Shite at the Vicarage: Riley RMF

[Zelandeth]

On 05/09/2024 at 19:19, grogee said:

 ...Looking at this I'm taken straight back to working in a garage as a teenager and servicing loads of Mum Metros. I can clearly remember hooking one up to the COMPUTERIZED ignition tune thing... Big blue thing with an oscilloscope. 

Something like this?

Really do need to finish dragging this back into the land of the living at some point.

[Wibble]

53 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Something like this?

Really do need to finish dragging this back into the land of the living at some point.

That is awsome!

[grogee]

9 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Something like this?

Really do need to finish dragging this back into the land of the living at some point.

Yes much like that but older, it sat on a cabinet with castors. Pretty sure it didn't have a text readout, only an oscilloscope screen and a load of knobs and buttons. 

Good luck with the resurrection. Will it be something you actually use in anger? 

[Zelandeth]

On 10/09/2024 at 07:45, grogee said:

Yes much like that but older, it sat on a cabinet with castors. Pretty sure it didn't have a text readout, only an oscilloscope screen and a load of knobs and buttons. 

Good luck with the resurrection. Will it be something you actually use in anger? 

It should be a genuinely useful tool given the amount of data it can show you.  Especially if I can get the gas analyser properly working as well.

There are some other deeper tests which it can do, but I'm not going to drag this thread any further off topic with it!

I'm still quite surprised by how sophisticated the computer side of things is, with a National INS8900D running the show rather than something more mundane like a Z80 or Intel 8080 which I'd have expected by 1984.

Thankfully that side of things seems to be fine, it's just going to be getting the various analogue systems reliably back into the land of the living.

Actually moving it back into the garage is going to be a "fun" task given that the thing weighs about as much as a small moon.

[The Vicar]

On 09/09/2024 at 22:43, Minimad5 said:

Never really given a Metro much thought, but damn your example looks like a good'un.
What sort of pennies do these fetch ?

In Ireland, I have no idea. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I saw an Irish registered Metro for sale at all. When I get this one registered, taxed and tested etc I think it might be worth about €2-2.5k to someone looking for a quirky runaround/modern classic. But I might be proven wrong!

[The Vicar]

I’m currently in Rome but I had my dad bring it out for a spin today before it’s appointment for re-registration in the Republic:

 

[The Vicar]

Another sporadic update, which can only mean one thing - something else has arrived at the inn..

 I was mindlessly scrolling the classifieds and came across an ad, 12 hours old, for this. The photos weren’t great and the ad lacked detail, but something was telling me it merited more investigation. I gave the seller a call, not expecting much, but within 20 minutes I was on my way to see it and not much longer after that I was taking post-purchase pez shots:

Long term owner, 2.0 3sge (Carina GTI) manual, 64k miles, everything works and it’s in mint condition, and I don’t use the term lightly! 

A bit of an ugly duckling, and not much use in Ireland in November, but it was just too nice to turn down!

[brownnova]

Roof down, heaters on full blast on your feet, coat and hat. 

It’s how I do topless motoring in the Welsh Winter!

Looks a cracking little thing that. I like it a lot! 

[Matty]

^^^ plus one to that. Also you're not likely to see another!

[hairnet]

father youre nuts 

 

[The Vicar]

I now have two Toyotas:

it’s a rebadged Sirion called a Duet. 989cc 3 cyl automatic. It’s looking a bit grubby and has a few little scuffs but will come up nice. It’s taxed and tested until next year so my plan is to use it over the winter and then decide if I want to keep it or not; it could replace my K11 that I’ve had for about 18 months now.

will update in due course!

[hairnet]

which was replaced by the daihatsu boon

which they only stopped making LAST YEAR!?!?!?!!!!!!!!one!!!!!!!!

blimey didnt think the japanese did that anymore

[The Vicar]

A long overdue update for this thread. In truth except for cars coming and going from the stable not a lot has happened, but in the name of continuity..

Celica:

After no less than four (4!) attempts I finally managed to get an NCT (MOT) on it. It failed each time on emissions, and not having the proper tools or knowhow to go about diagnosing and sorting the problem, I had to take a trial and error approach until finally getting it over the line. Have a look at the readings on the fail sheets to get an idea, the first attempt was truly abysmal:

And subsequently:

This was the only solution:

And after finally getting it over the line...

I promptly sold it. A lovely car, really, and a brilliant and obviously cherished example that appealed to me a lot for its originality but I was just so deflated in the end and could no longer get on with it. A very generous offer, compensating my handsomely for my time and effort putting it through 4 tests, was made and accepted and it went off into the sunset with its new owner on Thursday last.

As ever, glad to be able to say that I owned it and hopefully gave it another chance, but onwards..

Metro:

This poor thing had been hugely neglected since I bought it. I did eventually register it in the Republic back in October, and then promptly left for Rome for three weeks. I've been over and back regularly since but just did not have the time or desire to use it. The idea was (and always is) to have something small, reliable and ideally interesting that I can keep taxed, insured and tested for use while I'm back in Ireland for short periods and in need of a car. I probably should have known this before buying it, but a near 40 year old Metro just doesn't fit that bill anymore. Much like the Domino, it was just too small and unrefined. A really, really charming little thing but not suitable for the kind of use I had in mind.

Here it is registered:

It too went off to a new owner recently 

 

[The Vicar]

I'm just noticing that pic quality (on PC) is quite poor in the above post. I'm airdropping images  from my phone, which might be the problem. If you click the image quality should be improved..

[The Vicar]

Duet

This little thing is flying. It cleaned up quite well and needed practically nothing before being pressed into use:

A couple of bumps and scrapes that I didn't see when buying it, but then I didn't even get out of the car when I bought it...
I will get 4 new tyres for it very soon. It cost 35 quid (admin charge) to go onto my classic policy which allows for some commuting etc. I'm really enjoying it. It goes quite well for what it is.

Micra:

Veterans of this much neglected thread will remember this:

I bought this car I think nearly 2 years ago with 58k miles and sold it last week on 68. It has been through 2 NCT tests, and passed both with flying colours, and hasn't cost me a penny (apart from 4 new tyres which I tend to put onto any "keeper" car anyway) in that time. A brilliant, brilliant car that I will write more on in time. This summer alone I did about 5k miles in it around Ireland and as far as North Wales in August. Over the last year or so I have loaned it out to family members hence the slightly higher mileage figure than I normally put onto cars. I can't remember the last car that I've kept for so long, usually - and as this thread attests - I get bored after a few months. I contemplated selling this on a number of occasions but it just made too more sense to keep it on the fleet, given how little it cost me to buy/run/maintain.

It went to a sensible  young lad from the locality, with his father, who seemed very keen, so I'm confident it's in good hands. 

[The Vicar]

And now for the most recent addition:

This arrived over the weekend. I've never really had an eye for these (I think they're too girly - sorry!), but when this was offered to me it was difficult to turn down, especially for the money that was being asked. It's had the same owner for 15 years, who received it as an 18th birthday present, and has been well maintained in that time. Despite living about 5 minutes from the sea it is remarkably rust free too, and is just generally a very nice example. I remember when these were first imported into Ireland, they were a relatively modern car made to look vintage; now they're just old cars, and most are quite scruffy now. Bumpers tend to rust and the leather inside cracks and ages terribly, but not in this case. 

A really lovely little thing that I've had had time to enjoy yet, but will soon, and I'll hopefully be able to write a few words about it. 

[3VOM]

Oooh snap.

Not mine, I borrow it sometimes and occasionally do work on it.

[hairnet]

father is the HMC of eire

 

[barefoot]

What are these like to drive? My only experience of a K11 Micra was frantic & fun. I'd imagine that with a 3 speed torque-convertor Bader box things might be a bit more leisurely... But lazy & relaxed or just dismally slow?

[yes oui si]

I'd have this back in a heartbeat

But I fear that it's no longer in the condition it was ten years ago. 

Screenshots from a video of it starting on the button after I did the head gasket:

24k on the clock, at the time it was the oldest surviving Minimetro auto 😭

[The Vicar]

15 hours ago, hairnet said:

father is the HMC of eire

 

Hah, I wish! As much as I love “the chase” (as Wayne Carini would put it), there has been too much coming and going for my liking in the last couple of months. The day job should slow down a bit in the new year so I plan on settling on a nice two car garage for a while. 

The last time there was any sort of stability in the garage was 18 months ago now when I had the 164 and 18/85. The latter ended in disaster but I do miss the Volvo a lot. It is the car I really do miss and regret selling. 

[ETCHY]

On 04/12/2024 at 17:30, barefoot said:

What are these like to drive? My only experience of a K11 Micra was frantic & fun. I'd imagine that with a 3 speed torque-convertor Bader box things might be a bit more leisurely... But lazy & relaxed or just dismally slow?

I think ( could be wrong) the Figaro is based more on the K10 Micra than the K11.

[The Vicar]

I will try to find the time tonight or tomorrow to respond to the question above re. how the Figaro drives:

here it is on its first drive anyway; it’s a very enjoyable little thing indeed. 

[Vantman]

13 hours ago, The Vicar said:

I will try to find the time tonight or tomorrow to respond to the question above re. how the Figaro drives:

here it is on its first drive anyway; it’s a very enjoyable little thing indeed. 

@The Vicar Enjoy your Figaro--i have its stable mate, a Pao.

[The Vicar]

Lovely. I would be eternally happy with a Pao; IMO the nicest of the Pike cars.

A huge number of Figaros were imported here 20 odd years ago, and they were of course very popular with young girls as first cars, 18th/21st birthday presents etc. Few are left now but they still have that image 😅 A friend yesterday said to me “might be great fun….til your friends see you in it” 

[The Vicar]

https://www.donedeal.ie/view/38522994

This has really piqued my interest 

[Matty]

That's lovely. Have you paid him yet??

[The Vicar]

2 hours ago, Matty said:

That's lovely. Have you paid him yet??

If I’m not careful I will…

[Westbay]

31 minutes ago, The Vicar said:

If I’m not careful I will…

Go for it ! ... beautiful... just imagine wafting about the parish in this

[3VOM]

On 06/12/2024 at 07:36, ETCHY said:

I think ( could be wrong) the Figaro is based more on the K10 Micra than the K11.

Yes it is K10 bits and lots of exceptions, e.g. ignition timing