broken plastic clips later I got the front bumper off and was able to fit my new* headlight. Required after I brushed a wall back in December due to an unfortunate shit tyres/black ice/corner incident on the way to work. The wing has been pushed back into place so I've now got acceptable panel gaps and there's only a giffer scrape left behind as a reminder that it happened at all.

 

The new* light showed up how cloudy the other one was so I got busy with the 1200 grit followed by autosol and elbow grease. Neither look like new but they both now look acceptable.

 

Unexpected bonus came when I checked when my MOT expiry date only to find it's July and not June as I thought. Takes the pressure off a bit. Caliper rebuild kits, drop links and trim clips ordered so not ready to see the man from the ministry just yet......

[Bobthebeard]

Am really wondering/dithering on the way forward with the Olds TBH.

1.Keep it as is, patina and all.

2.Restore it completely.

3.Go down the Retro Rides route. (Slightly)

4. Full re spray in satin black with bucket seats, cherry bomb exhaust and red interior*

 

* No 4 is tongue in cheek... But an option...

[purplebargeken]

You can't resist a sticker!

 

Looking good. What happened to the interior??

[purplebargeken]

Option 4 Sounds like win!!!!! I would!

[andy18s]

Am really wondering/dithering on the way forward with the Olds TBH.

1.Keep it as is, patina and all.

2.Restore it completely.

3.Go down the Retro Rides route. (Slightly)

4. Full re spray in satin black with bucket seats, cherry bomb exhaust and red interior*

 

* No 4 is tongue in cheek... But an option...

Isn't option 3 the same as 4?