The new news 24 thread

[HMC]

That jag is fantastic

[shedvan]

That is one hot Daimler, and funny how small it looks in comparison to the parking bay and the other motors in sight

[Shep Shepherd]

^

The Mondeo makes it look a lot smaller than it actually is. I know which car I'd rather have

[coalnotdole]

My Red Scimitar GTE just passed another MOT with no advisories. I'd Spent a bit of time this morning putting some correct length towbar bolts on there, fitting a new washer jet pump and some other loose ends. So was very glad that there was nothing more to do.

 

Hopefully the next time I'm at the test station I'll be getting the GT's ticket!

[cobblers]

On tuesday I went to 1998 and returned with it's mk3 golf:

 

 

It's not a GTi or nothing, it's an "SE Diesel" which is 1.9 non turbo, looks like a GTI but has zero spec inside apart from a revcounter. It drives absolutely cracking considering it's on almost 200k.

[vulgalour]

The pursuit of happiness is leading me to move again. My business is dead in the water, my motivation and passion for it has gone. I'm clearing the work already paid for steadily and making no effort to garner new trade now. It is the right thing to do. So, I approached the Job Centre because foolishly I thought signing on would be sensible at this juncture so that I could find a new job but, even though my income is currently NIL, they refused to help me and told me to speak to Citizens Advice Bureau instead! Called that stalwart friend, Adecco, and they've informed me that they have work available that I'm qualified and experienced to do and in the parts of the country I want to work in. Adecco have always been good to me when I've needed work and have always been understanding of my situation, it looks like they're going to pull me through this time too. It's strange and exciting and horrible all in equal measure but I think it's overdue. A fresh, clean start in a part of the country I don't know to be with the one I love is probably the most sensible solution to my predicament that I've had since this whole sorry mess began. I shall be moving from Derbyshire to Middlesbrough and I can only hope that this time things work out for me. I'll probably have to buy even more tweed to combat the bitter Northern cold.

[dollywobbler]

Good luck with it VA. A change is as good as a rest as they say.

 

For two years now, the 2CV has been getting advisories on the MOT for kingpin wear. The problem is that the pin has worn the hole in the suspension arm. You can get oversized pins, but I'm not keen on that solution but a well known 2CV Specialist has recently located to Herefordshire AND has a stock of good arms. Plan is to nip over there at some point, get a new arm fitted and then hopefully all will be well for the MOT. It's up on 15th April. The engine is still far from healthy, but engine swapsies is for another day - after the MOT. It should last that long I think...

 

After that panic is dealt with, I can see how good the new spare engine is with a view to fitting that. Assuming she does actually pass the MOT. After THAT I can turn my attention to the new 2CV. In the midst of all this, I'll have a new BX which may well need some fettling. I still need to sell the other BX and the Mercedes is going to have to go too. Would be nice to move that on before the tax runs out in April.

[Shep Shepherd]

Best of luck with your move Angyl. I hope that it works out for you both

[walk]

The Dedra is now out of hibernation and fettled ready for daily driving duties - just had a new cambelt and front discs and pads fitted and all is good!

 

Oh yeah it also suffered a minor (very nearly major) fuel leak but thankfully I caught it in time and a couple of new fuel hoses have solved the issue. You've gotta laugh

 

Updates to follow...

[HMC]

Having issues with the distributor on the Amazon. As its my daily driver, im tempted to buy one of those 123 electonic distributor thingies and lob the worn distributor in the bin. Anyone any experience in upgrading an older car to one of these?

 

A recent pic of the volvo with its more exotic stablemate, which is proving more reliable at the mo!

[dollywobbler]

123? Let's see. Fitted one to the 2CV. It lasted 40,000 miles. Bought an H van with one fitted. It failed randomly. Fitted a 123 copy to the 2CV. It failed after less than 10,000 miles.

 

Points assisted is the future. Well, it's the past as well, but it's the technology I choose. You still have points, but no condenser and the life of the points is vastly increased. The 2CV has now been on the same set of points for over 40,000 miles.

[Station]

Bedford Rascal owners do this with electronic ignition,, it greatly improves the running and starting. Do it!

[Lord Sterling]

Bloody hell, I'd forgotton how bloody hectic things were at the garage. I am working there temporarily to keep my bill low regarding the KV6 exhaust saga. Customers ringing up literally every 5 minutes wanting to know whether thier car is fixed despite the fact that this garage takes on more cars than it can cope with and trying to complete 10 jobs at once, I have a headache now.

 

Driving home tonight in the Micra, one of the rear tyres decided to disintegrate, so up I pulled in a local car park to change the wheel. The tyre on the spare is an unused one that has never seen the road since new, the tyre is an original Dunlop, so 2 new tyres on the back is called for as I'd like to keep the original spare tyre and wheel clean and original for as long as I can.

[sporty-shite]

Best of luck to you, VA. Hope all works out well for you.

 

However, you'll need more than tweed for the cold up there!!

[fiatdaft]

Soft southerners !

[shedvan]

Brave choice VA Middlesbrough is one of the bleakest places I've ever been

[CreepingJesus]

Brave choice VA Middlesbrough is one of the bleakest places I've ever been

 

You've never been to Kirkcaldy then...

 

Dunno about 'Boro itself, but I had cause to park a truck on the main road in Marton more than once. It seemed ok. It wasn't Stockton.

Hope the move works out for you VA, it's best to do these things while you can. I'm stuck with Fucking Fife.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

I'm good friends with someone who used to live in Marton (he now lives in Leeds). Behind his mild-mannered and somewhat eccentric exterior, he is a seriously hard bastard who is well known and respected in 'Boro

[Lord Sterling]

Just read the last page of this thread again. Good luck with your new job and life, something good does sometimes pop out of the blue when you least expect it.

 

I'm still lookimg for that opportunity or chance to get me out of this mess, funnily enough I am still working at the old garage I jsed to work at, but financially rewarding it isn't. Its a shame as the guys are great to get on with, I rea, ly do like working there despite the endless amounts of mouthbreather customers I have to contend with.

 

I take it Adecco is some sort of agency? Yes, despite the shittiest jobs they offer, they do often save the day when your in need of fast money, one week you could be sitting at home on the dole with no prespects and desperate, the next week or two your earning money and feeling better about yourself, despite the fact that its a shit job, your doing something.

 

Not been to Middlesborough myself (or at least I can remember) but my neighbour is from there and has a strong Geordy-ish type accent.

[vulgalour]

I just learned my grandmother died today. I've not been able to get her address out of the family for several years, so I didn't get to see her before she left. I used to visit her once or twice a week, but when she had to move into a nursing home we lost contact and nobody was willing to help us get in touch with one another. I'm a very strange combination of furious and bereaved right now, once upon a time we were very close.

[mk1_4dr]

Very sorry to hear that VA, my condolences.

 

Shocking that your family wouldn't give you her address though!

[vulgalour]

I don't know their reasons for it, I really don't. Finding out that the 'last minute shopping trip' they did on Saturday was actually my last chance to see my gran alive doesn't help my feelings either. Had I known they were visiting her I probably would have joined them, I live under the same roof after all. But now I have to bite my tongue and bottle my anger at least until I get out of this house. My Aunt, whom I haven't spoken to for a very long time due to a family drama I shan't go into here, has at least promised to keep me in the loop and she's always been true to her word.

[dollywobbler]

Bad times.

 

Anyway, looks like I've recruited another Autoshite member to the BX cause. This hopefully means that my parking issues will be short lived. Currently have a rolling chassis in the garage, so both 2CVs are outside and I'll have two BXs here from tomorrow - plus the Mercedes. The additional BX means all parking spaces will be taken and that I'll have to shuffle cars to get the rearmost one out.

[trigger]

I've spent this week de-rusting the steel wheels on the Alto, they were pretty bad and well pitted but I only want to tidy them up so I just got jiggy with a wheel wire on a drill.

 

 

lots of paint and sanding latter I've managed to finish them and fit them.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

I'm not that impressed really, the paint reacted a little and the silver looks far to bright and glossy, I might repaint them again at a latter date but I doubt I will bother.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

Also changed the rubber fuel pipe from the carb to the fuel filter and main metal fuel pipe as the rubber had gone porous and start to leak petrol, after the incident I had on my Kadett a few years back I don't take any chances with fuel pipes.

[cobblers]

That's such a dainty little car, I'd love to see it parked next to a new mini or something

 

Did you use specific stuff called wheel silver? every paint I've ever used that's called "wheel silver" seems to be trying to look like wanky chrome and just highlights any imperfections like a sore thumb. VW reflex silver is what I tend to go for as "normal silver wheel colour"

[trigger]

I used U-Pol Steel Wheels which I'm sure was the same stuff I used on my old Mk3 Escort and which looked fine, this however does look more like chrome like you say, Good call about the VW paint, I'll have to remember that.

 

I haven't got any decent photos of it yet parked next to other cars but It really is as small as it looks, I find it a bit embarrassing to drive as I'm 5ft 11, I had a load of teenages at a bus stop laughing at me in it a few days back whilst in traffic... Bus wankers.

 

My wife took this in her works car park, it gives you a idea how small it is next to what ever that silver car is, the Alto is the only car that can fit in that gap as well.

 

[M'coli]

It's not just that it's small, there are few cars of that age and that size that have 4/5 doors!

[Angrydicky]

So what does Mrs Trig make of the Alto? Is it a keeper?

[trigger]

She likes it! she says that it's cute looking and very easy to park but does moan about the MW radio and Neil Diamond on Amber Gold. (she has no taste in music!).

 

I doubt it will be a keeper though as current plans are to sell our daily for a new Fiesta/Focus type car which she can use and me to buy a bigger old car for work, mind you it's good fun for whizzing around town in so who knows, she might keep the Alto and I'll get the new car!

[barefoot]

I'm going to be pushing the law to its limits in the next couple of weeks - or not.

 

Monday - I have the sorned T2 booked in for an MOT - which it can't actually take until the next day, for it will be a day too early and I'll lose a month,

but it's going to the garage anyway via the petrol station, the garage is actually a VW specialist & not the actual garage what will MOT it.

But all 3 destinations are within a mile of home so not the end of the world really.

 

Later on, when all this is back at home & MOT'd

I have to pay the balance on my tickets to Glastonbury and the additional Camper van supplement - 500 odd quid - on the 2nd...

Scirocco tax is due on the 1st....

Payday is obviously the 6th!

 

Anyone have a Chinese 50cc ped they want to give away?