The grumpy thread

[pdg]

Stretch tyres.

 

Why oh why do that? Is it because you've spent all your money on the rims and couldn't afford the right size tyres for them? Or is it down to the body filler construction wheel arch extensions not having clearance?

[chaseracer]

/\/\

 

"Would a representative of Retro Rides please pick up the white courtesy phone..."

 

[mnde]

WVM / flatbed trucks with squealing alternator belts.

 

One of our neighbours opposite runs a white Transit that he, like his neigbour with the flatbed truck, likes to leave running for ages in the morning to warm up at c 7:30am. For ages now the Transit has had a squealing belt that you can hear at idle and then it screams as he pulls away.

 

Get your fecking belt changed man!!! I'm just waiting for it to snap so he has to do something about it.

 

Last week we were convinced that my wife's new Fabia suddenly had a squealy belt... ("no it can't be" etc.) - here's me all ready to pop the bonnet when we get home, until we turn into our road and realise that the sound was actually emanating from the flatbed truck that was tailgating us, FFS!

 

Mark.

[MrDuke]

Stretch tyres.

 

Why oh why do that? Is it because you've spent all your money on the rims and couldn't afford the right size tyres for them? Or is it down to the body filler construction wheel arch extensions not having clearance?

 

 

Why lower a car's suspension? Why fit wheels with totally different dimensions to the standard ones? Why paint it an 'unattractive' colour? Why fit anything that might look out of place? Especially when you consider that the first 2 mods would probably make it ride and handle worse than normal?

In all honesty, I've never, ever seen any Tagoras/Renault 9s/TR7s/etc with stretched tyres, so I can't see anyone else here getting too upset about it. It's one of those pathetic things that we retarded dumbfucks at RR like to look at, cos it makes us feel big and clever innit. Don't stress about it, unless of course you're related to a nun, or own some kittens.............

[garycox]

I've seen plenty of Mk1 Golfs/Mk1 Fiestas/Escorts/Novas/Chevettes, even BL Stuff with them though. Usually stretched tyres also means chopped springs, random engines and other added tat etc. Once they've gone down this route, very few cars are eventually returned to a normal usable state.

[Pete-M]

Do you reckon we can persuade Torsten to put a set of 15" BBS split rims on a Maxi?

[morris_ital_lover]

In fairness though I can see where the PP is going...

 

Retrorides is, and I believe this is the correct term, full of win, but, it is also full of fail big fat fail.

 

Some people on R-R manage to buy heaps, restore them, put on a suitable set of alloys, suitable alternative paint job etc etc and produce excellent cars. For example, Johnny Somerset's Datsun, HaireyMel's Sunbeam, Scary Old Cortina's A40 rod, Seth's Hillman and Oxford,infact the list of good motors goes on and on and on. This also applies to the many mundane daily drives that get retroed and turned into something brilliant.

 

However, there are also a seemingly large number of peeps who go along this five step story line:

 

1.Hai is is nu to R-R and well keen on retro rides, can use help me

 

2.

 

3.Yes I is gunna paint this lovely original factory paint that is 40 years old and still mint a silly nato colour to stand out from the Nato coloured crowd

 

4.Followed by I is going to replace da engine (fair enough)

 

5.Immediatly followed by the... I'm so sad 'cos my mota was wrapped around a tree yesterday, I was driving along and this tree jumped out and now I'm gutted etc etc (possible becuase they are driving them like impreza's when they are 70s family saloons)

 

I do genuinely love alot of the cars that are made by R-Rers, and I'm not just trying to score brownie points here, it is the reason why I check readers rides everyday. I do also, however, have a genuine feeling that people should be rated as to their potential/skills and allowed to practice on the crap and common before they move onto the rare tin that has been laid up for years and as a result is factory fresh.

 

m0rris

[pdg]

I'm not against modding at all - if it's done right. I just don't see what looks good or right about putting obviously too narrow tyres on wide rims - if the modding is done right you could fit the proper tyres on it...

 

'Spose it's one way that 'some' people can say their rubber is too small for their hard bit

 

And anyway, does it matter whether it annoys anyone else? It bugs me almost as much as TV ads for almost anything.

[pdg]

Strange, I normally loooove fads - they do/did great paint.

[pdg]

Fads is a traditional high street paint and wallpaper retailer.

 

I stole that sentence from somewhere else...

[Guest]

Stretch tyres. Why oh why do that?

 

It's a fad, like lame shoes and knickers. What makes me laugh from afar, is that for all the ballyhoo and puffed-chestery over the great MOT system, such a completely unsafe (by test rim specification provided to industry by tire manufacturers - who certainly are ignorant asses and whose engineers are clearly less smart than Ian-6-Pack with his lighter fluid and blowtorch out in his lean-to...) situation is tolerated out on the road.

 

Piece of piss, Norm.

 

Run car with retarded OMG STRETCH YO WHEELS for 364 days a year.

Keep ROFL GAY OEM STANDARD RIMZ in the garage \ lock up \ crack den \ girlfriend's bucket for 364 days a year. Attach to car for MOT.

 

Attain MOT, C U L8R STANDARD SHIT OLD DUBS (LOL).

Repeat.

 

See also : TAKING CORNER AT YO YO GREAT SPEED AT THE MALLORY HAIRPIN IN OLD CELICA.

HAI STRETCH TYRE, WHERE U GOING? I R PLANTED IN BARRIER LOOKING SILLY.

 

OMG.

[mk1_4dr]

I think stretch originated from the desire to fit the widest rims with the most aggresive offset to provide maximum dish and clearance that would snag a rizla paper.

 

Im on the fence as it goes. Apart from the Celica at RRG07 (which I don't know the ins and outs of), Ive yet to hear or see of an accident involving the performance (or lack thereof) of a tyre thats been stretched on to a rim. Granted I haven't been looking for info.

 

[mk1_4dr]

Yeah, I imagine a tyre engineer would have kittens if he saw the untested loading that stretching a tyre on a wide rim and abusing it causes, however, I can't help but think the designer of the '55 Chevy wasn't hugely happy the first time he saw a gasser'd one on the street. Or when the chap that designed the RangeRover classic caught a glimpse of a bobtailed one... etc etc....

 

Its the nature of creativity, curiosity and one-up-man-ship.

[seth]

Some tyres that are too small for the rims, yesterday.

 

 

Or perhaps forty odd years ago.

 

Its not a new thing. I suspect the load ratings of the 5.20 crossplies or modern 155 radials fitted to full size Impalas and whatnots through the years has also been on the low side for such a heavy car (full of hydraulic pumps and batteries). Smaller tyres = lower + more arch clearance.

[pogweasel]

When writing an advertisment for a motor car would it be "illegal" to include the phrase "No thick people or foreigners".

Why do folk feel it's OK to offer you £1000+++ under your asking price (on a £3k car), a figure which is UNDER rock bottom book, and UNDER we buy any crap....

We all like a bargain,to get a good deal, but these folk really take the piss.

[autofive]

IZ LUVS STRETCH TYRES

 

as i need to chortle at some poor unfortunate fashion victim every day

[Pete-M]

To me, stretch tyres look utterly shite.

 

As for 'no thick people or foreigners' I find the easiest way to deal with idiots is to make it blatantly obvious in the ad that you're not going to deal with people who offer silly amounts. I just put in the ad that if you're going to make an offer, make it in cash, whilst next to the car in question - NOT over the phone, by text / email / flying pigeon etc.

 

At least that way you can snot 'em for being cheeky.

[morris_ital_lover]

Sorry to take this off the stretch tyres rants....

 

But, my blood/piss is currently boiled up by supposed market leading international companies that have truly shit websites. GET A GRIP YOU LAZY TW@S.

 

m0rris

[Lukas]

I´m depressed because it´s winter since the beginning of november and it will still be winter up to april at least. In winter, cars are rolling around with horrible looking winter-tires on rusty steelwheels and hideous wheeltrims, most old/interesting/classic/expensive cars are hidden away somewhere and everyone is driving around in horrible rusty, dented and abused boring newer car´s that are beyond shite!

[Negative Creep]

Wanting to take a couple of my 1:43 models off the display plinth but they're held on with triangular headed screws. What the hell is that all about? They're recessed as well so can't even get pliers on them

[garethj]

Wanting to take a couple of my 1:43 models off the display plinth but they're held on with triangular headed screws. What the hell is that all about? They're recessed as well so can't even get pliers on them

Shirley a small flat screwdriver can be used?

[Negative Creep]

All the ones I have are just too small or too big to fit

[Pete-M]

One of the lads in work has just suggested at a meeting that we all get corporate uniforms, a suggestion that the boss thought was a great idea.

 

I fucking despise uniforms, and if it comes to the push that they want me to wear one, I will quite probably leave.

 

Therefore, I'm seriously contemplating going self employed.

[M'coli]

Wanting to take a couple of my 1:43 models off the display plinth but they're held on with triangular headed screws. What the hell is that all about? They're recessed as well so can't even get pliers on them

Maplin do a ratchet screwdriver kit with these in, IIRC.

[seth]

Wanting to take a couple of my 1:43 models off the display plinth but they're held on with triangular headed screws. What the hell is that all about? They're recessed as well so can't even get pliers on them

 

 

Best thing to use when dismantling a die cast in order to lower it too.

[Guest]

One of the lads in work has just suggested at a meeting that we all get corporate uniforms, a suggestion that the boss thought was a great idea.

 

I fucking despise uniforms, and if it comes to the push that they want me to wear one, I will quite probably leave.

But you haven't seen it yet. It might have epaulettes and a tricorne hat for all you know - fingers crossed! It'd be superb having a job requiring a uniform like that.

[The Moog]

I am a lecturer and work hard for most of the year for not alot of money. The one perk is the holidays. So today some nob head has put a suggestion to the management to run summer schools staffed by us. They can stick that... I will be out of there faster than a fast thing...

[RoadworkUK]

Currently making my shit itch:

 

ANYBODY with eBay Pacific Rim £40 a pop HID bulbs in a car ill-equipped to handle it. The giveaway bluey glow was seen tonight on a Ford Orion (!!1!11), a Renault Trafic and a MKII golf. Also last night a Vectra with blue LEDs in the sidelights. Congratulations, Your Vectra looks ridiculous.

 

Also, eBay listings where people input spec that they have absolutely no understanding of. How many listings have you seen where the car has "Auxilliary Heating"?

 

"Keef! Keeeeefff!"

"Wha?"

"I'm doing an eBay thingy for the Scooby... Has it got awksillyairy heating?"

"Of course iss got a heater you silly bitch"

 

I'm certain this is how virtually every eBay listing says Auxilliary Heating on it.

[Guest]

I've always been puzzled as to why eBay Motors UK just transfers over the American spec lists - obviously it brings up the heating thing (which tends to exist there in freezing cold places on trucks and what-not), but it also gives the US spelling/terms for a few things like Power Locks and such. Although to be fair, my 626 has them because it says POWER LOCK on the pin. So maybe they're just catering to me.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

My old Audi Coupe had POWER LOCK on the pin too.