THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Guest]

You took them to a boarded-up showroom? Nice work!

[Cavcraft]

GET IN!Deposit just left on new wheels, roll on the end of the week or earlier if I can form an escape committee from work to get to the bank.

Is it a secret until it's collected? Or are you sharing

Half the wheels,, twice the fun and about one millionth of the BHP of just about everything else on here.

[Spottedlaurel]

Yes, they loved it. Nearby I stopped and took a photo of a K10 Micra and N13 Sunny, also a high point of the day out.

[M'coli]

GET IN!Deposit just left on new wheels, roll on the end of the week or earlier if I can form an escape committee from work to get to the bank.

Is it a secret until it's collected? Or are you sharing

Half the wheels,, twice the fun and about one millionth of the BHP of just about everything else on here.

Fizzie?

[Cavcraft]

No but I'd love one if they weren't in the same sort of price range as a Mk1 Escort.

 

This...

 

 

 

...is what I got. Never owned one before but always fancied one. OBV not arsed about speed as it'll probably be quite slow but mates in the know say they are pretty quick for a scooter.

[M'coli]

Nevertheless...

 

 

RINGGG-DINGG-DING-Ding-ding-RING-Ding-ding-ding!!!

 

[Minimad5]

haha M'coli, that made me laugh so loud Cavette, i HAVE to see you on that !

[Cavcraft]

Nevertheless...RINGGG-DINGG-DING-Ding-ding-RING-Ding-ding-ding!!!

Bee-in-a-biscuit tin-tastic.

[sporty-shite]

No but I'd love one if they weren't in the same sort of price range as a Mk1 Escort.

 

This...

 

 

 

...is what I got. Never owned one before but always fancied one. OBV not arsed about speed as it'll probably be quite slow but mates in the know say they are pretty quick for a scooter.

Oooo, likey likey! I presume it's a fairly late one with the square headlamp?

[Cavcraft]

It's a T5, circa 1987 I think. Originally a 125, lead to believe they were a bit 'hotter' than a PX, but now has a PX200 engine fitted.Hoping it turns out to be as nice to ride as it is to look at, last owner had done loads to it inc. tyres/bearings/cables etc.

[vicsmith]

Right, via the gift of unforgiveable bodging the Stanza is getting some life breathed into it and starting to look like a car again:

 

 

To be fair it`s just had 2/3 of a brand new exhaust, so it`s not all bodging, but the inside of the bonnet is fucked, if you look along the leading edge, all the bits that look sort of pinkish grey (nearly all of it) were not there this morning - completely rotted away, so I`ve just slapped 3/4 of a big tin of fibreglass bridger in there. Lovely! At least it`s got an inside leading edge now.

 

The bottom half is covered in all sorts of crap - layers of weird stonechip, vinyl stuff, emulsion, you name it, impossible to paint properly so I`m painting it not properly for now in a smart champagne metallic. Getting a reasonable finish, won`t bear up to close inspection but it`ll look smart when it pulls up outside the pop-in centre. Tell you what, no rot to be found on these sills, all that shite has at least protected it!

 

 

Tried 2 different Golds, not sure which one to go with, hey, maybe I`ll just settle for the one I can actually get again, they both came from a reduced to clear basket and they`ve both run out.

[Lukas]

Seems like Mr. Hirst is a bit overburdened with his fleet.

[Guest]

Right, via the gift of unforgiveable bodging the Stanza is getting some life breathed into it and starting to look like a car again:

 

 

To be fair it`s just had 2/3 of a brand new exhaust, so it`s not all bodging, but the inside of the bonnet is fucked, if you look along the leading edge, all the bits that look sort of pinkish grey (nearly all of it) were not there this morning - completely rotted away, so I`ve just slapped 3/4 of a big tin of fibreglass bridger in there. Lovely! At least it`s got an inside leading edge now.

 

The bottom half is covered in all sorts of crap - layers of weird stonechip, vinyl stuff, emulsion, you name it, impossible to paint properly so I`m painting it not properly for now in a smart champagne metallic. Getting a reasonable finish, won`t bear up to close inspection but it`ll look smart when it pulls up outside the pop-in centre. Tell you what, no rot to be found on these sills, all that shite has at least protected it!

 

 

Tried 2 different Golds, not sure which one to go with, hey, maybe I`ll just settle for the one I can actually get again, they both came from a reduced to clear basket and they`ve both run out.

This is so good it can be quoted onto the next page. Amazing what Vic will do for a tatty VHS copy of Halfway Across The Galaxy And Turn Left.

 

That Stanza bonnet was absolutely hanging underneath (and it had been patched up already), hopefully I'll find a better one at some point. One Stanza turned up for breaking already, but the bonnet on that was even more rotten. It's a bit of a weak spot, there was a recall on them apparently. Least it won't cut my hands to ribbons and launch a load of All-Bran in my eyes when I open it.

 

Looks lovely all bottom-halfed, I've no idea what kind of clear stonechip has been used on it previously but I'm pretty sure it was developed as some kind of protection against atomic bombs, you just can't sand through the sodding stuff.

[Mike D]

I have just fitted some correct size wiper blades to the Capri, now it won't muller the screen rubber every time it wipes :)Also, my cheque from the insurers arrived today, yay!

[Cavcraft]

Vespa now in my garage, chuffed to bloody mint balls with it. Tax and insurance to follow, fingers crossed it'll be on the road by the weekend.

[Mr H Sceptre]

Vespa now in my garage, chuffed to bloody mint balls with it. Tax and insurance to follow, fingers crossed it'll be on the road by the weekend.

So you now just get yourself a long fishtail green coat, neck a load of 'blues' & 'whites' & off to Brighton you go.WE ARE THE MODS. WE ARE THE MODS. WE ARE THE MODS.

[Gompo]

Nice work on the Stanza, Vic. Great to read about it again..

[Lukas]

I´m selling two (the Galloper and the Pajero) of my three cars at the moment.

[dollywobbler]

Right. In response to the AX thread, here's some bumper buffing!

 

Renault was displaying a beautiful shade of grey on the bumpers.

 

So I attacked the front bumper with some Spautopia stuff.

 

Then I used Mer's bumper cleaning gel on the rear, which I found better. Needs another coat though I think.

 

Even did things like rear fixed window surrounds and the little odd bits that stick out on the front door frames. Much better!

[Father Ted]

Finished the cold welding, now covered in hammerite and Dynax

[Mr H Sceptre]

T-cut & polish purchased for the Maxi. Started to rain, so shall get on with the job tomorrow.

[Cavcraft]

Got a rack thing for front of scooter, undecided whether to 'do the mod thing' and put some mirrors and spot lights etc on it. quite fancy it though so will see how it pans out...

 

 

Insurance is very cheap. Sixty quid TPFT or £91.00 with another company inc. insurance to ride other bikes and breakdown cover.

[Mr H Sceptre]

that Vespa is so cool Billy, though the stars & stripes is somewhat at odds with the whole scooter image......

[Cavcraft]

Cheers, sticker was on it when I got it and will be replaced by a Union flag or Cross of St George.Stuck a bid on some mirrors and a light bar on eBaY even though I can't afford 'em.

[Polystratus]

Got a rack thing for front of scooter, undecided whether to 'do the mod thing' and put some mirrors and spot lights etc on it. quite fancy it though so will see how it pans out...Insurance is very cheap. Sixty quid TPFT or £91.00 with another company inc. insurance to ride other bikes and breakdown cover.

Thats brill, get some mirrors and spots on there Whats the engine size?

[j-j]

Well lately I chucked in that new steering joint scored off ebay.

 

I wanted to keep it until I found another for the other side but a recent bout of 'weird steering' was found to be caused by the inner joint (original 33 years old I think) being fukd.

 

 

Old and new - you can see what a weird design they are - the 'standard replacement' ones are more like your conventional type.

 

Rod out

 

Fitted and adjusted

 

The steering rack gaiter was a complete dick to get back on. The one on the other side was a piece of piss because you can just reach it from above via the engine room but this driver side one is obscured by the air blower intake above it, the brake valve in the way from the wheel arch cover and the steering column itself is where your knuckles want to be.

 

Still, got it in the end and the steering is sharp as glass now.

[Cavcraft]

197cc to be precise. GR8 4 BEIN BURNT OV BY PEDS AT DA LITES.

[transfer]

j-j, quite different from the inner joints on the CXs I've had - and couldn't you have lifted the cabin air intake off? Or is the main section on the way, can't remember. Had one once which was a right pain to undo (no access), needed a spanner bent in three places and exactly the right weight of hammer to shock free. Total bitch. CXs always remind me of Minis when doing anything to 'em. Bit of a squeeze, but worth it of course if only for the diravi. DS much more cultured, like a 2CV but just more of it.

[j-j]

j-j, quite different from the inner joints on the CXs I've had - and couldn't you have lifted the cabin air intake off? Or is the main section on the way, can't remember. Had one once which was a right pain to undo (no access), needed a spanner bent in three places and exactly the right weight of hammer to shock free. Total bitch. CXs always remind me of Minis when doing anything to 'em. Bit of a squeeze, but worth it of course if only for the diravi. DS much more cultured, like a 2CV but just more of it.

Yea, these are the inner joints used on the earliest CXs - they're unavailable now and there are standardised replacements that are not very well made unfortunately. So any opportunity to fir the right original type is jumped at! I'm keeping the crappy old joint in case someone devises a way to re-bush them. As for the air intake, I did remove it in the end - it's not that hard to get off on these earlier cars 3 bolts in total but the shape of it is so tricky to remove from its position. It's caused by the car being RHD - if it was LHD as most were/are the brake valve on the bulkhead, steering column coupling, DIRAVI pipes (including the tiny sintered brass filter housing) can all be reached simply by lifting out the spare tyre - not so on a RHD!There are similarities to the mini apart from the rad still being at the front. Most things are actually really easy to reach as there are 4 removeable panels for both wheel arches - timing chain, guide and tensioner can be changed out in just over an hour. However the lower engine mount needs the engine raised high and the driveshaft out to replace it Oil filter is a dickhead to reach too.I've worked on DSs and found them to be a joy. Steering was fascinating to look at with the rack being above the gearbox and the weird 4 trackrods sort of thing going on but all dead easy to reach and the rack can be changed out in about an hour and a half. Pain in the arse things on the DS are: changing brake disks needs the driveshafts out, changing handbrake pads needs the radiator out (!) and the starter motor is under the exhause manifold and can't be removed without also taking the manifold off! Also, the timing chain job on a DS is an engine-out job.. At least all the bodywork comes off for all round access. Oil filter is in the sump too. 2CV is mostly a piece of cake to work on - bodywork all comes off and there's next to nothing to actually repair anyway! O, wait yes one thing on the 2CV is annoying: the ignition breaker is located down behind the fan at the front inside a little box. Otherwise it's much akin to working on a bicycle!

[Richard]

I replaced the track rod on the C5 last year and I can report that the rack gaiter is still a complete dick to get back on.