The new news 24 thread

[phil_lihp]

Slightly mixed emotions on my Hiace's MOT - it got through with some new ball joints, initially it also failed on an insecure battery clamp (it had just slipped off the edge of the tray, so a quick fix) and the towbar failed for rot.  I wasn't hugely surprised at this, I knew the frame was a bit scabby, so as the electrics have never worked properly anyway my mechanic has removed it altogether.

 

Unfortunately, he's told me that the towbar actually failed because the part of the chassis it's attached to is very rusty - it doesn't qualify as structural but was a fail when the towbar was attached to it.  He's also confirmed my suspicions that the entire rear floor/chassis is pretty bad and that it will probably be best to move it on before the next MOT.  Alas, the previous owner spent 10 years coating the underside in mud and road salt instead of waxoyl, a shame as it's very good on the bodywork with barely a rust spot to see aside from where it's been dinged or scuffed.  

 

Sad really as I've put a lot of work into it and got rather attached - for someone who changes cars as frequently as I do, I've had the van for nearly 2 years now which makes it one of my longer-term keepers and I had no real plans to get rid of it.  That said, it means I can look to 'upgrade' next year sometime, perhaps a newer Hiace with the 2.5TD D4D.  That would mean most of my interior mods can transfer straight over, as they made the Powervan almost unchanged from 1996 until 2011.

[RobT]

Sounds a good idea Phil, as it'd be a shame to lose all that hard work.

[Six-cylinder]

Yup. I'll give you 1000 bonus points if you can get some footage of the windscreen wiper in action. Cheers.

 

I guess this is what you want to see in action!

[HMC]

^ ferrari looks so period in that colour. Love the (turin?) plates. It’s a 365 gt4bb at a guess from its period colour/ latterly a 512bb

[320touring]

Right chaps,

 

GSA is on a 5000 mile per annum policy.

 

I have done 4200 miles since March due to it being only functioning car for large periods of time.

 

Called to up the limit, and got

 

"5000 max only m9"

 

You'd need to cancel the policy and take out a new one. (Performance Direct were the brokers. Crap from start to finish!)

 

Anyone any suggestions for good classic insurers that will allow more than 5kpa?

 

Thanks!

[Lacquer Peel]

Disconnect the speedo

[HMC]

[Eddie Honda]

Anyone any suggestions for good classic insurers that will allow more than 5kpa?

 

My Footman James multiple classic chod policy is unlimited mileage. Everything is over 30 with the exception of a 26yo BX. Don't know if they do new business like that, but I know it's been unlimited for a number of years (because 99/100 aren't going to even get close to busting their low annual limits).

 

I've got 5k on the 306, but that 5k means 5k, there's no going beyond that as I asked "just in case" when I was taking the policy out.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Disconnect the speedo

 

^ That would be reprehensible. However, old cars are prone to faults, and a 30-odd year old speedo cable could fail unexpectedly*...

 

On a different note, reaching the mileage limit in classic policies doesn't render the whole policy invalid, just the comprehensive aspect of it... So the car can still lawfully be driven on the Queen's highway.

[gm]

Spotted whilst out for a run this afternoon

 

[dollywobbler]

Right chaps,

 

GSA is on a 5000 mile per annum policy.

 

I have done 4200 miles since March due to it being only functioning car for large periods of time.

 

Called to up the limit, and got

 

"5000 max only m9"

 

You'd need to cancel the policy and take out a new one. (Performance Direct were the brokers. Crap from start to finish!)

 

Anyone any suggestions for good classic insurers that will allow more than 5kpa?

 

Thanks!

 

Peter S Taylor. 

[320touring]

My Footman James multiple classic chod policy is unlimited mileage. Everything is over 30 with the exception of a 26yo BX. Don't know if they do new business like that, but I know it's been unlimited for a number of years (because 99/100 aren't going to even get close to busting their low annual limits).

I've got 5k on the 306, but that 5k means 5k, there's no going beyond that as I asked "just in case" when I was taking the policy out.

  

Peter S Taylor.

 

Thanks both chaps!

 

I'll try the suggestions tomorrow:)

[Bucketeer]

You can choose your mileage limit with Footman James (mine is 5k) and when you add and remove cars they enquire about mileage and say that if you are going to exceed the limit, inform them and they will alter the policy.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Drove past Jackie Stewart's chauffeur having a nap in a lay-by earlier. Two things were interesting about this;

1. 1 JYS is now on a Lexus LS, seems old JYS's contract as Ford' s Ambassador is well and truly finished, I've seen that number on many different Granadas, Scorpios, Jags and Rangies over the years. It looks wrong on a Lexus.

2. It was parked just round the corner to Red Bull Racing, which was of course previously Jaguar Racing and before that Stewart Racing. Now, it could be the wiley old businessman still owns the factory and was collecting his rent or something. Or is he involved or about to become involved with Red Bull.

[davehedgehog31]

Right chaps,

 

GSA is on a 5000 mile per annum policy.

 

I have done 4200 miles since March due to it being only functioning car for large periods of time.

 

Called to up the limit, and got

 

"5000 max only m9"

 

You'd need to cancel the policy and take out a new one. (Performance Direct were the brokers. Crap from start to finish!)

 

Anyone any suggestions for good classic insurers that will allow more than 5kpa?

 

Thanks!

Time for a haircut.

[cort16]

I thought that after you go over the mileage you can still drive it, it just goes to third party? ( t and c’s may apply)

[SiC]

Time for a haircut.

Time for the obligatory picture.

[bramz7]

I never use eBay as a measure of value, but if the current owner does....

 

Anyway, I don't want to be too much of a doomsayer. The vibe of the email was that the car being preserved is more important, so I will keep you all updated.

 

I've had a reply. The owner is aware she won't get a fortune for it and is more happy to see it preserved. She also is happy for me to see it Friday.

The MOT expires the same day. I was considering offering £500 or so but I'll be honest, I'll have to sell it right after.

Is anyone keen?

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Yup. I'll give you 1000 bonus points if you can get some footage of the windscreen wiper in action. Cheers.

 

 

Got the weather for it!

[stuboy]

Fil ask me to drive the melos to it parking place.. i couldnt say no could i...

[richardmorris]

Got the weather for it!

 

Well it's hidden away in the warehouse of dreams now. Haven't seen the front of it yet.

[mercrocker]

Had a couple of days off but not much ticked off the "to do" list.   Work on Minor brakes delayed by it having puked a load of its oil out making it impossible to do anything without a messy clean up.   However, I did sort the leaking wiper spindles out on the Cowley.   Also found that one of the windscreen washer pipes had a perilously tenuous cling onto the nozzle and was a squeeze away from pissing blue jizz all over my handbooks in the glovebox.

 

Its great having a car whose wiper spindles and jets are so accessible from inside the car but guess where all the water goes? 

 

In case you were wondering why I am fussed about a leak at the moment you should have seen the half-mile belt of torrential rain the other day!   

 

Also managed to waste time on some die-cast messing around, mended a couple of Mrs R's shoes and sorted out a rust bubble on the T25, its flipping brilliant weather for paint curing and leaving the 3rd coat until the following day, safe in the knowledge it wasn't going to piss down on it overnight. 

 

Still to do - Minor brakes, Merc rustproofing (great weather for Bilt-Hamber, less good for crawling underneath a car) and sorting out the 150 records I have bought so far this year which are stacked up around the place.  Played 'em all but not yet filed away!   Not helped by a mate bringing round half a dozen 78s this morning that he found, although I much appreciated them!

[320touring]

Any pics of what you did to the Cowley spindles? I suspect Oxford has a leak from them too!

 

Cheers

[captain_70s]

I'm with FJ as well. May have to up the Acclaim's limit when I add the Doloshite to the policy...

[dozeydustman]

On the way home from work today, the Saab clocked up its 200,000th mile.

 

Weirdly, the limp home feature that's been plaguing it for the last 2 months or so has buggered off and it's not anywhere near as smokey (not touched anything on it)

[mercrocker]

Any pics of what you did to the Cowley spindles? I suspect Oxford has a leak from them too!

 

Cheers

 

Sorry, I should have taken some but it was really straightforward - lift off the arms (usual release clip underneath), undo the chrome nut, lift off the chrome spindle cover and you will see a soggy mess that used to be the seal.  You can push the spindle back through into the under-dash area and try and apply a grommet of some kind.  In the end I couldn't find one that surrounded the hole and still enable the spindle to be pushed back through.

 

I got a suitably sized flat rubber seal of sufficient thickness to squash down under the chrome sleeve as the nut was re-tightened.  It seems to be water-tight but I might put a smear of silicon on the inside of the scuttle as well....

[BavarianRetro]

Peter S Taylor.

Screenshot sent to Hagerty.

[New POD]

On the way home from work today, the Saab clocked up its 200,000th mile.

 

Weirdly, the limp home feature that's been plaguing it for the last 2 months or so has buggered off and it's not anywhere near as smokey (not touched anything on it)

 

My Omega is on 199865 so Probably sometime over the weekend it will clock over. 

 

I have promised it the following before it gets to 201201 (which is about a month away.)

 

• Gearbox oil change  Planned for tomorrow evening. Borrowing a 2 post lift off landlord.  
• Engine Oil Change.  
• New Suspension parts - definately steering arms and drop links and maybe wishbones.  I need to find someone trust worthy to do this because erm CBA 
• Cam Belt.  I have the locking tools. Do I have the time ? Do I really have the skill ?  See suspension parts. 

Anyone know a trustworth Ex Vauxhall mechanic in Wolverhampton.  (or North Liverpool - Crosby, Bootle Formby Maghull etc) 

[spike60]

I have finally started some of the shit list of jobs on the 944 after getting the Z3 through it's test to step up as1st reserve.

The 2.8 Z3 has a one piece exhaust from the manifold back so while it's a fairly short car the exhaust is big chunk  so few folk seem to tripping over themselves to supply them, mainly £500 for a s/steel back half fitted or £1800 for a genuine BMW one. £200 got me a 2nd hand back half that "needs the original system modifying" to fit but no word on what that meant. I wimped out of undoing the downpipe nuts about 5 years ago so this meant surgery while it was still on the car, great. This is what the postie knocked on the door with.

 

 

Shiney eh?  Shame only me and the tester will ever see it. The old one had a split in it and the flap was stuck in the loud position but this is noisier on acceleration and has muted growls and pops on the overrun. As a totally unexpected bonus it fitted fine first time over the tail of the "Y" piece where I chopped the old one off. .

 

The 944 has a impressive list of needs as expected of a cheap(ish) 29 year old Porsche with 189,000 and not counting miles, including but not restricted to, - crap gearchange into 2nd, belt whine when hot, minor oil and coolant leaks, clutch judder when cold and ABS that lights up at 5mph.

 

It had an awful clonk on the front suspension you could feel through the clutch and steering. The ball joints, strut tops, bushes, springs etc all seemed good so I systematically when through every nut and bolt on the bugger and got 1/4 of a turn on an 8mm nut and bolt that clamps the ARB bush. That was it! The noise was out of all proportion for such minor thing.

 

Passenger side window was fairly easy once I realised that either passenger window switch being knackered meant it didn't work at all. Currently working with a bodge while switch wings its way from Jarmany.

 

Last of the easy fixes was a chattering noise on LH steering lock, after mucho head scratching this was the demister fan having too much end float FFS! Finding that wasn't easy as the fan runs all the time, even when turned off. Every days a school day as they say.

 

A couple of months back the 3rd fleet member, a BMW 530d, had major open sill surgery. If anyone wants cheering up about their crumbly bits I may post some pics........

[richardmorris]

You can choose your mileage limit with Footman James (mine is 5k) and when you add and remove cars they enquire about mileage and say that if you are going to exceed the limit, inform them and they will alter the policy.

The 2cv and x1/9 are with FJ. 2cv unlimited and 3000 for the fiat. Both about the same cost really £230 and £220. That’s for agreed values of £7000 and £10000 and two drivers. No problem changing mileage allowance , but it can be a big price leap.