A long time ago in a Galaxie far, far away (and other shit)

[320touring]

1 hour ago, juular said:

I suspect the knock code is a result of the faulty O2 sensor allowing the fuel-air mix to drift out to the point that knock occurs (or almost does), after which it's probably running on some default / limp home setting to prevent engine damage.

If you can get the sensor out (it'll be the front one at/ under the manifold for extra joy) you can test it with a blowtorch and a multimeter.  As it goes in and out of the torch flame you should get a reading smoothly shifting between two values (usually 0v - 1v) without any spikes or strange voltages.

 

Always worth checking the earth points on these cars. Most of the ones I've found on our 1999 LS have been really shit.

I've got a vacuum gauge here somewhere if you want to make sure there's no leaks. 

The odd thing is the EML comes on INSTANTLY when you go full throttle.

It comes on before the gearbox has even kicked down. 

I dunno if the knock sensor feedback loop is that quick?

[sdkrc]

Serbian Peugeot buyout complete. This baby is all mine. I don't even really fit in it because of the sunroof

[loserone]

I'd forgotten that you have actually seen your car in the flesh.  Good work, it's loads more exciting than the Xantia I replaced my 1/3 of it with.

[sdkrc]

Well shit. Someone had broken into the visa and the Galaxie. They tried to hotwire the visa but fuck knows why. They left the door and windows open on the Galaxie. 

I've been on the waiting list for a council lockup for 4yrs, any ideas on how I can secure my car asap? A steering wheel lock won't stop someone with a low loader and it sounds like the banger racing world championship is coming around soon

[Schaefft]

Is it possible that the cost of living crisis forces the scum to aim for easy targets now? Or do we just have bad luck?

I pulled the unique fuel injection relay in my Corona and the fuel pump fuse in the E38. Fingers crossed it'll deter them but the damage will be done no matter what.

 

[GingerNuttz]

They'd prob have returned the Galaxie when they saw it does a mile to the gallon 😂

There's still a blow somewhere on that passenger side exaust and it sounded like up the manifold end. I hunted up as far as I could and couldn't feel it, fit some gaskets to the flanges and see if it helps before ripping the manifolds or that off as exhaust paste isn't a great gasket.

[DodgyBastard]

We could clear a space for the galaxies at the unit, it's unlikely it would be fucked with here.

[Split_Pin]

Yep I'd get the Galaxie up to the unit ASAP. 

[sdkrc]

On 29/08/2022 at 18:31, sdkrc said:

And I also bought this, it's called a Flipper Zero. 

Finally managed to do something useful with this. Clone my barrier fob. They wanted to charge me something like £89 for a replacement. 

The barrier fob uses KeeLoq rolling codes, the same as lots of car key fobs but I can now open this at will. I can open random peoples' Tesla chargeport doors, switch off unitree go1 robot dogs, use it as a remote for any tv, control jukeboxes and open some remote handicap doors.

it's also running Doom

Galaxie off to the unit in the next 10 days for safety, I've been looking into airtags as a boggo temporary tracker for it. 

[Turbowomble]

Just after going through this one from start to finish, what a rollercoaster and what a transformation for the old girl! Such a shame that the latest developments involve having to hide it in a safehouse  due to attempted scrote-baggery. 

[sdkrc]

It's been a while. 

In November I bought this stunning executive conference centre on wheels from the wonderful folks at eBay for £860 with a long MOT. This one is the 2.2 petrol with a manual box. A surprisingly rare and fruity engine in these. 150bhp and it really went well.

It was tired and baggy when I got it but was clean and the owner had tried to maintain it. As is tradition, I have managed to turn it into scrap in a mere 4000miles by using it for tip runs, kicking its tits in and giving it no love.

One of the rear brake calipers cut loose and I had no brakes. I drove it through town with literally zero brakes to get it to the garage using a combination of hopes, wishes and poor judgement.

Right now it's got a howling wheel bearing, incredibly dim headlights, an oil leak, a colossal hole in the exhaust, the driver's seat is stuck, it has no reverse, all 4 tyres, discs and pads need replacing etc

Verdict: eurovan 2 is good buy and goodbye.

[sdkrc]

Have a non-live collection thread whilst we're at it. No, no, no...I insist

 

Spotted this on eBay with 6mins to go.

 

Do absolutely zero research and then do an bid.

 

Then do a win at £820. 

 

Details :

- pre 2001

- Feb 2024 MOT

- Serious amount of giffer dents

- marginally rare spec

[sdkrc]

The journey starts with yesterday's kebab

Which handily leads onto poo #1.

There's nothing more empowering than crapping with the door open at home and then taking a photo for some folks on the internet 

No breakfast and a 2 mile walk to town through endless litter because Glasgow is full of cunts

There's GANKTH's number if anyone needs to call him/her

Aaand train

[sdkrc]

Some sightseeing

The Eiffel tower, resplendent etc etc

The White House. Home of presidents such as George Bush, George Bush 2, Barack Obama and sleepy Joe Biden.

Off the train in sunny Preston and through town. Absolutely ram-jammed with beggars, never seen so many in my life. It was probably 5% beggars. 

Take out a wad of fat stacks from the bank and then walk another 2 miles 

I wonder what could be causing these pigeons to sit on this warm, warm roof? Could actually be crypto mining 

And bizarre mini tower with doors 15ft up that overlooks what looks like a prison?

[sdkrc]

A quick streetview check leaves us in no doubt as to who our seller is and where he lives

When I got onto the street, I kid you not, there were perhaps 20 or 30 glorious shitboxes strewn across 200m.

Alfa 156s, 164s, 75s, Betas, GTVs, Lancia themas, Merc S124s etc. All of them in a glorious state of disrepair

I took no photos but it was absolutely Eldorado for perverts.

[Matty]

Nice legs m9 😄

[Matty]

Wherever you been anyhow? There were a search party being mustered soon if there was no sign!

[sdkrc]

Just now, Matty said:

Nice legs m9 😄

I know. Have some more legs

[Schaefft]

I cheated an checked ebay but damn! Im calling dibs already!

[sdkrc]

Pez shot. 

It's a Y reg Alfa 166, the pre facelift one that looks like a sloth or Uma Thurman. It's the 2 litre twin spark with a 6 speed manual. It was giffer owned for 95% of its life and then run by the seller's wife for 2yrs. It's scruffy as fuck, looks like someone's face was slammed into the boot, there are more stains than you can imagine. Uneven tyre wear and discs/pads due imminently. Other than that it's superb. It has evidence of being very well maintained for the majority of its life 

As with all Italian and French cars, it hasn't been designed with the big footed gentleman in mind. I struggle to push the clutch down and sometimes I'm unknowingly covering 2 pedals.

Every corner has a scrape and poorly matched spray. There are 10 or so dents that I spotted right off the bat. 

The brakes are grabby and immediate.

The gear shift is short, light and notchy. 

The clutch is heavyish. 

[sdkrc]

[Schaefft]

Glorious. I can never comprehend how a car can get banged up like this though.

[sdkrc]

[sdkrc]

First order of business is breaking the driver's window switch and getting the window stuck in the down position during a brief shower

 

 

[Matty]

Definatly something about these. I'd love a v6 with a manual box but no fucker specced them like that because, I suppose, why would you?

[Schaefft]

8 minutes ago, Matty said:

Definatly something about these. I'd love a v6 with a manual box but no fucker specced them like that because, I suppose, why would you?

There was one on ebay for under 650 quid not that long ago. Problem is that the paint is usually completely screwed on these with age.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Glad to see you're back, hope you're well. Coming back with a wonderful purchase too, well done that man.

[GMcD]

Fuckin mega. That steering wheel  😍

 

[sdkrc]

Day 12 Alfa update:

- car is manky as fuck, I've spent several hours drill brushing the seats and I'm perhaps 50% done. I need to take the seats out to tackle the insane amount of detritus in every crevice. I don't think it'll ever be clean. 

I don't know if this is a before or after photo...

 

- found some binoculars whilst cleaning. £60ish second hand 

 

- insurance is cheap as fuck

- been through the history. Belts were done 6k miles/3yrs ago. It's been very well cared for up until 120k and 2021 with some big bills for stupid things, then it's been used/abused. I have no qualms with that as I squeeze the last bits of life out of cars myself. It could actually be in better mechanical condition than I first thought 

Minus the artisanal fixes I mean

- I've driven it about 500 miles in total now, it's loud and not great on the motorway. 3200 rpm at 70. It is however very competent at 60mph on the Twisties compared to everything I've owned.

[sdkrc]

Alfa will likely be for sale or roffle when the Lexus is back on the road. 

Lexus failed it's MOT. Snapped spring. It's got advisories for some crusty brake lines and a wheel bearing. No garage is willing to sort out all 3, can't even get a quote. Massive pain in the arse.