THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Shep Shepherd]

Saw this invigoratingly green Cortina 1600E in the process of being recomissioned at my local garage this morning when I went to book TV2 in for a new exhaust:

 

 

It looked really good and all the 1600E-specific bits were extant, but on closer inspection, it seemed like it had been restored by a "Bodgit & Scarper"-type outfit, most likely some time back in the early 1990s. Still, it would make a GR9 daily/weekend driver or rolling project once back on the road and is probably worth at least £1500 as it stands

[Captain Flimble]

Now there is one of those e-Petitions to Number 10 to get scrappies to stop paying out in cash but to use cheques of bank transfers only to try and discourage metal theft.

 

Good, bad or unworkable?

 

Discuss

 

They ultimately want to get rid of cash so that all transactions will be electronic. This way the government can monitor all activity and take their cut. You won't even be able to give your kids pocket money without the tax man swiping his 20%

[Cavcraft]

/\

 

Exactly and it will be a right pain in the arse for us bargain hunters.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Trying to replace the door glass on the Accord, I was not surprised that my toolkit (which essentially consists of a set of small spanners and a single screwdriver with a dozen different end bits) came up short. According to the workshop manual, I need a new screwdriver, some grease and an 'adhesive' (no further info supplied) for sticking back the inner part of the door trim. Shall I get silicone-based bathroom sealant or what?

 

Worse still, while I was trying to figure out how things work an idiot has boxed the Scorpio in and the only way to move it is to take the Honda out...not much fun as the battery is dead so the charger has to be brought back into action or I'll just wait till 5 when most of the cars will be gone (of course, if that does happen, it'll probably start raining...)

[cort16]

My mates looking at this Sunbeam Alpine. Anyone know anything about them?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120764433103&ih=002&category=100931&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

 

This worries me a bit.

This car has an incredibly rust free shell, not the usual welded up example

 

[trigger]

I'd say that was fresh paint on the inside of that wheel arch so it's definitely seen paint recently.

[meggersdog]

considering it was painted "several years ago" seems to be a lot of over-spray remaining on that tail pipe

[trigger]

Ha!, Proper job!

 

 

and better still is all the primer water marks in the boot where it's been flatted down and the water run in, that has only just been painted, quickly on the cheap to hide problems.

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Its defo just had a respray and welding! However, its 45 years old innit so thats hardly surprising. I would still have a look at it cos it looks alright to me, I would just expect to ignore what the seller was saying and make my own mind up about it. Panel gaps look pretty good.

[cort16]

Probably not one to buy unseen then. I know nothing about these or what they're worth at all.

[Justin Case]

My mates looking at this Sunbeam Alpine. Anyone know anything about them?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120764433103&ih=002&category=100931&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

 

Think of it as Rootes answer to the MGB, but based on the Commer Cob rather than the Sherpa As such it needed a lot of strengthening underneath and these hidden bits rust for fun Also it's a GT, which means it should have the original hard-top with it; the rear deck is different from the Sports, so you can't just bolt the hood and frame on. I think that they are fairly robust mechanically but everything else about this one should warn you not to touch it with the proverbial. If the bumpers were fit for rechroming it would have been done by this stage, so they may well be scrap.

[Father Ted]

Nissan have rather sensibly made the hole in the dash for the stereo exactly 3mm to narrow to accept a bloody new cage.

 

Much fannying about with the original mounts had a stereo that fitted, but the flap wouldnt open - so it does need the cage and fitting flush with the dash.

 

Had my new Ripspeed DVD player working for exactly 3 minutes (loosely fitted up) before I had to take it all out and now I have to find a file or a dremmel. Of course it goes without saying that the flat file that I had years ago I cant lay my hands on. Halfords sock clearance of DVD MP3 player means that I can get nearly 2000 hours of music and spoken word onto one disc (and the lad can watch the Simpsons whist out with me ) £54 well spent.

 

Going out with SWMBOfor our wedding anniversary stopped play.

 

Bollocks.

 

On the plus side new rear shelf with speakers sounds the bomb and fag lighter socket now works as it should.

[The Moog]

I took the mountings off the org stereo and used them on the new one. It sits back a little but looks fine. Also because it is screwed in it is harder to nick .. .

[Lord Sterling]

Hey FT did you get a proper Micra parcel shelf with speakers? They do look and sound alot better. I had a generic fag-lighter in my car but didnt like, so got a proper Nissan jobbie fitted up and working.

 

When I fitted the cage that came with the Sony Xplod I fitted a few years ago, I took the original mountings out, then scrunched the cage down to get it through the hole, flattened the cage back up to shape and then inserted the stereo.

 

I've also been playing with the idea of bashing a K12 CD player in there keeping it more 'Nissan' But to be honest though, I'm happy with the Sony job.

[Father Ted]

I took the mountings off the org stereo and used them on the new one. It sits back a little but looks fine. Also because it is screwed in it is harder to nick .. .

Tried that, but no amount of dicking about would let the front flap open to insert CD/DVD's, it kept getting caught on the facia.

[Pete-M]

Hey FT did you get a proper Micra parcel shelf with speakers? They do look and sound alot better. I had a generic fag-lighter in my car but didnt like, so got a proper Nissan jobbie fitted up and working.

 

When I used to flog Micras new we used to do a promo model with a Kenwood cd player, uprated front speakers and the proper Nissan shelf as well as alloys and the Golf GTi stylee wheelarches. The stereo sold more cars than you'd believe. "For £500 more you're getting it sounding like this...with alloys and a bit of funk about it." Things flew out of the door. Mechanics were doing a couple of them a day.

 

They were the good days.

[Shep Shepherd]

The Volvo is no longer a temporary shed, which is good:

 

 

What is not so good is the fact that despite my various attempts to get it to work since it suddenly stopped working last month (new bulb, new fuse, substitution of the bulb and bulb-holder with that of the nearside light), the car's offside tail light won't illuminate, although the brake light is fine. I'm beginning to suspect that there is something wrong with the wiring or the lamp unit itself. Any ideas?

[trigger]

My bad luck of car repairs is still on going, after my £415 Mondeo repair my Kadett has gone in for a clutch change today and unsuprisingly that now become a problem, my propshaft dount bearing is failing to bits meaning the garage can't put the car together again without me finding a new one.

 

So now Im going to have to search the internet for one, anyone know the Dutch for dount?

[Cavcraft]

According to babylon.com (and assuming you mean donut, not dount) it's 'zn. soort oliebol' and propshaft is, erm, 'propshaft'.

[M'coli]

"Rotoflex" should work too.

[trigger]

I think it's called a "gummibalg mitte"? I've given up now and just sent these guys a email http://www.opel-classic-parts.com/ as i can't find it on their website but it's listed in their catalogue.

 

The garage is going to take the old one off (which has disintegrated) and see if it's the same as a Viva or Chevette, I'm not holding my breath though, How do people restore cars like these when all the parts are outside England, it must be very difficult.

 

On the plus side i have just found this on their site which i might buy for the back window.

 

[Father Ted]

Hey FT did you get a proper Micra parcel shelf with speakers? They do look and sound alot better. I had a generic fag-lighter in my car but didnt like, so got a proper Nissan jobbie fitted up and working.

 

When I used to flog Micras new we used to do a promo model with a Kenwood cd player. Things flew out of the door. Mechanics were doing a couple of them a day.

 

They were the good days.

 

Yup, got a genuine shelf, though seller claimed it was from a low brake light 99 plate Micra, it was from a later high brake light one so needs a little bit chopping out - the boot does shut but needs a good shove.Sounds good though.

 

 

I can Haz Telly.

[cort16]

Need a chop saw for cutting angles but you're a tight wad bodging bastard? If so then build the cort16 "choppy thing" (patent not pending) .

 

[tonedepear]

Christ, if I had one of them within 100yds of my house I'd have no fingers eyes or arms left. If the pointy thing or the lassoos on the floor don't get you, the spinny disc bit will, right?

[cort16]

You're right I've added a fail safe to gaurentee injury. It is as yet untested so I'll dial 99 on my phone before I start it up.

[tonedepear]

You're right I've added a fail safe to gaurentee injury. It is as yet untested so I'll dial 99 on my phone before I start it up.

make sure you have a failsafe button presser as well incase your thumbs are first to go

[TimothyClaypole]

The real thing is only £20 from Machine Mart.

[cort16]

I have one on order but I need to chop fingers..I mean metal today.

[Angrydicky]

Been poking round the inner recesses of my Austin Cambridge today:

 

 

Hmm...doesn't look too bad does it?

 

 

Unfortunately it's utterly f*cked, most people would have sent it round the oval years ago. Amazing it's survived really

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOS front valance was a lucky Ebay find.

 

 

 

 

Bodging bastards! That's a huge lump of fibreglass by the way. The chassis leg behind it has been plated over the rusty original, and was full of rusty muck.

 

 

New front wings are like rocking horse shit, so a pair of less rusty A50 wings were purchased from Ebay, these require the headlight bowl modifying and plenty of welding. Couldn't resist offering the passenger one up though, seems to fit well!

 

 

 

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

The painfully slow work on the Accord is still going on- when it's not raining. Managed to get the door trim out using a kitchen utensil of some description, and now I'm struggling because I'm dealing with a bolt that's wedged in and I can't find a way to remove. Not only is it behind the metal bit between the top of the door and the hole in the middle, it's also in a bit of a slope that only leaves a miniscule amount of space for the spanner....and it's overtightened to buggery. I bathed it in WD-40 and will be back tomorrow...probably ending up at B&Q to see whether they have any appropriate tool.

 

I am really puzzled by the Scorpio exhaust...National Tyres said that I need a new front pipe and cat, I took it to Shit Fit just to be sure, he pointed it blowing from the front pipe and what definitely looked like the cat, and said that I 'need to replace the front and back system without changing the cat'. How on earth is that supposed to cure the cat leak?