Bear's bangers: Boxing, clever? A Volvo XC is the perfect car for living in a Cross Country...

[Bear]

Celebratory takeaway. Longer bolt to push sleeve back, two bolts holding it, it no longer has a weird feeling clutch pedal.

I'll tidy the dash up later, but it moves and it moves just fine! Need to refit the gasket on the pipe.

Actually sussed out a really neat way of reaching the bolts - with one of those thumb ratchets and I swapped to hex cap bolts.

[Bear]

Rewired the tail light and now have a full set of functioning signals, put a new seal on the cluster, and cable tied the free-range wiring.

I still have very mixed feelings about the MG, it's sort of endearing but I'd much rather it were a Volvo estate, PT Cruiser hatchback or a Honda HR-V. Even a Rover 400 Touring is more my style.

It's wandery - but has new suspension parts in the box o' bits. Maybe when I've moved and cleaned it up, and sun and warmth means I feel comfortable working on it, I'll find more to like.

Cars getting ready to head to their new home... which reminds me...

[Bear]

I found the MG's boot leak!

Holy crap they just chucked these last ones together. It's the panel below the back window on the passenger side, the seam just isn't very well sealed. Going to fix that. I guess over time the paint gives up so the leak shows up later in the car's life. Small amount of surface rust gave it away.

That and it dripped on me while I was fitting a boot strut.

[Bear]

Lilith approves;

Traditional ‘no furniture takeaway on floor’ but WITH FRIENDS WHO LIVE NEARBY!

[High Jetter]

Posh git - not a garage for your car, oh no - it's got it's own room!

[Bear]

11 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Posh git - not a garage for your car, oh no - it's got it's own room!

To be fair this is basically the second reason for this house after "near awesome friends"

[Bear]

Sunny weather, Lilith gets to play. So far we're 3/3 on big drives and problems.

So I thought a little present would calm her.

Sunny day grim selfie. I am not aging well.

Roads to Boroughbridge messed up so went through loads of hilly villages. A horribly familiar pulling on the steering/hangy feeling.

Got to consecrated ground and chucked holy water on the wheel.

FFS. 14,000 miles and not driven in salt. I /hate/ cheap floating calipers.

Looking good though. Not like these clumsy knockoffs I've seen.

 

[Bear]

Volvo 940 Has Entered The Chat:

@Kade dropped it at Peterborough after work - I was going to leave it there but decided to do the return run and then go home in the Volvo. Which means this car happily did 5 hours of motorway driving yesterday...

I actually have a new car - need to go back and fetch it:

But come on, this is far more exciting for an old shite car person.

(The content of this tape is for Volvo drivers only)

Watford Gap after 3 hours of A1, wiggly road to M1 and M1

Need to make sure no-one steals that H

Home.

Morning!

Found a Lego version:

Looks like about 150K, drives well, didn't notice clutch slip or issues, temp rock solid. Heater hot not connected - suspect a broken cable or thing - but fan works. Windows work. Needs dashboard sorting.

Brakes excellent, no untoward noises. Aside from a clean patch near the battery, no welding that I could see.

And the view out is lovely. Why did cars have to lose low windows and visibility 😕

[EyesWeldedShut]

6 minutes ago, RichardK said:

And the view out is lovely. Why did cars have to lose low windows and visibility

No idea tbh - took our 'new' 1998 940 down to the West Country for its first long range trip and my father in law was 1000% delighted to have a tour around the local giffer places (recycling tip, garden centre - the usual).  The window ledge is perfect to rest an elbow on and the view out is tremendous all round. Long bonnet is a consideration but nothing worse than my old Outback (counter balanced by the fact that a cambelt change is appropriately easier).
Only complaint is that the driver's seat needs restuffing under the butt and lumbar area as it kinks your neck a bit on the headrest.

[Crackers]

The wheels

The stripes

The interior

Oh, my. 🤤

[Bear]

So, I am making a start:

First - it had a wee misfire on the M1, enough to notice, not enough to worry, so "open wide"!

Look at wires...

Oops!

Well that'd do it. New Bosch leads ordered.

Also assuming this was once electric which may be an error, have ordered a new antenna core.

[Bear]

Some Volvo cleaning, since I can't drive it after that HT lead broke. This is A Problem as it's blocking the Cruiser in and my other car is in Peterborough 😕

Sans Plomb

Sans Muck.

Sans Rust

Sans Droop

Sans need for booster seat

[hairnet]

that green stripe needs to die by hairdryer

[DSdriver]

I'm liking the go faster stripes 😃

[Bear]

10 minutes ago, hairnet said:

that green stripe needs to die by hairdryer

That green stripe is going to be colour-matched and replaced if I keep this car

[hairnet]

another in the black/grey would be good

 

[Bear]

Just now, hairnet said:

another in the black/grey would be good

 

but then it wouldn't be a Highlander and would presumably be less economical and skilled at crofting

[hairnet]

its a bit far south for that ken

[Bear]

Just now, hairnet said:

its a bit far south for that ken

You need to travel a long way to get a whole wiring loom from one penny

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, RichardK said:

but then it wouldn't be a Highlander

christopher lambert says he doesnt care

[Bear]

2 hours ago, hairnet said:

christopher lambert says he doesnt care

Well, yeah, one fewer is always going to be in McCleod's favour.

Amazingly the beast fired and ran on three fine for moving it out of the way of other cars, so I can go and get my Dacia back. Albeit leaving Lilith elsewhere which I hate.

Finished messing with it for the evening...

[hairnet]

datcha tho

[Bear]

4 hours ago, DSdriver said:

I'm liking the go faster slower stripes 😃

FTFY

[danthecapriman]

Glad someone took this on. I kept looking at it in the sale thread!!

Love the stripe and the rimz. It actually looks like a clean, pretty straight old thing. Well bought!

[Bear]

FFS. I wish people would empty their cars properly.

 

[yes oui si]

Blåhaj noted. 

[Bear]

Waiting for new HT leads and a bike to be delivered, so I thought I'd prep MacLeod for some good old-fashioned waxoyl abuse.

Realised the ill-fitting washer jet has migrated from the tailgate, so obtaining a replacement bonnet one and restoring the washer pipes to their proper places!

Engine parts I tend to go for the dry bike chain wax. Good way to protect things that move, and easy to apply, it also goes on exposed bolts and things.

[DSdriver]

Distributor cap and points tend to get ignored by previous owners because they are such a faff to get at.

[Bear]

22 minutes ago, DSdriver said:

Distributor cap and points tend to get ignored by previous owners because they are such a faff to get at.

They are on the list but Bosch cap is expensive. No points, surely, on this?!

[Bear]

I had one can of Waxoyl left!

Hairdryer deployed, that chassis leg is /full/ of hot clear waxoyl now. And I will be getting more done on the other side of the inner wing.

This thing is an absolute delight to work on, space-wise.

Cleanin' time