What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[andrew e]

I thought only eccentric billionaire car collectors had these in their collections, but no here's one earning it's keep in Whitstable:

 

[fordperv]

Met a friendly squirrel at the park

 

 

I played on the swings and roundabouts whilst there, I love being paid to act daft, especially on bank holiday when I'm getting paid more

[dave21478]

From the grumpy thread......

 

I have toothache which refuses to go away so I might have to admit defeat and go to the dentist. Its been 23 years since I last went, which is not bad going.

 

Well, suck it, dentists....

 

Toothache has cured itself. 

Its probably not "cured" as such, but it doesnt hurt so I guess the nerve has finally died off or something.

Whatevz...Should hopefully be good for another 20 years or so.

[Skizzer]

Thank you - I'm glad it's not just me.  Last time I went to the dentist, Maggie was still in power.

[fordperv]

[Asimo]

300 Bank Holiday miles around North Wales in SWMBO's Suzuki GV (2.4, 3 door manual), our newish daily.

Comfy for a brace of lardy old giffers, quiet ( but for noise like a wheel bearing from the cheap, Chinese, dealer-special tyres) and very, very good for exploring steep, single track lanes. Nowhere that I couldn't drive a Lotus or a Prius, but the GV made it all really enjoyable and relaxing.

The fuel consumption display said 35.1 mpg and tank to tank said 34.54 mpg. It seems to encourage gentle, considerate and relaxed driving, and the shortness is a boon in a cramped carpark.

The ABS modulator died after we had had it for 3 weeks and I had a bit of a panic as the warranty contract excluded everything electronic and any repair in excess of £500!

The supplying dealer stepped up to the plate, told me take it to my local Suzuki agent for a new ABS modulator; all sorted with minimum aggro and an apology that there had been a problem.

[Sealtainn]

Getting home from a long day of parcel delivery to realise we've run out of fags and having to make a 15-mile round trip to the shop and choosing to take the 205 just because

 

Sent from my E2105 using Tapatalk

[Eddie Honda]

Rover/Triumph SD2. Was supposed to replace the ageing Dolomite but BL had no money so it never happened.

Thanks for jogging my memory. I've seen it in the tin, thanks to Keith Adams and others getting it out for display on BL day August 2004.

 

 

Sorry about the pics, phone cameras were plain wank back in the day.

[M'coli]

^^^That was the day that I'd had to bring the wife's car rather than my Metro because I'd forgotten to tax the bastard the day before! Good day, that one.

[Louise2cv]

I really like it an it only looks as ugly as a lot off other cars from 1976.

 

The only thing that lets it down a little bit is that it seem to have borrowed a lot of styling from elsewhere (Simca, Renault, maybe a bit of Citroen) rather than being a stand out design. But maybe that would have been a good road to go down?

[Tickman]

Well this morning was fun:

MOTed.    Check

Insured.    Check

Finally Valid licence.    Check

 

 

Some quite busy roads and some roundabouts were sampled and went down ok.

[captain_70s]

Tolly/Dolly 1300, couldn't be a better car to learn to drive in.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

The local roadside car sales patch has found its niche. 

 

[Parky]

Four conifer stumps lie across my lawn.

 

Fuck you Leylandii, you were no match for me, and a big fuck off axe

[purplebargeken]

I was taught to drive in a 1300 Dolly

[quicksilver]

I really like it an it only looks as ugly as a lot off other cars from 1976.

 

The only thing that lets it down a little bit is that it seem to have borrowed a lot of styling from elsewhere (Simca, Renault, maybe a bit of Citroen) rather than being a stand out design. But maybe that would have been a good road to go down?

It seems to look like a bit of everything really. It was supposed to be a scaled-down SD1 but I can't help thinking it looks eastern European. I see bits of:

Citroen BX

Talbot Alpine

Renault 14

Lada Samara

FSO Polonez

Pininfarina landcrab

Fascinating car though, to think had it made production I would have been driving one of those instead of my Dolomite.

[Richard]

Well this morning was fun:

MOTed.    Check

Insured.    Check

Finally Valid licence.    Check

 

IMG_20160531_094001.jpg

IMG_20160531_093945.jpg

 

Some quite busy roads and some roundabouts were sampled and went down ok.

 

Buy or borrow a pair of seats with head restraints and use it for the test when the time comes. https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car

[Tickman]

Buy or borrow a pair of seats with head restraints and use it for the test when the time comes. https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car

Yep was aware of the health and safety for the examiners already, I have something lined up at a push.

Any other pointers?

 

John

[Parky]

Don't leave them there, they'll take root in the lawn!

They'll be taking root in my mates wood burner!

[Richard]

Are you planning to use it for the test? I don't think there's anything much else to consider, other than making sure it's all working and not making any horrible noises.

 

I sat my test, admittedly quite some time ago, in a terminally rusty Vauxhall Viva, which seemed like a really old car even though it was only eight years old. The examiner recoiled when he saw it but I still passed.

[captain_70s]

The only thing I'd be thinking of is whether the habits required for the test mesh well with an older car. As a rule I drop down the gears while braking in the Triumphs rather than skipping them, is it possible to do the wheel shuffle in a non-PAS car? I've never tried!

 

Also on the list of requirements from the test site:
 

be able to reach at least 62mph and have an mph speedometer

 

My 1300 might manage it on a downhill with a tailwing but that'd also conflict with:

 

be smoke-free

 

[DeeJay]

Make sure seat belts work smoothly.

Examiners are a bit picky.

(S)He's bound to have a twitchy ring because the car's older than the norm. 

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I got a huge tin of FREE PAINT! It's like smearing poorly mixed Ready Brek onto a wall, but the price is right. 

 

 

I like it, it's much warmer and richer than MP3 Silk. 

[DeeJay]

GLWTT.

[mouseflakes]

Yes indeed - Good Luck With That Tin.

 

Paint

 

Looks like they should have ground the almonds a little more finely when making it.

[mouseflakes]

The thumbnail image on this listing for a Pajero cylinder head made me think someone was selling a weird modernist interpretation of The Last Supper.

 

 

https://www.gumtree.com/p/car-replacement-parts/mitsubishi-pajero-head/1171855104

[UmBongo]

I got a huge tin of FREE PAINT! It's like smearing poorly mixed Ready Brek onto a wall, but the price is right. 

 

freepaint.jpg

 

I like it, it's much warmer and richer than MP3 Silk. 

 

You need to stir that paint.

[Tickman]

Are you planning to use it for the test? I don't think there's anything much else to consider, other than making sure it's all working and not making any horrible noises.

 

I sat my test, admittedly quite some time ago, in a terminally rusty Vauxhall Viva, which seemed like a really old car even though it was only eight years old. The examiner recoiled when he saw it but I still passed.

 

At the moment I am planning to use it but I will see how it settles down with use.

The only thing I'd be thinking of is whether the habits required for the test mesh well with an older car. As a rule I drop down the gears while braking in the Triumphs rather than skipping them, is it possible to do the wheel shuffle in a non-PAS car? I've never tried!

 

Also on the list of requirements from the test site:

 

 

My 1300 might manage it on a downhill with a tailwing but that'd also conflict with:

It does not really matter how you drive it as long as it is done in a safe manner so using the gears to slow is fine as long as you are also using the brakes at the same time so the brake lights are on. Have to be indicating to other road users that you are slowing down.

 

Of course it can achieve 62 and it is surprisingly not smokey.

 

 

 

Make sure seat belts work smoothly.

Examiners are a bit picky.

(S)He's bound to have a twitchy ring because the car's older than the norm. 

Seat belts are currently static so I will have to double check on that one but it is a 3 point belt so it shouldn't actually matter but I will make sure.

[purplebargeken]

Seat belts should not be an issue as they are standard fit for the car, blah, blah, blah.

[Richard]

Are you planning to do all the teaching yourself? I pretty much did. Robin had some lessons when he was 17 then went off to college for a couple of years, so  by the time he came back to the driving. The important thing is you have to be absolutely calm at all times. I have a pile of unread books on driving instruction (bought when I was considering it as a career about ten years ago) that you are welcome to.   

 

You'll no doubt have to fend off loads of helpful* advice about it being better to use an instructor's car but it's the driver who's being tested, not the car. If I spent my life sitting in the passenger seats of Corsas beside teenagers who had learned the test route by rote I would welcome a Triumph Toledo, or a 20 year old Polo with furry seat covers. I'm sure you know that 'smoke-free' actually refers to the inside of the car. As long as the car isn't a biohazard or deathtrap it should be fine.