What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[scaryoldcortina]

Heading home this evening up the A19 (and not hanging about...) I spotted blue lights in the mirror, about a quarter mile behind me. Checked again after 10 seconds, still there and a bit further away, so I backed off a bit to see what it was and what it wanted. It was a police car, but he wasn't chasing me, or bothered that I'd been going quicker than he was....after he passed me I stuck my foot down again. (then turned off at the next junction)

[Claypole]

ParcelForce.

 

Left a card today while I was at work, I thought arse a trip to the depot but no written on the card was "Parcel left at Thurcroft Post office".

 

I was going there with some Ebay stuff already so quite handy and 5 minutes instead of 45 minutes.

 

Common sense from someone at PF for once.

 

 

(on a grumpy note one of the parcels was a "faulty" laptop so that's a £246 refund I could do without).

[eddyramrod]

Drove past a Customs warehouse in Paphos today. It's a shopfront sort of place, which means lovely plate-glass windows so you can see what's inside (but sadly not photograph them because of the glare). This is the place they put cars that are waiting for paperwork to be completed. Now I knew these were there because I've stopped and peered in before, but I couldn't resist doing it again... There's an old white DBS at the back, nose up against the wall so I can't be sure if it's a six or V8. (Like this...)

Coming a bit forward, next to the window, is a 65 Thunderbird (like this below...) on Texas plates, with mismatched panels (including a Roadster fairing). I'd love to blast that with a dose of Ford Imperial Maroon...

But the highlight is in front of the Thunderbird, showing its backside to the road through the glass, and oh boy, what a highlight! You've seen my green Cadillac: this is the same colour, but one year older (slightly different styling), and a convertible (see below). Delicious. There's also a load of Mercs, Pajeros, and a VW-Porsche 914, but in the company of the three I picked out, who really cares?

[Tayne]

.

[M'coli]

The Aston in your picture is a six cylinder, btw.

I thought it was, but I don't know why - what's the differences?

[ashmicro]

Driving in my Jaaaaaaaagggg, which is worth both halves of fuck all, but looks brand new, playing AC/DC at full volume. THUNDERSTRUCK!!!

 

My Rover, which is worth practically less than I have in my pocket. What a brilliant wee car, goes like a little blue rocket. Wind up that K Series and it'll sing. Love hearing it tick-tick-tick as it cools down after a blast. Where did it all go wrong?

 

And of course, Autoshite always makes me grin! My other half has called me "A crazy old man" for going "OOOOOFFF!" over an old Maestro van with the door hanging off. She has a cheque from the insurance after the DB7 got wiped. "What is a bloody Tagora anyway? Sounds like a dishwasher"

 

Philistine. Ah well, at least she's pretty.

 

EDITED TO ADD: I played "American Pie" the first time she was in the Jaaaaaagggg with me. She thought it was Billy Conolly.

[scaryoldcortina]

^^Very poignant, Andy.

 

I have a story like that.

 

I metamorphosed into a praying mantis, and spent most days reclining on the sofa. Along came an exterminator truck down the street. I could see the van pull near the house. I hopped over and drew the curtains. But he never saw my antennae array or heard my chirping from wings against thorax. Whew, close call, he moved on down the road.

 

So, what I'm saying is: I can relate.

 

Norm, if you are going to read Kafka, don't do LSD at the same time.

[ashmicro]

ROFLMFAO @ SOC

 

 

I shall nick that quote. It's a bit Stephen Fry. Pub on Friday.

[meggersdog]

Land Rover parts prices.

I've got a 200TDi Discovery that I bought to sell on again.The gears are a bit awkward and the lever self centres on 1st and 2nd instead of 3rd and 4th.Thinking it might just be a broken spring I removed the top of the gear selector yesterday.Both springs are fine but the steel plate that goes between them has broken off.

The local Discovery breakers, Avenger 4x4, didn't have any old 'boxes yet the local scrappy had an old 200TDi so I went there today.Having removed the centre console I stripped the top off to reveal a nice shiney intact plate.The scrapman said I would need to purchase the whole selector unit.I ended up going to the main dealer just to enquire......£4.17 delivered in the morning.It's not worth getting the welder out then...

[eddyramrod]

914 and DBS, please.

You can keep the yank tanks and the pikey Pajeros.

The Aston in your picture is a six cylinder, btw.

 

I should probably point out that these are not the actual cars! I just grabbed these photos off Google Images, it was pure luck that the Cadillac search turned up one that was the right year, body style AND colour! And Tayne, yes please, I'll happily keep the two Yanks if you want to take the VWP. We might have to work out a timeshare on the Aston though... Nah, sod it, why pay all that money and still have to row the gearbox? Give me the smooth-riding automatics (both convertibles by the way, unlike the Thunderbird pic I posted, sorry). Pajeros, well they should cover our first fill at the petrol station!

[M'coli]

Open Uni exams/courses passed.

[eddyramrod]

Yay, well done!

[Louise2cv]

..much love, Norm.

 

Flip me.

 

 

Well Done!

[eddyramrod]

I don't know, you engage in a rare moment of generosity and someone has to take the shine off it. Thanks Norm, isn't it lucky we're not "around your shop?"

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I think "fuck off you daft Septic Tank" has a better ring to it.

[Pillock]

Norm, Open Uni =/= Open Book. They just, you know, share a word.

 

Well done m'coli!

[eddyramrod]

This is turning awfully Grumpy awfully fast. I've made reference to it on the other thread, so let's deal with it over there, shall we? Just to be tidy? (Edit: if we need to "deal with" anything at all, obviously!)

[autofive]

Open Uni exams/courses passed.

 

well done

[Cheggers]

Open Uni exams/courses passed.

 

Well done sir...what subject(s)??

[Tayne]

.

[eddyramrod]

NP Tayne. I haven't been able to look closely enough at the actual Aston, I suspect it is a six. In a way I'm glad we differ in our choices, that leaves the field clear for me to take the Cadillac and Thunderbird (as if!). Nice to know that someone would choose the others, there really should be an example of everything in preservation, and preferably in regular use.

[The Moog]

Took xantia to PTS Citroen in Isleworth to see how much it would cost to fix a LHM leak at the front. After cleaning it up and having a look diagnosis - nothing too bad just a seal in the hose. Can either live with it or get it changed which wont be too dear. Excellent was thinking it would be £££. Cost of about 20 mins work on the car £0. Brilliant

 

Then had a discussion about running the Xantia on veg oil as he could smell the fumes. Was mightly impressed by the 70p a litre versus 125p round here. Mingebag motoring at its finest.

 

Plus it looked like an explosion in a 2CV factory. They were everywhere.. didnt have phone to take pics

 

That plus the missus falling in love with the Ashtray, which means fleet has cost less than what some of my mates spend in a strip club in a night.

[M'coli]

Open Uni exams/courses passed.

 

Well done sir...what subject(s)??

Thanks all for the kind words. Courses (OU call the "modules" now) passed this year:

T206 Energy for a sustainable future, grade 2 pass.

T207 Engineering: mechanics, materials, design, ditto.

 

PS - Norm, I had enough of those sort of pish comments when my dad was alive, so don't start.

[seth]

Well done E'coli!

 

As of about 1/2 hour ago I am fuggin' over the moon with the results of recent work. I have spent many hours over the last week or so making a spring detent for a watch. This entails basically not much more than filing and heat treatement but its the first time I've done one and its now i the watch working! Wahey!

 

Here it is. Its the long steel bit held down by the screw on the left. Its about 15mm long from end to end and about 2mm tall. Several holes and lengths that need to be spot on.

 

 

Here's a top view to see the scary bit though.

 

 

For a length of about 4mm from the foot where it screws down it needs to be filed to an even thickness of about .04/.05mm (.0015/.002") Then when its heat treated it can all go horribly wrong and you have to start again.

 

I know this one isn't perfect but its a lot better than the broken/repaired one that was in this watch and I'm very pleased to have it ticking away next to me.

[Pillock]

Staying in a VERY nice hotel in Cumbernauld on business, and then finding all the drinks I'd lobbed on the room out of not being arsed to pay cash at the bar have been covered by the company, despite NO ALCOHOL being written on the booking in big capital letters.

 

Thanks work. Thanks for my stonking hangover this morning!

[pogweasel]

There is NOTHING in Cumbernauld that could ever, ever be described as VERY nice.

Are you sure you didn't mean VERY grim, VERY menacing and VERY depressing...?

[M'coli]

Nice work, Seth. It's always good when you do something like that and it works.

[M'coli]

Sorry. Was meant to sound like a OTT pishy grump by seriocomical design. Guess I did it too authentically. Was having a tease, but ended with "I hoped you aced them, boyee" to convey love, kiddo. That was my intent.

 

....you other guys, c'mon ....ain't no evil in my heart.

Apology accepted.

[Negative Creep]

Just published my first retro game review online

 

http://www.vgmastersclub.com/version2/i ... o&Itemid=3

[trigger]

I've just been reading a thread on Pistonhead about a artical on the BMW 1-Series where it says that 80% of owners aren't aware that they are RWD.

 

http://pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=828261&mid=94980&i=0&nmt=RE:%201-series%20Buyers%20Think%20Their%20Car%20Is%20A%20Front-Driver&mid=94980

 

And i couldn't help but laugh at this twats comment, I think it's pretty much sums up many of the pistonhead users/BMW owners.

 

The 1 series looks like an upturned bath and drives like one too. Build materials are shocking too and the way they are put together is almost like a sealed unit, break it and throw it away.

 

Erm isn't this your car?

 

 

Which you think looks better than my 1 Series?

 

 

Huh?