The new news 24 thread

[HillmanImp]

Its days could be numbered. I decided that because Volkworks could obviously not be bothered with it and were not really trying that I should give it one last go somewhere else before binning it though, after all I am going to have to spend several hundred quid on a new car to replace it.

 

If they can't figure out what's wrong with it Cobblers you are welcome to it for nowt if you get it going and keep it for a bit. If you aren't planning on keeping it, maybe for the cost of scrap (say £100) to put towards my new car fund?

 

Will provide an exciting update when I hear from them (hopefully) next week. 

[cobblers]

Let's hope your next place manages to get their heads round it, old VAG stuff is fairly simple really and at least you can get most bits for it. Has it got the MFI like on an early mk2 golf or the better later stuff?

 

If I had any room I would love to take that sucker on especially to save it from the bridge, but I've got no off road parking nowadays.

[dollywobbler]

I went on the internet, and I found this. 

 

SVM approval?

[HillmanImp]

Let's hope your next place manages to get their heads round it, old VAG stuff is fairly simple really and at least you can get most bits for it. Has it got the MFI like on an early mk2 golf or the better later stuff?

 

If I had any room I would love to take that sucker on especially to save it from the bridge, but I've got no off road parking nowadays.

 

I would be able to tell you but I don't know what an MFI is?

 

Hopefully I wont need to chop it in of course but thought I would offer as would prefer to take a hit on it than see it scrapped as I do like this car despite all its faults. Plus its a really good looking. The Audi designers finest moment IMO.  

[phil_lihp]

Did any of the work done involve changing the crank position sensor?  It's a common fault on the 2.6E apparently.

[HillmanImp]

Did any of the work done involve changing the crank position sensor?  It's a common fault on the 2.6E apparently.

 

I think so, they changed a couple of things that sound something like that. Quite frankly its all black magic to me, I have enough trouble understanding points etc, let alone all this electrical wizardry. 

[Pillock]

I think it should get passed around Autoshite members until they've had a tinker, get bored and pass it on.

 

Reminds me of a girl I used to know.

[phil_lihp]

Not so easy with a computery electronical car perhaps but perhaps you should organise a shiter's gathering for a communal point and laugh fixing session.

[cobblers]

If they changed the ECU then it's probably not coded into the right key (unless they got the key with it) but I could be talking shite, I'm just going off whatever a VW from that era would do. Anyway get that aftermarket immo pulled off, I've just had some fun with a 106 where the laserline immobiliser supposedly worked, but one of the relays in it had gone to bollocks so the ECU was only getting about 8 volts.

[vulgalour]

The red Princess is going back home* on Sunday.  Remember how I had it transported miles and miles up north, got it sorted and then got shat on by the universe?  Well at some point along the way Philibusmo bought it with the intention of driving it home with all the tax and test and whatnot on it.  On Sunday he will be collecting it from Derbyshire and beginning what I hope is going to be an epic and successful chod collection but which I fear will end in disaster because it's a Princess, and they're always planning ways to scupper your fun adventures.

 

I'll also be heading to Derbyshire, only a third of the miles Philibusmo is travelling, with Mikeknight and a self-drive beavertail so I can collect the beige Princess.  Many options for trailers have fallen through but this one seems to be the solution.  Just how much we can bring back remains to be seen, but we'll cram as much into and onto the beavertail as is safe and then I'm under strict instructions to work every spare hour I've got to get the beige one sorted and back in use.  I don't need much encouragement on that front.

 

Xantia got some sparkle stick action, but using bits of Alfa 75 to repair a Citroen is never going to make for a pleasant experience, even with the MIG turned to the lowest power setting it still wants to blow holes in everything.

[HillmanImp]

The car is 18 miles away so its a pain in the arse to get back here to even do any work on it myself, even if I wanted to. Although, if I had known that the 2nd garage (the one it was at for 3 months) were not going to fix it and still charge me I probably would have done that to begin with. 

[The Moog]

Where did the xantia get a tickle?

[vulgalour]

Just updated the onion bus thread.  The usual Xantia spot of the rear door jamb.  Not too bad to be honest, though the rust hole in the arch was a bit of a surprise.

[derskine]

 

Almost ready to be driven to yard to get painted.

[mercrocker]

 

ready to be driven as its painted.

EFA......!

[Wackeldackel]

Went to the Mercedes dealer in Potsdam today to order a few little bits, rubber seals and a rad hose that I wouldn't be keen on purchasing from a breaker. Normally I go in the evenings after work and turn up covered in concrete splashes and grease, and get served by a young lad in a pristine white shirt, skinny black tie and 'shaved sides with an iced gem perched on top' hairdo, customer service and competent advice is often sadly lacking.

 

Today however, they guy on the parts counter was in his bib and braces, about 55ish, probably smoked too many fags and was helpfulness personified. Typed in my chassis number, I described the part to him (as I had no part number unfortunately) and within a minute I was looking at the part on his screen. Normally I have to describe the part in minute detail, blank looks ensue. So then I ask for the drawing for say, the cooling system, then I myself have to point at the parts on the screen and iced gem head orders them. If its a sub assembly, quite often iced gem head fails to order the fixings or the little plastic grommet or whatever, meaning unexpected expense and yet more delays in getting the parts.

 

He even said himself that the two young parts guys don't know their arse from their elbow, I think I'll be going back on Saturdays in future.

[barefoot]

Got out-bid on issue 11 of Joypal.

£10.57!

For the sake of fuck.

[CortinaDave]

Went to go to work yesterday in the ZT. No start - oil light going off and on and I could hear the relay clicking like mad.

 

Replaced the relay - no change.

 

Started to get the sweats that it was a fried ECU so opened up the plenums - sure enough, even though I unblocked it all recently it was clogged again and the ECU had taken a bath.

 

Unblocked,Took ECU out and dried it and the whole plenum and wiring with a hairdryer and - all back working fine.

 

Lucky escape from a big bill to replace the ECU.

[Cavcraft]

Not too bad a day:

 

SAAB: Finally got off my arse, put a spare battery on and drove it to the garage for a replacement alternator. If it's not too bum-rapey in costs I'm going to get the engine sump filter/strainer removed and replaced too.

 

Puch: Mate fiddled with the points and it's so nearly running now. 

 

Corsa I was supposed to buying: Connected FCR, it says the crank position sensor is knackered. Spent a fair bit of time pissing with it now and have given up buying it.

 

Fiat: finally connected the FCR, it said (as we thought) the coolant temperature sensor was knack'd, so we cleared the code and so far it's ok. I'll order the sensor anyhow just to be on the safe side.

[Pete-M]

Escort sold and off to a new home.

 

5 years of hard work, misery and occasional amusement.

 

My brain is having difficulty at the thought I no longer have to worry about the bloody thing.

[HillmanImp]

Why did you sell it Pete?

[Wilko220]

So, this arrived today. I'm full of hope that the impressively named VECTRON QX is going to be the answer to (most of) my prayers in terms of getting the bloody Humber running again. We'll see.

 

 

Just need to find some time to fit it now.

[Pete-M]

Why did you sell it Pete?

 

After five years work, although it was mechanically sound and bodily solid, it still needed money to get the bodywork as I'd like it. Basically, I ran out of inspiration and the buyer offered me enough to cover what I'd spent plus a little bit of profit. 

 

Basically, I got a bit sour with it. I enjoyed the road trips across Europe, the holidays involved in trying to get the car back on the road, learned a fair bit about the ins and outs of moving cars around the continent but every time I looked at it all I could see was the bodywork bits that weren't quite right. I could have fixed them with a bit more time, but I'd already put too much time, effort and worry into getting the thing back on the road.

 

Also, at the end of the day it was a 1300 Sport. Nice enough car, but I had RS2000s and the like back in the day and a crossflow one isn't the same. 

 

It went from this 

 

 

to this

 

 

So I've had my share of fun with it. 

 

It's off to the South of France now.

[HillmanImp]

Fair enough. If it wasn't doing it for you then it wasn't right. I almost feel a little deflated to see it go too.....

[Pete-M]

It was a laugh to drive, but what's the point in a car you can't park without panicking about it?

 

Besides. There's always the next car.

[trigger]

I've just got back from poking a Princess...

 

 

My mate has just bought this for a bit of a laugh for £200. 1 owner from new 2.0 HLS. It's been in a garage since 2001 and has covered a staggering 150000 miles, the plan is to get it moted, and the road and have a bit of fun with it.

 

It needs a small bit of welding and the brakes sorting but mechanically it's starts and runs perfect. I've told him to join up on here and start a thread on it.

 

 

These are mega comfy inside.

 

 

 

Still has its original Mann Egerton of Bury St. Edmunds stickers and plates.

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Gorgeous! I just adore Reynard Metallic.

 

Pete - good on you. A shame you didn't get to enjoy it more, but fair play for shifting it on as it didn't really suit. You saved it, got it restored and made a few quid on it. Perfect really.

[vulgalour]

£200 for all that?!  Lucky, lucky man.  It's wearing those miles exceptionally well but I've said it before that these run-out Princesses were some of the best built of all and highly under rated.  With the 2.0 in it you should find it progresses far better than than 1.7  If he needs any parts and advice signing up to www.leylandprincess.co.uk wouldn't hurt and many of the members are in the southern bit of the country.  Looks like it has all the original bits and pieces, like the door mirrors of unobtanium and the darker coloured wheel trims.  Absolutely top find, I'm very excited about not having to own it and jealous too.

[trigger]

I think he's done alright, It has a few bubbles round the arches, the rear dog legs need welding up, the vinyl roof is flaking and the gas struts have gone but I think it will get back on the road without too much drama.

 

[catsinthewelder]

That looks ace for the money Trigger,  the boys done well there.

 

As it's the first day of my annual leave and the last day of the sunny weather I took the kids up to the beach at Aberwystwth today.  We got waved at by a few people and it took a while to click that they were used to seeing a different skinny bearded bloke driving that Disco