The new news 24 thread

[artdjones]

7 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I think one thing that would be good to add to the MOT over here is shock absorber imbalance, I've driven so many cars that handle like shit but in cases where the offending shock absorber has previously been cleaned off by someone, it will never get to the point of failing an MOT.

Whilst tester opinions do vary, the current fail criteria is generally only if the entire shock casing is soaked in oil, or for negligible dampening effect where bouncing is clearly evident. For the in-between where it's clearly got a faulty shock absorber but there's not enough evidence of a serious fluid leak or negligible dampening effect then it's a pass and advise for the life of the car when it does actually has snatchy handling. 

The fail point for imbalance in Ireland is 35%. As I only put the old shocks on in June last year (grr) a 23% imbalance is obviously down to the pothole incident. But the car has never felt right since. So, two new Bilsteins (grr) and 4 hours gone. At least Autodoc did them for a reasonable price(€50 each).

Whether the UK will follow along is probably dependent on whether MoT stations have the space to dig up the floor, and the money to do it.

[wuvvum]

Got the Merc booked in to the local tyre place tomorrow for a new OSF tyre (the one on there is a cheap Chinese winter tyre which is completely bald on the outside edge).  Spent a while searching Blackcircles, Camskill etc, then checked the website of the local place just out of curiosity and they were offering a Uniroyal Rainsport in 225/45x17 for £81 fitted - which is only a tenner or so more than Blackcircles wanted for a no-name budget job.

[grogee]

On 10/07/2024 at 19:40, eddyramrod said:

Have you missed me?  

I'm back.  I had to buy a new laptop in the end.

FFS.

Terribly. 

Welcome back ER

[grogee]

Southam Cricket Club car show tonight, I made sure to wrap up warm as it's quite frankly November out there. 

@Cluffy kept me company and did a fine job rescuing me from Boring John (2 Pumas, 1 Quantum, no self-awareness). I even got a hot diggety dog.

Highlights included a De Tomaso but obviously I didn't photograph that. 

Check out the lovely R19 and Mk1 Astra. 

 

EDIT: Maybe @4wheeledstool knows the Astra? It was very tidy. 

[wuvvum]

That DAF 33 is brilliant!  I'm sure the diesel R18 has featured on these beige pages before.

[stuboy]

im guessing aftermarket bumper editions on the R18?

[eddyramrod]

That 66 Polara sedan is lush, but the 71 Continental looks more like it's ready for me!

[HMC]

R18 diesel? Ex @bramz7 ?

[EspenO]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

(2 Pumas, 1 Quantum, no self-awareness)

😄

I used to hang in BMW circles, our Boring John had a 320iS (before we knew the full extent of their horrors) and could - and would - list every single difference to a 320i. 

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Highlights included a De Tomaso but obviously I didn't photograph that. 

You had one job! Triumphs, Elf, Daf, R4 & that gifferered 18 estate though? Might let you off 😀

[Cluffy]

10 hours ago, grogee said:

Southam Cricket Club car show tonight, I made sure to wrap up warm as it's quite frankly November out there. 

@Cluffy kept me company and did a fine job rescuing me from Boring John (2 Pumas, 1 Quantum, no self-awareness). I even got a hot diggety dog.

Highlights included a De Tomaso but obviously I didn't photograph that. 

Check out the lovely R19 and Mk1 Astra. 

 

EDIT: Maybe @4wheeledstool knows the Astra? It was very tidy. 

A few more delights including the aforementioned Pantera and someone's loved and cherished White Slice of BLs finest....:

[wuvvum]

Much like the Countach, the early Pantera without the later plastic carbuncles is by far the best looking in my book.

[wuvvum]

I can haz tread

[Spottedlaurel]

For various reasons I'm not driving the older members of my fleet as much I'd like to at present, so it's not very often I have to put fuel in them. Managed to use the Carina E today and it was getting low, so I filled up with E5. I'd managed 402 miles on the last tank, it worked out to just over 35mpg - not too bad for a lowish-tech '90s automatic petrol? This one doesn't have the lean-burn engine, must have been a few longer journeys and making good use of the lock-up on top.

Still not as good as the RX daily driver which is giving around 38-39mpg at present, but it relies on an awful lot of magic to offer that sort of economy on something much heavier and powered by a V6.

[grogee]

I got Maestro-stalked by a van driver. 

He said: "I saw you in the high street and just had to follow you!" 

It's really quite sweet I suppose, anyway he stopped and had a chat about his Maestro memories and showed me a picture of his Escort convertible ( @Cavcraft's folly).

Anyway it's flattering to be followed because of old shite, I'm sure it's happened to you lot as well. 

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, grogee said:

I got Maestro-stalked by a van driver. 

He said: "I saw you in the high street and just had to follow you!" 

It's really quite sweet I suppose, anyway he stopped and had a chat about his Maestro memories and showed me a picture of his Escort convertible ( @Cavcraft's folly).

Anyway it's flattering to be followed because of old shite, I'm sure it's happened to you lot as well. 

Conversely, I was admiring a parked (on double yellows) Mk2 Prelude the other day. Driver gave me very odd looks as he got in and drove away rapidly.

[RoverFolkUs]

5 hours ago, grogee said:

I got Maestro-stalked by a van driver. 

He said: "I saw you in the high street and just had to follow you!" 

It's really quite sweet I suppose, anyway he stopped and had a chat about his Maestro memories and showed me a picture of his Escort convertible ( @Cavcraft's folly).

Anyway it's flattering to be followed because of old shite, I'm sure it's happened to you lot as well. 

Trouble is - you need to have that quick moment of calculation as to the value of said vehicle and whether they're persuing you to steal it or just talk about it 😂

[grogee]

11 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Trouble is - you need to have that quick moment of calculation as to the value of said vehicle and whether they're persuing you to steal it or just talk about it 😂

I don't think he had it in him. Although I definitely wouldn't swap for his minging 90s Escort cabrio. 

You're right though @RoverFolkUs, it must be a headache for people that drive genuinely pricey old classics. I mean if someone waved a knife in my face I wouldn't hesitate to hand over the keys. 

If I was the sort of person into stealing classic cars I'd hide at the top of the street and scope out the premises for a night time raid. In fact, Sunday evening would be the perfect time for some car theivery, when everyone is glued to the final on the TV. 

Having said all that I'm now going to put the crook lock on!!!

[wesacosa]

A few of photo highlights from Goodwood yesterday . The mk1 Polo was exquisite 

 

[richardmorris]

I’ve just seen the fiat beast of Turin go up on their YouTube page. It’s a favourite of mine for being so ridiculous,

 

 

 

[eddyramrod]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

couple of photo highlights from Goodwood yesterday . The mk1 Polo was exquisite 

 

I would have given that post a Like, because there was so much to like in it, but... it was a mk1 Polo that wrote off my lovely triple-black Princess in 1991.  So no, no Likey.  Can't do it.

[stuboy]

Another sunny day in Gillingham assessing people's driving..

[Metal Guru]

3 hours ago, stuboy said:

Another sunny day in Gillingham assessing people's driving..

Costa del Mudway looking as inviting as ever.

[dollywobbler]

Bought a Perodua Kenari at last. £200. Bought in Bicester, drove it straight to The Netherlands. Hit 1000 miles in it after a week.

Proper bonny little thing. Happy at motorway speeds though wind noise is hilariously awful.

Even took it back to the original dealer on my way home.

The really odd thing is that it turns out it was owned by the grandad of a Facebook friend, who I'm friends with because his uncle owned my old Nippa!

The Kenari was owned by gramps 2007-2011 when he passed away, so the Kenari was actually sold by this dealership in 2004, 2007 and 2012. It ended up in a scrapyard because it needed a wheel bearing. Previous owner to me saved it, did 10,000 miles in a year and then replaced it with a Daihatsu Hijet. It is still on only 48,500 miles. A proper slab of Autoshite.

MOT next week. Hoping it isn't as rotten underneath as the previous MOT suggests.

[Spottedlaurel]

1 minute ago, dollywobbler said:

Even took it back to the original dealer on my way home.

They're still going?! That's great if so.

My Laurel came from them, part-ex'd against a Perodua of some sort! I rang him up a year or two later and he was kind enough to send me the original V5 that he'd kept for some reason. Said he never get involved with scrappage, good man. Seems to actually like cars, I bet he's had some amazing stuff go through his hands.

[dollywobbler]

Just about I'd say. The buildings are only just hanging in there. Appeared to be one bloke in the garage doing everything so I didn't linger.

[Soundwave]

Shopping around for insurance quotes for my Rover. Cheapest so far is £173, which is better than my renewal. Most expensive? Well... 

Going to go out on a limb here and say Hiscox would rather not insure me. Either that or they're expecting me to cause some serious devastation in my giffer spec 216.

[richardmorris]

Took the x1/9 out for a walk. Going to try lanoguard on it later.

[Joey spud]

11 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

Costa del Mudway looking as inviting as ever.

I'll admit that that area by the Strand has a certain charm to it.

But the river Medway looks just fine opposite it on my side.

[4wheeledstool]

Another one nearing completion. 

Next up is a white one, followed by a Ford Corsair. 👍