The new news 24 thread

[xtriple]

I awoke this morning (which I find is a good start) to sunshine and a lack of rain. As this is obviously a mirage, I went back to sleep.

When I awoke a little later this morning it proved to be no mirage and actual real reality, so I got my arse into gear and took the dog out. It was so pleasant I did not wear a jacket! Once home I turned the car around so it was facing the wrong way on a one way street, put the passengers side wheel on the kerb turned the wheel hither and yon to find the best position and then set to trying to repair the cracked front bumper. The fact it's been cracked for a while and not bothered me because I didn't know is of little regard 'cos as I have known since Friday it has driven me effin' mad thinking about it!

I had brave ideas of taking wheel arch liners out but that requires taking the wheel off so I abandoned all  pretence of doing the job right and went and got a super size bottle of Nescafe to prop the under tray out of the way while I wodged (technical term) a piece of mesh liberally covered in Araldite (like an inch thick wodge...) between under tray and under side of the bumper. I did hold it all together at the front with liberal applications of masking tape first - proper job! Amazingly, it worked! I did spare a tiny amount of skill and patience on it, mainly getting everything in the correct place and only getting a few liquid ounces of Araldite shit on my hands  I hate the stuff: it smells horrid and goes black and you have to wash, then scrub all the flesh from our paws.

To be fair to myself, I did an excellent job, using much skill and talent and as it is underneath the car, a totally invisible repair.

 

[320touring]

18 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Nowhere near the rent thankfully- my place is small.

even if I did buy it, it would still be the cheapest car round here.

and Ed is the posh neighbour, not Andy.

 

oh and common sense came and hit me over the head with my wallet.

I know all that

 

Bought it yet?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about now?

[richardmorris]

3 hours ago, 320touring said:

I know all that

 

Bought it yet?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about now?

No, but have staked an interest in a traction that should be the right price and new clutch with a high compression ds engine. Main negative is the  colour - two tone green.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

12 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

..... Main negative is the  colour - two tone green.

Pretend you're moonlighting for Harrods.

[richardmorris]

I expect I’ve a photo of it somewhere. It’s been at trips I’ve attended. Will look later. Could be original paint- a two owner car.

[320touring]

Sounds ace:)

Just get red lensed glasses, should make it yellow when you look at it;)

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Your shopping list for 2020 haz bin released:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/unicorns-rarest-cars-british-roads#69

[Aston Martin]

I was planning on diddling my servix history on the Cacti. 

However they sent a random email last night. "As your car is due back soon. We require service book and invoices"

Their FAQ lists a missing service manual as a £100 fine. It cant be that easy? I'm not going to lob it into a fire...

It's booked in for a service and MOT on Saturday with its enormous 13,235 miles. ?

 

...

 

Alessi Insurance is the 1st. Alessi tax is the 1st.

4x4 needs the same, around the same time.

 

As I'll be using Hastings for both. I'm hoping for a decent multicar discount.

[nigel bickle]

Well

One step forward, one step back

Got that Locking Merc wheel bolt off

 

So that’s mobile again.

Just in time to find this, today

 

 

Hey ho. That’ll be fun, 

[richardmorris]

I don't have many details, but at our local 2CV meeting last night I was asked by my mechanic friend if I knew anyone who would want a late Citroen BX turbo diesel? very good condition about 100K and in black. I'll get more info if anyone is interested.

[egg]

Can we b fwends?

Had a good chat with the owner of this 30k miler MK2 today. It was his idea about the two tone bumpers...(previously seen on lazy spotters thread)

[Eyersey1234]

6 minutes ago, egg said:

Can we b fwends?

Had a good chat with the owner of this 30k miler MK2 today. It was his idea about the two tone bumpers...(previously seen on lazy spotters thread)

Sorry egg where's the Mk2? 

[mrbenn]

5 minutes ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Sorry egg where's the Mk2? 

Took me a minute, too!

[egg]

Well spotted!

News on the Mazda, not a wheel bearing as I thought, but most likely feathering on rear tyre(s). I got new fronts last year, so time to ditch the ditchfinder generals on the rear...

@nigel bickle did they steal anything? Gits.

[320touring]

In Gent with work at the moment.

 

Spot of the trip on the way to this evening's event..

 

[richardmorris]

In back to reality down to earth news....

 

[egg]

Just bought two Yoko Bluearth's for just over £50 a corner fitted at my favourite place (the one that was happy to mess about with rusty Invacar rims). Bit extravagant as I'm a little brassic at the mo? Maybe, but I'm doing 300 odd miles a week taking my Daughter to school at the mo and will be using the Mazda all winter, so what price safety*?

[Split_Pin]

By my hilt! Mine Mini R56 doth not relent on its mockery of my onslaught of futile determination to maketh it walk to heel.

"Hai hai monkey boy!", it didst bray this een as I approached. "Hast thou employed that feckless pot-smoking quart-boy who works at the Cornhill Tavern to fetch car parts?" "Thou hast taken delivery of an o2 sensor with the wrong plug". "Only a halfling wouldst make a dog's tail of such a task. Wait till thy wife finds out that her conveyance doth be stricken for 2 more days whenst you schlep morrow-west to Eurocarparts to be relieved of another 100 gilts". "HAHAHAHA!"

"Aye", chimeth in the 172 "Thon Split_Pin hath not a pot to piss in since signing the affidavit to Gordy-boy of Rumford and taking ownership of ye moronic Mini".

But I hadst a quip up my green sleeve for I retorted "Pipeth down 172 for you have relieved me of half -and-three of my treasury upon acquiring a new subframe and lower arms". "Desist your pish or its off to Sports Car Breakers of Newbridge on the next barge-cart brought past by Wullie Macintosh of Allparts".

And so to bed.

[RobT]

535i roffle winner CortinaDave with his winnings.

I drove it up to Edinburgh today, as I thought it unfair to inflict the questionable cooling system on him for a 420 mile trip.  I've sort of got the measure of the thing now.  Took me 12 hours as I was stuck for 2 hours on a shut A14 near Huntingdon due to a bad crash, plus an hour stop when I had an overheat near Darlington.  Buttock clenching moment but fortunately I was at a junction with a pez station.  Copious amounts of water applied and it was fine afterwards, so there's definitely a leak somewhere hidden away.

Apart from that I enjoyed the trip as it does eat the miles well, and managed 29.4mpg.  Early flight home tomorrow, and then I'm working from home thankfully!

[Ghosty]

Does anyone know the rear numberplate dimensions for a Series 3 XJ? 

 

85 or later XJSs might be the same...

 

[Eddie Honda]

21" x 6"

[xtriple]

T'other day, while in the grip of depression over the crack in my front bumper, I ordered (don't laugh) some splitter things to go on the edges of the bumper and make it look 'race car' while also 'repairing' the crack.

Anyhoo, I properly repaired the front bumper with Araldite and mesh and so it is solid and invisible (unless you lay under the front) so they were not needed.... but could be fun and make it look... 'racecar'

After several e-mails from the post office to say when they were being delivered but not needed to sign for (never had that before got me all hopeful that it was my wood dash from foreign parts) they arrived this morning. I duly attempted to put them on the car.  They are MASSIVE and rather than 'racecer'  think 'snow plough' so they are sat on the chair doing nothing, I am considering fitting them to the fridge/freezer to make it chill stuff faster.

[barefoot]

Paddy fucking Hopkirk!

[chaseracer]

On 11/18/2019 at 11:26 PM, richardmorris said:

No, but have staked an interest in a traction that should be the right price and new clutch with a high compression ds engine. Main negative is the  colour - two tone green.

Pffft!!

Sorted.

?

[Split_Pin]

Replaced the o2 sensor on the Mini. Took it a decent test drive and the EML stayed off and it didn't cut out.

However after the car has been sitting switched off for about 10-15 minutes, once you start driving again, after about 5 minutes, it starts chugging and lurching. Lifting off and reapplying the throttle clears it. These are some of the symptoms which were occurring before. Damn.

As there are no codes thrown, I am suspecting suspecting MAF sensor but that's nothing more than a guess. 

[captain_70s]

Recently the Acclaim has been playing a new game wherein it looses all electrical systems randomly, usually when first starting.

Presumably a bad battery connection, I may have to look at it given it died as I was trying to exit the Clyde Tunnel today and I shat myself a bit when I realised I was rolling uphill with no drive or lights with traffic behind me...

[vulgalour]

As the Princess has taught me many times, it's likely that your Triumph suffers a common malady known as There's A Problem With The Earth.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

21 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

... There's A Problem With The Earth.

Yes, it's getting warmer. 

[paulplom]

The volvo has been sitting for a week and a half (I knew I didn't need a car). Started 1st time and I took it to tescos. Lovely machine and fast as fuck. I feel I'm just not going to use it. Anyone like to buy it? @Jim Bell? Nice and local.

[Jim Bell]

2 hours ago, paulplom said:

The volvo has been sitting for a week and a half (I knew I didn't need a car). Started 1st time and I took it to tescos. Lovely machine and fast as fuck. I feel I'm just not going to use it. Anyone like to buy it? @Jim Bell? Nice and local.

@paulplom

Thanks for the offer man but I've just bought something worse from another shitter who's much further away.