The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

I'll start a thread shortly. Sorry for the delay - I've spent the afternoon playing with a Skoda Rapid.

[saucedoctor]

I parked beside a Bini Cuntyman diseasel today. What a fat bastard of a car, and it didn't look all that big (or nice) inside, either. You can see how MASSIVE it is by the way the Fat Margaret (no doubt) owner parked it.

I had the oldest car in the car park by about 7 years, too.

[vulgalour]

@Geep:  a contact it is for the artwork.  I didn't feel entirely right taking all this lovely stuff for free so I've offered a portrait of a race prepped car for the chap as payment which seemed to interest him.  I'll be taking my portfolio with me for him to have a look.

 

Many, many thanks to bub2006 today who spent 4 hours with me stripping down the doors into component parts, removing them, the bonnet and the boot and helping load the trailer ready for the delivery-collection tomorrow.   Refitting is reversal of removal and in the meantime I've taped the car up so I'll have an update shortly.

 

I have been awake since 2pm yesterday.  I am indeed feeling the burn.

[bub2006]

No worries. Its all good. Sat in MacDonalds at the moment!

[dollywobbler]

I think it has been decided for me that I will not be selling the 2CV. Sorry plasticvandan.

[trigger]

That did seem a bit daft! I seem to remember you sulking when you sold the Mini, what would you have been like if you sold the 2CV?!

[dollywobbler]

That did seem a bit daft! I seem to remember you sulking when you sold the Mini, what would you have been like if you sold the 2CV?!

 

Eh? Can't imagine I was sulking about selling the Mini. It was horrible.

 

Ian, have you ever thought of getting into the motor trade?

 

You seem to have some sort of mental disorder that means you need to be constantly buying or selling at least one car so a sheepskin coat, damp portakabin and some bunting would ease your domestic harmony.

 

I have considered it. I think most motor traders would hope to generate some profit though. I think being emotional about cars and wanting to make a profit from their sale is not a good idea.

[ruffgeezer]

Ian, have you ever thought of getting into the motor trade?

 

You seem to have some sort of mental disorder that means you need to be constantly buying or selling at least one car so a sheepskin coat, damp portakabin and some bunting would ease your domestic harmony.

 

He must be some of the way there, trying to sell everything and nothing whilst bunting his damp sheep...

[trigger]

Eh? Can't imagine I was sulking about selling the Mini. It was horrible.

 

I don't seem to be doing very well today, I could have sworn you was disappointed after you sold it.

[HMC]

All set for the Pug MOT tomoz. The last item I had was the fore and aft lever on the drivers seat. It had, so I thought, snapped near the ratchet on one side, not allowing the seat to be adjusted and hence a FAIL. I resigned myself to either having a go at welding the the snapped bit of the seat frame ( just about the only thing my welding skills are fit for) or, swapping the driver and passenger seats over, which would leave the passenger with a non adjusting seat but a PASS.

 

Scrambling about head in the footwell, I noticed nothing had snapped, a metal clamp had come adrift. 2 seconds work and its doing its back and forth thing again. That finishes off my MOT prep!

 

So 8.30 tomorrow its first ever MOT gets underway. I just hope the bizzare switchgear doesnt phase the tester as it would be easy to decide that the lights and wipers don't work! May hang around just in case

[dollywobbler]

I always hang around for MOT tests, mainly so I can make sure they know where random switches are. 2CV headlamp switches baffle the uninitiated, as there are two different positions that both give dipped beam. Similarly, you have to know what the push button for the screenwash looks like, or the floor-mounted one on a Dyane. (a much better idea than it sounds, apart from the fact that it's on the passenger side and so easy for the passenger to operate inadvertently while trying to get a phone/change out of their pocket).

[barrett]

I really CBA to get into the details, but I had the worst car journey of my life the other day, which included getting stuck in a conked-out car in the middle of a flood, and having somebody in a massive truck crash into me (also in the middle of a flood). The bonnet on the Allegro now has a minor dent, but far more annoyingly the impact managed to dislocate the bonnet release cable, so I have no way of getting into the engine bay... I had my man have a quick look at it today but he was pretty flummoxed as to how to go about getting it open without smashing the grille off or crowbaring it open with a massive screwdriver... Any suggestions?

 

FWIW, the bloke who drove into me was in a rented van and steamed off without so much as an acknowledgement that he'd hit me, because he's a massive tosser.

[dollywobbler]

Ask Philibusmo. He's our bonnet-opening expert.

[ShiteRider]

Might be worth having a fiddle with a coat hanger through the grill, bent to shape.

[skattrd]

To open the bonnet can you reach the catch or cable from underneath the car?

I managed to open the bonnet on my Alfa like this after a cable issue. Basically lying on your back in front of the car reach behind the grill, squeezing your arm past the radiator until you can get to the catch or cable to open the catch ... screwdriver/coat hanger/pliers may help, as well as a friend with a torch

[barrett]

Good advice, I hadn't thought about going from underneath! It's pretty much impossible to get to the catch going in from the front even with a bent coathanger or whatever.

 

Anyway, yo cheer myself up I have compiled a list of all teh carz wot I have driven and I'm pleased to note the overwhelming majority are horrible old shit and and only a couple of boring moderns. In 2014 I am planning to drive an Amilcar Compound, a GN cyclecar and a Maxi and whatever else I possibly can

 

(some of these years might be RONG)

1926 Trojan Utility

1937 Ford V8 Woodie

1937 Citroen Traction-Avant

1938 Lincoln Zephyr V12

1954 Lancia Aurelia B12

1955 Standard 8

1957 Panhard Dyna Z

1958 Berkeley SE328

1958 Goggomobil T400

1959 Goggomobil Coupe

195? Austin A35

1964 Citroen Ami 6

1965 Peugeot 404 Cabriolet

1966 Triumph Herald 1300

1968 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300 Super

1981 Austin Allegro 1.3

1983 Austin Maestro 1.3

1992 Ford Sierra 2.0 Auto

1992 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6

199? Skoda Felicia estate

 

modern BMW Mini estate thing

modern Vauxhall Vivaro van

modern VW Polo thing

[Angrydicky]

Maestro is a 1985 model and the A35 is a 1959.

[Jimcit]

Picked up the SAAB on Saturday after having the gear linkage sorted - has made a phenomenal difference to the drive of the car.  I had been blaming my incompetence as it's a column change, but apparently it was utterly bollocked.

 

Cleaned it on Sunday and discovered odd bulges in one of the tyres, so swapped it onto the spare, although a closer look at all the tyres suggests I might need 5 replacements as they're a bit old with a few cracks visible.

 

RUST so much rust...I'm incredibly worried about the inner rear wings, it's very crispy around the strut mount which is giving me reservations about using it until it's sorted - this would really piss me off as I love driving it.  The SAAB specialist who looked at it can't fit it in until September.

 

I really want to do a proper job rather than a bodge, so if anyone knows a good welder who's handy with tricky fabrication stuff and vaguely Midlands based (I live in Leamington) then please let me know.

 

On the plus side, I've found out that there's a view from the office where I can photograph it without too much rust being visible.

[Barry Cade]

Looks like I may not be a breakdown driver much longer-decided I've had enough of being on 24 hour call and missing weekends on the bike(s). Probably going back to MOT's etc. Got a lead for something which looks promising.

 

Spent a pleasant morning yesterday on the Volvo. Removed all the wheels and polished and sealed inside and out. Coppaslipped all the hubs, brakepipes, bolts etc. In it for the long term, so might as well make it easier for myself in 10 years time.

[Bobthebeard]

Looks like I may not be a breakdown driver much longer-decided I've had enough of being on 24 hour call and missing weekends on the bike(s).

I hope I wasn't too instrumental in the above decision Tiff? Not sure that I could handle that responsibility!

[DVee8]

I have just been watching Russia on 4  wheels it was on BB2 last night.

Quite good but scoots over the things you want to see,a visit to the Lada factory

 

Part 2 is wednesday

[vulgalour]

Have returned with four doors, a bonnet, a boot lid and a few extras for the Princess.  Probably paying for it with a picture of a mini or two, one of which is a superbly unmessed with little blue number which I have a surprisingly large amount of time for given my usual indifference towards Minis.

[The Moog]

On the plus side, I've found out that there's a view from the office where I can photograph it without too much rust being visible.

Looks lush on my list of cars to own. Probably this year as well

[purplebargeken]

Driving home via the Potters Bar roundabout/Chase Side road this evening and wondering what the blue flashing light and uber traffic was all about. All was revealed when I spotted a very dented Fiesta and a sorry looking young bloke being glared at by a stern PC and daubed at by a paramedic. The lad appears to have lost control going round said corner off the roundabout and then hit the telegraph pole knocking it over completely. Big V shaped bodywork alteration in the front of his burgundy Fester. Prawn.

 

End of traffic update.

[vulgalour]

On the way back in Dad's Omega there was the remains of an accident.  Ambulance at the scene, two cars on the hard shoulder and all the lights and attention drawn there.  Imagine my surprised when a Punto cut me up in the slow moving traffic, it was only then I noticed the unlit Rover 400 saloon that had been sandwiched and was in the central lane of the motorway with no lights, thankfully appeared to be empty of people, but hardly in a safe location.

[hairnet]

Looks like I may not be a breakdown driver much longer-decided I've had enough of being on 24 hour call and missing weekends on the bike(s). Probably going back to MOT's etc. Got a lead for something which looks promising.

 

Spent a pleasant morning yesterday on the Volvo. Removed all the wheels and polished and sealed inside and out. Coppaslipped all the hubs, brakepipes, bolts etc. In it for the long term, so might as well make it easier for myself in 10 years time.

i did this after 4 years with a bunch of muppets selling food

 

i became a postie - peace and quiet and no sundays and half day saturdays

 

and bank holidays woot not had a bank holiday off for 9 years unless id picked as holiday

[Jimcit]

Looks lush on my list of cars to own. Probably this year as well

I love it, belonged to a friend who moved away and gave it to me, really sturdy and fun to drive. It seems to respond well to use and a bit of tinkering.

 

I really don't understand why SAABs are generally worth buttons.

 

Just need to save up and replace all of the metal bits and it'll be lovely!

[Ghosty]

I really don't understand why SAABs are generally worth buttons.

 

 

It's because they went bust, and as a consequence there are potential difficulties regarding parts sourcing etc. Diesel ones retain their value a lot better than petrol ones.

 

Locally there's a turquoise 9-5 Aero estate that's properly cared for - even has the plate S95AAB. It's had a for sale sign in the window for absolutely ages (a good A4 sheet of printed text), but the guy just can't get rid of it. It's no surprise, really. Not sure of the price though.

[drum]

I really CBA to get into the details, but I had the worst car journey of my life the other day, which included getting stuck in a conked-out car in the middle of a flood, and having somebody in a massive truck crash into me (also in the middle of a flood). The bonnet on the Allegro now has a minor dent, but far more annoyingly the impact managed to dislocate the bonnet release cable, so I have no way of getting into the engine bay... I had my man have a quick look at it today but he was pretty flummoxed as to how to go about getting it open without smashing the grille off or crowbaring it open with a massive screwdriver... Any suggestions?FWIW, the bloke who drove into me was in a rented van and steamed off without so much as an acknowledgement that he'd hit me, because he's a massive tosser.

I'll have a look under my allegro bonnet and see the best way of opening it.

[vulgalour]

I don't look for them, they just sort of find me now.

 

 

 

Described as low mileage with a bright orange (Paprika, maybe?) interior and located in Selkirk.  No idea if it's for sale or not.  Looks a bit bad there but might actually be okay, tricky to know without being able to see the sills and we all know how bad white paint can make rust staining look... and how honest it can be.

 

I'll keep you all posted on this one.