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Dollywobbler's Consolidated Tat Thread


dollywobbler

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Just watched your Olcit video. 

To put it bluntly, at best it's a huge amount of work, at worst it's fucked. 

Firstly it depends how hot that fire got, but fire weakens steel. Also anything rubber on that side is likely impaired and the insulation on the wiring will have degraded significantly. What are the parts availability like? Presumably not great.

It's going to need welding. Perfect car to learn on. However metal bodywork is incredibly time consuming. Especially if you're starting out. If doing professionally, cost is going to mount up quickly. Again the parts issue - panels are going to be scarce or non existent. So likely a lot will need hand fabricating. That's time consuming and expensive.

That's only what you can see. Like any car project it's an onion. Once you start peeling off the layers, there will be even more needing done. Especially one where there is significant unknown damage from fire.

Finally, will you get enough content and thus views for the amount of work needed? Metalwork is pretty repetitive and slow, so may struggle. Just look at how long Project Binky is taking.

At the end of the day, your channel is a business. Sometimes in business you have to make difficult decisions to progress.

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On 3/24/2021 at 7:19 PM, wuvvum said:

Wobbler is old enough to have a proper licence.  I know that because he's older than me and I'm old enough to have a proper licence.

 

Edit:  Even those with post-'97 licences can tow a car though provided the train weight doesn't exceed 3.5T.  So something like an Oltcit on a lightweight trailer behind a Mondeo would be fine.

My E46 BMW was 2000 kg and our 5 berth 4.5 metre single axle caravan mgw is 1100 kg, which comes both within the vehicle max tow weight and the max theoretical gross weight of 3500kg (it comes to 3100 kg). This means I could drive it on my post 97 license which I did, and so could Miss Hubnut when she gets her licence, without taking an extra towing test.

For what it's worth...

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Caravans are like that though.  Their GVW is often no more than 100KG more than their kerb weight, so you often don't end up with issues towing them with an average family car.   I think the biggest issue with towing a car transporter trailer (other than one old enough to be without a rating plate) is that their GVW is often significant to be able to actually be a useful trailer.  Even the actual weight of a transporter trailer (600kg-800kg maybe) plus even a small car (another 800kg-1000kg) means you're pulling most of two tonnes.

For anyone who is considering it, the towing test needed to gain the missing classification back isn't that hard.  The biggest issue as far as I can see (other than actually knowing how to tow a trailer) is that the trailer needs to be large enough to obscure your rearward visibility from the car, so you're "forced" to use the door mirrors.

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Some background to this is that the fire was in the engine bay only and was put out in a matter of minutes, but the heater air box was badly damaged and the various plastic and rubber pipework and wiring insulation in the vicinity suffered also. It probably sounds and looks a lot looks worse in the pictures than it is, from the fire PoV. Other than that, it has got some frilly bits and there are holes in sills and possibly in the floorpans that will need some attention with the sparkly stick. The bonnet hinge mounting will need to be repaired also! As with many things, if someone has the time, skills and practical capability to repair it as a project, it's not hard to do the work, but if they haven't it's probably not for them.

The car was in working order at the time of the fire and was on its way for its MOT and service when it happened. It is suspected that the inboard brakes started binding, overheated and the paper spiral and foam air ducting, which is positioned only just above the brake pads , smouldered and caught, hence the location of the damage. Following its recovery, standing outside probably didn't help to keep rust at bay in what is now 30 year old car. The parts to replace those damaged are available from a member of the Citroen Car Club.

TL:DR It's a project, certainly and welding and TLC will be required, but it's really not the lost cause it may seem to be on first impression.

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I think that's fair, but it definitely takes it into too much of a project for me. I've been more than pleased to keep it stored out of the elements but, especially the way my life is at the moment, I can't see me even getting the time to dig into seeing exactly what it needs, let alone actually restoring it. The underbonnet area has suffered where the fire removed paint, so it is pretty crispy, but nothing is impossible if you've got the skillset, and parts seem surprisingly available.

I should really have given it a better look at the Field of Dreams, but I was rather too busy showing children how to drive...

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On 23/03/2021 at 17:14, dollywobbler said:

True I guess, though I did convince myself that I could save both cars, so that was very much a fail. A clear-out does seem a good idea though. I'd love a bit more tinkering space, and neither of these projects is realistic sadly.

'Il faut reculer pour mieux sauter', as they say in Sheffield...

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It's been an interesting week, in which I finally got to put some miles on the Primera. Covered over 450 miles driving to the south of England and back for work-related reasons (I love that I have to justify every travel movement now...) 

The best bit is that I filled up on the way out and it came out at 37mpg in mostly mixed driving locally. That's pretty impressive for a 2-litre four banger I reckon! Certainly better than the 27-30mpg I was getting out of the Rover 45 V6... But that proved to be just the start, and on the second fill, it came in at 44mpg! That almost made up for having to pay motorway fuel prices due to poor planning on my part...

Here's a nice photo of it with Miss HubNut munching a Greggs pizza slice.

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Not all good news though. The engine note at 3000rpm is rather busy and annoying, which is a shame, as that's the motorway speed limit. Also, the seats are almost Vauxhall-uncomfortable! Very hard and left both of us with many aches, even allowing for the fact we've not travelled anywhere for months. So I doubt it's going to be staying long. I need a good, wafty long-distance car. The GSA does pretty well, but is also a bit buzzy at speed, has quite a lot of wind noise and a few mechanical issues that need sorting. Let's see how the year pans out.

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7 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

Very hard and left both of us with many aches, even allowing for the fact we've not travelled anywhere for months. So I doubt it's going to be staying long.

I wonder how hard would it be to stick more comfortable seats in from something else?

I know its done a lot in older cars

but I was wondering would if it would be possible to do it with something more modern like your Primera?

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Volvo S80 D5 would be a very nice barge.

My brother owns a 2.5D (early one with the VW T4 engine) and the thing ticked over 550.000 miles before its first engine rebuild

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8 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Yeah, but I have no desire to really. I don't like the car enough to consider it. There are definitely things I like about it, but peak torque at 4800rpm is not one of them.

not too late to buy betty back and import her into the UK is it? :) 

(you seem to really really like that car and how it wafts so well, so seeing as you seem to be looking for something to waft around in currently, seems like she would be ideal :) )

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You need a lovely Saab 900 or 850 Tdi, no ? .. what about a lovely Outback - Yeah all of these have comfortable seats, and don't sit at megga RPM on the motorway. Yes I do have one of each possibly for sale 😎😅

Actually spotted a Primera on the road recently, but it was the sporty version and sounded surprisingly good 

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On 3/26/2021 at 3:10 PM, Tim_E said:

My E46 BMW was 2000 kg and our 5 berth 4.5 metre single axle caravan mgw is 1100 kg, which comes both within the vehicle max tow weight and the max theoretical gross weight of 3500kg (it comes to 3100 kg). This means I could drive it on my post 97 license which I did, and so could Miss Hubnut when she gets her licence, without taking an extra towing test.

For what it's worth...

Look on the back of your licence for your categories, they are explained here:   https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories  

This depends on when you passed your test.  https://www.gov.uk/old-driving-licence-categories   

I passed my test in 1968 so mine was "Licences issued between 1976 and 1986"  I now have an "over 70 years old" licence, so the categories are reduced to  A, B1, B, BE, and fklnpq.

I can restore the old categories (because I passed my test in 1968) by getting my GP to give me a medical exam, and he will fill in a medical form D4.

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18 hours ago, Mrs6C said:

I drove my ZX diesel today... its seats are like a pair of comfy slippers and it eats miles and not fuel.

Didn't you have a ZX, once?

I did. Sadly I rather tired of the NA diesel's lack of urge, and turbo diesels are too laggy. A 1.9 petrol would be fun though.

17 hours ago, brownnova said:

I know you’ve had a Saab 9000 in the past but to me nothing covers miles like it. I did the FoD and back last summer in a day and felt fresh! The seats are so comfy, it swallows all the family junk and is very spacious. 

Very true. My H-reg 2.3 was a marvellous cruiser. I just didn't have enough money to do an awful lot of cruising in it back then, and now they've largely vanished.

14 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

not too late to buy betty back and import her into the UK is it? :) 

(you seem to really really like that car and how it wafts so well, so seeing as you seem to be looking for something to waft around in currently, seems like she would be ideal :) )

I did look into it, but really not a cheap option. Missing that car so much at the moment that I've been watching my old videos!

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10 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

I did look into it, but really not a cheap option. Missing that car so much at the moment that I've been watching my old videos!

maybe if @hairnet's new Motorcycle will fit in the boot you can split the shipping costs? :mrgreen:

 

wonder if it worth doing a poll or something and seeing how many viewers would want to see Betty again and then maybe making a dedicated "import betty fund" option on your patron page or something such?

 

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3 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Very true. My H-reg 2.3 was a marvellous cruiser. I just didn't have enough money to do an awful lot of cruising in it back then, and now they've largely vanished.

There has been a few of them on FB marketplace and eBay lately... two in Anglesey caught my eye... (it’s a saved search on my eBay a regular search on FB.... can you tell) 

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As the Primera is on the way out & modern (ish) motors do seem to be pissing you off due to being a pig to work on, have you considered going older ?

If you like wafting & comfort, what about, A55 or  Austin Westminster, Vauxhall Cresta etc etc ? You were considering a 4 figure sum I recall for buying a better Oltcit, so I'd have thought a tatty ish one of those might be possibly in budget ?  Would be  difficult getting one not totally rotten, but maybe worth a thought ?

Or what about P6 or Triumph 2000 ??

 

 

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12 minutes ago, ETCHY said:

As the Primera is on the way out & modern (ish) motors do seem to be pissing you off due to being a pig to work on, have you considered going older ?

If you like wafting & comfort, what about, A55 or  Austin Westminster, Vauxhall Cresta etc etc ? You were considering a 4 figure sum I recall for buying a better Oltcit, so I'd have thought a tatty ish one of those might be possibly in budget ?  Would be  difficult getting one not totally rotten, but maybe worth a thought ?

Or what about P6 or Triumph 2000 ??

 

 

Or a Rover P4 ?   https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/40/p4/

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Problem is, older relaxing cars tend to be pretty horrific on fuel. They don't suffer my half-arsed approach to maintenance gladly, and require a fair old dose of it. I loved commuting in an A90 Westminster when I lived in Cambs, but I'm not sure I would like to use one for the lengthy trips I tend to undertake these days. Even my Rover P6B failed at longer trips as it was fairly undergeared. I really want another auto, and they didn't get all that efficient until the 1980s, when torque converter lock-ups became more popular. But, then complexity started becoming greater too!

Another factor is wind noise. The 1980s technique of removing gutters and finessing aerodynamics makes a huge difference - wind noise is ever-present in the GSA for instance.

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