BMC/BMH/BL Readers wives #End of year round up#

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, camryv6 said:

I had a Mini 32 years ago and can still remember to this day trying to get the bonnet to line up with the wings and the front panel

I had 3 of them, more like 40 years ago! Can't remember that particular issue, but I agree panel fit was often very iffy from BL. The only non BL vehicle I had around that time was a Mk1 cortina estate, and a door was literally falling off that.

[camryv6]

6 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

I had 3 of them, more like 40 years ago! Can't remember that particular issue, but I agree panel fit was often very iffy from BL. The only non BL vehicle I had around that time was a Mk1 cortina estate, and a door was literally falling off that.

Funnily enough the doors and boot lid were really good gaps

[Carl1981]

Fuel has got expensive so the wife has robbed me of this badboy for her daily duties…

 

As a result of this money saving on her part, it’s costing me a small fortune using the XJ as my daily…

I think it deserves a photo here as the ‘40 was developed and released when Jag were under the BL umbrella 

[Three Speed]

I had the honour to work in a BL dealership as a holiday job in about 1978 or 79, preparing new and used cars for sale. The steam cleaner would find any water leaks and loose paint / badges.

Rover SD1s still had the original cheapo badges on the bonnet and boot. They also had extra helpings of glue on the carpets which I had to get off and a dent (well, a wobble) on the front nearside wing between the wheel and the door about which I could do nothing. Otherwise they seemed to be screwed together ok.

I had to prep a Marina (in two-tone beige no less). You could tell how worn the press tools were by then on the boot lid which had a different profile at one end than the other. Neither matched their respective rear wings.

I prepped a "new" white 2-door Toledo which had been "up on the farm" for over a year before someone remembered it was there and sold it. That took more time than the new owner would have liked to know about. 

The proud owner of a new Range Rover got a bonus sunroof and vinyl roof when the mechanic put it up on the lift and forgot it was a bit taller than normal cars. 

The car I enjoyed most was a used yellow Spitfire 1500 which I spent ages working on. It looked great and sold immediately which made me quite sad. 

Happy days. 

[Yoss]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

This is the Dolomite alignment on the factory production line!

So are they going to realign that 2000 in to a Dolomite? 

[ETCHY]

6 hours ago, camryv6 said:

I had a Mini 32 years ago and can still remember to this day trying to get the bonnet to line up with the wings and the front panel

To be fair a lot of panel fits were dodgy on Ford's too. Take a look at many 105e Anglia's and the lower trailing edges of the doors actually stand proud of the body.

Wasn't just BMC/BL churning stuff out a bit shonky.

[Blake's Den]

2 hours ago, schonker said:

Sorry posted the pic without any words.Owned for around 10 years, huge 850cc under the bonnet but I love it

I'd love to have a mini pick up. I'm still hoping to find one in a back of a shed for about £100! I think those days are long gone, even a project is £2.5k upwards

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Carl1981 said:

Fuel has got expensive so the wife has robbed me of this badboy for her daily duties…

 

As a result of this money saving on her part, it’s costing me a small fortune using the XJ as my daily…

I think it deserves a photo here as the ‘40 was developed and released when Jag were under the BL umbrella 

Surely that's better than her using the Jag?

[Carl1981]

7 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Surely that's better than her using the Jag?

She normally uses her VW T5, so net effect of her selfishness  cost saving is that she’s swapped 28mpg vw diesel for 40mpg petrol metro whilst I’ve gone from the metro to 18mpg Jag.

We’re probably worse off! Although it’s only a few pounds a week in reality.

I do enjoy using the Jag though and having an excuse to do it, especially one that means I’m doing the wife a favour, makes it even better! Helps justify the ever expanding fleet! I’ll remind her of this moment forever! 😂

[Inspiral_Mondays]

17 hours ago, SiC said:

This is something I'd much rather have for the money. Especially given it's been a regular driver, so should have most troubles ironed out.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1974-AUSTIN-MINI-CLUBMAN-ESTATE-A-RARE-MODEL-NOW-PRETTY-A-REGULAR-DRIVER-/275240255626

Quite tempted but bloody miles away and probably sell before I get a chance to see it. Plus I need to get the Moggie sold and out the way before getting anything else. 😬

My Mum had one in exactly that colour in the late 70s. It was the first car I ever drove, aged 14 on Ainsdale beach. I can still remember the tractor coming to tow us out after I drove out too far and got stuck in the sand. My Dad had already started emptying odds and ends from the dashboard into a carrier bag quite prepared to leave it to the tide, he absolutely hated it.

[artdjones]

15 hours ago, ETCHY said:

To be fair a lot of panel fits were dodgy on Ford's too. Take a look at many 105e Anglia's and the lower trailing edges of the doors actually stand proud of the body.

Wasn't just BMC/BL churning stuff out a bit shonky.

Panel gaps are fairly meaningless. Older Volvos often had gaps you could stick your little finger in but were the most durable cars around.

[ETCHY]

42 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Panel gaps are fairly meaningless. Older Volvos often had gaps you could stick your little finger in but were the most durable cars around.

On 105e's it wasn't so much a panel gap it's the actual doors often tend to stick out at their lower trailing edge, not just when old but when new too. The fit of the doors tended on many but not all Anglia's to be poor. So as i say it wasn't just a BMC/BL trait.

[artdjones]

Press tooling wasn't as accurate then or the process of welding the shell together.

[SiC]

They apparently had 3 different sizes of Morris Minor doors so they could get the right fit depending on how well it was welded together.

Panel fit and finish is still a problem to this day with low volume cars.

[Yoss]

With Felicia being broken the Triumph is now on daily duty. It's even going out in the dark. 

It hadn't been out since November, though I've started it in the garage a few times. Everything worked, which was nice. 

[Matty]

2 hours ago, Yoss said:

With Felicia being broken the Triumph is now on daily duty. It's even going out in the dark. 

It hadn't been out since November, though I've started it in the garage a few times. Everything worked, which was nice. 

Obviously a well fettled car then Yoss. Stuff doesn't like neglect after all. Looks mean too!

[High Jetter]

I loved them, they took loads of use, I mean, abuse.

[captain_70s]

4 hours ago, Yoss said:

With Felicia being broken the Triumph is now on daily duty. It's even going out in the dark. 

It hadn't been out since November, though I've started it in the garage a few times. Everything worked, which was nice. 

Are they Sprint alloys on a fwd?

[Yoss]

19 hours ago, captain_70s said:

Are they Sprint alloys on a fwd?

Yes they are. I've seen and read people say it can't be done but it can. 

I've had to fold the rear arches a bit but unlike the live axle on the Dolomite I have semi trailing arms mounted at an angle so as the wheels go up, they also go in. 

I'm not the only one doing it. 

 

And Rover Metro alloys fit too. 

[Amishtat]

[Matty]

Oohhh p5

[Matty]

@SiC wing mirrors aside if I was having a mini it'd be like this. That's how I remember them as ten year old or so bangers when I was growing up (obvs this isn't a shed)

[SiC]

35 minutes ago, Matty said:

@SiC wing mirrors aside if I was having a mini it'd be like this. That's how I remember them as ten year old or so bangers when I was growing up (obvs this isn't a shed)

You forgot to link!

 

If I didn't have so much crap already, I'd be on my way to see this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/classic-mini-clubman-estate-/284735353107

 

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

Oohhh p5

+ P6, Minx, Ser 1 XJ, and a Maestro. 

[Amishtat]

6 hours ago, High Jetter said:

+ P6, Minx, Ser 1 XJ, and a Maestro. 

Don't have any pictures of my P6 and that isn't a Minx (and doesn't belong in this thread..) 

[Matty]

8 hours ago, SiC said:

You forgot to link!

 

If I didn't have so much crap already, I'd be on my way to see this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/classic-mini-clubman-estate-/284735353107

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1971-Austin-Morris-Mini-Orange-/165411305848?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Sorry. I start drinking on a Thursday night 😆

[Amishtat]

11 hours ago, Matty said:

Oohhh p5

Apropos of nothing really but picked that up nine years ago today according to one of those wank "your memories from this day" things on my phone. 

 

[Matty]

They're just such a handsome old bus. One of my favourite cars we had as a kid was a p6 3500s that our Tony ran for a few years. At the age it would've been I fancied the 530i manual I had a few years ago as my equivalent. An executive express reaching the point of valuelessness if you will.

[Amishtat]

I had a Cameron Green 3500S for a few months about 15 years ago, damned if I can find any pictures of it though. Problem is, when that's the first P6 you've experienced it makes the couple of four-potters I've driven since feel as though you inadvertently left the handbrake on.. Lovely thing though, didn't expect to like it as much as I did. But a mate of a mate offered me a handsome profit and I couldn't say no. P5 is still my favourite though, would happily have another. I do have some photos of my Wolseley 6/110 somewhere but they'll take some finding. 

[Matty]

43 minutes ago, Amishtat said:

I had a Cameron Green 3500S for a few months about 15 years ago, damned if I can find any pictures of it though. Problem is, when that's the first P6 you've experienced it makes the couple of four-potters I've driven since feel as though you inadvertently left the handbrake on.. Lovely thing though, didn't expect to like it as much as I did. But a mate of a mate offered me a handsome profit and I couldn't say no. P5 is still my favourite though, would happily have another. I do have some photos of my Wolseley 6/110 somewhere but they'll take some finding. 

When you find them, get em stuck in here !