What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[eddyramrod]

 I'd say low - mid 20's are achievable

A certain Mr Ramrod would be able to tell you more accurately what these big lumps will do. He drove his almost the length of England earlier this year and I don't think the mpg was all that offensive really.

20s?  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Mind, you are working with a rebuilt engine, so perhaps....

Huggy seemed to average about 18 when we came down to see you.  In normal daily use I can't get near that, as it's nearly all round-town work and from home to the bakery is only four miles anyway.  Work and back is probably a gallon!  Yesterday I did about 30 miles, with a long break for cooling down, so probably used a gallon each way.

But really.... who cares?  I don't drink, I don't smoke, road tax is free, insurance is cheap, even on Minimum Wage I can afford to put some Shell in the tank.  It's worth every penny.

 

Edit: and in case anyone hasn't been keeping up, Huggy is a 472, which is 7736cc.  He's coming up on 99,000 miles recorded and still going strong!  I'm going to work in him tomorrow, it's Independence Day.

[danthecapriman]

20s? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Mind, you are working with a rebuilt engine, so perhaps....

Huggy seemed to average about 18 when we came down to see you. In normal daily use I can't get near that, as it's nearly all round-town work and from home to the bakery is only four miles anyway. Work and back is probably a gallon! Yesterday I did about 30 miles, with a long break for cooling down, so probably used a gallon each way.

But really.... who cares? I don't drink, I don't smoke, road tax is free, insurance is cheap, even on Minimum Wage I can afford to put some Shell in the tank. It's worth every penny.

 

Edit: and in case anyone hasn't been keeping up, Huggy is a 472, which is 7736cc. He's coming up on 99,000 miles recorded and still going strong! I'm going to work in him tomorrow, it's Independence Day.

It's very difficult for me to gauge mpg as I don't drive mine often enough really to get a good idea. That said, most of the use mine does get is probably of the ideal type of road for a car like these, A roads and motorways so I can stick to the same speeds for long time periods. Plus, as you say, mines running on a totally as new engine.

 

Apparently I drive like an old woman anyway so that's likely got a lot to with it! As you say, fuck it. Petrols meant for burning!

 

 

Eddy, does Huggy have any smog gear?

[eddyramrod]

I don't think so.  1973?  He'd have to be a California car really to be smogged up.  I suspect he might be from Florida, which is far enough away not to be an issue.

As a great man once said...

It's the model made before catalytic converters so it runs good on regular gas!

[AMC Rebel]

A genuine grin from my Saturday jaunt up to Matlock for Pumpkin spares.  I was in the Jaaag in lane 1, cruise set at 70, passing the exit from Trowell services.  From nowhere, appears a Nissan Juke (the Nismo fast one), accelerating like fuckery.  I thought "that's odd, but no worries".  She came alongside, then slowed to my exact speed.  I thought "I wonder what happens now?" she must've decided to slow down, because next thing I see is a Juke behind me, trying to melt my mirrors with her main beam., she then veered across the next two lanes and zoomed off, but not before gesticulating wildly at me.

 

I am still baffled.

 

I always move over if I get chance for joining traffic, but this fat trout (she was fat) gave me zero time to react.  I was genuinely laughing at the ridiculous nature of her driving - not in a passive aggressive way - it really was very funny indeed.  She also must know something I don't about the speed cameras, given how far above the 70 limit she was travelling.  Don't get me wrong, I'd have been going faster if I thought there was no risk of getting caught

[Guest Hooli]

Those fuck nuggets who don't understand which side of a give way line needs to give way do make me chuckle.

[wuvvum]

Wandering down my road yesterday this bad as mo' fo' was randomly parked up outside someone's house.  Never seen it before, but it was rather nice.  Unfortunately my idiot bollocks phone cropped half of it out - it was definitely all in frame when I took the pic.

 

 

Then in one of the cupboards I was turning out yesterday I found this, which I'd completely forgotten I had:

 

 

It's an A1 sized framed poster, presumably from a dealer.  I have no idea when or where I came by it.  I'm not sure that 1980s schoolchildren would realistically have looked that pleased at the prospect of being taken to school in a base-spec Skoda, but still.

[Spottedlaurel]

It’ll probably be a while before I update my spots thread, so for now have these quick grabs off my dashcam of things which made me smile:

 

1967 Goggomobil (300cc) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Great to see on the road. Alongside the modern stuff it really did look comically comically small.

 

1988 Freight Rover Sherpa Motorhome by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Serck plate?!

[DVee8]

You can keep your MR2 copy Ferrari's there is only

 

 

 

 

 

[eddyramrod]

 I'm going to work in him tomorrow, it's Independence Day.

And I did, rain or no rain.  Also, did the weekly shop at Asda on the way home, where Huggy drew attention as usual.

[Crusty Sills]

I got the Mercury out today for a good long drive, just for the hell of it.

Had to go get some gas first, £50 and it still wasn't even half a tank! Lovely weather today too. Did a good 100 odd miles in the beast and really enjoyed it!

I've not used it much lately with other shit going on and building my garage etc etc but it was great fun just cruising around in it. The sound it makes is just wonderful too! I really don't know why I don't use it so much more to be honest. I absolutely love it!! Best stupid poorly advised purchase ever.

And I'm still finding Rock Auto fridge magnets in it too.

Since I bought it I've been finding these, the free ones RA give you when you buy their parts, pics of customers cars, in the Mercury. Every now and then one seems to appear from under the front seat. Another one appeared today (Douglas' Ford Maverick). They must be jammed in or under the seat somewhere and gradually work their way out or something but I can't see them anywhere. Hopefully it'll dispense something really cool one day like a revolver or something!

 

I took the Beetle out today to take the kids to school and the run to my girls dancing. Taxed it for gratis last night! Now that's a lovely feeling!

Prob only 50 miles but had a big smile on my face and the school mums loved it so even better. It does however seem to use fuel at an alarming rate! Guage says I used half a tank for 50 ish miles!!!

Maybe the guage is wrong, I'll do a dip test tomorrow and see how much is in it.

It would only have been better if it was blazing with sun.

[DVee8]

[Guest Hooli]

Wandering down my road yesterday this bad as mo' fo' was randomly parked up outside someone's house.  Never seen it before, but it was rather nice.  Unfortunately my idiot bollocks phone cropped half of it out - it was definitely all in frame when I took the pic.

 

IMG_20170702_195938.jpg

 

Then in one of the cupboards I was turning out yesterday I found this, which I'd completely forgotten I had:

 

IMG_20170702_233329.jpg

 

It's an A1 sized framed poster, presumably from a dealer.  I have no idea when or where I came by it.  I'm not sure that 1980s schoolchildren would realistically have looked that pleased at the prospect of being taken to school in a base-spec Skoda, but still.

 

Love that pick up

[danthecapriman]

And I did, rain or no rain.  Also, did the weekly shop at Asda on the way home, where Huggy drew attention as usual.

Merry Independence Day! How many spaces did you take up? I did six in Halfords once and got yelled at!

 

 

I took the Beetle out today to take the kids to school and the run to my girls dancing. Taxed it for gratis last night! Now that's a lovely feeling!

Prob only 50 miles but had a big smile on my face and the school mums loved it so even better. It does however seem to use fuel at an alarming rate! Guage says I used half a tank for 50 ish miles!!!

Maybe the guage is wrong, I'll do a dip test tomorrow and see how much is in it.

It would only have been better if it was blazing with sun.

That's the thing really. I go by the fuel gauge when roughly working out mpg but it's bound to be miles off. Old inaccurate gauges. Still, who cares, they're toys to make you happy so well worth the expense I think.

And yes, free tax is a great thing!

[eddyramrod]

I only take two spaces.  Our Asda has a pair surrounded by kerbs on 3 sides, and they're well away from the store so there's usually only me wanting them.  I just back in straddling the divider, the whole bit is mine.

[PhilA]

Hacksaw + T25 bit + wrench + crowbar =

 

 

Also had a really nice barbeque and am finally getting to sit down now mother in law has taken the kids to go sleep over the night

[Crusty Sills]

It's not the fuel usage I'm worried about as such, I put it in, it burns and I smile! It's more the worry I have a fuel leak somewhere. I'm still thinking about selling it and getting a 70's V8 powered land yacht!

[danthecapriman]

It's not the fuel usage I'm worried about as such, I put it in, it burns and I smile! It's more the worry I have a fuel leak somewhere. I'm still thinking about selling it and getting a 70's V8 powered land yacht!

It'd stink of fuel if it was leaking surely?

I can recommend a big V8 yank! Well worth experiencing. Having somewhere to keep it is probably the biggest issue as it certainly won't fit in a normal size garage.

[Cleon-Fonte]

I almost have to admire them for their ingenuity, and the fact they obviously got away with it for a fair while.

 

[Bobthebeard]

Not really sure if a grin or a grump, but on balance etc. Probably a grin.

I live very near to a school and thus on the kids route there and home. One local lad, probably around 12 ish has decided to wander up my drive whenever I am working on my chod and ask awkward questions.

A bit like this:

 

"Hiya.. What are you doing?"

"Errr.. Changing a brake caliper"

"Why?"

"Because the old one is broken "

"Ok.. Cool. Why do you have three cars"

"I, erm, like old cars and fixing them. It's my hobby"

" Cool, but why? Can't you afford a better one?"

"No...Yes...er. No really"

"Oh... Well that one looks cool (Oldsmobile) but why don't you get a better hobby?"

"I, errr.. I enjoy what I do really."

"Ok. Cool. Bye, Seeya soon"

"Err, yeah, ok bye..."

 

Have taken to not be working on cars around school times.

[Richard]

.

[eddyramrod]

Have taken to not be working on cars around school times.

Me too, for exactly the same reasons.  Totally hypocritical of me, as once upon a time I would have been that annoying brat.  Except I would have shown more admiration and less disdain.

[dome]

Have taken to not be working on cars around school times.

 

I get this anytime I bring the Locost out or am fettling it on the drive.

 

Also from adults with that thing right enough, it does attract a fair bit of attention. 

[AlabamaShrimp]

BARN FIND!!!1111122!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK so not a barn the garage and yeah I knew it was there all along.

As someones coming to fix the door tomorrow (it thought it was easy but apparently you have to unbolt it) I took a load of crap out the front. Now if I could clear the sides and back I might get chance to work on it.

[Sloth in a bowl]

Mugs!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112447842117

 

[barmatt]

spent a little time this morning up at my bosses farm playing with this....

 

 

 

 

 

He said it hadn't moved for a couple of years but it only took me about 5 mins to get it running, took it for a spin round the yard which was interesting as the brakes are fubared but it was still a hoot.

 

Anybody know anything about these?

 

[AlabamaShrimp]

I think it's a yellow digger with the diggy bit missing

[Ghosty]

Is your boss Six cylinder?

[wuvvum]

I love all the trouble the designers have gone to to streamline it - most useful on a vehicle that will only do 18mph...

[richardmorris]

2cv cavalry charge at the Tour de France.

 

https://www.facebook.com/itvcycling/videos/1446930678734485/

[dollywobbler]

The last of my Shitefest videos will be uploading to YouTube tonight. Those who've been keeping track will know why I saved this one until last...