The new news 24 thread

[captain_70s]

15 hours ago, chancer said:

Spotted this today. Probably one for the didnt know they existed thread...avon tuning triumph acclaim...it looked absolutely hanging, no doubt it doesnt need an MOT now....

It's a cosmetic replica rather than a genuine car, there is only one genuine turbo car known to survive.

That one was never much of a minter to start with and seems to be in regular use, which in Scotland means a lifespan of 5 years.

Most Acclaim's are made of filler as, being Japanese spec steel thickness with British build quality, rot like there is no tomorrow and there is no panel availability.

[Metal Guru]

4 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

My dad's first car (down near Stranraer) dissolved in about two years (I think) grit and the sea air got to everything. They grit here a lot and it's plain when you a get a 'city' owned car and compare the subframes/disc brake shields.

75 has replaced the Ovlov 940 and I'm liking the upgrade - more comfy - I do miss the badermatic but the Keeper of The Purse Strings is happy as it's way, way more economical - almost into Bini country which means I'm excused pouring the two of us and all the holiday clobber into a wee car

My car is 20 years old and spent all its life in Scotland. TBF it has had a subframe replaced , no brake shields left , 4 rusty arches and a bit of welding here and there to pass MOTs, but I’d say the condition is on a par with an Orion I had in the 80s , at about 5years . ( In Kent, saw much less salt).

[vulgalour]

45 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

There are companies that are looking for remote staff to answer phones for other companies… outsourcing and message taking, etc.  Job is shit but one I know in particular will take just about anyone..

Call centre work is a big nope for me, I have one really big gap in my cv due to a call centre job causing one of the worst mental breakdowns I've ever had and vowed never to subject myself to it again.

[Zelandeth]

On 12/04/2024 at 22:01, SiC said:

Just had a letter from the current owner of my P4 after finding my name in the history. Has given me a load of questions to answer 😂

I'm most glad it's gone to an owner who is going to restore it!

Ah ha, you too then!

Surprised and pleased really.  It always felt like it was pretty much a collection of spares flying in close formation given it would never make any logical sense to restore given the value of P4s and the price of spares.  Especially cosmetic stuff and trim, which that car really wanted a lot of, before even factoring in paint.  Shame to lose the genuine patina, but it really did want the paint sorting to ensure the car didn't just decay rapidly if being used regularly.  At the end of the day if it helps make sure it lives on it's all a good thing.  Better this than stripped for parts or taking a quick trip round an oval.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Just now, vulgalour said:

Call centre work is a big nope for me, I have one really big gap in my cv due to a call centre job causing one of the worst mental breakdowns I've ever had and vowed never to subject myself to it again.

Entirely fair enough.  It would do the same to me.  I did say it was shit!  I ended up with a similar gap via-a-vis teaching.

Best of luck!

[stuboy]

Took erindoors, mini stuboy and niece up to a car themed pub on there open day, seemed was manly lotus, I do love an esprit... place called 'the stag' missus says food prices are good and decor inside Is car themed..

[Pat Earrings]

Did the front discs and pads on my father’s i20 today finally. The bottom slider pin on both caliper brackets had seized so I sent it off to Bigg Red who returned it looking perfect. However my suspicions about binding at the rear have been confirmed. It’s going to be the same story, I can sense the bracket will be a nightmare again so to save time waiting around I’ve ordered up second hand calipers with the brackets that aren’t seized. New discs and pads on the way too and I have a feeling this has shoes inside? Perhaps someone knows. No idea.

[wuvvum]

Now that it's properly spring I thought it was time to dig the Renault 6 out of the garage.  It always needs a jump start after it's been sat for a while, and I cleverly* hadn't left any room to get to the bonnet when I put it away - I remember thinking at the time "that's going to be a problem - oh well, fuck it, I'll worry about it in the spring".  Well the good news is that my brake repair last year seems to have held as the brakes were still free, and thanks to the new tyre on the nearside front all the tyres were fully inflated.  So all I needed to do was climb in through the tailgate, knock it out of gear, climb back out again, grab hold of the back bumper and pull, and out it came.  

The Rover 75 and a pair of jump leads soon got it running, and I took it for a quick run round the block and was reminded of the issues that had cropped up shortly before it went into hibernation and that I hadn't had a chance to look at properly.  So that was the first task for today once I finally got my arse in gear.

The first issue is that the bonnet latch isn't locking the bonnet.  I couldn't immediately find what was causing this, but removing the latch soon revealed the problem - the mechanism is made of plastic (yes, really) and after 51 years one of the bits had decided it had had enough and snapped off.  So that's irreparable then.  Of course bonnet latches for Renault 6s are completely unobtainium, but a Google session suggested that the Renault 12 latch is similar - or at least the plastic bits are - and those are available (albeit at some expense), so I'm going to order one - worst case I can butcher it for its plastic bits and make one good one out of the two.  For now I've put a Bungee strap on to stop the bonnet flipping up - it's a forward opening bonnet so in theory shouldn't be an issue but aerodynamics can do strange things.

The other two were easier fixes.  The nearside rear indicator was behaving funny when the lights were turned on - this turned out to be a cock up on my part, when I refitted the light unit after the car was hit last year I put the earth wire behind the clamp instead of between the clamp and the nut, so it was flapping around and barely making contact.  The other problem was that the choke wasn't returning properly when the knob was pushed in - this was a slightly stranger one as it transpired that the clamp that holds the end of the cable had come off the carb - I certainly don't remember doing this (and I would have remembered as it was a fiddly bastard) so can only assume that the bolt had vibrated loose and fallen out.  One of the three screws holding the end plate on the carb had also vanished, but I found suitable replacements for both in my stash so that's all sorted.

I then chucked a bucket of water over it to get the garage grime off - next job is to make a template up for the repair section I'm going to need to make for the nearside front floor, but I didn't get time for that this weekend.

Most of the rest of the weekend was spent playing with pushbikes.  I did get the Mobylette fired up - it took a few more kicks than last year but still not bad for an elderly two-stroke engine that's been sat for six months - but I didn't get a chance to take it for a spin as I'd been hoping to do, and the forecast looks shite for this coming week so that might have to wait a little while.

[sierraman]

What an absolute honey this is! 

[richardmorris]

Orange taxi of shame...

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

Heard a bit of a bang sound from the rear of the Octavia.

One standard spring has become two Low Rider spec ...

" Yo, Stanced ! " 🤮

 

 

[stuboy]

11 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

I fixed the Bini driver side window mechanism, at the fourth time of asking. 
 

 

Would anybody like to read a write-up (shite-up?) about how much of a bitch of a job that was? 

go for it

[Jazoli]

On 14/04/2024 at 16:19, Pat Earrings said:

Did the front discs and pads on my father’s i20 today finally. The bottom slider pin on both caliper brackets had seized so I sent it off to Bigg Red who returned it looking perfect. However my suspicions about binding at the rear have been confirmed. It’s going to be the same story, I can sense the bracket will be a nightmare again so to save time waiting around I’ve ordered up second hand calipers with the brackets that aren’t seized. New discs and pads on the way too and I have a feeling this has shoes inside? Perhaps someone knows. No idea.

It has shoes I’m sure for the handbrake, good to see it getting some TLC.

[hairnet]

21 hours ago, wuvvum said:

ooff

Most of the rest of the weekend was spent playing with pushbikes. 

^^^^  😭

[Pat Earrings]

56 minutes ago, Jazoli said:

It has shoes I’m sure for the handbrake, good to see it getting some TLC.

It’s a good little thing. It’s had an oil/filter, air and spark plugs already too a week after getting it. Just the brakes needed attention really. Fronts are all grand, but I’ll order some shoes too so next week I’ll have it all done hopefully 🤞 

[egg]

Is that the Hyundai Achilles heel of crappy brakes - or just worn out? Obvs the disc is v. old.

[egg]

On 14/04/2024 at 15:58, stuboy said:

Took erindoors, mini stuboy and niece up to a car themed pub on there open day, seemed was manly lotus, I do love an esprit... place called 'the stag' missus says food prices are good and decor inside Is car themed..

do you reckon I'd get laughed out of Challock if I turned up there in 'da base'?

[richardmorris]

Something parked in my space.

[Mally]

Never mind, at least you can read* the registration

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 15/04/2024 at 22:10, egg said:

do you reckon I'd get laughed out of Challock if I turned up there in 'da base'?

Less so than if I turned up in my Golf.  Which is currently missing its badge as it fell off.

[richardmorris]

[richardmorris]

[richardmorris]

Sun's out, pagani out.

[Pat Earrings]

15 hours ago, egg said:

Is that the Hyundai Achilles heel of crappy brakes - or just worn out? Obvs the disc is v. old.

Just worn out I’d say, they were old, rusty and very scored.

the rears may well be crappy as there is no  resistance to the handbrake lever until it’s near the end. 

[andy18s]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Sun's out, pagani out.

I wonder if the owner breeds rabbits..

[Ohdearme]

Mrs ODM phoned today with a screw in her tyre on the way home.

Compressor managed to get it home and is booked for a new one and mot tomorrow.

Espace needs a service and wheel bearing and it also gave me this today after too many short tip runs.

if anybody needs me I’ll be out having a regenerative fap.

 

[Bren]

The mondeo got a wash and clay. We had only ever chucked a bucket of soapy water over it so it was time for some tlc. Might polish it tomorrow.

[richardmorris]

Anyone near Staines on Sunday needing a trip out for drive it day. The local 2cv groups are having a drive up to the chiltern open air museum at Chalfont St Giles. Obv. Citroen based, but I don’t think anyone else tagging along would be disappointed. They’re meeting  at 9.30  sainsburys Staines, and beaconsfield services at 11.

 

[stuboy]

4 hours ago, Ohdearme said:

Mrs ODM phoned today with a screw in her tyre on the way home.

Compressor managed to get it home and is booked for a new one and mot tomorrow.

Espace needs a service and wheel bearing and it also gave me this today after too many short tip runs.

if anybody needs me I’ll be out having a regenerative fap.

 

 

[stuboy]

23 hours ago, egg said:

do you reckon I'd get laughed out of Challock if I turned up there in 'da base'?

i dont think you would, now if i turned up in the mondeo..........