The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

BX 'clonk' was easily solved. Funnily enough, a discussion about front end knock appeared on the BX Club forum and threw up some suggestions. One of which was to make sure the cooling duct was re-fitted. Well, I hadn't bothered with this as the cooling duct was nowt more than some snapped remnants of plastic attached to a metal bracket. I placed washers on the caliper bolts (in place of said bracket) and the clonk has gone away! Sorted.

 

Will be heading out this afternoon to collect a 'new' hi-fi in the Mk1 BX. Not driven it for a while so I hope it behaves.

[RobT]

 

It's doing 50mpg as well. You might miss that feature RobT! Glad the French exchange went well. I have to say though, it's not quite as comfortable as I remember. Seriously lacking lower back support.

 

I'm already missing the economy aspect, but considering what a big barge it is the R25 isn't too bad on fuel. It also means I'll have to bring a tent to Shitefest as the plan was to sleep in the back of the BX!

 

I'll do a thread on the Renner once I've done a few more miles in it, but so far I'm very happy with it, cheers Chris

[skattrd]

Glad to hear you're enjoying it Rob. You needn't have worried about the bx, all cars of this sort of age have a few quirks/niggles and I'm quite enjoying getting to know it .... I'll be taking it to Newcastle tomorrow

[cort16]

I looks like BMW's found something to do with all those Mini Clubmans they didn't sell.

 

http://www.mini.ie/mini_clubvan/index.html

 

Want to get ahead of your competitors and do it in style? Then look no further than the MINI Clubvan – our brand new rapid transporter designed to make you the hottest player on the delivery market. See that speck in the rear view mirror? That’s the competition trying to keep up.

 

 

WHAT EVA

[vulgalour]

Ignoring the silly sales bumf, I actually quite like how the Clubvan looks much more than the 'estate' version, the proportions aren't too bad at all. I don't like the indicators inside the headlights thing, but then I don't like that on any car because the indicators are invisible as soon as the headlights are turned on.

[RobT]

Glad to hear you're enjoying it Rob. You needn't have worried about the bx, all cars of this sort of age have a few quirks/niggles and I'm quite enjoying getting to know it .... I'll be taking it to Newcastle tomorrow

 

It has a fair few of those! But despite them it’s a sound car overall I reckon. Keep us posted on how you get on.

 

On your advice I've put a can of petrol in the back of the Renner, as those dials are a bit random aren't they. Not sure I can be arsed fixing them though as I'll probably just end up wrecking the dash pod.

[Cavcraft]

TR7: should be gone next week.

 

Honda: effortlessly plodding on and I'm SRSLYimpressed with economy and power. It seems a little flat when still fairly cold if you boot it a bit, but once warmed up it doesn't half go some. As a matter of personal interest I decided to see if it'd make the red line or not and happy to confirm it achivies this no danger. The tyres (175/65/14 I think) are weedy as bollocks and a bit of spinning action isn't hard at all to get, also squeeling on roundabouts is the norm if you go gung-ho. Not as economical as the C***a obv. but really good on juice, has an interior that puts other similar sized/era cars to shame and is nice to drive.

 

Merc: tax up end of month, think I'll SORN it for a while assuming it'll fit into the garage when the Triumph goes.

 

C***a: Still in the other garage waiting for my lad to get round to adjusting the front brakes, putting the new exhaust on and re-MOTing it. It's so cheap to run it needs to be back on the road.

 

Bike: my promise (to myself) I'd do 100 miles at least this week is looking good. Managed about 25 miles yesterday in two seperate runs and just over 24 miles in pretty much one hit (ten minute break at cafe) today which was a grueller and included some quite steep hills going to and through (on road) Delamere Forest and back. 41mph down Kelsall hill too!

 

Bucket list: Hmm, I feel it may be time for a random last minute bid on something on eBay. Nothing at all in mind, just see if anything cheap looking turns up that's ending at a stupid time, though I have lobbed a cheeky, lower-than-scrap bid on a pictureless money pit.

[Cavcraft]

Right, that's the last minute stupid eBay buy sorted. Buxton it is, hopefully cadge a lift off my neighbour, failing that it'll be a two hour 20 odd quid train journey.

[John F]

What is it this time, Billy?

 

Discovery: following the recent OMG HGF, awaiting removal of the cylinder head tonight / tomorrow so it can be sent off for a skim.

V6 Calibra: completely drained its battery between Saturday & Sunday evening, seems OK again today...! Currently awaiting investigation

Cousin's 8v Calibra: another OMG HGF... cylinder head gasket & bolts ordered, fettling scheduled for next Saturday

[Cavcraft]

More French gubbins I'm afraid. Pictures will follow once collected!

[dollywobbler]

Took the BX Mk1 for a spin to collect a hi-fi from Carmarthen. Stereo cost £25 and is a slightly newer version of the one I've already got (but less broken). No remote, but my old one works. One speaker has a very slight buzz but I've got spares about the place.

 

Anyway, having finally found the place I was collecting it from, the BX then refused to start. The starter has been warning me that it will fail for some time now. It often takes several attempts to turn the key before the starter will actually engage. Stupidly, I had no hammer with me. Fortunately, I'd parked on a hill! Scared a few pedestrians as I silently began to roll down the hill before gently engaging the engine in second gear. I really must get on with making that BX better. Annoyingly, it sounds like it also needs a wheel bearing doing. At least I know how to do it now having done two on the Mk2!

[RobT]

Has anyone used this sort of jollop before to stop intermittent PAS squeals? Or should it be branded Snake Oil?

 

[Ross_K]

Well it does say "GUARANTEED to stop all seal leaks or your MONEY BACK"..

 

Keep the bottle and the receipt after you're done.

[RobT]

And it "TOTALLY stops squeals and hard spots" Might give it a go for the sake of 13 quid.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Car pisses oil, heaps of it, from the crank oil seal.

 

So I go to the enormous hassle of single handedly removing the gearbox and replacing the seal in very cramped conditions. Maybe 10 hours of work. The end result?

 

Car pisses oil, heaps of it, from the crank oil seal.

[trigger]

Bought myself a overpriced early 80's Garfield of ebay that arrived today, He seems quite at home in the rear window of the 'Tina.

 

Garfield's new home watching the world pass by by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

Hopefully whilst I'm away next week it's going to my friendly garage for a few repairs so it's fit for the Shitefest weekender, plans are new cambelt, Rocker cover gasket, new propshaft rubber doughnut, new front bushes and a carb tune up and any other bits that seems worth doing, All pretty simple stuff unless your a useless like me.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

You ought to get one of those waving hand things, too. My father had one in his Avenger in 1982, which my mother bought from the gift shop at Clacton Butlin's that year

[vulgalour]

I had forgotten all about those waving hand things. I seem to recall our neighbour had a one finger salute version in the back of his Reliant Robin, he probably bought it from Ingoldmells which is as far as he was willing to drive to go on holiday every year.

[trigger]

I know a guy who has one of those in the back of his Buick, and a pair of bollocks hanging from the bumper.

 

1972 Buick by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[ashmicro]

August fuel duty rise has been postponed until January.

[barefoot]

August fuel duty rise has been postponed until January.

 

I'm not surprised by that, especially after the transport minister confirmed it would definitely be going ahead yesterday

[Cavcraft]

I had forgotten all about those waving hand things. I seem to recall our neighbour had a one finger salute version in the back of his Reliant Robin, he probably bought it from Ingoldmells which is as far as he was willing to drive to go on holiday every year.

 

Christ on a bike, if Ingoldmells is as far as he wanted to go he must have been effing desperate!

[Ross_K]

I know a guy who has one of those in the back of his Buick, and a pair of bollocks hanging from the bumper.

 

Truck Nutz

Real hillbilly stuff...

[dollywobbler]

Spent most of today on a rain-lashed hillside in the middle of nowhere, with my boots filling up with water as I cursed my decision not to pack waterproof trousers. Was helping some locals repair a green lane that had been very badly damaged in the Aberystwyth area floods. Got the JCB stuck a few times (self-recovery FTW) but the operator proved very good at getting unstuck. The day largely involved us standing around in the rain watching a JCB digging stuff and directing things every now and then. With one burst of spade action. Weather aside, a perfect blokey day then!

 

Especially as with some sections repaired, we decided to make sure they were still a challenge. I'm really starting to like the Maverick. It may struggle for ground clearance but by heck does it batter through some tricky stuff! It's then entirely pleasant for the drive home. Better than the Range Rover really, just not as comfortable - on or off road. Does amuse me that 4x4s can be so different and all so compromised! If mine had Range Rover ground clearance and axle articulation, but retained Maverick road manners and build quality, a limited slip diff and electrics that almost always work (rather than almost always don't) you'd have the perfect 4x4. As it happens, the Land Rover boys struggle at times due to the lack of an axle diff lockers and the Maverick continues to drag itself through rutted sections making horrible noises (there's a very, very strong guard fitted below the engine/front diff thankfully!).

[Lankytim]

Wife reported that she saw Mr B on the A500 in Stoke today, but he didn't see her. Mr B wasn't wearing a hat.

 

She actually forced me to tell everyone that.

[Guest]

Was he wearing a jumper? How stripey was the jumper?

[John F]

Got the cylinder head off the Discovery this evening, it went surprisingly smoothly until one of the injectors proved to be stuck fast. I eventually managed to remove it, brutally, in several pieces

 

The head's going off for a skim tomorrow, will hopefully have it all back together by the weekend. Yeah, right...

[barrett]

Wife reported that she saw Mr B on the A500 in Stoke today, but he didn't see her. Mr B wasn't wearing a hat.

 

She actually forced me to tell everyone that.

 

Is she sure it wasn't Richard O'Brien?

[catsinthewelder]

Took the VW to Hove at the weekend to see family, had to bump start it 3 times due to lack of electricity. New alternator time methinks.

 

So with that one sidelined I figured that I'd best make the BX more civilised to drive by sorting out the clutch cable. Spent 2 hours fiddling about with the pedal box then test drove around the estate. Gears good, forward motion less so. Arse that'll be new clutch time then, so this morning I priced one up on ebay. Time for work dawned and it was pissing down so I took it in, arrived in a cloud of smoke. Clutch is fine but the brake pedal hadn't returned all the way up after fiddling with the pedal box. Fixed that in 5 mins in my dinner hour, only remaining fault from this weeks exploits is a burnt plastic smell from leaving the still molten hubcap inside the car

 

1100 is going fine, carpets are still in the loft until I can keep the rain out though.

[MrDuke]

If all goes swimmingly, the Scrote will be leaving for fresh pastures next week, to be replaced by something with oxidized paint, 2 odd panels, ghetto welding repairs, half an interior, and an X-suffix plate. And currently no MOT. I shall be driving it 200 miles to a pre-booked one.

 

Hell Yeah