The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

In other, other news, I forgot to post details of yesterday. I decided last-minute to dash up to RAF Cosford on the XM to see the Vulcan.

 

Naturally, I soon found chod to photograph, including this slightly-shabby Astra GTE.

 

I then found this Hyundai Accent and some Jensen thing (an FF no less).

 

Met up with FPB7 and Chaceracer, then things got noisy.

 

Then I found a Skoda with a brown interior. Desirable.

 

Getting a car-park drive of FPB7's Rover 60 was rather pleasant. Thanks!

 

One final shot before heading home.

 

The XM stinks of diesel at the moment. I need to find where that's coming from. It was a lot more pleasant when it was chewing veg! It does now start more sweetly though. Clearly a minor leak somewhere, letting in air and presumably ruining the veg-starting ability.

[wuvvum]

I also saw the Vulcan today.  Only just made it, as it was 5 minutes early and I had to park 400 yards away from the viewing spot as it was absolutely rammed.  Must have been well over 100 cars packed into a residential estate.  Lord knows what it must have been like at the airport itself.  Managed to get a bit of footage on the camera, which I was pleased about.

 

Then I loaded the Cagiva in the van and ran it down to Whysub, who, as seems to be the norm with shiters, is a thorougly bloody nice bloke.  Pleasant run down (including spotting an H van on the A12 and a house with an MG Maestro and tatty Sunbeam Talbot parked outside in Kelvedon), run back took a bit longer as an X-type Jag had hit a horsebox on the A14 and closed the road.  Fortunately I was near the back of the queue, and the fire brigade etc. were already leaving, so didn't sit for too long before we started moving again - the people at the front must have been there for fugging hours.  The roof had been cut off the Jag; the horsebox had come off better, as one would expect, although I have no idea how the horses fared.

 

I also witnessed a Setra coach blatting past a rather slow-moving Synergie-and-caravan on the A140.  I was quite impressed with its overtaking ability for something so large - I'm not sure what engines Setra use these days, but it must be something quite meaty - you wouldn't go from 40-60 that quick with a TL11.  Sounded nice too, for a modern diesel.

[stripped fred]

I saw the Vulcan today too. I was out for a walk with my kids and heard what sounded like thunder. It then flew directly over us. It came as a bit of a surprise as we didnt know it was flying. We were told later that it's the last time it will be flying which is a shame as it looks and sounds pretty awesome.

[hairnet]

jensen is an interceptor - ff if you ever see one are pre 70

 

went to ireland for almost a week and only chod in saw in the north or south was a sherpa van in donegal a merc 210 camper at malin head and a p5b coupe on the a55 coming home this morning and an xk8 german reg there also 66 e type who was in the queue for the boat back to wales

[flat4alfa]

It is an FF - check the pair of front wing vents

 

The plate is H, unless it has late registration madness

[catsinthewelder]

The Cherry has a new clutch, it's taken me all weekend and I can't drive it to see how much better it is as I forgot to buy gearbox oil to replace what I drained out. There's also the small matter of realising that the MOT ran out last week.

[flat4alfa]

I saw the Vulcan today too. ... We were told later that it's the last time it will be flying which is a shame as it looks and sounds pretty awesome.

 

There are a few more displays left in it, before it get mothballed until WWIII

 

http://www.vulcantothesky.org/appearances.html

[LC Torana]

 to see the Vulcan.

 

Getting a car-park drive of FPB7's Rover 60 was rather pleasant. Thanks!

Live Long and prosper.

 

Now, is that reverse-Vulgalour livery, or am I mis-seeing the colours?

[Inspector Morose]

Wedding car black over cream. That cut off for the cream at the rear is really starting to piss me off. It looks shit.

[STUNO]

News...I didn't see a Vulcan at the weekend, in fact I last saw one when I was about 6. I can still picture it vividly as it flew low over the school !

[rml2345]

Wedding car black over cream. That cut off for the cream at the rear is really starting to piss me off. It looks shit.

Now you've mentioned it I can't stop looking at it. It would look excellent* in Walsall blue with yellow coach stripe...

[Jerzy Woking]

Great to meet Wuvvum last night -from our conversation it was clear this place is full of great people selling great shite. The Cagiva will be sorted in a few weeks - just needs a tidy and a bit of paint here and there. A 16 year old tuned Italian two stroke in the hands of a childish 56 year old? WCPGW

 

I know the owner of the two cars in Kelvedon as he is a friend of my ex wife. He also has a barn and some land near me chock full of everything, in various states of age related decay, from mid 30's Sunbeams and Humbers, to 80's Allegros, Discovery's and everything inbetween, as well his daily driver Maestro.

 

He is a nice bloke-I've a few poor photos of the cars on his land, but won't publish them as I respect his privacy. I'd love to properly photograph all he has there, but I doubt I'll ever get the invitation.

[Essex V6]

Went to a small car show in Shropshire this morning with some elderly chums. Some nice variety, though I couldn't work out why a battered 306 estate was deemed worth of the field, nor why there were so many K10 Micras.

 

Here's my pal checking out a Subaru pick-up just after we arrived. He owns a beige one which has just been restored.

 

Here's one of the Micras. For sale at £700, but had some interesting sill and wheelarch repairs.

 

This shows the variety quite nicely.

 

Ring-a-ding-ding Saab was lovely.

 

I think this immaculate 100,000-mile Opel Manta took my virtual trophy though. Lovely.

 

In other news, this just happened in the Nippa.

 

It hit 24k when I collected it, so that's just over 1000 miles since March. It's likely to remain low mileage.

Loving the Manta Exclusive!

[Crusty Sills]

I saw the Vulcan today too. I was out for a walk with my kids and heard what sounded like thunder. It then flew directly over us. It came as a bit of a surprise as we didnt know it was flying. We were told later that it's the last time it will be flying which is a shame as it looks and sounds pretty awesome.

Does anyone know why is the Vulcan flying for the last time?

There was a shed load spent to get her air worthy.

I can remember seeing, hearing and feeling it through the ground at Mildenhall in the early 90's.

[dollywobbler]

jensen is an interceptor - ff if you ever see one are pre 70

 

U R RONG. SOZ. FF production ended in 1971.

[320touring]

I have to intercept here and say ffsakes who cares?just look at it:)

 

*apologies for attempt at wit*

[dollywobbler]

My phone did autocorrect it to Jensen FFS! Which probably says more about me...

[scdan4]

Does anyone know why is the Vulcan flying for the last time?

There was a shed load spent to get her air worthy.

I can remember seeing, hearing and feeling it through the ground at Mildenhall in the early 90's.

 

I think that the approval for the airframe is running out - too old and too many cycles, so the powers that be won't give it the piece of paper to allow it to fly.

 

A shame, but probably better than metal fatigue causing it to break up in mid air one day.

[hairnet]

U R RONG. SOZ. FF production ended in 1971.

pervert

[flat4alfa]

re: FF Jensens

 

Forget plateageism, look at the front wing grilles

[wuvvum]

I think that the approval for the airframe is running out - too old and too many cycles, so the powers that be won't give it the piece of paper to allow it to fly.

 

A shame, but probably better than metal fatigue causing it to break up in mid air one day.

That's basically it.  XH558 has flown significantly more hours now than any other Vulcan, so it can't continue to fly without undergoing major structural checks (as in being virtually stripped down to the last nut and bolt and every component checked), which a) would be prohibitively expensive and b )  would also be almost impossible to get done to the CAA's satisfaction, as the plane is 55 years old now so most of the engineers who trained on the type in its RAF days are either dead or too old to undertake a task of that magnitude.  That's my understanding anyway - might be bollocks.

 

It'll still be kept in working order and will still regularly start up and do fast taxi runs, but it won't be taking off any more after this summer.

[Taff]

Does anyone know why is the Vulcan flying for the last time?

There was a shed load spent to get her air worthy.

I can remember seeing, hearing and feeling it through the ground at Mildenhall in the early 90's.

 

 

I think that the approval for the airframe is running out - too old and too many cycles, so the powers that be won't give it the piece of paper to allow it to fly.

 

A shame, but probably better than metal fatigue causing it to break up in mid air one day.

 

RAF geezer at work here has confirmed that the airframe approval is part of it. Also, running costs are huge for the Vulcan and it is entirely charity-supported, unlike the BoB flight which enjoys Government/RAF support & funding

 

edit ;- just seen Wuvvs reply, seems we about right

[stillOrange]

Breaking financial news!

 

You might have heard about all that stuff going on in Grece and Eurozone.

 

Practical and car related thing is that because of it all GBP is reaching all time highs in relation to many other currencies.

 

The note with Liz can buy you much more than normally! For example the Fiat 126p that was going to cost me around £800 delivered to UK would cost me close to £600 nowadays.

[cort1977]

Better get buying more chod then lads!

[skattrd]

Good point stillOrange, with the current exchange rate now would be rather good for Euro tat mission.

[dollywobbler]

Good point stillOrange, with the current exchange rate now would be rather good for Euro tat mission.

 

Is this where my splurge my 2CV resto fund on a shagged out Ami 6?

[320touring]

Is this where my splurge my 2CV resto fund on a shagged out Ami 6?

correct!I will offerbup the vagveg sledge as a conveyance

[skattrd]

Correct DW.

 

I'm unemployed after tomorrow so should be available to assist anyone with Euro tat missions, should they want a passenger/spare driver/someone to point and laugh, drop me a pm.

[Christine]

Correct DW.

 

I'm unemployed after tomorrow so should be available to assist anyone with Euro tat missions, should they want a passenger/spare driver/someone to point and laugh, drop me a pm.

I've often thought, buying drivers seats or rather their passenger seats,  from lhd cars in Frog scrapyards (or just the covers to save weight) and taking out there unripped passenger seats or covers from our rhd to sell  could make a bit of money?? ...original mini's, fords etc .

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The euro-pound rate is about 1.4:1 and has been at that level for quite a while now. I was expecting the euro to tank today but it hasn't. I interpret that as the 'markets' betting that Greece won't actually come banging out of the euro at the end of the week, cos if it did the Euro is bound to sink as the whole lot is plunged into the unknown. So GEORGE 'BO11OX' SOROS says hold fire on your Euro shite bids for one more week and you might just get that dream eurocrate even cheaper! Disclaimer: I am not the real George Soros and have a total net worth of approx 10 tons of mixed metals.