THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Tayne]

.

[dollywobbler]

Ace news Mike and M'Coli.

 

Today, I have actually washed the Scimitar for the first time and am attempting to rid the 2CV of some of its scabby areas. Front bumper already repainted, one wheel awaiting topcoat. If that goes well, the other wheels will get the same treatment.

[tonedepear]

Finally took Saab out for a spin today. Forgotten how many little jobs need doing (Headlining, Rust spots, Rear spoiler, rear wheel bearing, car cutting out on full boost, etc).

 

You probably know already, but assuming it's an APC version, these cut fuel if they overboost (via a knock sensor I think, although it's been *ages* since I dicked about with one with an MBC plugged in for larks), so you get full boost, then a brick wall. Wind the wastegate a mite and that might sort it.

 

That porker is glorious, btw.

[skattrd]

More Saab related news, I finally got round to changing the radiator on mine, the old one had actually split at at the bottom. Unfortunately I didn't get chance to get the car on the lift though to check the rattling exhaust as a newish Focus died on it and wouldn't move ... Anyway the Saab's almost ready to sell now, I'm just thinking whether or not to put it in for an MOT. The current one runs until July, but thought it might be easier to sell with a full 12 month on it, I'm pretty sure it would just go straight through.

[Negative Creep]

That looks great!

Can't help thinking it would look even better on period rims though.

 

 

I agree those wheels don't look right, but still a lovely car

[skattrd]

That looks great!

Can't help thinking it would look even better on period rims though.

 

 

I agree those wheels don't look right, but still a lovely car

 

+1

Aren't those "cup" alloys? you could prob sell those for quite a bit more than a set of 928 dishes or d90's would cost

[Pillock]

Drove for an hour and a half to look at a dizzler Leon. Advertised as "excellent" and priced to suit, at £2100 it's at the top of the game for a 51 plate 110bhp. Still, full MoT and one lady owner, I'll pay for a good one.

 

Passenger window not working, dents all over the bonnet, a really tired interior (it had done 144k, the interior was way worse than my 114k Golf), timing belt cover was in the boot, no sign of it ever having been serviced EVER and the oil looked like treacle. It was a £1300 snotter at best. Oh, and it needed two tyres, tax and the alloys refurbing. I even asked about condition on the phone to avoid a wasted trip - "oh, it's mint". Bollocks.

 

As soon as I said something less than complimentary about it, the faux-trader* then just started staring at his shoes and kicking pebbles around waiting for me to fuck off. I took it for a drive anyway, and the amount of shit it kicked out the back was unreal.

 

*Faux trader: Someone who believes they sell enough cars to call themselves a trader, but operate out of their garden and will deny all knowledge when you get sales-of-goods-acty on their ass.

[mnde]

I awakened the GSA from its winter-long slumber and took it on a long drive yesterday evening. It felt good! I met the obligatory 2CV on the way (which often happens when I'm out in the G) and shared a flash and a wave

 

Here it is sitting in the drive when I got back home

 

 

And a little video:

 

 

I've got to get it sorted for the summer (water leak, repair underseal) - I've missed driving it!

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[dollywobbler]

I took the Mini for a blast, as it's not moved for a couple of weeks. It was running a bit iffy and running on, so I got back and had a bit of a fiddle. Timing slightly more advanced, tickover turned down a bit. Wonderful. Perked her right up and she no longer runs on. Felt I had no choice but to go for another hoon. Maybe the ol' Mini isn't so bad after all.

 

Even treated her to a good soaking of Bilt Hamber Dyax S50 anti-corrosion wax (here endeth the plug - but I do really rate it) underneath. Need to make more of an effort to sell it. Didn't help that I mentioned a noisy gearbox in the advert, but on reflection, I think it's just a Mini.

 

2CV paintwork was brought to an end by running out of paint. More ordered. Saab got a bit of a clean. Scimitar will be on Drive It Day duty tomorrow. Looking forward to it. I have put some sound deadening stuff in the back. Wonder if it'll make a difference as it can get a bit boomy.

[Mr Lobster]

 

Went to a C&SC photoshoot in it yesterday. Did 620 miles and an average of slightly over 40mpg! Very happy with that. Managed to find a brand new rear bumper on eBay.fr as well so will get that lobbed on over Easter. Lot of R4 love in the Lobster house at the moment.

[Barrett.in.the.USA]

Does this mean the R4 is going to be famous soon?

[Mr Lobster]

A little bit.

[mattblack]

Finished welding the Sceptre today. HORAY!!

 

So that's a 12" X 10" piece in the floor, 18" of inner sill, 12" of chassis rail, new front outrigger and 6" in the centre outrigger... which all started from an MOT 'advise' on a bit of rot about an inch square.

[r.welfare]

Went to a C&SC photoshoot in it yesterday

 

Saw you travelling north on the A34 bypassing Newbury yesterday late afternoon, then. Looked cracking!

[autofive]

finally found the NOS clutch slave cylinder for the Scimitar

 

now it can be changed, and the engine dropped back in

[dollywobbler]

Scimitar joy here too. Went down to the south of Wales to join a Drive It Day run. It was about 70 miles to get there, 10 or so on the run itself and then about 80 to get home. A pretty descent outing and it used less than half a tank of fuel - which is good as it had just over a half to start with and there were no petrol stations open on the way back...

 

Really enjoyed hooning about in the Scimitar. The way it effortlessly accelerates uphill never ceases to amaze me. There can't be much this side of a turbo diesel that can match it for grunt below 3000rpm (ignoring vintage aero-engined stuff!). Yes, it was running a bit too hot (the gentle pace of the convoy left it with the fan running almost continuously. Must get that system flushed). Yes, the suspension is too firm for my liking and yes, the seats are not my idea of comfortable but it is an absolute hoot. Hard work, but very rewarding. I'm slightly ashamed to admit that on one hairpin, the tail may have been provoked into a 2nd gear slide...

 

Then I got home and drove into a rock, taking out one of the spotlamps (now removed!). Oh well! Never liked them anyway.

[boobydoo]

I awakened the GSA from its winter-long slumber

Here it is sitting in the drive when I got back home

 

 

 

That is completely and utterly gorgeous! Has it been restored? Liking the yellow headlights particularly.

[Negative Creep]

Decided to get the MR2 through the MOT. I can get the cash together and it will make sense to get a new ticket as it will be far easier to sell. Would be a good idea to keep the classic insurance but maybe seek out something like a mk.4 Escort, or something reasonable on fuel that isn't a Vauxhall or red

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Drove for an hour and a half to look at a dizzler Leon... one lady owner...

 

Most of the women I know who own cars without the interference of a man just run them into the ground, they only take cars to garages when they stop working.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

i've been into some SERIOUS 3-WAY HEAT GUN UNDERPANTS ACTION on my argenta, cleaning the shitty paint off the bumpers and trying to get them back to the right colour.

 

before:

 

 

after:

 

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Have you sorted the fuel injection/starting issues b0llz?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Not yet, the fuel injectors are away being ultrasonically cleaned at the mo. Hopefully get them back this week and have another crack at it next weekend!

[Guest]

Looking good Bollox, I was concerned at whether the paint would come off alright as I imagine finding tidy bumpers for an Argenta is a fairly unpleasant task. Did you take them off the car? Get the Rover done whilst you're at it.

[skattrd]

I start a new job tomorrow, but really can't be arsed with it.... a couple of 3/4 day weeks should ease me in to it.

On the plus side it means I get to drive 40 miles or so each way in the Lancia, on the down side the cost of fuel is coming out of my pocket .... and it does drink a bit when you press the loud pedal.

[Cavcraft]

Definate improvement on the Fiat, looks like I'd imagine it should do now. Are the lighter looking areas where the previous owner had primed it or something and what sort of job is it to get it looking the same all over? I've just had heat gun on a modern-ish car and the results are quite shit, especially compared to your's so would be interested to know if the bumpers can be cleaned/polished/whatever afterwards to try and keep the original look and colour.

 

Took the Cortina for a drive this afters and it started no messing without any choke, ran well for a while then went all wanky and it took some fiddling with the knob (ooh-err etc) to get it somewhere near right. I think I'll try the easy fix first (choke and carb cleaner whazzed into carb whilst running), then strip the carb down and examine/replace jets if neccessary.

 

Vespa needs and MOT and the appliance of road tax before next weekend if I get time as there's a charidee do on Sunday I want to go on. Pondering whether to work out the fuel consumption for the E46 or just sit in ignorance and pretend not to care. Oh, and some more Griffin badged shit will be heading my way very soon.

[scaryoldcortina]

^^ stick a new condenser on the cortina before you play with the carb

[Cavcraft]

Ooh, cheers. Easy enough to get a new one S.O.C?

[scaryoldcortina]

yeah, any old skool motorfactors should have a condenser for a crossflow

[KruJoe]

I just don't get it.

 

 

Some friends of the family have finally realised they no longer require their 110, identical to this, on a 'P'.

They are an older couple and have owned it from new. It has been back to the supplying "Torver Land Rover"dealership for everything it ever needed, and plenty it didn't. They took it back again last month because they thought they'd heard a rattle from the back. Three hours of LR labour later, they were told it was fine, but a tyre was looking "a little bit worn". So they had four new boots put on it.

It gets better.

Last week, they called in at the dealership to ask what the car would be worth for a cash sale. £2500. "They're not selling well at the moment."

My mother, who spends a lot of time with the couple, and knows more about the way the motor industry works, said she's sure it's worth significantly more, but she'd ask me to do some research and get back to them, and offer them more if it was worth it.

A qick look on ebay shows only the shoddiest, sheddiest 110SWs selling at that price. There are loads more advertised at 6000 to 9000, and on Autotrader, NOTHING under 5k.

I rang them up immediately and offered them £3000 cash to collect first thing this morning no messing, adding that if we made ANY profit by selling it on, I'd cut them in on that. They umm'd and ah'd, but agreed and we set a time.

Awoke this morning to an email from the lady:

"R** would prefer to stick to his original arrangement with Torver so that is that! Thanks for your help."

A phone call later - no reasoning, just "I think I would rather honour the agreement I have at Torver, thank you."

Really lovely people, just WTF?!

Rant over... sorry, maybe wrong thread... but WTF

[pompei]

Put the Fronterror in for MoT today, expecting the beckoning wave of the Bridge to follow. Anyway, all it needs is a tyre (one was the wrong size ) bottom ball joint and a patch welding below rear seat belt mount. Been weeks since I drove it, but it started first turn of the key which is promising as it needs to be sold ASAP.