What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[xtriple]

My friend Betty came round today. Not seen her in ages (since her dog died ) and she is not in the best of health herself as she is 83 and breathless - open heart surgery soon. She is a cracking old lass: posh without being prissy and a lovely gentle lady. I think the world of her. Also, I am after her car!

 

It is an 'S' reg Fiesta Ghia she has had from new, pretty scuffed around the passenger side wing and the bumpers are, er, scraped somewhat but it is in lovely condition and only just done 30.000 miles! I told her to hurry up and snuff it and leave the car to me!

 

Then I wonder why I don't keep many friends....

[Timewaster]

78 or 98?

 

 

Oh, and I hope she gets better soon.

[DeeJay]

I'll have the mazda.

[fordperv]

Bugger it I'll look after his dogs

[Spottedlaurel]

Second attempt by the garage at cleaning up the carb on the little Datsun 1200 seems to have been successful (fingers crossed). It's now the cheeky thing to drive I knew it should be.

 

Not saying it'll be the choice of transport for holidays in France or anything, and it's still something of a roadblock on fast A-roads, but it will be good fun for nipping around the countryside.

[andy18s]

 

 

It is an 'S' reg Fiesta Ghia she has had from new, pretty scuffed around the passenger side wing and the bumpers are, er, scraped somewhat

She didn't park it anywhere near the Mazda by any chance.......

[xtriple]

May I just say, you are all nasty bastards... I feel quite at home

[andy18s]

Had a week off work and managed to get a fair bit done around the place

Trying and failing to get some sort of order in the garage and shed,

Went back into work today and found out my welding department is getting a 10% payrise,as of today !

It appears that having 1 agency lad walk out after 4 hours,and 1 of the other permanent staff threaten to leave has forced management to reconsider their decision not to award any payrises this year.....

[Aston Martin]

Wait a second, you can but Tomoseseses brand new???

 

 

 

 

http://tomosgb.com

[bub2006]

What a lovely morning in cornwall. Haveto drive for phone signal though!

[strangeangel]

Wait a second, you can but Tomoseseses brand new???

 

 

 

 

http://tomosgb.com

 

You can, but they're properly expensive for what they are. As nice as they look, you'd have to really want a stone-age eastern European 2-stroke pedal'n'pop - that's all but useless in modern traffic - to pay £1100+ for one.

[oldcars]

What a lovely morning in cornwall. Haveto drive for phone signal though!

Are you away with the caravan?

[oldcars]

Was away with the caravan for 2 night. Pulled into the pitch and a chap comes over. Says how clean and well looked after the 75 is, made my day 

[bub2006]

This is a free holiday a friend had so no caravan this time. It will be at shitefest though. Been to see twosmoke too. Top fella tjanks for the tyre

[Bobthebeard]

Bought a decrepit 1963 NSU Quickly about 18 months ago with the intention* of doing it up and selling it. Did sod all to it and just put in the shed. As the sun is shining today and the mojo kicked in I dragged it out to have a look.

It is, er, patinated in the extreme. Surface rust on everything that was once chromed and furry alloy bits. Seat in tatters, tyres perished and falling apart, spokes so rusted they look like thin wires. You get the picture...

However the engine turned over by hand so what the heck. Disconnected the fuel pipe from the tank, (petrol tap seized) tipped some 25:1 petroil down the fuel pipe until it was full and tentatively pushed down on a pedal.

It fired, once. Encouraged I pedalled again and it only started and ran perfectly!

Lovely blue haze and the old familiar smell of two stroke fumes!

Am encouraged. AFAIK the thing hasn't been run or ridden in the last thirty years.

[Alfamale]

I am writing this from the rooftop of my parents villa in the south of Italy. The weather is great, as is the food, but being a non-touristy, dry, agricultural kind of area the place is choca with old chod. Pictures to follow when I can be ared to get off the sun lounger and take the camera out.

[beko1987]

Just helped a neighbor (the same bloke who's golf I serviced) replace a small split coolant hose under the thermostat of his astra Van. Was quite fun, he bought beer, and we tinkered in the sun for an hour, and he gave me twenty quid.

 

Was quite a big split in a small hose though, no wonder he said it took 9 litres to limp back home 4 miles...

[twosmoke300]

Let me guess - a 1.7 diesel Astra ?

The small pipes on those split for a past time

[beko1987]

Yes, 1.7! I'm glad you said that, had half a thought the stat could be stuck closed and pressurising.

 

We reassembled it with all the clips facing the right way too so if there's a next time it will save 20 mins

[Tamworthbay]

Working in the dolomite this evening and an old guy walks up and starts chatting (it happens a lot), turns out he has a midget he has owned for forty years and wants to get on the road before he pops his clogs. I offered to help getting it running and give an opinion as to what will be needed (it's been garaged for twenty years). Hoping it's not too bad and the old fella can get some fun out of it for not too much money.

[trigger]

For years there's been a SD1 around the corner that I've been admiring under a sheet, i have infact posted about it here a few times.

 

Well on Sunday i was giving the Astra a quick road test as it's not very well at the moment and i saw the Rover out on the road for the first. As the Astra was struggling to get up the hill in first i thought I'd pull over and take a look.

 

 

 

The owner came out and we had a chat, he's a Rover perv whos owned this one since 2001, it's only done around 60000 miles and is in lovely condition considering the lack of use it gets.

 

 

He said he's also got a Y reg 2000 base model in the garage thats been off the road at least 6 years as it needs some jobs doing.

 

 

[twosmoke300]

Id be changing all the small pipes on that Astra now . Another will go within 2 months I bet ya

[michael1703]

That exhaust fannymold is a fair old slab on that sd1

 

Lovely car though

[Vantman]

 

Fill her up and check my oil and tyres please.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Today I am in Manchester ( well nearest hotel I could find in Bury) to see The Boss tonight at the Etihad.

Just leaving hotel room in search of food. Also I am feeling lucky about, 2 raffles tonight.

 

I think Elbow had a song about how I'm feeling!

[Spottedlaurel]

For years there's been a SD1 around the corner that I've been admiring under a sheet, i have infact posted about it here a few times.

 

Well on Sunday i was giving the Astra a quick road test as it's not very well at the moment and i saw the Rover out on the road for the first. As the Astra was struggling to get up the hill in first i thought I'd pull over and take a look.

 

Interesting to see. Looks like it might have a Riddelsdell Bros sticker in the rear window?

 

There used to be a couple of SD1 fanciers in town who had cars parked-up long term. One was on Norwich Road, in a house just before the park, and the other was on Valley Road. Not sure if either of them are still there now.

 

Sorry to hear the Astra’s still misbehaving itself.

[HillmanImp]

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!!!!

 

BUS DRIVER REVERSES BUS!

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-36377627

 

I've been driving buses for about 17 years and that's where your training kicks in. You just do it."

 

 

Watch out Keanu, looks like we have a new Jack Travers for the Speed remake. 

[Guest Hooli]

Wow he managed to reverse, well done that man. It's a real struggle that & I speak as an ex bus/coach driver...

[Captain Furious]

Appraisal today at work, extremely fair review from my manager, expected payrise given, realistic targets set for next year.

 

I think its the first time in my working life I've actually come out of one on a high.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I cycled to work today, second time in a week which is a victory as I haven't done that since last year (36 mile round trip). Now I've just had jersey royals, broccoli and proper butchers shop sausages for tea and next I'm going to bed. Flippin brilliant!