The new news 24 thread

[vulgalour]

Buying it isn't the issue - about £30-60 when they come available - fitting it is.  I can't get the old one out, you can lift the car with it so firmly is it stuck in the head.  The one on the HLS was no better.  Providing the head survives on the banger Princess I'll be having the good housing off that one.  The housing and the seized pivot shafts are the only things to unbodge on the beige car now.

[rml2345]

Telly the oft grumpy 740 passed it's MOT with the following;

Bit of a result I'd say. My tame MOT tester commented on how solid it all is underneath. Rewarded with rear brake pads.

[Bucketeer]

After the recent suggestions to invite the lady ambassador and 'that SVX owning lass off of some films' to ride aboard the AS express, I have decided to crank it up a notch.

 

I spotted this picture of Russian head honcho Vladimir Putin with his gorgeous Zaz 968.

 

 

This picture, and several early afternoon ciders, persuaded me to send the chap in question an e-mail.

I got a little bit paranoid as I was writing it, so I decided not to name Autoshite, but the cider decided that I should provide all my own details.

After sending the e-mail, I noticed this slightly worrying text on the webpage.

 

Personal data of those sending letters by e-mail is stored and processed in accordance with the provisions of Russia’s law on personal data.

 

Anyway, the e-mail has been sent and I am awaiting a reply.

Here is what I sent him.

 

Dear Mr Pootin,
I have just been perusing the internet and stumbled across a picture of you with your Zaz 968. May I commend you on your motoring tastes and offer you the honour of joining our online motoring community.
You would be required to denounce your completely bonkers homophobic views and embrace the ALLMODERNZRSHIT philosophy but trust me, reading epic* chod collection threads, laughing at misguided Ebay vendors and getting aroused by rust is much more fun than invading Chechnya or wrestling bears.
I also imagine you could provide a pretty good spotted thread, or get one of your minions to do it for you.
Do not hesitate to contact me for any further information, but no KGB death squads please.

Yours expectantly,

Alex.

 

 

Sometimes, just sometimes, I regret drinking booze.

[Barry Cade]

I forsee a black Volga in your life. Soon.

[Pete-M]

Um. Might have accidentally offered to buy an 850i. Which is a very silly thing to do.

[phil_lihp]

As accidents go, that's a pretty good one.  8 serieses are high on my very short list of wantable 'premium' cars.  Bonus points if it's a very late one in bright yellow.

[dugong]

FFS Pete, you keep buying stuff I want. Stop it. Stop it now. 

[wuvvum]

I took the Carina to work today as I really didn't have the energy this morning to fight the 406.  It's amazing how you can do thousands of miles in a motor, then get in it after driving something else for a couple of weeks and it feels completely alien.  The steering is ridiculously heavy compared to the 406, the ride is so firm I thought something was broken the first time I hit a pothole, and it feels very undergeared.  It does, however, run properly, which gives it a significant advantage over the Pug. 

 

I didn't get a chance to get the filter for the Pug today, so that'll have to wait until Friday now.  I'm hoping this cures it, as otherwise it's going to be something expensive and the car's really not worth spending money on.  I've been thinking and I really don't reckon it's an air leak as the car fires up straight away even after being left overnight and, as long as the revs are kept up, it'll keep on running.  I'm just hoping it's crud in the system and not a borked pump.

 

Tomorrow after work I'm jumping on a train to Ipswich to pick up my new turbocharged Swede.  I can't really afford it at the moment, but that's never stopped me in the past.  Hopefully it'll be as good as the seller reckons it is.  I'm going to have to flog either the Saab or the RX8 to make room for it though - haven't decided which yet.  I don't think a few miles of A14 and then a gentle trundle up the A140 is going to make for an epic collection thread, but I'll try to get a photo of it in a petrol station at least.

[Pete-M]

It's a dark metallic red with cream leather and the wrong alloys (they look cool but the tyres are totally wrong for it).

It apparently has an AHK fault - which I want to either investigate closely before buying or a big chunk of money off for. Otherwise it looks pretty good. Not mine yet, but stranger things have happened.

[DVee8]

^^ From the bimmerforum

http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f88/1994-e31-850ci-active-rear-axle-kinematics-ahk-fault-t17724/

[skattrd]

Storia MOT is up at the end of Feb, so I gave the car a thorough going over today. Everything seems ok for the next MOT, but the sill covers and rear bumper could do with removing to treat the hidden metal before the rot sets in.

I also gave it a coolant and oil change, as well as new rocker cover gasket & plug seals. I've also been removing some of the engine bay bling (braided hoses & catch tank).

 

I did notice that the bushes on the lower suspension arms are starting to crack, so I've been looking for replacement bushes. Well, as it's one of  my cars that means cheap and easy to find bushes are not available. So far all I can find is complete arms for about £100 each ....On the plus side at least they're not special order from Japan.

[Bucketeer]

I forsee a black Volga in your life. Soon.

 

SWEET, I'd love one of th . . . . . . . . . . . . . oh, I see what you mean.

The only concern I now have is that I'd been planning to apply for a visa to visit Russia in a few months time.

[scooters]

Arsejuice! keeled over monday night whilst driving the old transit. Off to hospital, labrynthitis diagnised and now at home in bed feeling totally pissed but without the good bit. No driving for at least a week

Curses

[vulgalour]

Get well soon, Scooters!  Doesn't sound pleasant.

[fordperv]

get well soon scooters

[Mr Livered]

Labyrinthitis is nasty, you have my sympathy. Get well soon.

[dollywobbler]

Bugger! Sounds dreadful. Do you now look like this?

[barefoot]

.....labrynthitis diagnised and now at home in bed feeling totally pissed but without the good bit. No driving for at least a week

Curses

Isn't labrynthitis something to do with your ears and balance?

I SAY, ISNT IT SOMETHING TO DO WITH YOUR EARS.

[vulgalour]

@DW:  there are worse things to be afflicted with than looking like that.

[Bobthebeard]

@DW: there are worse things to be afflicted with than looking like that.

Indeed so!

You could look like me for instance.

[vulgalour]

Precisely.  Poor Bob.**

 

 

 

 

 

**I have no idea what Bob actually looks like.

[Bobthebeard]

^^

Bit of an egg on legs but otherwise not too hideous i hope!

BTW Vulg. A commission for you if you are ok to accept it? How are you at drawing dogs? Have two photos that I would love to be combined into a drawing. One of dog, one of car. Both taken at the same time but due to poor photo skillz not on the same pic.

[vulgalour]

This I can do  Drop me an e-mail to [email protected] with the two pictures and what you'd like me to do with them and I'll price it up for you.

[Bobthebeard]

This I can do  Drop me an e-mail to [email protected] with the two pictures and what you'd like me to do with them and I'll price it up for you.

Have sent pics. Three actually! Hoping you can make sense of what is required!

[ProgRocker]

Was in Tesco Express a while ago and was fairly tempted by the current issue of Practical Classics with a 'British car vs Japanese' theme. Had a pic of a Capri and a Toyota Celica on the front.

[Barry Cade]

After the recent suggestions to invite the lady ambassador and 'that SVX owning lass off of some films' to ride aboard the AS express, I have decided to crank it up a notch.

 

I spotted this picture of Russian head honcho Vladimir Putin with his gorgeous Zaz 968.

 

 

This picture, and several early afternoon ciders, persuaded me to send the chap in question an e-mail.

I got a little bit paranoid as I was writing it, so I decided not to name Autoshite, but the cider decided that I should provide all my own details.

After sending the e-mail, I noticed this slightly worrying text on the webpage.

 

Anyway, the e-mail has been sent and I am awaiting a reply.

Here is what I sent him.

 

Dear Mr Pootin,

I have just been perusing the internet and stumbled across a picture of you with your Zaz 968. May I commend you on your motoring tastes and offer you the honour of joining our online motoring community.

You would be required to denounce your completely bonkers homophobic views and embrace the ALLMODERNZRSHIT philosophy but trust me, reading epic* chod collection threads, laughing at misguided Ebay vendors and getting aroused by rust is much more fun than invading Chechnya or wrestling bears.

I also imagine you could provide a pretty good spotted thread, or get one of your minions to do it for you.

Do not hesitate to contact me for any further information, but no KGB death squads please.

Yours expectantly,

Alex.

 

 

Sometimes, just sometimes, I regret drinking booze.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAMES-BOND-007-GAZ-VOLGA-M24-BLACK-VOLGA-EX-MOVIE-CAR-1983-OCTOPUSSY-/321311199103?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4acfa3cf7f

 

 

I'd love to sneakily buy this and park it outside your house..

[Richard]

Arsejuice! keeled over monday night whilst driving the old transit. Off to hospital, labrynthitis diagnised and now at home in bed feeling totally pissed but without the good bit. No driving for at least a week

Curses

 

I get labyrinthitis, more and more often recently, and I can confirm it's a bastard.

 

It scared the shit out of me the first time it happened, I thought I'd had a stroke or something. I went to the walk-in centre and vomited blood during the triage, which resulted in an ambulance, 12 hours on a trolley, a fisting and an overnight stay in hospital. What it didn't result in was anybody bothering to tell me what was wrong, my GP did that.

 

It doesn't normally take me out for much more than a day, with several more days of being a bit unsteady, it sounds as if you've got it worse than I do. You might be lucky and only get it this once. You should be safe enough to drive once you can walk.

[dollywobbler]

My wife and I are on the news! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25958012

 

See if you can spot us.

 

In actual car news, the Sirion's exhaust has arrived. Annoyingly, it was dispatched from Birmingham, which I've passed through twice this week. I could have planned that better. As it is, the exhaust is one piece from just below the engine to about a foot in front of the rear bumper, so it wouldn't fit inside the Sirion anyway! As luck would have it, I was on bus duty today, and it fitted in there very nicely, enabling me to drop it off at the local garage for fitting tomorrow. (that may not entirely make sense - two days of bus duty, but I had to swap buses this evening. You'd be staggered by the difference between a VW LT and a Crafter. Sorry, but I much prefer the modern!)

[cobblers]

 Have two photos that I would love to be combined into a drawing. One of dog, one of car.

 

 

DONE

[fordperv]

My wife and I are on the news! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25958012

 

See if you can spot us.

 

 

i dont know what you look like dollywobbler but im guessing its either the couple who were jogging past in the background at 1.15 or the bearded chap with the hat and his ladyfriend right at the end of the clip