What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[mrbenn]

This week has turned into quite a trying time due to a couple of unexpected events. Two things of note have helped me, one of which has been the patience and understanding shown to me by one of our number. He knows who he is and I greatly appreciate it.

The other is this torque wrench. This used to be owned by a guy called Victor who lived across the road. I'll try not to go on, but he was a brilliant chap. He'd owned, driven, crashed and rebuilt some amazing cars over his driving career. He used to regale me with tales of the cars he'd worked on in the street outside his house, the scrapes he and his friend's had got into when they were younger and the "solutions" he'd employed to keep things moving. He had so many stories, often hilarious and all fascinating. He'd forgotten more about cars than I will ever know, and was always willing and ready to offer advice or lend a hand.

Victor died almost exactly 6 years ago, quite suddenly. One of my final memories of him was seeing him stride over the road, this time with torque wrench in hand, ready to help me when I'd got stuck with something (again). I can picture him so clearly, even down to what he was wearing, almost as if he were walking across the road to help me right now. For some reason, I guess due to this strong image stamped on my memory, I had often wondered what happened to this torque wrench. I assumed a family member had taken it to use, or perhaps it was left in the boot of his car when it was sold after his death. Imagine how I felt when his wife called me over to see if I wanted some old tool, as she had no use for it. She opened the cupboard and brought this out. Stupid as it sounds, it was all I could do not to burst into tears in front of her. I did briefly explain I remember him using it, and was chuffed to have it but left it at that so as not to risk upsetting her.

Suffice to say I'm over the moon to see it again, never mind own it. I have three other torque wrenches so I don't "need" it, but none of them have anything close to the value of this one.

[Cavcraft]

Our dog's celebrity mates doing agility training...

 

 

 

[gm]

This is getting a bit silly in here now  

 

[gm]

mx5 track day wheels x 4

mx5 alloys x 4 (sold pending collection)

bini steelies with fecked tyres x 4 (intended for the mazda road tyres but bought a week too late) 

winter tyres x 4 (in a size that fit neither of my current cars )

I also need to fit a mountain bike in there, it’s a bit of a squeeze - still, might keep the wasps away  

[The Moog]

#jealous #lifegoals

[Wack]

On 6/28/2019 at 6:00 PM, Tamworthbay said:

Walking back to the CJ at Asda this afternoon when I spy an Aston convertible park up next to it. As I get closer I hear the female passenger saying how cool the CJ was and ‘I bet it doesn’t cost them £2000 for a service’. I couldn’t resist a cheeky grin as I got in.

He's with the wrong woman , I bet he's had "let's take my car it does double mpg to yours" as well

Not that those words have ever been said to me

[rainagain]

8 hours ago, gm said:

mx5 track day wheels x 4

mx5 alloys x 4 (sold pending collection)

bini steelies with fecked tyres x 4 (intended for the mazda road tyres but bought a week too late) 

winter tyres x 4 (in a size that fit neither of my current cars )

I also need to fit a mountain bike in there, it’s a bit of a squeeze - still, might keep the wasps away  

What size are the winter tyres?

[gm]

1 hour ago, rainagain said:

What size are the winter tyres?

 

they are zeta antarctica 5 in size 205/55/16 91h with between 6-7mm on them, I'd be looking for around £100 for them ? 

[rainagain]

Right size but I’d only be after two of them as I’m a skin flint that likes to live dangerously. 

[omegod]

Was next to this guy at the lights, huge fella blasting heavy metal. I’ve seen this robin a few times loaded to the gills towing an equally loaded trailer. Guy runs an architectural salvage yard, says a robin is stage perfect vehicle ! 

[Floatylight]

Having a v.long wait at Chunnel, the grin, loads of Lotus', a Lambo, Roller etc etc, the gem though a Gold Ovlov 940 with a #volvo600 sticker...

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Managed to buy an original workshop manual for "the CX Automatic Gearbox". If I'd had this early last year, I might have had better warning of the thing going bang later on.

[quicksilver]

The Maxi has been pretending to be a Citroen again with an unscheduled trip to the D Rally this afternoon.

Lots of gorgeous DSs but this was the real highlight - a RHD UK-market genuine Decapotable. A similar car sold for more than £170,000 recently!

This 'D-crap by Harri Crapron' is more in our price range though

Astroturf carpets, gaffa taped seats and no roof whatsoever. Perfect*

Mirror-image blue Safaris are pretty special too

A most pleasant afternoon out, finished off with a visit to Mrs6C and a glass of her famous cider.

[anonymous user]

I went down to Pembrokeshire to visit my sister, lots of nice stuff on the roads down there, the highlight (for me) being a Morris 8 by Whitland, not sure if there was a classic rally/show somewhere as also saw a rallied up Avenger on a trailer, a few Stags and a very nice Mk3 Capri.

Also when I had a wee stop, at Swansea services on the way back, more proof that all Vauxhalls etc. Some poor sod with a Corsa with three AA vans in attendance, not sure if they were doing anything or just commiserating.

[Roobarb]

Just seen this for sale. 

Who even realized they sold Rovers this late into the US!

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/d/sterling-825/6925140312.html

[PhilA]

The fact this happened outweighs the actual sadness of the instance; today I went outside because I could hear a helicopter hovering- medivac machine slowly flying along, walked to the end of the drive and there's a procession of pretty much every ambulance, fire engine and police car in this end of the parish passing by on highway 1.

 

Local paramedic lost his life in a house fire, funeral procession. Done right.

 

I'm proud of the people round these parts sometimes.

 

 

Phil

[Snipes]

At the airport waiting for a flight to Malta.

[Frogchod]

Since SF19 my XM's throttle position sensor has made the throttle pedal feel like I'm pushing it into a bucket of gravel.

I blagged a new* TPS from Poland, it arrived in the week when I had a quick look under the bonnet and decided it looked a shit job best saved for the weekend. TPS is easily accessible but I couldn't see where it plugged into.

Turns out the plug lives under the LHM resevoir.    Airbox out, LHM reservoir out and remove a couple of air ducts, two bolts and it's done in half an hour. Big Grin

Glad that's done coz the aircon doesn't work in the Buick

New* quality* Bosch TPS in place.

 

[Lord Sterling]

Inspired by my KV6 Sterling that he saw a couple of years ago, a mate has gone out and bought an M-reg Rover 620Si !

50k miles and 2 owners from new, he just bought it for £650. He intends to use it as a weekend car. His everyday car is a Skoda Octavia.

I've got some floor mats and a possibly a bookpack somewhere which I'll give to him when I pop to Birmingham again at some point.

Edit* Looks like I don't actually have an owners manual for the 600, I do have a wallet for it though. Arse. Anyone got a bookpack they'd like to part with?

[richardmorris]

Just seen on pistonheads ( I know, but I can’t resist looking ).

 

when one just has to have a period tow vehicle.

 

[myglaren]

[anonymous user]

Loads of respect for the tow car but sadly no period trailer in that tow outfit. Years ago when I used to frequent Prescott hill climb you would still sometimes see some of the old boys in the VSCC turn up with a complete lash up of a trailer (usually with Land Rover wheels) behind a hefty tow car with a priceless vintage car on it, to thrash up the hill. Although they would be frowned on by those who drove theirs to the meet ( with wife following in grotty Morris Minor van containing wheels and tools). 

I always liked to see some of the specials, where the body had been thrown away, a couple of feet cut out of the chassis, until it was more or less riding an engine up the hill. No doubt some of these are now restored* to be something they never were in the first place.

[Garythesnail]

Mine is the green one.

[hairnet]

doing a very long weekend the end of july that involves bike, car, possibly a train boat and now

a plane

madness

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Coming back from Gatwick this morning at at about 04.00, cruise set at 85 , as it's a Monday even the lorries weren't out yet.

When I was passed by a 19 reg Audi A8 that must have been doing at least 150, it rocked my Merc in lane 1 as it went by in lane 4 . It was doing that bounce/wobble thing that usually precedes a big off, too. Although I saw no evidence of disaster.

[Kiltox]

Can’t think of a car more designed for fucking the fuck off on a motorway

not sure it’d be worth doing time over though 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

2 hours ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

Coming back from Gatwick this morning at at about 04.00, cruise set at 85 , as it's a Monday even the lorries weren't out yet.

When I was passed by a 19 reg Audi A8 that must have been doing at least 150, it rocked my Merc in lane 1 as it went by in lane 4 . It was doing that bounce/wobble thing that usually precedes a big off, too. Although I saw no evidence of disaster.

Probably just bedding-in the engine before the first dealer service....

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Have finally tracked down an offside bi-optic headlamp for the CX with very good reflectors. The asking price, though, is eye-watering compared to the shite ones I've picked up to date. Still, beggars can't be choosers so I'll have to fork out.

Blowing exhaust joint next.

[wuvvum]

Having recently discovered that MX-5 drivers wave to each other when passing, it now appears that it's also a thing with Rover 75 owners, as I got a wave earlier from a chap in a rather smart black facelift saloon.

Also on the way in to work this morning I passed a youngish lad driving rather enthusiastically round the roundabout on the northern bypass.  In a russet brown Triumph Toledo.  

[Supernaut]

Half grin, half bricking it.

I'm getting on a train on the 21st, all the way down to Stoke on Trent.

 

I'll be there for a week, then driving a van all the way back north again. Said van will also have a lot of PPE and other gear in it, related to installing and repairing fibre internet connections...

 

It's a collection mission of sorts!