What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[seth]

motorshow 89

I was there! I've still got the show guide over at my mums.

[outlaw118]

I think I went too.....didn't see Janet Ellis though, I would have been 19 and 360 days.....probably would have exploded....!!!!

[Spottedlaurel]

motorshow 89

I was there! I've still got the show guide over at my mums.

Pretty sure I went to that one too. I remember the 323F GT being on display, little knowing that some years later I'd actually own a couple of them.

 

Anyway, I'm happy as I've just spent the last 12 days in Germany (staying in Dusseldorf with Utterpiffle/Scrapman) and France on our family hol's.

 

I have a stack of photos to go through, including a couple of Kadett B, Taunus, various Peugeot 403/404's, Renault 30, and a yard full of rusty DS, CX etc Citroens and the odd Panhard. And a visit to the fantastic Mielenwerk museum.

 

In general I was surprised and impressed how much older French stuff is still to be seen - nothing earth-shattering, but loads of '80s Renaults and the like still in everyday use out in the rural areas. No 604 or Tagora though.

[dollywobbler]

This...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Qp51rEb5I

 

... driveby of my biggest pride and joy, putting out the muzaks of 680ci of Leyland's finest... excuse me while I have a moment to myself... !!!

Holy firkin smitt! That was one of ours down at North Birmingham Busways. We used to use it as a trainer. I used to look after this as everyone else was scared of that new fangled National in the fleet of Atlanteans. Gave the engine a fairly comprehensive rebuild in the frame (pistons/liners etc) late on in 2006 and gave it a coach spec fuel pump and injectors for a bit of extra poke.

 

When we got sold down the river, our new taskmasters soon decimated the fleet, including the National, it being sold to a dealer down south(Ventura, I think). My last contact with it was driving it down there in the comany of ex Manchester and Preston Atlanteans.

 

Always wondered what happened to it. Now I see it safe. this makes me grin big stylee.

Wow - I've driven that bus! Glad it's still around too. That was in the North Brum days. Had a happy hour driving it around the Wolverhampton Truck Stop car park! Also drove the Atlantean trainer the same year, same location. Probably back in 2002.

[pogweasel]

motorshow 89

I was there!

Oooh ooh me too!

First time I went, one of the best day outs of ever.

[Inspector Morose]

Wow - I've driven that bus! Glad it's still around too. That was in the North Brum days. Had a happy hour driving it around the Wolverhampton Truck Stop car park! Also drove the Atlantean trainer the same year, same location. Probably back in 2002.

Ah you will have met the affable Mick then! He now drives/trains drivers on the Parry people mover running between Stourbridge Junction and town (If Autoshite did trains)

[cms206]

This...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Qp51rEb5I

 

... driveby of my biggest pride and joy, putting out the muzaks of 680ci of Leyland's finest... excuse me while I have a moment to myself... !!!

Holy firkin smitt! That was one of ours down at North Birmingham Busways. We used to use it as a trainer. I used to look after this as everyone else was scared of that new fangled National in the fleet of Atlanteans. Gave the engine a fairly comprehensive rebuild in the frame (pistons/liners etc) late on in 2006 and gave it a coach spec fuel pump and injectors for a bit of extra poke.

 

When we got sold down the river, our new taskmasters soon decimated the fleet, including the National, it being sold to a dealer down south(Ventura, I think). My last contact with it was driving it down there in the comany of ex Manchester and Preston Atlanteans.

 

Always wondered what happened to it. Now I see it safe. this makes me grin big stylee.

Wow - I've driven that bus! Glad it's still around too. That was in the North Brum days. Had a happy hour driving it around the Wolverhampton Truck Stop car park! Also drove the Atlantean trainer the same year, same location. Probably back in 2002.

Wasn't expecting that reaction! Good to hear that she's had a bit of a rebuild of late, currently suffering from an oil leak but hopefully will be back with us again shortly. I did wonder if it had been modified slightly, as it does seem rather quick for a 680 powered National, but it does explain the slightly more Leopard sound effects and responses! I'll keep yas up to date with progress as it happens...

[michiel]

Vexed. Nice Merc SL in it too.

[brammy777]

Got back from Scotland the other day, and managed to spot quite alot of stuff considering how uncommon seeing anything pre 1996ish is now. But everything rusts, I saw alot of rusty cars which would usually be fairly good with the stuff further south. That ratlook Lada van also drove past me in Perth and it sounds pretty loud and clattery. Its a really nice country (well the parts I went to) and the weather held up really well.

[greengartside]

The sound of the National's engines used to scare me as a child!

 

My old man used to work for Eastern Counties in Norwich (Now First Eastern or whatever name it is this week) between 1986-88.

There were a few LN's there and I remember running away from them to hide behind a bigger bus; a Bristol VR usually! They don't scare me now they do have a presence on the road when they are about!

[cms206]

Got back from Scotland the other day, and managed to spot quite alot of stuff considering how uncommon seeing anything pre 1996ish is now. But everything rusts, I saw alot of rusty cars which would usually be fairly good with the stuff further south. That ratlook Lada van also drove past me in Perth and it sounds pretty loud and clattery. Its a really nice country (well the parts I went to) and the weather held up really well.

 

... hate to say I told you so! Things don't seem to last up here, though the things that do tend to be either clinging to an MOT certificate by the skin of their teeth or superb oddities. Glad the weather held up for you, but I suspect you may have brought it with you as it started pissing down again today...

 

... please do call again, it's a nice country... honest... !!!

 

(c. Scottish Tourist Board... !)

[Pete-M]

Just nipped up to where the local cruise happens to see what the boy racers up there are doing nowadays. As I approached I gave the Jag a little bit of excessive welly, as ya do. Pulled up, got out and spotted the Dibble 3 series waiting opposite where the car crowd were sitting.

 

The dibble 3 series I'd probably just gone past at Warp factor 7.

 

Parked up and went to have a look at what the kids are using to terrorise the locals nowadays. Some pretty nicely turned out motors there, couple of huge BHP Skylines and Imprezas, couple of Focus RS's, few old RS Turbos and the usual multitude of small, cheap to insure, finance special spec Corsas etc with big exhausts and loud stereos.

 

As I'm talking to a few of them someone started up an extremely noisy Impreza and blarted it out of the car park at a fair old rate. Probably not much, if any, quicker than I'd approached the place earlier, but the Subaru sounded like the four horsemen of the apocalypse after a drunken night on the karaoke covering Tom Jones tunes.

 

Dibble's 330d was out of the blocks and on his tail within nanoseconds. Blue flashing lights a-plenty.

 

Ten minutes later I wafted off home, being very sensible indeed in the Jag, and passed said Subaru and Dibble in a layby without Dibble even registering the nice, quiet, sensible Jag.

 

Sometimes, it's great being a sensible looking middle aged petrolhead.

[warren t claim]

Merseyplod have a 330d????? I know we have an umarked 3.0 Xtype but the 3 series is news to me. Colour, Spec, Reg please!

[Pete-M]

Merseyplod have a 330d????? I know we have an umarked 3.0 Xtype but the 3 series is news to me. Colour, Spec, Reg please!

Wasn't Merseyplod, was Greater (hah) Manchester Plod, and marked up. Definately the 330d as it went after the Subaru rather a lot more quickly than any 320d I've seen and sounded quite a bit silkier than the 320d does. Definate largish 6 pot diesel snarliness going on.

 

Merseyplod have a few unmarked dark blue / green / red / grey 530/5d jobs on the motorways, and there's an unmarked, dark grey, 330d Touring that operates out of Smithdown Lane, along with the usual V70s and X-types.

[Guest]

Merseyplod have a 330d????? I know we have an umarked 3.0 Xtype but the 3 series is news to me. Colour, Spec, Reg please!

Wasn't Merseyplod, was Greater (hah) Manchester Plod, and marked up. Definately the 330d as it went after the Subaru rather a lot more quickly than any 320d I've seen and sounded quite a bit silkier than the 320d does. Definate largish 6 pot diesel snarliness going on.

 

Merseyplod have a few unmarked dark blue / green / red / grey 530/5d jobs on the motorways, and there's an unmarked, dark grey, 330d Touring that operates out of Smithdown Lane, along with the usual V70s and X-types.

GNP (lol) have several unmarked 530d wagons in the same grey as FATHA_WAT'S.

 

That's confusing.

[warren t claim]

Merseyplod have a 330d????? I know we have an umarked 3.0 Xtype but the 3 series is news to me. Colour, Spec, Reg please!

Wasn't Merseyplod, was Greater (hah) Manchester Plod, and marked up. Definately the 330d as it went after the Subaru rather a lot more quickly than any 320d I've seen and sounded quite a bit silkier than the 320d does. Definate largish 6 pot diesel snarliness going on.

 

Merseyplod have a few unmarked dark blue / green / red / grey 530/5d jobs on the motorways, and there's an unmarked, dark grey, 330d Touring that operates out of Smithdown Lane, along with the usual V70s and X-types.

We still have the black unmarked Vectra (PO54NVP) prowling around IIRC.

[Lord Sterling]

This...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Qp51rEb5I

 

... driveby of my biggest pride and joy, putting out the muzaks of 680ci of Leyland's finest... excuse me while I have a moment to myself... !!!

Thanks for putting this up cms, the Leyland National is one of my favourite busses. Spent many a year as a being driven around Telford in a "Midland Red" one of these.

 

Incidentally, I many years ago I used to play a game called, Midtown Madness, you could download cars and play them in the game, I downloaded a Leyland National bus with very good detail and the exact engine noise they made. Brought back some good memories. Its probably the closest I'm gonna get to driving a bus though.

 

Been having a look at the other Leyland busses, (Lynx etc...) just makes me want to drive busses even more.

[Negative Creep]

The internet is actually working again. So I've used this time to send my cv to another 4 companies for them to ignore

[ChinaTom]

Pete, you seem to be enjoying the Jag. If you're planning on keeping it for a bit, it would be interesting to swap keys for an hour or so. I hear a lot of debates regarding s/c6 vs n/aV12.

[Negative Creep]

[michiel]

^Huge ROFL^

Hurts a bit actually.

[trigger]

That's pretty funny atually!

[Pete-M]

Pete, you seem to be enjoying the Jag. If you're planning on keeping it for a bit, it would be interesting to swap keys for an hour or so. I hear a lot of debates regarding s/c6 vs n/aV12.

Yeah, could do.

 

Next time I'll be anywhere near Norfolk in it will be on my trip back from Czech around the 25th September. Will you be around? Will your Jag?

 

I had an XJS V12 years ago, but the bloody thing only ran right when it felt like. Smooth and quiet, but without the sheer muscle of the XJR. The XJR can be driven like a 'normal' car most of the time and turns into a tyre smokin' loony machine with ease. I do enjoy it.

[Station]

I didn't know you'd got a Jag!

 

Today I swapped the master cylinder for a working one from a scrapyard. I craftily bolted my old 100% unworking servo onto the back and got a whole complete working unit as a 'return' swap. It wasn't meant to work out that way, but the bloke was completely indifferent to what I had and just said swap it.

 

I also made 60 quid from parts I'll never need again, I think I've made about 400 quid so far. GR8.

[Station]

The internet is actually working again. So I've used this time to send my cv to another 4 companies for them to ignore

When I lost my job in late 2008 I applied to 100 companies in the UK and abroad. I got 1 interview (which was for lip service as they didn't have to shell out of going through a recruitment agency), and rather shockingly, 1 single reply. Out of one hundred companies I applied for, I heard back from one! I thought 'fuck this' and got a job as a pizza delivery driver, I was told 'keep my chin up', but those odds are fucking impossible.

[RedSparrow]

The nerds trying to sound tough on Robot Wars is providing the lulz at the moment.

 

Maybe I am a nerd for watching though...

[ChinaTom]

Pete, you seem to be enjoying the Jag. If you're planning on keeping it for a bit, it would be interesting to swap keys for an hour or so. I hear a lot of debates regarding s/c6 vs n/aV12.

Yeah, could do.

 

Next time I'll be anywhere near Norfolk in it will be on my trip back from Czech around the 25th September. Will you be around? Will your Jag?

 

I had an XJS V12 years ago, but the bloody thing only ran right when it felt like. Smooth and quiet, but without the sheer muscle of the XJR. The XJR can be driven like a 'normal' car most of the time and turns into a tyre smokin' loony machine with ease. I do enjoy it.

I'll pm you nearer the time - aiming to be in UK for some of Sept. Mine should be ready by then.

[155V6]

The nerds trying to sound tough on Robot Wars is providing the lulz at the moment.

 

Maybe I am a nerd for watching though...

I could never take Robot Wars seriously after Phoenix Nights

[brammy777]

The nerds trying to sound tough on Robot Wars is providing the lulz at the moment.

 

Maybe I am a nerd for watching though...

Depends on why youre watching it I guess, if its just for the laughs and destruction then no, you arent!

I used to watch it all the time back when it was on channel two and actually decent, bare in mind this was when I wasnt even double figures. I used to hate Chaos 2. I reckon the autoshite entry was Cassius.... but Ill stop there to make sure some of you actually remember it.

[RedSparrow]

Balls.

I do remember Cassius.

Me = FTL.