The new news 24 thread

[GingerNuttz]

Just now, Split_Pin said:

Is that last pic how soft it is or how deep the filler is? 

1" deep with filler for a plate with 5 tacks around it on the main jacking point 😂

They knocked the plate in tho then plastered it instead of just welding it all the way around, it would have taken longer to do that than it did to repair it right this morning.

 

[artdjones]

4 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Had a Google - there's a fair old pile of similar mini-pickups available Mexico and southwards - kind of like the one Skoda did here (Californian??) and some with little suicide doors like the 4 crew cab Isuzus - I guess UK/EU market has low demand or are we so rich that we just want to have the BIG ones?
 
 

Brits are too into lifestyle for stuff that doesn't make them look rich/ important. Incidentally I stuck my head under the loadbed of that Fiat, and it's not 4x4. It does have 2 leaf springs and a very substantial tubular axle, however 

[artdjones]

On the way back to Carcassone today we were diverted past a car showroom in a small village. In the front window was this:-

Which I think is something rather rare and valuable. At least, the two prices I've found for other sales are €41k and €85k.

 

[Yoss]

5 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Had a Google - there's a fair old pile of similar mini-pickups available Mexico and southwards - kind of like the one Skoda did here (Californian??) and some with little suicide doors like the 4 crew cab Isuzus - I guess UK/EU market has low demand or are we so rich that we just want to have the BIG ones?
 
 

Found this Dacia in Hungary a few weeks back which looks a similar size and style though obviously much simpler and, I'd imagine, cheaper. 

[Slowsilver]

Another unexpected visitor to Chez Silver last weekend. A near neighbour just round the corner, an American guy now living over here, who had not previously owned a classic car, bought this 1981 Mini Clubman estate about 6 weeks ago. It appears to have been restored fairly well, though certainly not perfect, and has a 1275 Metro engine in it. He wanted to have a good look at the condition of the underside and also see if he could find some mounting points for rear seat belts as he has a son who travels in the back, so I offered him the use of my drive and ramps. The electrics are a bit suspect so I also helped him fix the hazard flashers and the interior light. It is perfectly useable but he is slowly tinkering with it to fix some of the minor niggles.

 

[stuboy]

Fed up with car park looking like crap... and someone's dumped 2 seater there, so few hours with loppers/shoval/a dirty hoe and broom.. hopefully stop asbo flytippers...

[New POD]

1 hour ago, Slowsilver said:

Another unexpected visitor to Chez Silver last weekend. A near neighbour just round the corner, an American guy now living over here, who had not previously owned a classic car, bought this 1981 Mini Clubman estate about 6 weeks ago. It appears to have been restored fairly well, though certainly not perfect, and has a 1275 Metro engine in it. He wanted to have a good look at the condition of the underside and also see if he could find some mounting points for rear seat belts as he has a son who travels in the back, so I offered him the use of my drive and ramps. The electrics are a bit suspect so I also helped him fix the hazard flashers and the interior light. It is perfectly useable but he is slowly tinkering with it to fix some of the minor niggles.

 

There are NO rear seat belt mounting points on any mini built before about 1995. 

And definately not on any clubman or estate. 

A bloke I worked with in 2010 was on the small project team at Longbridge that did the design, testing and introduction of various safety upgrades, including rear seat belts, and side impact bars inside the doors. 

That's not to say they can't be fitted. But for them to work in a crash, the clubman estate probably needs a rolls cage for them to be attached to. (probably) 

[LightBulbFun]

3 hours ago, New POD said:

There are NO rear seat belt mounting points on any mini built before about 1995. 

And definately not on any clubman or estate. 

A bloke I worked with in 2010 was on the small project team at Longbridge that did the design, testing and introduction of various safety upgrades, including rear seat belts, and side impact bars inside the doors. 

That's not to say they can't be fitted. But for them to work in a crash, the clubman estate probably needs a rolls cage for them to be attached to. (probably) 

except rear seatbelts became compulsory equipment by 1987....

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/seat-belts-in-cars-and-dual-purpose-vehicles/seat-belts-in-cars-and-dual-purpose-vehicles

so how does that work then?

[catsinthewelder]

I appreciate that fitting 3 point belts to a mini estate is going to require some engineering but lapstraps should be fairly simple.

I fitted some in the back of my ADO16 by cutting a chunky bit of angle iron to fit along the front edge of the boot behind the seats and bolting the seatbelts to that through holes drilled through the shell.  Actually had 3 point belts on the outer seats with an extra mounting through the metal parcel shelf, used the fixed belts from the front so no inertia reels to worry about.

It might not pass Euro N-cap but kept the kids tied down fairly well.

[Steve79]

17 hours ago, grogee said:

Where I'm from, we call them an Opel Mental. 

That seat is the velouriest velour I've ever seen, well done. 

In the velour stakes I'll see your manta and raise you a grand marquis 

But @sutty2006 already knows this 🤣

[sutty2006]

14 minutes ago, Steve79 said:

In the velour stakes I'll see your manta and raise you a grand marquis 

120.68 kB · 0 downloads But @sutty2006 already knows this 🤣

I miss the velouriness of that interior 😥🤣

[wesacosa]

Looks like there is a free classic car show in Chiselhurst this weekend. might be too late to enter a car but might be worth a visit for those nearby

 

[stuboy]

Delivery today of some side skirts for the rep mobile... need cleaning and old adhesive removed

.

[wuvvum]

20 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

except rear seatbelts became compulsory equipment by 1987....

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/seat-belts-in-cars-and-dual-purpose-vehicles/seat-belts-in-cars-and-dual-purpose-vehicles

so how does that work then?

I think it's just New POD talking bollocks again.

[Back_For_More]

Ah bollox..... 

Need to get that sorted tomorrow then..... 

 

[Back_For_More]

Anyone going to the Faversham classic show this weekend? 

I shall be in attendance Sunday for sure. 

https://www.bigwow.uk/event/faversham-festival-of-transport-2023/

 

 

 

[grogee]

2 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

Ah bollox..... 

Need to get that sorted tomorrow then..... 

 

Have you tried one of those Chinese needle and rubber string jobs? I've fixed a few with mine, they've been alright.

Someone will be along soon to tell me I'm incredibly reckless and only a brand new Michelin CrossClimate will suffice.

[Back_For_More]

2 minutes ago, grogee said:

Have you tried one of those Chinese needle and rubber string jobs? I've fixed a few with mine, they've been alright.

Someone will be along soon to tell me I'm incredibly reckless and only a brand new Michelin CrossClimate will suffice.

I have a kit sitting on the passenger seat as I type..... Got it for the screw I noticed in the centre of the BMW front tyre Wednesday 😡

Bit of reaming out and plugging tomorrow morning  then..... and not the fun kind 

[RoverFolkUs]

8 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

Ah bollox..... 

Need to get that sorted tomorrow then..... 

 

Yep, they always manage to find the best/newest tyre and lodge themselves in the non repairable zone 🥲

[grogee]

4 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

I have a kit sitting on the passenger seat as I type..... Got it for the screw I noticed in the centre of the BMW front tyre Wednesday 😡

Bit of reaming out and plugging tomorrow morning  then..... and not the fun kind 

Good luck with your reaming and plugging, hope it fits nice and snug, be sure to use plenty of rubber etc etc etc 

[Rust Collector]

Unbelievably, a quick change of the brake switch cleared the faults I’ve been ignoring on the W210 for months.

Glad I bought a £400 code reader to find out an £11 part was broken 🤣

[AnnoyingPentium]

Met @Lacquer Peel today when up seeing @reb while they did work on the 205 and I just fettled with a door card for the guts of three hours pretending I knew what I was doing. Did kinda fix some trim bits around the car though, so I wasn't completely useless...

Nice meeting you LP.

[Cheggers]

I think it's just New POD talking bollocks again.

A quick Google reveals Minis have rear belt mounting points from 1981 on, with them becoming standard fit in 1986 to comply with the new* law.

[paulplom]

9 hours ago, Back_For_More said:

I have a kit sitting on the passenger seat as I type..... Got it for the screw I noticed in the centre of the BMW front tyre Wednesday 😡

Bit of reaming out and plugging tomorrow morning  then..... and not the fun kind 

My local eastern european tyre place fixed a puncture on my tt without taking the wheel off. In fact he didn't even let the air out. 

Only a tenner too.

[artdjones]

I found  this up a mountain track yesterday, among the vineyards.

85 years ago it looked like this (Peugeot 301)

[New POD]

On 18/05/2023 at 23:23, LightBulbFun said:

except rear seatbelts became compulsory equipment by 1987....

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/seat-belts-in-cars-and-dual-purpose-vehicles/seat-belts-in-cars-and-dual-purpose-vehicles

so how does that work then?

Right.  I was only summarising what I remember of the conversation.  I may have misunderstood.. At the time (2010) I was looking to buy a mini, and had seen a nice clubman estate, so got into conversation about rear seat belts, and then about the safety Improvements that he was involved with, in a previous job. 

The mini we eventually bought was an 1988 Mayfair and had only lap belts in the rear. 

What changes in regulations in the mid 90s would have required a project team at Longbridge, to work on seat belts and side impact?? 

[Asimo]

On 18/05/2023 at 19:43, New POD said:

There are NO rear seat belt mounting points on any mini built before about 1995

1989 Rover “mini 30” brochure

1975 Australian market brochure

http://www.minipassionmini.50megs.com/pdf/Mini S 1975 AUS.pdf

[New POD]

1 minute ago, Asimo said:

1989 Rover “mini 30” brochure

1975 Australian market brochure

http://www.minipassionmini.50megs.com/pdf/Mini S 1975 AUS.pdf

Yes, the points been made. Thanks. I'm a discredited professor whose been citing dubious research done in a garage. 

[Metal Guru]

On 18/05/2023 at 19:43, New POD said:

There are NO rear seat belt mounting points on any mini built before about 1995. 

And definately not on any clubman or estate. 

A bloke I worked with in 2010 was on the small project team at Longbridge that did the design, testing and introduction of various safety upgrades, including rear seat belts, and side impact bars inside the doors. 

That's not to say they can't be fitted. But for them to work in a crash, the clubman estate probably needs a rolls cage for them to be attached to. (probably) 

Weren’t rear seat belts mandatory from about 1985?

[New POD]

2 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

Weren’t rear seat belts mandatory from about 1985?

Yes.