What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[beko1987]

I'm running the original 1994 spare on the zx at the moment. Its fine but I'm counting down to putting nice new part worns all round! Haven't been much above 75 on them yet...

[fordperv]

someone in shite heaven was watching over me today, either that or my good karma was repaid, i had to move a puma that i am stripping for a mate which is at mrs fordpervs parents house (no space at mine) i needed to get the bins past, when i was moving it back in the drive there was an almighty bang and i noticed a flicker of flame so i shut the engine straight down and removed the keys, the engine bay was alight from petrol spraying over the engine from the fuel line, it looks as if it had failed where it goes down the bulkhead, i managed to get the bonnet open, mrs fordperv grabbed the hose for me and her mum got a washing up bowl full of water and chucked it over the flames, as i was extinguishing it one of the neighbors even came out with a bucket of water over to help (he really is a top bloke), i asked his mrs if she would ring the fire brigade as i was dousing the flames, the fire was extinguished while she was on the phone so she cancelled them while on the phone but they sent an engine anyway to make sure we were ok, they were top blokes i couldnt apologise to them enough as i felt as if their time had been wasted, there was no real damage only a couple of melted wires and no one was injured which is the most important thing.

[Pillock]

Wow, sounds like a lucky escape alright - good job everyone was on the ball!

[eddyramrod]

Smart work there Fordperv!

 

In other news, the disabled parking space I paid for 15 months ago has been painted on the road outside our house today. Hooray!

[inconsistant]

He had literally hundreds of neatly labelled boxes containing all kinds of imperial nuts, bolts, taps and dies. And a single one full of random metric bolts...

 

Funny, I use this every day and haven't given it a second thought until your post m_t_c... here's our nut & washer storage at work:

 

 

Yep, that's baccy tins with an inch of brass rod soldered to the lid for a pull handle, painted in enamel (yellow=brass nuts, green = steel nuts) and presented in a bespoke shelving system. All done by an ex-technician. Brilliant!

[Junkman]

Neat!

[forddeliveryboy]

Depends what you're comparing Toyos to. They are FAR better than Michelin 125s, but not as good as Michelin 135s (but are about half the price). I'm often astonished by how grippy the Toyos are in the dry, though Michelins 135s are better in the wet.

 

One day, we might agree on something!

 

They're far better in the sense they're half the price and a wider tyre. But worse in the sense they wear faster and don't have the high, supple sidewall of the Michelin 125 (which is an integral design of the car's chassis, steering and suspension). If a Toyo is gripping better in the dry, there's something odd with the car's set up, or the steering/suspension is worn. Loads of rechassied cars have the axle loadings wrongly set up with too little or too much weight on the front. This alone will prevent the 125 from working correctly through corners.

 

However - I do agree - that the Michelin 135s are superb. Except if you use them on the back of a standard car, snap-oversteer will occur, eventually, as the lightweight rear end rolls off the tread. I tried it, and went back to 125s on the back, XZXs on the front. No hints of oversteer at all - the round cross-section and very soft sidewall is designed to maintain all the tread in contact even at larger roll angles. The weight of the engine and box deforms the squarer-section XZX and all the tread grips.

 

If yours is a lowered, stiffened racer, XZXs will be superb all round. Our race-team mechanic/engineer didn't believe this advice - he preferred the cheap, nasty Firestones since that's what the (cheapo) chassis had been set up for and what loads of others (losing teams) were using. I knew the Michelins would give more grip - they listened to this (after they failed to win) and quite a bit more good advice, and ended up winning. But those who carry on winning usually use Citroën chassis as well.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I knew the Michelins would give more grip - they listened to this (after they failed to win) and quite a bit more good advice, and ended up winning.

 

Yo FDB, you ought to give Tony Fernandes a call and give him some advice about his Caterham F1 team, as i understand he's getting sick of losing, sounds like you're just the man to sort it for him.

[forddeliveryboy]

Yo FDB, you ought to give Tony Fernandes a call and give him some advice about his Caterham F1 team, as i understand he's getting sick of losing, sounds like you're just the man to sort it for him.

 

Yea, he's on the phone right now...  obv read your wise words and acted fast

 

[dollywobbler]

I've never had snap oversteer on a 2CV, not even when I used Firestones (a short-lived experiment, for reason you know well yourself!). And it's not like I hang about.

 

I used to run a 135 front, 125 rear set-up though. A specialist I used at the time kept on swapping them around for some reason. Even once ran a Dyane with 145s up front and 125s at the back. Was seriously grippy!

 

I also hate the lowered, stiffer race cars. If you want superb, level handling, why are you racing a 2CV? I have this argument with a certain specialist on a frequent basis. I prefer it in the old days when the race cars used to display actual body roll.

 

EDIT - I forgot. I did once have snap oversteer on a 2CV. It was four-up with what turned out to be an entirely flat rear tyre! Just about caught it, earned much respect from friends.

[forddeliveryboy]

It only tried when 135 Mich front and back. With the 125s on the back then no bother. 135 XZX front, 125 back - perfect! Just blooming expensive.

 

I wasn't involved with racing for decades, like some - 18 hours into one 24hr I worked out how far into Europe I could have travelled on the petrol used. It was interesting, though, how much cornering force could be generated, for other cars which happened to be on the track during practice sessions - the Caterhams in particular were surprised to be out-gripped through some of the corners.

 

Can't get my head round the rat-look or the 'let's fit stiffer, lowered springs' crowd - aren't there some in 2cv circles who find out how easy it is to wind the suspension up and down, but don't bother that you make things too soft and dial in loads of understeer. My mate with the 124 diesel coupe (same one who was hit in a 2cv by the A8) had a Dyane on Ami Super running gear which arrived way too low on its springs. Wouldn't go faster than 65 on anything but a smooth motorway (on which it would break the magic number), wouldn't corner well and rode like a Metro, but by the time it had been set up properly it was huge fun - and threatened to be a bit of a licence loser. I think we reached Cambridge in an hour and a half. Daren't say from where. Plus, it needed major welding at the bottom of the screen (I welded a bar on the inside to prevent the screen from blowing in), so it went.

 

Aren't you finding 2cv shocks don't last more than 2 or 3 years anymore? And if the front end doesn't grip like you think it could, have the axle loadings checked (or diy trial and error). It can transform them on winding roads.

[dollywobbler]

I haven't changed the shockers for at least six years. Sadly you can't get the proper Lipmesa ones anymore, so I've no idea what to get next. I have no front end grip issues in the dry, just in the wet. Perhaps I'm not compensating sufficiently for the wet!

[forddeliveryboy]

Best bet long term, if yours is an everyday car is a set of Avos. They were re-engineered to work correctly (horizontally) few years ago - just seen the ecas price which isn't so bad, given they should last years. Provided they are the same internals as for racing. Can be softened off fine for road use. Didn't know the Lips are NA, they'd become very short-lived anyway. Front should grip almost as hard in the wet, away from roundabouts. Even with Toyos! Check the rack for wear, as well as axle loading.
 

[AlabamaShrimp]

Got my first order from euro carparts today. All look right and all very cheap. Only confusing thing is the thermostat came with a rubber ring?? Though it might be a gasket but it's too big. Will just make one like I was going to anyway.

[Jimcit]

Getting my SAAB back this weekend, welding complete - she's done a phenomenal job!  Just needs a bit of paint, I've really missed driving this car.

 

Before:

 

During:

 

After:

[drum]

Ha, I remember one girl I was giving a pillion to "just shifting around to get comfortable" mid-corner! A little wobble...

 

My grin actually started with a grump - at the weekend I noticed that one of the (4 year old) tyres was slightly past its prime:

 

DSC_56181.jpg

 

£75 for a tyre, plus fitting, and the others aren't looking too clever either. But yesterday a guy on a forum I use said he'd got a set of wheels and tyres only a few thousand miles old for £50. Surplus to requirements since he'd bought some alloys. Off on a road trip down to Tewkesbury tonight/tomorrow to collect them!

That tyre looks like it has been run while flat or even been sitting flat.

[loserone]

Called to cancel the insurance on the MX5.  Turns out they screwed up my NCB on my 'main' car years ago, and my refund covers the MX5 insurance for the last year.  Cheap car!

[mat_the_cat]

That tyre looks like it has been run while flat or even been sitting flat.

 

I know what you mean, but I've owned the van for the whole period they've been on, and they haven't even lost any significant pressure let alone been flat. I actually check them more frequently than other vehicles as with them being 8 ply, the pressure has to drop below 20 psi or so (from 65!) before you can tell anything visually. The rest of the fleet a quick look round normally does the trick rather than a gauge.

 

That tyre in question is just behind the exhaust, so I wonder whether a hot, sooty environment has shortened its life more than the others?

[Lord Sterling]

Went to the cinema today taking young_Brother_Sterlings. Pa_Sterling doesn't have a car at the moment as his is being repaired (Pa_Sterling without a car - this is a RARE occurence and cause of minor hilarity) so we took the tram. Not been to the big screen for years, possibly double figures in years, bloody expensive (nigh on 70€, probably didn't help me buying a bin full of sweet Popcorn, which I couldn't eat all of) but a great time was had by all, can't put a figure on that as I don't get to see Brother_Sterlings that much.

 

Also, lol! Just found out some keyboard warrior dickhead on some Rover forum I fell out with some years ago over something stupid is still making references to that arguement trying to make himself look big. What a sad prat. Move on FFS

[greengartside]

On this day in 1994, me and Fatha Greengartside were travelling up to Manchester in a brand-spanking new hired Vauxhall Corsa.

 

I still have the hire car receipt somewhere, cost my dad £25 for a day's rental which included fuel! The old crate didn't do too badly - M601 XAH lasted until February 2010.

 

[spike60]

Does the new DVLA website not show if scrapped or exported?

[Dave_Q]

Got my first order from euro carparts today. All look right and all very cheap. Only confusing thing is the thermostat came with a rubber ring?? Though it might be a gasket but it's too big. Will just make one like I was going to anyway.

 

Most motor factor thermostats I've had come with a selection of gaskets for different applications.

[vulgalour]

Getting my SAAB back this weekend, welding complete - she's done a phenomenal job!  Just needs a bit of paint, I've really missed driving this car.

Is it possible to get more images of this greenest of green machines?

[twosmoke300]

On this day in 1994, me and Fatha Greengartside were travelling up to Manchester in a brand-spanking new hired Vauxhall Corsa.

 

I still have the hire car receipt somewhere, cost my dad £25 for a day's rental which included fuel! The old crate didn't do too badly - M601 XAH lasted until February 2010.

 

 

 

 

What website is this? Ive been offered a car from someone i know who has lost all the docs . Im in the bartering stage but would like to know how much MOT it has but cant seem to find out without a mot cert number or v5c number

[greengartside]

https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

[twosmoke300]

brilliant , cheers

[Cavcraft]

That website is ace for people buying cars when the sellers don't know when the MOT expires. I've seen a few (and bought a couple) that the owners thought had a short MOT, but actually had a fair bit.

[320touring]

I find it funny that I've bought the 735 as a "Sunday car" and it's done 400 miles this week. .

[michael1703]

I got a letter saying my van was uninsured and that I should insure it or sorn it etc, went on there and my van isn't coming up (ford reg no mmk820c)

 

Rang doovla who informed me it was taxed until 1st October which I didn't actually know, it is also insured until 27/01/15

 

Wtf is that about?

[trigger]

Reading that has just reminded me, this Merc I bought shows as being untaxed since 2011 but I know it's been of the road since 2009, now the owner said it's on sorn although clearly he's forgot to renew it and doesn't realise.

 

When I go to tax it tomorrow with the new owners V5C part filled in will there be a problem or will the seller just receive a letter with a fine for the Sorn?