The new news 24 thread

[barrett]

BX is now watertight thanks to a tip from D Wobbler -  swap a leccy window switch for the sunroof one, nae bother. Wish I'd just done that straight away. Need to dry the inside out now, any tips? Will probably put the dehumidifier in it tomorrow, or is that a terrible H&S risk?

[Cavcraft]

 

I'm going to check the coolant level in this tomorrow and probably give it it's maiden voyage in Cavcraft's fleet. I know a bloke who does radiators so might give him a bell to see if he can fix the leak.

[dollywobbler]

Good news Barrett. I used a dehumidifier in the XM before Christmas. It was very good. Then it leaked again...

[Asimo]

My dehumidifier is drying out the leaking Insight right now, and has failed to kill or burn anything/anyone in many years of soggy car drying duties. Just check that all plugs, sockets and extension leads are themselves safe and dry. Ideally use via an RCD trip socket or extension.

[Rusty Pelican]

The Singers waterpump has just shat itself .

Thanks for that you ungrateful piece of shit .

[Pillock]

 

 

Pretty car.

 

Your car?

 

It's a long walk back to England, and it's.... (points) that way.

 

[ /ItalianJob ]

[Cavcraft]

Had a black ice-related off road excursion in the Wentworth on the way to work this morning, which resulted in the car and a roadside verge coming together in a decisive way:

 

B7id8-wIYAAtJRD.jpg

 

 

I'm really glad that I decided at the last minute not to take The Volvo...

 

I'm not hurt, neither is anyone or anything else, but there's a very high chance that I'll be looking for another daily driver over the next week or so.

 

 

Shame about that, but before you scrap it offer it on here, someone may want it even just for parts.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

I may have a buyer for the car already (a friend is interested in buying it to do up for her father), but I will consider all options once I have relocated it to my work's car park next week

[nacho man]

I really really want a early w140 s class. 

 

This upped my want level to defcom 5.

 

 

[r.welfare]

^^^ YES. Although the 8 hole alloys would be acceptable even though trims are preferred.

[phil_lihp]

Your car?

 

It's a long walk back to England, and it's.... (points) that way.

 

[ /ItalianJob ]

 

Got my yearly dose of that film over Christmas, wondered if anyone would get the fairly obvious reference.

 

I sincerely hope the Atlantic doesn't meet with a digger on a mountain road though!  

[Inspector Morose]

Don't worry, it'll turn into an obscure fiat before falling off the cliff face.

[wuvvum]

Today was (by January in Norfolk standards) a perfect day for shite fettling.  Sadly it was nearly half way over before I finally dragged my lazy arse out of bed, but I eventually got going.  I dragged the Golf back onto the drive (it had the decency to start this time, albeit with a boost from the Rover) and had another bash at trying to stop it leaking.  I adjusted the driver's door catch so it shuts properly flush, which should help, then I put the top down, shoved my drain unblocker thingy down the screen pillar gutter (it didn't actually seem to be blocked, although the channels in the seal along the top of the screen were full of crud), and used some more of the roll of rubber sealing strip that I bought to seal around the bits where I think water has been coming in.  Now all I need is to wait for a heavy shower to find out if it's done the trick.

 

The next job was the turbo hose on the Mondeo.  Which turned out to be an absolute bastard.  There was no way the new hose would go over the pipe from the intercooler, it was just too tight a fit, and I couldn't get both hands into the gap to try and wiggle it on, so the best I could do was to try and just shove it on from above, which wasn't going to happen.  I tried dipping it in boiling water to make the rubber more pliable, but that just meant that the end went floppy (fnarr) and didn't help at all.  I decided that the only way I was going to do it was to get the car up on ramps, take off the undertray and attack it from underneath.  By this time it was 3.30 and the light was starting to fade, so it was to be a job for next weekend.  It isn't any more, but more of that anon.

 

Earlier in the day I'd found an almost complete roll of self-amalgamating tape in the cupboard under the stairs, so I decided to have a go at patching up the old hose as a temporary repair.  Even the old hose was a bastard to get back on (the pipes all seemed to be at the wrong angles), but eventually everything was back on and tightened up.  I fired her up, backed out of the drive and set off down the road.  The car immediately felt much more like I would expect a 115bhp Mondeo to feel - not fast as such, but quite capable of keeping up with the traffic.  Good, thinks I, I can put the car back on to daily duties.  Alas no.

 

I hadn't even got to the end of my road before I heard a clonk and then the sound of something metal landing on tarmac.  My immediate thought was "bollocks, I must have left a spanner under the bonnet and it's fallen out".  So I pulled over and walked back up the road to investiage.  There was no spanner, but there were two pieces of spring.  The ungrateful bitch had decided to repay all my hard work by breaking the offside rear coil spring, the bottom of which is now wedged precariously half in and half out of its cup.  A new spring is only about 15 quid, but it's not a job I can do myself, so the car's going to have to go to the garage - and while it's there I'll get them to fit the new turbo pipe as well.  Driving it there is going to be fun though - I'm going to have to go veeeeery slowly over any bumps - and this being rural Norfolk, that means I'll be doing 5mph most of the way.

[Lord Sterling]

I really really want a early w140 s class. 

 

This upped my want level to defcom 5.

 

IMG_0300.JPG

 

IMG_0301.JPG

I too want a W140 S-Klasse. Always wanted one, but I promised the Lady_Sterling that I wouldn't buy one until I get her over here.

[M'coli]

The Automobile, I believe.

[xtriple]

I've just watched 'Driven'the film by Sly Stallone about champ car racing. What utter, utter shit (no 'E') woeful plot, total lack of realism, crap action bits. Sum up... Dreadful.

 

I enjoyed it!

[320touring]

Over 400 views on my blog today- looks like there's just more than me that enjoys arsing around with hopeless piles of shyte

[richardmorris]

I have a J reg BX TZD in triton green today while the merc is having a service and mot. It's only done 81,000miles but they haven't been easy ones judging by the state of the bodywork. Drives ok though and the turbo works.

[Inspector Morose]

Well last week was spent playing with the new toy at work:

 

 

 

Ex Stockport Corporation Leyland PD2/East Lancs to be exact (and for some reason turned on its side).  But its not a bus any more oh no. It turns slowly into this:

 

 

 

 

 

It does have sides to the marquee and is then fully carpeted and tabled and poshified to make it a proper heated venue. It even comes with a stage for the band to play on.

 

Inside the bus, it looks like this:

 

 

Yup, a fully licensed and stocked bar. The punters are served through the side windows (they are modified to fully open). The upstairs of the bus turns into a cocktail viewing platform and in warmer weather the centre part of the roof opens up.

 

I've a feeling that this next year could be interesting....

[dollywobbler]

Skoda_norman had called in the troops to help get his Fiat 126 back to life. He bought it with the engine removed. It is now installed, but the plan was to get it running. One of his 126 chums had travelled all the way from Yorkshire to lend a hand. I turned up pretty much so I could just enjoy the glory of hearing it fire into life, with much of the hard work already done.

 

The cavalry looked like this.

 

And this is the 126 in question. 

 

Very satisfying, though a rounded sump plug then spoiled further plans. Then it started to get even colder and being inside a house seemed a good idea.

[fordperv]

the suspension springs mrs fordperv ordered for her escort arrived this afternoon, i was at a loose end so i thought id replace the front springs as daylight time was a bit short, i also ended up replacing the track rod ends, polybushing the tca's, stripping cleaning and greasing the brake calipers and carriers as well and it was all back together before the light went, im well chuffed with todays progress tomorrow the rear springs 

[richardmorris]

Merc is now motd until February 2016. No drama apart from a warn tyre shoulder I hadn't spotted. New tyre sorted with full service and mot fee for £280.

[HillmanImp]

Got smashed with a mate last night. We have done shared car ownership before and it worked well. We have been toying with the idea of getting another.

 

The ideas that were floating around were a Porsche 944 or a Reliant Scimitar but as more booze was consumed the idea of the 944 wore off as they are just not quite special enough. Maybe as a really cool daily but we are after something a bit different for showing off at weekends. 

 

A Scimitar was still on the cards but by the end of the night we had made a promise to buy a Porsche 928 between us. WCPGW there? Two idiots with little or no mechanical or electrical knowledge? Will see how this pans out (if it does at all).

[cort16]

Some one on here was selling an s4 928 that needed a wee bit of work a few weeks ago.

[ruffgeezer]

I might know where there is a 928 that needs some love

[HillmanImp]

Will need to make some room first sadly (plus make some money to pay for it) but it does look like we will be getting something together again soonish. 

 

I have started looking for lock ups too though. Mrs Imp is up the spout and we really need to move. I am thinking if I can get some sort of workshop space shared or otherwise in the west Leeds/North Bradford area it gives us a lot more options with buying another house as the flat we are in in totally unsuitable for a kid (no lift, 3rd floor). I need a house with a garage presently but if I can get somewhere to store and work on a couple of cars our options are much greater. 

[catsinthewelder]

Chucked the Vito of doom in for an MOT earlier,  though not as early as it was booked because it wouldn't start at 7am so I had to go back later, once the morning rush was over at work.  It does something really odd where the glowplug light only wakes up 3 minutes after you turn the ignition on (usually while the engine is already running).  It tends to start eventally so long as it's not too cold.

 

Predictably it failed so I'll remember to book the retest for an afternoon.  Headlamp wiring and a front wheel bearing are my new headaches,  hopefully it will be above freezing next time so the screenwash won't be frozen again.

[mercrocker]

Full service and MOT on the 190E today.  No surprises on the tyres, likewise discs and pads, but forgot gearbox fluid was due though.  Failed on steering damper so that was another unplanned item.  Unsecure battery too.  That's my fault I lost the clamp when the earth lead broke last summer - had to shorten it to get home and mislaid the bugger.  Ã‚£722 all told including VAT and MOT and no doubt the full valet I could really live without......That represents £20 more than Mrs Rockers last tax rebate for her final year at work.   Bugger.   On the plus side they gave her an A Class to use for the day which was such a joyless experience she reckons she doesn't ever want to be without a proper Merc.   Result.

[panhard65]

Mate of mine asked me today to find him a Fiat 124 coupe in France. Just found this little beauty does anyone know of any good contacts to bring  it back from Tours area. Possibly collecting another one from Orleans as well. Or a good place to hire a car transporter and trailer ?

[xtriple]

Washed my car today! It was a tad cold to be honest but bright sunshine so got down to it. Then feeling energetic, I polished it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Not sure why as it's already below freezing out there and it'll look like shot in the morning, but it showed willing!

 

To be honest, I was feeling guilty as I've had it a few months now and never polished it - only washed it a couple of times myself the rest of the time I've got the Polish guys to do it.

 

Even polished the wheels!