The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

150 miles done in the Discovery today, driving to a very fancy Ferrari dealership for work purposes (looking not playing). The Discovery and me both looked entirely out of place. Horrific weather, with wind and lots of rain. The Discovery coped marvellously, though I do have to keep both front windows slightly open to stop it steaming up like a Fiesta full of randy teenagers. The rear wiper switch is placed in a MUCH more sensible place than the Sirion, and works on an intermittent setting. This makes it much better than the Sirion. Also, variable intermittent front wipers. Perfect for Wales.

 

I got home, had dinner and then got a phonecall from a Dyane owner in distress. This confused me, as she lives in Wisbech. She was visiting her boyfriend, who lives in Cardigan, but the Dyane got fed up with the weather. By the time I backtracked on my original journey and found her, the Dyane was running again. She followed me to my home, but the Dyane spluttered to a halt at a set of traffic lights. I opened the bonnet and enjoyed a fine electrical display. Knackered HT leads then! WD40 was sprayed about the place, which improved things. Dyane has been left at mine for the weekend after her boyfriend drove up to mine to collect her. Hopefully it'll be drier on Sunday for her drive home, but I'll try and dig out some ignition sealer as a temporary bodge, and I may try and cover up some of the metal around the HT lead run.

[wackywacerwill]

I am going to hold my hand up and say that I'm starting to feel a need to preserve the 02 Seat Leon in ways other than replacing broken parts and changing oil. It's done us well and is now knocking on the doors of shitedom at 12 years young with it's lecky gremlims, eml's and water leaks.

At this rate I may fix some advisory's and treat it to a cam belt sometime soon. On the other hand there's loads of other carp to do so it may just get a wash come the spring.

[stuboy]

still not able to locate and seal water ingress in to mondogno, so last week bashed out the bungs in the floor, sadly the fell to bits so i found a temporary solution..

[saucedoctor]

Here's today's Top Tip, folks:

 

If you have a Mercedes with a key like this, and you leave it in the ignition for FOUR DAYS, the battery goes flat, and you have to send for someone with a Rover 25 to jump start it.

 

The systems in the bus must be staying on, waiting for you to start it up. Awaiting orders. Very German.

 

 

[dollywobbler]

The Dyane I rescued last night is still here, enjoying a rest. I think it makes a very good pair with the Sirion.

[cort16]

i've been nobbing around with the SD1 trying to get it running better. I reconnected the stepped motors and cleaned the manky pistons in the carbs the needle is attached to. Of course it's running much worse now and the people in the farmfoods shop behind my lockup thought the smell of the SD1 running was one of their freezers going on fire after their customer started to complain. I think there's a vent somewhere in my lockup that must connect to their shop.

 

Hey you, your car runs so bad it smells like a discount freezer shop burning down. LOL

[Asimo]

Amazingly, it isn't raining so time for a bit of chainsaw fun.

 

 

 The ever-useful Subaru is great for applying a bit of pre-load to the tree.

[Lacquer Peel]

What are you trying to do there?

[trigger]

It's alright until the tree falls the wrong way!

[Lacquer Peel]

[Asimo]

^^^ Exactly.

 

The tree falls toward the car because of the tension in the rope. Safety precaution: neighbours XC90 just behind the tree.

NB rope longer than tree (V. important)

[Angrydicky]

Dad got back today and said that this morning he'd seen an old codger driving a scruffy, black A40 Devon into our village  Thought I knew all the local Austins, obviously not, although it was possibly one that frequents Battlesbridge every year.

 

Naturally of course, I got into the Somerset and took a drive around some of the likely spots but as this was about four hours later, there was no sign of it. Annoying.

 

Sorry, the above was a bit pointless really!

 

Something that perhaps is relevant is that the head gasket set for the Maestro turned up, £11 posted off Ebay, so towards the middle of next week I hope to make a start getting the head stripped down.

[Barry Cade]

After spending 3 days unpacking boxes and getting the new workplace ready for punters, today was day 1 of 2 of my MOT refresher course. The Vosa trainer seems to be a bona fide 'shiter. He is 205 daft and even showed a picture of a mint Renner 14 and used it as an example for a test scenario. Good to know they are petrolheads at heart and not just robots. I daren't tell him about this place though, in case the Tales from a Testing lane takes off......

Just been digging a bit and he really should be on here... He's just finished restoring a 14, and has a 205 XLD with half a million miles......

 

Worth a look at the piccies!

 

http://www.torquedup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?986-Not-bad-for-500-000-miles

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1254600

[trigger]

He is on here...

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/12310-3-of-my-4-frenchies/

[skattrd]

The boring has been leaking coolant for a while, nothing major, I would occasionally top it up as I couldn't find the leak. Today as I was on the way to pick up my niece to take her to see the Lego movie the low coolant light came on. I pulled over and noticed it was leaking from where the temp sender fits in to the hose. I tried to re-fit the sender so it was tighter, but no joy and lack of tools etc meant a temporary bodge was not possible (travelling toolkit is currently in the Daihatsu) so I filled the car back up with coolant and set off again. 1/2 mile later the low coolant light comes on again ... bollocks. I had about 8 miles to go to my sisters so I thought, low revs, it's cold outside as long as I keep air going in to the rad/engine it shouldn't get too hot. Well it never got over half way on the temp gauge (90C), gotta love cold weather & cool running diesels. Anyway, one cable tie later the leak is now permanently* fixed.

[Barry Cade]

He is on here...

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/12310-3-of-my-4-frenchies/

Ah Ha! I knew anyone with luv for a Renner 14 would find this place...

[dollywobbler]

It's such a lovely day that I've decided against taking the Discovery to the Midlands. I will go in the 2CV instead. After all, it is by some margin the most comfortable car I own. Ear plugs will help with the general noise issue.

[chaseracer]

...Dyane owner in distress... knackered HT leads... ignition sealer as a temporary bodge...

The Doctor of Cardboard could have got a new set to you overnight!

 

[Angrydicky]

Dad got back today and said that this morning he'd seen an old codger driving a scruffy, black A40 Devon into our village  Thought I knew all the local Austins, obviously not, although it was possibly one that frequents Battlesbridge every year.

Well I went out in my Somerset today, literally got to the end of the road and there it was coming the other way! Obviously I had to stop to chat to the owner and get some photos! It's in much better condition than mine, the owner has only had it a week and lives 2 minutes from my gaff. He's been using it to go to and from work as his Morris 8 needs a brake overhaul! Respect.

 

[dollywobbler]

The highlight of my drive to Leicester was spotting a bright orange Mk1 Carlton on the M69. HGO plate - pretty sure it has been mag featured. Got overtaken by a Pogweasel Saab 900 on the A5 out of Shrewsbury, the driver of which nodded sagely as he overtook. Also saw one of those new four-door Astons on the M6 and this monstrosity on the M69.

 

Suzuki chassis I think, but still on an old M-plate. Definitely different!

[Ghosty]

That Mini's fantastic! Probably managed to get it on M suffix by just lobbing the monocoque on top of a (modified?) chassis - seeing as it's theoretically just a suspension/axles/engine replacement it'd get through an IVA?

[scruff]

Well I went out in my Somerset today, literally got to the end of the road and there it was coming the other way! Obviously I had to stop to chat to the owner and get some photos! It's in much better condition than mine, the owner has only had it a week and lives 2 minutes from my gaff. He's been using it to go to and from work as his Morris 8 needs a brake overhaul! Respect.

 

 

Superb!

 

Are they essentially the same underneath? 

[trigger]

As it was such a nice day I went for a little drive in the Civic, it's the MOT tomorrow so i wanted to give it a good run to free everything up, as I was passing i decided to stop by the previous owners house, typically they were out so I'll have to visit again another time.

 

The yellow painted building to the right of this photo is their house, yes that's all one house! big isn't it!

 

[TimothyClaypole]

Using the same weather window as a few people managed to do some bits on my Astra - fitted a new aerial and base rubber, window trim, door seal,  new egr valve, (was going to fit a front grill but my dad's guess that a Zafira was the same didn't work out as it's a big bigger and more curved).  Have one from Ebay on it's way for 99p so no loss.  Took the factory cd player out so my dad can put it in his Corsa and put my Pioneer one in it's place.

 

Took the rear tailgate cover out so I can attack the dog hair in the comfort of indoors.

[Ratdat]

I've just agreed to buy the most expensive car I have ever bought and by quite some margin. It's quite literally made of enriched unobtainium and is 100% refined, premium grade Autoshite. I think I might have to go lay down now.

[dollywobbler]

Superb!

 

Are they essentially the same underneath? 

 

Similar, but IIRC, while the Devon uses a 1200cc four pot, the Somerset's 1200cc four pot is actually the first B-Series engine. Sherpa coupes started here!

[Angrydicky]

Nope, the Devon and Somerset share the same chassis and running gear, the 1200cc A40 engines in both are identical and are the predecessor of the B series. My car does have a 1489cc B series from a Wolseley 1500 fitted though, which slots in with a couple of extra holes drilled in the 1200 backplate, and you need the 1200 flywheel as well. The Devon in the picture is a 1950, 'GS2' model with a floor change gearbox. In 1951 the GS3 Devon was launched which had the same column change gearbox that was used in the (GS4) Somerset a year later.

[dollywobbler]

I need to brush up on my county skills then!

 

In other news, I suspect my drive back home tomorrow will be less joyous as (surprise surprise) there may be rain. I wish I'd got around to fitting the new wiper blades I've had sitting in my office for months now.

[wuvvum]

Today's main job was to strip the sodden carpets out of the Innocenti.  I had to get the boat bailer out again for the driver's side rear footwell.  I then took the rear seat cushion out (2-minute job) and then spent over an hour fruitlessly trying to get the driver's seat out.  The runners are welded to the car, so they obviously don't come out; I tried sliding the seat out backwards, but there was a stop on the end of the runners, so I tried sliding them forwards.  There didn't seem to be a stop on the forward end of the runners, but there is the mounting bracket for the tailgate release lever, which is right in the way of where the seat would need to go to slide out forwards.  I came to the conclusion that the Innocenti factory must have installed the seats before welding in the boot release - which wouldn't surprise me all that much to be honest.

 

So I eventually had to bite the bullet and slice the carpet in half right the way across the car, then pull each half out separately.  I think I've done the cuts in an inconspicuous enough way that it won't be too obvious once everything's back together.  I then had the joyous task of removing all the under-carpet soundproofing foam, which had been micturating in muddy water for months and had lost whatever structural integrity it may once have had, so I was pulling it out a handful at a time.  Once that was all got rid of I was able to sponge the water out.  I think I've caught it in time - there's a few rusty spots and the bolts that hold the front edge of the seat mechanism down are rusty too, but no holes or serious crunchy bits.  Now all I need to do is find where the bastard water is coming in so I can fix the leak.

 

I decided to completely drain down the fuel tank of the Gilera.  The amount of water in the tank was such that I don't think any amount of meths was going to sort it fully - the bike was still running, but would misbehave if given the beans, and the smell of the fluid that came out of the tank when I pulled the pipe off (meths and water, with a hint of pez) led me to conclude that that was the problem.  Unfortunately I'd spent so long pissing aorund with the Innocenti that there wasn't then time to take the bike for a spin to see if fresh petrol cures it - which was a bugger, because as February days go, today was probably about the best it was going to get for going for a ride.

 

The Saab was collected by Mrs. Barmatt yesterday afternoon, which has freed up a space on the car park - immediately nicked by the Stanza.  Once I've got the Stanza looking a bit more respectable I can stick it out on the road though as it's still got 3 1/2 months' rent on it.

 

It would appear that the S60 needs a new battery - either that or it has a major current drain somewhere.  If left overnight it's fine, but leave it for two days or more and it won't start.  I don't think the fact that the headlights come on with the ignition is helping its cause much though - I might have a flip through the handbook and see if that feature can be turned off.

[skattrd]

I've just agreed to buy the most expensive car I have ever bought.

Come on Ed spill the beans ...