What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[TimothyClaypole]

The tv and radio news constantly saying "Pussy Riot", but childish but it makes me laugh.

[willswitchengage]

Roight. Picked up the Justy today after lots of farting around cycling to and from the PO and library (West Berkshire council are excellent in this regard) to pick up insurance certificates and tax discs getting VERY hot and sweaty in the process. Discovered it doesn't have PAS and like Wuvvum says it's about 78 turns from lock to lock, and 4th and 5th gear are practically the same ratio so it'll be revving its nuts off on the motorway. Never driven a PAS-less car before, feedback in the wheel is "interesting" but somewhat fun, and I'm training at the minute so an extra arm workout can only do good

 

Not much else to report - it was only a ten mile drive home. It's very slow but as with all crap cars the engine sound is fantastic. The timing belt (oh noes!!!11) was changed five years and 11k ago, should I start worrying? I don't know. Also, is the green coloured coolant still available in shops (Halfords)? The recommended oil is quite obscure too - 15W50. Despite having rocker and distributor gaskets in the past few thousand miles, oil is still finding a leak somewhere - although it was full when I picked it up so must clearly be not too bad/only when running.

 

The service history folder that I also received is incredible - 22 years of receipts, a servicing "diary" (very handy) and hundreds of assorted 90s motoring memorabilia including an amusing letter the late owner sent to Which? magazine saying their negative review of the car was a load of tosh. Comes with an OEM service manual too which is massive but rubbish, the HOW 2 DO A TIMING BELT page is very economical on information and one instruction is simply "install belt". Still, might hazard a go one weekend. What could go wrong? Hopefully the current one should last a while longer for when apathy ultimately takes precedent.

 

Oh, the BX went too today to a club member. Turned up in the baking heat this afternoon with a spare strut etc and thought fuck it, drove two miles down the road and called the AA. Sorted

[155V6]

My Xantia,I'm sure it makes me a better & calmer driver.The air-con blows cold too,which is nice .Mind you,if I had one of those fuelly things on my profile,I'd probably have to get rid of it

[cms206]

My mate has bought a gold Montego Mayfair which four of us have spent a portion of the evening driving around Falkirk in.

 

Best night ever.

[RedSparrow]

Living the dream cms! It's saturday night so pull up outside a nightclub later. Gold Montego will guarantee lady action, in my mind anyway.

[vulgalour]

Especially if you all wear a different colour pastel linen suit and play Duran Duran exceptionally loudly from the stereo.

[Negative Creep]

At the RRG campsite now, eating a BBQ and nice and chilled out

[Des]

Last weekend Trigger posted a pic of a rather nice Pye gramophone, I'd just scored an old radio but it did somewhat pale, although it is a quite tidy little bush.

 

Today I scored this big German bastard.

 

Late 1950s with loads of buttons and knobs, 4 speakers, an FM band and a graphic equaliser.

 

Wanted sound indeed, there's a din socket on the back as well, I had no idea FM was used back then, or that there were equalisers, tweeters, there's a FM aerial built into the back with the funny wide pink ribbon cable like those on current stereos, and a wierd green valve / cathode ray tube hybrid looking thing doing the sort of job an led vu (or whatever they are) meter does now with LEDs. I'm wondering if I might find a blasted ipod dock on the thing next.

[trigger]

That is lovely!, I didn't know there was FM back even either, That must be worth a few quid.

[vulgalour]

Wunschklang... that's a satisfying word. Google translate tells me it's German for 'desired sound', but I think the German has a better ring to it than the English in this instance. I shall have to get a snap up of my ridiculous Dynatron now you guys have started posting pictures of your awesome brown klangmaschinen.

[loserone]

I shall have to get a snap up of my ridiculous Dynatron now you guys have started posting pictures of your awesome brown klangmaschinen.

 

Yes, yes you will. I have a bit of a soft spot for dynatron kit. Here's my grandparents' TV, or what's left of it (It wasn't stored very well, and I'm struggling to replace the bakelite switches in the original front panel, hence the gaping hole!)

 

Making me grin today: I've managed to clean up a hazard switch which I picked up on holiday, from the dashboard of what I think was a fiesta. I think, because there wasn't much left after being in a loch for a number of years.

 

DSC_7204.JPG by Lirgnocab, on Flickr

DSC_7205.JPG by Lirgnocab, on Flickr

DSC_7212.JPG by Lirgnocab, on Flickr

It's been very dry in Skye this year, as you can see!

[Des]

That looks a Fiesta dash, but the rest is something FWD Leyland, going from the hydrolastical pipe, but the 3 spoke steering wheel is confusing, could that mean it's a Mini Clubman? Got a Shipley quote yet?

[RedSparrow]

I was thinking something bigger, like ADO16 because of the size of the steering wheel.

Mind you you could be right in that some earlier minis had big ol steering wheels.

[morris_ital_lover]

What makes me grin...? The sound of four Rolls-Royce Olympus engines at full blast as the Vulcan flew over my house.

[willswitchengage]

Nahh,

> turbines.

 

My grin? Girl who has just moved out of our house has forgotten to change the address on her Graze food parcel deliveries, nom nom

[Lacquer Peel]

Not much else to report - it was only a ten mile drive home. It's very slow but as with all crap cars the engine sound is fantastic. The timing belt (oh noes!!!11) was changed five years and 11k ago, should I start worrying? I don't know. Also, is the green coloured coolant still available in shops (Halfords)? The recommended oil is quite obscure too - 15W50. Despite having rocker and distributor gaskets in the past few thousand miles, oil is still finding a leak somewhere - although it was full when I picked it up so must clearly be not too bad/only when running.

 

I thought my Justys were quite nippy (mostly due to the low gearing), but they were injected jobs. Probably needs a good run if it's covered only 11k in 5 years.

The engine is non interference, I wouldn't worry too much about the cam belt breaking.

Mine were fine with 15W40 oil, maybe the oil it's running just now is too thin.

[ProgRocker]

Bumper sticker on the back of a Smart Car:

 

"They will give me the other half of it when I pay them back"

[skattrd]

Just been for a run in the Alfa and it didn't break down

Thats now twice in the last year I've used it without something breaking

[Guest]

Stupid scatty Olympus FTL managed to take a photograph without completely shitting the film up:

 

 

The problem now is that loads of people think it's an Instagram shot.

[trigger]

Looks like you've gone in time to 1990 for that shot!

[Guest]

Looks like you've gone in time to 1990 for that shot!

 

Yes.

 

 

It managed to shit this one out too, before mashing the last three exposures up and then blending a shot of MM5's head with a Sierra alloy. Most odd.

 

Also, this.

 

[michiel]

I love the last one mostest. Great car, great photo.

[vulgalour]

Mikeknight has a temporary electric fuel pump on his Triumph which used to be on the Princess. Said pump is a bit rubbish, but so, apparently, are the seals on his carburettors. When the car is put away for the day, you have to disconnect the pump or it keeps pumping petrol until it comes out of the air filter when the engine is cold. This is not a problem, but when you reconnect the pump it involves directly connecting the negative wire to the battery terminal, which sometimes makes visible sparkiness.

 

Mikeknight didn't want to leak petrol all over the garage forecourt when filling up and asked if he should disconnect the pump. I said "sparks + petrol vapour = bad" and he said "oh yeah." It made me chuckle.

[JohnDeere]

I stay in hotels. A lot. Always seem to get car-related room numbers which helps me find my bed after a long night. Tonight I'm in 216, maybe they should call it the Ballade Suite.

[autofive]

I stay in hotels. A lot. Always seem to get car-related room numbers which helps me find my bed after a long night. Tonight I'm in 216, maybe they should call it the Ballade Suite.

 

should have a hot shower at least.

[cms206]

My work's LDV has been pulled in for MOT preparation. Mechanic says it's not worth doing. Boss's words?

 

"Where's your sense of adventure?!"

 

 

May I present the passenger side footwell...

[Guest]

Few more RRG shots from the FTL.

 

It's definitely got a few issues. Then again, it's spent 25 years in a loft so I'm not expecting it to be perfect. That's half the charm. I shot some more scenes on my D60 and phone so expect those tomorrow.

 

At the moment I'm getting 17-18 shots per 24 roll of film. The rest either get ruined or spat out by the FTL's winding sprocket. The viewfinder's also disgusting so I might have to have it cleaned.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tayne]

The ebay seller admitted it was their mistake, told me to keep the mirrors AND gave me a full refund.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Mikeknight has a temporary electric fuel pump on his Triumph which used to be on the Princess. Said pump is a bit rubbish, but so, apparently, are the seals on his carburettors. When the car is put away for the day, you have to disconnect the pump or it keeps pumping petrol until it comes out of the air filter when the engine is cold. This is not a problem, but when you reconnect the pump it involves directly connecting the negative wire to the battery terminal, which sometimes makes visible sparkiness.

 

Mikeknight didn't want to leak petrol all over the garage forecourt when filling up and asked if he should disconnect the pump. I said "sparks + petrol vapour = bad" and he said "oh yeah." It made me chuckle.

 

The guy sounds like a fuggin catastrophe waiting to happen, what other bodges has he got on his Triumph? Anyone who thinks it is OK to hardwire a electric fuel pump to the battery without even using a switch, should not be allowed to touch a spanner.

[Angrydicky]

I've been papped!

 

1952 Austin A90 Atlantic Coupe by southessexmale, on Flickr