THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Albert Ross]

I like the cream coloured clocks in these, And nothing else.

[Cavcraft]

I like the cream coloured clocks in these, And nothing else.

 

 

The leather interiors of the 75 are lovely though, far nicer than the S or X type Jags for example.

[Shep Shepherd]

Just returned from a GR9 - albeit wet - weekend in the south western Netherlands. Saw quite a lot of shite, both there and in Belgium and France, although I didn't get to photograph quite as much as I'd have liked - pics I did take will be coming soon. TV2 behaved impeccably, by the way

[dollywobbler]

Range Rover. What an absolute crock of shit. That I still love. I don't really understand it.

 

I'm getting rather fed up of having to crawl into the car via the boot to unlock it. The passenger side lock is jammed up, the driver's door one has a problem with the internal lifter that keeps getting jammed. It is frustrating. It also keeps refusing to start properly. Acts like the battery is flat. Alternator is churning out a fairly healthy 13.8v (across the terminals). I reckon there's a combined package of a slight drain somewhere and a duff brand new battery. If I disconnect the batteries, it'll just about hold enough charge to start after a couple of days, but only just! I initially took to just disconnecting the 'old' battery and then being able to use it to 'jump' the other. I still have no idea how this twin battery thing works. The BX has been called in on several occasions in the last week to provide jump duty. Which reminds me. Must sort out that slightly loose alternator belt... SQUEEEEAK!

 

On top of this, when I drive over a bump, the bonnet springs open. The rear wiper design annoys me with its stupidity (it's so clumsy the way the wiper just has to sort of bend out of the way and scrape the glass when you open the tailgate). The rear brakes seem to get warm when driving, despite me rebuilding one of the calipers. The ABS light is still (probably) on (I removed the bulb). The clutch feels a bit iffy. The heater blower has not miraculously cured itself. Some play has developed in the steering and when turning it on the driveway tonight, there was a sudden clunk from the back end. Also, the rear springs seem to be getting a bit saggy. Oh, and I think a propshaft UJ is on its way out. And maybe a wheel bearing.

 

I'm taking it off-roading tomorrow, including the famous Strata Florida lane. At the moment, I expect to return home on the back of a low-loader. I have packed a tow rope. I'm really looking forward to it!

[Father Ted]

Renewed driving licence after last photo was rejected (smiling).

 

I now look like a convicted murderer.

[cort16]

Renewed driving licence after last photo was rejected (smiling).

 

I now look like a convicted murderer.

 

 

They don't like it if you give the double thumbs up in the picture either.

[Cavcraft]

Renewed driving licence after last photo was rejected (smiling).

 

I now look like a convicted murderer.

 

Congratulations, you have won a job driving HGVs.

[Negative Creep]

Backbox has rusted completely through so need a replacement. Choice were a standard one at £50+vat and fitting or a stainless steel one for £159 all in. The first option would be sensible but bollox to it - I may actually keep this car a while and it will look a lot nicer. So getting that fitted Wednesday

[Father Ted]

bloody miserable.

[Father Ted]

Fr. Ted, you a guard?

No, a nurse.

[mnde]

Cleared all my tools and assorted crap out of the BX last night ready for its trip North, and vacuumed it by torch/interior light. Don't ya just love it when the sun starts setting earlier and earlier I'm envious of shiters who have the use of a lit garage...

 

Mark.

[mnde]

Also, I've just got wind of an epic shite rescuing plan for November, involving trailering back a RHD Renner 16 from France using a Citroen C6

 

It's all my fault because it was featured on here and I passed the info on - otherwise the guy wouldn't have known about it

 

Mark.

[dollywobbler]

Ah, would that be Chris? Excellent. I look forward to seeing the details of that!

 

Just back from a day's off-roading. The Range Rover not only survived without breaking, it also mightily kicked arse, tackling the Strata Florida bombhole with no problems at all - well, perhaps a slight dent in the rock-face from the tow bar... Side steps also took a battering. Might have to give in and remove them. Sadly, the Defender Tdi I was with blew its head gasket. Amazingly, this just meant that it sounded like a Lister stationary engine. It kept going! Hope he got home...

 

Pics will follow, but not for a while due to other stuff.

[Father Ted]

Micra has another 12 months MOT at a cost of £290 which involved a rear exhaust section, wipers and a brake pipe which was rotted( well it is a 12 year old Nissan, what do you expect) and a service as well because I have been on nights for what seems like forever and frankly couldnt be arsed.

Whoop-de-fcuking-do.

 

Another 12 months of mediocre motoring.

[Rusty Pelican]

Beemer is now fully seviced ready for a winter sliding about and possibly hitting stuff .

New leads as old ones were well over 10 years old , rotor arm , cap , plugs , wiper blades , oil and filter .

In an unprecedented move ive even bought all genuine Bosch , except the oil obviously .

Plan is not to conk out when its freezing cold / raining / dark or just plain old miserable.

Well at least ive tried not to conk out

[John F]

New outer sills arrived for the Maserati today

[cort16]

My e28'sgone to it's new owner. The guy's an airline pilot no less and said his wife wasn't very happy about him buying this old car for no good reason. I explained once you've battled to get the first one through the door it's easier to build on your fleet until you hit double figures. At this point you are going to find youself in big trouble. Anyway I've now got the money burning a hole in my pocket so I'm going to look at a 166 3.0 Super Lusso Manual

[trigger]

I have a mate who's wanting to sell his C reg Mk2 Granada 2.8i Ghia with a manual box that i might be interested in as a winter project.

 

I've not really seen it much but i know it dark metallic blue and drives well, it's been in this driveway 18 months as the mot ran out and he had no use for it, it does have a rotten wing though are these bolt on?.

 

What would be a fair price to pay for it roughly? £500?

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Anyone available to pick up a set of small ally manifolds for me from a seller in Worsley Manchester, and then mail them on to me? Norm

 

Worsley's not far from me, I could do it. PM me.

[tonedepear]

IMAG1127 by Tony Lloyd, on Flickr

 

Herald set off on it's way down south today.

[cort16]

I've just bought that Alfa 166. Getting it on Saturday and I hope it makes the 10 miles home without grenading.

[wuvvum]

I've just bought that Alfa 166. Getting it on Saturday and I hope it makes the 10 miles home without grenading.

Superb. I r jellus. Had a 3-litre 166 Sportronic, and the 'box was the only thing that let it down. A decent 3-litre 166 with a 6-speeder and Momo leather is very high up on my wish list. They're actually not that bad reliability-wise as long as the cambelts have been done on schedule and they haven't been run low on oil - although you'll probably have some fun with random electrical gremlins, but that's all part of the Alfa experience.

[cort16]

I had a 159 dizzle as a daily a couple of years ago and always lusted after a full fat v6 Alfa but didn't want a spazmatic. It's silver with red leather momo interior, most electrics work like the eleccy seats, windows etc. Even the sat nav works, which I thought was unheard of on these. The belt's due (for the 2nd time) on this one. I'll not be tackling that one myself.

 

This really sold it to me.

[wuvvum]

Even the sat nav works, which I thought was unheard of on these.

I have to say I've never seen one with a working satnav before...

 

They are a gorgeous looking (and sounding) engine but not the most straightforward to do a cambelt change on... I think somebody on here (was it Rev_Bluejeans) had belt changes on the 4-pot Twinsparks down to a fine art, but I think the V6 is a bit more involved. Still, if the car was the right price, it's well worth forking out a few hundred quid to get the belts done by a professional.

[wackywacerwill]

That engine shot's the money one indeed, needs a XXX warning!

[dollywobbler]

I absolutely agree. Once you hear that thing sing, you'll do anything for it. Perhaps even having its fresh engine oil delivered by a butler. Gawd I want another Alfa V6!

[Father Ted]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0043VHHCQ

 

I will be warmaztoast this winter with this little baby (until it shorts out, catches fire and burns my arse). Works a treat.

[wuvvum]

Mutha_Wuv is 60 today. Weird - when I was a kid, 60 was old, and 60-year-olds acted like old people, wearing brown skirts and cardigans and doing knitting. Now they just seem to act like overgrown 40-year-olds. Wonder what they'll be like when I get to that age. Probably zooming around on mopeds with loud exhausts. Or rollerblading. Although there is an old boy in Jaywick who has a bit of a head start on that front.

[John F]

Mutha_Wuv is 60 today.

 

Hehe, then she shares a birthday with me. And Margaret Thatcher...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

New outer sills arrived for the Maserati today

 

Hey JohnF, did you get them from Eurospares?

 

How did you get on, I want to buy some metalwork for my Maser. The bits are available ‘to order’, and seemingly not very expensive, but they reckoned on the phone that availability depended on when the factory got a batch made up so impossible to say when they might arrive!