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12 hours ago, Yoss said:

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IMG_20201217_094008.thumb.jpg.2dfbb9c8ee0532d9870e90c1052e679b.jpg

You're gonna need a bigger bike, to paraphrase a well known film. This is an exaggeration as it was taken a week before Lockdown Christmas Armageddon but the job has changed and is much more packet based. 

Even 30 years ago it was difficult most days to use a bike, as they aren't very stable with two bags of letters on. Many were just going out to their walk in their cars, leaving the second bag in the boot while they delivered the first bag. Even though it was against the rules.

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24 minutes ago, Amishtat said:

I worked for Parcelfarce until three months ago and we would have been crucified if anyone saw parcels in the cab. Still, as your pictures demonstrate, sometimes there's nowhere else to put them. 

Our local Parcelfarce man (top bloke btw) drives a LWB Sprinter, so much more capacity than a RM Partner.  It's unliveried, do PF drivers have to buy/lease their own vehicles or do PF not bother signwriting them anymore? He drives like a loon so I'm guessing he's not paying for it.

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24 minutes ago, Amishtat said:

I worked for Parcelfarce until three months ago and we would have been crucified if anyone saw parcels in the cab. Still, as your pictures demonstrate, sometimes there's nowhere else to put them. 

Indeed it is not allowed and I am perhaps foolish for posting that picture on an international highly influential social media platform.

I think my story is I only put them there whilst I rearranged all the packets in the back to make a bit more room for them! In reality the ones in the front are the ones I'm doing first so I'll get rid of them as quickly as possible. It's not ideal but I'm doing my best. I think they should thank me for going above and beyond. Actually our line manager is really good and does regularly thank me for what I do. I really don't envy their job as they get shit from both ends. Pressure from above to make us do more and pressure from us when we don't. If we have a problem we take it to them and it's not our problem any more. They start the week with a duty sheet which even by Tuesday is covered in tippex as they have to rearrange things due to sickness or accidentally putting the wrong day off down for someone. 

Obviously that was an exceptional day but it's still far heavier than it was this time last year. Our workload does go up and down directly in line with the lockdowns. I had quite a nice summer when the shops reopened but generally its been like Christmas every day since last March except for Christmas when it was like double Christmas. There was a time about 18 months back when I would only have about ten overweights (packets too big to go in the bags), and often less than that. I don't think it will ever go back to that now even if life does get back to some sort of normal. People will have got too used to sitting at home on their phones. I can't complain really, at least I know I have a secure job and I do generally still enjoy it except on the really stupid days. 

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2 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

Our local Parcelfarce man (top bloke btw) drives a LWB Sprinter, so much more capacity than a RM Partner.  It's unliveried, do PF drivers have to buy/lease their own vehicles or do PF not bother signwriting them anymore? He drives like a loon so I'm guessing he's not paying for it.

If it's a white one it's probably a hire van, some drivers own their vehicles however. 

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1 hour ago, Yoss said:

Indeed it is not allowed and I am perhaps foolish for posting that picture on an international highly influential social media platform.

I think my story is I only put them there whilst I rearranged all the packets in the back to make a bit more room for them! In reality the ones in the front are the ones I'm doing first so I'll get rid of them as quickly as possible. It's not ideal but I'm doing my best. I think they should thank me for going above and beyond. Actually our line manager is really good and does regularly thank me for what I do. I really don't envy their job as they get shit from both ends. Pressure from above to make us do more and pressure from us when we don't. If we have a problem we take it to them and it's not our problem any more. They start the week with a duty sheet which even by Tuesday is covered in tippex as they have to rearrange things due to sickness or accidentally putting the wrong day off down for someone. 

Obviously that was an exceptional day but it's still far heavier than it was this time last year. Our workload does go up and down directly in line with the lockdowns. I had quite a nice summer when the shops reopened but generally its been like Christmas every day since last March except for Christmas when it was like double Christmas. There was a time about 18 months back when I would only have about ten overweights (packets too big to go in the bags), and often less than that. I don't think it will ever go back to that now even if life does get back to some sort of normal. People will have got too used to sitting at home on their phones. I can't complain really, at least I know I have a secure job and I do generally still enjoy it except on the really stupid days. 

No criticism intended, Royal Mail are a good company to work for in my experience and I've no doubt that your customers are grateful for your efforts. I miss my job. 

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Cacky front cataracts on the son's Clio was the order of the day as he's saved enough to insure it himself,  exhibit a 20210109_130223.thumb.jpg.b12b7fe79d94be685aca234768a0aaf6.jpg

Exhibit b20210109_130231.thumb.jpg.35bae2a781c95f87f3375ae925cdf7fc.jpg

Masked up and ready for wet and dry paper,  600, 800 then 1200 got us to this stage, headlight on the right before the first pass with the hard pad on the Mop, 20210109_133305.thumb.jpg.5329c328a6bccf70dd7fe4d296495ceb.jpg

We used this Meguiar's plastic polish as ive had it floating around the shed for year's, 20210109_150415.thumb.jpg.68d4dbb50126df248a668a546985ef53.jpg

Passed both the headlights with the soft pad to get it a smooth as possible for the headlight coating that someone from this very parish recommend20210109_150429.thumb.jpg.f52e83fc52a436e0d7584f0ce7f071eb.jpg

I did the left-hand side to show the son what's what then made him do the right-hand side because that's how you learn in my book,20210109_133919.thumb.jpg.5b54eaebc9465453bae1869ab9d8adaf.jpg

Before the final coating stage I masked up the surrounding  bodywork with paper so the over spray didn't go all over it, I completely forgot to take a picture of it all covered up unfortunately,  as it is cold outside I left the coating can in a bucket of hot water with a stone on the top so that it didn't float, dried and cleaned the headlights with soft paper then warmed them with my hot air gun before application,  a couple of coats passed over using the hot air gun inbetween to help it flash off and we have ended up with  a really nice result I think20210109_143553.thumb.jpg.324925392350bc19e76701f11583afc5.jpg

Close up20210109_143600.thumb.jpg.5f77176b6dfaacd45d6b21bc18376d75.jpg20210109_143609.thumb.jpg.a256c23ca9797731c1cbbb69efd81871.jpg

I've done loads of plastic headlights in the past but never used to coating on them until now but I'm currently converted assuming it doesn't pickle up or go faded in a week or so that is,

I know Dollywobbler used some other type of polish for his headlights on the Daihatsu so you don't have to spend money on the Meguiars one but that coating is well worth the money in my opinion 

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4 hours ago, Jamie said:

 

Done a terrible quick vid on the TT for those who are interested 👍

Nice video! I'd always assumed these show cars were cherished since they costs so much to build. Are most like this up close? The inside is great though! I wish more cars came with interesting interiors like that in colours other than black and grey.

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3 hours ago, rusty998 said:

Cacky front cataracts on the son's Clio was the order of the day as he's saved enough to insure it himself,  exhibit a 20210109_130223.thumb.jpg.b12b7fe79d94be685aca234768a0aaf6.jpg

Exhibit b20210109_130231.thumb.jpg.35bae2a781c95f87f3375ae925cdf7fc.jpg

Masked up and ready for wet and dry paper,  600, 800 then 1200 got us to this stage, headlight on the right before the first pass with the hard pad on the Mop, 20210109_133305.thumb.jpg.5329c328a6bccf70dd7fe4d296495ceb.jpg

We used this Meguiar's plastic polish as ive had it floating around the shed for year's, 20210109_150415.thumb.jpg.68d4dbb50126df248a668a546985ef53.jpg

Passed both the headlights with the soft pad to get it a smooth as possible for the headlight coating that someone from this very parish recommend20210109_150429.thumb.jpg.f52e83fc52a436e0d7584f0ce7f071eb.jpg

I did the left-hand side to show the son what's what then made him do the right-hand side because that's how you learn in my book,20210109_133919.thumb.jpg.5b54eaebc9465453bae1869ab9d8adaf.jpg

Before the final coating stage I masked up the surrounding  bodywork with paper so the over spray didn't go all over it, I completely forgot to take a picture of it all covered up unfortunately,  as it is cold outside I left the coating can in a bucket of hot water with a stone on the top so that it didn't float, dried and cleaned the headlights with soft paper then warmed them with my hot air gun before application,  a couple of coats passed over using the hot air gun inbetween to help it flash off and we have ended up with  a really nice result I think20210109_143553.thumb.jpg.324925392350bc19e76701f11583afc5.jpg

Close up20210109_143600.thumb.jpg.5f77176b6dfaacd45d6b21bc18376d75.jpg20210109_143609.thumb.jpg.a256c23ca9797731c1cbbb69efd81871.jpg

I've done loads of plastic headlights in the past but never used to coating on them until now but I'm currently converted assuming it doesn't pickle up or go faded in a week or so that is,

I know Dollywobbler used some other type of polish for his headlights on the Daihatsu so you don't have to spend money on the Meguiars one but that coating is well worth the money in my opinion 

They look better than new. That must have been a really satisfying job to do. 

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59 minutes ago, Minimad5 said:

Don't powder coat the wheels, try take off the offending lacquer first, then buff the shit out of them & get your tame spray dude to throw some lacquer on.

They've gone pitted where the white worm is and think it would take ages to get that finish again. They are gettin done chrome so it'll look simmlar anyway 👍

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1 hour ago, Mr Laurence said:

Nice video! I'd always assumed these show cars were cherished since they costs so much to build. Are most like this up close? The inside is great though! I wish more cars came with interesting interiors like that in colours other than black and grey.

Thanks mate. It's still a bit shit as I'm editing on my phone 

 

You'd think so wouldn't you? Sadly it's been through 9 owners since it was once loved. The state of the rear shocks literally shocked me, no pun intended.. It had an mot 3 weeks ago 

20210109_152603.thumb.jpg.04dd91ad77d334460886c3b17a46af52.jpg

I do love the interior though and I'm looking forward to giving it a good clean! 

 

I've spend the evening machine polishing it it has come up quite well 

20210109_184849.thumb.jpg.9c729571e484ef8359c9a4ff6bf2bf39.jpg

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Yesterday I set about fixing a couple of minor bits and pieces behind the scenes on my website.

This rapidly turned into one of those situations where you pull on one thread and end up unravelling the whole tapestry. 

The whole mess dates back in some places to 1999, though there was a major overhaul in 2002.  Since then it's been held together by more bodgery than an end of life Mini in the early 80s.

For a start I've found at least half a dozen orphaned pages which weren't actually linked to any more, I've lost count of how many were missing the Statcounter code... that's obviously dropped off the template at some point...and let's not even get started on circular links or things opening in the wrong target frame.  It's an absolute bloody mess.

Will be going through it page by page over the next few days to sort most of those most glaringly obvious issues out...

Doing one subsection took me the whole afternoon today... I'm going to be seeing HTML in my sleep at this rate.

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The lada continues to sit unloved. I can’t find the bonnet release, although the grille on the bonnet has been prised a bit like someone has had to release it directly via the latch. When things calm down (hopefully not too far ahead) I’ll bang it into my local chod friendly garage and get it recommissioned. 
 

6291146F-1608-49B4-A477-562881F9156A.thumb.jpeg.bb34ff9004722cff432357089fad42c0.jpeg
 

In my imagination, there’s a shitefest happening in the future and I’m driving it there......

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The Rover 75 is playing silly buggers.  I went to it this afternoon and the battery was as dead as a doornail - no electricity at all, which was odd as I only moved it a couple of days ago and it started fine then.  Jumped it off the Iveco and it fired up fine, but I then found that the electric windows weren't working.   A bit of playing around ascertained that the three passenger windows are working fine from the switches on their respective doors, but the driver's door switch module isn't doing anything to either windows or mirrors.  There's power to the switch module as the LED for the mirror adjusters is on, and it flicks across when I select the other mirror, but the mirrors don't move.  Similarly with the rear window lockout - when I press the button the LED comes on, but the rear door switches still operate the windows.

Anyway, I left it running for a while to charge the battery up, then switched off but left it unlocked.  Went back to it a few minutes later to get the jump leads out of the boot and it'd locked itself.  It unlocked fine on the remote and I opened the boot, but it then proceeded to lock itself again a few seconds later.  It doesn't seem to do it with the engine running, only when the key's out of the ignition.

I don't know whether it's one of those weird "75s don't like the cold" symptoms that will disappear once it warms up a bit or whether something has actually gone wrong with the car, but it's a bit of a strange one either way.

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1 hour ago, Jamie said:

Thanks mate. It's still a bit shit as I'm editing on my phone 

 

You'd think so wouldn't you? Sadly it's been through 9 owners since it was once loved. The state of the rear shocks literally shocked me, no pun intended.. It had an mot 3 weeks ago 

20210109_152603.thumb.jpg.04dd91ad77d334460886c3b17a46af52.jpg

I do love the interior though and I'm looking forward to giving it a good clean! 

 

I've spend the evening machine polishing it it has come up quite well 

20210109_184849.thumb.jpg.9c729571e484ef8359c9a4ff6bf2bf39.jpg

That's not a fail on the shock as it won't affect function and no-one can cut themselves on it.

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5 minutes ago, artdjones said:

That's not a fail on the shock as it won't affect function and no-one can cut themselves on it.

My mot man disagrees,  the shock is providing limited or no  damping effect, seeing as there is nothing there to absorb any shock?! 

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Had a FML moment earlier today and a bit of a wobble. Let me set the scene then you can sympathise / take the piss / be brutal. 
Against my better judgment I agreed to look at an unloved Hyundai Sonata, 2002 with a 16v 2.0 Auto, belonging to a friend of my Dad. Back in the summer it needed brakes all round, welding to rear of LH sill and coil packs. Parts cost and some beer tokens made it a close call for a trip to the bridge, however the owner found someone else to do the MOT work and a ticket was issued. In November the engine started to cut out after 20 or so miles, but would restart when my Dad, or recovery services arrived. I looked at the codes and found misfire and crank position sensor issues, crank sensor codes returned on test. 
Wiring was good and secure so a new sensor was suggested, not a particularly nice job as it’s buried next to the crank nose in the timing belt cover. A new belt kit was suggested as a must along with a genuine sensor, now here’s the crux. I don’t like cheap / spurious sensors of any kind, I’ve always had problems and avoid them at all costs.  
An enquiry to a local Hyundai parts dept was made, only to be told there isn’t any sensors in UK and it would be an eight week wait for a genuine Hyundai part. Local motor factor had a Blue Print part available at a third of the Hyundai part price. Not my preferred option but I went with it. 
Stripped the belts off and sensor, to find water damage from a leaking water pump, this was also replaced, got everything built back up this afternoon and the engine failed to restart, not even any sign of sparking to life. Crank sensor error code is found and returns after a cranking phase. This was my FML moment, I’d fitted a spurious component (albeit available) against my principles, the part was ‘dead-on-arrival’ and I’ve got to strip everything back to replace it, again.

Sorry for a long (rantish) post, but I do feel better for off loading.

 

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5 minutes ago, Jamie said:

My mot man disagrees,  the shock is providing limited or no  damping effect, seeing as there is nothing there to absorb any shock?! 

If that's the passenger rear they have acknowledged it on the mot as "has limited damping effect".

I'd say that's an understatement. Looks like the seller had a mate who tested it? Smart move letting your own mot man see it for reassurance.

I'd take your own mot guys advice and see where you go from here. Should have been replaced in my opinion.

Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll get it ship shape in no time. Hope it's not taken the shine off the purchase.

 

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6 minutes ago, Agila said:

If that's the passenger rear they have acknowledged it on the mot as "has limited damping effect".

I'd say that's an understatement. Looks like the seller had a mate who tested it? Smart move letting your own mot man see it for reassurance.

I'd take your own mot guys advice and see where you go from here. Should have been replaced in my opinion.

Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll get it ship shape in no time. Hope it's not taken the shine off the purchase.

 

Absolutely couldn't agree more! I've ordered a pair of shocks and it certainly hasn't taken the shine off, I Knew it needed work so I am happy to spend on it (a bit) 

 

How you getting on with the SLK? 

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On 1/9/2021 at 9:12 PM, Jamie said:

How you getting on with the SLK? 

Perfect. It's got Grace's plates on it now. Will be getting the wheels done when I get a chance. Best grand I've ever spent that's for sure. Will come into it's own in the summer.

Civic went through mot fine and on a different plate   

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