The new news 24 thread

[clayts450]

Had a go at fixing the headlining today in the Streetshite - it'd started dropping right at the front, shortly after I had wired the dashcam in, and looked a bit Council hanging down.

 

Some magic adhesive in a can from Wilko was the weapon of choice but I ended up getting about a third of what I was spraying on the windscreen rather than the fabric and sponge backing.

 

I also glued all my thumbs and fingers together when I was smoothing the fabric out. The good news is with the mega hot weather it dried dead quick and has held. For now.

 

Few squirts of isopropanol on the windscreen and on me and all was well with the world again.

 

Massive improvement, although admittedly not perfect at all. In the words of any bodger, 'aye, that'll do'

 

Have a shite photo which shows nothing useful

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

It IS possible to get the original number re-issued from DVLA for a car that has been recorded as scrap. but it is a lot of work. A friend recently did this.

 

My problem is trying to track down a number that the oul man had on his Beetle in the 1960s. The car is long gone, but the last time I asked DVLA about it, they said they had no record of it so could not reissue the number.

[BavarianRetro]

Potential problem there is if you ring up with that VIN and its declared scrap that's the end of it. If its got no numbers at all on it though its complete unknown so as such you could register it.

Not necessarily. If you can establish that it is the same car and it exists, the DVLA can accept that the cod was issued in error and give you a V5.

 

I've done it. Needed an inspection and evidence, but it was done successfully.

[Crusty Sills]

New car purchased off of eBay, sight unseen obviously, no MOT been off the road for year! Not terribly old and most of you won't like it! But its cheap, broken and to far away! And

Mrs sills doesn't know yet!!!!

[MorrisItalSLX]

It comes with a free but very rusty Ital Estate too.

 

How bad is the Ital? Terminal or just very rough?

 

It is possible that you could get the Ital for £notmuch due to being "fucked" and spend the time welding it up as opposed to spending the time on the phone to the DVLA whilst they slowly tighten a jubilee clip around your testicals trying to get the Marina legalised.

Then you would end up with a much rarer, and therefore more desireable*, Ital estate that would match the Ital van perfectly!

[Saabnut]

My problem is trying to track down a number that the oul man had on his Beetle in the 1960s. The car is long gone, but the last time I asked DVLA about it, they said they had no record of it so could not reissue the number.

 

If the DVLA have no record of the number, it means the car was scrapped before the computerised system came in, and if the car itself has as you say been long gone, then the number is also gone as there are no circumstances that DVLA will reissue a dead number (until they start flogging them off of course).

[dollywobbler]

It IS possible to get the original number re-issued from DVLA for a car that has been recorded as scrap. but it is a lot of work. A friend recently did this.

My Invacar was scrapped. It wasn't very hard to undo, but perhaps there is a precedent set for them?

[alcyonecorporation]

Have been enjoying the ex-RayMK Stellar over the weekend. 

It clicked over to 85k yesterday - and has been baffling all and sundry at work. 
A delightful anachronism. 

 

 

[LightBulbFun]

got my afternoon "tea" activity sorted out! (note to self: take an instagram food photograph course, it looks like im trying to feed DW my chips...)

 

[BorniteIdentity]

Have been enjoying the ex-RayMK Stellar over the weekend.

 

It clicked over to 85k yesterday - and has been baffling all and sundry at work.

A delightful anachronism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forgive me, was that the gratis car? I didn’t really keep up with what happened to the free one. Not sure it was even Ray who was offering his (rubbish with names, me.)

 

Anyway, it looks smashing. Enjoy it!

[RayMK]

Forgive me, was that the gratis car? I didn’t really keep up with what happened to the free one. Not sure it was even Ray who was offering his (rubbish with names, me.)

 

Anyway, it looks smashing. Enjoy it!

 

Yes, it was my car and it was a pleasure to meet Mr alcyonecorporation after the Stellar passed its MOT on 7th June with only a couple of minor advisories (ball joint dust covers).  My son's Tipo will also be going soon if the winning ebay bidder turns up - bidding closes at 9pm(ish) this evening.

 

The extra two spaces on my driveway will make it easier to extract my '61 Reliant Regal from the garage to check-over after its 12 months holiday. I have owned it since 1992.  I will decide whether or not to sell depending on how I get on with it. My son has expressed an interest in my '67 Peugeot moped so that could also be staying here for a while. 

[dollywobbler]

I DID A SENSIBLE! A local chum offered me a Volvo V70 2.4 as a swap with cash my way for the Starlet. I didn't think I'd be able to resist, especially when I heard those five cylinders sing. Sadly, there is a bearing in the engine bay somewhere also singing away, the third gear synchromesh is easily beaten and no history - therefore no idea if the timing belt has been done. At 192,000 miles. Oh and £305 a year tax.

 

I still can't believe I actually said no.

 

EDIT - he's offered straight cash. Sounds good to me. Time for some shite-hunting!

[mat_the_cat]

Have been enjoying the ex-RayMK Stellar over the weekend. 

 

It clicked over to 85k yesterday - and has been baffling all and sundry at work. 

A delightful anachronism. 

 

You may have been spotted by Practical Classics!

https://www.facebook.com/225407620810866/posts/1946997511985193/

 

If and when you get bored of it, I may be tempted...

[clayts450]

I might have something for you if I can rely on a fleeting emotion you had in 2015, Ian

 

 

 

A chap we like to refer to as PetrolBlog’s Wales-based cousin, is a man of unquestionable taste and the longest beard in motoring journalism. Surely a man with a penchant for cheap motoring and French fancies couldn’t possibly find anything to like in the Chrysler PT Cruiser? His Twitter account would suggest otherwise…I saw a Chrysler PT Cruiser today and actually thought it looked pretty ace. This has never happened before. Should I be worried?  So what are we to make of that? Given that the tweet was sent at 4:52pm, it’s unlikely Ian was drunk at the time. And as he followed it up with a further three Chrysler PT Cruiser related tweets, we can safely assume his account wasn’t hacked. So there’s definitely some love for Chrysler’s much-maligned time machine.

 

No hiding place on the internet mate

[fordperv]

Whilst I admire the level of dedication and open wallet surgery to get a car to concourse level I fail to see the enjoyment that could be got from doing it, cars need and are there to be driven, if you want a static display just get a 1/18 scale model

[dollywobbler]

I might have something for you if I can rely on a fleeting emotion you had in 2015, Ian

 

 

No hiding place on the internet mate

 

Oh dear. I have been thinking about them again lately...

[clayts450]

You may want to avoid this one, Ian, I'm sure it's possessed.

 

As much as I detest it, we had a little 'moment' a few weeks back where I took it for a hoon down some country lanes, and everything just clicked at that moment. Sadly, that too was a fleeting emotion. 

 

Took me about an hour to stick the re-charged battery in tonight after it spat it's dummy out after not being used for a couple of weeks and FTP'd yesterday .- bit of a tight squeeze as it's not the original, it's some underpowered but oversized (for the space) Vauxhall battery, and the terminal connectors kept jumping off as I wedged it under the seat. Finally sorted it after much cussing. I have also re-attached the rear view mirror with another Ford sticky pad.

 

I'm going to force myself to drive it into work this week to get some charge up, and to see whether I can rekindle any love for it. And see if I can work out just what the hell that scraping/rubbing noise is at the back end....

 

Sometimes when I'm up close to it, I just love the look, the shape and size of the car, and it's a champion load-lugger for the tip run.

 

Other times, I just despair of it, with it's crappy gear change (soup/celery stick combo), stink of diesel and it's rattling engine.

 

And then I love it again when that turbo kicks in and it bloody shifts along.

 

I will probably sell it on here, same price I bought it for, from Tom (£300) possibly less in a couple of weeks when I'm off work.

 

If you want first dibs, let me know. 

[dollywobbler]

Ah, diesel. Noooo!

[Sloth in a bowl]

You may have been spotted by Practical Classics!

https://www.facebook.com/225407620810866/posts/1946997511985193/

 

If and when you get bored of it, I may be tempted...

5 years in the future...

"It all started when I was told on an internet forum that it would be impossible to fit a V12 Jaguar motor into a Hyundai."

[wuvvum]

the longest beard in motoring journalism.

But only due to the sad and premature demise of LJKS.

[RayMK]

5 years in the future...

"It all started when I was told on an internet forum that it would be impossible to fit a V12 Jaguar motor into a Hyundai."

 

I like the sound of Mat's V8 - far nicer than that of a V12 (other opinions are available).  I would be more impressed if a wankel rotary or BMW straight six was inserted  .

[clayts450]

Ah, diesel. Noooo!

 

That was a narrow escape, eh ?

[D Spares & Tyres]

What's wrong with diesel?

 

It's probably the best engine in Chryslers range.

 

Just needs a proper battery and it should be a reliable car

[dollywobbler]

What, apart from the smell, the soot and the hideous noise? I'm done with diesel.

 

Which means the next car will probably be heavy oil...

[clayts450]

Can I interest sir in a PT Cruiser ?

 

Oh...hang on....

[clayts450]

What's wrong with diesel?

 

It's probably the best engine in Chryslers range.

 

Just needs a proper battery and it should be a reliable car

 

Is that because it's actually a Merc engine, Tom ?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

.....No hiding place on the internet mate

Never a truer word.

 

In similar vein, never click something online whilst drunk, as you may find you've bought what you clicked on....

[wuvvum]

I've actually had quite a productive (long) weekend, which has made up at least partially for not getting to spend it being eaten alive by midges in a field full of drunk people near the North Pole. (Nope, I'm not jealous at all.)

 

Biggest win was obviously getting the ex-Bramz 205 through its test.  New rear brake shoes were fitted on Saturday, and the brake drum given another clean out as it had got a bit smeary again.  Thanks to some helpful advice on the Ask a Shiter thread, I wound the "automatic" adjuster out manually, as far as it'd go before the drum started binding.  Fitted everything back together and was pleased to note that the brake pedal felt a lot firmer than before.  The handbrake still had way too much travel, but that was easy enough to adjust, although the lock nut that the HBOL told me would be there, er, wasn't. 

 

Yesterday saw me crawling around underneath fitting a split CV boot to the nearside.  The last one of those I did (on the Rover of Doom) was a piece of piss, but space is a lot tighter on the 205, and I had to cut more of the boot off which was a pain as there is less flat rubber between the smaller, um, concertina bits for a retaining clip to get a grip of.  Got there eventually though.  Gave the headlight aim my best guess and then ran it back in to the garage this morning for sill weldage and retesting.  The sill actually turned out to be worse than expected (as grot always seems to be) but they stuck to their quoted price - £69.60 all in for sill weldage and retest was pretty reasonable I thought.

 

Now I just have to sort the tracking (it's toeing in visibly so need to wind the offside track rod in a bit), and remember to stake in the dollywobbler hub nut before I take it on any long runs - I hadn't done so before in case it needed to come off again to tweak the brakes.  I tightened it up with a 2' breaker bar so I don't think it's about to fall off, but better safe than sorry and all that.

 

The Volvo 164 now has working indicators and screen washers again after I replaced the flasher unit and screen wash pump I'd nicked for the Transit and 205 respectively.  It's also now charging again - I spent a while trying to trace the issue, which turned out to be a slightly loose terminal on the back of the alternator.  I then dug out the nearside brake caliper, which is now enjoying a bath in a tupperware tub full of diesel, in a last-ditch attempt to free the bastard thing off as I can't find a sensibly-priced replacement anywhere.

 

I took the Innocenti for a longer drive and the clutch is still slipping quite badly under hard acceleration.  I did notice however that pressing the clutch pedal in by even a fraction of an inch sent the revs soaring, so I'm wondering if it's an adjustment issue rather than a knackered clutch.  There is a facility for adjustment on the cable in the form of a large knurled plastic nut, and there looks to be plenty of thread available, but it's all a bit rusty and access is shite so I saturated it in GT85 and will have another look at it next weekend.  I also tracked the non-functioning offside main beam to a rusty headlight bulb (yes, really) so a shiny new H4 will be purchased shortly.

 

The C4 had developed an interesting* fault whereby when I pulled the wiper stalk to wash the windscreen, it washed the rear screen instead.  Using the rear wash/wipe also washed the rear screen.  I got the front of the car up on the ramps to have a look - turns out there's just one pump on the washer bottle, with two outlets, and presumably both switches operate the pump motor but the Canbus tells it which outlet to open - which seems a bit pointless really - and obviously the computer was telling it to open the wrong one, because French. 

 

Easy, thinks I, just swap the pipes around and normal service will be resumed.  Which it was.  For two washes,  Then it went back to only washing the rear again.  So I went out and bought a T-piece connector, snipped through both pipes and connected them so both go to the front washers.  Sorted.  Obviously that means there's no rear washer any more, but given that the rear wiper only clears about 6"² anyway, it's no great loss.

 

My Chinese motorbike hadn't been running right since I bought it, refusing to either rev or run off the choke.  I couldn't face the prospect of removing and stripping the carb again, so I just pulled out the throttle slider, undid the float bowl drain screw and blasted every available orifice with carb cleaner.  To my surprise it seems to have worked - the bike now runs happily off choke and revs cleanly, although I did have to back the idle off a bit after getting too enthusiastic with the idle screw earlier.  Now all I need to do is get a valve in the rear tyre and free off the front caliper and it should be rideable.

 

Then I trowelled some wob into the front arches of the Audi 80 - it's not pretty but it's got rid of the sharp edges ready for its MOT, for which it's now finally at the front of the queue.

 

After that I went for a pleasant walk down by the river and was treated to the unusual sight of a Citroën Picasso jump starting a Broads cruiser.

 

Then I took the Transit up to Tesco to put some air in the tyres, and somehow all the instruments are now working again, having been completely dead for months.

 

Oh, and I sold two bicycles this weekend, via Gumtree, both to the first callers, both of whom turned up when they said and paid the agreed price in cash.

 

In fact it's been such a good weekend I'm now waiting for something to go disastrously wrong...

[bramz7]

Being down to one car has been an eye opener. I've even set aside money for it next month as the not that old Hankooks are perishing all over, which is troubling. What's the best 205/60/R15 tyre now?

 

But I've also decided I'm being something nice as a second car. No more basket cases. I'm prepared to spend real money on a good car. I have a vague idea of what I want and stuff has popped up, but eBay is tiresome.

[egg]

What happened to the auto R8 Bramz out of interest?