BeEP's motors - old and new(ish)

[BeEP]

I’ve been meaning to start a thread about my cars since I started posting on here, but never quite got round to it. Until now.  Although a number have appeared in odd posts across other threads I’ll try to collate updates, comings and goings in here from now on.  Even if no-one else is interested it will serve as a record of what I’ve been wasting my time on.

 

My cars, with one exception, fall into two camps.  There are five BL/Rover products, all of which come March I will have owned for 10 years or more.  In order of acquisition:

 

1964 Austin 1100.  Bought in 2005 for £950, which remains the most I’ve spent on a car!  Fitted with MG1100 engine and uprated cam,  Continuously MOT’d and in light use during my ownership.

 

 

1972 Austin 1800 automatic, bought in 2006.  A Bristol car all its life (I lived there from 96-09), it was originally Wild Moss but resprayed (I believe by the original dealer) Mallard green, as it was seriously old stock at the time.  Had hand controls from new as the first owner was paralysed, it retains all the under-bonnet gubbins for this, with the battery moved to the boot.  Off road since 2010 awaiting an engine rebuild.

 

 

1973 Austin 1100 2 door deluxe (just like SiC’s).  Rescued in 2006 from long term storage in a hanger at Bristol airport.  Limeflower with matching interior.  My everyday car from 2007 to 2010, and at various times since.  Needs bodywork, and the suspension celebrated obtaining its last MOT in 2017 by popping a pipe over the rear subframe a day later!

 

 

1990 Maestro diesel van.  Ex South Western Electricity Board (hence the orange colour).  Bought in 2009 to help with move from Bristol to Norfolk, it was my main transport for most of the time from 2010-16, when it finally produced a MOT failure list which needed proper attention.  New sills, wheelarches and floor sections later it’s now solid underneath, and waiting for similar attention on top.  MOTd but rarely used.

 

 

1975 Austin Allegro 1300 estate (series 1).  Bought in March 2009 from its sole previous owner and used until the MOT ran out that August.  Slumbered until 2015 when much bodywork was done and has been back on the road since early 2016, averaging  a couple of thousand miles per year.

 

 

Now for the past few years I’ve rotated my everyday car fairly frequently (by which I mean every couple of months or so); however last April I stumbled across my 1996 Punto 55SX.  It’s got under my skin and is going nowhere, although it might have the odd month off whilst I try something else

 

 

So that’s my basic fleet, but since deciding that 20 years working in the defence industry, with 4 hours per day commuting for the last seven of those was quite enough I’ve bought and sold the odd car to make a bit of money.  My criteria are that they must be something which interests me, or cheap and local!  Some have been seen or even sold on here (V70 T5 last year for example) but at the end of 2018 my sales stock was precisely zero.  Something had to be done.  Last Wednesday this arrived (as seen in News24 thread):

 

 

1997 Punto 60S.  Needs a wheel cylinder for MOT but really needs the clutch release bearing replacing (and possibly the operating arm) before it’s sellable.  A friend has offered to help with this as I’ve never split an end-on gearbox before (I refer you to my collection of gearbox in sump cars above, which I am quite happy to take apart).

 

Then on Friday this appeared:

 

 

Vovlo 850 2.5 20v automatic in top of the range CD spec.  Cheap as the electric front seat was supposed not to work (the movement part, not the heater).  As the battery was flat on arrival I charged that before playing with it, and the seat works perfectly! There was a problem as someone's had the switch pack off before, so maybe disconnecting the battery resets the memory box through which it all works.  I'm sure one of our more learned Volvo brethren will be along shortly with an explanation.   Once I’d cleaned copious amounts of seagull poo off it I found a very nice car with an incredibly sweet sounding engine.  MOTd to November, I’d planned to have a bit of fun with this but a family member’s phase 2 V70 died spectacularly last week so she will be taking ownership next Monday

 

And to bring us up to date this morning I brought this home:

 

 

Very local and very cheap, owned by a 95 year old lady who gave up driving last year.  It’s a 1.2 SXi semi-auto thing; I can’t see it needing much for a MOT which will occur the week after next.  Just need to find a battery that will fit in the stupid under-scuttle location as I’m not buying a new one before the MOT result is known!

 

Have a final pic of the three shades of blue together

 

 

Apologies for such a lengthy post; I will try to update as cars come, go or are put up for sale, and if I get time I’ll add photos of some of the many BL vehicles I’ve owned (although being a luddite means I don’t have digital photos of the majority).

[BorniteIdentity]

We need to meet.

[SiC]

This is great, I've been waiting for you to do a thread on your cars!

 

Also I didn't realise/completely forgot that you lived around Bristol too. Whereabouts did you live in the city?

[BeEP]

Also I didn't realise/completely forgot that you lived around Bristol too. Whereabouts did you live in the city?

 

Firstly in Horfield, just off Muller Road, then in Northville off Filton Avenue.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Haha only on Autoshite could someone buy a P reg Punto to try to make some money on.

[dollywobbler]

Followed by a Vauxhall semi-auto! Bravery!

 

Like the fleet.

[BeEP]

Thanks!  The Punto isn't quite as mad as it seems.  Maybe I'll make a few pennies; worst case scenario it will provide lots of spares for mine which, for example, would really benefit from the almost new exhaust on the blue one.

 

The Corsa was only seven miles up the road and I paid less than CarTakeBack have offered for it.  I plan to use it for a month just to tick the silly semi-auto off the been there, done that list.

 

Part of the fun is just to get cars back on the road that others would just scrap (see also the Clio I had from D Spares & Tyres and sold to Angrydicky for exactly what it owed me).  Also, without wanting to enter too much of a discussion I firmly believe it's more environmentally friendly overall to keep (well maintained) old cars on the road than to buy new ones, whatever the emissions at the point of use.

[Jim Bell]

Its a hat trick for the prolific striker and the crowd go wild !

[SiC]

Firstly in Horfield, just off Muller Road, then in Northville off Filton Avenue.

Ah, being a former UWE student (2005-2009) I know that area well! First year in the flats above what was Blockbuster and Motaman by the mini Roundabout. Second year in a place on Third Avenue. Third year was placement in Cheltenham (lived in Swindon). Final year a place on Dudley Grove. After Uni I lived in Stoke Park for a bit, then moved further eastwards.

 

My other half works in a School in that area nowadays too.

 

I've lived in the Bristol area since 2005 - it's the first City/Town that I have lived in. Coming up to half my life now! (Scary thought.

 

I enjoyed it when I was younger but I'm pretty sick of it now. Roads are busier than ever and feels nowadays like a London vibe where everyone is in a massive rush with no time for anyone else. Very much looking forward to our move out!

 

Some parts are the same but places have changed a lot even in the 14 or so years I have been here. Not least the travesty that is Filton Airfield.

[PhilA]

Hm, never saw that 1100 at the airport in all the time I was there. Where it was hidden away?

 

Phil

[Andyrew]

Corsa MOT prediction.

 

Drop link/s

Front coil spring/s

Hand brake cable/s

 

Advisory on oil pressure switch leaking.

And engine sounding rattly

[BeEP]

Second year in a place on Third Avenue.

 

I enjoyed it when I was younger but I'm pretty sick of it now. Roads are busier than ever and feels nowadays like a London vibe where everyone is in a massive rush with no time for anyone else. Very much looking forward to our move out!

 

Some parts are the same but places have changed a lot even in the 14 or so years I have been here. Not least the travesty that is Filton Airfield.

 

I was in Ninth Avenue from end 2001 to 2009, so our paths may literally have crossed somewhere!  Know what you mean about getting out, I'm very glad to be in rural Norfolk now.  And about the airfield; I worked for MBDA, adjacent to Airbus and the airfield for all the time I was down there.

 

Hm, never saw that 1100 at the airport in all the time I was there. Where it was hidden away?

 

Phil

 

Not sure, but it was in a building due for demolition in 2006 as part of the airport redevelopment (when the A38 was deviated to take a loop around the runway improvements - can't remember whether the runway was extended or it was just to make space for fog warning systems at the end of it).  The 1100 had been there for a number of years and I actually collected it from just inside an access gate on the North side.

[BeEP]

Corsa MOT prediction.

 

Drop link/s

Front coil spring/s

Hand brake cable/s

 

Advisory on oil pressure switch leaking.

And engine sounding rattly

 

We'll see, it's done less than 200 miles since the last test.  And the engine actually sounds quite good!

[SiC]

Just watch out on the semi-automatic actuator bit of them. They can and do cause problems. Often very suddenly.

 

If it does play silly buggers, you're welcome to borrow my Tech2 (diag equipment Vx dealers use(d)) ... even if I have no idea the best way of getting it to you! (Post but it's quite big and heavy)

[SiC]

I was in Ninth Avenue from end 2001 to 2009, so our paths may literally have crossed somewhere!

Most likely! I used to frequent Als Hobbies when it moved to the Bulldog end of the Filton Avenue/Gloucester Road. Also the Jolly Fryer was a often visited place when too tired after a day's uni to bother cooking.

[PhilA]

Gotcha, that was just to make room for heavier aircraft landing and so traffic didn't have to stop whenever there was something flying over the road.

 

I was going to say, I don't think that was anything to do with Des White, was it? Heh

 

Phil

[BeEP]

Just watch out on the semi-automatic actuator bit of them. They can and do cause problems. Often very suddenly.

 

If it does play silly buggers, you're welcome to borrow my Tech2 (diag equipment Vx dealers use(d)) ... even if I have no idea the best way of getting it to you! (Post but it's quite big and heavy)

 

Perhaps I should get rid whilst it's working and not play with it for a month then!  Thanks for the offer; will re-visit if it proves to be needed.

 

Gotcha, that was just to make room for heavier aircraft landing and so traffic didn't have to stop whenever there was something flying over the road.

 

I was going to say, I don't think that was anything to do with Des White, was it? Heh

 

Phil

 

The previous owner was a Leslie Cox, but he hadn't worked there for some time so it was a friend of his I dealt with who still did (and could let me in).  So it could have been Des White.

[BeEP]

To get back to cars, have a couple of those previously owned...

 

1970 Maxi - the car I most regret selling as I won't find another cable-change version for anything like the same money

 

 

1980 Metro 1.3S.  Bought in Yate in 2002, sold in 2004.  Another one I should probably have kept, if only for the interior

 

 

[purplebargeken]

I really, really, really, really like the Allegro estate.

[BeEP]

I really, really, really, really like the Allegro estate.

 

It could be for sale later in the year..........

[Broadsword]

Fabulous fleet! As mentioned earlier in the News 24 thread those old Puntos are really actually quite good, not surprised you have kept yours for a bit. Strangely alluring cars, very easy to work on the engine, and quite good to drive.

[SiC]

I really, really, really, really like the Allegro estate.

It could be for sale later in the year..........

A retirement present for yourself Ken?

[billy_bunter]

Bristol related. Did anyone save/know what happened to the FIAT 132 that occasionally appeared on Muller road?

 

Assume long gone to the scrap bin.

[BeEP]

Last couple for tonight; Perkins Prima in differing applications.

 

Leyland DAF 200, bought following a link from Wuvvum in the ebay tat thread in 2015, put through a MOT and sold on

 

Maestro Clubman turbo diesel, owned in 2012 and sold to a chap from Herefordshire who turned up at 6.30 in the morning (I was still in bed) with a large drum of red diesel with which he fuelled it for his trip back.

 

[BeEP]

Picture of 1800 slumbering under dust in the side of the shed added to original post.

 

I also forgot that I own a share (with Craig the Princess) of the vehicle which makes the collections possible!  So here it is, LDV400 with 2.5 litres of turbocharged (not that you'd know it) Peugeot power.

 

And to finish on a grump; went to fit the new Volvo 850 tailgate struts today to find that ebay seller had done an ebay seller.  Despite listing explicitly as for 850 estate (not just using ebay's rubbish fitment thingy) the sockets on the ends are much too small.  Grrrr.

[BeEP]

Have a couple more Maestros,  Owned consequtively around 2002/03.  Both cost around £60 sans MOT, were driven to Bristol from Hampshire & London respectively with a test booked for the following morning, and both then used as daily drivers until the next car appeared (1.3HLE replaced 1.6L, and was in turn replaced by a 1972 Maxi).

 

Very early 1.6L, 4 speed gearbox and leaked from the windscreen seal over the passenger seat (and hence passenger if there was one).  My photo skills back then were even worse than now!

 

Earlyish 1.3HLE.  Sold to someone also in Bristol and spotted occassionally over the next few years.

 

 

Both still on DVLA database, but off road since 2006/2007 respectively.

[BeEP]

Sandglow Allegro 2 door rescued in 2011.  Bumpers were both mangled, so as it was already a bit tatty all round I fitted mk3 bumpers and Maestro van wheels for a slight Allegro Streetwise look.  MOT'd and sold on, it has never been submitted for another test, despite actually being a very solid car.

 

[BeEP]

As alluded to higher up, the rather nice turquoise Volvo 850 has now moved on to my sister-in-law, and I've got this heap to deal with in return!  Engine is rattlier than a thousand babies at a baby rattle convention; it will just about run but terminal non-runningness is imminent.  Will give it a quick go on Gumtree (I know, I know) at a fracton above scrap valiue in case it can be of use to someone for spares, but assuming not then CarTakeBack will be summoned.  In the unlikely event that any masochists on here are interested, it's even got a quarter of a tank of fuel to help you set fire to it when you've finished pilfering!

[wuvvum]

Bristol related. Did anyone save/know what happened to the FIAT 132 that occasionally appeared on Muller road?

 

Assume long gone to the scrap bin.

When was that?  My aunt & uncle used to live on Filton Ave so I was round that area of Bristol quite regularly, and I don't recall a 132 on Muller Road - I'd've remembered it if I'd seen it.

[BeEP]

I couldn't remember it either; I lived 50 yards from Muller road from 1996 to 2001.  Mind you, my memory is terrible.