The new news 24 thread

[Lankytim]

That Volvo literally made me French kiss myself in infront of my wife and children. My parents had an S reg 265 GLE when I was 2 or so and it's the earliest car memory I have. WANT!!

[Inspector Morose]

Hmm. That's the head unit out of the Sirion. Wonder how I removed it. I suspect I improvised. I have a few tricks up my sleeve for tomorrow though!

 

As for the HRW, it does actually work, it's just the warning light that doesn't so be careful. If you've been clicking it, it might well be on!

 

Also forgot that in the parts stash was a set of rear brake discs for a Mercedes-Benz 300E. Just in case you know someone who owns one of those.

 

Yeah, I know the switch works but the lack of light infuriates me. The bulb (one of those grain of wheat bulbs) for that is soldered into the switch inside. Taking apart the switch in a fit of "lets see how this works" might well have buggered the switch completely due to my ham-fistedness, which is an arse. Hey ho. I can live without it.

 

The stereo is unlocked with two thin blade type things. I know what they look like but I'm dammed if I can think where my set could be. Something to do with half a BX parked in my shed. If it was those two pronged efforts (four holes - two on each side) 3/16 rivets come in very handy for removing those!

 

If I can sort out the Merc discs by tomorrow, I'm sure I can find a good home for them!

[dollywobbler]

We'll have the stereo out in no time, but I won't explain more here. If you're not fussed about cassettes, I might want it back actually! No tunes in the Rustro van.

[Inspector Morose]

Deal!

[catsinthewelder]

There's a couple of 'might be working' radios on the shelf here if all else fails.

 

My loft feels really spacious without all those BX bit's in it.

[beko1987]

I'll play Eric if you ever fancy re enacting an episode? Would prefer Lady Jane to Miss Cavendish though...

[wuvvum]

The Solara passed its MOT today. 

 

Unfortunately, I've come to the realisation that my fleet is simply not sustainable in its current form.  I know I've had similar, albeit fleeting, thoughts in the past, but they've usually been following some disaster that leads to me becoming pissed off with cars for a while.  This time, though, the thought has been stuck in my head for the last two weeks, which means it might actually come to something.

 

What brought it home to me was the Solara failing its MOT on welding.  I was more pissed off about this than the small size of the repair job might objectively have justified.  The reason I was pissed off was that when I bought the car from Boobydoo it was pretty much 100% rust free.  It's been allowed to deteriorate in the intervening period due to my neglect.  Not wilful neglect - far from it.  I've just been spreading myself far too thin, in terms of both time and money, to keep up with all my cars, and I have to face up to the fact that several of them, being quite elderly (and sometimes French), simply cannot put up with being left out to pasture.  The LNA has also had its first ever weldage in my ownership, although given the size of that hole I think it was already on its way before I bought the car.  The Innocenti is also merrily rusting away - the passenger door skin, bubbly along the bottom when I bought the car, has now separated from the frame along the bottom edge.

 

Since I lost my storage last summer, the cars have been dotted around wherever I can find a place for them.  None of them (apart from the Corsair) have been under cover, and therefore most of them have been getting very damp over the winter months.  Six of the cars really need to be stored in dry garages, and on my current income there's no way in hell I can afford to rent six garages, even if I could find them.  I'm struggling to cover the cost of MOTing and taxing them all (and that's with the Volvo and the Innocenti semi-permanently off the road - seven years and counting, in the Volvo's case  ).  I'm not actually getting further into debt, but I'm certainly not getting very far towards clearing my debts either - I'd hoped to be debt free by the time I hit my 35th birthday, but that ain't gonna happen barring a miracle.  It's not fair on the cars and it's not fair on me.  It's not really fair on the neighbours either, but parking isn't that tight around here.

 

It's also a great constraint on my time.  Every weekend when the weather is half decent, I feel guilty if I'm not outside doing one of the 101 jobs that always need doing on the fleet.  On the rare occasions when none of the cars is playing up, I'm out attempting to gradually move the Volvo a bit further towards roadworthiness.  That's when I'm not sat on a train to some far-flung corner of the country to pick up another purchase.  I very rarely get a weekend where I can just sit on my arse, and it would be nice to be able to do that sometimes.  I mean I could if I wanted to - it's not like I have a wife and kids or any other external obligations - but then the cars would be sat there deteriorating even further.

 

So I'm going to have to have a major fleet rationalisation in the future - which will unfortunately include getting rid of some of the cars I'd thought of as permanent members of the fleet.  The Renault 6 is definitely staying, as is the Volvo (which isn't really worth owt in its current state anyway).  I'm not sure I could bring myself to part with the Innocenti either, but we shall have to see.  The Rover of Doom is another definite keeper, just because it's so ideal as a daily (apart from the fact I can't get my bike in the back, but I was given a bike rack the other week which has solved that problem), and the Toyota is a family heirloom so doesn't enter into the equation (plus it's more likely to be able to cope with sitting on a damp car park all winter).  The van will have to stay for now as it's being used as a shed, and I'd be tempted to keep it anyway if possible just because it's a useful thing to have around.

 

So that leaves the Corsair (which isn't ready to be sold yet but hopefully will be by the end of the summer), the Solara, and the LNA which will almost certainly all be going up for sale at some point in the near future.  The Rover 75 will hopefully sell soon, if I can find someone willing to overlook the mileage - I think a slight price drop might be necessary.  The Cavalier is realistically going to have to go once the tax runs out (I want to keep it until then as I'm still enjoying it).  The Delica I'm undecided about - it's a fun thing to have and will be useful if we get OMGSNOKAOS this winter, but then it's too thirsty to be used as a daily, the Carina is capable of towing anything I'm likely to have to haul, and the Rover of Doom with a decent pair of snow tyres should be more than capable of getting me to the office and back if we have a proper winter.  So that's probably going to go as well - 17" air horn and all.

 

I'll probably replace them all with something properly old and interesting - the money saved on not having to buy all those tax discs should be more than enough to rent a garage to put it in.  And once the Corsair's gone, the Renner Six can go in the lean-to at my mate's where the Ford is currently residing, so that'll be under cover too.  I also fancy something stupidly quick, but when I've had stupidly quick cars in the past, I've barely ever used them.  Realistically, once the Rover of Doom is back to full health, that will be quick enough for 99% of the time anyway.  The rest of the money can go towards paying back debts, and maybe a holiday if there's something left.  Trying to look on the bright side...

 

So yeah.  Expect to see some for sale ads soon.

 

[trigger]

That's deep man... so, what's the Corsairs details ?

[nigel bickle]

Feel your pain, Wuz. 

 

Nowt to add (except the Pintara's still going well -now the Ozzie glass has finally arrived!)

 

Innocenti -if you get stuck (but I'd rather you kept it!).

[dollywobbler]

I think all Autoshiters reach that point Wuv. I find three vehicles a sensible limit to be honest. Otherwise you spend more time chasing faults than actually enjoying them. Winter storage is a definite issue. It's definitely not good to have car standing around at that time of year. I back your fleet cull policy entirely. Never nice saying goodbye to vehicles you actually like, but better than seeing them disintegrate in your ownership. It's one reason I've stopped owning anything actually nice!

[drum]

Fleet rationalisation is something I'm going to have to consider too and for similar reasons. Nine vehicles is too many particularly when five of them are series land rovers.

How does it go? "Too many projects....

[spike60]

I don't have cars off road long term, personally I'm not sure about the pleasures of owning something I can't use but currently have 2, both in pretty good nick ready to roll mostly anywhere at a nod. I would like more and am actively looking for a third but the finances of running, not buying, are my restrictions. That, and as already said, it gets difficult to keep on top of maintaining the buggers! Good luck with the downsizing, it should mean you're better able to look after the ones you value the most.

[beko1987]

Having the XM sat there saddens me, theres only 80 miles of pez in it through so don't ewant to go for a drive as the next owner will have even less!

[Cavcraft]

I'm on the borderline of having a(nother) mid life crisis and currently weighing up buying a 600-1000cc sports bike. Someone quite local has a really tidy Kawasaki ZX6R which looks the part, so might go and view it later.

[garbaldy]

^ have been tasked with selling the father in laws 1200 bandit, its a bloody clean 1 owner bike which spent its winters in his bedroom, he's in his 70s now and its a bit heavy for him so he's bought a new 600 instead.

[drum]

1200 bandit is wheely good.

[Cavcraft]

I fancy a faired up sports type bike, but I keep getting drawn towards old strokers, as that's what I grew up with. I'm just mailing someone about a tidy looking GT200 X5, amongst other bikes.

 

I'd have a GT380/550/750 or a KH in a heartbeat but they're just stupid money.

[spike60]

I'm not a biker but in France a couple of weeks back saw a Kawasaki 750 2 stroke triple in traffic looking well for its 40 or so years. Cool.

[The Moog]

Fitted the new washer pump to the rear of car and now can haz cleanz glassy bits.

 

Only downside is that the cooling fans have decided to be intermittent today.

[saucedoctor]

I fancy a faired up sports type bike, but I keep getting drawn towards old strokers, as that's what I grew up with. I'm just mailing someone about a tidy looking GT200 X5, amongst other bikes.

 

I'd have a GT380/550/750 or a KH in a heartbeat but they're just stupid money.

Don't I know it! I was emailed some photos of a supposedly "mint" 1983 RD250LC. Last MOT'd in 94, doesn't run (ignition problem) and Stevie Wonder has painted it with a rattle can. 2 Bags!

[wuvvum]

so, what's the Corsairs details ?

It's a 1969 Deluxe.  Was originally a 1700 V4 but now has a 1500 Kent with a twin-choke carb, so should be a bit nippier and more economical.  My mate did a shedload of welding on it, but hadn't quite finished it by last autumn, so stood it up.  He later decided he was bored with it and sold it to me - part of the deal was that he'd finish the welding (as that's the only bit I can't do) - there's only a couple of hours' worth left, but I don't know when that's going to get done as his health isn't brilliant at the moment.  It's been various colours through its lifetime, but he resprayed it in metallic blue, which quite suits it I think.  It's never going to be the most immaculate example in the world, but it should be solid enough.  Next time we get a dry weekend when I'm not busy, I'll go up there and drag it out of the lean-to, chuck a bucket of soapy water over it and take some pics.

[vulgalour]

Had an emergency break from everything on Tuesday and trundled down to Maidstone to spend some time sorting my head health out.  It was well worth it.  The Xantia was superb for the drive down and back, the only grumble I had was a wheel out of balance that showed up at an indicated 68mph.  Helped a friend source a new car too when he needed to find something more local than the Maestro van that's now in the mitts of Mr Wobbler.  I can confidently say the little Peugeot 106 Graduate 1.1 is a terrific little car to bumble about in and feels a bit more fun and peasanty than it's slightly more glamorous sibling, the Saxo.

 

I also now know what lift-off-oversteer feels like.

[Cavcraft]

I'm not a biker but in France a couple of weeks back saw a Kawasaki 750 2 stroke triple in traffic looking well for its 40 or so years. Cool.

 

 

Probably top of my dream bike list. They're crazy money these days.

[andy18s]

There's a lad on one of the farcebook 106 owners pages trying to sell a 1.1 106 taxed and tested and can't give it away at the mo.only asking 275 for it if I remember. I'm liking the 1.4 I've had off Corsaviour, goes very well and hasn't dropped below 40 mpg yet

[trigger]

Went to a local car show called the Manningtree Vehicle show, It was a bit of a disaster really, Major traffic jam on a busy roundabout to get in, no organisation by the show marshalls, made to park on long, dry hay with hot cars, surrounded by loads of MZ ZT's & MGF's and 1 burger van and 7 portaloos, and the show was heaving...

 

Anyway, I took the Cortina and as Hannah was on the drag she took the Civic, I get a call a bit later from her saying the Civic's broken down on the roundabout (along with dozens of other classic cars), what happened was the fuel was vaporizing in the heat so a number of us ended up pushing it the 1/4 mile across said round about and into the show field to cool down, amusingly there was a show photographer there taking photos...

 

 

I had to buy the photo didn't i! a hour later it started fine ans hasn't been no trouble since... I didn't take many photos as I was too busy moaning all day but heer a quick selection of what i did take.

 

My mate's stunning Chrysler, i sat in it and it's like being in your living room, it's amazing!

 

 

 

I *HEART* this RX-4.

 

 

 

This Marina is stunning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The owner of this has just had it respray, and you see that pole by the front wheel, well there was a flag in it earlier, as we walked past we noticed it had been rubbing on the wing and took all the paint of the arch...

 

 

 

For £5 a ticket you could win this Saab, Had i of seen that dash before hand I wouldn't have bothered...

 

 

 

And that tinderbox of a field.

 

[cms206]

Orion Ghia entered fleet at 5.30pm. Left fleet 5.45pm. Easiest departure ever.

[wuvvum]

Yo Trig, is it Shotley this week?

[Luckythirteen]

ABS warning light on (after epic race* with Porsche 911): fuse in ashtray...fix it later.

[HillmanImp]

Its amazing how totally shit ANYTHING Japanese from the 70's looked when I grew up in the 80's yet you look at them now and think of the cars we were producing in 1971 and they were light years ahead on style. 

 

[Lankytim]

I grew up in the 80's/90's and all the old Jap cars were full of rot holes and falling to bits. Total shite.