The new news 24 thread

[scruff]

Fabulous. Well done Barrett

[RedSparrow]

Cool! I look forward to a dedicated thread.

[dollywobbler]

This time tomorrow, the Mini will probably be in its new home. It's going to be a bit sad watching it depart. It's been with us for six years and three houses now. Fleet reduction plan is still in progress though, and thankfully a Reliant Robin (newer shape) I had my eye on has sold! BX Mk1 still needs to go really, and the Mk2 will become a parts donor at some undisclosed point in the future.

[vulgalour]

I'm sure Barrett's recent triumph over delivery adversity will see him bonding with his new car in no time. Do you see what I did there? I crack me up.

[skattrd]

I've now done over 4000 wafty and trouble free miles in the Volvo and decided its a keeper, at least for the time being. With that in mind I ordered a service kit for it, oil and all filters now changed and its running even better. I have also got egr blanking plates for it, but being near the turbo/exhaust manifold the bolts are seriously seized, so I'll leave it for now. On close inspection all 4 tyres are getting near end of life, so think I'm going to try some cheap Neutons from Neo brothers.

[phil_lihp]

After not touching it for a week, I thought I'd try and get the oil & filter changed on the Nova today but the weather had other ideas, torrential rain and thunder no less, so I kept it confined to the garage and did a few other minor jobs instead. Changed the rusty, manky spark plugs for 4 nice new NGKs, tightened everything down...and now it runs like crap. Oh. It started instantly with a little choke as always but once running, it misfired, idle was lumpy and stalled randomly. After leaving it running for a bit and smoking out the garage, it dawned on me I still haven't put any fresh petrol in it so I am hoping it's just got down to the dregs in the tank. Next time I'm passing a petrol station I'll pick up a can of fresh fuel which will hopefully be more to its liking. Thinking about it, I'd probably better also check the gaps are set right on the new plugs.

 

On the plus side, was quite pleased with a money saving bodge involving replacing a rotten coolant pipe from the header tank to the radiator top with a piece of washing machine water hose I had lying around in the garage. It looks odd and I'm not sure it's a permanent fix but it holds water which is an improvement on the old one!

[catsinthewelder]

The oil pressure lights been on at tickover on the Austin and an oil and filter change didn't seem to have sorted it so I was residing myself to the thought of an oil pump change which is an engine out job on these. My last hope was that the oil pressure relief valve could be faulty. So this afternoon I started a search for it, couldn't find it but did find the oil pressure switch so whipped that off and cleaned it out, fired her up and no more warning light

 

Firing her up reminded me however that last time out she'd started rather heavily blowing somewhere on the exhaust, it sounded like it was coming from under the bonnet so I disconnected and remade the connection between manifold and pipe which made no difference whatsoever. Grabbed the trolley jack and popped her on some stands and the problem was rather obvious, there was a 4 inch long by an inch wide bit of the downpipe flapping in the breeze. Fired up ebay and found that 1100 exhausts start at over £100, thought 'bugger that' so whipped it off and welded it up.

 

So for the first time in months, apart from corrosion theres nothing wrong with it

[skattrd]

Good news on the Austin Rich.

 

I forgot to mention earlier - the Alfa is back home, running and legal, I may take it to the RR FUCEM meet over at Limes tomorrow.

Rally kei has gone to the garage for an MOT, its only done a few hundred miles since the last one (mostly round Cadwell Park) so it should be ok. My tester is aware that its a grey import so thankfully it has more relaxed emissions test to pass.

[dollywobbler]

The Mini has gone. Mixed emotions going on. I never liked it that much, but it did have an appealing character. Now gone to a young chap who's going to do it up. I hope this doesn't involved bonnet stripes and silly wheels... Oh well. Not really our concern anymore. We've got about what we hoped for (£1375) and don't have to worry about it anymore. Six years is a long time for a car on our fleet. My wife will certainly miss it (especially as every other car in the world is too large and fitted with too many scary things, like brake servos).

[meshking]

Glad to hear you didnt get messed about, dw. Always a bits concerning chucking cars to auction, IMHO. Particularly since you expect to get messed about straight away too. Although,I guess not many people shout about how much of a pleasant experience they had selling their car at auction.

[dollywobbler]

Some good advice from folks on here helped. I'd blocked quite a few folks from buying. Some zero-feedbacks still got through, but thankfully non bid anywhere near the final amount. Annoying that you can't just stipulate a minimum feedback of 5 or something.

 

Feels a bit odd at the moment as only two cars are outside the house - the BX Mk2 and the 2CV. BX Mk1 is in the garage drying out (must find out where the water is pouring in from) and the Maverick is away awaiting welding and an MOT.

[Lord Sterling]

Well, I was going to put this in the Grumpy thread but when I opened the door it looked like some pub fight which included some words like 'ROVA R SHIT CARz' being thrown around. Being a proud Rover owner and not wanting to draw too much attention, I thought 'sod that' quietly closed the door and made my merry way here.....

 

So if you dont mind, this is a sort of car related 'grump'....

 

WARNING - THIS POST CONTAINS A PRODUCT MADE BY 'ROVER'

 

Great! I'm bloody car-less again Today I went and took the Sterling to my mates garage to have it serviced and sort the exhaust blow out. The car was partially serviced but as they had it in the air they decided to tackle the exhaust, the blow seemed to be coming from the manifold, but the nuts on the manifold wouldnt come undone, they were rusted on so much that the had to resort to blow torching the bolts, that didnt work so a bolt-splitting tool was used. Finally, they managed to get the nuts free and exhaust was off, and it was found that the exhaust gaskets had basically worn away to nothing.

 

As per usual, when the parts were ordered, the wrong ones turn up, 3 oil filters had to be sent back before the right one turned up, then the exhaust gaskets turned up after they couldnt find any to fit in thier spare gaskets box.

 

As well as that, the new plate for my car had a wonky border:

 

 

I thought sod it, and stuck it on my car, but after the garage owner saw it, he said he'd sort me out another plate.

 

Whilst the lads were working on my car and with it being up in the air, I decided to make use of this and try and use some spray on underseal, I noticed that bits of the underside had bits of underseal missing so these were sprayed.

 

I quite like this stuff, I'll have to get myself a few can of this. Doesnt half smell though. GR8 4 GLU SN1FFAz

 

This is the only "decent" pic I could get of my shit attempt at underseal treatment, the other pics were just beyond poor.

 

Time was getting on and the thread on the bolt to hold the exhaust on the manifold were stripped/broken, the lad working on my car did everything he could to get it sorted, sadly time beat us and my car was left up in the air until at least Monday. So I dont have a car to get to work:

 

 

Whilst this is minor set back, the Sterling will at least be half decent what with the starter motor having been changed, a good service behind it, a fresh MOT and the exhuast blow sorted out, that will only leave me with the ABS on one side to do.

 

Cost me around £170 for MOT/Service/Starter motor change and exhaust sorting out. The scrooge in me came out when I saw how much it was, I think this is most I've ever spent in one go at a garage, I shouldnt be spending that sort of money before going abroad, but needs must I guess.

[catsinthewelder]

If it leaves you with a decent car that you can use through the winter then it's well worth it. Yes 800's are worth the square root of fuck all but a nice mk1 will really turn heads these days.

[CreepingJesus]

Spiffy new Goodyear wipers fitted...

...rear wiper suffers comedy fail. It got slower and slower until it stopped.

Unbreakable Volvo broken, some fixing required. Must reattach the bloody tailgate trim once I'm done. Unbreakable Volvos, eh?

[phil_lihp]

Mixed a can of fresh petrol in with whatevers still lurking in the bottom of the tank, result: one happy Nova It runs almost spot on now, needs some more really but ran it up to temp for the first time and everything seems good, my neighbour walked past and commented on how healthy it sounds. Went to change the oil and the heavens opened again though so back in the garage it went.

[Lankytim]

Bought a new towbar from Gumtree and fitted it to the Saab yesterday. Yay! Found a big rot hole in the spare wheel well Boo!!! Surely the whole point of a "modern" is that you don't have to weld it up?

[Lankytim]

Bought a new towbar from Gumtree and fitted it to the Saab yesterday. Yay! Found a big rot hole in the spare wheel well Boo!!! Surely the whole point of a "modern" is that you don't have to weld it up?

[cort16]

Surely the whole point of a "modern" is that you don't have to weld it up?

 

Someone should tell Ford I don't think they got that memo.

[cort16]

Surely the whole point of a "modern" is that you don't have to weld it up?

 

Someone should tell Ford I don't think they got that memo.

[Shep Shepherd]

The latest addition to my fleet, which I picked up yesterday evening:

 

 

The fact that Volvo don't make bicycles is lamented.

[Shep Shepherd]

The latest addition to my fleet, which I picked up yesterday evening:

 

 

The fact that Volvo don't make bicycles is lamented.

[dollywobbler]

Ugh. Had a gander at the Mk1 BX yesterday, to try and work out why the front end knocks more than a Jehova's witness. I think the steering rack is knackered. I've been offered one cheap, but meh. I shall be taking For Sale signs with me to the big Citroen meeting in Harrogate at the weekend. Definitely time for a fleet overhaul. I would very much like to replace my two knackered BXs with one nice one. Preferably before prices rise any further. You can't get a tidy one with T&T for £250 anymore.

[dollywobbler]

Ugh. Had a gander at the Mk1 BX yesterday, to try and work out why the front end knocks more than a Jehova's witness. I think the steering rack is knackered. I've been offered one cheap, but meh. I shall be taking For Sale signs with me to the big Citroen meeting in Harrogate at the weekend. Definitely time for a fleet overhaul. I would very much like to replace my two knackered BXs with one nice one. Preferably before prices rise any further. You can't get a tidy one with T&T for £250 anymore.

[Richard]

Volvo don't make bicycles

 

Incorrect.

 

DSC_0936 by RichardB5, on Flickr

[Richard]

Volvo don't make bicycles

 

Incorrect.

 

DSC_0936 by RichardB5, on Flickr

[vulgalour]

Remember that two-tone grey Lancia Flavia that was in the eBay thread? I've just been told it's being delivered now. I have asked for pictures and will be insisting on an update on it.

[vulgalour]

Remember that two-tone grey Lancia Flavia that was in the eBay thread? I've just been told it's being delivered now. I have asked for pictures and will be insisting on an update on it.

[Cavcraft]

I've just bid on something REALLY stupid* on eBay. There's still a few hours to go and bid is hopelessly low but you it had to be worth a bash.

 

*Modern, shite bordering on shit and with problems aplenty.

[Cavcraft]

I've just bid on something REALLY stupid* on eBay. There's still a few hours to go and bid is hopelessly low but you it had to be worth a bash.

 

*Modern, shite bordering on shit and with problems aplenty.

[rml2345]

Sounds like a decent plan to me Cav...

Spent the past few days trying to work out why the near side electric mirror on Telly doesn't. Motor and switch are fine so time to check the wiring... Oh joy...