What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[oldcars]

Rather a long grin, but I am on a week's holiday this week in a lovely, cosy and comfy cottage and it has just started to snow rather heavily.

 

This is pretty much the ideal week off for me, and today I'm feeling sentimental so I just wanted to share with you all how sentimental I get.

 

I am a frequent visitor to my local scrapyard - the owner knows me quite well by now and usually we have a good rap about life and our weeks at work and so on. With my regular visits to the yard I get to know the vehicles that are occupying the yard and I enjoy photographing and documenting them on the internet and finding out their past histories using the service history books which I usually end up buying (I have a huge plastic storage box of the things) - not something the average car enthusiast would buy but what the hell, I enjoy it.

Anyway, I digress....

...I usually make the pilgramage to the yard at the run up to Christmas for a final look around before we all close up for the year and go home to celebrate the festive season. I am a sentimental old fool and I love getting into the Christmas spirit, so by the last few days before the big day I am in total sentimental overdrive with the spirit of Christmas and the last visit at the yard is a visit that's full of excitement and sadness. Excitement about the Christmas feeling but sadness that the cars in the yard are all without owners and will be spending the festivities in a cold and lonely yard by themselves instead of being on someone's driveway or roadside covered in snow, or being driven to the garden centre or supermarket for some last-minute shopping or doing the Christmas card run. Cars with no doors or windows, engines and gearboxes missing - utterly vulnerable to the elements, I do believe that cars have feelings. Call me mad but I do think they must realise when they are out of use and not wanted any more.

So every year, I get overly attached to certain cars that end up in the yard and Christmas time exacerbates the sentimental feelings I have for them, when everyone is waking up on Christmas morning and opening presents and then sitting down for the feast of a dinner I will spare a thought or two about that poor little car sat in the yard and it not seeing the enjoyment of another Christmas any more because by the time the next one comes around it will be reduced into nothing more than baked bean tin sized pieces.

I have felt like this for a few years and so below is a list of the cars that I have wished were away from the jaws of the crusher at Christmas time.

2009 & 2010 - Austin Allegro 1.3L - KEX 62V - Registered February 1980, scrapped in 2007 (Off the road since 1990)

KEX 62V (2) by greengartside, on Flickr

 

2011 - Ford Fiesta XR2 - C325 HTW - Registered September 1985, scrapped in 2011 (Off the road since 2001)

C325 HTW - Ford Fiesta XR2 - September 1985 by greengartside, on Flickr

2012 - Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec - X358 UUB - Registered January 2001, scrapped in 2012.

X358 UUB - Ford Focus 1.8i Zetec - January 2001 by greengartside, on Flickr

2013 - Ford Sierra 2.0 GLS - K392 JVG - Registered March 1993, scrapped in 2013.

K392 JVG - Ford Sierra Sapphire 2.0 GLSi - March 1993 by greengartside, on Flickr

2014 - Skoda Felicia 1.3 Popular - X717 ABU - Registered September 2000, scrapped in 2014.

X717 ABU - Skoda Felicia 1.3i Popular - September 2000 by greengartside, on Flickr

2015 - Ford Ka 1.3i Luxury - X331 SDX - Registered December 2000, scrapped in 2015.

Y331 SDX - Ford Ka 1.3 Luxury - April 2001 by greengartside, on Flickr

2016 - Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 DTi SRi - KW54 DGU - Registered January 2005, scrapped in 2016.

KW54 DGU - Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 DTi SRi - January 2005 by greengartside, on Flickr

With the festive season rapidly approaching, I have already found the car that will be this year's sentimental overload for me.

 

This little Fiesta....

AU52 WZS - Ford Fiesta 1.4 Ghia - September 2002 by greengartside, on Flickr

 

2017 - Ford Fiesta 1.4i Ghia - AU52 WZS - Registered September 2002, scrapped October 2017.

 

This lovely Metropolis Blue Ghia has just arrived into the yard and hasn't made it's way through to the back field as yet. The driver's rear door has already been taken off it and I have salvaged the front grille, along with some bulbs and other things. Supplied new by local Ford dealers, Busseys of Norwich, it has only covered just over 85,000 miles since it hit the road in September, 2002.

Sadly it is unclear as to why it has ended up in the yard, as the M.o.T was still valid when it arrived and the engine has low mileage for the year. I hope it wasn't a victim of the much-hated Scrappage Scheme but it looks very likely it was. Sad to think that this Fiesta could have been given a new lease of life by a new owner but this is all now very much academic.

So this Christmas I will be enjoying the festivities like everyone else, but I will be remembering and celebrating the life of this little machine and at least a few of it's parts will be living on - in my shed.

R.I.P Little guy.

 

Loved reading that, well written. Sums up this place really 

[dollywobbler]

I just had a look in my online bank to find that HSBC have today given me £550 PPI compensation for a £4000 loan I took out 17 years ago (which, needless to say I wasted on shite)

 

I've just had my bank say they're giving me a fair chunk more than that in PPI compensation for many loans I seem to have taken when I was young and foolish. However, I'm very grateful that I was young and foolish now! Best of all, I've merrily told any cold-calling PPI sharks to bloody do one, and decided to investigate myself. Which was a piece of piss - as I suspected it would be.

[The Moog]

Loved reading that, well written. Sums up this place really

This and datsuncogs recent missive certainly are great things to read.

[beko1987]

I'm 90% sure I've gone back to being the oldest car in the work car park! This makes me happy

 

[greengartside]

And are those cars still in the yard now?

 

Sadly only the blue Fiesta remains IIRC.

[Supernaut]

Yesterday I got a passenger ride in both an Audi S4 and an E30 BMW 316 that actually had an E46 328 engine in it, plus I even got a shot of a Clio 172!

 

 

Then today, I found out what it would look like if Autoshite did interior decor.

 

 

I have also spent yesterday evening and most of the day today annoying Heidel_Kakao's dogs at any opportunity. They are incredibly cute.

[Guest Hooli]

That's how I imagine Mercrocker's house.

[Alfamale]

RE: GreenGartSides post.

 

I believe that most machinery has a soul, it's hard not to when you build a connection with something.

 

Yes I am going a bit soft as I gallop towards middle age.

[Pillock]

Spent a total of about half an hour winding up some ambulance chaser today.

 

Phones from an 020 3xxx number which are VOIP and often used by these clowns. Spent ages giving him loads of details about myself and the four people in my car when we were hit from behind. Various little bits about sore necks etc.

 

Finally he asks for the reg. I give him the first half of my car, two characters from my old car and then hit mute.

Asks me to repeat it. Same again. And again. Start playing with mute whilst I'm talking, "sorry pal it's a really bad li" and hang up. Block the number.

 

Calls back ten minutes later from a different number. Starts asking for the reg, I start having a conversation with someone else in the room (I'm sat at home on my own). "No, not in that drawer. The other one. Above it. No, not there."

Speak into phone - "hold on mate, just gotta go and sort this out". Place phone on table, on mute. He hangs up after 5 minutes. Block number.

 

Phones back from ANOTHER 020 3 number. Straight in with "so I just need the registration number" and I'm all out of ideas so I told him to sod off. And blocked him.

 

Just looked at my phone and there's four missed calls from a fourth number so blocked that too

[seth]

I dunno what you were doing today but I'll bet you didn't see as many Cherry/Arna derivations as I did.

[FakeConcern]

Sat behind a police car in traffic jam in Brighton today, a car in front decides the rules don't apply and goes down the wrong side of the road and past some traffic islands to get one up on everyone else. Police car lights up blue flashers and zooms after it. Result!

[FakeConcern]

Spent a total of about half an hour winding up some ambulance chaser today.

 

Phones from an 020 3xxx number which are VOIP and often used by these clowns. Spent ages giving him loads of details about myself and the four people in my car when we were hit from behind. Various little bits about sore necks etc.

 

Finally he asks for the reg. I give him the first half of my car, two characters from my old car and then hit mute.

Asks me to repeat it. Same again. And again. Start playing with mute whilst I'm talking, "sorry pal it's a really bad li" and hang up. Block the number.

 

Calls back ten minutes later from a different number. Starts asking for the reg, I start having a conversation with someone else in the room (I'm sat at home on my own). "No, not in that drawer. The other one. Above it. No, not there."

Speak into phone - "hold on mate, just gotta go and sort this out". Place phone on table, on mute. He hangs up after 5 minutes. Block number.

 

Phones back from ANOTHER 020 3 number. Straight in with "so I just need the registration number" and I'm all out of ideas so I told him to sod off. And blocked him.

 

Just looked at my phone and there's four missed calls from a fourth number so blocked that too

Mrs Concern just tells them "Fuck off and don't call back!" I'm a bit* more diplomatic.

[strangeangel]

Spent a total of about half an hour winding up some ambulance chaser today.

 

When I have time on my hands that's something I occasionally do too. I tell them that I have indeed had an accident, but it has resulted in memory loss issues. Like you I then go into great detail, only to forget that I had an accident at all minutes later. "Accident? No love, I haven't had an accident. Who are you again?". I let them read some of the details back (which are generally horrific - the accident* usually goes along the lines of me being pissed up and crashing into a bus shelter, killing everyone. Invariably, the call centre monkey never breaks their stride - the claim is clearly all that matters) and then I remember. And then I forget, etc.

 

I'm not quite as good as you though, the best I've managed is 20 minutes!

[dollywobbler]

I dunno what you were doing today but I'll bet you didn't see as many Cherry/Arna derivations as I did.

 

Did you end up in Lincolnshire?

[purplebargeken]

I normally say to them, which one? I've had xx this year and can't remember all the details. It can drag on depending on how bored I am. It's fun.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I'm 90% sure I've gone back to being the oldest car in the work car park! This makes me happy

IMG_20171130_151840.jpg

As a bonus you can also use this picture to send to YPLAC. What is that crossover thing?

[omegod]

Just fixed my mates lads clio, total non starter and he's got a baby to move about, new crank sensor, plugs,leads and coil pack as the lot was minging and it's now purring like a kitten so he's well happy, total cost £60 odd. It was fucking freezing though 

 

I break Omegas and have sent parts far and wide but tonight's request for a grille to go to Israel was interesting, £40 postage so we'll see if he's happy with that 

[Asimo]

Thank fuck for modern, painless, Dentistry.

[Brodders]

I break Omegas and have sent parts far and wide but tonight's request for a grille to go to Israel was interesting, £40 postage so we'll see if he's happy with that

Have you ever had anyone from North America ask you send a Vauxhall grill over there to put on their Catera?

 

Genuine question, as I have heard of people over here considering putting a Cadillac grill on an Omega, and wonder whether it ever happens the other way round.

[hairnet]

looking at tickets for aha in the summer

 

its at bloomfield road

 

omd are support

 

theres a thing on the website that says oh if youre going to yeovil omd arent playing - you get marc almond instead

 

id be all over a refund for that

[clayts450]

OMD deffo, but I'd rather see Marc Almond than a-ha...

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I have just installed a smart thermostat! Now I can turn my heating on remotely with a text message!

 

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

I have just installed a smart thermostat! Now I can turn my heating on remotely with a text message!

 

 

I could watch that for hours!

[purplebargeken]

^^ rather that than Aha.

[Tamworthbay]

Thank fuck for modern, painless, Dentistry.

Really? How does that work? No injections or drills? Expensive? (I fucking hate dentists and haven’t been in years but probably should)

[omegod]

Have you ever had anyone from North America ask you send a Vauxhall grill over there to put on their Catera?

 

Genuine question, as I have heard of people over here considering putting a Cadillac grill on an Omega, and wonder whether it ever happens the other way round.

 

Not America as yet, guy from Holland wanted to "Vauxhallise" his Opel and got a full kit off me  

[The Moog]

Really? How does that work? No injections or drills? Expensive? (I fucking hate dentists and haven’t been in years but probably should)

Had root canal couple of weeks ago. Relatively painless, they used topical anaesthetic before even doing the injections.

 

Unlike my old dentist who used to leap out of darkened corners with a needle 10ft long then stabbing you in the face, before telling you to wait 10 mins in reception.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Rather a long grin, but I am on a week's holiday this week in a lovely, cosy and comfy cottage and it has just started to snow rather heavily.

 

This is pretty much the ideal week off for me, and today I'm feeling sentimental so I just wanted to share with you all how sentimental I get.

 

I am a frequent visitor to my local scrapyard - the owner knows me quite well by now and usually we have a good rap about life and our weeks at work and so on. With my regular visits to the yard I get to know the vehicles that are occupying the yard and I enjoy photographing and documenting them on the internet and finding out their past histories using the service history books which I usually end up buying (I have a huge plastic storage box of the things) - not something the average car enthusiast would buy but what the hell, I enjoy it.

Anyway, I digress....

...I usually make the pilgramage to the yard at the run up to Christmas for a final look around before we all close up for the year and go home to celebrate the festive season. I am a sentimental old fool and I love getting into the Christmas spirit, so by the last few days before the big day I am in total sentimental overdrive with the spirit of Christmas and the last visit at the yard is a visit that's full of excitement and sadness. Excitement about the Christmas feeling but sadness that the cars in the yard are all without owners and will be spending the festivities in a cold and lonely yard by themselves instead of being on someone's driveway or roadside covered in snow, or being driven to the garden centre or supermarket for some last-minute shopping or doing the Christmas card run. Cars with no doors or windows, engines and gearboxes missing - utterly vulnerable to the elements, I do believe that cars have feelings. Call me mad but I do think they must realise when they are out of use and not wanted any more.

So every year, I get overly attached to certain cars that end up in the yard and Christmas time exacerbates the sentimental feelings I have for them, when everyone is waking up on Christmas morning and opening presents and then sitting down for the feast of a dinner I will spare a thought or two about that poor little car sat in the yard and it not seeing the enjoyment of another Christmas any more because by the time the next one comes around it will be reduced into nothing more than baked bean tin sized pieces.

I have felt like this for a few years and so below is a list of the cars that I have wished were away from the jaws of the crusher at Christmas time.

2009 & 2010 - Austin Allegro 1.3L - KEX 62V - Registered February 1980, scrapped in 2007 (Off the road since 1990)

KEX 62V (2) by greengartside, on Flickr

 

2011 - Ford Fiesta XR2 - C325 HTW - Registered September 1985, scrapped in 2011 (Off the road since 2001)C325 HTW - Ford Fiesta XR2 - September 1985 by greengartside, on Flickr

2012 - Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec - X358 UUB - Registered January 2001, scrapped in 2012.X358 UUB - Ford Focus 1.8i Zetec - January 2001 by greengartside, on Flickr

2013 - Ford Sierra 2.0 GLS - K392 JVG - Registered March 1993, scrapped in 2013.K392 JVG - Ford Sierra Sapphire 2.0 GLSi - March 1993 by greengartside, on Flickr

2014 - Skoda Felicia 1.3 Popular - X717 ABU - Registered September 2000, scrapped in 2014.X717 ABU - Skoda Felicia 1.3i Popular - September 2000 by greengartside, on Flickr

2015 - Ford Ka 1.3i Luxury - X331 SDX - Registered December 2000, scrapped in 2015.Y331 SDX - Ford Ka 1.3 Luxury - April 2001 by greengartside, on Flickr

2016 - Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 DTi SRi - KW54 DGU - Registered January 2005, scrapped in 2016.KW54 DGU - Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 DTi SRi - January 2005 by greengartside, on Flickr

With the festive season rapidly approaching, I have already found the car that will be this year's sentimental overload for me.

 

This little Fiesta....AU52 WZS - Ford Fiesta 1.4 Ghia - September 2002 by greengartside, on Flickr

 

2017 - Ford Fiesta 1.4i Ghia - AU52 WZS - Registered September 2002, scrapped October 2017.

 

This lovely Metropolis Blue Ghia has just arrived into the yard and hasn't made it's way through to the back field as yet. The driver's rear door has already been taken off it and I have salvaged the front grille, along with some bulbs and other things. Supplied new by local Ford dealers, Busseys of Norwich, it has only covered just over 85,000 miles since it hit the road in September, 2002.

Sadly it is unclear as to why it has ended up in the yard, as the M.o.T was still valid when it arrived and the engine has low mileage for the year. I hope it wasn't a victim of the much-hated Scrappage Scheme but it looks very likely it was. Sad to think that this Fiesta could have been given a new lease of life by a new owner but this is all now very much academic.

So this Christmas I will be enjoying the festivities like everyone else, but I will be remembering and celebrating the life of this little machine and at least a few of it's parts will be living on - in my shed.

R.I.P Little guy.

 

I was waiting for the bit at the end:

 

Just £10 a month will end the suffering for these poor innocent creatures. Fill your direct debit details in here

[fordperv]

Not America as yet, guy from Holland wanted to "Vauxhallise" his Opel and got a full kit off me

Is that because all opels are shit in their culture?

[seth]

Did you end up in Lincolnshire?

 

I was picking up a lathe north of Boston so made a detour home via blizzard conditions near Louth.