The new news 24 thread

[xtriple]

Bloody parking round here has become a joke. It seems that everyone from the next road over parks here leaving us lot with nowhere to park except in the next street over!

 

Seems a bit bloody odd to me....

[twosmoke300]

Another 270 miles in the XM tomorrow. Looks like a nice day for it. Passed through Two Smoke's neck of the wood today, but sadly on a train. Saw a late, gold Reliant Robin though. Otherwise, Cornwall has disappointed with its lack of rusty old tat.

Most of it would appear to be in my workshop this week !

[Honey Badger]

Honda Coupe is in for it's MOT today, had a quick check and I'm hopeful it will pass without too much hassle.

 

In it's place today I'm blezzing about in a 15 year old Astravan Sportiv diseasal, I quite like it as it achieves speeds that are only normally attainable by Thrust SSC.

[320touring]

Honda Coupe is in for it's MOT today, had a quick check and I'm hopeful it will pass without too much hassle.

 

In it's place today I'm blezzing about in a 15 year old Astravan Sportiv diseasal, I quite like it as it achieves speeds that are only normally attainable by Thrust SSC.

Back when i were a pup my dad used to get bedford astravans from his work on occasion.

 

1.7d n/a and so fuckin rapid and intercity 125 seemed slow in comparison

[gordonbennet]

My Mrs used to drive the depot Corsa small van with the 1.7d now and again, she loved it cos it went like buggery and she's bonkers anyway (picked one of the lads up from ATS about 2 miles away and he got out a shivering wreck), then it got swapped for one with the 1.3 Fiat Diesel, after a disappointing first run out she never bothered with the thing again.

Quite how they got so much oomph out of the 1.7 i dunno.

 

There's a bloke Northampton way who ran a silver later shape Astravan (09 plate?), must have been a remapped 1.9 cos it's acceleration was something else and it left a nice jet style slight mist of black smoke as it vanished from view.

[320touring]

My Mrs used to drive the depot Corsa small van with the 1.7d now and again, she loved it cos it went like buggery and she's bonkers anyway (picked one of the lads up from ATS about 2 miles away and he got out a shivering wreck), then it got swapped for one with the 1.3 Fiat Diesel, after a disappointing first run out she never bothered with the thing again.

Quite how they got so much oomph out of the 1.7 i dunno.

 

There's a bloke Northampton way who ran a silver later shape Astravan (09 plate?), must have been a remapped 1.9 cos it's acceleration was something else and it left a nice jet style slight mist of black smoke as it vanished from view.

I was down at York dragway once, running the 320i in a rwyb..

 

Boy in an astravan mullered me. Repeatedly.

 

I didnt care cos mine sounded awesome

[barefoot]

News updates; The T2 is finally back home with it's new pop roof, an MOT and a truly astonishing bill.

 

 

Did I mention we'd had five metres of remote control colour changing LED lighting fitted too?

 

 

So now we can psychedelic up the entire campsite.

 

944 has been running a bit shit for a bit - man in the overalls diagnosed a faulty fuel pressure rail, it was duly booked in for

same but returned, transformed with just a couple of vacuum pipes replaced. 

I CAN HAZ HAPPY BUNNY.

[dugong]

Now's the time to buy a hardtop. Scored this placca MGF lid on eBay for £122 because it had scratches (which the seller didn't mention) and lacquer peel on the top (which he did) Fitted it in the dark and didn't do the screen rails right. It whistled like a kettle until I pulled into a garage forecourt.

 

 

 

Still loving this thing; it survived OMGHGF and a split heater pipe.

 

Got a few things on the list to sort - the clock doesn't work, it needs another scrub inside despite being hoovered down - and the tyres need sorting. I've also got an instrument colour coded Pioneer head unit to go in as well. Nowt wrong with the stereo it came with, it just offends my OCD.

 

You know how MGFs are mega sensitive to tyre size and really dislike different makes of boot across the axle? Well, at least I worked out why it was twitching from the back. For some reason it has 205 55 15s on the NSR and a 205 50 15 on the OSR. Moving to the front we have a mixture of Nexens (eurgh) and Nankangs (vom). Headlights are still borderline shite as well. Have a secondhand Trophy bumper on hand that I'll get resprayed at some point.

[ruffgeezer]

bit vague!!! But i'll say 'possibly', been fancying a 306 soft top for a while even though I woiuld look like a right twat sat in one with the top down.

 

 

Ok @Mr_Bo11ox, it's an early shape one, 2.0 petrol automatic, 85k Maroon with Tan leather.

 

 

Current faults are a split rear window and a faulty window regulator.

 

I'm going to need a stopgap car for a while so I thought I'd bung a few quid into it and then sell it on again in a few months time.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Looks nice that!!!!

[ruffgeezer]

It does, and it's only a short bus ride away. I'd have to re-sorn the ax at the end of the month and then tax it, but I need to make sure I'm not buying into another project. I really don't have the time.

[dugong]

y0, would love to see that mr.geezer, I'm only in peebo. I could come round and bore you shitless about coffee and MGFs.

[wuvvum]

My Rover 218Vi is back on eBay, being advertised by the same seller I bought it off.  Most odd...

[NorfolkNWeigh]

bit vague!!! But i'll say 'possibly', been fancying a 306 soft top for a while even though I woiuld look like a right twat sat in one with the top down.

That's my problem with floppy tops too. MrsN has got a CLK and up until recently we had a couple of MX5s on the drive, when I drive them I feel like Magnum P.I in the 308, to everyone else I probably like like a bald version of PShome's avatar. Probably why I didn't buy a R129 SL when they wer £1500 a couple of years ago- another boat missed.

[gordonbennet]

That's my problem with floppy tops too. MrsN has got a CLK and up until recently we had a couple of MX5s on the drive, when I drive them I feel like Magnum P.I in the 308, to everyone else I probably like like a bald version of PShome's avatar. Probably why I didn't buy a R129 SL when they wer £1500 a couple of years ago- another boat missed.

 

Yep, i'd love a Mustang again, and not even a roofless, but i'd look and feel such a twat in it. that it would take all the pleasure away.

[dave21478]

Ok @Mr_Bo11ox, it's an early shape one, 2.0 petrol automatic, 85k Maroon with Tan leather.

 

pugfloppytop.JPG

 

Current faults are a split rear window and a faulty window regulator.

 

I'm going to need a stopgap car for a while so I thought I'd bung a few quid into it and then sell it on again in a few months time.

 

 

Thats delicious - best colour for them by far, IMO. Mine was fun even though it was only the 1.8 version.

 

Rear windows are available from some dude in the owners club for about £70 iirc - easy enough to fit in an hour or so.

 Phase 1 front window regulators are a bit rare (unique to these cars) however. If its just the wire thats snapped you can apparently get kits on ebay to re-string them. If its the motor or gears you will need a replacement, best sourced through the forum again - usualy one or two being broken for parts there.

 

306cab.com - its got the usual problems with single marque forums, but I found it usefull for sourcing parts.

[Lord Sterling]

Popped up to the local town centre to pick a few things for Ma. I spotted a A124 Mercedes E220 cabriolet so I got chatting to the owner nice car car he has and also useful if I ever need parts! He organises Mercedes 124 meets.

 

Had a replacement viscous fan fitted on my 124 but it still roars, though it does quieten down on a normal drive. I've decided to live with it until I can afford to take it to a Merc specialist. Next up though is a service.

[tooSavvy]

FCUK... G. Bennet & AR$EBISKITTS..... 

 

My drivers door window winder (keepfit) is going 'Dudd. Dudd. Dudd.' every 3/4 of a turn and not pulling the window up smoothly.

 

Bo11okks....

 

Doorcard off, glass out, bolts out & Mech out....

 

This is identical [Micra 93-02]

 

..... this small, driver cog must be butter soft & now jumping the big arc cog.

 

I propose to get a scrappy Micra set and drill out the peen/rivetting and lash up the Proton/Micra cog/drive set.... keeping the Micra handle as I bet it isn't the same splines..

 

 

TS

YaY!.. a bit of sun!

 

.. here I have stripped my Daewoo 'donor' mechanism and will then strip off the car mech likely in the morning.

 

As I don't have any cover & the glass is out I REALLY NEED TO BE SURE it aint gunna rain!!

 

 

Fascinating set up...

 

The drive shaft/hand crank winder is NOT connected directly to the cog. The 'bearing' is actually a large alloy boss which is running inside a coiled spring/inside the tin housing....

 

I see the reason here... the enemy of a 'wound up' window is any sort of unscrewing(down wind) by the cog/hand knob. By using the springs natural sticking in the housing added to the window glass NOT being actually sitting on the cog... there is a natural inertia - and that ensures the window stays put!!

 

Impressed by the thought & execution   

 

I had to drill out the peened over locating holes, into the main bracketry

 

 

... and see how the spring 'drags' on the large alloy bearing, tight inside the tin housing & the cog is free located to 'wiggle' on the actual winder shaft.... neat!

 

 

TS

[Shep Shepherd]

Repainted The Saab's windscreen wiper arms today using a couple of cans of Poundland matt black aerosol paint:

 

 

Not quite as-new, but a big improvement on how they were previously

[HillmanImp]

At Wetherby services awaiting another shiter for a chod exchange (that sounds dodgy)

[dollywobbler]

Drove 270 miles home in the XM today. Nothing remarkable happened at all. The central locking behaved itself even. It is clonking on the front end a fair bit though. I suspect wishbone bushes. Possibly both sides. It is strange driving from Cornwall to home on less than half a tank of fuel. I do need to get that suspension sorted out though. The tired spheres are making things far too bouncy.

[Honey Badger]

Old Hondas R great

 

 

Looks mint underneath as well, not a spot of rust and nothing needed to pass the test.

 

Shiter economics win again.

[captain_70s]

I've resorted to taking out an overdraft primarily to fund car repairs...

 

This is how lives get ruined isn't it?

[JohnK]

Went to a chod exchange tonight at Wetherby services. Enjoy the Jag mate!

 

[HillmanImp]

Obligatory (and probably frequent) petrol station shot. 

 

 

and home:

 

 

Will be going back onto its normal plate shortly.

[dollywobbler]

Much as I love my XM, if I could find a way of making an X300 do 40mpg, I'd have one like a shot and wave goodbye to the XM. Looks nice.

[JohnK]

Definitely going to miss that car, but I'm sure it will do you proud! If you text me your current address mate I will get the normal plates posted off tomorrow.

[JohnK]

Just to add as well, I've been getting around 340 miles from a tank in that, so economy wise I don't think it will be that bad.

[dollywobbler]

Just to add as well, I've been getting around 340 miles from a tank in that, so economy wise I don't think it will be that bad.

 

Yeah, the problem is, with a similar-sized tank, my XM can do 800 miles. Sometimes though, I think you're right. It's best not to do the sums and to just enjoy the car.

[gordonbennet]

Yeah, the problem is, with a similar-sized tank, my XM can do 800 miles. Sometimes though, I think you're right. It's best not to do the sums and to just enjoy the car.

 

I have to do that with the Landcruiser, it's a two ton brick it's never going to return good figures, but then it wasn't bought with that in mind.