The new news 24 thread

[Noel Tidybeard]

I've already concluded that the only way to keep my 2CV going is to re-body it. I was planning to just find a 2CV donor, but a friend has just suggested turning it into a Mehari. You can buy a complete body for around £900, though you also need a spaceframe to go underneath - this is another £1100 or so, but is galvanised. So, you end up with a rustrproof 2CV jeep thing. Like this.

 

 

Yes, that is me at the wheel. It was a long time ago (2004 in fact). 

 

I have to say, I'm pretty tempted by this plan. I could even get a white body and paint bits (like the doors) red to keep the theme going. Sure, Meharis aren't massively good at keeping the weather outside, but that's less of an issue if there's nowt to rot. It isn't like my 2CV is watertight. Or even my XM.

the D/W 2cv 100% original- like triggers broom!

[cort16]

Just bought a Type 9 5 speed gearbox for the Cortina so that I can use it for longer distances without my ears bleeding or wallet being sucked dry. Not cheap though at £150 for the box, then I'll have to buy a new clutch and a gear lever, thankfully it came with a speedo cable.

 

Fitting that will be a job for March time.

 

Has anyone fitted a short shift kit to a type 9? My cortina has a 5 speed and although it has a nice action it does feel quite long.

[cort16]

I've just listed by Merc on a facebook for sale group. Could be interesting.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Has anyone fitted a short shift kit to a type 9? My cortina has a 5 speed and although it has a nice action it does feel quite long.

 

Sounds daft but you can just hacksaw a couple of inches off the lever, for the more sensible, quickshift kits ( often including a shorter lever) are widely available for about £20.

[cort16]

Take a hacksaw to my knob. Got it.

[320touring]

Renault 5 hints and tips?

[TimothyClaypole]

Insurance want to write my Astra Estate off (surprisingly).  Ã‚£1020.00

 

51 plate 1.6 petrol with 106K on it. I've had a quick look and  it seems about right, obviously the best part of £700 on the last mot is a kick in the balls 

and paying the excess will leave me destitute.  

[Craig the Princess]

Is that the first offer? They always start a little low, I think Mike Brewer is behind their tactics.

[Mr Lobster]

That doesn't sound unreasonable for the Astra. Wasn't the accident someone else's fault though? If so and your insurer are claiming off a third party surely you shouldn't be paying an excess?

[beko1987]

Off to peterboghorror this weekend, anyone need anything shitelying from there to oxford/bucksshire?

[Slappy]

My sister has put a deposit down on a 52 plate Fiesta (the 1st year of the mk6s). I reckon she has agreed over the odds, but anyhey, it's her dough...

 

Apparently there's a problem with it's remote central locking in that the key doesn't work. Key/car have been sent over to the local Ford dealership (I think), but they can't make it work either. Sister and Dad are now a bit suspicious.... So, other than me telling her that it's a 12yo car, there will be stuff that doesn't work, and grin and bear with having to insert a key like most of us on here (and be thankful that she doesn't own a Merc of similar vintage), should she a) take the car anyway, it seems decent mileage (58k), or b ) take the deposit that has been offered back to her by the garage and find something new.

 

She's in the Norwich area if any of you were interested in suggesting items to offload

[Anglevan]

I currently have a 1986 shitsubishi lancer. It suited me that my mum used it to keep it used and as she didn't use it much the mileage has stayed low however she phoned me tonight to she is thinking of giving up driving which is a bugger as she pays for the tax / mot / insurance and I just maintain it.

I have no use for it and no where to store it. So bugger - what to do?

Don't really want to sell it as it's worth sod all and is quite a quirky little thing. !

[hairymel]

1986 shitsubishi lancer

take pictures and sell it to me

[skattrd]

Off to peterboghorror this weekend, anyone need anything shitelying from there to oxford/bucksshire?

 

You shall have pm in 10 minutes

[richardmorris]

A friend of mine built an. El cid 2cv kit car merhari-alike about 20 years ago. It's been his main car since-also heavily into motorbikes. It's great but very loud and wet. He has just bought a burton kit as a retirement project as the 2cv 4x4 van project was taking too long.

Also on the subject of 2cvs I took mine to work this morning as it was snowing ( too much for the bike) and the overpowered rear wheel drive automatic merc was under two inches of snow. I was a little too enthusiastic up the drive to the road and nearly took out one of the security cameras In a ten foot power drift but apart from that was fine. I think Mr DW had mentioned that being able to feel what the car is doing is a great help in snow- no power steering or extra toys between you and the snow ( in my case not much floor either! Must get the welding done this year!).

[TimothyClaypole]

That doesn't sound unreasonable for the Astra. Wasn't the accident someone else's fault though? If so and your insurer are claiming off a third party surely you shouldn't be paying an excess?

 

Guy crashed into me as he skidded around and onto my side of the road so no problem with that bit, I spoke to someone earlier from AA's Law team and he said they will claim it back from him so technically I just get the money less the excess but should get it back.

 

The Astra wasn't perfect but not bad for the year, it would need more stuff doing on it as and when etc. but it was just neglected before I had it.  

 

I need something to do the 70 miles a day to work as the guy I go with is a lazy git and will just be a pain in the arse if he might have to do a few extra weeks despite me dragging his ass there when I had the van while he let some guy spend 3 months fixing his car the other year. Seems to forget that the minute my car's broken.    

 

It's a shame after spending a load on it but there you go.

[beko1987]

Could you buy a shagged cheap disastra, do a mega weekends part swappage and let the insurance frag the shit one and you keep the good one and get a cheque out of it?

[fordperv]

Has anyone fitted a short shift kit to a type 9? My cortina has a 5 speed and although it has a nice action it does feel quite long.

Short shift kits rattle like a bugger,take your gearstick off, continue the thread down your gear stick and cut to desired length that way you can use the standard gear knob if you wish, costs nothing but time and makes an improvement

[HMC]

The moss covered left in a corner bluebird continues to impress- It runs/drives/stops and does everything perfectly, there isn't a " knack" to making any of it work; it just does! Are all old Japanese cars like this?

 

The almost instant cabin heat in the commute is a world away from the freezing misery of the same trip in the VAG TDI

[wuvvum]

 

Slappy, on 03 Feb 2015 - 6:58 PM, said:

My sister has put a deposit down on a 52 plate Fiesta (the 1st year of the mk6s). I reckon she has agreed over the odds, but anyhey, it's her dough...

 

Apparently there's a problem with it's remote central locking in that the key doesn't work. Key/car have been sent over to the local Ford dealership (I think), but they can't make it work either. Sister and Dad are now a bit suspicious.... So, other than me telling her that it's a 12yo car, there will be stuff that doesn't work, and grin and bear with having to insert a key like most of us on here (and be thankful that she doesn't own a Merc of similar vintage), should she a) take the car anyway, it seems decent mileage (58k), or b ) take the deposit that has been offered back to her by the garage and find something new.

 

She's in the Norwich area if any of you were interested in suggesting items to offload

 

I have a Fiat Stilo with working remote locking.  It does have a selection of other minor items that don't work though.

[wuvvum]

Are all old Japanese cars like this?

Pretty much, yep.  As long as you can stop them from rusting.

[Cavcraft]

Insurance want to write my Astra Estate off (surprisingly).  Ã‚£1020.00

 

51 plate 1.6 petrol with 106K on it.

 

 

And you're NOT partying so hard you've drunk yourself sober and are now in Angelz Lap Dancing Club?

[TimothyClaypole]

Could you buy a shagged cheap disastra, do a mega weekends part swappage and let the insurance frag the shit one and you keep the good one and get a cheque out of it?

 

The guy tonight who called and who's on about £250 an hour seemed pretty upfront about getting the excess back so I'd be happy with the £1000 to put towards something a bit newer, if I was not going as far or with as big an idiot to work I'd have it back just to give my dad something to do finding parts at the scrapyard(s). 

[catsinthewelder]

On the subject of shipleying stuff around the country I'm driving a minibus to Nottingham on Saturday (returning empty) and Sunday (returning loaded).

 

I thought this would be ideal as Ms C has won a small sideboard (real 60's shite) in Brum (in the B33 area so Kitts Green ish) and the seller wants it collecting on Saturday.  Problem is that they are going out at 12 and I'm not leaving Nottingham till 11 at the earliest and have a 62mph speed limiter.

 

Anyone a,  local and able to help for beer money

             b, need owt shifting?

 

I realise that we should have checked beforehand but it was cheap due to crap listing so worth a gamble,  unfortunately the seller is being really unhelpful as it's at their grans house and they are only there for about 2 hours a week.

 

Ta muchley.

[cort16]

Got the possibilities of swapsies on the CL with this. It's a 280 but looks very nice. I'd need to go to ST Helens but i don't think driving the CL there and the SL back would be the worst trip in the world.

 

[meshking]

Also on the subject of 2cvs I took mine to work this morning as it was snowing ( too much for the bike) and the overpowered rear wheel drive automatic merc was under two inches of snow. I was a little too enthusiastic up the drive to the road and nearly took out one of the security cameras In a ten foot power drift but apart from that was fine. I think Mr DW had mentioned that being able to feel what the car is doing is a great help in snow- no power steering or extra toys between you and the snow ( in my case not much floor either! Must get the welding done this year!).

I can relate to that. Took my orange 2cv for mot this morning. It's hot m+s Michelin tyres on the front, but just toyo 125 on the back. Excellent for controlled slides into the trading estate. Exhaust started blowing on the journey home, gotta fix that now!

[skattrd]

That SL loves loverly ... do it.

[dollywobbler]

Big fan of that generation of SL. Love them.

[HMC]

+3 on the SL. Even if you dont keep it long, a smaller engined, less complicated and soft top merc is likely to be easier to sell and those can't get any cheaper than they are.

 

Plus will that squeeze into that lock up you struggled to get the CL into?

[cort16]

YES it's quite a bit shorter so will fit in lovely.