The NorthernMonkey EXO build thread, soon to be with added blower action!!

[NorthernMonkey]

First job was to get the mobile shit storage unit MOTd then fit a towbar as extra cargo space will be required, as well as a means to tow a trailer…

Old rear end. That’ll be why the plastic bumper has never sat correctly, then…

And several hours later…

Fair play to @Barry Cade and anyone else who does this shit for a living, especially out in all weathers.

Anyway, all aforementioned shit has been relocated to the workshop for the moment…anyone want to buy a nice set of XC90 alloy wheels?!

That’s it for today as it’s almost beer o’clock. Trailer is to be collected tomorrow before countdown to departure early Sunday morning.

WTS.

 

[DVee8]

Are you heading to the Northeast by chance?

[NorthernMonkey]

5 minutes ago, DVee8 said:

Are you heading to the Northeast by chance?

Could be… 🤔

You coming along for the laugh?! 

[DVee8]

I would love to, but I'm a little busy. I'm in the area-ish.

[NorthernMonkey]

Today was spent meeting up with @Cavcraftto pick up a parts washer for the workshop then a trailer from my local hire place. I keep considering buying one from them but to be honest, I can get a new one from them whenever I need one as they are Ifor Williams main dealers and it costs me £65 from Saturday lunchtime to Monday morning so it’s hardly worth the initial investment let alone insuring and storing it!

We then spent two hours rearranging the workshop so tomorrows arrival has somewhere to go before heading home via Booths for dinner bits (the pizza is in the oven!)

Collection proper will commence around 07.00 in the morning with a nice early drive up through the Yorkshire dales!

[Matty]

Lanlee. I was there tuesday. Remembered you were somewhere near but not sure where 

#notstalking 🤣

[hairnet]

will shonky transit fiat be ok/

[NorthernMonkey]

3 minutes ago, hairnet said:

will shonky transit fiat be ok/

It’s a Peugeot, no less.

It had better be…the bugger has only done 49k miles.

All pretty hard ones though to be fair…

[R Lutz]

43 minutes ago, NorthernMonkey said:

Collection proper will commence around 07.00 in the morning with a nice early drive up through the Yorkshire dales!

I'm in Hawes, North Yorks. You'd have been scuppered today as the roads were closed for road works AND 3 bikers airlifted to hospital. 

[NorthernMonkey]

6 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

I'm in Hawes, North Yorks. You'd have been scuppered today as the roads were closed for road works AND 3 bikers airlifted to hospital. 

😢

We are only skirting it thankfully, and around 07.30 to boot so before all the amblers get going.

Up through Skipton and Harrogate, then Ripon Maccies for an overpriced breakfast no doubt.

[NorthernMonkey]

41 minutes ago, Matty said:

Lanlee. I was there tuesday. Remembered you were somewhere near but not sure where 

#notstalking 🤣

Right opposite, in unit 7. Feel free to call in for a brew next time you’re around!

[loserone]

Not much better further north, two bikes down on hartside, one by Middleton, one brough.  

 

Jimbob McGregor and I narrowly prevented one in Weardale as the infamous second biker just followed it's leader overtaking us not expecting a troup of Harleys to come around the blind corner at the end of the short straight into Cowshill.  

[Barry Cade]

On 24/04/2026 at 16:42, NorthernMonkey said:

First job was to get the mobile shit storage unit MOTd then fit a towbar as extra cargo space will be required, as well as a means to tow a trailer…

Old rear end. That’ll be why the plastic bumper has never sat correctly, then…

And several hours later…

Fair play to @Barry Cade and anyone else who does this shit for a living, especially out in all weathers.

Anyway, all aforementioned shit has been relocated to the workshop for the moment…anyone want to buy a nice set of XC90 alloy wheels?!

That’s it for today as it’s almost beer o’clock. Trailer is to be collected tomorrow before countdown to departure early Sunday morning.

WTS.

 

I wish I only had 1 to fit😆. These are 1/3 of next weeks.

 

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, NorthernMonkey said:

Collection proper will commence around 07.00 in the morning

Ouch, that's early for a Sunday. Most unusually, I need to get a train at 08:10, which is desperate. Chodspeed, tho

[NorthernMonkey]

This is a bit early for me to be fair but hey, nerds must.

Off we go…

[gm]

boo ! 2 hours in and we don’t even know what you had for breakfast yet !

finger oot, mr monkey  

 

[NorthernMonkey]

1 minute ago, gm said:

boo ! 2 hours in and we don’t even know what you had for breakfast yet !

finger oot, mr monkey  

 

Just pulled into Washington services on the A1 for a Greggs sausage baguette! 😂

[R Lutz]

14 hours ago, loserone said:

Not much better further north, two bikes down on hartside, one by Middleton, one brough.  

 

Jimbob McGregor and I narrowly prevented one in Weardale as the infamous second biker just followed it's leader overtaking us not expecting a troup of Harleys to come around the blind corner at the end of the short straight into Cowshill.  

They actually had the helicopters lined up on the (closed) road. I've never seen anything like it. 

[R Lutz]

2 minutes ago, NorthernMonkey said:

Just pulled into Washington services on the A1 for a Greggs sausage baguette! 😂

England's shittest services. 

[gm]

4 minutes ago, NorthernMonkey said:

Washington services on the A1

i was going to say i know them well, but i don’t think i’ve ever actually stopped there !

driven past many many times, maybe i’ll stop there soon ? 

[gm]

hope you’re not planning on fuelling up !

there’s a sainsburys a couple of milos away much cheaper 

[NorthernMonkey]

Are you sat in my van?! 😂

[R Lutz]

Costco is but 7 miles from there on the same stretch of road. If you have a membership card. If not, the cheapest petrol station in the country -by a long shot- is 4 miles from there on the A194 which spurs off just after the services. 

[gm]

21 minutes ago, NorthernMonkey said:

Are you sat in my van?! 😂

what, this one ? 

[R Lutz]

32 minutes ago, gm said:

i was going to say i know them well, but i don’t think i’ve ever actually stopped there !

I've lost hours and hours of my life in there. They've only just reopened the bridge after many years of closure.

[NorthernMonkey]

Well folks…collection has occurred!! 
 

Massive thanks to @gm for dragging himself out early on a Sunday when he’s been working the night before to help with loading and securing all the loose bits.

Lots more to follow shortly but for now, a little taster…

I only own a bloody EXO of my own!!! 🥳🥳

[gm]

is going to be a cracking project when you get stuck into it ! looking forward to regular progress reports 

 

btw did he remember to give you the keys ? 

[Split_Pin]

Is that the Mx5 engined one that I drove? That was an absolute hoot, very sweet handling car indeed!

[NorthernMonkey]

Now unloaded into the workshop, more or less without incident (if you don’t count Claire rolling it over my foot), although the van is still full.

Thats the way it’s staying for tonight as I’m knackered and off for a succulent Chinese meal but I’ll fill in a bit of back story later on when I’ve dined!

[NorthernMonkey]

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Is that the Mx5 engined one that I drove? That was an absolute hoot, very sweet handling car indeed!

That would have been @gm’s car, though this one is of a similar vintage and was bought from 10 miles up the road from his as a unfinished project!