The grumpy thread

[Floatylight]

On 23/05/2025 at 00:32, Zelandeth said:

How the heck did you manage that?  I took out a pheasant on the A96 one evening at speed in a Volvo 240 and it took out one headlight, the grill, AC condenser, radiator, fan, a bunch of wiring and left a dent in the leading edge of the bonnet!

Cleaning up the mess was by far the worst part though.   Thankfully bits of that era of Volvo were easy and cheap to get back then, except the AC condenser which I think had to come from the US and cost more than the car I was running at the time.

Guess the relatively slippery shape of the XM helped rather than a brick of a Volvo.

Many moons ago my Dad hit a lurcher which came bounding out of field straight into his path on the A41, the owners had been using it for lamping (hunting rabbits)

Dad was doing about 90 at the time overtaking a line of slow vehicles (different times!) In his Mk2 Granada Estate, cracked a fog light and removed the towing electrics as it came out the back...

[Supernaut]

Got a puncture in the Megane earlier.

At least it was on a quiet side road on a nice day. 5 minute stop to swap the spare on and admire the view. After lunch I'll look at the wheel I took off and lobbed into the back seat and see if I can get it repaired.

[Supernaut]

Dead valve, it seems. Tyre itself is fine.

[artdjones]

Great news. I found a front hub for the Mégane at a breaker's in Cork. He breaks very low mileage crashed cars. The actual part came from a 2010 Scenic he broke a long time ago. The drive flange was still shiny new looking under a light rust dusting. I brought the old hub and it looked identical and had the same casting numbers. I also got a new looking ABS sensor with the right part number. 

When I got home it was raining heavily, so no work outside. I took the hub into the shed to attach the sensor, then thought, "why not attach the disc?" When I did, I found that the drive flange was too big for it. Cue feverish looking at catalogues. According to Autodoc, everything was interchangeable between Mégane and Scenic. But when I looked at the factory catalogue the part no for the flange was different. 

The difference in diameter was about 4mm, not enough to be readily seen without careful examination. The only way out was an hour and a half of very careful linishing of the edge until it fitted snugly into the disc recess.

[nev_jr]

Door handle on the merc snapped, time for the warranty company to tell me to fuck off when I call them tomorrow. 

[comfortablynumb]

Had exactly the same problem on a Mk6 escort @Sunny Jim, as @sheffcortinacentresays, easiest way is to cut an access hole it it gets that far.

At least you'll have access in future too

[Merryck]

Went to go take a look at the Midget with a view to making a start on the welding yesterday. Every time I dig into it there's just more and more rust.

Come fucker's used fibreglass everywhere.

The job's way too big for me to handle with my level of time/patience/skill/space/equipment.

It's such a shame. If I'd known the bodywork was this bad I wouldn't have bothered with replacing the engine and gearbox. Both are basically brand new.

Can't keep throwning good money after bad though.

[Morris 63]

30 minutes ago, Merryck said:

Went to go take a look at the Midget with a view to making a start on the welding yesterday. Every time I dig into it there's just more and more rust.

Come fucker's used fibreglass everywhere.

The job's way too big for me to handle with my level of time/patience/skill/space/equipment.

It's such a shame. If I'd known the bodywork was this bad I wouldn't have bothered with replacing the engine and gearbox. Both are basically brand new.

Can't keep throwning good money after bad though.

Out of interest, I looked at the price of a new midget Heritage bodyshell - £14000!

I know my other half says my pricing mind is stuck in the 90s, but I was expecting an affordable* £6000 or so.

[Merryck]

7 minutes ago, Morris 63 said:

Out of interest, I looked at the price of a new midget Heritage bodyshell - £14000!

I know my other half says my pricing mind is stuck in the 90s, but I was expecting an affordable* £6000 or so.

Ooof!

It's probably perfectly reasonable, considering the materials, tooling and time etc. but it would make the eyes water!

[N Dentressangle]

31 minutes ago, Merryck said:

Ooof!

It's probably perfectly reasonable, considering the materials, tooling and time etc. but it would make the eyes water!

Quite a few decent looking shells for not much ££ on marketplace. Like this one: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/530004862906807/

The rollover jig is bloody useful, and you could probably recoup a few quid selling off the bits you don't need.

[alcyonecorporation]

The nitpicking on my ZX for sale post is annoying me. 

I was hesitant to post it here and so far I haven't been impressed. 

[Pieman]

Why do people a) only reply to my messages while I'm driving, and b) only ever want to talk to me when they can see I'm trying to work?

If ever I try to have a casual conversation with someone when I'm not doing work, they just blank me.

[paulplom]

Bastard.

[ruffgeezer]

Ouch.

34 minutes ago, paulplom said:

Bastard.

Caught in your flies again?

[New POD]

On 23/05/2025 at 12:36, High Jetter said:

If the tenant is so unaware and uncomplaining, you might be better off delaying that until change of tenant

New one is now sitting in their hall, waiting on gas fitter tomorrow.  We decided that it's better that way. 

[paulplom]

6 hours ago, paulplom said:

Bastard.

Better already although it's bleeding again. The bit down the side has healed thankfully.

[alcyonecorporation]

Mods, would someone please nuke my ZX for sale thread? 

I cocked the description up, the pictures aren't right and the replies are pissing me off. 

I'll do another one when I have the time/can photograph it properly/fully know the score. 

Meanwhile, it's still for sale. 

[Lacquer Peel]

On 27/05/2025 at 11:52, alcyonecorporation said:

The nitpicking on my ZX for sale post is annoying me. 

I was hesitant to post it here and so far I haven't been impressed. 

https://youtu.be/LDuN7deFdeM

[Split_Pin]

7 hours ago, alcyonecorporation said:

Mods, would someone please nuke my ZX for sale thread? 

I cocked the description up, the pictures aren't right and the replies are pissing me off. 

I'll do another one when I have the time/can photograph it properly/fully know the score. 

Meanwhile, it's still for sale. 

You can easily delete it yourself. I have done this several times when I've changed my mind about selling a car.

[artdjones]

25 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

You can easily delete it yourself. I have done this several times when I've changed my mind about selling a car.

That would be way too subtle.

[alcyonecorporation]

3 hours ago, artdjones said:

That would be way too subtle.

Had it the delete option been available, believe me, I'd have done it. 




It's unavailable. 

I'm also thick as fuck at the moment, it's probably this new medication. 
Apologies if I've missed something glaringly obvious. 

[myglaren]

I think there is a time limit on deletion possibility.

[bramz7]

Moderation actions at the top of the topic usually has the delete option, it does on my Clio thread anyway. 

[alcyonecorporation]

5 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

Moderation actions at the top of the topic usually has the delete option, it does on my Clio thread anyway. 

THANK YOU BRAMZ I AM STUPID 

[silvercar]

On 28/05/2025 at 10:52, paulplom said:

Bastard.

Are you a chef?

[paulplom]

Not quite. I was smashing a toilet with a hammer in a skip and a chunk fell on my hand. I got away lightly tbf.

[High Jetter]

Needed to buy something for lunch yesterday, unusually for me. Picked up a ham sandwich from a small Tesco. They'd not even attempted to put any spread (never mind butter) on the bread, it was totally dry.

[loserone]

1 hour ago, paulplom said:

Not quite. I was smashing a toilet with a hammer in a skip and a chunk fell on my hand. I got away lightly tbf.

I'd say.

Just use the hammer next time I reckon.  Swinging a whole skip around isn't even an option for most of us.

[EyesWeldedShut]

And so, the annual day of utter boredom commences.....

[SunnySouth]

2 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

And so, the annual day of utter boredom commences.....

Ooof. Try “Phishing” as well for added Tedium Points!