The new news 24 thread

[Tadhg Tiogar]

....Along with Vauxhall of the same era

WP_20180823_027.jpg

..

Note ingenious use of BMW E30 ellipsoid headlamps!

[MarvinsMom]

the blue low rider, is it an impala?

 

orange mini now works after new battery has been fitted.

 

so now for the metro's mot..... gulp!!

[Saabnut]

According to DVLA and providing I read the number correctly, it is a 1963 Chevrolet Belair

[oldcars]

I may* have just one a caravan on Ebay. It's in Spalding and i am in Edinburgh. Collection!

One thing for the, its a new van, 1992. It has a red coupling with a handle on it. Will a standard towball fit this?

[DodgeRover]

I may* have just one a caravan on Ebay. It's in Spalding and i am in Edinburgh. Collection!

One thing for the, its a new van, 1992. It has a red coupling with a handle on it. Will a standard towball fit this?

I think that is an anti snake type, yes it will fit your standard towball BUT the towball will need completely degreasing before you use it.

[Vin]

If this is what you mean, then yes...If not, then I don't know.

 

[Fat_Pirate]

If it's an Alko type as shown in the photo above, you do need an Alko towball - it's got a longer neck.

[trigger]

Shotley was a good night but I had a right mare on the way in my Marina, just left town when I had a FTP and coasted to the side of the road causing a nice traffic jam, thankfully someone passing pulled over and took my wife to the car meet as we had all the gear for it to set up for the charity collection. Meanwhile a old boy in the houses opposite came out and offered his driveway to put the car on so we pushed it off the road.

 

I couldn't work out what was wrong but saw no fuel in the filter (and I had no tools on me) so guessing I might be out of fuel I took a walk to the petrol station when a friend came past in his VW camper and gave me a lift, once back it still wouldn't work so took the fuel pipe off and fuel was drawing up. Thankfully some more friends was passing and stopped who had a tool box, in the end we found no spark but bridging the points with a screwdriver seems to kick them back into life again?! It drove perfect to the meet after that.

 

 

 

 

It was spotted later that my lights were dimmer than the others...

 

 

And after a few miles of the venue at 50 mph in the pitch black I lost all my lights! The engine was running still but no lights or indicators and hazards, it's fair to say that was a bit scary! I got the wife out with her phone torch to wave about whilst I had a look under the bonnet but they all came back on again! So we quickly jumped back in, I still have no hazards or indicators though, I guess I have a bad earth somewhere?

 

As for photos of the meet I only managed a few, this Escort Eclipse as I had one back in 1998.

 

 

 

And this amazing Toyota Super Crown 2600 which was like new, 24000 miles on the clock and still had plastic on the door cards! One for Retro Japanese magazine DW?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[oldcars]

If it's an Alko type as shown in the photo above, you do need an Alko towball - it's got a longer neck.

Thanks, yes it looks like the alko on. I did'nt think they came on 92 vans. Need to get another towball for tomorrow. Blast 

[MorrisItalSLX]

 

Is that an AA badge I see...

[trigger]

Yes! I fitted one the other day as it has a original Leyland AA sticker inside the windscreen. I think it's looks good?

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Like was insufficient, a thank was in order.

 

It really gives it some character, not that it needed any more!

[Vin]

Thanks, yes it looks like the alko on. I did'nt think they came on 92 vans. Need to get another towball for tomorrow. Blast 

 

They wouldn't have come on a 92 van, but they can be retro fitted as they are a stabilizer.

 

Fat Pirate is right in that they need an Al-Ko hitch, but it depends what you have as the difference is in the height underneath the ball bottom. My Dad's past three vans have had an Al-Ko stabiliser hitch but he has never used an Al-Ko towball. He has had two swan neck detachable towbars and the other was a fixed towsure unit on which the tow hitch was high enough for the alko stabiliser hitch, not to foul the base of the ball where it curves at 90 degrees (if you get my drift)

 

Basically, measure your existing towball beforehand....

[oldcars]

They wouldn't have come on a 92 van, but they can be retro fitted as they are a stabilizer.

 

Fat Pirate is right in that they need an Al-Ko hitch, but it depends what you have as the difference is in the height underneath the ball bottom. My Dad's past three vans have had an Al-Ko stabiliser hitch but he has never used an Al-Ko towball. He has had two swan neck detachable towbars and the other was a fixed towsure unit on which the tow hitch was high enough for the alko stabiliser hitch, not to foul the base of the ball where it curves at 90 degrees (if you get my drift)

 

Basically, measure your existing towball beforehand....

Super, thanks for this. Mine is a fixed unit and it is raised a little, only a little bit. Wonder if it may be enough to get the van home.

[DodgeRover]

Big like for Triggers post despite the FTP I wonder if it's engine earths that are an issue?

Big grin for the blatant misuse of trade plates on the crown too

[captain_70s]

Trigger, how many fuses does the Marina have? The Dolly has a whole two, so any duff connection at the fuse box kills vast swaves of the electrical system in a manner similar to your description.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Trigger, how many fuses does the Marina have? The Dolly has a whole two, so any duff connection at the fuse box kills vast swaves of the electrical system in a manner similar to your description.

Sounds like Christmas tree lights wired in series. One out = the lot out.

[Guest Hooli]

I was going to say check the fusebox too.

[davehedgehog31]

The little C1 has averaged 65.2mpg from it's first tank, amazing for a petrol. Mix of motorway and B road driving. 

[Datsuncog]

Marinas don't happen to use those dopey bimetallic circuit breakers on the lighting circuit, same as fitted to HC Vivas of the same era? The ones that eventually go screwy and start switching themselves on and off at random?

 

My Viva was forever losing its lights while driving; pre-internet I had no idea what the problem was, as messing with the fusebox didn't help and the lights would then come on by themselves after a minute or two.

 

Once I twigged where the problem lay I ended up bypassing the breaker with a big 30A maxi-fuse, if memory serves.

[cort1977]

Electric Kalashnikov Izh-Kombi? 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/23/kalashnikov-takes-on-tesla-with-retro-look-electric-supercar

 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Electric Kalashnikov Izh-Kombi? 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/23/kalashnikov-takes-on-tesla-with-retro-look-electric-supercar

 

 

I actually like they way they look.

 

Kill me, please.

[trigger]

I've got 5 glass fuses behind the parcel shelf under the dash, I'll take a look at them first, it's got to be something like that although I don't know if that's connected to it cutting out the first time as that killed the engine and it wouldn't fire?

[mark1986]

The exhaust on my Clio developed an annoying rattle from the mid-section this week. On inspection the bolt that tightens the clamp between front and rear sections has given up. 

 

Still haven't got round to sorting the exhaust clamp out, although the replacement has now arrived. This week's procrastination did result in a rare visit from the bucket & sponge though. 

 

[vulgalour]

I had all the electricity fall out of the automatic Maestro I borrowed off Skattrd years ago.  Just died, everything turned off.  Started it back up and it never did it again and I never did find out what caused it.  Sorry, that's no help at all.

[Guest Hooli]

I've got 5 glass fuses behind the parcel shelf under the dash, I'll take a look at them first, it's got to be something like that although I don't know if that's connected to it cutting out the first time as that killed the engine and it wouldn't fire?

 

 

If all the connections are dirty you could have lost the feed to the ignition switched circuit before.

[LabRat]

9 hours later, we're finally back in Oldham from Cornwall. Lovely place, bastard nightmare to get out of!

 

The duster has performed sterling service all week and despite being sat in the car park masquerading as the M6, it's done 62mpg on the way back.

 

Tomorrow's job is to try and put some electricity back in the Punto and get it to turn a wheel. Anyone have any Marelli loom smoke, I fear it's all out.

[MarvinsMom]

i'm wondering if the indicators and hazards on trigg's marina run through the same relay?

 

we've had no end of bother with the indicators on the black mini, no hazards on that cos its too old.... but we've had a couple of flasher relays on it,

 

the current one is working, after a fashion.... well put them on, they start flashing slow, then pick up speed!  iis like the relay needs to warm up before deciding to play nice.

 

i think many of the issues we have had with them is due to using 40-odd year old NOS flasher relays.....

[mercrocker]

Trigger, that empty fuel filter might mean the pump wasn't working either before the ignition lost power.   What state is the main earth lead in?

[trigger]

I had a quick look over it before coming to work tonight, I think what's happened is the hazard light switch has failed as it was still on, hence why the indicators had stopped working, as soon as I flicked the switch off the indicators came back on again, my nearside dipped light doesn't work now although my main beam does so I wonder if it blew on the way back which momentarily knocked the power out? Seems odd but that's all I can think off? They are sealed beam units so I'll have to have to get a replacement.

 

And as for it dieing on the way to the meet I suspect the condenser is on its way out so I'm going to replace all the points, arm etc and see if that improves it.