The new news 24 thread

[Ghosty]

I've bought something that won't surprise anyone on this forum. It's reliable*.

306 is for sale now, is £750 a fair price?

[vulgalour]

After a couple of days of hard work, we've got the driveway sorted out.  Doesn't look like we've done anything at all now it's done, looks like it's always been like this, and that's just fine.

Ordinarily, you'd just get someone out to redo the lot in one go of course, and we'll likely do that in the future.  Thing is, this job cost us the sum total of nothing bar a bit of elbow grease and back ache, since all the materials we needed were dotted around the property in places we didn't want them and now we have the benefit of an area to park that isn't edged in mud.

[Tenmil Socket]

@Split_Pin I think you need to run a Geiger counter past those plates...

[mrbenn]

On 1/18/2020 at 6:38 PM, LightBulbFun said:

Had to do a double take there!

you were very close to where I live LOL

those are the Morris minors I have talked about in my thread (cc @mrbenn   )  , and I remember spotting that pickup back in 2015 or so, I found it most interesting that it was a US truck but RHD  (somewhere I might have a crappy photo I took of it back then)

(although I dont recall the blue moggie living so close to the green traveller maybe there are more moggies around here then I realise!)

Thanks for that, Dez. Looks like chod central round there!

[Tickman]

1 hour ago, vulgalour said:

looks like it's always been like this, and that's just fine.

That is a win, looks tidy which is always good when you're the new neighbor.

[nigel bickle]

Same color as my Bravo HGT. Seemed rude not to....

[lanciamatt]

Today didn't start too well, run out of diesel in rush hour 10 yds off a roundabout, then battery went flat, managed to get mi dad's car next to it with jump leads, couldn't get it started. Had to go buy a battery from local motor factors, realised I couldn't pay for it as my new card only came day before and I didn't have pin number so it was declined. Then no tools to fit it. Luckily they know me and lent me tools and I can pay for it when pin comes. Moral of story fix the known dodgy fuel gauge, and don't get drunk and loose your wallet and have to cancel all your cards. 

[Dannyk]

Bloody mot testers, worse than traffic wardens ?

[Spurious]

50 minutes ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

MOT was today:

 

 

Which ended with:

 

 

The rot:

 

 

So around corner to the garage for the tame welder and mechanic, picking it up tomorrow after a full service as well. 

 

Not a great few days for MOTs here ?@Dannyk and his Polo, me and now yourself. 

 

 

[Spottedlaurel]

Camry update. Garage reported that the code suggested LH front ABS sensor is at fault, but they can't get hold of one at sensible cost.

Spent much of this evening removing one off the spares car. Not easy when it's the side that is against the hedge, and the car is on gravel. Eventually get car jacked-up and wheel off.

Everything was undoing OK, even the arch liner fixings. Unfortunately I failed at the final hurdle, when the sensor snapped-off in the housing.

Having done a search, which I wish I'd done when they first told me, it looks like I might be able to get a new one from a UK supplier for £30. Just need to check it's correct for my car, then fingers crossed it is that one that's at fault.....

[Ghosty]

As far as I know things are go, well the money is on its way anyway (this is rather protracted). My 'new' car is in the middle of nowhere, in a county that you should generally avoid (but has nothing to do with Junkman). From there it will be moved an hour the wrong way, to an apologist of the model in question who I understand is going to MOT it for me. When it is ready and my 306 sells, a collection mission shall ensue. I might have a friend coming with me on the collection, but he is expecting a baby so details of the collection mission are very much up in the air. 

[Jamie]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-est-4x4-1-9-TDI-2010-spares-or-repair/392638768044?hash=item5b6b1823ac:g:xH8AAOSwPkhd-P8K 

 

@dome you seem a glutten for punishment, how about another? Not far either

[stuboy]

9 hours ago, jamiechod said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-est-4x4-1-9-TDI-2010-spares-or-repair/392638768044?hash=item5b6b1823ac:g:xH8AAOSwPkhd-P8K 

 

@dome you seem a glutten for punishment, how about another? Not far either

2k........................jesus

[dome]

9 hours ago, jamiechod said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-est-4x4-1-9-TDI-2010-spares-or-repair/392638768044?hash=item5b6b1823ac:g:xH8AAOSwPkhd-P8K 

 

@dome you seem a glutten for punishment, how about another? Not far either

Dear god, what kind of idiot do you take me for?

No, that one has got @Fraz written all over it

[Eyersey1234]

11 hours ago, Ghosty said:

 I might have a friend coming with me on the collection, but he is expecting a baby

Is your friend a seahorse lol? 

[Dannyk]

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/18184040.abandoned-house-leads-safety-fears-rodbourne-cheney/?fbclid=IwAR2n5qrB_4yjYkvMkqEF_fTCxVGFLv2xppaVUYFZXCu-xPrTDo8Fi8BEyBA#gallery2

[BorniteIdentity]

34 minutes ago, Dannyk said:

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/18184040.abandoned-house-leads-safety-fears-rodbourne-cheney/?fbclid=IwAR2n5qrB_4yjYkvMkqEF_fTCxVGFLv2xppaVUYFZXCu-xPrTDo8Fi8BEyBA#gallery2

If you're on Facebook - check out the page "Angry People In Local Newspapers".  

I know several snappers for the papers, and I constantly ridicule them for this sort of shit.  "Yes - can you look disappointed please chaps.  Bit more?  No come on - you're fed up with having to live next to this pl... THAT'S THE LOOK".

[vulgalour]

Well, the Old Car that bf and I were off to view has sold, which is a bit of a shame.  Sensible head on, there's things we should definitely spend the money on instead, like carpets and cookers and boring stuff like that.

What we're actually looking at acquiring is most likely an Austin Somerset.  After much hunting and browsing and comparing, it's the one model we both keep coming back to so is probably the best option for the almost-pre-war motoring experience.  They're also pretty cheap and plentiful, comparatively speaking.  We've considered a lot of different models and the Somerset is the one we come back to the most, Lanchester LD10, and Austin Sixteen being close seconds, and Morris Ten coming in third.  We'd love something big and swish, like an Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire, but realistically we haven't the space to look after something like that properly yet, and it's probably better to cut our teeth on something more humdrum like the Somerset to really figure out if old fashioned motoring is actually for us.

[Fraz]

7 hours ago, dome said:

Dear god, what kind of idiot do you take me for?

No, that one has got @Fraz written all over it

£2000!!!!

 

jesus Christ .... not at that price. Half that and I’d consider it. 

[holbeck]

C15 MOT fail.

Merde!

Quite a long list, but mostly do-able.

The worst of it is corrosion to seat belt mounting and rear subframe mount. The garage are  getting me an estimate from their sub-contract welder.

Ho hum.

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, vulgalour said:

Well, the Old Car that bf and I were off to view has sold, which is a bit of a shame.  Sensible head on, there's things we should definitely spend the money on instead, like carpets and cookers and boring stuff like that.

What we're actually looking at acquiring is most likely an Austin Somerset.  After much hunting and browsing and comparing, it's the one model we both keep coming back to so is probably the best option for the almost-pre-war motoring experience.  They're also pretty cheap and plentiful, comparatively speaking.  We've considered a lot of different models and the Somerset is the one we come back to the most, Lanchester LD10, and Austin Sixteen being close seconds, and Morris Ten coming in third.  We'd love something big and swish, like an Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire, but realistically we haven't the space to look after something like that properly yet, and it's probably better to cut our teeth on something more humdrum like the Somerset to really figure out if old fashioned motoring is actually for us.

I've driven two Somersets.  The one I had as a courtesy car years ago was bloody horrible.  Angrydicky's was lovely - although the 1489cc engine upgrade helps there, the original 1200 is a little underpowered for modern traffic.

[vulgalour]

I was wondering about the performance* of the 1200, it seems like a very small engine for such a heavy car.  Am I right in assuming you can use the usual B series performance upgrades that you'd use on the MG B, Marina, etc. or are they a bit more specific?  I'm led to believe you can drop the bigger B series straight in, and that the gearbox and axle are robust enough to deal with it.  I'm also lead to believe you can fairly easily convert to disc brakes up front.

[Dannyk]

3 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

If you're on Facebook - check out the page "Angry People In Local Newspapers".  

I know several snappers for the papers, and I constantly ridicule them for this sort of shit.  "Yes - can you look disappointed please chaps.  Bit more?  No come on - you're fed up with having to live next to this pl... THAT'S THE LOOK".

 

Ill have a good look through it all later but looks pretty funny so far

[HillmanImp]

3 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

If you're on Facebook - check out the page "Angry People In Local Newspapers".  

I know several snappers for the papers, and I constantly ridicule them for this sort of shit.  "Yes - can you look disappointed please chaps.  Bit more?  No come on - you're fed up with having to live next to this pl... THAT'S THE LOOK".

Funnily enough I saw my mate made the comment below on a L.A. Gazette article about potholes today. 

[anonymous user]

Vulgalour, the first car I drove was a Somerset, it was given to us by a friend of my father, I remember that my father had replaced the half shafts in the rear axle several times for the previous owner so not sure how robust they are, particularly some 45 years on. I have had a few Devon/Dorset which is the same running gear and found them fine for pottering about, the Somerset is a good choice.

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, vulgalour said:

I was wondering about the performance* of the 1200, it seems like a very small engine for such a heavy car.  Am I right in assuming you can use the usual B series performance upgrades that you'd use on the MG B, Marina, etc. or are they a bit more specific?  I'm led to believe you can drop the bigger B series straight in, and that the gearbox and axle are robust enough to deal with it.  I'm also lead to believe you can fairly easily convert to disc brakes up front.

I'm not sure I'd want to drop in a 1798 twin carb from an MGB - the gearbox and rear axle probably wouldn't thank you for that - but a 1489 gives adequate power to be usable without completely overwhelming the brakes.  Brakes can be adequate if properly maintained, but being hydro-mechanical they do need proper setting up.

The 1200 engine is a sort of proto-B-series so not sure how upgradeable they are without finding contemporary '50s tuning bits, which might be expensive.

[egg]

Let's go for a drive with @Angrydicky

 

 

[richardmorris]

I hit a deer last night on the way home. Or more accurately it hit me- square amidships right into the driver’s door. I could see it running off again so didn’t get out. Made a Big Bang though. Huge dent in the driver’s door panel though ( about a 2” indent from the Sacco panel) so I spent twenty minutes in the dark removing the inner panel and gave the back a thump or two and it ( mostly ) boinged out again.  No scratches, hard creases or gore though, just a couple of bristled hairs.

 Managed to clip the plastic panel back on ok although it looks like at least one plastic clip disintegrated.

There’s a bit of a deflection around the door handle but I’ll see what it looks like in daylight tomorrow.

I went on the bike today as fed up with the car yesterday, on the way in some mad woman in a Volvo people tank thing decided she couldn’t wait for oncoming traffic to pass the parked cars and just pulled out in front of me. Good news is the abs worked! I had a queue of cars behind and she was then gesturing for me to reverse. Not going to happen, so she got out and came to have a word- said I had to give way to her as she is coming uphill and she’d already waited for six cars.  Honestly I don’t know what the world is coming to at the moment.  

[Angrydicky]

3 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Well, the Old Car that bf and I were off to view has sold, which is a bit of a shame.  Sensible head on, there's things we should definitely spend the money on instead, like carpets and cookers and boring stuff like that.

What we're actually looking at acquiring is most likely an Austin Somerset.  After much hunting and browsing and comparing, it's the one model we both keep coming back to so is probably the best option for the almost-pre-war motoring experience.  They're also pretty cheap and plentiful, comparatively speaking.  We've considered a lot of different models and the Somerset is the one we come back to the most, Lanchester LD10, and Austin Sixteen being close seconds, and Morris Ten coming in third.  We'd love something big and swish, like an Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire, but realistically we haven't the space to look after something like that properly yet, and it's probably better to cut our teeth on something more humdrum like the Somerset to really figure out if old fashioned motoring is actually for us.

I’ve had my Somerset for six years now. Thoroughly recommended, and I know most Counties era Austins inside out, so if I can help with your potential purchase, let me know!

 Edit: I’ve still got that fantastic shirt, sadly I can’t get into it anymore...

[Angrydicky]

There’s a Royale saloon like mine on the drive of that house in Swindon! Can anyone make out the plate?