The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

Very nervous, and vacillating about a purchase all weekend. 

Owners ( people who I’ve known in the 2cv club for thirty years) are away this week so will go and see it after the 9th. Storage is an issue, so if anyone knows garages to rent / buy near bagshot or chobham in Surrey do let me know! I will talk to the neighbours at work to see what their rates are this week.

 

[brownnova]

Went to Chester Cars and Coffee this morning, and whilst there were a smattering of supercars there were also a few super cars… 

I even had a chance to drive two of the above cars thanks to generous owners! I’ll leave you to guess which two… Sadly I failed to pap some of the stuff which left early… such as a joyfully shonky BX Estate! 

Owing to a sizeable oil leak discovered on the 9000, still broken 2CVs and the Pontiac’s battery discharging very quickly … the 9-3 was the only available steed for the day. 

It proper pissed on with rain on the way home but as I was doing 70 on the dual carriageway I barely felt a spot of it! 

[stuboy]

Few more from eldest boy in germany

[richardmorris]

21 minutes ago, brownnova said:

Went to Chester Cars and Coffee this morning, and whilst there were a smattering of supercars there were also a few super cars… 

I even had a chance to drive two of the above cars thanks to generous owners! I’ll leave you to guess which two… Sadly I failed to pap some of the stuff which left early… such as a joyfully shonky BX Estate! 

Owing to a sizeable oil leak discovered on the 9000, still broken 2CVs and the Pontiac’s battery discharging very quickly … the 9-3 was the only available steed for the day. 

It proper pissed on with rain on the way home but as I was doing 70 on the dual carriageway I barely felt a spot of it! 

I’ve been in hail and snow in the 2cv and x1/9 without a chance to put the roof up. The answer is always to drive faster.

[richardmorris]

1 minute ago, CGSB said:

Traction Avant? 👀

Yes. @Three Speed is a very bad influence and a pusher of old tat onto younger people.

[Pete-M]

On 27/02/2026 at 06:25, Angrydicky said:

That does look clean. Didn’t someone crash into it a few years ago while parked outside your house, if memory serves?

Yes, but it was repaired pretty well. The side in that photo was the side that was hit. 

[Three Speed]

7 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Yes. @Three Speed is a very bad influence and a pusher of old tat onto younger people.

You know it makes sense.

[richardmorris]

9 minutes ago, Three Speed said:

You know it makes sense.

That’s the problem. It does. 

[Pete-M]

On 27/02/2026 at 11:32, Bren said:

I put the dizzy and rocker covers back on the SD1 yesterday.

Today I was cranking with the king lead disconnected- I couldn't see the warning light going out so I stopped and broke out the ebay oil pressure gauge.

It showed nothing. Concerned I had bought cheapo shite I did a calibration test by offering it up to the outside tap - it showed pressure so I was satisfied it was calibrated for another 12 months.

The instructions state a "running engine" - maybe it isn't good enough to show cranking pressure - it did cost less than £20.

I soon realised the warning light was going out - I hadn't been cranking it for long enough - these engine rely more on oil volume than pressure.

I have put the battery on charge again - I will attempt a start this afternoon.

It didn't take this much to get a saturn V off the pad.

Rover V8s do this. 

Trick is to unbolt the oil pump and pack it with vaseline. That'll allow the pump to get oil as now the pump is attempting to pump air. Plenty of Rover V8s have had the bottom end / cam lobes knocked out by people draining the oil overnight and then not having oil pressure at start up. 

Luckily the pump is external and not that difficult to pack with vaseline. 

Vaseline won't do the engine any harm, it'll dissolve, but it'll hang around long enough for the pump to have enough suction to pick up oil and prime. 

[Bren]

3 minutes ago, Pete-M said:

Rover V8s do this. 

Trick is to unbolt the oil pump and pack it with vaseline. That'll allow the pump to get oil as now the pump is attempting to pump air. Plenty of Rover V8s have had the bottom end / cam lobes knocked out by people draining the oil overnight and then not having oil pressure at start up. 

Luckily the pump is external and not that difficult to pack with vaseline. 

I did this - and not for the first time.

The relief valve was jammed in it's bore. Some fettling freed it off.

I have orderd some 20w/50 and a filter. I need to see if there is glitter in the oil.

[Pete-M]

Just now, Bren said:

I did this - and not for the first time.

The relief valve was jammed in it's bore. Some fettling freed it off.

I have orderd some 20w/50 and a filter. I need to see if there is glitter in the oil.

this is fairly good. 

 

 

[Hertz]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

Went to Chester Cars and Coffee this morning, and whilst there were a smattering of supercars there were also a few super cars… 

I even had a chance to drive two of the above cars thanks to generous owners! I’ll leave you to guess which two… Sadly I failed to pap some of the stuff which left early… such as a joyfully shonky BX Estate! 

Owing to a sizeable oil leak discovered on the 9000, still broken 2CVs and the Pontiac’s battery discharging very quickly … the 9-3 was the only available steed for the day. 

It proper pissed on with rain on the way home but as I was doing 70 on the dual carriageway I barely felt a spot of it! 

That's my mates Saffrane. He's also got an Alpine A610 and an Esprit V8 but prefers to drive the Saffrane to show that off instead. 

[richardmorris]

Just now, Hertz said:

That's my mates Saffrane. He's also got an Alpine A610 and an Esprit V8 but prefers to drive the Saffrane to show that off instead. 

Where is it held now? My dad used to go in the x1/9 when it was at the castle car park.

[brownnova]

1 hour ago, Hertz said:

That's my mates Saffrane. He's also got an Alpine A610 and an Esprit V8 but prefers to drive the Saffrane to show that off instead. 

Ahh he’s a lovely fella. Met him a good few times now. Let me have a shot of the Safrane. What a lovely lovely car that is! 

[brownnova]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Where is it held now? My dad used to go in the x1/9 when it was at the castle car park.

Hawarden airport… which, isn’t in Chester….  Great location. 

[meshking]

2 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Very nervous, and vacillating about a purchase all weekend. 

Owners ( people who I’ve known in the 2cv club for thirty years) are away this week so will go and see it after the 9th. Storage is an issue, so if anyone knows garages to rent / buy near bagshot or chobham in Surrey do let me know! I will talk to the neighbours at work to see what their rates are this week.

 

I’m intrigued. There might be a spare garage at my storage but it’s nearer to Cobham than chobham. That said, if you find somewhere that’s too big for one and wanted to share storage I’d  be up for that

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, brownnova said:

Went to Chester Cars and Coffee this morning, and whilst there were a smattering of supercars there were also a few super cars… 

Love the Prelude

[Lord Sterling]

12 hours ago, angle said:

Went to pick my partners bike up from her work after she got a puncture. 'You might have to park on the road, the receptionist's car is probably parked outside'. This is in daily use...

For many, washing a car regularly helps with (what they see as) maintaining the bodywork and appearance. But some people don't really have a concept of washing a car, or, it's simply not a priority.  To people like that, a car is tool of conveyance,  a way to get around. So long as it works, that'll do.

Some people just don't seem to bother with cleaning their cars inside or out.

[Rustybullethole]

26 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

For many, washing a car regularly helps with (what they see as) maintaining the bodywork and appearance. But some people don't really have a concept of washing a car, or, it's simply not a priority.  To people like that, a car is tool of conveyance,  a way to get around. So long as it works, that'll do.

Some people just don't seem to bother with cleaning their cars inside or out.

I've a mate with a pickup he bought brand new. It's never been cleaned inside or out. It looks as it should to me, a proper working truck. 

[The Vicar]

I bought something completely stupid that I have no need for whatsoever

But I love it!

[richardmorris]

9 hours ago, meshking said:

I’m intrigued. There might be a spare garage at my storage but it’s nearer to Cobham than chobham. That said, if you find somewhere that’s too big for one and wanted to share storage I’d  be up for that

Cobham would be nearer to where the car currently resides in new Malden!

[Mr Livered]

1 hour ago, The Vicar said:

I bought something completely stupid that I have no need for whatsoever

But I love it!

Nice buy... I had one of those once and rather liked it also. Does it have the manual gear lever with two pedals arrangement?

[The Vicar]

6 minutes ago, Mr Livered said:

Nice buy... I had one of those once and rather liked it also. Does it have the manual gear lever with two pedals arrangement?

Nope, 1.7 diesel with an old fashioned 5 speed manual 

[artdjones]

2 hours ago, The Vicar said:

Nope, 1.7 diesel with an old fashioned 5 speed manual 

Probably the only acceptable arrangement. I had a 1.6 petrol given to me at the car hire desk at Weeze in 2006. Horribly undergeared and fussy, and not economical,although it drove ok otherwise. I also collected my first speeding ticket in it.

[Mr Livered]

Yes; the main thing in my memory that stands out about mine was that gearbox, I can't remember what they called it but it was basically an auto box except with a gear lever like a manual so you had to change gears like a manual despite there being no clutch pedal.

Took it to a very hilly area in the south of France for a holiday, because it did have a decent boot and big tailgate for camping. Realised that with that setup, if your handbrake fails there's no way to secure it on a slope.

[Stinkwheel]

34 minutes ago, Mr Livered said:

Yes; the main thing in my memory that stands out about mine was that gearbox, I can't remember what they called it but it was basically an auto box except with a gear lever like a manual so you had to change gears like a manual despite there being no clutch pedal.

Took it to a very hilly area in the south of France for a holiday, because it did have a decent boot and big tailgate for camping. Realised that with that setup, if your handbrake fails there's no way to secure it on a slope.

So the same system as Citroen C-matic but 35 years later, and it wasnt any better than the Citroen version either by the sound of it, not what you expect of Mercedes really.

[wuvvum]

Another year's Rovering secured with zero expenditure beyond the MOT test fees.  I bloody love this car.

I'm going to give it an oil change as soon as we get a dry weekend, and it'll need the aircon topping up too come the summer.  The Captain Tolley's seems to have stemmed the water ingress round the GPS antenna for now.

[Stinkwheel]

I’d just like to say, Sevel Nord vans are great. 
I bought this thing in 2015 to move house, I paid 900 quid, thinking it would be a move it on afterwards job, but it’s just kept on being useful. 
Over the years with me it’s gone from 170k to 225k. It’s had a new clutch and solid flywheel conversion, new brakes all round(twice) untidy but solid welding to the sills, new cat back exhaust system, an alternator and battery,  timing belt and water pump (twice) Tyres various and just routine servicing. Over the last 4 days it’s done 1450 miles as I emptied my old workshop unit and bought all the tools/parts etc home. Who says cheap vehicles don’t give good service? Fingers crossed for many more years service. 
 

[SiC]

6 hours ago, The Vicar said:

no need for whatsoever

Ever going to get the most senior individuals visiting? Looks like it's designed for that job! 😄 

[C3C3]

Chugging along. Cant find any wings without paying an arm and a leg for them.