THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Cavcraft]

Well, the Swedish love tank has found a new home and in return Cavette junior has himself a Mk something or other 1.25 ZETEC DIDN'T KICK IN, YO! Fiesta.

It has appallingly bad rear wheel bearings and bushes and there's rot in them there sills/floor area.

He will now get it on the ramp at work and see whether he wants to keep that or his Mk3 Disastra that I got him.

 

Fiasco Vs Ashtray. He likes the Fiasco (more modern and what not) I like the Astra (less rusty), which will he choose?

[seth]

Since this is a rolling 24hour news channel and I do't have much to report I'll try and string something out for a while anyway.

 

I fitted "new" wheels and new tyres to the Hillman a few weeks ago that seemed to go down well on a certain modified classic forum. I was a bit overwhelmed by the response there as it happens. I was dead pleased with them anyway and that's all that counts in my book.

 

The Herald is doing wonderfully with its new Japanese heart. I got a text from Mrs_Seth when she'd got to work last week to say that she'd "frightened a Porsche" or something, so she's enjoying it too. The pre-war spark plug I used to blank the Mazda's lambda sensor hole has started coming apart and the ceramic section is making a really annoying light rattling noise much of the time. I bunged some silicone sealant at it this morning before we headed off for Oxon which did the trick. For at least half way there anyway! I'll have to either find a more permanent way of glueing an old spark plug back together or get a boring old blanking plug.

 

The hand brake gaiter is still not sorted and so until that is done most of the carpet is also not yet back in place. It'll be nice to actually "finish" the conversion one of these days.

[vicsmith]

Nice work with the Cavalier Mr.Cubicle, for some reason I`ve always found the GLS to be even classier than the CDX, it just rolls of the tongue better.

 

Gave the 180 a swill off and took it for a quick trundle last night, and enjoyed the fact that long term storage doesn`t seem to be adversely affecting anything, it`s just as clattery and `50s sounding as it always has been:

 

[Milford Cubicle]

Class.

Isuzu engined I take it?

I don't think they were available with anything else, apart from the dismal 57bhp GM 1.7 naturally aspirated diesel.

 

Here's one for sale! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1992-VAUXHALL-CAV ... 0366581403

 

What happened to the Astra, Milf?

I'm 95% sure the fuel pump failed. Combined with my mechanical ineptitude I managed to pretty much write off the engine trying to fix it.

 

The Cavalier is pretty dismal to be honest; scruffy, neglected servicing-wise and with sills welded badly for the last MOT, but it drives quite well.

[Cavcraft]

Class.

Isuzu engined I take it?

I don't think they were available with anything else, apart from the dismal 57bhp GM 1.7 naturally aspirated diesel.

 

Here's one for sale! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1992-VAUXHALL-CAV ... 0366581403

 

What happened to the Astra, Milf?

I'm 95% sure the fuel pump failed. Combined with my mechanical ineptitude I managed to pretty much write off the engine trying to fix it.

 

The Cavalier is pretty dismal to be honest; scruffy, neglected servicing-wise and with sills welded badly for the last MOT, but it drives quite well.

That white one's kwal. There was an identical one for sale at a garage about a mile from me but it was dog rough and the salesman was as miserable as shit.

In my experience the Cavaliers can take a hell of a lot of abuse before they'll die, which possibly explains why your's (and others) look a bit neglected.

The Isuzus are tuneable to get a bit more poke out of them, though whether this effects reliabilty or not I'm not sure.

[Cavcraft]

Oh dear. Just been for a (very) short run in the Fiasco. The grumbling from the rear was naff all compared to the brakes, and the handbrake has long since jumped ship.

Bit of a downer as there's like at least 3/4 of a tank of juice in it which I'd like to make use of.

 

Will see if we can fix up the foot brakes and handbrakes and if economically viable then maybe the rest of the faults.

[garethj]

We’ll be moving house soon, and my new route to work means speedbumps that are taller than the Ginetta roofline. NOT GR8 4 LOW SPRINGZ so I put the originals on the rear and got some new front springs. Local garage fitted them on Friday and now the car looks like it’s ready to go off-road. I know the springs should settle over time, but it just looks stupid at the moment. I hit ebay and got some of these: http://www.graystonengineering.com/suspensionpage.htm Not 100% sure they’ll help, but getting the front springs off and cutting them is a real pain so hopefully these will bring the front down enough.

 

I also fitted the rear parcel shelf, so what’s in the boot isn’t visible by looking through the back window. To do this I had to take the rear seat out, and the rear seatbelts. All in all it was a couple of hours work and still needs the holes I cut to be covered, but it’s a big improvement. And it gets another bit component out of the garage.

 

Normal car news: Our Volvo S80 failed its MoT on emissions, needed a new cat and an oxygen sensor, both around £250. With a bit of labour and vat it was £600, which makes it quite expensive for a 10 year old car which is only worth £1500. Still worth doing I reckon, because any alternative (reliable, comfortable, aircon, 3 child seats in the back) family car is at least £1500 and you don’t know what shape it’s in. Better the devil you know in this case.

[r.welfare]

Agree, Gareth - my £1500 Toyota has become a £2300 one due to needing two oxygen sensors (out of 4 in total), a very full service and a major a/c overhaul (£410 due to a cracked pipe somewhere, Toyota-only part plus 3hrs labour) - I still like it though.

 

Pop in for a cuppa later if you like Richard, I'm about 10 mins off Junc 16 of the M6 and you can rejoin it at 18 by going up the A530.

Whoops, didn't see this till now - sorry. Still, managed to coax 37.2mpg out of the Accord over 450 miles so I'm relatively pleased - OMG VTEC KIKD IN YO + automagic box = not a great recipe for fuel economy, except when kept at a constant speed (68mph in this case). Next job (after fixing the ABS and a/c) is to wire up the towbar and take out the driver's seat to replace some of the foam round the bolsters - cheapo poundshop sponges and gaffer tape should do it.

[seth]

Mrs Seth has finally managed to calculate the Herald's MPG. Its taken a while because first we had to establish how far out the mileometer was as the speedo is reading a fair bit slower than it used to. Anyway, some GPS something or other on her phone has helped us with that and so on the last tank of up and down the motorway,around and about, its achieved about 35mpg.

 

I'm pretty happy with that. Its got a big pair of carbs on it and they were tuned for some performance rather than specifically economy (fairly light dashpot springs). The old Triumph 1500 engine on a single carb and with half as much power only achieved mid 30s at best too. The price guide in the back of Practical Classics has a figure of 34 against a Mk1 Mx5 which would obviosuly have the "advantage" of injection. Mustn't grumble!

[Lukas]

The Camry is at the workshop, it´s getting new brakes, a new handbrake-sensor and the annual road-safety-inspection so it should be ready for the big meet at the end of July at the Toyota-Museum in Bavaria. I should be able to get it back on wednesday, I´m already missing it...

[Guest]

Gave the 180 a swill off and took it for a quick trundle last night, and enjoyed the fact that long term storage doesn`t seem to be adversely affecting anything, it`s just as clattery and `50s sounding as it always has been

Just so you know, it's "only" 1100kg, so I'm pretty sure we should have been able to push it when it ran out of petrol. Maybe it's all the spares in the boot.

[garethj]

After months of failing to find wider wheels for the Ginetta, I got some 32mm wheel spacers and fitted them last night.

 

They are fantastic, and allow me to keep the narrow tyres which make it slither around corners in an agreeable way.

[Father Ted]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/10353274.stm

 

Get Carter Car Park Doomed.

[Cavcraft]

I thought that car park had log since been closed, didn't some of the RR posse go up ther for a photo shoot last year or something?

 

Today I have been mostly carefully riding my scoot to a mate's house who very kindly adjusted the clutch cable, had the carb off/cleaned and loads of other stuff too. He discovered the throttle was only opening half way whilst he was at it so sorted that for me. Now pulls loads better and (fingers crossed) it's ready for another scooter run tomorrow, somewhere near Mini Mad/Station/Warren's 'hood.

[dollywobbler]

I thought that car park had log since been closed, didn't some of the RR posse go up ther for a photo shoot last year or something?

 

Today I have been mostly carefully riding my scoot to a mate's house who very kindly adjusted the clutch cable, had the carb off/cleaned and loads of other stuff too. He discovered the throttle was only opening half way whilst he was at it so sorted that for me. Now pulls loads better and (fingers crossed) it's ready for another scooter run tomorrow, somewhere near Mini Mad/Station/Warren's 'hood.

Yeah, Coggers and chums went up there - some of the last cars to access the car park. Glad it's finally coming down - they've not exactly been rushing!

 

Coggers actually sent me a bit of the car park in the post. Must have cost a bit but I was very grateful!

[Pete-M]

I'm three hours into a huge clean-up operation on the 635. Another three hours and the outside bodywork should be shining as well as Henna red can.. i.e. bright in some bits, slightly orangey in others, faded where it's had paint blow ins over the years.

 

Getting quite a decent shine on most of it, but there's a long way to go yet..

[Lord Sterling]

Finally managed to change some tyres on my car, both fronts were visibly shagged, one was pretty much bold, other was completely bold, changed that one for the spare, which turned out to be old, cracked and horrible.

 

Stuck some crappy wheels on the front with fair tyres until I could rustle up some money to get the tyres on the alloys done.

 

As I needed to gt on the motorway and had some money, tyres got done and stuck original alloys back on. 2 part-worns for £35. Then went to mates garage for coolent top-up (Because he's got the better Red stuff) mate informed of a local tyre place that were doing 2 part worns for £25

 

At least I can go and the spare done on the cheap.

[Pete-M]

Hmm. The plot thickenenens.

 

Just found all the service books etc for the 635. It's not a local car originally, as I thought (with it having plates from a BMW dealership that was big 'round 'ere in the 80s and a local reg code).

 

Originally it was sold in Solihull, and then it had a private plate with the second owner (belonged to Vimto!) and it seems to have racked up around 50k miles in the first three years.

 

I love discovering the early history of cars I buy.

 

I just wish I could find whoever it was who painted half of it in the wrong shade of Henna red. No signs of accident repairs anywhere, but it's definately had the rear end painted, and I'd guess it was done a long time ago.

[trigger]

Got round to fitting more some suitable rear speakers in my 02 this afternoon, I bought them at Beaulieu for £5 the other week, They look much better then the silver Goodman ones before and sound ok as well, Can't remember what make they are (Llottage maybe?) as I've never head of them before.

 

 

[Pillock]

That looks like the Lloytron logo on them to me....

 

 

My News24 entry today is a bit more Golf fettling.... got a pair of better condition front seats in the same fabric from a scrapyard for a tenner, the originals had the typical hole on the bolster where it wears on an internal frame joint. These are much better, although I fitted them in the scrapyard so got a wet bum driving home, since the drivers window glass had been yoinked previously and it had rained in.

 

Also nabbed the sandwich plate for the sunroof motor.... and then realised that although the sunroof worked in the scrapper yesterday when I recce'd it, today the clip had broken. And then looked at my sunroof and realised the same clip has broken in the same place which is probably why the motor had been removed. Another day for that, it looks fiddly.

 

Got the front fogs working using part of a loom from the scrap car, had to raid my own horn relay though. Will pick one up from Maplin tomorrow.

 

Got the proper steering wheel for the car, a non-airbag one. Sadly it doesn't appear to have an indicator cancelling ring on the back, most odd! So I guess I'll have to swap it back, I just worried about passing the MoT with a car that has an airbag in it, but no airbag warning light to check (the car shouldn't have one, it's too early).

 

So not a bad day really, couple of hours in a sunny old-school scrapyard and paid peanuts for a lot of parts.

[ashmicro]

Lloytron FTW!. The ultimate in shite speakers, although debatably beaten by the Sakura rubber wedge jobs that cost 37p. Top find. We flogged fucking millions of those things from my mates shop when I was 17. Power handling is only marginally higher than that of a metallo-ceramic jobbie in a digital watch.

[trigger]

Yep they are Lloytron, Never even heard of the make before but they have a nice tinny note to then, I would say they are as good if not better then the Goodmans they have replaced.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I took my Herald for an MOT - all I wanted was a fifty quid list of what needed fixing. It passed

 

In addition, the Mini's gone in for MOT today and only failed on a dead foglight (which I should have checked, it failed on that before) and blowing exhaust which I want them to fix because I can't be arsed. Thought there would be a lot more wrong with it. Maybe I'm just a pessimist.

 

All is well.

[dollywobbler]

Cracking news! Surprise MoT passes are great.

[cms206]

My first entry to the News24 logs, so be gentle...

 

Starting to repair the n/s/r wheelarch on the Cavalier on Saturday a previous encounter with a coach in the depot... thankfully my welding peep is rather good and can weld shite to dust as there were pretty much no inner arches to speak of! Nearside now more or less patched up, offside still to do, then the boot floor...

[Mike D]

I have been playing again tonight...

 

Remember my Capri? that got hit a mere 15 hours after picking it up?! Well, i've been doing a bit to it. Front is beaten / knocked out and filled, got a crap colourmatch can on at present to keep the water out, my mate will be applying the proper paint later in the week.

 

I've also got my wheel adaptors fettled and fitted to one side, in order to fit my favourite wheels ever!! I now know how much i need to lower it by, so can order some 1 1/2 inch blocks, and the i will tear the front suspension apart and remove 2" from the springs.

 

Pics!

 

 

 

and mspainted to the correct height....

 

 

I am getting well excited to get out in it again

[Guest]

Cor, looks superb!

[whitevanman]

Trust me....when it's that height, it won't be that good to drive....without additional work

[Lord Sterling]

Had a clean out of my car yesterday. It was long overdue, went to normal petrol station for the usual wash'n'hoover Hoover price had jumped to £2 from £1 But it was pretty much worth it as the hoover was so powerful it nearly took all my carpet up and it lasted a while longer than before.

 

Got home and thought, I've got some car polish, so why not use it, I've never been very good at polishing cars, first time I really polished a car was last year as my paint was so matted and my mate had all the right polishing equipment. Polished up the car with my a £20 generic lighter plug powered polisher and some 'Mer' polish, blacked-up the tyres, I also had a go and cut and polishing the alloys as they were starting to crack and craze, they came up pretty nice but I need to spend time on them.

 

Looking at the car today told me it was well worth the effort as the paint is so nice and smooth and clean, glad I had a go.

[Mike D]

Trust me....when it's that height, it won't be that good to drive....without additional work

It's shite to drive anyway! haha! I didn't buy it to drive any good, just to ponce around in slowly!