The new news 24 thread

[quicksilver]

14 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

@MarvinsMom 

Excellent set of photos- thanks for sharing. 

What goes on with VDV142S though? Here it is on  Portland Bill in a former life...

The second photo is yours. Weird!

 

It's a convertible, built with a detachable roof so it could be used all year round (tourist stuff in the summer, normal service in the winter). Impressive that the roof has survived with it as most of them ended up as permanent open-toppers. That reminds me of going on holiday when I was little and passing a bus depot somewhere near the seaside where all the roofs were stacked on a frame in the yard - it was such a bizarre sight that I've never forgotten it.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

1 minute ago, quicksilver said:

It's a convertible, built with a detachable roof so it could be used all year round (tourist stuff in the summer, normal service in the winter). Impressive that the roof has survived with it as most of them ended up as permanent open-toppers. That reminds me of going on holiday when I was little and passing a bus depot somewhere near the seaside where all the roofs were stacked on a frame in the yard - it was such a bizarre sight that I've never forgotten it.

I love the level of knowledge on here. What a bizarre thought that it's basically got a detachable hardtop for pleasant weather. Same* as my MR2 then!

While we're talking bus and coach knowledge then, could someone answer me this - old coaches had timber frameworks under the alloy panels. How are modern coaches constructed? 

[reb]

While we're talking buses, I've got a job interview on Monday next week, it may involve buses. Driving them perhaps...

Wish I'd pulled my finger out and fired off an application ages ago now!

[dozeydustman]

Not sure if this a grump yet but the person whom I was supposed to collect the shitely order from has shut his yard up and not answering calls.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

8 minutes ago, dozeydustman said:

Not sure if this a grump yet but the person whom I was supposed to collect the shitely order from has shut his yard up and not answering calls.

Maybe he's gone off to collect another shitely order from elsewhere.....

[dozeydustman]

4 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Maybe he's gone off to collect another shitely order from elsewhere.....

Not sure, as far as I know the person I’m collecting from is not a shiter

[dozeydustman]

Collection man just returned. All is well

[Timewaster]

Spotted near work with full compliment of AS stickers and a silver tape rear window.

What a fine conveyance.

 

[richardmorris]

Meant to post yesterday, but one of my neighbours got home yesterday in his new bmw five series touring with a smashed tailgate. It's in two parts, glass can be opened independently of the tailgate. Apparently it activated itself when driving along and smashed the top glass part against the cycle carrier he had on. 

[louiepj]

Punto power steering is currently playing up and heading for ftp. Just pulled a code of C1007 from it which conveniently seems to be stated as 'power steering motor failure'.
Luckily the insurance is due to run out at the end of the month so I can park it up and ignore it till the mot is due sometime in January.

[Inspector Morose]

3 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I love the level of knowledge on here. What a bizarre thought that it's basically got a detachable hardtop for pleasant weather. Same* as my MR2 then!

While we're talking bus and coach knowledge then, could someone answer me this - old coaches had timber frameworks under the alloy panels. How are modern coaches constructed? 

Well, it's a bit complicated. 

Sometimes they use steel frames or some chromium mix to give a little rust resistance.
Some use Aluminium for the framing.
Then there are the 'systems'. These use extruded aluminium lengths that bolt or rivet together and interlock to make up both the load carrying part but negate the need for any aluminium panelling. Think along the lines of a more complex tongue and groove but in aluminium and you've got the idea.
One manufacturer used composites to make a load bearing structure but as the vehicle in question was total garbage, we won't go into that one.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

^ So anything goes then?!

[Fumbler]

Clutch is feeling suspicious in the Micra. It's not slippping yet but it does add to my belief that the previous owner rode the clutch constantly when she was driving. Will have to investigate!

Also had its first petrol fill-up today. Put in £35 of petrol in which equates to 27 litres. Calculated MPG to be 48. Not bad I'd say.

 

[xtriple]

I have had a productive day, which makes a bloody change! First of all,  woke up, which was a good start as it meant I was still alive and I had been asleep, both good things I think you will agree. Then I went out and Waxoyled all the wheelarches of the MB and while in a fit of uber sad-bastard-ness, I cleaned, with Solvol Autosol no less, the exhausts!

I do like a shiny tailpipe!

or better still, two!

Then, without any option on my part at all, I took BOTH dogs to the park (it was Phoebes day to stay home and rest but she was determined she was coming and lay across the front doorstep with her ball between her legs) where I  was annoyed by 3 small children who insisted on being noisy and messy, annoyed to the extent that I moved the car and the dogs to a previously unused part of Ilsham Valley (unused by me at least). I am now old and grumpy and I have never been that fond of children and now positively detest the little bastards!

Then I took the car, complete with shiny exhausts and two now grumpy dogs who would have preferred to go home and have dinner, to a new and untried Paintless Dent guy. He was jolly expensive! But, he was also very good so sort of okay by me. Because the dent  was right on the crease line of the door it took a fair bit of effort and he did it while I waited and he was really careful and it took him about an hour without any break to get it to HIS satisfaction - I would have called it quits about 20 minutes earlier but glad he was more exacting than me! £90 for the whole door which is a bloody sight more than I usually pay but...

And when I got home, the new tailored mats that I only ordered on Sunday had been delivered! By Hermes no less! And they are really rather good and even fit onto the original floor mounted locating plugs that MB see fit to supply their cars with (But no bloody mats!) and all for £12 from a guy on eBay. I expected shite and got... well, not shite, not even shit, in fact rather good.  And bloody cheap!

Having fitted them,  then (whle dogs slept gently with now fat bellies) polished the whole car. Only with the fancy, super fast and super easy spray on Meguirs stuff rather than any of Autoglyms harder work products but the car looks great and the whole process took about 15 minutes even for a cripple.

So as I said, productive.

I know it's a sad thing but I really like this car!  It sounds great: all throbby and warbly and it gets very vocal when the right pedal is depressed with vigour - or vim even!   and for a short arsed Hairdressers motor, it gets a proper wriggle on. I can only imagine what a 55 version is like as this 350 goes like fook (5.2 seconds to 60 and a limited 155 mph top speed - hark at me being all 'Top Gear' and that!) and it makes me smile more than any car has in a long time. It is a right little hooligan and I can see it being great fun once I am fully acquinted with it and take it on some interesting roads.

[High Jetter]

7 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Bought this off eBay the other day,

One of those cameras you shove up your arse, only £30 odd so how long it’ll last is anyone’s guess, but I bought it for a specific job on my Capri so if it does that then I’m happy.

It seems pretty good so far though! For the price I’m pleasantly surprised.

Useful bit of kit! I got one a year or two ago after reading an article in PC Pro by Paul Ockenden. Just a cable with a camera on one end and a usb plug on the other. Not as convenient as a hand-held, but a good pic on the lappy and only a fiver from China.

[richardmorris]

I was hoping to have AC back in the merc this evening, but given that there is still a note on the dash saying “do not start” and much of the engine fan cowling is in the boot I guess something else has gone awry.

[Split_Pin]

Got talking to the chap parked next to me on thr Clio stand and he has 4 nearly new Cup dampers and similar condition Eibachs springs for £150. 

Top mounts are £20, hopefully the drop links are serviceable so that should be the nasty noises away for £notasmuchasithought. 

Still need new bottom arms but as the springs are on the struts I can fit them straight on and save on garage labour.

[320touring]

10 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Got talking to the chap parked next to me on thr Clio stand and he has 4 nearly new Cup dampers and similar condition Eibachs springs for £150. 

Top mounts are £20, hopefully the drop links are serviceable so that should be the nasty noises away for £notasmuchasithought. 

Still need new bottom arms but as the springs are on the struts I can fit them straight on and save on garage labour.

Should really improve the ride.

 

Watch though, the cup dampers have different bolt spacings at the bottom. Normal 172s are 54mm, cups are 60mm.

Worth measuring before you buy

[Split_Pin]

6 minutes ago, 320touring said:

Should really improve the ride.

 

Watch though, the cup dampers have different bolt spacings at the bottom. Normal 172s are 54mm, cups are 60mm.

Worth measuring before you buy

Good shout chap, I'll ask the dude.

[320touring]

5 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Good shout chap, I'll ask the dude.

Also worth checking your own car - incase it's ever had the hubs changed.

[Timewaster]

5 hours ago, Timewaster said:

Spotted near work with full compliment of AS stickers and a silver tape rear window.

What a fine conveyance.

 

Some AS sleuthing makes me think this £2000 Volvo might be a £95 Peugeot

[jumpingjehovahs]

Can’t remember who was talking about adblue the other day, but my local Aldi had 10L bottles for £8.99 out the front.


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[beko1987]

11 hours ago, xtriple said:

 lay across the front doorstep with her ball between her legs) 

I do that whenever I want to go out... 

[Split_Pin]

Turns out the dampers the chap was selling dont fit mine, I assumed he would already have known that! Anyway back on the hunt for them, obviously there are 6 different kinds and the ones I need are the hardest to find. Ho hum!

I also got another knockback yesterday for the 6th job I had applied for internally. However I also signed my new contract yesterday so I can now formally hand in my notice. I always hoped that I'd have the last laugh. I'm looking forward to having a conversation with my manager today about all that.

[New POD]

13 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

^ So anything goes then?!

They use alot of aerospace spec silkaset (probably) 

Slot of people in a thrust reverser factory in Burnley came from a coach builder, and reckon riveting carbon fibre to an aluminium structure is pretty much the same.  With more paper work.

[Kiltox]

11 hours ago, jumpingjehovahs said:

Can’t remember who was talking about adblue the other day, but my local Aldi had 10L bottles for £8.99 out the front.


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That’d be that wanker with a diesel modern 

[davehedgehog31]

Been quiet on here of late as eternally busy with other shit but also because the fleet has been little cause for concern. 

Gave the Saab a service last night. 

205 still doing as the 205 does. 

[stuboy]

21 minutes ago, davehedgehog31 said:

 

swollen knobbly ball

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 8/17/2019 at 8:54 PM, trigger said:

I went and viewed a Scorpio that was for sale locally today, I did a silly and bought it! ?

Basically the elderly owner bought it in 1990 and parked it in the garage back in 2009, died and they haven't touched it since, it was covered in dust and leaves and it looks like mice may have took up residence but they were keen for it not to be scrapped or raced which in fairness would be criminal so we agreed on a price and now it's mine!

I think it has the potential to be a really nice car once I've worked my magic.

ooo Birminghamshire reggo- Bristol Street Motors or Meteor Ford?

[Cavcraft]

Leg number one, poor thing having to suffer the embarrassment of being seen on that...