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Eddie Honda's 96 Citroen Synergie VSX 1.9TD 7 seater.


Eddie Honda

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Just a quick recap.Last Saturday...

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After getting the divan bases all buttoned up I headed round to ASDA for some oil.

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Looked at the problem (location of filler cap meaning you have no hope of pouring oil straight from the can) and went back into the shop for reinforcements.

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Headed for the boat. Hassle free.

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Time for a late dinner.

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Made it into Belfast without sinkage - Sunday morning.

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Took the long way home to avoid tolls and got home at 4.30am to this on the wall next to my bed.

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Some kip later and then got a lift back to Dublin Airport to pick up the bike before going back into work.

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First thing this afternoon was to find out which car my spare toll tag is in. Went on the internet and checked the account. Tag was assigned to my black Volvo 343 and indeed it was, in its holder above the mirror. Change registration and clean a tiny bit of glass to make sure it stays stuck.

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Then proceeded round the local motor factors. Yesterday I tried to get a rear plate, but I was thwarted. Not by availability or stupid UK supplier rules, but a lack of toner in their printer. No big deal, they just got one whizzed up first thing from their other branch.

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Then another few yards up the road and fill up with some €1.36/litre diesel and get some more B&H and a belated forecourt shot.

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Then off to do some work.

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Ok, some of you may have got the hints. It's my 1969 Reliant Regal 3/30 saloon. Bought in November 1991. It was road legal between Jan 1992 and May 1992. 

Sorry it's not so much a collection, more of a removal/export job.

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Now all I need to do is transfer that no-wheeler Regal shell sitting atop a Regal chassis, from ex-caravan chassis to car transporter.

I think if I can work smart, I can do this on me jack. Else I'll have see what help is available later from next door.

First idea is to see if it's possible to move the trailers back-to-back...

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Back to Phase 2 on Wednesday...

Managed to drag out the old caravan chassis. I bought this in Marlow c. 2007 for the purpose of shifting the Regal from Ashford via Egham to Carlisle. On the trailer just a chassis with the unbolted body sat on top.

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Got them back-to-back and fairly level.

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Then with jacks, stands, a bit of wood and a piano dolly that was lying around, I got the rear rollered up.

Next up was the front.

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Found a crap barrow truck and got that under the front. Found a bit of plywood to bridge the gap between the two trailers.

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Then with careful winching, the whole lot was dragged back onto the car transporter trailer.

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As you can see the old caravan chassis is a Ministry Wheel-tapper's wet dream. Looking back I wonder how I got it up the M40/M6 without a pull.

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Having achieved that on my own, decided to go mad and book another ferry. The original booking was for Wed 0730 and come back Sat 2300. As I already got the thing loaded, I might as well sod off and come back for another car. Trailers/caravans up to 8m are free Tue-Thu between Scotland and Northern Ireland so it would I booked the 0345 Thursday morning and would return on the Thursday 2330. As that is less than 30h, short stay rates also apply, so that was £159 return including trailer.

The slight flaw in the plan was accounting for sleep, so as I got to Cairnryan early I grabbed an executive power sleep of around an hour until I was rudely awoken by the loading staff.

Got my arse in gear and boarded and got upstairs for another kip on the seats.

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Docked at 6am in Belfast and caught the Dublin rush hour M50 bollocks. Got back home at 9am with half a plan to rearrange the back yard and leave again at 7pm.

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Back at base some yard juggling occurred.

First up was to stow away my Duuo Plus trailer and move it out of the way next to the shed. Then I moved my trailer tent out onto the front side lawn. After that it was time to shift motors.

My Citroen GS was pushed back to just off the end of my drive. Abby the 343DL was next. Hasn't moved since c.2014. I'd bought a battery in June and after sending Mrs H out with two 5L petrol cans. I chucked 5L in and after a few long cranks she fired up. Despite leaving the handbrake off, some hammerage was required to free off the brakes. Then I was able to move her back and sweep the area underneath.

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Next job was to move the real deal Black Beauty (also not moved in a similar amount of time), but unfortunately this car had no cylinder head fitted and suffered from similar stuck brake woes. Also the tyres needed pumping up. The bike was duly moved into position to provide a portable 12v Hella socket for the electric air pump.

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Then Abby was strapped on and used to pull the BB back.

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More sweeping in the area underneath occurred.

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Abby was then moved onto the front lawn and Mrs H steered while I pushed the BB closer to the wall. After that Mrs H took to the wheel of the GS (while I pushed) to move it in behind the BB.

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Next was to move the other white 340 on the left of the pic out. Another 5L of petrol was lobbed in, tyres inflated, brakes (and clutch) freed off and it was moved to just off the end of the driveway.

The original intention was to just move it over to the left a bit, but the plan changed and instead Abby was moved from the front lawn to the space next to the BB.

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Heavy rain stopped play and I moved the white 340 from just off the end of the driveway to the front lawn to save blocking the footpath. Not the easiest thing to do when access is only via the passenger door due to the driver's side being stuck.

Finally time to reverse the trailer in

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Then I had to think about how I was going to get the cargo off. Further lifting reinforcements required! Out comes the engine crane.

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And a strap was used to lift the loose chassis / body combo up off the deck of the trailer, along with moving it as far as I could to the end as the rear was still sat on the piano dolly. The front was then lowered onto the barrow truck. 

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Lifting the rear this way wasn't working, so instead the rear of the chassis was jacked up and placed on axle stands so the trailer could be driven out from underneath.

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Lower rear again and wheel it into place.

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put the trailer tent into that gap and moved the other white Volvo 340 in to complete the driveway Tetris.

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Left the house about 8pm rather than 7. Filled up the tank again and the 508 miles round trip towing showed 35.2 mpg. Made the 2330 boat. Too many ferries in too few hours. This was in front of me at Belfast.

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More rough sleeping on the seats and got going again at 2am. Managed 3/4 of the trip before pulling into a lay-by for a power nap. Got back at 5.30am. Woke up just after midday and time to look at phase 3 of the operation Cinema. First it was Regal.

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And now it was time for

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Yep, time to export another tricycle.

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Last on the road 2007. Taken off due to OMGHGF. At least this was on wheels, so yesterday had a go at sticking some air in them and freeing off the brakes.

That was easy for the rear pair as they had relatively fresh (12 year old) Falken tyres on. The front was a totally fucked India GT.

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However I eventually found my spare and got it rolling. It being late and Friday I strolled down to the local. Then I remembered when the bell rang at 10:50 that late drinking doesn't occur here so sank two in 30 mins.

Nae food in the house. Nae take-away nearby. Suppose I could do a delivery. Tempted to add alcohol to the order, but thought better of it.

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