The new news 24 thread

[horriblemercedes]

 

This is probably the final remaining source of Mk1 Mondeo bumpers without gaffer tape

 

[richardmorris]

Most don't look too rusty considering.

[cort16]

7 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Most don't look too rusty considering.

I thought that, they look remarkably well preserved especially the Mondeo before they dragged it out. Not sure if all that mud kept the rust away?

I wonder if that XM just had 1 LHM leak to many and the owner offed it into the quarry?

[Six-cylinder]

Milton Keynes Classic Car Club are holding a breakfast meet this Sunday 6th March from around 9:30am at The Giffard Park pub. The group has a wide variety of cars and all are welcome. This is a smaller meeting usually with around 20 cars. 

I plan to be there, probably with the ex @richardmorris Mercedes E320 Coupe.

Coffee/tea and breakfast are available in the pub along with toilets.

The Giffard Park pub, Broadway Ave, Giffard Park, Milton Keynes MK14 5QN

[wuvvum]

At lunchtime I jacked the front of the Rover up to have a better look at the spring situation.  It's looking a bit awkward to be honest.  The spring has completely come out of its seat and is resting in one of the tread grooves of the nearside front tyre - it's quite firmly wedged in there, even with the wheel off the ground and hence the shock at maximum extension, there's still a fair bit of tension on the spring.  I can just about lever it off the tyre using a 3' crowbar braced against said tyre, but obviously that's not going to help me get the wheel off.  There's nothing else suitable for levering against in the vicinity, and there isn't enough clearance to get the spring compressors in there either.  I'm now at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed - not least how to get the wheel off without the spring going BOIIIIIIING and embedding itself in one part of my anatomy or another.  Any bright ideas gratefully received...

[High Jetter]

Deflate the tyre?

[Barry Cade]

I'd ' ave done it myself.. but can't be bothered.. just plug and play anyway innit..😄

[wuvvum]

20 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Deflate the tyre?

Given the amount of tension still on the spring, I doubt that'll be enough.  I'll give it a try though.

[Dyslexic Viking]

4 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Given the amount of tension still on the spring, I doubt that'll be enough.  I'll give it a try though.

Would tying a strap around the wheel and squeezing the tire after the air is taken out work?

[High Jetter]

10 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Given the amount of tension still on the spring, I doubt that'll be enough.  I'll give it a try though.

It might reduce it enough to be able to lever the wheel off, I guess the tyre's shagged anyway. I'm not sure what you could use to cut the bottom bit of spring off - plasma cutter?

[wuvvum]

11 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Would tying a strap around the wheel and squeezing the tire after the air is taken out work?

Worth a go I suppose.

2 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

It might reduce it enough to be able to lever the wheel off, I guess the tyre's shagged anyway. I'm not sure what you could use to cut the bottom bit of spring off - plasma cutter?

That'd probably work but I don't have access to one.  Don't think I'd get the angry grinder in there, at least not without chopping stuff that I don't want to chop.

[Dyslexic Viking]

4 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Worth a go I suppose.

That'd probably work but I don't have access to one.  Don't think I'd get the angry grinder in there, at least not without chopping stuff that I don't want to chop.

This is how I thought it could work.

 

At least it's worth a try.

[camryv6]

Angle grind the spring a couple of coils from the bottom, it will release the tension  

[richardmorris]

Message from my sister saying her 71,000 mile, 14 reg Renault captur had passed the mot but an advisory for rear tyres ( which I had already told her about last week). Dealer also says it needs pads, front discs, a cambelt change and the n/s CV joint is noisy so needs replacing. 

Quote = £2400!

My mechanic friend has had a look. The cv joint is a weird Renault bit that isn’t available separately but needs the driveshaft replacing. Go figure!  He’s quoted £720 for parts and £550 labour for the cam belt, water pump, fluids, brake pads and discs.

 

[richardmorris]

3 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Milton Keynes Classic Car Club are holding a breakfast meet this Sunday 6th March from around 9:30am at The Giffard Park pub. The group has a wide variety of cars and all are welcome. This is a smaller meeting usually with around 20 cars. 

I plan to be there, probably with the ex @richardmorris Mercedes E320 Coupe.

Coffee/tea and breakfast are available in the pub along with toilets.

The Giffard Park pub, Broadway Ave, Giffard Park, Milton Keynes MK14 5QN

I’d like to come up, but not feeling up to it. Hope they like the car.

[N19]

Came back to the Bluebird to an apologetic note on the windscreen. "I think I touched your car".

I think it'll go back on with some new fixings and maybe some washers where fixings have pulled through the plastic.

[richardmorris]

8 minutes ago, N19 said:

Came back to the Bluebird to an apologetic note on the windscreen. "I think I touched your car".

I think it'll go back on with some new fixings and maybe some washers where fixings have pulled through the plastic.

Did they offer to pay?

[catsinthewelder]

42 minutes ago, camryv6 said:

Angle grind the spring a couple of coils from the bottom, it will release the tension  

I wouldn't want to be that close to a grinder when it did.

My best guess is fit spring compressors, jack up, axle stand, deflate tyre, loosen all wheelnuts then remove them using as many extension pieces as you can find in all your socket sets with a full face motorbike helmet on for good measure.

[barefoot]

I say stand well back whilst you call the AA/RAC/etc,  & get 'em to sort/recover it.

[N19]

36 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Did they offer to pay?

Not in said note. Rang the number, sounds like a fleet manager for a company. 

If they chuck £100 my way I'll just sort it myself. Unless there's more to it, it isn't worth the have.

[doobietoo]

Ratchet strap the spring first then angry grinder it. We did that when the Pug spring broke. Mind you we then strapped a block of wood between the top and bottom mounts and drove it to the garage ... was a bit bumpy...

[Six-cylinder]

What is this?

I found it part blocking a road junction along with a tree branch and small house from Kansas in the recent high winds!

[richardmorris]

Just now, Six-cylinder said:

What is this?

I found it part blocking a road junction along with a tree branch and small house from Kansas in the recent high winds!

What’s in the bag? I’d have thought it looks marine rather than auto.

[Mr Pastry]

2 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I can just about lever it off the tyre using a 3' crowbar braced against said tyre, but obviously that's not going to help me get the wheel off.  There's nothing else suitable for levering against in the vicinity, and there isn't enough clearance to get the spring compressors in there either.  I'm now at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed - not least how to get the wheel off without the spring going BOIIIIIIING and embedding itself in one part of my anatomy or another.  Any bright ideas gratefully received...

IMO the spring isn't going to boing that much, most of it is still restrained by the strut and it can only boing downwards.  Just unbolt the wheel and then crowbar between spring and tyre,  being prepared to step backwards smartly of course. 

[Bwrlwm]

On 3/1/2022 at 9:59 PM, High Jetter said:

I'll have a look at that, thanks.

Very interesting site, pity there isn’t a Toyota equivalent to  the Cuore, but the Toyota Duet is the early  Sirion here. Also there is an Aygo listing,  handy for Citroen C1. And Peugeot 107s ta

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, N19 said:

Came back to the Bluebird to an apologetic note on the windscreen. "I think I touched your car".

I think it'll go back on with some new fixings and maybe some washers where fixings have pulled through the plastic.

Looks good though. I loved mine, sturdy car beneath.

[N19]

Just now, High Jetter said:

Looks good though. I loved mine, sturdy car beneath.

It's a very competent car and easy enough to work on. Cosmetically it's lacking in some areas, but it is reliable enough.

Unfortunately, the ULEZ expansion next year will see it move on I think - both it and the Mondeo are non compliant, and whilst I can justify keeping the Mondeo for estate duties, Moving Big Stuff (TM), tip runs, long trips up north etc, swallowing the charge on days I happen to use it... I can't really justify that with the Bluebird too.

[RoverFolkUs]

4 hours ago, wuvvum said:

At lunchtime I jacked the front of the Rover up to have a better look at the spring situation.  It's looking a bit awkward to be honest.  The spring has completely come out of its seat and is resting in one of the tread grooves of the nearside front tyre - it's quite firmly wedged in there, even with the wheel off the ground and hence the shock at maximum extension, there's still a fair bit of tension on the spring.  I can just about lever it off the tyre using a 3' crowbar braced against said tyre, but obviously that's not going to help me get the wheel off.  There's nothing else suitable for levering against in the vicinity, and there isn't enough clearance to get the spring compressors in there either.  I'm now at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed - not least how to get the wheel off without the spring going BOIIIIIIING and embedding itself in one part of my anatomy or another.  Any bright ideas gratefully received...

What a complete bastard of a situation that is!

My very sketchy solution would be get the weight back on the car, use a series of ratchet straps and heavy duty zip ties to compress the spring as much as possible so you can get it up in the air again, hopefully with enough tension off the spring to get the wheel off. 

I'm assuming the tyre is salvageable and you don't want to do anything to destroy it?

[High Jetter]

Please, speak to me first. @N19

[N19]

6 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Please, speak to me first. @N19

Noted. I feel it will probably be next summer - the new ULEZ comes in at the end of 2023, so I hope to enjoy it for another 18 months or so. But if/when the time comes I definitely want it to go to a good home.