RichardKs wanderings: Insight or in-stinked? Smokin! (advice request)

[RichardK]

I really don't like that Boxster at the moment. Aligning the roof and folding clamshell mechanism is ridiculously complex, after replacing both clamshell hinges, the link arms, and the plastic sliders it still seems determined to bump the hinge on the roof seal, and not fully close the cover on the folded roof - despite the much newer roof with a back window in roughly the right position.

OTOH I am just tired of everything lately, which doesn't help.

[RichardK]

So far the Xtrons is way, way better than it should be for £179 even next to an £89 clone of a clone...

Popped a SIM in and it's fully connected.

But even this is a reassuring difference.

It actually fits the trim.

That, and the non-rattling buttons...

This is a handy feature too:

About as good as any voltmeter.

Only glitch remaining is that the dash illumination fader on the car causes the key illumination to flicker and screen to flick from dark to light mode if linked to lights. Latter is fixed by using time based handover, but the flickering buttons cheapen the unit's polish a bit.

[RichardK]

Put a SIM in the Xtrons - now have a super-sophisticated Focus!

Also a tiny one:

Suffering a yellow Boxster for £6 instead of £80 for a black one. Will swap car to match model if it's ever an option 😂 But very pleased the Focus is the right colour if the wrong facelift.

They can't decide between them which is the main car. It's the Focus, obviously, but maybe main car has to be the most expensive one rather than the one driven most.

This was supposed to be "all the cars I've owned in 1:43" but it's so hard to find some models and it's also now split into "main car" "second car" "projects" "partner's bangers I somehow ended up dealing with".

Notable absences from main cars - if anyone has or knows of such models:

Silver Jetta Syncro (just a Mk2 Jetta is fine) after Manta

Green (Phase 2) 306 Cabriolet before black New Beetle

Grey C6 after RX8 (black model has been relegated to "projects")

Silver 300C Touring (nae chance)

Black Chrysler Voyager

An FE Victor of any flavour (I had VX1800, 2300 Estate, Victor 2.3 and a Ventora)

A white Volvo 480 (I had an APC model of it once but sold it)

Delica L400 (see above)

Black Fiat Fullback (L200)

And so far I can't find a decent yet affordable model of a Mk1 Honda HR-V  And need a panther black or Azure XR4x4 to represent the three XR4x4s I went through.

Wish I could hop back in time to this period:

XR2i "don't want it" "she wants to sell it and I've no cash" "Okay Ian, how much?" "£350"

Rover driven through the petrol shortages because you could still get leaded

And a Mk1 Escort 1300 Sport with original front wings (and original floor sadly) that was £500...

My last Capri was also £150 and rust-free. Crazy.

[RichardK]

top row is "childhood" and below is loosely "dreams" or what might have been + gifts.

Had I replaced the Chevette with the 5 year old BX19TRS estate I test drove, instead if being told "no" and company bought an 8 year old, accident-repaired MG Metro for me from the same dealer, I may not have had anything like the same number of cars.

Lowest row is "America" + toys/gifts from there, but needs a 1981 Eldorado as well as Buick Regal and Chrysler Fifth Avenue to be cars I owned.

[bangernomics]

Put a SIM in the Xtrons - now have a super-sophisticated Focus!
Also a tiny one:

Suffering a yellow Boxster for £6 instead of £80 for a black one. Will swap car to match model if it's ever an option But very pleased the Focus is the right colour if the wrong facelift.
They can't decide between them which is the main car. It's the Focus, obviously, but maybe main car has to be the most expensive one rather than the one driven most.

This was supposed to be "all the cars I've owned in 1:43" but it's so hard to find some models and it's also now split into "main car" "second car" "projects" "partner's bangers I somehow ended up dealing with".
Notable absences from main cars - if anyone has or knows of such models:
Silver Jetta Syncro (just a Mk2 Jetta is fine) after Manta
Green (Phase 2) 306 Cabriolet before black New Beetle
Grey C6 after RX8 (black model has been relegated to "projects")
Silver 300C Touring (nae chance)
Black Chrysler Voyager
An FE Victor of any flavour (I had VX1800, 2300 Estate, Victor 2.3 and a Ventora)
A white Volvo 480 (I had an APC model of it once but sold it)
Delica L400 (see above)
Black Fiat Fullback (L200)
And so far I can't find a decent yet affordable model of a Mk1 Honda HR-V  And need a panther black or Azure XR4x4 to represent the three XR4x4s I went through.
Wish I could hop back in time to this period:

XR2i "don't want it" "she wants to sell it and I've no cash" "Okay Ian, how much?" "£350"
Rover driven through the petrol shortages because you could still get leaded
And a Mk1 Escort 1300 Sport with original front wings (and original floor sadly) that was £500...
My last Capri was also £150 and rust-free. Crazy.

Reminds me of driving a kadett c coupe (2.0 cih) during the strikes and brimming it with LRP at the time I think just to go cruising.

[RichardK]

7 hours ago, bangernomics said:

Reminds me of driving a kadett c coupe (2.0 cih) during the strikes and brimming it with LRP at the time I think just to go cruising.

You had a Kadett C coupe? GT/E or transplant? Very, very jealous - I wanted one but with a Chevette nose.

[bangernomics]

On 13/09/2024 at 12:05, RichardK said:

You had a Kadett C coupe? GT/E or transplant? Very, very jealous - I wanted one but with a Chevette nose.

Both, started with the transplant then graduated to a white over yellow. Keep looking at the dutch classifieds, have to sell green thingy first. 

[Christine]

'Rare '   hotwheels  joy machine    volvo 850    

   oh ,ok... squint  !

 

(

[Christine]

Schabak made a Jetta .. i think i have one .  

[RichardK]

Got an anti-glare screen protector for the Focus radio so removed it to fit, and decided to fit the reversing camera. The camera replaces the boot switch but the old switch, despite being secured by two clips, was having none of it.

The whole chrome trim has to come off, which also means partly removing the bootlid lights.

The lock is a bastard for catching your head on.

Glovebox out, wires for the 5GHz WiFi and 4G modem being routed up A-pillar tomorrow along with re-routing DAB and SIM card carrier.

Still want to make one of these that says "Capri"

Subtle little HD1080 camera

Bonus, the Xtrons works with the OBD adaptor I have.

Not too shabby!

Wiring hell awaits, though the wiring to the boot was SO much easier than I feared.

WTF model is mine supposed to be (Raise used to list 2005-2012 Focus).

Yes, I'll finish it tomorrow.

Repaired part of the FTX Outback Fury - the jump that killed the driveshaft has also detached the A-arms on the front axle.

Balanced and charged both 5200mAh LiPo packs (only used a handful of times) and the original 2000mAh NiCd.

It still goes like stink even in RWD mode (for a crawler) but the torque, strong gearing and lack of freewheel means one rear wheel has cracked in half pretty much, and one front is cracking. Metal wheels are £50ish, a lot to spend if I would only get £150 for it all fixed anyway regardless of upgrades.

Checked on the RX7 inner arch.

Bugger. I wonder how to get that sorted properly...

[RichardK]

Changed something

[garellikatia]

Following!! The focus cc. Seems like a perfect combination between a summer toy with the roof down and safe and practical for the family to be ferried around in!! 

Might keep my eye out for one In the spring 

[tooSavvy]

On 14/09/2024 at 22:54, Christine said:

 

Ahh..... EXACTLY the 'wing at the back' look I'm angling for on AVAS 😎

🚙💨

[RichardK]

On 24/09/2024 at 13:47, garellikatia said:

Following!! The focus cc. Seems like a perfect combination between a summer toy with the roof down and safe and practical for the family to be ferried around in!! 

Might keep my eye out for one In the spring 

They're a bit crap in the build quality stakes (well, the materials chosen), but comfortable, HUGE boot, not as wobbly as you might expect, and the roof is less complicated than the C70.

Also they're peanuts. I could have got one without dents (but probably with other issues) for not much more than this one was, and to be fair if I hang on until the right bootlid is available I'll sort the dents out for £80 and A LOT OF MISERABLE ADJUSTING OF BOLTS.

The triple-skinned bootlight and sandwich of lights, chrome trim and electrics is truly horrible to dismantle. I needed the magnet onna stick several times.

Of course I might end up getting bored and selling this one, having put new headlights, ST grille (and Zetec S lower grille eventually), homage-to-Capri S stripes, bonnet lock, rebuilt window mech, higher-end Android stereo with 4G modem, DAB+ and reversing camera, and probably new decent-brand tyres, and losing shitloads of money in the process.

[RichardK]

On 14/09/2024 at 22:54, Christine said:

'Rare '   hotwheels  joy machine    volvo 850    

   oh ,ok... squint  !

 

(

I mean, I would look twice and still not QUITE twig it was originally an 850...

[Christine]

Your roof wing is different to the one i had ?  

Mine was like this .. I have seen others with no wing at all , they look a bit naked

 

[garellikatia]

On 25/09/2024 at 19:08, RichardK said:

They're a bit crap in the build quality stakes (well, the materials chosen), but comfortable, HUGE boot, not as wobbly as you might expect, and the roof is less complicated than the C70.

Also they're peanuts. I could have got one without dents (but probably with other issues) for not much more than this one was, and to be fair if I hang on until the right bootlid is available I'll sort the dents out for £80 and A LOT OF MISERABLE ADJUSTING OF BOLTS.

The triple-skinned bootlight and sandwich of lights, chrome trim and electrics is truly horrible to dismantle. I needed the magnet onna stick several times.

Of course I might end up getting bored and selling this one, having put new headlights, ST grille (and Zetec S lower grille eventually), homage-to-Capri S stripes, bonnet lock, rebuilt window mech, higher-end Android stereo with 4G modem, DAB+ and reversing camera, and probably new decent-brand tyres, and losing shitloads of money in the process.

Hahaha absolutely isn't that the autoshite way after all. It's funny I'd never considered any since having seen you buy one. Now I see them all the time on the road. 

[RichardK]

On 25/09/2024 at 20:28, Christine said:

Your roof wing is different to the one i had ?  

Mine was like this .. I have seen others with no wing at all , they look a bit naked

 

That's a facelift wing, but the bumper is 1999. Mine has the third brake light in the rear window, I'd like the full width LED one in theory but not to the point of wanting to paint and fit it 😂

[RichardK]

Someone else getting attention today!

Just changing the gearbox fluid. It has made quite a difference (it needed a bit over 4 litres so I had to wait for a fifth bottle - but when I drove it up ramps before in low range it struggled and slipped backwards a bit, with the new oil it just drove up them smoothly)  - rear differential fluid is next.

Very clean underneath, going to get the waxoil onto the case

Here's why I have a rubbing/occasional exhaust blow sound. Going to get a new sealing ring and springs onto that case...

Maybe new exhaust rubbers too.

Ground clearance! Why did the small SUV idea get so far away from this template?

Next is the C3's gearbox oil. It has already defeated me on the exxhaust - I bought a new backbox but of course the C3 factory exhaust is all one long bit so I need the middle bit and things to connect it all. Stupid car.

Still no news on job/work front. I'm going to have to sell the Porsche at just the wrong time of year 😭

[RichardK]

The state of my car after the roadworks got built around it.

 

 

 

 

"What's in the box?"

 

Noel's eyes darkened. Was it the studio lights that caused the hint of a tear, brimming? Or a glint of hardened steel as he turned his gaze upon the braying audience.

 

"You think there is happiness, in here? Or a cheerful disappointment, Swapped like a Saturday morning board game for a jigsaw with the corners lost?"

 

They laughed, some nervously, then repeated the chant. Beneath his TV-acceptable, tidy greying beard, Noel's lip quivered, then stiffened, arcing like forged steel into the rictus grin of the TV presenter, welcoming everyone to their 50Hz flickering void.

 

"Open the box!" they cried, in near ecstasy.

 

The microphone, close to the latches, seemed to rumble with the anticipation, the drumming, stamping feet of the audience a 120bpm thump against the laughter.

 

He could hold out no longer. Viewers in 4K saw the diamond-drop glimmer of the first tear fall, before the close-mic thud of the catches silenced all.

 

"This. This is what is in the box. This is what has always been in the box."

 

Though the audience had frozen, the beat still carried through the soundbars and subwoofers of home audio. The camera shakes, revealing the human hands that create the spectacle, as it tilts to an angle never storyboarded or scripted.

 

His hands release the box, and he flees the studio, uttering a wailing sound like Kenny Everett's first experience sans lube - a moment that was not done in the best possible taste at all.

 

Spilling out of the box, green, slime-like blood... and the still beating, dark pink and yellow spotted heart of Mr. Blobby. Still beating. Still possessing. Still alive.

 

He was found, crushed, on the North Circular. As the paramedics helped move his remains, they noticed his trousers, scrunched, dragged.

 

"Better straighten those out. We'd hate anyone to notice his crinkly bottom"

 

Okay, this is what was in the box. A further step in the making of the Focus CCapri.

 

 

 

 

Brand-new Zetec S grille - the second part after the ST upper grille, cheaper from Ford on eBay than most breakers ask for battered secondhand ones.

[RichardK]

Collected a vehicle from auction for a friend. They're doing a conversion.

Even the air conditioning works and it had plenty of AdBlue and clean oil!

Does have the beeping thing of doom on the dash, some sort of driving score meter. I disconnected the OBD but it persisted and there's another wire disappearing behind the dash I need to explore.

A couple of dents but it drove really well. However...

This racking and storage looks bloody brilliant and it all needs to come out. Is it worth anything to people with similar vans? I could fit it to a garage wall and make some Cool Storage Stuff with it but seems like a waste.

I figure the inverter is useful for the conversion though.

[RichardK]

Gave it a wash.

Oh, you noticed something? Oh, yeah, the numberplate is shit.

No... it looks fine to me. What?

"Chrome"

Yes, it does look better with a Zetec lower grille and no chrome ring.

No?

Oh. Oh... Yeah I ordered a Focus CC headlight with a discount from Ford Direct on eBay and... didn't realise there are three styles including "half chrome" - it was listed for a CC specifically so maybe mine was swapped for black. Who knows.

(Turns out Ford have "revised" the original part - and supply half-chrome ones where the originals where all black. At least they aren't all-chrome).

New headlight blends in nicely.

This has eaten my time.

Got the brakes done but the MOT failed again on rattle from the freewheel hub. The driveshaft had more play than the Old Vic, so time to get a bearing on how this setup works.

Or at least try to.

It has an integrated wheel module rather than a bearing. Not bad to change actually.

This is the inner roller bearing that supports the driveshaft ahead of the rather delicate 14mm bolt at the far end.

It is rather full of rust, but also conspicuously full of rollers. Greased it moves fine. So.. where's the play?

This end is free-floating - there is a gasket (well, was) but it should be supported by that bearing.

The collar for the locking hub is also free floating. But does that axle look a bit... skinnier in the middle?

Some numbers. Right or not. those are some numbers.

And these are fewer numbers. I have looked at many pictures of old driveshafts for sale and they appear to be thicker here. Not looking like a wirebrushed brake caliper after 35,000 miles.

So I still have my friend's Korando Sports on the drive, and having replaced both rear calipers, undersealed half the chassis, and replaced a front hub it still needs a vacuum locking ring (for the gasket, the lock still works) and a driveshaft end. Which like everything is taking ages to appear.

And I have to remove the steering knuckle, take the driveshaft out, and fit a new end on it. None of which I have done before.

I miss the Nissan Juke heater fan era.
 

[RichardK]

Forgot I'd done this on the Focus as well.

They were terrifying to remove. Could they be the originals? It feels a lot perkier now.

The wet is from WD40 down the channels - the plugs were dry and rusty, and the squeaking of rusty threads in an alloy head always gives me the fear,  but it progressed without fuckups thankfully.

[RichardK]

This is fucked.

This took a long time to pedal from Brighton.

[High Jetter]

1 minute ago, RichardK said:

This is fucked.

This took a long time to pedal from Brighton.

To where? It looks...weathered..

[RichardK]

Chesterfield - but actually my friend brought it up in her van on the way to get a pop top fitted.

How it started:

How it's going:

To make it go with pedals I need a set of tyres and tubes, a front brake cable, and to adjust things a bit.

Chassis is alright. Weird tensioner fitted to the plastic body, no spring - my old one had a hanging chain tensioner on a spring, which would promptly spring out of the chain on hills.

My first (and 200th) vehicle and technically, my current primary car. I suspect the C5 is more interesting.

The SsangYong's front CV joint was remarkably easy to remove, but I do not want to imagine the consequences if it had not caused an MOT failure and had carried on being driven. It must have been parked in a flood or something and the hub filled with water - but now I am wondering if I need to do something to clean up the front knuckle as well, since it has a lot of rust (visible in bottom corner - this was me trying to find the circlip in the CV grease like some disgusting automotive version of an '80s kids TV game show with slime as the main selling point).

[JJ0063]

I’ve known the owner of C5 Depot for about 15 years, if you need any parts or knowledge  Sam is the man.

[RichardK]

52 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

I’ve known the owner of C5 Depot for about 15 years, if you need any parts or knowledge  Sam is the man.

I need many parts, but suspect most will be waiting for me to have money - the biggest things being an absent headlight, chewed and bodged wiring, and a lost indicator lens (so really it needs a whole indicator).

I suspect many of the eBay listings for parts that I saved on a watchlist are Sam's territory!

[Zelandeth]

Indicators on the front are just the ones used on the Metro etc, so don't pay daft money for them.  

If the front brake is already in bits I'd look at one of the disc conversions that are out there.  The stock one is basically useless from the factory.  

I really need to dig mine out next year and get some improvements such as the aforementioned brake upgrade done.  Really would like to get hold of a cheap e-bike or scooter to transplant the guts from though as technology has come a long way since the C5 was launched.  Plus mine is as rough as old boots so I don't mind doing a few mods here and there.

[RichardK]

Some work on this:

And some work on this:

What a pointlessly annoying job, but changed the alternator and power steering belts.

Improbable? Most people would think so. It's done alright for a cheap car...