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Posted

Was pleased to discover this morning that the air conditioning on both the Audi and the 607 is nice and cold. This has increased the 607's chances of staying in the fleet for a while longer (that and the fact that I do quite enjoy driving it, even if it is a tad underpowered). I put the Audi up on Gumtree this afternoon - so far I've had a Lithuanian who could barely string a sentence together and some plonker wanting to swap it for a 50" Plasma telly. Might put the Merc on there tonight and see what fun and games that'll bring.

Posted

Not meaning to teach anyone to suck eggs but I was on fire training last week at work and the ex fire service guy was on about extinguishers. Apparently while the dry powder ones are absolutely ace at putting out fires they are also ace at knackering up everything in the vicinity with uncleanupable mess.

 

I have one in the VW, It will be kept as a last resort but I might keep my eye out for a CO2 one for minor stuff.

Posted
Not meaning to teach anyone to suck eggs but I was on fire training last week at work and the ex fire service guy was on about extinguishers. Apparently while the dry powder ones are absolutely ace at putting out fires they are also ace at knackering up everything in the vicinity with uncleanupable mess.

I seem to recall from the fire course I went on years ago that the powder also acts as a mild laxative. Not something I'd like to put to the test myself.

Posted
Not meaning to teach anyone to suck eggs but I was on fire training last week at work and the ex fire service guy was on about extinguishers. Apparently while the dry powder ones are absolutely ace at putting out fires they are also ace at knackering up everything in the vicinity with uncleanupable mess.

I seem to recall from the fire course I went on years ago that the powder also acts as a mild laxative. Not something I'd like to put to the test myself.

 

I think you'll find a car fire acts as a more than mild laxative :wink:

Posted

Took Mrs. M'coli's pug 106 for its MOT today - it failed on emissions, the Lambda probe is failing. It's booked in again tomorrow!

Posted
Took Mrs. M'coli's pug 106 for its MOT today - it failed on emissions, the Lambda probe is failing. It's booked in again tomorrow!

 

What they like those 106's, only was behind a P-reg one the other in a nice green colour thinking as a second car?

Posted

Ace, but make sure you get one with 4-stud wheels, the brakes are slightly bigger on them. The missus' one is a 1.1, and we did a 480 mile round trip on the A1/M25 on just less than one tank (45 litres) of juice a few years ago. Ok, we kept to the speed limits and went slightly slower on the return trip, but still - more than 48 to the gallon is pretty good! They're fairly nippy too.

Posted

Finished installing the new tailgate to on the 240. It now sports WORKING central locking and wiper motor, thanks to a new loom, however the loom for the opposite side was the incorrect one and didn't fit, so i'll have to revisit it at a later date armed with a soldering iron.

 

The donor for the tailgate had been stood neglected a number of years and as a result had gone very dull so I spent a few hours cutting back the paintwork, polishing it and topping off with posh cocknubera wax (whatever that is) so not only is it very shiny, but it smells lovely too!

 

I have also dragged the Volvo kicking and screaming into the 1990's by fitting a sony CD player using an adaptor loom from ebay. I bought the CD playa from a mate about 18 months ago and when I turned it on a CD popped out- Noel Gallagher accoustic sessions, which was nice.

 

Overall, quite a productive day, and not a severed finger in sight!

Posted
Ace, but make sure you get one with 4-stud wheels, the brakes are slightly bigger on them. The missus' one is a 1.1, and we did a 480 mile round trip on the A1/M25 on just less than one tank (45 litres) of juice a few years ago. Ok, we kept to the speed limits and went slightly slower on the return trip, but still - more than 48 to the gallon is pretty good! They're fairly nippy too.

 

 

True about the brakes - the 3-stud ones can be frankly terrifying to try and stop. Also, the 1.1s are more economical than the older 1 litres, having a 5-speed box. Surprisingly good fun round corners, as said - watch out for the seat mountings though, they regularly rot out by all accounts.

The main problem I had with ours was the strangely off-centred steering wheel (might not bother other people, though) and the tiny pedal box (again, not a problem if you have smaller feet).

Posted
Ace, but make sure you get one with 4-stud wheels, the brakes are slightly bigger on them. The missus' one is a 1.1, and we did a 480 mile round trip on the A1/M25 on just less than one tank (45 litres) of juice a few years ago. Ok, we kept to the speed limits and went slightly slower on the return trip, but still - more than 48 to the gallon is pretty good! They're fairly nippy too.

 

 

True about the brakes - the 3-stud ones can be frankly terrifying to try and stop. Also, the 1.1s are more economical than the older 1 litres, having a 5-speed box. Surprisingly good fun round corners, as said - watch out for the seat mountings though, they regularly rot out by all accounts.

The main problem I had with ours was the strangely off-centred steering wheel (might not bother other people, though) and the tiny pedal box (again, not a problem if you have smaller feet).

Aye, the brakes can be challenging. I have had to ask the missus to use them more as the discs get rusty with little use, and use Halfords own-brand pads to get instant response. I used GSF pads previously but they needed the discs to have a bit of heat in them to work ok - great when you're B-road scratching but not on the M-way - we travelled across the Pennines on the M62 on the way to Holyhead one evening without touching the brakes from the moment we joined the A1M (remember, 48 mpg FTW!) so when an arsehole decided to swap lanes on us at the M60/M62 interchange west of Manchester and the brakes didn't immediately slow us down, it was a bit brown trousers... :shock::shock::shock:

 

4-stud discs are both larger diameter and thicker - both are good for helping to get you stopped!

Posted

In a recent update to my epic sewathon, my neighbour was round yesterday (well, Friday) and helped me fit my repaired carport canopy, so at least the A40 has cover again.

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We tried to get it as taut as we could, bearing in mind it's secondhand and weather-damaged anyway. It still seems to have been made for a frame about 6" shorter though...

Posted
I've bought a horrible Mk5 Escort.

 

Ooh, do tell more please. I trust it's a wheezy 1300 for extra shiteness?

Posted

Qual, are you doing a thread on it?

Posted

I didn't manage to do the oil change on the Diversion today - by the time I got around to it the local motor factor had shut. I didn't think the bike would appreciate Castrol GTX 15/40 (the thinnest oil I had in the shed) and I couldn't be arsed to drive into Norwich to get anything thinner, so I mowed the lawn instead.

 

I did take a couple of pictures of the bike though for those that asked for them. As you can see, it's an early Diversion and it needs the seat recovering. It's also missing its fairing, although I don't think it looks too bad as it is - I will be painting the clocks satin black at some point though so they don't stand out as much. It's now starting on the button every time so as soon as it has some nice fresh oil and a nice new non-leaky oil filter I'll be able to take it for a run.

 

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I then jumped in the Innocenti and drove to my mate's where the 75 is stored. Armed with my new-found knowledge of the fuel pump wiring (courtesy of the Alfaowner.com forums), I was able to ascertain that the wiring to the pump and to the relay under the bonnet is as it should be, so can only assume that somebody has connected the plugs up wrong behind the fuse box. Unfortunately getting the fuse box out looked like it was going to be something of a mission, so will have to wait until I have more time. I did take a few photos though - they're rubbish because of the sun and my cheap camera, but they should give you an idea.

 

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This is one of the most gorgeous-sounding V6's I've ever experienced - once the fuelling issues are sorted I'm looking forward to taking it for a good hard thrash.

 

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The Innocenti drove fine but the blow on the centre box has got worse - sounds proper horny when I cane it but a bit incongruous for onlookers as it sounds like a tuned V6 but accelerates like a 2CV. :?

Posted

Valeted the Rover today, kind of reminding me that I need to tackle the leather seats with some sort of cleaner. I bought a load of car wax/polish/tyre shine/leather cleaner and feed from bloody Halfords the other day so at least I've got something to start with.

 

Found some rust bubbling on the passener side wing of the Rover just under the indicator light so will need to keep an eye on that. Found a rust hole in the sill of the Micra so that will need tackling smetime soon, The Micra is in for brake pads change on Wednesday.

Posted

What a sexy Alfa. Those old V6s sound GR19

 

Beautiful day here. Cleaned the Avantime inside for the first time EVA

 

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Posted

Bloke in the pub took his V registered 2.5 litre Mondeo for MOT - 172,000 miles.

Failed on brake pipes & 'some' rust.

Garage told him it wasn't worth fixing, so they're scrapping it for him.

Just seems a little odd to me.

It's newer than anything I own/have ever owned.

Posted

^ If it's the front/rear brake pipes it's a total nightmare job on a mondeo - exhausts and tank off just to get at the rear parts. "Some" rust at mot invariably turns into a "lot" of welding too. I can see that easily being a £400 garage bill if not higher so you can see why it isn't viable to repair.

Posted

James May is doing a good job on those dartboards.

Posted

Hey, Wuvvum that Diversion doesn't look too bad at all.

Posted

I have escaped the writing, gardening and DIY chores and have managed to get some tinkering time. So I've been pulling the interior out of the BX. Discovered that the rear seat belt cut-off is 1987, not 1986 as I've long assumed, so the rear belts are coming out. They're not behaving properly but at least I know it's not an MOT fail with them out awaiting replacement. No-one's been brave enough to go in the back yet...

 

I'll get some pics up once the interior is in. Need to do a bit more writing first. Oh, and drink some tea. Very important.

Posted

I've decided to give Mrs Triggers car a bit of attention this week, It has a few scabs on the rear 1/4's on both sides but more worryingly the O/S lower wing has had a bad repair in the past which needed looking at as it was starting to rot through.

 

I hit it with the grander and found nothing left at all apart from half a tin of filler, As I've spent too much money this month to pay for a second hand wing I decided to do what any other self respected shittest would do and filled it up with P40 again, I'm quite please with the results though (I forgot to take any photos of it earlier).

 

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I got some stone chip on the sill now as well, once it drys over night i will flat it all down and hope to have some paint on it tomorrow before running my mop over the car on Wednesday.

 

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Posted

Is it too late to say I've got a perfectly good wing you could have had for nowt? It's black though so would obv. need painting.

Posted

Thanks for the offer, it did cross my mind but as yours a GTi i think it has holes for the spax plus It would need to be posted and I would have to paint it as well.

 

It's very kind of you to offer though, Thank you.

Posted

Is there an epic fanny thread on here?

I spent a good half an hour looking for the locking wheel nut for my 7 series. All the door pockets, the ash trays, glove box. I even had the spare wheel and battery out incase it was rolling about in the tray.

No luck, couldn't find it. I tried whacking socket over it but to no avail. I texted my mate who I got it from but he was out on the hills outwith of mobile range.

He texted me this morning saying "did you look in the tool tray on the inside of the boot lid?". NO!

 

What a FANNY! This is my 8th BMW and I really should fuggin know better. F-

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