The new news 24 thread

[Split_Pin]

36 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

Arc eye?

No just the onset of a cold and the stress of this car.

[worldofceri]

On 06/04/2025 at 20:29, vulgalour said:

Do we have a preferred person for car transportation in the UK on the forum these days?

I know @worldofceri got out of the game when I moved to Scunthorpe, I don't know if we had someone step in to offer a similarly excellent service.

If not I'll do the old-fashioned phone calls thing or maybe even brave Shiply.

Maybe post up what it is you’re needing. A few on here have trailers and might be able to help depending on location. Sadly not me at the minute tho.

[Split_Pin]

Not gonna lie, I think I've bitten off more than I can chew with the 75s sill.

It's a really complex shape and the lip on the inner sill, which is horizontal,  is fucked as well. I can't get a grinder in behind there easily nor my welder. I've made a repair section but with a shonky bench, tiny vice and the head of a lump hammer for an anvil, I'm not exactly equipped to deal with this. I just can't get the repair to sit nice.

I mean, I couldn't have just left it as it was rotten, but I don't know what to do now. I can't just put the car away in my garage as we are planning on moving soon so it needs to be sorted.

[Schaefft]

5 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Not gonna lie, I think I've bitten off more than I can chew with the 75s sill.

It's a really complex shape and the lip on the inner sill, which is horizontal,  is fucked as well. I can't get a grinder in behind there easily nor my welder. I've made a repair section but with a shonky bench, tiny vice and the head of a lump hammer for an anvil, I'm not exactly equipped to deal with this. I just can't get the repair to sit nice.

I mean, I couldn't have just left it as it was rotten, but I don't know what to do now. I can't just put the car away in my garage as we are planning on moving soon so it needs to be sorted.

There might be a Mobile mechanic that who can do welding repairs?

[Split_Pin]

1 minute ago, Schaefft said:

There might be a Mobile mechanic that who can do welding repairs?

Cheers, unfortunately nobody in my area does welding any more 😞

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Not gonna lie, I think I've bitten off more than I can chew with the 75s sill.

It's a really complex shape and the lip on the inner sill, which is horizontal,  is fucked as well. I can't get a grinder in behind there easily nor my welder. I've made a repair section but with a shonky bench, tiny vice and the head of a lump hammer for an anvil, I'm not exactly equipped to deal with this. I just can't get the repair to sit nice.

I mean, I couldn't have just left it as it was rotten, but I don't know what to do now. I can't just put the car away in my garage as we are planning on moving soon so it needs to be sorted.

I'd be wanging a plate over the top and seam weld around for now. Don't have to pretty if needs must. Weld one edge and then hammer the fuck into the other edge till it fits. If necessary then wedge a screwdriver/something similar to hold it in place as you tack it. For shaping, find something to bash it around that is roughly the right shape. 

You won't get it perfect. That takes practice. However this is a good thing to learn on for now. 

Worse case you cut it off in the future and redo. Welding metal is an additive process, unlike cutting wood where you can't easily stick it back on. 

[Tickman]

14 hours ago, SiC said:

I'd be wanging a plate over the top and seam weld around for now. Don't have to pretty if needs must. Weld one edge and then hammer the fuck into the other edge till it fits. If necessary then wedge a screwdriver/something similar to hold it in place as you tack it. For shaping, find something to bash it around that is roughly the right shape. 

You won't get it perfect. That takes practice. However this is a good thing to learn on for now. 

Worse case you cut it off in the future and redo. Welding metal is an additive process, unlike cutting wood where you can't easily stick it back on. 

@Split_Pin This and nothing more.

It doesn't have to be pretty, just functional.

It also doesn't have to be one piece you weld in. 

Take one bite at a time and it will all get done, don't aim to get it finished, just a little progress. Eventually it will be finished.

 

[Split_Pin]

Just now, Tickman said:

@Split_Pin This and nothing more.

It doesn't have to be pretty, just functional.

It also doesn't have to be one piece you weld in. 

Take one bite at a time and it will all get done, don't aim to get it finished, just a little progress. Eventually it will be finished.

 

Normally I'd 100% agree but when I mentioned house move it could be as early as next month so I can't really have something unfinished. I'm dropping it off with our well-known saviour of our hopeless wrecks pride and joys tomorrow. I think the car deserves better than butchered sills.

I nevertheless had a wee go at joining together the wonky pieces I'd made to confirm I can still actually weld.

In our new place, if it has the space, and I don't need to build a garage first, I'm going to invest in a small metal folder as that is 100% the issue here. A tiny vice on a wonky bench with the head of a lump hammer as an anvil is pushing the limits of improvisation 😂

So I'll be back at it sometime!

[reb]

As I said, who could possibly want a 40 year old electronic organ? For free??

[barefoot]

I took the camper down to 'my little man with the big spanners' for its annual fettle. Then I'm planning to use it regularly for a bit before we go camping at the end of the month.

[junkyarddog]

Sometimes living in a rural spot has it's advantages. 

Miserable most of the time though. 

 

[Bear]

Me: ARGH I have tooooo many not-quite working cars, I need them to go and need some space!

Life:

HELLO FRIEND DID YOU MISS ME?

 

[comfortablynumb]

2 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

Sometimes living in a rural spot has it's advantages. 

Miserable most of the time though. 

 

Nah, if I lived in a town I'd probably have killed someone by now!  🤣

[HMC]

Trundled down to Weir Quay this evening as part of a shakedown before going to France in it this weekend…

[wuvvum]

I can't be the only one who is astonished at how long you have kept this car.

[Bear]

1 hour ago, wuvvum said:

I can't be the only one who is astonished gutted at how long you have kept this car instead of passing it on for peanuts so everyone can enjoy it.

 

[Bear]

3 hours ago, HMC said:

Trundled down to Weir Quay this evening as part of a shakedown before going to France in it this weekend…

Calendar shot for sure, no?

[Ghosty]

On 07/04/2025 at 11:45, richardmorris said:

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50

 

[wesacosa]

MOT for the C180K daily today 

It passed but only just, I suspect this is likely its last MOT without major work  .  Back end of sills into arches likely to need sparkly stick action soon and subframe has some corrosion which I need to check if just rub down and treating will suffice.  Some of the suspension bushes seen better days too but hanging on in the right side of the pass/fail line for now . Shame as it still drives nice and looks well, arches aside 

 

 

[egg]

Fancyplates doing 10% discount.

[wuvvum]

I've had two emails from credit reference agencies today - one from Experian to tell me my credit score has gone down, and one from Equifax to tell me my score has gone up.

🤷‍♂️

[vulgalour]

After a MONTH of things not going quite right I finally got the Princess windscreen fitted today.  There was no way I could DIY it, even with two experienced fitters it wasn't an easy one to do at all.  Hopefully I never have to remove it again.  Quite remarkable how bad the old screen really was in comparison, even with storage and fitting dirt the new screen looks clearer than the old screen did after the most thorough of cleanings.  Driving at night might actually be tolerable for the first time ever.

[barefoot]

Well, that's cheered me up. 

[richardmorris]

[JJ0063]

Time to add another one to the fleet @wuvvum?

[wuvvum]

  Fuck me that's cheap!!

[brownnova]

Considering the car had half an exhaust at 8am today… it did alright in the test in the end!

Advisory for car seats fitted and a spot of corrosion on the top mount, but the tester had left for the day when I picked it up so not 100% sure exactly what he’s seen. I was feeling very pessimistic about this test for some reason, so very pleased with that result! Drove home with the roof down in celebration! In fairness the roof has been down most journeys lately it’s been that lovely! 

[Split_Pin]

11 hours ago, brownnova said:

Considering the car had half an exhaust at 8am today… it did alright in the test in the end!

Advisory for car seats fitted and a spot of corrosion on the top mount, but the tester had left for the day when I picked it up so not 100% sure exactly what he’s seen. I was feeling very pessimistic about this test for some reason, so very pleased with that result! Drove home with the roof down in celebration! In fairness the roof has been down most journeys lately it’s been that lovely! 

That will be the bracket that the damper attaches to. Very common for them to corrode or snap. They bolt on though so are replaceable.

[lesapandre]

Parking charges...

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/apr/10/price-of-parking-rises-steeply-due-to-english-councils-clean-air-surcharges

[Lord Sterling]

I may have mentioned sometime back that a (former) colleague of mine (he has moved departments) drove an MG BGT:

I was asked by another colleague from my old department if I knew anyone else who had an MG BGT as there was another one. 

Turns out MG chap had sold his blue one and bought another one!

However, I'd just finished work and was about to waft home in the Jag when I noticed this MG parked on the side of the road. Yes it's my former colleagues' new MG BGT.

I was introduced to it as it was at the side of the road having broken down. I ooffered my assistance but chap had already called the AA out who were on their way.

MG lad isn't a mechanically minded guy. The Blue MG was his first car despite having passed his test sometime back. He hadn't had the need for a car at the time and it was only after lockdown that he bought the blue MG.