The new news 24 thread

[stuboy]

Just found my friends old lady for sale... 2 grand.... I used too love driving..  looks bit rougher now...

[stuboy]

[stuboy]

16 minutes ago, stuboy said:

God knows where the txt gone too..

 

Well another run roo the tip , trying to get the missus drive with a trailer as she has a show to go too soon and needs to get dragging the thing.. but she declined .. I told her ok ill hook it up and load and unload it and she can do the rest... lol

[richardmorris]

Bought a new toy and polished the car. Before and after door pics. Not bad for a first attempt. 

[egg]

A design fail in the i10 is these sun visor surrounds that double as 'card holders' but therefore break with age.

Even plain low spec grubby replacement visors are £25 on the bay, which seems a bit expensive. The MK2 i10 dropped the card holder thing, but they have different fixing attachments, so probably don't fit as a swap/'upgrade'. MK1 Picanto ones look different too. So araldite instead, might last 5 minutes.

[Snake Charmer]

On 11/04/2024 at 18:07, wesacosa said:

Some dreadful news from the classic Citroen community 

Paul was a nice bloke, generous with his time, knowledge and spare parts and a big reason a huge amount of XMs and Xantias are still on the road 

RIP

My condolences for the loss of your friend. 

 

[wesacosa]

12 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

My condolences for the loss of your friend. 

 

thanks although I was just posting someone elses Facebook post. I did know Paul through the XM forum and Facebook and had met him at Citroen events but it was one of his actual friends who's post I used here

He will be a huge loss to the XM community though for his knowledge and his hoard of spares

 

[Snake Charmer]

17 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

thanks although I was just posting someone elses Facebook post. I did know Paul through the XM forum and Facebook and had met him at Citroen events but it was one of his actual friends who's post I used here

He will be a huge loss to the XM community though for his knowledge and his hoard of spares

 

Ah, OK. I just Googled him and found a post on the French car forum from January. Sounds like he had an awful time at such a young age as the average diagnosis is around 70. 

[wesacosa]

10 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

Ah, OK. I just Googled him and found a post on the French car forum from January. Sounds like he had an awful time at such a young age as the average diagnosis is around 70. 

yeah 47 is no age at all. All very sad 

[chancer]

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....

[Wibble]

5 minutes 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....

Wow! That’s a rare beast indeed.

[chancer]

4 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Wow! That’s a rare beast 

Yes it is. And if they dont address the rampant rust and poor quality repairs to the sills, it will be extinct. This is exactly the reason old stuff should still be subject to MOT test

[EyesWeldedShut]

4 minutes 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....

Did better than me then - just been in Glasgow for the first time in 22 years. Stayed on the edge of the CAZ over at the SECC and we saw very, very little of anything older than a 2010 plate. Even with the CAZ nearby it was a bit naff (plenty of big, FO, modern cars of all sorts, they look a million dollars but the never-never would, wouldn't it?).
Ditto motorway - couple of Volvo 940/960, a 1999 Corolla and a 51 plated Almeira who did a wee bit of a 'Rubber Duck' convoy with us for a laugh.
We did have a good time - won the 'oldest car in the hotel car park prize'  - all three nights
Also a variation on six steps to Kevin Bacon - six steps to Arnold Clark. Players take turns to clock the motors driving past in batches of six. If you get a yellow, Arnold Clark sticker in your six cars then play passes to the next player. If you don't get a yellow AC sticker then you have to buy the next round.
There's a lot of AC stickered cars in Glasgow.

Car stuff? Took the Rover 75 diseasel  - very nice place to be. Reckon mpg was in the high forties  and it was v.nice to get out of a car after  7 hours driving and finding myself able to stand upright and walk without any swearing. 
 

[Split_Pin]

No old cars in Scotland because they salt the roads from late September until late May in  some areas.

Good choice to take the 75. Its a great way to cover a hundred miles and get out feeling like you've only done ten.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

1 hour 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....

That's a shame. It looked pretty clean when one of the previous owners shared his progress on it on here in 2020/1. 

 

 

[High Jetter]

I'd forgotten that thread, but remembered the car. Where is he now?

[Spottedlaurel]

After the LS400 got a fresh MoT last week I called into the garage to swap the Laurel for it:

They kept the Datsun all week, giving it a service and working towards this at the end of Friday afternoon:

Yay! I know it doesn't 'need' one, but having not had a test since 2020 I felt it would do no harm to go through a good checkover and get one if at all possible. Needed a washer pump (sorted by a similar-sized universal replacement), foglamps reinstated (loose wire) and a total of five gaiters on the front suspension and steering. No corrosion!

It had another Lexus friend when I picked it up on Friday:

With another one lurking outside:

No coincidence - they belong to Miss SL's BF and some parts swapping is on the agenda to get the R-reg one back on the road. S-reg DHP model is the nicer one of the two and is his long-term proposition.

In another bay they had a '90s JDM Toyota Estima which they're resurrected for a customer after it'd been off the road for a few years.

Was hoping to celebrate my LS400 returning to the road by taking it for a trip to Norwich yesterday, but Mrs SL wanted us to buy a tree so the Carina E was used instead. We briefly had a '90s Toyota convoy when this tidy Starlet followed us:

And we found a shiny Accent:

Don't think there'll be much car action to report today - got six bulk bags of gravel and one of bark mulch to shift.....

[EyesWeldedShut]

9 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

No old cars in Scotland because they salt the roads from late September until late May in  some areas.

Good choice to take the 75. Its a great way to cover a hundred miles and get out feeling like you've only done ten.

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

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I’m at the grand opening of World of Volvo in Gothenburg…

[Datsuncog]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 

If anyone's looking for @eddyramrod, it seems his laptop's gone on the blink and he's unable to access his AS account temporarily - so if you're needing to get hold of him, drop me a PM and I'll relay it via other channels!

Thanks all.

[vulgalour]

This house move has continued to kick my arse.  Today I made my first application for regular work in 17 years.  Just looking at part time right now to bolster my income and manage my hours sensibly but it feels like a step in the wrong direction.  Not much choice.  Without some sort of viral incident that suddenly drops several grand on me I'm just treading water and I need to crack on and get the cash flow improved.  Not sure how easy it's going to be to get back into the mainstream work force after so long being self-employed and being in my early forties, and don't worry I'm looking at shitjobs because that's all I'm qualified for.  Shelfstacking, warehouse operatives, office monkeys, that sort of bollocks.  Just need a safety net, especially since it's very likely the tenancy here will end in a 2-3 years and I'll have to find somewhere else to live solo.

Not dropping the artwork just yet, and I'm carrying on as normal while I fail to get job interviews, I just need to make sure I've got a back-up plan in place.  We'll cross the bridge of things like trying to get commuting insurance on a 40 year old car when we get to it.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

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..

[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.