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Today all the snow magically disappeared here, so I gave the 623 a clean.  2 bucket wrongness I'm afraid as it was filthy, what with all the salt about.

 

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The white jizz on the wheels is oven cleaner.  I'm yet to find anything that is good at deep cleaning alloys, and I had an old can of Mr Muscle knocking about so gave it a go.  Left it to soak for 30 mins and L@@K!

 

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Next up I gave the leather seats a quick wipe over, and I'd read a diluted mix of water and vinegar was the way to go as an economy option.  I started off sceptical but it did lift out a fair bit of muck, although probably needs another go.  The result is the interior smells like salt and vinegar crisps but I'm sure that'll soon fade.

 

Behold the caramac...

 

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The awful steering wheel and gear lever colour is what the owner previous to Bo11ox did.  I think he was trying to make it look like a 75, but over the years it has worn off so now looks a right old mess!

 

Not only is the dashboard in a superb colour, but it's a neat, uncluttered design (even if the passenger airbag does ruin the look a tad).

 

 

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Didn't need loads of effort either, just a wipe down in all the gaps with a sponge.  Very impressed!

 

It repaid me with all the attention by squealing from somewhere.  I think it's the rear brakes playing up again so off with the wheels tomorrow.

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I'll have to remember that Mr Muscle trick, it seems to work really well! Fab looking car too.

 

Me and the old chap tackled my Fiestas broken front spring today, about 3 weeks ago I hit a pothole which buckled the alloy, the local scrappy came up trumps with a new wheel for £20 and I thought that was that until Thursday when I left for work and the spring went bang, arse!

 

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As I'm planning on changing the car once I find a replacement I decided on just changing the one spring, big mistake, whilst the cars sat there for a day lop sided the other spring broke and I didn't realise until we finished the first spring! ECP is closed tomorrow so it's going to have to wait a few days now but at least it will have a new set of Boge front springs fitted for the next owner!

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Next up I gave the leather seats a quick wipe over, and I'd read a diluted mix of water and vinegar was the way to go as an economy option.  I started off sceptical but it did lift out a fair bit of muck, although probably needs another go.  The result is the interior smells like salt and vinegar crisps but I'm sure that'll soon fade.

 

 

Use Lux soap flakes, soft tooth brush and wipe off with a soft towel.

Doesn't stink and is kinder to the leather.

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The replacement driver's door mirror glass for the Perodua arrived in the post.  It's much too small.  I couldn't find a Myvi mirror so ordered a Sirion one as they're the same car, but Perodua mirrors are apparently bigger.  Still, it fits in the casing and is good enough to pass a test so I've stuck it in with a combination of double-sided tape and superglue, and it can stay unless / until I can find a proper Myvi one.  I did think about buying one of those plastic cut-out-and-stick-on mirrors, but I've never managed to get one of those to go flat enough to provide any meaningful view of what's behind.

 

Make a template, go to a glazier.

My last mirror cost me about a pound.

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Last bottle of milk in the village, that'll be £200 please, Ian.

 

Nah. Folk are nice around here. I called beforehand to make sure they had some in stock. Neighbours went all the way to town yesterday, to discover the supermarkets are mostly empty. Main route into Aberystwyth is still blocked, so no deliveries.

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Woke up this morning to see some absolutely devastating photographs of a mate's workshop, which has been gutted by fire. I'm sure a few of you lot also know Dez, who has built some pretty heroic cars over the last few years. Fixing shit old cars is also his sole source of income and it seems like right now he has lost absolutely everything he has to the fire. If anyone can spare a couple of quid, please consider following the link to the just giving page that has been set up - takes 30 seconds and you can use PayPal. cheers!

 

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/james-hill

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BMW broke down today. (Yes, I can hear the cheers at the back) temp shot up to bear Red so coasted down a hill and into a carpark and switched off the car. Lack of coolant hasn't done things very well, but when I added a bit more water, the bloody thing refused to start. It 'coughed' and then nothing. Sounds like the battery needs a bit of help.

 

 

 

 

That's not good.

 

Sounds like the usual N42 HGF - they breach between cylinders and incoming coolant puts the spark out. With a booster back and a Big Bastard Battery they can be persuaded to just about run with someone else spraying Easy Start down its gullet but the coughing back when cranking is a normal symptom.

 

Still, it was free!

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Car SOS is back on Thursday at 8pm National Geographic , dad and son buy MGA , son gets married , goes on honeymoon , doesn't come back , bride and groom downed while swimming , sounds like it'll be quite emotional

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I took the Metro out for a spev today as it hasnt turned a wheel for ages. It fired right up and is still running well. It was pretty grubby and since my outdoors tap is isolated for the winter I found a carwash place in town with a decent jetwash....no pre-programmed bollocks, just feed in eurosheckel coins for time and then select which function you want with big buttons on the machine...soapy water, brush, foam cannon, rinse etc...It came up really well.

 

On the down side I think the clutch might be beginning to tire. The bite point is very low and where it used to chirp the front wheels at a brisk standing start it now wont. It doesnt slip in normal driving, but will if pushed hard. I suspect its not got long left.

Motivation for changing that is pretty low, not least of which is because A-series shit with gearbox underneath and cryptic back-to-front clutch and also my flywheel puller is I believe one of the tools I have loaned out in the past and never been returned.

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I like it how theres a tragic sob story attatched to each and every build. Oh wait, no I dont. That sad music, emotionally manipultive DIY SOS style of programing can get to fuck. Good on them for doing it but Ive no wish to spend my time watching strangers cry on telly so we can all clap when the happy uplifting music plays at the end.

 

Cars, not fucking emotions.

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Car SOS is back on Thursday at 8pm National Geographic , dad and son buy MGA , son gets married , goes on honeymoon , doesn't come back , bride and groom downed while swimming , sounds like it'll be quite emotional

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/motoring/car-sos-takes-real-life-12114935

 

..... moar ear....

 

TS

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I like it how theres a tragic sob story attatched to each and every build. Oh wait, no I dont. That sad music, emotionally manipultive DIY SOS style of programing can get to fuck. Good on them for doing it but Ive no wish to spend my time watching strangers cry on telly so we can all clap when the happy uplifting music plays at the end.

 

Cars, not fucking emotions.

 

Precisely why I stopped watching Disney films when I was 10.   There is enough upset in the world without having your emotions strummed like a cheap guitar.

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Following on from my previous embarrassing V40 incident, can anyone give me a reason not to bid on this?

 

It was up before and I didn't bid, mostly because I didn't have marital approval, but I do now.  Re-listed as winning bidder didn't show up.

 

MoT history suggests a proper giffer-mobile, about 1,000 miles per year in recent years.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-v40-2-0-petrol-automatic-estate/323113811893

 

I'm sorely tempted, even at the asking price, but will probably put in a best-offer anyway.

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^^ No Tow-Bar.... +point for me  :-P

 

TS

Me too mate!

 

You see so many cars on the motorway towing trailers and caravans with their arse dragging along the road, dread to think how much that accelerates wear on the suspension and drivetrain.

 

EDIT: Just realised what your sig image spells out...

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can anyone give me a reason not to bid on this?

 

No reason, as the seller scores highly in the written English stakes with an error score of less than 5.

 

Nice reg number too.

 

Then there's the long mot and stuff like that.

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Computer ate the rest of the post again. :roll:

 

As I was saying....

 

 

I took the Metro out for a spev today as it hasnt turned a wheel for ages. It fired right up and is still running well. It was pretty grubby and since my outdoors tap is isolated for the winter I found a carwash place in town with a decent jetwash....no pre-programmed bollocks, just feed in eurosheckel coins for time and then select which function you want with big buttons on the machine...soapy water, brush, foam cannon, rinse etc...It came up really well.

 

On the down side I think the clutch might be beginning to tire. The bite point is very low and where it used to chirp the front wheels at a brisk standing start it now wont. It doesnt slip in normal driving, but will if pushed hard. I suspect its not got long left.

Motivation for changing that is pretty low, not least of which is because A-series shit with gearbox underneath and cryptic back-to-front clutch and also my flywheel puller is I believe one of the tools I have loaned out in the past and never been returned.

 

Back home and it gets more room to itself in this half garage thing as the panda is in bits in the main garage. Normally it has to be wedged in diagonally with the front corner just peeking outside to get rained on.

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Since I have the self control and financial acumen of a nine year old girl at a My Little Pony convention, I am considering buying some alloy wheels for it. Ideally I want a set of Compomotive MO in white, but since I am not made of money and they only come up for sale in the right fitment very rarely I reckon it will be second choice of a set of 4-spoke revolutions. Or rather Revolution copies which can be had for £reasonable from the usual mini places.

 

Speaking of the Panda, I have lost momentum on the engine swap....its all in and nearly finished but I cant be bothered.

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I tend to just sit and stare at it while daydreaming of winning the lottery and banging a bunch of 19 year olds in a jacuzzi full of whipped cream, and occasionally do something non productive like spend an inordinate amount of time getting the old metal air filter housing to fit on the new throttle body so I dont have to use the modern black plastic shit.

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Instead of doing something productive like fitting the fuel pump and fuel lines. 

 

Its taking up an annoying amount of garage space though, 

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But I am fed up of spending every waking moment either at my endless punishment job or fiddling with cars.

 

 Vaguely related to garage space, I bought a valu range kitchen unit to house laptop and stereo in an attempt to keep them clean.

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I  will also keep diagnostic stuff in there. In fact, given how cheap they are i might buy a load more and put a row of them above a workbench as I am sick of everything constantly covered in dust from the floor, grinding dust, sawdust, mouse shit and water from the leaky roof, all of which killed the previous laptop and stereo and loads of other stuff.

 

 

[/tedious blog]

 

 

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Today I finally managed to get over to FORMER_CMS_TOWERS to finish the last of the cleanup before handing the house back - this should have been done last week but snow meant I couldn't get out the street.

 

Not that it mattered because the housing association offices were shut as well.

 

Anyway, this also meant the last of my stuff had to move from the old house.

 

Needless to say, boost pack on, check levels, key in... vroom! Decided to haul it up the garage tomorrow morning for a pre-MOT bellyrub as it's needed welding the last two years, but so far the only grump looks like a sticky brake on the nearside rear.

 

Are these 1.3 8v Mazda lumps non-interference? I seem to recall they are.a4875b5ceca58202538efd74e515a06d.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

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Hmm... need to go to the shop because there's nothing in for tea.  It's a bit slushy out, and dark...  So do we take the modern diesel Rover that has been used every day this week, or do we take the Princess that's been under 8" of snow for a week?

 

Yeah, took the Princess.  Surprisingly capable and stable in the slush and got held up by someone in a modern hatchback doing 15mph in a 40mph on roads that had no snow, slush or ice on them and excellent visibility.  One problem with the new door mirrors over the wing mirrors is that they seem to fog up quite badly when it's cold, which is slightly annoying.

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