The new news 24 thread

[HillmanImp]

A while ago I was angle grinding in the garage and didn't notice the garage door roll up behind me.

This resulted in lots of little rusty specks over the bonnet of the 944.

So today I went out and cleaned it with some special soap that smelt worse than my arse. It was absolutely fucking rank. 

The instructions said spray on and leave for 5 minutes and the contamination will turn purple.

Yeah, that was pretty contaminated.

Seems to have done a good job TBH. Looks a lot better.

The 944 is still sat being an ornament on the drive. Need to do a tiny bit more welding on it but my welders knackered. Seems to be losing gas. Its sat there for ages with me not knowing where to start trying to fix it so I think I'll take it to Machine Mart tomorrow, they have a £35 fee to look at it refundable against the cost of any repairs which I may as well just suffer to get this punted through it's test.

[comfortablynumb]

3 minutes ago, HillmanImp said:

Seems to be losing gas

My parweld does this if I leave the bottle main tap on whilst it's not in use, or do you mean it's leaking while you're using it?

[HillmanImp]

14 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

My parweld does this if I leave the bottle main tap on whilst it's not in use, or do you mean it's leaking while you're using it?

Whilst I'm using it. I put a new regulator on and it seems to have made it worse as it now blasts fuck tonnes of gas out the nozzle too, I can't seem to use a moderate amount any more so it's even worse.

[barefoot]

Anyone remember my half arsed tale of trying to buy parts for a 2002 Billy in Halfords? A more polished version of this story appears as my December column in MotorhomeMonthlyMagazine. Read it and weep.

[Soundwave]

My Rover has grown a tail.

Either it's decided to become a furry, or I'm going to be buying a new backbox for it. I fervently hope for the latter.

[bramz7]

This little nugget came back a few days ago:

One of very few December 2003 Pandas still going. It's fundamentally a good car, but the (original) rear axle is looking a bit worn now. I forgot just how good they are to drive.

The paint is also, predictably, really bad. 

[comfortablynumb]

1 hour ago, Soundwave said:

My Rover has grown a tail.

Either it's decided to become a furry, or I'm going to be buying a new backbox for it. I fervently hope for the latter.

Was it just me thought you were towing a barn-find out?? 😁

[HMC]

1 hour ago, bramz7 said:

This little nugget came back a few days ago:

One of very few December 2003 Pandas still going. It's fundamentally a good car, but the (original) rear axle is looking a bit worn now. I forgot just how good they are to drive.

The paint is also, predictably, really bad. 

Brilliant! I always think you are a standard setter for forum content on the shite radar.

Advertising a 607 for us to buy at a great price and then posting ownership of an early panda in an interesting colour. Cap doffed!

[richardmorris]

2 hours ago, Soundwave said:

My Rover has grown a tail.

Either it's decided to become a furry, or I'm going to be buying a new backbox for it. I fervently hope for the latter.

A long time since I’ve seen a car do that!

[stuboy]

awaiting the RM to deliver the caliper carrier for the hondura crv, then some kind spark on FB honda page said oh make sure its for the facelift and prefacelift had smaller disc................. now thanks for the extra anxiety..

[HillmanImp]

3 hours ago, bramz7 said:

This little nugget came back a few days ago:

One of very few December 2003 Pandas still going. It's fundamentally a good car, but the (original) rear axle is looking a bit worn now. I forgot just how good they are to drive.

The paint is also, predictably, really bad. 

I can't believe they are 22yrs old now. They still look modern. 

[wesacosa]

41 minutes ago, HillmanImp said:

I can't believe they are 22yrs old now. They still look modern. 

I have to say I'm very pleased with mine so far.  A bit more umph would be nice as I do most of my commute on motorway and A roads but other than that its been great 

[Soundwave]

Just had the endoscope up the Rover's exhaust to make sure it actually is the backbox before I order one. Just in case it's actually the middle silencer that's gone. As predicted, it is the backbox, so one is on order.

Must admit, "giving my car a colonoscopy" wasn't on my bingo card for this week, but here we are.

 

[Zelandeth]

Isn't working on cars by torch light in the pissing rain so much fun?

On the plus side it's mostly together again, hopefully have it running again tomorrow all being well.

Sheesh getting a job that takes a few hours actually done takes forever when you're working in about 20 minute chunks!

[Fat_Pirate]

It's taken me 3 weeks to replace all this on my Qashqai - the weather/cold hasn't helped but frankly, it's mostly me being unable to muster the enthusiasm to get stuck in.  I like it when I'm doing it, I just struggle to start - is there such a thing as Mechanics Viagra?  

New radius arm was ~£70 from eBay, and seems good (just the top mount rear face needed a few taps with a lump hammer to line up), new caliper and carrier again ~£70 from eBay (used ones were half-that but could well be suffering seized pins), seems OK but the rubber parts feel a bit plasticky; old brake pipe didn't survive removal so again eBay, £18 - went straight on.  £25 spring.  

My brake-bleeder is one of those shite 1-way valve things from Halfords, I couldn't really tell how effective it was but a small tap of the brakes on the drive resulted in me banging my head on the windscreen, so it's promising.  Just need to stick on a track-rod end and an amber rear indicator bulb (current one appears almost clear), and should be good for MOT.  If I can get off my arse, of course... 

[stuboy]

Replacement carrier has finally come and think they look the same 😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬

[Lacquer Peel]

On 22/11/2025 at 05:11, Lacquer Peel said:

Off-roading in Croatia had its consequences, I see them now. Didn't affect the way the car drives at all. 

Only £16 off eBay for a replacement arm. 

It wasn't off roading in the Balkans, I jacked it up on that arm. 🤦‍♂️ Not used to multilink suspension and usually jack cars on suspension arms or beams to save the jacking points. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

5 minutes ago, Lacquer Peel said:

It wasn't off roading in the Balkans - it happened when I was rescuing the pretty CIA agent and took numerous shortcuts suitable only for James Bond. I collected that battle scar from glissading on an ariel tramway in Albania

FTFY 

(But you also get 1,000,000 AS Honesty Points, cash value 0.00000000001 Italian Lira)

[Split_Pin]

Just had a random WhatsApp from someone who has just bought the old Autoshite roffle Audi 80 Cabriolet from years ago. He saw the car on one of my old You Tube videos and couldn't find me on Facebook so got my number from the old service history! Nice to know its still with the car.

Not MOTd at present but still looks good in the pic he sent me.

I guess some may not be keen on being contacted but the chances of any of my old cars falling into the hands of someone who thinks I might have money are absolutely zero 😅

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Fat_Pirate said:

is there such a thing as Mechanics Viagra?  

Yea, trolley jack sag. 😀

[BorniteIdentity]

Say what you want about the organisation I’m employed by - but one of my fellow comrades just wobbled into work on this.

It’s a yes from me. 

[Zelandeth]

Well crap.

Ignition system back together, fuel back to the carb and a bit of faffing about operating the choke manually as I haven't hooked the cable back up yet and the P4 runs again.  On four cylinders.  With coolant and combustion gases visibly bubbling out from between the block and head.

I'll triple check I've not misread the torque specs later and recheck everything tomorrow (it's just a plain metal gasket on this rather than composite), but I'm guessing this is simply going to be a clear answer to that question of whether I did need to get the head machined.  Yay, I get to take it all apart again.  It was so much fun the first time!

[auntiemaryscanary]

I've been busy/stressed so couldn't face getting the Doblo MoT'd so parked it on the drive when the MoT expired 10 days ago. I can see the rot starting on the sills.

Been to see the man from the ministry today and was somewhat pleasantly surprised...

Great a pass, but yes, it's starting to rot

 

However, from 13 months and 3,000 miles ago a ton of stuff has self healed. I can't believe the difference between the 2 MoT stations!!

[Lacquer Peel]

19 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Just had a random WhatsApp from someone who has just bought the old Autoshite roffle Audi 80 Cabriolet from years ago. He saw the car on one of my old You Tube videos and couldn't find me on Facebook so got my number from the old service history! Nice to know its still with the car.

Not MOTd at present but still looks good in the pic he sent me.

I guess some may not be keen on being contacted but the chances of any of my old cars falling into the hands of someone who thinks I might have money are absolutely zero 😅

Good to see it still kicking about, I remember my friend's mum Sue driving it but it got a bit tired, @320touringcame up to Strathspey and bought it for buttons. Good times. 

[Split_Pin]

I was sending them pictures from its time with me but I need to complete the story by telling them what happened before I owned it.

[Lacquer Peel]

1 minute ago, Split_Pin said:

I was sending them pictures from its time with me but I need to complete the story by telling them what happened before I owned it.

Ohh I can fill you in, Sue or Jamie might have pics of it somewhere.

[Split_Pin]

The new owner would appreciate that. They were watching all my You Tube videos of it, back when I was still active on there.

[Sigmund Fraud]

58 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

(it's just a plain metal gasket on this rather than composite)

Sorry if I'm asking a silly question, but did you anneal it before installing ?

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

Sorry if I'm asking a silly question, but did you anneal it before installing ?

Well that probably would do it.  The idea that a new out the packet gasket wouldn't just be ready to go never occurred to me.  Neither of the manuals here nor the supplier's listing make any mention of it either...

I know I've done it reusing metal gaskets on small engines before, but the new ones out the box were always ready to use.

No massive loss of that's all it is - £15 gasket and a couple hours time (oh, and an uncomfortable amount of oil/coolant).

Every day's a school day!  There are bound to be learning experiences in dealing with designs this old, guess this is my one for today.

[Snake Charmer]

Twice today l have encountered interior mirrors with stickers on covering 1/3 of the rear view.  A new level of fuckwitery over all the shite stuck in the windscreen or hanging from the mirror.

Had to put 3.5ltrs of oil in one car to test it too.