The new news 24 thread

[DodgeRover]

"How bad can it be?"

 

It's about 10 miles away. If it makes it home in one piece to the frag yard after removing the cat and putting a dead battery on it I should be at least £100 up on it

EFA

[phil_lihp]

What do I look like, Cavcraft?

 

Definitely not yours xtriple, this one's white and definitely not in Torquay.  It's in Ilfracombe though, which is quite similar I guess.  Seaside resort Fiestas are all the rage it seems.

[Noel Tidybeard]

The rebuild of the Perkins engine in my series 2A is finished.

 

It needed a bleedin' good bleeding to get it going. I wasn't convinced the lift pump was doing much, so as I had a repair kit on the shelf, I thought I'd take it off and take it apart.

 

New spring and diaphragm was a PITA to fit.

 

20180617_144535.jpg

 

Finally got it to cough into life.

 

It's running fine with its new piston rings and big end shells.

 

There's a small leak passing injector 3 which improved when I cleaned and reseated it, but it's still not 100%.

 

Here's a vid of it running..

 

 

woohoo somebodys got a Thermostart®

[vulgalour]

any ideas on the cargo? It's an italian registered renault truck.

 

the grey was a alfa, yellow not made an appearance yet, but helpfully the driver has brought the truck closer. 

 

edit. here is the little beauty, whatever it is.

It's very Michelloti and the crossed flags on the rear wing are remniscent of the ones used by Chevrolet on the Corvette so I wondered if it might be one of the rebodied versions. I can't find anything that matches it. ISO used Chevrolet engines in their cars, but again, I can't find an ISO that looks like that one. Most frustrating of all is I showed the other half and he has seen the car before, apparently, but can't remember what it was called beyond "Something like Warbirgh or Warfendale" which is next to no use on ID. Really bugging me. A friend over in the States said it looks like a Studebaker Lark, and it kinda does, while not at the the same time. MYSTERY CAR.

[Skizzer]

any ideas on the cargo? It's an italian registered renault truck.

 

the grey was a alfa, yellow not made an appearance yet, but helpfully the driver has brought the truck closer.

 

edit. here is the little beauty, whatever it is.

It is a 1957 Vignale Fiat 1200 Wonderful Coupe. I’m not making this up, that’s really what it’s called.

 

And rightly so.

[stuboy]

my birthday today, and with some money looking for an impact wrench, cordless sub 100 spondoolies

[SiC]

For reasons I can't fully explain, I put a (very) cheeky bid on a 1998 1.25 mk4 Fiesta with a mere 39k miles on it at the weekend, it only had a couple of hours to go and wasn't attracting much interest. I then completely forgot about it until later that day, at which point I got an email saying I'd won it...for considerably less than my limit. Luckily it's only a few miles from home so no epic collection and at the price I paid I can't really lose. It needs a front wing (or a hammer), some welding on the rear sills (which I'm hoping a friend of mine will sort) and a pair of front brake flexis. I'm hoping I can turn it around quickly and maybe make a little bit on it for a change but we'll see. Apparently the interior is a bit grim, collection is due on Saturday.

I have a massive soft spot for those fiestas with the 1.25 engines. They were the weapon* of choice for my generation as a cheap banger first car. At that point Novas were a bit long in the tooth and the fiesta were newer + more powerful. Those 1.25 engines (Yamaha design you know!?) in that car accelerated far more rapidly and revved far more freely than any right they had to.

 

A mate barely fitted in his (even with the seat right back) and mercilessly hammered the hell out of it. In two years of ownership and around 15k miles, he got through 3 clutches, handbrake cable, 3 pairs of tyres and two lots of brake pads+discs. How he never ended up smashing that car, I never know.

 

If I drove one now, I probably find it incredibly slow. However to a 17/18 year old, it seemed not far* off a hot hatch*.

[clayts450]

my birthday today, and with some money looking for an impact wrench, cordless sub 100 spondoolies

 

£29.99 12v eBay special, quick delivery, runs off cig lighter - shifted a well stuck wheel nut yesterday:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VonHaus-12V-Impact-Wrench-Driver-Kit-Vehicle-Car-5000rpm-1-2-Square-Drive-Set/272592091753?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

£70.00 birthday beer

 

simples

[SiC]

Hard to go anywhere fast enough to have a smash if you're slipping the clutch constantly,

One of those clutches actually exploded into pieces too. It was changed at the Ford garage in Hungerford and after a bit of arguing, they conceed it might have been a faulty clutch. They didn't agree that it was after the second time. Third time my mate got it done at a backstreet garage so his parents didn't find out.

 

To be honest, he was a bit too big for the car and it's likely he probably wasn't fully disengage the clutch all the time as his foot had nowhere to go. The seat was fully back on the runners and his knees were touching the bottom of the steering wheel. I can't say sitting behind his seat was a pleasurable experience as a passenger either.

 

Not sure if full bore dumping the clutch at the lights and slamming the clutch on every change would have helped. Not the dirt track+off road rallying around the North Wessex downs would have helped much either. There wasn't much doubt that the handbrake cable stretched from the many handbrake turns it suffered.

[Crusty Sills]

Success, failure and disappointment in 1 day yesterday.

My new £600 Beetle passed its MOT only needing headlights adjusting.

Advisories for brake lines and only just passed on emissions, so they gave it a ragging up the road which helped.

It then thanked me by pinging it's EML on.

A look says O2/cat so that will explain the emissions, Not too bad for a cheap summer car.

 

Mrs Sills CX5 was making brake squeaking noises so enthused by MOT success I get the driver's side wheel off and pads out to replace. Hmmmm they were fucked!

That side done then came the disappointment!

The security wheel socket sheared a part of the inside off meaning that every time I tried to undo it slipped. I tried to nearly an hour and got more and more frustrated!

So I called it quits before I did some damage to something!

Need a new socket then I can do the other half of the job!

I fucking hate cars!!!!

[oldcars]

Success, failure and disappointment in 1 day yesterday.

My new £600 Beetle passed its MOT only needing headlights adjusting.

Advisories for brake lines and only just passed on emissions, so they gave it a ragging up the road which helped.

It then thanked me by pinging it's EML on.

A look says O2/cat so that will explain the emissions, Not too bad for a cheap summer car.

 

Mrs Sills CX5 was making brake squeaking noises so enthused by MOT success I get the driver's side wheel off and pads out to replace. Hmmmm they were fucked!

IMG_20180620_173701.jpg

IMG_20180620_173640.jpg

That side done then came the disappointment!

The security wheel socket sheared a part of the inside off meaning that every time I tried to undo it slipped. I tried to nearly an hour and got more and more frustrated!

1529566965568905037255789296857.jpg

So I called it quits before I did some damage to something!

Need a new socket then I can do the other half of the job!

I fucking hate cars!!!!

Looks like mcgard locking wheel nuts. Same thing happened on mine on the 75. Mate of a mate had a thing you hammered over the top, bit like a big socket and that removed them.

[Crusty Sills]

Didn't want to get animalistic with it and fuck the nut. Yes it's a McGard, I believe they are used on most Japanese cars. A friend at work has a Mazda so I'm borrowing his tonight.

Why do they make them so shallow!!!!

[dollywobbler]

The spares Invacar is off to a new home today! Gardening may be needed...

[Richard]

We got one off by hammering a 12 point 19mm socket on. These things are no deterrent and should be replaced with proper wheel bolts whenever they are encountered.

[Richard]

We got one off by hammering a 12 point 19mm socket on. These things are no deterrent and should be replaced with proper wheel bolts whenever they are encountered.

[richardmorris]

Cream cracker vignale still here, and here's a porsche in a subtle colour.

[Guest Hooli]

I have a massive soft spot for those fiestas with the 1.25 engines. They were the weapon* of choice for my generation as a cheap banger first car. At that point Novas were a bit long in the tooth and the fiesta were newer + more powerful. Those 1.25 engines (Yamaha design you know!?) in that car accelerated far more rapidly and revved far more freely than any right they had to.

 

A mate barely fitted in his (even with the seat right back) and mercilessly hammered the hell out of it. In two years of ownership and around 15k miles, he got through 3 clutches, handbrake cable, 3 pairs of tyres and two lots of brake pads+discs. How he never ended up smashing that car, I never know.

 

If I drove one now, I probably find it incredibly slow. However to a 17/18 year old, it seemed not far* off a hot hatch*.

 

 

My ex had one, hateful things. Yeah the engine is ok but the driving position is shit, they are noiser than a van at speed & blow up due to poor design.

 

the only good point is they are so easy to take apart being plastic & bluetac from the factory.

[SiC]

My ex had one, hateful things. Yeah the engine is ok but the driving position is shit, they are noiser than a van at speed & blow up due to poor design.

 

the only good point is they are so easy to take apart being plastic & bluetac from the factory.

She maybe your ex, but thats not a nice thing to say about her.

 

I think thats part of the charm for me. Cheap, disposable 90s motoring at its finest. It from the era when main stream manufacturers went from bargain boxes to over engineered shoes. Small, light, unrefined, manoeuvrable and dangerous in a crash. I mean PAS wasn't even standard, minimum number of airbags and ABS was a rarity! Unlike now where superminis are large, heavy, highly refined, stodgy numb steering, way over-assisted brakes and crumple-zone tastic.

[mrbenn]

Didn't want to get animalistic with it and fuck the nut. Yes it's a McGard, I believe they are used on most Japanese cars. A friend at work has a Mazda so I'm borrowing his tonight.

Why do they make them so shallow!!!!

 

McGard do sell replacement keys if you get stuck.

[Guest Hooli]

She maybe your ex, but thats not a nice thing to say about her.

 

I think thats part of the charm for me. Cheap, disposable 90s motoring at its finest. It from the era when main stream manufacturers went from bargain boxes to over engineered shoes. Small, light, unrefined, manoeuvrable and dangerous in a crash. I mean PAS wasn't even standard, minimum number of airbags and ABS was a rarity! Unlike now where superminis are large, heavy, highly refined, stodgy numb steering, way over-assisted brakes and crumple-zone tastic.

 

Chuckle at the first bit

 

Thing is for me, it was worse than an old banger yet cost a load more. It had 20k on when it managed to OMGHGF! due to the shit design of the heater hoses being cut open by the fan shroud as the clips to retain them didn't work.

[RayMK]

Since June 2017 my Reliant has been sitting in my garage, battery disconnected and untouched.  Today the weather and my relatively good mood coincided with having a space on my driveway.  Time to wake the Reliant up!!  I reconnected the battery whilst vaguely wondering if it had any charge left after sitting dormant for over 12 months.  Next, I moved all the clutter which was blocking the car in the garage.  I gingerly eased myself in to the driver's seat, paying due respect to my arthritic hips and the catheter ('cos getting old and falling apart, health wise     ), turned on the ignition and let the starter wind away for 30 seconds or so to prime the fuel system, then the engine fired and settled to a stable tickover after a couple of minutes on choke.  Try doing that with a modern car.  Even after a month many moderns have a fit of electronic self analysis then announce 'I feel fucked, call your main dealer and/or the AA.'

 

A check of the Reliant's lights, indicators, horn and wipers showed everything was working and the brake pedal felt fine (as in wooden - no servo), then a short drive in the Cul-de-sac confirmed that the brakes and gears worked satisfactorily.  I pumped the tyres up after finding only 10psi in all three.  It is back in the garage for now but I'll check the master cylinder and wheel cylinders next time and fit a fuel filter in the engine bay before getting it road legal and having a proper drive.  

 

Piccies included.

[SiC]

That is one fine and very pretty old machine you have there Ray.

[Guest Hooli]

Proper reliability that.

[captain_70s]

My Civic, on the other hand, is now totally dead after sitting a month. I'm going to have to jump it with one of my decrepit Triumphs.

 

Irony.

[oldcars]

Your Reliant is lovely Ray. Far different to my Rialto, and very different to drive i would guess.

[RayMK]

Your Reliant is lovely Ray. Far different to my Rialto, and very different to drive i would guess.

 

Thanks.  Driving it is initially terrifying. The lack of power (17.5bhp when new in 1961), on/off clutch, crossply tyres, non-servo'd brakes and the lack of a normal complement of wheels takes a few miles to get reacquainted with.  After that phase it is just a matter of staying out of the way of other traffic e.g. tractors, cyclists and mobility scooters.  Audi's etc assume I am parked.  It cruises at 45-50mph and I'm told that it will reach 62mph in large countries.

[oldcars]

Thanks.  Driving it is initially terrifying. The lack of power (17.5bhp when new in 1961), on/off clutch, crossply tyres, non-servo'd brakes and the lack of a normal complement of wheels takes a few miles to get reacquainted with.  After that phase it is just a matter of staying out of the way of other traffic e.g. tractors, cyclists and mobility scooters.  Audi's etc assume I am parked.  It cruises at 45-50mph and I'm told that it will reach 62mph in large countries.

Have you driven any of the modern* Reliants? I would love a go in one of there early ones to see the difference. I was told even the Regal 3/25 or 30 are very much different to the Rialto.

[stuboy]

Purchased one with birthday money...

 

89.99

[RayMK]

Have you driven any of the modern* Reliants? I would love a go in one of there early ones to see the difference. I was told even the Regal 3/25 or 30 are very much different to the Rialto.

 

Yes. In the early '70s I had a Reliant Regal 3-25 saloon (600cc), bought mainly because I had just got married and only had a motorcycle licence. Wifey wanted a heater.  That one drove well, but I did not know any different, having never driven a four wheeled car. We went from Bucks to Redcar several times and even Scotland once, all the time with a leaking head gasket.  The car eventually caught fire on the way to work and blocked the A41 for an hour before the breakdown service cleared up with a dustpan and brush.  Many years later in 1992 I bought a dilapidated MKVI Regal (of today's post) and gradually refurbished it, getting it back on the road in 2005. In 2007 I bought a Rialto saloon (letterbox boot) and was amazed at how different it was from the earlier two Regals.  The Rialto could, with care and a stategically placed heavy toolbox, be thrown around and had very good roadholding.  It could also reach an indicated 80mph with ease (and noise).  

[danthecapriman]

I have a massive soft spot for those fiestas with the 1.25 engines. They were the weapon* of choice for my generation as a cheap banger first car. At that point Novas were a bit long in the tooth and the fiesta were newer + more powerful. Those 1.25 engines (Yamaha design you know!?) in that car accelerated far more rapidly and revved far more freely than any right they had to.

A mate barely fitted in his (even with the seat right back) and mercilessly hammered the hell out of it. In two years of ownership and around 15k miles, he got through 3 clutches, handbrake cable, 3 pairs of tyres and two lots of brake pads+discs. How he never ended up smashing that car, I never know.

If I drove one now, I probably find it incredibly slow. However to a 17/18 year old, it seemed not far* off a hot hatch*.

They still seemed a bit new when I was at first car stage (unless you had money, or your parents did!) most of the idiots my age were still running Nova’s or Fiesta mk2/3, one even had an E reg mk1 Micra. I didn’t of course, getting a Capri then a Volvo 340...

Anyway,

My younger sister however did have that model Fiesta. In fact she had two of them, the second was a slightly rough W reg 1.3 with the old ohv engine. That one was slow and loud, and it looked progressively worse and worse as the years passed and she beat the shit out of it. Yet it always started and just kept plodding on for years.

 

The first one she had was probably my favourite of her cars! It was an R reg 1.4 Ghia in metallic black with velour seats and A/C. It had that 16 valve engine but the bigger one and absolutely flew! Man did that thing go! It drove beautifully and was actually a lovely car to be in too.

She didn’t have it much more than a year though as it turned out the sills had rotted through both sides almost along their entire length. She sold it and bought the one above as replacement.

 

I do like those Fiestas tbh, I never used to but as they’ve got older I like them more. They’re, in my eyes anyway, exactly what a small hatch should be. Small, nippy and cheap. Not like the oversized overweight fucking ugly abortions car makers shit out now! I’d borrow her Fiestas occasionally and really did enjoy flying about in them.