THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Angrydicky]

Nice work Seth, is that the Morris Oxford?

[seth]

Thanks, yes the Oxford. I've been cracking on with it again. Trying to visit it at least once a week.

[Louise2cv]

 

I'm well impressed with all these wintery doings. Much respect!

 

I looked at the car today and thought about washing it. More on that story sometime next year

[Cavcraft]

Hmm, due to a senior moment I thought I was in work today for a very important meeting. Got there, nobody about, called the geezer in charge. 'You're in the right place, but it was yesterday'. Shit.

 

Oh well, as the Pisser and the Merc have had some of my attention this week it was time for the Vespa to have a quick coat of looking at. One of the sidepanel lugs had snapped off, resulting in the panel flapping about like a sheet in the wind. Local spares fella told me what to do, so it was out with the drill, made the lug hole bigger, bosched a bolt through, tightened a nut onto it then bent it to the required angle. Job's a bloody good one, well happy with that.

Hasn't run in a few weeks so six or seven kicks later it's back in business.

All seems fine so happily it should be o.k for the toy run to the hospital on Sunday.

[myglaren]

 

I'm well impressed with all these wintery doings. Much respect!

 

 

Me too. The best I managed was a (failed) attempt to replace a headlamp bulb.

Just as well as I realised today that it was the wrong bulb I was attempting to replace.

Even worse, that was the easy one

 

 

I looked at the car today and thought about washing it. More on that story sometime next year

 

Again, similar here.

Filled it up (£79.98 and it wasn't even empty, 15L left ) Two pence change not even any use in the works coffee machine

 

Drove round to the car wash and waited for the nice* sparkly new Explorer to vacate it, was driving in when the guy comes lolloping back in and picks up various bits that have dropped off said Exploder. Take my place only to find the washer is now borked.

 

 

*depending on your interpretation of 'nice'. I'm sure the driver thought it was nice and he is welcome to his misguided opinion.

 

Could do with a washer that does the interior as I cleverly, in the pitch darkness that they laughingly call 'morning' around here, managed to drag dog shit into the car. Bloody stinks. I hate dogs!

[Pete-M]

Just gave the Jag a bit of welly in sport mode. Ho yuss. Still makes me grin.

[Negative Creep]

Now have insurance on the MR2. Went to open it and both doors and one lock are frozen solid and won't budge. Not going to risk damaging it so will leave it for the time being, although I'm not actually sure if it's locked or not. Although the chances of it being nicked tonight are somewhat slim

[Tayne]

.

[Shep Shepherd]

Having left it standing for two days in the cold, TV2's door handles have frozen solid, meaning that none of its doors will open. I'm glad that I'm using The Volvo to drive to/from work this week, although if its door locks freeze tonight (as they normally do in winter), I'm going to be in a pickle tomorrow morning...

[Negative Creep]

I always thought locks freezing up were a myth as it had never happened to me, so guess I'm wrong. Unless the mechanism has broken.

[Shep Shepherd]

I always thought locks freezing up were a myth as it had never happened to me, so guess I'm wrong. Unless the mechanism has broken.

 

The locks on The Volvo are in perfect working order, but are prone to moisture ingress - and subsequent freezing - no matter what I lubricate them with

[Akron]

Yep locks and doors freeze up, a bit of WD40 in the lock once it has defrosted and silicone grease on the rubbers will stop it happening again.

I love the central locking on my modern .

[Shep Shepherd]

Yep locks and doors freeze up, a bit of WD40 in the lock once it has defrosted and silicone grease on the rubbers will stop it happening again.

I love the central locking on my modern .

 

Never had any problem with the rubbers freezing to the doors (Armor-All is my friend!), but frozen locks are a perennial problem on The Volvo. Is there any way to prevent them from freezing, apart from keeping the car in a warm place?

 

Pawnote: I've discovered that TV2's door handles can be freed off by pouring tepid water on them

[pogweasel]

Frozen door locks are easily countered by a steaming stream of piss.

This tactic has been employed in emergency situations in the past.

 

Could be worse. My car has these daft windows that have drop a bit to open the door as they are frameless. A right PITA in the cold.

[Akron]

My other halfs Felicia suffered with freezing locks I lube them with clear silicone grease spray from Maplins once a week over the winter so far seems to work.

[Shep Shepherd]

Frozen door locks are easily countered by a steaming stream of piss.

This tactic has been employed in emergency situations in the past.

 

MAN WATER!

[Shep Shepherd]

My other halfs Felicia suffered with freezing locks I lube them with clear silicone grease spray from Maplins once a week over the winter so far seems to work.

 

Sound like a good idea. I wonder if normal spray grease would work too?

[Akron]

I would not use white silicone grease can lead to embarassing trouser stains from experience

[Pillock]

It's MoT time for the Golf..... PRACE YOUR BETS.

 

Will I be sobbing into an Autotrader by the end of the day?

[cobblers]

It's MoT time for the Golf..... PRACE YOUR BETS.

 

Will I be sobbing into an Autotrader by the end of the day?

 

I recall reading it was a 2.0 GTi? (I'm probably imagining it) but if it is bad news and the bridge awaits, let me know cos I know a bloke who needs one for the engine and wirings.

[Pillock]

It's MoT time for the Golf..... PRACE YOUR BETS.

 

Will I be sobbing into an Autotrader by the end of the day?

 

I recall reading it was a 2.0 GTi? (I'm probably imagining it) but if it is bad news and the bridge awaits, let me know cos I know a bloke who needs one for the engine and wirings.

 

Yes, the 8v.

I shall keep you in mind.... I'd want to get rid of it all in one go though, not got time/space to break it.

 

Hopefully this conversation will be rendered null and void......

[cobblers]

Yes, the 8v.

I shall keep you in mind.... I'd want to get rid of it all in one go though, not got time/space to break it.

 

Hopefully this conversation will be rendered null and void......

 

Without wanting to sound like I'm praying for bad news, but that would be ideal. I need a whole running car to pick apart the wiring to put the engine in his t25 and keep the immobiliser and everything working.

 

I do genuinely hope it goes OK though!

[Pillock]

It's a '92 model so no immobiliser, no ABS, no airbags. 2E engine so even runs off a dizzy. Pretty much a Mk2 in a Mk3 shell, they started adding electrical gubbins in '94.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I took my Crab for a test this morning, failed on a brake imbalance. Not too bad!!

[dollywobbler]

I took my Crab for a test this morning, failed on a brake imbalance. Not too bad!!

 

So, the headline would be "Mr Bollox in crab failure" then?

 

I've been speaking to a chap with a Land Rover. Sounds good, but getting to view the thing might be a touch tricky at the mo - especially as annoyingly, I've got work to do this weekend. Stupid festive deadlines...

[wuvvum]

Well the fuel pump on the Volvo is definitely shagged. The car is quite happy to run from a petrol can balanced on top of the inner wing though, so that will do just for moving it around until the spring - I'm fucked if I'm going to arse around fitting a new fuel pump in this temperature.

 

Fired up the Renault 6 today for the first time in about three months - it took a bit of cranking but it eventually spluttered to life. I've failed in my resolution to get the old crate back on the road in 2010, but there ain't that much left to do so as soon as the weather warms up and dries out a bit I'll get it sorted.

[Negative Creep]

Was going to do some stuff to the MR2 but bollocks to that in the snow. Turns out after trying to open the frozen doors both were in fact slightly ajar and unlocked with the interior light on all night. Luckily still enough juice for it to fire first time

[CreepingJesus]

^Lucky, lucky, lucky!

The slippy and yet surprisingly abrasive ice, seems to have finished off both of the Meg's front tyres. And there's a knocking noise/wobble at the steering wheel, which feels very much like the N/S balljoint's had enough too. Bollocks.

[Barry Cade]

Trabant got a new interior light, and the wiring sorted to swap over rear fog and reverse lights, then I gave up- too bloody cold. Rover still needs 1 balljoint fitted as the MOT is due Jan 4th, and the wifes 106 has rear wheel to inner arch contact.. anyone got a 3 stud axle kicking around? Porsche 924 still needs a fuel distributor, Yamaha Passola needs head bearings, GN400 needs a wiring loom, and the Balkan needs gaskets. Merry bloody Christmas.

[Albert Ross]

Replaced the gearbox in the 109 Land Rover yesterday. Just over 4 hours to get it done. A personal record. Also it's a Series 3 full synchro box, with the earlier bellhousing. It's eerily quiet and smooth.... Almost car-like changes now. This is going to take some getting used to.