The new news 24 thread

[Split_Pin]

1 hour ago, Supernaut said:

I've been away for over a week now.

You know, nothing major. Just a move over 100 miles across Scotland to a new job.

 

 

Broadband is now live in the flat, ooof it feels good.

First day at the new job today, too. It's normal to end up wandering around a remote fish farm in the hills north of Glasgow on the first day of a job in IT infrastructure, right?

Right...?

Glad it's going well man!

[wuvvum]

Got the brake drum off the Innocenti today, having found that a Poundland claw hammer was exactly the right size and shape to lever the handbrake mechanism to the fully released position.  Oiled up the pivot inside the drum, as well as the shoe pivots, and put a dab of copper grease on the back plate where the shoes slide over it.  Also squirted a load of spray grease onto the cable for good measure, although I don't think the cable is the issue.  Apart from a brief moment of idiocy when I tried to refit the drum with the handbrake still applied, it went OK - it's nice and dry in there and the shoes still have loads of meat on them.  The handbrake is definitely freeing up now - it's to the point where it's probably free enough to pass a test, although it is still sticking very slightly. 

I also refitted the exhaust with a load of assembly paste (works better than Gun Gum at sealing joins), a new secondary clamp and a bit of metal slathered in exhaust paste to help reinforce the previously fitted bandage which was starting to blow through.  I also tightened up the clamps properly this time, using a ratchet rather than a pissy 13mm spanner, and the whole thing feels a lot more rigid now.  It's quietened things back down too, which is good.  So just a patch of welding to be done and it should be almost MOT ready.

The Spacy must have heard me slagging it off yesterday as that now runs too.  My expert* repair of the fuel tap seems to have done the trick - fuel is now flowing through rather than dribbling as it was before, and it's not leaking anymore.  The idle is far too high and the exhaust is blowing fit to wake the dead, but one of those two is easily enough resolved - the other a bit more complicated as this exhaust is beyond welding, I have a spare exhaust in weldable condition but it's currently buried somewhere in a mate's garage so will have to try and dig that out.  The headlight dip switch is going to need taking out and cleaning / lubing as well, and the front brake cable is sticking quite badly.  So still a fair bit to do before it can go back on the road...

[TheOtherStu]

12 hours ago, Yoss said:

This was in my van today. 

That's the hottest I've ever seen it. Previous high I'd noticed was 36c. This was obviously after it had parked up for 20 mins or so, it goes down as soon you start driving. Trouble is I never move more than a couple of hundred yards at a time so it never goes down much. And I'm guessing the sensor is behind the front bumper which is unpainted black. So obviously not accurate but still bloody hot. 

What it does remind you is how hot it is in a car if you leave the dog in it though!

[catsinthewelder]

Or in this case a black and white cat.

[Yoss]

6 hours ago, TheOtherStu said:

What it does remind you is how hot it is in a car if you leave the dog in it though!

 

Unfortunately we're not allowed to take our dogs to work. Probably just as well, cardboard boxes are our dogs favorite thing in all the world. He'd love it but I wouldn't have a job long. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

In the last few days I have done some small repairs and maintenance on the tractors. Today it was the Volvo I worked on and changed the engine oil and oil filter, diesel filters and cleaned the sediment bowl and last clean and change the oil on the air filter on it so then it is ready for another year.

[vulgalour]

Maestro overheated a little bit today.  I say a little bit because it threw the overheating light on until I whacked the heaters up full and then it calmed down.  Thing is, it was so hot in the car I couldn't even tell the heaters were blasting hot air at me, it just felt the same.

Happily, there's now a thunderstorm stomping about the place so here's hoping for a big pile of rain so my brain will start working again.

[richardmorris]

I suppose this is progress on the merc suspension repairs. Off at a rehabilitation spa ( my mechanic’s drive) for rejuvenating treatment ( hopefully). 

[Crackers]

Shopping trolley. 

Please stop embarrassing me by doing this. 

And please stop playing silly buggers with the clutch. I'm getting quite tired of your antics. 

Please and thank you. And please. 

[andyberg]

Just been into Bristol to eat at a Chinese buffet, preparing my son for our trip to Hong Kong in November, or not. Very good social distancing still and everyone wearing a mask while choosing food. But my stand out moment is returning to the car! The Xedos outsized by a bini and a golf, just shows how much cars have grown over the years. 

[High Jetter]

Fuck me, Bristol gets dark very early these days! 🤣

[Split_Pin]

Best looking car in the car park tonight, even if it was the only one!

[High Jetter]

47 minutes ago, Crackers said:

And please stop playing silly buggers with the clutch. I'm getting quite tired of your antics.

I'll do you a favour and take it off your hands, M9 

[andyberg]

15 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Fuck me, Bristol gets dark very early these days! 🤣

That's the dark cloud of doom hanging over it, or nasty Chinese smart phone 😂

[brownnova]

Tonight’s Mavericks meet is bought to you by the colour red: 

Other colours were available… 

Lucky to have this on my doorstep every Tuesday! About 150 cars there tonight apparently! 

[Floatylight]

The man from the ministry he say - Yes! Pretty good for a 20 year old Merc..

[PhilA]

16 hours ago, andyberg said:

That's the dark cloud of doom hanging over it, or nasty Chinese smart phone 😂

Man, haven't been there in so long. Surprised they even let you drive up to the triangle any more.

[andyberg]

7 minutes ago, PhilA said:

Man, haven't been there in so long. Surprised they even let you drive up to the triangle any more.

Oh the other side of the triangle is now single lane, all the bus stops are closed off to allow 2 cycle lanes!! One each side of the road, its fun in rush hour. 

[PhilA]

2 minutes ago, andyberg said:

Oh the other side of the triangle is now single lane, all the bus stops are closed off to allow 2 cycle lanes!! One each side of the road, its fun in rush hour. 

I bet.

I was stood at the lights on the corner by park street and on front of us a white Opel Manta ran the red light and knocked him down at speed.

Luckily the guy rode horses and rolled to a halt relatively unscathed but people used to fly through there coming down from Clifton.

I guess now you get to risk your life similarly but now the risk is posed by the Lycra Warriors, because everybody knows red lights don't apply to them...

[egg]

Email from MX5parts.uk - 10% off parts, might be worth a look to owners.

[loserone]

They must be struggling for business cause I've not owned an MX5 or bought from them in 10 years and I got it too

[Floatylight]

3 hours ago, Floatylight said:

The man from the ministry he say - Yes! Pretty good for a 20 year old Merc..

Just picked it back up, MOT'd, Serviced, Air con regassed. Old pollen filter minging!  Even had a mini valet..

The garage I've started using has an interesting selection  of cars knocking about..

Sorry some pics upside down!

[Zelandeth]

Biggest oil leak on the Merc seems to be the rocker cover gasket.

Poked around on eBay, £20-25 seems to be the going rate (except for the two listings at £7...which seems too cheap) which may or may not be the right one.

Main dealer?  £18 and it'll be here day after tomorrow.  Plus there should be a decent chance of it actually being the right part.

[richardmorris]

Eeek!

It drove surprisingly well considering there’s nothing holding one side of the suspension to the car! He’s going to attempt to loosen the mounts tomorrow after a day of plusgas.

[richardmorris]

As the above pics, if rick can get the bolts undone without shearing them off think the plan it to strip it all, send the metal for blasting and get all new rubber together with the repair plate from Mercedes.

[Burnside]

My Fiat Stilo is back from having a new clutch, another fail courtesy of the previous owner. 

Cost more than I paid for the car to have it done, but was totally worth the expense. Now I can actually pullout of junctions in busy traffic etc safely! 

Also took the lazy option and had them replace the front discs too, as they were low. So no more embarrassing squealing every time I stop either. 

I'm still looking for a decent replacement headlining as the current one is torn to shreds in the back.

So if anyone knows/ see's one Breaking etc ideally in the Midlands. That would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, Burnside said:

My Fiat Stilo is back from having a new clutch, another fail courtesy of the previous owner. 

Cost more than I paid for the car to have it done, but was totally worth the expense. Now I can actually pullout of junctions in busy traffic etc safely! 

Also took the lazy option and had them replace the front discs too, as they were low. So no more embarrassing squealing every time I stop either. 

I'm still looking for a decent replacement headlining as the current one is torn to shreds in the back.

So if anyone knows/ see's one Breaking etc ideally in the Midlands. That would be greatly appreciated.

 

Nice to see one still earning it's keep.  Remember thinking they looked really smart when they came out.

[Schaefft]

On 7/20/2021 at 8:14 PM, andyberg said:

Just been into Bristol to eat at a Chinese buffet, preparing my son for our trip to Hong Kong in November, or not. Very good social distancing still and everyone wearing a mask while choosing food. But my stand out moment is returning to the car! The Xedos outsized by a bini and a golf, just shows how much cars have grown over the years. 

Is this the auto one that was for sale on here recently?

[andyberg]

6 hours ago, Schaefft said:

Is this the auto one that was for sale on here recently?

Yes indeed. I love it. Its a car I have always wanted since I test drove one many years ago. 

[SRi05]

On 7/19/2021 at 5:24 PM, SRi05 said:

Staycation 2: the sequel 

Upto Aberdeen today, then hitting the east Coast tomorrow. 

Saab doing Saab things 

Over 600 miles clocked up in the sizzling Scottish heat in this beast over the past 3 days. Drove back down to Glasgow today as its TWENTY EIGHT degrees! In Scotland. An actual portal to hell has opened