The new news 24 thread

25,009 · April 8, 2020

3 minutes ago, Tim_E said:

Heck!

Those lift/ ramps never look safe to me.

April 8, 2020

I finally fitted a new resistor to the heater fan in the 406, after 3 months of it only blowing on full power...

20200403_142500

20200403_160726

Only took 10 flippin minutes in the end, really should have done it sooner, I'd forgotten what a novelty it is to have a working fan.

4,744 · April 8, 2020

47 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Those lift/ ramps never look safe to me.

Don't matter, I expect they are off to be bridged anyway, tatty old common Astons ?

4,744 · April 8, 2020

12 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I bought a set of these a month or so back. They're not bad, as cheapo plastic trims go - they don't look nearly as offensive as some offerings.

Have you got any pictures of them out of the box please , seeing as the seller couldn't manage it ?

64,884 · April 8, 2020

18 minutes ago, mitsisigma01 said:

Have you got any pictures of them out of the box please , seeing as the seller couldn't manage it ?

4,744 · April 8, 2020

Cheers, I'm off out to buy a car with 14' rims now ??

1,668 · April 8, 2020

My eldest lad's Peugeot 207 was showing signs of coolant use, even though the head gasket was replaced at the last major repair (engine & 'box out for Clutch / Head Gasket / Timing Belt job).

The thermostat housing at end of the cylinder head was leaking coolant from the front edge, so I stripped, cleaned and resealed it yesterday afternoon. These seem to leak for fun and there is no physical gasket, I used an RTV Silicon that I had with the Polo timing chain kit, worked well though but I don't think Peugeot were particularly liberal with the amount they used.

Job bobbed.

5,355 · April 8, 2020

Hinges (not 'gives' - silly typo-making device) have arrived!

For my E46 estate.

Exciting!

25,009 · April 8, 2020

2 hours ago, mitsisigma01 said:

Don't matter, I expect they are off to be bridged anyway, tatty old common Astons ?

The DB6 was coming in, the V8 leaving.

4,744 · April 8, 2020

Very nice they are to, what is that magical place, where the rich bastards keep there toys or an importer /exporter for rich bastards?

25,009 · April 8, 2020

4 minutes ago, mitsisigma01 said:

Very nice they are to, what is that magical place, where the rich bastards keep there toys or an importer /exporter for rich bastards?

Yes, both. Mostly dealers and auction houses.

63,769 · April 8, 2020

Obviously essential work in lockdown too?

25,009 · April 8, 2020

1 hour ago, egg said:

Obviously essential work in lockdown too?

I was thinking that, but garages can stay open, and if your income relies on very rich customers paying very large bills when they get their very expensive cars back I suppose you'll carry on. Nothing else in or out today though.

27,324 · April 8, 2020

TODAY I HAZ BEEN MOSTLY TURD POLISHING!!!

It was looking quite neglected, at least more so than normal, gave it a light compound and wax,it does show up the dents more now though :mrgreen:

Still not too bad that's mostly the original paint from 1986 too.

Bootlid was painted sometime,but the rest of the panels seem to be the original ones.

Added a pair of spot lights that I picked up at a boot sale,and added some old air horns too.I've had them horns since I sneaked them out of a local breakers yard down my trousers as a kid

Oh and some rear mudflaps and a high level rear brake light that were in my shed.(paid for not sneaked out down trousers)

I even glued the hands back onto the clock,because bored!!

Happy with that.

134,829 · April 8, 2020

100% hands down the best colour the 205 came in.

134,829 · April 8, 2020

A miniature clear out of the shed. There'll be some older and even more useless ones here still somewhere...

The SK choke and carb cleaner is absolutely the best stuff I've ever used.

Right, where's the paint matching and bespoke bodywork repair department hiding? Ahh, there you are...

In a huge surprise, Vauxhall 'Flame red' wasn't a close match, though another one was a bit nearer. Time to test the random can of colour, absolutely perfect. Well, not absolute nor perfect, in fact, because the nozzle was missing and the can probably easily 20+ years old, it sort of wet farted out in strange mushy lumps. Super! No proper brushes, so used the half-dried up remnant from the flame red touch up stick. Things were going incredibly well (ok, neither incredible, nor well) and that just ran out anyway, so I found another mystery can and used that. Sprayed it into a can top, mixed it about and I believe you will find the results stunning....

Missed a phone call shortly after I'd finished, probably be the boss of Bentley's spray room offering a job.

Well, after that success it was time to display further talents, this time in the T.I.C (Transit Improvement Centre) secret department. Before...

A bit more effort involved here, so much more in fact I had to use that well known tactic of sticking my tongue out whilst doing the repair*. Highly recommend tip, makes a big difference. Feel free to try it, impossible tasks are made so much easier.

After:

Because remember kids, an MOT extension doesn't mean you can drive round in an old banger.

*Edit: that black tape on the Transit actually resembles a 20 week pregnancy scan in those pictures. This will guarantee immunity from driving to Cornwall when I'm well again to collect a rusty, incomplete seized up ditch find Tomos moped, as I can prove to the coppers that my wife is pregnant and it's emergency transport.

18,057 · April 8, 2020

I went and made a thing, you can see it here soon:

27,324 · April 8, 2020

41 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

100% hands down the best colour the 205 came in.

Best engine too,XUD7

3,549 · April 8, 2020

I'd forgotten until this morning how crazy Saab 9-5 electrical systems get when the car's battery is discharged. Things stop working one by one until you're left with nothing but a dim glow from the interior lights. My fault for not driving it for a week then working on it on and off for several days with the doors open and the radio on.

Luckily, a quick jump start using my Clarke booster pack sorted it. I'm so glad that I forked out the £90 or so for it at the Cambridge branch of Machine Mart a year or so ago, as not only is it great for reviving dead cars, it has a built-in air compressor, a light and a 12v auxiliary socket

5,452 · April 8, 2020

28 minutes ago, Shep Shepherd said:

I'd forgotten until this morning how crazy Saab 9-5 electrical systems get when the car's battery is discharged. Things stop working one by one until you're left with nothing but a dim glow from the interior lights. My fault for not driving it for a week then working on it on and off for several days with the doors open and the radio on.

Luckily, a quick jump start using my Clarke booster pack sorted it. I'm so glad that I forked out the £90 or so for it at the Cambridge branch of Machine Mart a year or so ago, as not only is it great for reviving dead cars, it has a built-in air compressor, a light and a 12v auxiliary socket

I bought one from Costco a little while ago. My primary disappointment is that I've yet to have a use for it in anger...

13,265 · April 8, 2020

6 hours ago, richardmorris said:

I was thinking that, but garages can stay open, and if your income relies on very rich customers paying very large bills when they get their very expensive cars back I suppose you'll carry on. Nothing else in or out today though.

Yep. I’ve had to stay open to sort out Mr @snagglepuss’s Aero...

20,203 · April 8, 2020

17 minutes ago, NorthernMonkey said:

Yep. I’ve had to stay open to sort out Mr @snagglepuss’s Aero...

full time job right there (and making him tea)

4,531 · April 8, 2020

Wouldn't ride any other make, not after an early encounter with a Raleigh Arena that didn't feel right.

...for which there might well be a very good reason - Raleigh managed to push out a whole batch of Arenas one Christmas, all of which had dodgy welds between the head tube/down tube that failed - cue some nasty accidents and injuries followed by compensation and recall...

Sent from my BV6000 using Tapatalk

15,089 · April 8, 2020

1 minute ago, chodweaver said:

...for which there might well be a very good reason - Raleigh managed to push out a whole batch of Arenas one Christmas, all of which had dodgy welds between the head tube/down tube that failed - cue some nasty accidents and injuries followed by compensation and recall...

I didn't know that. Dodged a bullet there. My "not feeling right" came from the fact that it was heavier than its Peugeot rival, which also looked better screwed-together. After that junior Peugeot was outgrown, it had to be a Peugeot Talisman next.

2,276 · April 8, 2020

Ideal night to fold the hood down and go for a virtual blast round the lanes. Here is a real moon a few minutes ago to light your way ?

(Moon is the top lh one, the others are street lights )

16,923 · April 8, 2020

Essential virtual travel, obs

134,829 · April 9, 2020

Oh, the steering wheel was a bit loose on the Lada, so took the centre off and managed to find a socket big enough to fit the nut. Probs should have disconnected the battery, as every time the socket touched a certain point the horn sounded, alerting any curtain twitching moaning bastards that someone was unessentially repairing their car.

Flushed with success after this, the slightly wonky passenger seat was sorted (loose bolts) and a couple tightened down on the driver's one.

27,324 · April 9, 2020

There's an old saying, "the devil makes work for idle hands"!

I've been channelling my inner Stuboy and added yet more lights to the front of my 205!!

Picked up a pair of new square driving lamps at a car show last summer,I had the lower bumper panel for years,I half heartedly painted it some time back,and as the day was nice I decided "why not"

I must admit to quite liking them.

I have a matching lower bumper for the rear,but alas no paint.

Hoping to find a reflective rear panel for the tailgate sometime too.

Poor little car is wondering WTF is happening to it!

:mrgreen:

134,829 · April 9, 2020

In an exciting* update, the spare parts now don't live in the boot anymore, so the back seats have been put up since the first time I've owned it. It needs a polish really, but that's a job for another time