The new news 24 thread

[worldofceri]

No, Manuel.  (I learn it, from a book.)

 

Signature now fixed to show UK mpg btw.

[Richard]

If it's the ex-JD 900 it's an 8 valve, must be one of the last 8V Turbos.

[worldofceri]

Indeed it is. And it has the best part of a quarter million miles on the clock so I wouldn't really expect mega-mpg. Plus, I'm not all that scientific about brimming the tank each time and what have you, so any sums I or the_internet might do are just best-guess anyway.

[JohnK]

Im on leave from work this week, so making a conscious effort to start progressing with the list of car jobs I've amassed.

 

First job today was to get the indicator stalk for the new Jag - trip over to my local Jag breakers netted what I wanted and let me have a scavenge around for anything which caught my eye. I managed to bag a Jaguar emblem for the alloy wheels as well, as I had one missing on the N/S/F - this has made my happy.

 

Next up was to get my E23 728i out, it's been parked up since before Christmas. Fresh battery and I couldn't get it to start. Fresh petrol in the tank didn't help either, it was turning and attempting to fire, but then gave up hope and was just turning over. Job for tomorrow to look into it in more detail!

 

I got the Escort out and did a couple of odd jobs needed. I've lent the Jaguar to my dad for a few days whilst I get his Omega sorted after I killed the diff, so the Escort is back Into daily service

 

 

Remaining jobs for the week are -

 

1) Drop the diff from Big JK's Omega and fit replacement

 

2) diagnose starting fault on 728i and get it running. To be fair it's due a service, so I reckon replacing service items will sort the problem.

 

3) scavenge local BMW breaker for parts needed to get my mates E34 Touring back on the road after 5 years of being stood

 

4) remove some more parts from my breaking 190E and get them posted to the buyers.

 

On another note, I've had these 15" cross spokes from my E30 sat in the garage doing nothing for 2 years ...

 

 

Lobbed them on a fixed price auction tonight on eBay and they went for £240, lads collecting tomorrow evening. Happy with that!

[HillmanImp]

Do you need a kidney? Reason I ask is that I need a Ford Escort.

[320touring]

E23 issuebis oikely condensation on the dizzy cap-dang m30s are bad for it

[JohnK]

Escort will be up for sale in a month or so I think! I love it and it gets so much attention, but it doesn't fit in with my longer term plan and I've got another Merc 190E I could do with pressing into daily service.

 

320touring - thanks for that, the symptoms would tally with that as well so I will whip it off in the morning and have a look at it.

[MrDuke]

I collected my Civic from my dad's today after its mot work and took a nice slow drive back home, it really is driving well at the moment, I'm still toying with selling it as I'm not using it much and I fancy a new project but it's such a nice, easy car to drive that I'll miss it once it's gone.

 

If you do sell it, I reckon you'll spend many years hence bitterly regretting it. Not least because you'll never find another one that nice for less than £stupid.

[Ghosty]

Better than our Civic, that's for sure.

[DS20]

DS is in ur wingmirror, checking all the drivings.  

 

 

 

Edit: 

Well, great, that came out brilliantly.  

[darkfour]

3 Day weekend here in the US for President's Day so I've managed to get loads done. First up the new carb turned up on Saturday and unboxing it I was presented with this.....

 

 

4 cans of carb cleaner and a good scrub with a toothbrush and it's cleaned up a treat. I need to order a rebuild kit for it but that's only $30 and can wait until I'm ready to install it. I still need to locate a suitable kickdown linkage.

 

 

I need to drive the convertible on Wednesday and the forecast is possible for rain. First thing I did when I bought the car was to lower the roof and I've left it down for 3 years. Yesterday I managed to raise it and in true autoshite style set about repairing the holes with duct tape. Biggest problem was no rear window at all, I tried a couple of DIY places to get some clear plastic but nothing was suitable. Then I realized that I have a spare roof in the garage and decided to use that to make the car as waterproof as possible.Here's the result and a quick blast down the road and it's still intact. 

 

 

Lastly I got a few hours in on the Plymouth and made some big progress in the rewiring it. I now have working headlights (low and high beams), tail lights, front side lights and indicators!  The only issue I have is that I need to replace the auxillary fan switch. It's a push/pull switch but curiously when you pull it out it's off and push it in it's on. This is the opposite of what I want. New one has already been procured. When I get paid on Thursday I'll order the Camaro calipers and then I'll have everything I need to complete the front disc brake conversion.

[worldofceri]

Well, great, that came out brilliantly.

Looks like ur DS has 'done a Dugong'.

[dome]

I did an autotest today, and it was bloody good fun !

 

http://vid22.photobucket.com/albums/b335/mjbrennan/1CEE8F35-9308-46BF-8791-651A3B4AD284_zpsh7nnwjpj.mp4

 

I went along with a mate whose Westfield is garaged for the winter so we both used my car to take part - the bugger only went and beat me !

 

(Warning - this vido may contain casual use of the word "bollocks")

 

 

Also check out my MSA approved* wooly hat !

Kames! Love it, did a few autotests there back in the day. Great fun.

[Craig the Princess]

I have a train driver assessment day today, wish me luck. One section is mechanical competence so I'm hoping experience of nursing Allegros will hold me in good stead.

[Pillock]

What, for real trains? Good luck! I'd love that job but every time I look they want a qualified driver, like you can just pop down to the TVLA and get your licence.

[gm]

Kames! Love it, did a few autotests there back in the day. Great fun.

Well spotted, Kames in Muirkirk run by the East Ayrshire Car Club. What a great little circuit and a nice friendly club. There were only 12 folk taking part in the test in Sunday so there was a really good atmosphere, I will be booking up for the next autotest on sun 15th March, I'll need to somehow magic up a day off work but I can't wait

 

I'm also tempted by an event the week before run by the Scottish Sporting Car Club down in Ardeer, the former Nobel chemical works near Ayr. It's a big open car park type test which looks like a whole load of fun from the vidos on youtube.

 

In the meantime, Ive got a trackday up at knockhill on sat 28th feb and test day at Kames on sun 1st March so I'd better get the car sorted - new pads and a new set of tyres to put on when I've finished are both in the shopping list.

 

The one I'm really building up to is a track night on the Forrestburn hillclimb course, it's not until the start of May but I think it will be an experience to remember. I should have done this years ago

[DS20]

Air suspension and hydropneumatic suspension - not a steel spring between them

 

Yesterday, the DS went to Someone Who Knows About Them (i.e. not me and my spanners) for a bit of work and an MOT.  Fingers x-ed.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: 

Tried to post this photograph yesterday evening, along with the other useless one, but it wouldn't take.  Happy that it's working now.  

[Ghosty]

Civic now has a fresh MOT - only advisory was headlamp adjustment (sorted). Ancient rear Dunlops have been replaced too. New fronts will be done at some point too - next month I'd guess.

[Craig the Princess]

What, for real trains? Good luck! I'd love that job but every time I look they want a qualified driver, like you can just pop down to the TVLA and get your licence.

LOLZ at TVLA

 

I found it on their website, keep checking the different websites of the passenger franchises and freight operators and trainee roles do come up every so often. Get in quick though as they full quickly.

 

Them the company does the tests and training.

 

Currently at lunch, find out of I passed the morning after lunch

[tooSavvy]

Further to my Window Winder shinnannigans....

 

our local didn't have a Micra.....

 

Oh well >>

 

Now MINUS OSR winder.

 

 

I only want the bloody MiniCog anyway 

 

Let The Games Begin.....

 

TS

[Tayne]

Air suspension and hydropneumatic suspension - not a steel spring between them

 

IMG_1838.JPG 

 

Edit: 

Tried to post this photograph yesterday evening, along with the other useless one, but it wouldn't take.  Happy that it's working now.

 

Montpelier soft-dash LSE.

 

Nice.

[wuvvum]

Been using the Mondeo for all of my running around over the last few days.  Using the highly scientific* method of waiting till the fuel light goes on, resetting the trip meter and then filling up and waiting until the light comes on again, it appears to be doing 110 miles to a tenner, which at current prices equals 56 mpg.  Which is fucking brilliant for a car of its size.  Of course further testing will be required to get a more accurate figure, but it does appear to be at least the equal of the Rover of Doom in the fuel economy stakes, if not in overtaking prowess.  Hopefully the injectors and the DMF will hold together for a bit longer as I rather like the old heap.

[stuboy]

been asked to take this for mot, then if pass to margate... one days insurane £24

[Angrydicky]

Aborted shite collection from before Christmas, is back on for tomorrow. Apparently the misfire "has fixed itself". Should be interesting!

[catsinthewelder]

I have transport again

 

Changed the oil, filter and stat on the Cherry on Saturday but one of the stat housing bolts snapped. Spent most of the day today removing the housing, Dizzy and a few other bits. Drilling + tapping the housing and putting it all back together again. No leaks and it gets up to temperature now which it didn't before.

 

 

Cornflake packet gaskets FTW

[The Moog]

The civic has disgraced itself again. I tried fixing the blow at the rear yesterday with bean tin plus exhaust paste. In this weather it hadn't set even though it had been left for 18 hours.

 

When I started the engine it blew straight through, as I tried to see the problem the middle section dropped on the floor. ATS have quoted me £77 fitted versus ECP £50 for just part

[trigger]

If you do sell it, I reckon you'll spend many years hence bitterly regretting it. Not least because you'll never find another one that nice for less than £stupid.

 

I think that is the problem, I keep saying that I'm going to sell it as i hardly use it but it's such a nice little car that I'm going to struggle to find a replacement, The trouble is that I've got a real itch for a change, I fancy something a little newer for up to £2000 which is capable of doing longer distances, I have the Retro Rides Gathering this years and maybe Shitefest as well as a few other shows. I keep looking at Mk2 Granadas, Sierras, Mk3 Escorts, Rover SD1's, Dolomites, christ loads of stuff!.

[alf892]

Capable of longer trip?

 

I can't see why the car is not capable.....used with mechanical sympathy. People did do longer journeys in the 70s you know!

 

I would agree that driving on some roads can be a chore in old stuff though. Get a decent map and plan a route that is more suitable. In all lot of cases journey times are not vastly different.

[dollywobbler]

I know where he's coming from. I can cope with a 2CV long distance, doing ridiculous rpm, but some cars just really don't like blatting along. My old 845cc Renault 5 springs to mind, which felt as smooth at 60mph as concrete milkshake. The car might be capable, but the sheer noise can be an issue for the driver, and older cars don't always appreciate the hardships of motorway life after many years of gentle use.

 

I may well eat those words next week as I take the 2CV on a 500-mile, long-weekend roadtrip. The trip will be all the more exciting because of this.

 

Yes, it has been a bit damp today since you ask...

[catsinthewelder]

If you arn't too fussed about it then you might as well get rid.  I like our classic small cars because they're pretty good on fuel so get plenty of use around town.  If you don't feel comfortable driving it long distances or like using it to nip round town then theres not much point in keeping it.

 

I really fancy a big saloon like a Triumph 2500 or a Rover but I know that  at 25mpg it'll only get used for the odd meet or when everything else is broken.