Never Go Out Without Your Camera

[Skizzer]

Some great cars in this thread, Eddy.

 

Does your mate realise he's sitting on eleventy thousand pounds of Mk1 Escort and Chrysler Sunbeam shells there?

[eddyramrod]

Absolutely he does! He's a retired rally driver and now builds rally cars, so yes, he knows exactly what he's got around him. You go in and ask him to build you, let's say, 2.0 Pinto Escort for club rally work and he will take you straight to the shell that will be the base car; and 20 feet away, the engine and gearbox too. He does the same with Minis, although they tend to be more "street" than "rally" spec. And yes, he has so many Minis around him that even I can't count them! Mini build is under way for his son's fiancee as we speak...

[eddyramrod]

I've gathered a few more...

Merc 220S belongs to the lad who's been looking at my pickup. I saw it at a club event a couple of years ago; seems it's just sat around since then. Shame. And over the fence I saw this...

The remains of a Leyland Beaver.

My Little Pony?

One for Dolly (actually a Terrano, but close enough...)

You can't see the sunburned bonnet on this...

It belongs to some friends from the club here. Seems they bought it as an ex-demo car (2.0 auto!) and brought it over with them, and after a bit of layup it's getting new discs and some other jobs, and coming out of retirement.

MG Metro shouldn't be hiding in the field...

Mini is subtle, just black with white interior and a set of Minilites. Nice!

[worldofceri]

Some interesting chod in your part of the world Mr Ramrod.

 

Wasn't Mr_Bo11ox hunting for a Pony at one time? P'raps you could fit that little pick-up in your suitcase for him when you come over.

[eddyramrod]

A couple from yesterday. I didn't get out of the car, you'll understand why...

Beta Coupe... Proof there's no God.

And without even moving the Granada:

Most of a Celica. Not to mention the usual crop of Mazda saloons.

Now today the weather was a bit better, so I took a turn along the coast road, where I know I can usually find a selection of old tat parked up with For Sale notices in the windows...

So I joined them for a few minutes while I went to grab some snaps. The Rav4 is 2800 euros, just as a sample...

Pajero is 1750. I'm sure I remember it being "For Sale" when we arrived, three years ago!

Dunno the Greek for Barry.... Vasilios, maybe? What a way to treat an Astra, anyway.

And finally today, Dubber moves into Cypriot village shock. I just happened to go a different way into town and spotted this in a driveway.

[eddyramrod]

Some more to make you laugh or cry...

Poor old Giulietta, not going anywhere.

Cheap crappy old Mazda? Er, not quite. 1.8 DOHC Turbo, with 4WD, intercooler, and according to the legend on the side, "viscous LSD" which should be fun. Anyone know any more about that? Oh yeah, and a strut brace under the hood too.

Er, yes...

I've never seen this 306 van move, in almost 3 years.

Someone said they hadn't seen any of these about... trust me, this is the place for them!

And finally tonight, remember this?

Well now it looks like this:

It passed its MoT this afternoon, first one since 2006. Bit of welding, bit of engine work, new tyres, new paint... and the new owner took it away at 1730. He's delighted. It's 35 years old, a 200 manual.

[M'coli]

Some more to make you laugh or cry...

Cheap crappy old Mazda? Er, not quite. 1.8 DOHC Turbo, with 4WD, intercooler, and according to the legend on the side, "viscous LSD" which should be fun. Anyone know any more about that? Oh yeah, and a strut brace under the hood too.

Late 80s Group A rally homologation jobbie, apparently fantastic handling but not enough power to take on the Lancias. IIRC, Hannu Mikkola won the 1987 Swedish rally in the version before this one. Edit: it was Timo Salonen, not Mikkola - Hannu joined the team for 1988.

[vulgalour]

 

I know the above is going back a bit in the thread, but I saw this and had an overwhelming amount of Want. Recommission it just enough to get it road legal and do nothing else to it, use it every day, win at all the things.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

 

Hey, a Mini with an enormous numberplate! Remember how common it was to see Minis with big rear plates to fill the curiously large recess? I haven't seen one like that for years.

[eddyramrod]

Time for a few more. These Galants used to be quite popular, I remember, especially in white. Didn't Pentti Arikkala roll one on the RAC in about 1990?

Found this one in a back yard in Paphos town last week.

Since then I've hardly been out at all, but I did have to go out today for milk, bread, potatoes, you know... believe me, with the weather we're having, I wouldn't have gone if it wasn't urgent! So I walked to the local shops, and made sure to catch these around my village...

You don't see many pickups this old...

I think the one in front is being kept as a donor... on the street!

The red pickup in the background is the one pictured above. My next-door neighbour has a 9000 as well, but his is the hatchback.

[eddyramrod]

Much better weather today, so having sold my bed, I thought I'd invest the proceeds in some road tax for my pickup. You can do this at your local bank over here, but it's a good hour's walk to the bank so I thought I'd go to the Transport Department (local DVLA equivalent) which is on an industrial estate just across the main road from me! I didn't want to take the truck as the tax has expired. What I did take, of course, was my camera...

So let's begin with a Cadillac. Of a sort.

Moving swiftly on, or at least at a fair clip for a stroll, some truckshite, also by GM. These two were at the Transport Dept, I think the red one is still in use as a training vehicle!

Also lounging around outside the gate and looking decidedly down-at-heel...

And finally, a neighbour's car, just at the turn-point of one of my dog-walking routes.

[eddyramrod]

Went for another walk the other day, a bit further as it was a lovely day...

So here's a tidy old Merc at one of the local supermarkets. There's a bit of a scrape on the other back wing, but not bad enough to do more than add character.

And on the way back from there...

Retired catering van. I'd say it's a while since this moved.

As will be the case for this ADO16, quietly returning to nature in a front garden. This one's been here some time, I first noticed it three years ago when it didn't look any different.

[eddyramrod]

Deep breath... This is a page you may wish to bookmark. I'm going to post up what can only be described as "Trophy spots" today. Let's ease in gently with John and Maurice and their ruddy Germans...

After we all left the garage I headed into Paphos town (for the reason, wait a few minutes then check out the Grin thread). Every time I come down to these traffic lights, this green Astra sits outside this shop, taunting me... well today I could see I was going to be waiting long enough, so I whipped out the camera and caught the bugger, at last!

Note bonus Honda too.

So I parked up and went walking to do what I had to do, and saw this...

It might wear the diamond, but in addition to the name Logan, it carries "by Mahindra" FTW! It's even beige! But wait, this is not the end... (I'm far too kind, I am)

I've shown several P6s here, but amazingly I also see a lot of Rovers of this vintage, late 90s-ish.

Now, if you were laying down the spec for a front-line emergency ambulance you'd be wanting something fast, reliable, comfortable, with safe predictable handling. Yes?

Sack your buyer. Immediately.

I needed to stop at a supermarket on the way home, didn't matter which one; the decision was made for me.

Well I hope you're feeling stuffed after such a smorgasbord of delights. The only thing left to do now is serve the coffee. Cappuccino, anyone?

Behind it you should just be able to spot Mrs R getting out of our pickup...

[eddyramrod]

Some more delights...

Let's begin with one for the W124 pervs like Mr Claim...

It's a 230E manual. Might as well have a 190 to go with it...

I could barely believe this pair, hidden behind some shops...

That's one. Here's the other...

Ye gods and little fishes!

Time for some relative sanity...

I have a couple of these on my ebay watch list, storing up price info for September...

Would have to be the 4.0 petrol auto, obviously.

Tony who bought the X1/9 came over from Limassol today to complete the paperwork. He's been working offshore (Middlesbrough actually) so this was the first chance he's had. He came in one of his Panthers...

Ever seen one with aeroscreens before? Doesn't it just look so right? It's a 2.9V6, btw!

And to finish this update, a pair of Polish pickups...

[CreepingJesus]

I always feel a bit sorry for Panthers, too easily mistaken for kit cars. I'd be after a 70's one with the Vauxhall slant-4 for added shite points, personally!

Funnily enough, I was looking at a Daihatsu Copen the other day, thinking how long it was since I'd seen a Cappucchino. An old workmate of mine maintained that the thing he missed most about his ex was her Cappucchino!

[eddyramrod]

I've been filling up the camera again....

I've shot this Landy before, but not from behind. I just think it looks so right.

FSM 126 rests with the Polonez you've already seen.

Now these are two of Andreas's ex-rentals. I had the blue Punto for a month when it was still on the fleet, they're a nice little tool. Andreas now uses it as his daily. His wife was using the Toyota but now drives a red Panda, also retired. He bought a fleet of them direct from Toyota!

Here's one for Luke! Old and new models, owned by a Brit couple. They've just bought the grey one to replace the green which is now for sale.

Now this deserves another view...

As many of you will know, it's a Jag-based Kougar. The owner is having major difficulties getting it legal over here, shipping it back to UK is a possibility. He also has these two...

I think the Corolla is his wife's daily; the Metro van is a barn find and is like new. 1275 under the hood too!

Another one for Luke, I just saw these together and had to pap them.

Sad little Hyundai hasn't moved in a while. Mrs R had one of these and loved it. In fact I loved it too.

These are the next two Escorts Andreas is building for rallying. He's hoping to have them finished before I leave.

The "other" Granada! This is the only Mk2 I've seen here since we arrived. It's a 2.8i Ghia X according to the bootlid. I've looked at it closely and I'm convinced there's some badly-repaired damage at the back. Still, nice to see someone using it for normal life, like nipping to the supermarket.

Surprisingly, I see quite a few Rover 600s here. I often pass a Nightfire one parked on-street with a white 306. One of these days I'll get a pic...

Rover is for sale, as is this BMW 520i. Same bloke owns both, and I think this is his too...

This is one I've been wanting to pap for months, and finally succeeded. The roof has three or four serious holes, and having sat for a long time, work will be needed....

And here's the model before, hiding!

And only yards away is this. I spotted it the first day we were here! There's a pale grey Zephyr hidden at the back of the site too, same type; I couldn't get a pic. Remember this?

Somebody else got it into Rust In Peace. The garage you can see in the pic is where the BM and Zodiac are. The Viva has long gone, to my mate who stripped it for parts to restore his Viva.

[eddyramrod]

So the other day I was having a quiet coffee at the garage and this lad turns up wanting a bit of advice about this...

Seems the seal on the OSR door aperture is detaching.

I don't know what he's done about it, if anything...

Today I walked my dog down to the vet's for her annual jabs, and to get a price list for all the stuff she needs before we fly (assuming we're taking her with us). We walked down the back road behind the local gym, which produced a minor coupe-fest.

Merc is a bit of a rarity, owing to the huge engine and therefore huge taxes here. The road in the background is the B7 Polis Road, one of the major roads out of Paphos. I live just off it, up the hill a little. Seriously, only a little, we walked and Memphis is a chihuahua remember!

[CreepingJesus]

 

Kougar! Hats off, that is a spot and a half. Presumably he's having trouble getting it registered because it was UK built? Pity, it would be a good place to give one of these some welly.

I remember spending ages poring over their demo car at a show in the SECC, sometime around 1990. BRG (or was it Ecurie Ecosse blue?), with the V12 in it, 6 back-swept pipes each side. Very few of the other manufacturers' cars were anything like as well put together!

[eddyramrod]

Oh it's been registered, that's a Cyprus plate on it. How it was registered is a bit of a mystery, as apparently there is import duty due on it. Which they calculate by engine size, and it's a 4.2. So not only is there a raft of duty to pay, but also a load of accumulated tax, as it hasn't been taxed for some time. Cyprus makes up the rules as it goes, it appears, then makes up a sliding scale of charges to go with them. Tis a huge pity, as the rural roads here would be great fun in that for most of the year. Or at least, the few that have had any maintenance done would.

[eddyramrod]

Time for a few more...

Maruti Zen, I think it may be one of Andreas's ex-rentals.

Saw this going up the main road as I was going down, to somewhere else; when I'd done I came back a different way and there she was, outside a motorbike shop, dog-walking distance from my house! So I went in and collared the owner for our club, that'll be 4 Stags now...

Went out a bit later down the same main road and look... As if we don't have enough old Mercs here already!

Delivered some furniture to an old dear who lives down a cul-de-sac I hadn't visited before, and look what's at the end, a yard filled with VWs. Also a workshop out of shot to the right, so obviously there is restoration going on. And she might want some more of my furniture too, result!

Now this one... deserves a buildup. I can't remember when I last saw one. Mrs R was most nonplussed to find me parking-up just to shoot a 20+ year old car that most people wouldn't glance at, for fear of soiling their eyes.

Let's see that from another angle...

Time for a lie-down!

[eddyramrod]

A small update today. I was going to hold onto these, as I'm expecting to see something special tomorrow, but on my way home I saw something to make this worthwhile.

Dublin-registered Jag turned up at the garage yesterday for some minor work.

Suzuki was waiting to be collected. I thought it was a Baleno but the badge says Cultus.

And then.....

And both on UK plates! BX claims to be a GTi, while the 5 is an automatic. I can't imagine these have been here very long.

[warren t claim]

If people can get their cars from the UK to Cyprus then why can't you get yours out? Your Granada would be worth more in the UK?

[CreepingJesus]

Top spotting ER.

 

I've never before realised how much that Stellar looks like a Tagora.

 

Funnily enough, I thought that too. If only because, when I scrolled down the page, I only saw the top half and a bit of the boot, before I scrolled again. This being Autoshite, a Hyundai Stellar will do just fine!

[eddyramrod]

If people can get their cars from the UK to Cyprus then why can't you get yours out? Your Granada would be worth more in the UK?

 

Oh I can, certainly; but I don't love it enough to do that as it would mean that was my car in Barrow, at least until sale. Also, GF 8 has Cyprus history, having been here from new. It belongs here. I'm not so sure it would be worth any more, given that the UK market is bigger and has more competition. And finally: I need the cash to cover shipping and air fares for us and the rest of our stuff. Can't even book the flights until I've sold the cars!

[warren t claim]

Good luck with the sale!

 

Do you have any employment sorted for your return yet?

[eddyramrod]

Not yet, it's a bit early to be looking seriously. I can't even tell an employer I'll be there in September (which is my plan) because everything depends on moving the cars! Thanks for the good wishes btw.

[STUNO]

because everything depends on moving the cars!

 

A true autoshiteer !

and love your spots too

[warren t claim]

Here you go!

 

CLASS C 18 TONNE DRIVER

 

EXCEEDS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE

Hours

 

30 hours per week Monday - Saturday between 6am - 6pm

Location

 

SWARTHMOOR HALL FARM,ULVERSTON LA12

Duration

 

Permanent

Date posted

 

23 March 2012

 

 

Must be aged 18+ Must have relevant licence. Access to own transport would be an advantage as there is no public transport available. To work within a small family business. Hours are minimum of 30 hours a week with seasonal and optional overtime available. Daily duties include Delivery of processed and raw goods. Must be work well within a team and as an individual. The employer has claimed an exception under the Equality Act 2010.

How to apply

 

You can apply for this job by sending a CV/written application to Eleanor Lancaster at Swarthmoor Hall Farm, Swarthmoor Hall Farm, Swarthmoor Hall Lane, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0JG.

Employer

 

Swarthmoor Hall Farm

[eddyramrod]

Now that's service! Thank you kind sir! However I should point out that because a relevant birthday occured while we were moving here, I've actually let my C lapse. What I'll be looking for is van work. I've done the big stuff, no burning desire to do the training all over again.

 

because everything depends on moving the cars!

 

A true autoshiteer !

and love your spots too

 

Thank you too! Perhaps I should have said there, "moving the cars ON."

[eddyramrod]

Time for a few more. We'll start on Saturday afternoon, when I walked down the main road to the supermarket with my dog. Because I had her along, we detoured through the industrial estate rather than actually walk along the main road; it's very main, and the roads are loaded with idiots. On the other hand, an industrial area on Easter Saturday afternoon.... we could walk down the middle of the road in peace.

So obviously you get the odd parked-up truck...

...and cars...

The rest are fairly random, some from today, some that I've been hoarding since the last update.