# Cars - general, old, new, memorable



## Griff

Me and me Saxo are fairly happy at the moment.

How's your motors these days?........good, bad, indifferent?

Any interesting experiences with garages recently?


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## Roy

Had a BMW 520 last Year, I let it go with the private plate " A5 RLT ", I think about what an idiot I was every day.


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## Griff

Hells teeth!!

You should get a pair of those stress balls Roy.

In Red Dwarf, Kryton gave Rimmer a set before he set him off adrift in a space pod.

Later, Rimmer asked how far away he was from Red Dwarf.

Kryton said.........stress balls on stand by sir.

Rimmer again asked............but how far away am I!!!?

Kryton replied...........GRIND them balls sir, GRIND, GRIND

Sounds like you could do with a pair of them Roy when thinking about your BMW!!! Or the forum crashes!!


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## ericp

I need new tyres on my Skyline...

It eats tyres almost as fast as it drinks fuel.

But its fun







)

Eric


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## Griff

You got a Nissan Skyline Eric!?

I understand that to be an awesome motor, bit like my old Opel Manta as regards being a beast of the day

What's it like to drive? I was very impressed when I looked at a Skyline!?









Roy,

Ever fancied a 7 series. That's the only BMW I think I would go for.

.............yes, I know......a bit different to a Saxo!!


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## Andy

Seem to remember a few years back "TOP GEAR" did a Skyline V Porsche (something or other) test and the Porsche got comprehensively stuffed.

Eric I assume yours is an import. I'm pretty sure those were not officially bought in...How are you getting on with insurance. My MR2 is a Japanese import and I'm finding more and more insurers don't want to know.


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## Griff

Bloody right! I remember seeing that now. The Skyline was tremendous.

What's it like Eric?


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## ericp

100 official Skylines (or thereabouts) are imported every year.

Mine is an R34.

It is a stunning car. It seats four in comfort.

It goes anywhere you point it, regardless of what your foot is doing on the gas pedal.

It is the finest handling car I have ever driven (a list that includes a few Ferraris)

It also looks quite understated. It does have a big wing on the back, but on the whole it looks a lot less flashy than a CLK etc.

Its also very very rapid. Like a 4 wheeled motorbike







).

I once surprised a chap riding an XJ-900 away from some lights. He got away first, but after about 80 mph I went sailing past him still accelerating hard.

At the next lights he pulled up and asked "What the **ckin ell is pushing that along"

The answer is a 2.8 litre 6 cylinder motor and 2 turbo chargers







)

Eric


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## pauluspaolo

Hells teeth!!

Sounds a damn sight more exciting than a Saab 900 bought for Â£350 8 months ago! Before the Saab I had a Midas Bronze kit car for 8 years as my daily driver. Fantastic fun to drive but appalling on a run due to the noise, also it wasn't the most comfortable in the suspension department (it didn't really have any to speak of). I'm planning on getting another kit car soon, so the Saab will soon be a distant memory and not a particularly fond one either.

I once saw a Mitsubishi Evo?? (that rally thing) take off down my local high street, I have never seen anything move as fast in my life (well not on public roads anyway, it was incredibly stupid of the driver but also very impressive) and the noise was incredible. My friend has a custom car (now sadly mothballed) which had a Ford V6 installed into a 1936 Morris 10, plus Jaguar axles and brakes etc. It has an overdrive gearbox and when it was on the road he had a trick of knocking it down a ratio or two at the flick of a switch, planting the throttle and watching everything go backwards ..... bloody marvellous fun!

Paul


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## Andy

Eric pick on someone your own size.

Could have been a different story against a keenly ridden Hayabusa.

I had my ZZR1100 when my mate bought one of those. We had a race up Wrotham hill (nr Brands) and he was gone. I may as well have been on a Puch Maxi. The thing gets to 150mph in 3rd gear. By the way the Subaru Impreza was the car that finished me with fast bikes. What I mean is I got involved in one of those stupid pissing contests with one going down the M20 to Maidstone, again with the ZZR. I did eventually leave it behind but I had to come off at the first available exit as I was to scared to sustain the speed I was doing and did not want to lose face by slowing and allowing the Subaru to catch up. A week later the ZZR was gone. I could not control myself on it.


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## pauluspaolo

That's the thing with these car vs bike threads. Everyone says that cars are great but when you consider the performance of bikes to financial outlay you just cannot beat bikes i.e. goodness knows how much for a car that can do 150mph (where in this country?) as opposed to bugger all for a bike that will do the same speed. Me want a mo'bike!

Paul


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## Andy

Horses for courses. I saw one of those custom number plates recently which read

CARS SUCK

*except when it's cold wet and windy

That about sums it up for me these days


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## DaveE

Volvo 850 T5 Estate. A real wolf in sheep's clothing, also called "the flying brick". Also eats tyres every 6000 miles if not careful. Drinks fuel like it's going out of fashion. Not as fast as a Skyline, though.


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## Andy

Kent Police were using those for a while. I know because I got pulled over by plod in one. I thought about making a bolt for it but didn't because I thought he had probably got my no. plate.

I later read in FAST BIKE magazine in an article "know your enemy" that it would have been a bad idea anyway. There words were, "be affraid, be very affraid"


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## DaveE

Police still do use them, but now use V70 T5's. They have the old 850R engine (about 250hp) and are a bit more powerful than mine (225 hp) The new S/V70R is a 300hp beast.

A 155mph V70 T5 was on Right Car/Wrong car last week.

Skyline is a beast. Is the Toyota Supra more of a beast?


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## ericp

The Skyline is very manageable....

The Toyota Supra is a little more "brutal" if you know what I mean.

For truly beastly cars you have to go across the pond. The big block American muscle cars produce massive amounts of power / torque. But have suspension components from a Honda 90 step through. They might do 200 mph and accelerate like an F-15 but you cant make it round a roundabout at more than walking pace.

Eric


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## Garry

I had a Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4 x 4 - brilliant car, very reliable. It was one of the last 20 ever made and came loaded with xtra's. Seem to be getting scarce now!.

I have a Merc Vito van for work at the moment - a pile of cack, will never get another. Build quality and reliability is utter *****. I cannot believe Merc have put thier name to this thing. My last works van was the VW Transporter 2.5 Turbo diesel - fantastic van, much better than the Merc.

G.


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## Griff

I once had to get picked up by a breakdown truck with my old Volvo 740GLE Estate.

While being driven to the garage, he told me something which really surprised me.

He said that the make of car he was most called out to as a breakdown, was by far.................a Merc!!!

He said it was mostly older ones, but not always. He said that despite their tank like build quality, there was something like a mile and a half of electrical wiring, and it was always electrical problems that caused them to break down.

I've always thought electrical windows, air conditioning, seat adjustments, etc etc etc., were just problems waiting to happen.

I've always thought the worst thing they did was to do away with things like starting handles.


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## Andy

I feel the same about kick starts on bikes. There is nothing to equal the feeling of having you leg ripped out of it's socket by the compression kickback from a large capacity engine.

I've alway hanckered after one of the Merc SLK 2 seater electric roof jobs but after hearing that I'm not so sure now.


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## Roy

Just bought a BMW 316i an hour ago.

I am thinking of buying the number plate "G8 RLT" to go on it.


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## Griff

You posh git........I hope it's not a NEW one!!!!!!!!!!!









My dad is 85, and noted for his extremely dry humour.

When I told him my old Volvo 740GLE Estate had passed its MOT, with no faults,.........he said, with a very straight face, " I've had worse news.......but not much!! "


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## Guest

I've got a Ford Focus company car. It handles nicely, pin sharp for a front wheel driver hardly any torque steer under acceleration. However when you floor it it just seems to get louder rather than faster, oh well. Then for the weekends and for the hell of it i've got a Ducati 750 Monster in yellow


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## Foggy

Hi James

Current motor is an F reg Ford Fiesta 1.6S. Nothing great but it does the A to B bit okay and with little fuss.

Previous to that I've owned the following (most recent first)

Lada Samara 1.5 - yuk !! Kept it for 2 weeks and that was enough.

MG Maestro 2.0i - alright until it fell apart

Ford Fiesta 1.4 - not a lot to say about this one.

Ford Capri 2.0S - I liked it, but when I met the Mrs it had to go.

Vauxhall Astra 1.3 Mk 1 - 6 years of solid no hassle motoring.

Ford Escort Mk1 from 1966 with only 20k (genuine) on the clock - a classic, and the person who nicked it must have thought so too, as I've not seen or heard of it since

MG Midget 1275 in BRG - excellent fun in the summer, but couldn't afford to keep it together. Wish I still had it though.

Talbot Avenger - Tided me over for a year or so.

Datsun 120AFII - first car and quite good fun.

Cheers

Foggy


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## Guest

Hi Ian, glad you got shot of the Lada, hateful hateful cars! My back catalogue is a pretty mixed bag. I used to do what you do, buy cheap cars and run em till they pop. It's great cheap motoring. I had a succession of old Volvo's then started going for cheap old beemers. Before i got the focus company car i had a 1989 M535. Picked it up at auction for 2 grand, 60k genuine miles and full history. It was amazingly quick for the money (200+bhp straight 6) but i had to let it go when the company car was offered to me. I wish i'd have kept that now, by far the best car ive ever owned. Now bikes are another matter. Ever since ive had a proper job, one of my priorities has always been to have a new sports bike in the garage. I cant stand to buy second hand bikes. I just love taking delivery of a new bike and carefully running it in. Then you find the right stretch of road after about the first 800 and open it up. Nothing more fun with your clothes on


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## Foggy

Hi James



> Lada, hateful hateful cars!


So very true - Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for how terrible a drive that thing was going to be









Re bikes - as a 16 year old I started off with a 50cc and then moved on to a Suziki TS125 trials bike - the old one, pre-restriction, and with lots of chrome. My biggest motoring regret is that I never took my bike test back then. One day I will do it, assuming I haven't lost my bottle









Cheers

Ian


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## Guest

I used to be into the biker scene big time. I rode big Jap fours, just bought whatever was the quickest bike at the time. My last proper quick bike was a Kawasaki ZZR, as the owners club slogan states "nowheres far on a ZZR!". But with the kids and stuff it just didnt seem worth the risk. Now i tend to go for the "watered-down a bit" models. I like V twins now, just the laid back torquey nature of them suits me now i'm gettin on a bit. Thats why i went for the Ducati, partly that and partly because i'd never had a bike with desmo actuated valve gear and wanted to see if i could tell the difference. It just pisses me off when i see 20 somthin year olds on giant Hyabusas ,or whatever the quickest bike is nowadays, burning through the centre of town thinking they're impressing people, when really everyone (appart from teenage lads dribbeling over their shoes) is secretly hoping they'll soon wrap themselves round a nice fat lamp post


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## AlexR

It amazes me how these youngsters can afford to insure Busa's and R1'S,must have more money than sense,then there is all the latest leathers and lids,big money.

I used to be big into Italian bikes,not long sold my Laverda 1000 Jota,now theres a bike,triple cyclinder with straight through pipes!!

The Ducati Monster is a good bike,not my thing styling wise,but the concept and engine are superb,could not buy an Italian in anything but red though









I have slowed down past year or so,I like my classic bikes,my everyday ride is a Royal Enfield 500,and I am restoring an MV Agusta 350 Elletronica sports.

As for cars,what are those?


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## pauluspaolo

At the moment I'm driving a Lancia Delta HF Turbo. Not entirely sure how long it'll stay together as the build quality is non existant, but it's been a well cared for car with two previous owners, one of which was a Lancia garage, the other kept the car for 11 years and did 55,000 miles in it. Unlike the Focus owned by Gspotter it gets louder and (much) faster when you floor it and there is LOTS of torque steer! Bloody marvellous! I'm going to get the bodywork sorted out soon. Before that I owned these:

1st car:

Morris Marina 1800 in blue with a brown interior - a vile contraption.

Toyota Celica 1600 - 1980's rear wheel drive model very nice and a most underrated car.

Toyota Celica 2 litre GT - faster hatchback version of the above - great car.

Toyota Celice 2 litre GT - same as above but nowhere near as nice unfortunately!

Suzuki sc100 "Whizzkid" - small 1000cc rear engined coupe. Fantastic fun to,drive and surprisingly fast (could easily do 90moh) and practical, but too noisy for long distance driving, also it rusted worse than the Lancia and the metal had all the strength of a piece of A4 paper.

Midas Bronze kit car - mini based front engined 2 seater coupe, entirely glassfibre apart from the Mini front subframe and a rear beam axle. Originally with a 1000cc engine but eventually changed it for a 1275cc engine. Which still burnt oil like the first but went like the clappers! It was hopelessly out of it's element on the motorway (certainly fast enough but just so NOISY) but absolutely phenomenal down a twisty road! Owned it for 8 years and eventually sold it via the internet to a Mini enthusiast in Holland who likes it as much as I did.

Saab 900 - bought cheap as something entirely different to the Midas. Nice car but dull as ditchwater and horrendously thirsty (big heavy car with a comparatively weedy 2 litre engine), I've heard the turbos are much much better to drive and still pretty reliable. Kept it 8 months and part exchanged it for the current Lancia which reminds me of the Midas more than anything else, just faster and more practical.

I also love motorbikes (well anything mechanical really), but haven't passed my test. I probably won't as I find the Lancias speed intoxicating & addictive (I'm not saying that I speed everywhere but I do like to put my foot down when the opportunity presents itself), I can't imagine what the fast bikes must be like!

Ta for reading this far

Cheers

Paul


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## Paul

Hi all,

At the moment a Mazda Xedos, incredible value for money and underated by most, thankfully!. Silky smooth V6, bags of torque, leather, all the toys and effortless to drive. Just looking at getting a replacement, mine is a 94 with 140k, you can get a 99 40k miles and all the history for less than Â£6000. That's a Â£23grand car!

My other vehicle is a Vitesse convertable (forum passim). Before that i've had turbos :- Saabs 99 & 900 and Renault 5







the craziest, fastest and most frightening/exhilirating of all my cars. Convertables Stag and Minor. VX4/90 FD Victor, Mk2 Cortina GT and the worst - Hillman Imp.

One car, my all time favourite, went through the same period as the Saabs, Renault and Stag was a Renault 12! Never let me down, oil and brake pad changes only in 50k miles. Sailed every MOT. Rust on the body work became it's downfall. Sold it to a french girl who used it to get home to the South Of France after her stint at university.

Paul D


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## Guest

Hi pauluspaolo,

Sounds like your in love with your Italian rocket ship. I nearly bought the 8 valve turbo about 5 years ago. My mate wanted to sell it so he could get a cossie. It had the arbarth chip and a re-boost, so it was good for about 250bhp! Very quick car but i just couldnt raise the cash at the time







When i get the Focus taken off me (end of the summer) i'll be looking for a new car. I could have another company car but there all slow and boring. I might get an old M3 this time or perhaps an impreza turbo. I like the rear wheel drive and straight 6 engine in the M3, and i like the 4 wheel drive and boxer turbo engine in the scooby. Just out of interest, how much did you pay for your Lancia? Cheers, James.


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## pauluspaolo

Hi Gspotter

The Lancia cost me the princely sum of Â£525 with a slightly used Saab 900 thrown in for good measure. I thought it too good an opportunity to miss at the price , especially as it came with a huge wad of receipts, all the old MOT's and the original bill of sale (Â£7,000 I think).

Sorry must dash but I'll be back later

Cheers

Paul


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## Roy

Ok, heres a list of the cars I have owned :

Morris 1000 black with red leather seats.









Austin Allegro

Morris Marina

Ford Fiesta

Renault 5

Proton Compact GTI

Mazda 323

Ford Escort old one.

VW Beetle old one.

Mini Cooper

Opal Olympic, rare car only made for one year.

Volvo 480 Turbo

BMW 520

Peugeot 205

2 x Peugeot 306

2 x VW Scirrocco

Rover Stirling

Renault 25

Astra

BMW 316

Probably more but I can't remember. I get bored easily.


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## Mrcrowley

What did you think of the BMWs Roy? I thought they were the best cars ever(being into technology) until my dad bought a Mercedes.

I never got to own one.

I have had

Renault Clio

and....

another Renault Clio

If i'd known I would have to stop driving so soon, would have got something different! Went through ever car brouchure in my price range. When it got to stage where lease on my car was ending & I had to choose, I was in the garage arranging return of it. The salesman asked if I had made my mind up. I said no. Anyhow I went for another as it was limited edition. I got my black paint, alloys & cd player all thrown in, so it was a bit different. If any of you own such a car you bought with very low mileage, I still have your spare keys here


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## Roy

I like BMW's. I have a 316 at the moment.


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## ulro

I have the best car ever made in GB

No.. it's not a Jaguar, Bentley or Jensen

It is a COROLLA


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## DavidH

WOT, No Land Rovers?


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## scottishcammy

I've had;

Rover 216 se (old shape): rusted to hell

mini (old shape) :fell to bits

triumph acclaim iece of crap

escort (old shape) :scrapped

peugeot 106 :like driving a large bucket of cold lard

nova : reliable, cheap....looked like a dunderheid

scirocco scala :sex on four wheels

currently driving a BMW 318i Touring which is great for the family and associated crap! My now wife hated the scirocco because she said I looked like an enormous red willy on wheels. Still do in my BMW as far as I'm concerned!!


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## Fred

The one's i can remember in order,

Hillman Minx

Standard, 16Hp

Morris Minor, [Low Light] first mod produced

Jowit Javlin

Mini, [then called the Austin 7]

Ford [Anglia type van]

Singer Gazzell

2 x Hillman Imp

Ford Zepher 6

Singer Vouge

Vauxhall Victor

Volvo 214

MG Midget

MGB GT

Ford

Westfield Se

Austin Lichfield 1936

2 x Fiat Punto

Just got myself a Rover 75

Just remembered, 2 x Hillman Imp, Toyota Celica, and a NSU, R080.

Bikes in the last 10 yrs,

Panther Mod 60 [ 250cc]

Panther Mod 100 [600cc] still got this one

BMW K100 Lt

Triumph 21 [350cc]

Ariel Arrow two stroke twin [250cc]

Triumph Trophy [1970] [650cc]

Triumph Daytona [Hinkley, 900cc] still got this one

Ducati,Mike Hailwood Replica, [864cc] this one as gone to live with a collector in the U.S.A.

B,F,N. fred


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## ericp

I've listed the most memorable....

Bikes.

Ducati 900 Super Sport

Ducati 906 Paso

Honda VFR 750

Harley FLSTS

Honda H100N (First Bike)

Kawasaki Z750 Turbo

Cars

Nissan R34 Skyline

Nissan 300 ZX

Ferrari 365 GTC4

Ferrari 308 GT4

Jaguar XJS 5.3 V12

Mercedes AMG Coupe


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## AlexR

Eric's list has stopped the post dead,no one will want to post their beloved motors after that impressive bunch









Just kidding.

Alex


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## Griff

Ford 8 side valve

Mark 1 Cortina

Morris Oxford

Fiesta

Opel Manta Rally

Morris Marina 1.8

Escort

Hillman Avenger

Skoda Estelle 105S

Skoda Estelle 120L

Lightweight Landrover

Landrover 90

Volvo 340DL

Volvo 740GLE Estate

Citroen Saxo Forte

Citroen Saxo Forte


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## Andy

Not been driving cars long.

A Reliant robin was first followed by a Skoda Estelle. Then a very dodgy Volvo phase untill I saw sense and got a Toyota MR2, which is still up for sale if anyones intersted.

Bikes...NOW YER TALKING

In 22 years probably had at least as many bikes but the most memorable were

MZ 125 Rode that from London to my parents home in Devon when I was 19. Came back on a.....

250 Superdream (1st big Bike)

CX 500 (Wish I still had it)

FJ1200 (had my first big accident on this one)

Exup (Didn't we all)

ZZR1100 (My fastest top speed, awsome)

Very sensible these days with my BMW which at least keeps me out of trouble.


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## Mrcrowley

Andy

You will have mentioned this. However to save me looking, what model BMW do you have?

Right, bearing in mind I know very little about bikes, does it have a radio on it?

And big storage boxes on the side?

Just one of my teachers had one. That was late 80s granted. However knowing the company they would have kept features like that. Probably unique in those days.

Then again it was probably an acquired taste. It was huge!


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## Softiesteve

Hello,

Here is my sad list

Morris 1100

Triumph Vitesse ( crashed into tree







broke femur - 4 months of traction "K" nail in femur bone taken from pelvis, months off work, OK now though







) My Dad came into intesive care and gave me a right bollocking for being so stupid, still I was young.

Morris 1000

Hillman Imp

VW Beetle

Mini

Singer Chamois

Vauxhall Viva

VW Golf

Vauxhall Asta Estate

MG Maestro

Vauxhall Astra GTE

Ford Sierra

Vauxhall Asta

Bit conserned about the patten forming here









Regards

Steve


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## Mrcrowley

That's a point.

Griff - was your Hillman Avenger bright orange, & have a 3L 8 valve engine in it?(think it was 8)

My dad had one. A classic scenario. Crap car at traffic lights. Someone takes you on.....bye bye

And to think i rode in that as the family car, not knowing what it was capable of









Just realised, forgot to mention my latest

Quantum Jazzy

24 volts output

Top speed - 4.5 mph

I paid Â£3500 for it

So i take no lectures on what I spend on watches. You wouldn't buy a motor with that spech for a tenth of the price.......


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## Andy

Paul

My bike is a fairly recent model having been released in late 97.

It's one of the latest generation flat twin "boxer" engined bikes.

What your describing sounds like it could be one of the early "K" series models. That was a four cylinder engine layout and was at a complete tangent with the twins BMW had become famous for. In fact I understand they were hoping for it to take over but even to this day those old fashioned (though now 4 valved heads) twins are the most popular BM's.

Your teachers bike sounds like it would have been the "LT" Touring version of the four and I believe this was fitted with a radio as standard.

As your interested here's a pic of my old girl.


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## Andy Mac

Ok here is my list:

Talbot Horizon

Capri MK2

Volvo 340GL

Escort 1.4 LX

Mazda 323

Peugeot 405

Granada 2l Ghia

Vectra 1.8

Sierra x 3

Vectra 1.7td

Peugeot 406

Volvo S40

Honda Accord 2l SE

VW Passat 2l SE - New last week.

But I would rather have any of Eric's


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## ericp

Dont be so sure....

The Ferrari 365 only starts if I talk nicely to it....

The Nissan gobbled tyres and fuel.....

The 308 GT4 needed a water pump and it cost me >Â£500.00.....

The Ducati 906 Paso refused to run below 4000 rpm which made riding through traffic a bit awakward (it was tuned, pipes, jets, filters, gas flow etc....)


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## Le Neause

Triumph Dolomite 1850 HL - loved it!

Mini - great for handbrake turns

Nissan sunny - totalled it

Several VW Polos

2CV - loved this as well but useless for getting anywhere

Renault 5

Lada Riva - only car I could stretch out in the boot to sleep in!

Some Ford Escorts

Now drive an ST24 which I would also love if it wasn't for cameras!

Le N


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## Le Neause

Eric

Good!

Le N


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## Le Neause

Whenever my two year old whines for something with "I want a ..." I reply with "Well I want a Ferrari". She came up to me out of the blue yesterday and said "Daddy I want a Ferrari"









Le N


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## Griff

Er....no Paul.............1500cc.

The body was that corroded on the Avenger that if it'd had a 3L engine in it it would have tore itself straight of of the front of the body and left me sat in a heap of ripped out metal. It was without doubt the very worst of the cars I had. It was the pits!!!


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## MIKE

HI,

Heres my list

Suzuki AP 50

Honda CB250

Suzuki GS550

Suzuki GS750

Mini

MG Miget

Ford Cortina 2000 GT ( Had this as a cheap run a round when I wrote the Miget off and had it stolen a week later. Lost 2 cars in 8 days







)

Austin Healy Sprite

MG BGT

MG B roadster

MG Metro Turbo (had 2 of these)

Volvo 440 (had 2 of these)

Volvo S40 (current car)

Triumph Speed Triple

Triumph Daytona (current bike)


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## MarkF

I detest spending money on cars but think nothing of spending more than I can afford on bikes, or watches for that matter









I spend Â£3K maximum and wait until they die, my current car is a Audi 80 2litre 1992 and shows no sign of giving up the ghost yet. I've had it 5 years and it's got 130k on the clock, has not a speck of rust, hasn't broke down and sails through it's MOT's. Like all my previous cars it is treated with distain and never ever gets a service, nothing, not even an oil and filter change! I couldn't care less and get a perverse thrill of seeing how long they can go on zero maintenance, my bikes however are lovingly cherished, nothing is too expensive or too much trouble to keep them in pristine condition.

Bikes.

FS1E (z)

Superdream (zzzzz)

CX500(zzzzzzzz)

GT750 (zzzzzzzz)

KH500 (Waaahaaaaaaayy)

GTR1000 (Getting sick of shaft drives now)

CBX750 (Needed no maintenance, it had to go)

NX650 Dominator (Best fun bike)

CBR1000 (How can 140mph be utterly boring? Kept it less than a month)

XJR 1200 (Miss it, I still look at my picture of this with a tear in my eye







)

HD1200 ( Utter crap, I fell for the hype and to think I traded in my XJR, sob







)


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## Andy

MarkF said:


> I detest spending money on cars but think nothing of spending more than I can afford on bikes, or watches for that matter


 Yep I know that philosophy.

I'm the same with clothes.

I detest spending Â£30 on a shirt or Â£100 on a decent jacket but put me in Heine Gerick's and I'm...

"How much is that helmet ?

Â£300 sir!!!

Hmmm, seems quite reasonable and those gloves, only Â£50, I'll take two pairs"

Comes down to where your heart is I suppose.


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## Mrcrowley

Andy

Your bike looks superb. Is it fast???!!1
















On the subject of spending money...

I'm like that. Few days before I bought my Aqua Terra, I was shaking my head in disgust at some clothing. Apparently it's not unusual to pay Â£30-40 for a decent pair of jogging/tracksuit trousers these days.

It's been a joke with me in the past. Ask me how much my shirt was. Multiply it by hundreds & you'll know what I paid for my watch.


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## Mrcrowley

BTW Andy. Thinking of buying a helmet to wear whilst driving round our estate. Any recommendations?


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## Andy

No Paul it's not fast.

Partly the reason I chose to go down this "Cruiser" route was to keep myself out of trouble.

I found it diffucult to control myself if someone through the gauntlet down. The old red mist.

The last time that happened was with a chap in a Subaru Impreza Turbo, I was on my ZZR1100. It just got insane and after that episode I had to make the decision that if I wanted to carry on riding it would have to be on a bike that simply was not capable these insane acts.

My BMW does about 110mph flat out and will maintain 70-80 all day long. That'll do for me.

Not quite sure what you mean by "driving around the estate"

Please elaborate.


----------



## Mrcrowley

It''s a joke mainly. I told my wife I was going to buy a bike helmet to wear whilst out in my powerchair. I would look absolutely ridiculous, but that's the sort of mind I have. Just been looking at some for Â£60. Still too much to pay for a joke. I would just love to see our lass's face if the postman delivered one of those


----------



## pauluspaolo

Paul

I have a couple of spare crash helmets. Don't ask me why as I can't even ride a bike! I just seem to "collect" stuff. Anyway next time I'm round at yours I'll bring them round for you to try on. Tell you what I'll swapp you one for your Dreadnought






























Cheers

Paul


----------



## Mrcrowley

What a tempting offer.....


----------



## Sargon

Interesting reading. I've heard of about one quarter of of these cars. Not many make it over to this side of the pond. Perhaps my vehicals are as obscure to you?

'72 Chevy Impala

'69 Chevy Nova

'74 Datsun 240Z

'79 Jeep Cherokee

'84 Nissan Pulsar

'84 Ford Escort

'84 Honda Civic

'87 Jeep Wrangler

'89 Mazda B2000

'99 Dodge Dakota


----------



## Le Neause

Sargon

I loved the Datsun 240z! As kids we used to go to school in Kenya and the biggest event each year was the East African Safari Rally. The 240z won three years in a row when we were there. We all had Dinky models - great car.

Le N


----------



## USMike

OK, here is another US list:

1932 Ford 3 window coupe â€" bought in 1960, restored it and raced it on the street (most fun car)

1951 MG TD â€" got it plus 2 other cars in trade for the â€™32 3 window in 1962

1952 Hudson Hornet â€"same model as the original Daytona racer (superfast high school transport)

1953 Chevrolet Bel Air â€" bought it used in 1958, drove it 100k miles in Europe 1958 - 60

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible â€" great car, now a classic (extreme body flex and shake)

1957 Ford Thunderbird â€" this now classic came in the trade of the 32 coupe

1960 Ford Galaxy 500 convertible â€" 406 cubic inches with 3 2 barrel carbs & 4 speed (great 1/4 miler)

1964 Buick Skylark â€" Gran Sport â€" fast on the straightaways but slid badly on curves

1968 Pontiac Firebird â€" BIG V8 â€" fast but Teddy Roosevelt was a smoothie compared to this one

1971 Buick Riviera â€" boat tail with 454 ci - V8 smooth riding gas hog â€" a real rust-bucket

1973 Pontiac Grand Am â€" their first 4 door with a 400 ci V8 â€" many speeding tickets

1978 Chevrolet Impala - large station wagon to carry girls born 1974 & 1978 & all their stuff

1985 Chevrolet Cavalier â€" the one GM dressed up and badged as the Cadillac Cimmaron

1987 Mercury Sable â€" 1st daughter reaches driving age

1989 Ford Tempo â€" our last American auto company car

1991 Toyota Camry â€" 250k+ miles in 8 years with no major repairs

1994 Toyota pick-up â€" general hauler and 3rd family vehicle

1999 Toyota Camrys â€" leased one for me & one for wife â€"combined 130k miles in 42 months

2000 Lexus GS 400 â€" retirement car â€" used for special occasions only (easily eats 540â€™s)

2003 Toyota Corolla â€" leased daily driver to downsize from Camrys for retirement

Not surprisingly, frequency of car replacement decreased dramatically with the purchase of Toyota products


----------



## Sargon

I loved it too. It was Japans first sports car. And please this is only my opinion, but it seemed a blatent rip of of the Jaguar XKE. It had an exotic 6 cylandar engine with two carburators and a very attractive insturment panel. It had one feature that I really liked, at least until I started driving really modern cars, and that was a manual choke. Alas, Buffalo winters are not kind and she simply rusted away on me.


----------



## Andy

I go to an American bike forum and one guy wrote, in response to a question I asked,

"Happiness here in the USA is a Harley Davidson Fat Boy and a Chevvy pick up".


----------



## Garry

.......Not in any particular order,

Fizzy

ap50

Suzuki X7

Suzuki GT250

Honda CBX500

Honda CBX1000

Honda Superdream

Suzuki SV650s

Capri 2.0 V4

Lancia HPE 2.0

Astra estate

Jag XJ6 4.2

Volvo 240 GLT Estate

BMW 316 Coupe

Rover 214 GSI

Sapphire Cosworth 4 x 4

Omega 2.5 V6 CDI

Mini

Spitfire MK111

190 Mercedes

Mercedes Vito van

Citroen Xantia

G.


----------



## Guest

Just had my company Focus taken away from me but found out i wasnt actually going to lose my job. Ahh great ive got the chance to buy a car again i thought. So i did







732i, all the toys, 77K, big power, small grip, rear drive, what more do you want! Any of you guys have company cars? Cheers, James.


----------



## Mrcrowley

Very nice.

I always wanted a 7 series. As I no longer drive will have to settle for a 7750


----------



## MarkF

Hi James,

Wow! Is that '81 with just 77K on it? It looks superb.

I'm in the market for the biggest most luxurious car I can get for Â£2k max









The market is absolutely dead, the best I have come across was a 1994 Jaguar 4.2 in immaculate condition, no rust as I expected, Â£1700! Still thinking on that as well as pondering BMW's, Merc's Honda Legends etc Â£2k and the best cars in the world can be yours


----------



## ericp

On my way to the office in the ultimate company car


----------



## Andy

Pah

Thats not flying.

THIS IS...


----------



## Stan

That's a good balancing act


----------



## Sargon

Assuming that's not photoshopped, that's an incredible shot to have gotten.


----------



## Guest

Hi Mark,

I paid Â£1600 for that off a friend of a friend who bought it new and garaged it. He always had it serviced at Sytner BMW money no object. Its still just like it left the factory. Thats the first 7 series, the E23. If i were looking for one under 2 grand for every day luxary transport i would go for the E32 (the one after the E23, produced until about '93). You just wont find an E23 in that condition, i was very lucky. However there are plenty of E32's about for under 2 grand. Go for the 735i or the 750i. The 35 has the same straight six engine as mine, turbine smooth and very powerful. The 750 has a 5 litre V12 with over 300 BHP. Thats the one to go for if you dont mind the fuel bills and you want even more power. Avoid the lacklustre performing 728's and 730's. The earlier 730's had a 3 litre V8 which feels slightly underpowered. The larger V8's like the 740 suffer from premature bore ware do to there Nasikil block. So the 735 or the 750 are the ones to go for. They are great cars for the money. Performance wise the 735 will do 60 in around eight seconds and go on to over 140MHP. The 750 V12 will dispatch 60 in under seven seconds and go on to 150MPH. Have a look on www.autotrader.co.uk. You'll be sure to find a decent one on there for under 2 grand. Dont worry about mileage as these things can do well over 200K without any major work. My E23 is a 5 speed manual but all the later E32 models are 5 speed auto. Its a good box; bullet proof and smooth, well matched to the engine. Let me know how you get on.


----------



## Andy

Sargon said:


> Assuming that's not photoshopped, that's an incredible shot to have gotten.


 I'm pretty sure this is a genuine photo.

It was entitled "Shutter Speed" from the friend I recieved it from, which indicates a demonstration of photographic teqnique


----------



## pg tips

I don't know much about Aircraft carriers but isn't the runway bit at the end of the boat?

Where was the guy standing when he took the picture?


----------



## ericp

PG.

there are usually a couple of runways, one at slightly different angle. That way they can launch more aircraft faster.

I expect the photographer is standing at the tail end of the other "runway"

cHEERS.


----------



## chrisb

Hi,

I've got a Mondeo Zetec Diesel, as a company car,

Totally adequate, fuss-free motoring, not a lot of thrills though









No worries with servicing or repairs either


----------



## Roger

> I've got a Mondeo Zetec Diesel, as a company car,
> 
> Totally adequate, fuss-free motoring, not a lot of thrills though


I run a VW TDi turbodiesel 150 bhp, 6 speed. 70mph in top is just 1800 rpm and gives 58 mpg

Suits me well.

Roger


----------



## Andy

How does THIS compare to cockpit.


----------



## Andy

Try again


----------



## ericp

Compare to which cockpit ?


----------



## Sargon

The shot could have been taken from the other runway bit as EricP said. What makes me wonder is their is no steam to be seen. When an aircraft is launched off a deck it's on full afterburner and is propelled across the deck by a steam powered catapult that spits steam the whole way. Perhaps the catapult ended just out of frame.


----------



## pg tips

jUST REALISED i SPEND NEARLY HALF OF THE TIME i'M AWAKE IN THIS HEAP!


----------



## ericp

Its a nice colour, but I prefer mine









But I have needed one like yours on many occasions.


----------



## Stan

If the pay gets worse I'll end up walking







Again









Retail, who'd have it? No one with a brain, or living in the right area. Little choice









Well, I have a Timex


----------



## pauluspaolo

Here's my compaany car (not).

It's great fun but won't do 70mph at 1800rpm and won't (ever ever ever!) return 58 mpg! It has about the same power though.

Cheers

Paul


----------



## pg tips

What do you think is the most beautiful car of all time. I'll start off with Jag XK120

I bet Eric's is Red and Italian!

Pic nicked off the web it's not mine!


----------



## Stan

Lovely PG.

Ido like this little 'un, though.


----------



## MIKE

Hi,

To many to choose from, but this has to be my choice if pushed









Ferrari 250 GTO


----------



## Andy

Aston Martin Vanquish.


----------



## Griff

What else......................


----------



## pauluspaolo

Nice one Griff, that looks pretty good for a Skoda! My mate had a Rapide convertible which seemed like a reasonable car, unfortunately he eventually scrapped it.

This is my favourite car of all time - both rally, road and replica versions. This is a replica but still looks tremendous in my opinion. It's definitely not an MR2 tarted up to look like a Ferrari









Cheers

Paul


----------



## Fred

Spot on pg, but right hand drive for me please. fred.


----------



## Roger

Almost any Aston Martin, so much classier than those fragile Italian efforts.

Roger


----------



## FrankC

I always wanted a Metropolitan, most of you won't remeber these. 

I'd go for a Ford Mustang if they still make them, but if I had one I'd probably kill myself so I'll stick with my Ford Fiesta.

Once you've seen one car you've seen 'em all.


----------



## JoT

Class! Ford Capri Mk1 RS2600


----------



## DavidH

A bunch of girls cars!


----------



## chrisb

pauluspaolo said:


> This is my favourite car of all time - both rally, road and replica versions. This is a replica but still looks tremendous in my opinion. It's definitely not an MR2 tarted up to look like a Ferrari
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Paul


 Yep,

I'll go with the Stratos,

But I'd like to add

GT40,

AC Cobra,

RX8


----------



## pauluspaolo

> I'll go with the Stratos


Good man! I'd agree with the GT40 and Cobra too (though I'm not a fan of the Cobra particularly - like I've ever driven one







).

Cheers

Paul


----------



## pauluspaolo

I like the new Alfa 8C4 too









Cheers

Paul


----------



## Mrcrowley

Cars are a complete waste of watch money.

That was a joke - honest









Never had an actual favourite as was always limited to what I could drive, ie it needed 2 weeks & 3 grands worth of adaptions for me to drive it.

If I had won the lottery when I was a motorist, I'd have had a BMW 750 with every gadget, or similar Merc. Nowadays would like a Crysler Voyager MPV.

Adaptions are fecking overpriced. I'm way out of practice now. However if i'd had the funds after recovering from a 'do' I had a few yrs ago, could have been back on the road with a Voyager. With all the kit I would have needed though, didn't have a spare Â£38,000 lying about.


----------



## scottishcammy

This is my fav. It's my brother's motor. I've never driven anything like it!


----------



## Mrcrowley

Is that a Lotus Elise?


----------



## Garry

Got to agree about the Stratos and GT40 - both fantastic lookers.

My present wheels are a bit boring though, a Merc vito 110cdi van at work and a Merc 190 auto evenings and weekends.

Had a sapphire cosworth 4 x 4 for a couple of years and that was a fantastic motor.

If I had loads of dosh though, it would be a Ferrari F355..........


----------



## scottishcammy

Yeah Paul, it's a Lotus Elise.


----------



## ericp

Hello,

Having had a fair few exotic cars over the years this was a difficult one...

The Ferraris were special, the Skyline was AWESOME.....

However this has to be my all time favourite.

It was low mileage when I got rid of it, I sold it to a whole load of guys in dark suits wearing sunglasses who said they wanted to use it in a film....


----------



## ericp

Here she is......


----------



## Mrcrowley

it's invisible-no wonder


----------



## DAVID

1954 Maserati A6GS, not just the shape but the detail.

Or....

Series 1 E type coupe/ 1966 Mustang fastback/ 65 Corvette split window /Trident clipper/Porsche 917 Gulf colours/ original Range rover/ Rover P5 Coupe/Triumph stag/Lamborghini Islero/Renault-Alpine A110/Renault Turbo 1/Clio V6/Ford Ka/Ford Escort Cosworth/Lotus Carlton/Caterham 7....etc.

Finally, was passengered for approx. 25minutes in a road legal Metro 6R4 some years ago, Clubman engine spec, approx 300bhp, ugliest thing ever seen, but

for noise, grip and performance made all of the above look like my mums car.

D.


----------



## Stan

Tim,

Don't tell me you took that picture with your 'Blad.

I won't believe you, the 'Blad would work. But you wouldn't in that "atmosphere".























Unless your surname is Armstrong? et al. Nah..... we wish.









Did you own that moon truck?

If you did, you should not have sold it. IMHO

But, how did you find it in the first place?

Humph?

You old TARDIS user, you.


----------



## pg tips

Some very nice motors there. This will always be one of my favorites because this was my Grandad's car. He was it's second owner from it being about a year old and he kept it until they took his licence off him. Grandad's not with us now but I fondly remember the Sundays we'd go out for a drive in the Viva. My Mum learnt to drive in this car as well. When Jack finally sold it my brother drove it to London to a guy who bought it sight unseen. It boiled up on the way down there and they limped it the last 20 miles stopping every 15 minutes to put water in it. My brother said Jack cried all the way back on the train.


----------



## Stan

I had a similar experience with a Stardard Vangard.









That was so many years ago, about forty.


----------



## pg tips

Forgot to add the photo was taken the day they drove it to London, must have been around 1991 ish. Shows how he looked after it, the car was getting on for 20 years old. The more I think about it the more I remember. Grandad taught me how to polish paintwork on this car, how to change the oil, how to use duraglit on the bumper, how to check tyre pressures and loads more that I still fondly remember today.

He had two nodding dogs on the back parcel shelf, a spare key hidden in a little box which had a magnet in it so he hid it under the front wheel arch, he never went anywhere without a tow rope, jump leads, water and oil. He never needed them but there was many times he helped people who did. Probably explains why I've ended up where I am today. Never really thought about that before.

Here he is with my son Michael, who is now nearly 17 and 6 foot 2!


----------



## MarkF

Being a motorbike fanatic annd seeing the collapse of used car prices and no apparent drop in second hand bike values is depresssing







I just can't understand it. My dream bike is getting further away no matter how furiously I save.









Anyway.......I need a banger for work as I'm sick of chucking my tools and assorted crap in my regular car so I took the plunge and armed with Â£250, yes that's two hundred and fifty pounds







! I set about finding a suitable chariot from .....yes Ebay! Must be an automatic (I am a lazy *******), must have big seats (I am lazy *******) and 12 months MOT. Not a lot to ask, I only ever want an auto box and big chairs, I am easily pleased with cars, who gives a fig what colour or make it is? Trivialities









I bought one! An Volvo 740 1990 122k 12 months MOT for ..............Â£215! We will see.....I'm collecting it Wednesday from Spalding in deepest Lincolnshire and will bang a pic up of it and me (If your monitors have got over Stan's visage) when (if) I get back. I am soooooo excited.


----------



## Stan

Cheeky bugger, I hope it's all you deserve it to be.


----------



## MIKE

Hi Mark,

Intresting way to buy a car, off E-bay! Look forward to seeing the pictures.

Whats your dream motorcycle?

MIKE...


----------



## Stan

Mark,

I hope it's a good motor, ignore the previous remark.

I know I'm fugly, always have been, but I'm gathering some nice watches.

Get back soon and buy another mesh.


----------



## Griff

Mark,

Used to have a Volvo 740GLE 2.3i Estate.

Superb car and build quality, but only 28mpg around town.

It went like stink, and the acceleration in 2nd gear was tremendous.

Once burnt a s*** head off the road in a Golf GTi, and I'll never forget the look on his face. Quite barmy of course to drive like that though, and would never do that now!!


----------



## MarkF

MIKE said:


> Hi Mark,
> 
> Intresting way to buy a car, off E-bay! Look forward to seeing the pictures.
> 
> Whats your dream motorcycle?
> 
> MIKE...


Hi Mike,

There are my dream bikes and my dream bikes I can afford! I have a penchant for big rather than fast bikes but if they are both so much the better









My last two were a V-Max and an Xjr1200







god I loved that bike. I sold it because it had a rear puncture







I had so much on with work (and I'm a lazy *******) that it seemed easier to sell than fix. I once traded in a Honda Dominator with Â£2k rather than put on a new chain, shameful really









I am saving for a Honda F6 Valkyrie which should be big enough and fast enough even for me







I had an BMW 1200C in mind but deep down I know they are just too slooowww and this time I can't afford to buy the wrong bike!

Dream bike's if I won the lottery<

1. Triumph Rocket 3 (That was made for me!)









2. HD Road King

3. MV Augusta F4S (Not my thing but it is indisputably beautiful)

4. Moto Guzzi MGS

5. V-Rod (Just to spite people)

Mark


----------



## MarkF

Griff said:


> Mark,
> 
> Used to have a Volvo 740GLE 2.3i Estate.
> 
> Superb car and build quality, but only 28mpg around town.
> 
> It went like stink, and the acceleration in 2nd gear was tremendous.
> 
> Once burnt a s*** head off the road in a Golf GTi, and I'll never forget the look on his face. Quite barmy of course to drive like that though, and would never do that now!!


 Playing boy racer's in a Volvo estate brings to mind a wonderful picture









Actually I wanted an estate but it seems so does everybody else, the saloons are unloved and unwanted


----------



## Fred

If you can cut it with the price of petrol then big cars are where the bargins are no dout, they loose that much cash in there first couple of years that half price or less is not difficult to get on a top range car, fred,

p.s, Mark, if you ever get that MV and it gets a puncture or wants a wash i will take it off your hands mate no problem, 3 grand up front,














, fred.


----------



## pg tips

Watch out for the speed cameras in Lincolnshire! The local constabulary are very hot down there! Believe me I know from experience. They have a few unmarked cars lurking on the A17 as well (a couple of skoda Octavia's that I know of).

Mind you it should just be the start of the Daffodil season if your lucky so you might see fields of pretty flowers!


----------



## Nalu

What I'm driving now.

The D90 and the old man:










The M3c:

Oops, can't find a photo. Will correct and post later


----------



## chrisb

Why is it that I'm just getting Red "X"s all the time?









I used to be able to see your pics


----------



## Nalu

Not sure, anybody else having problems? Picture Trail has been pretty reliable for me. I've never seen one of Griff's photos until the "admin is watching" post - always the red X.


----------



## rhaythorne

Looks fine to me









I was thinking about getting a D90 for winter use in Scotland but it would be a bit too much I reckon. Driving it from London to Scotland would be awful in itself


----------



## Nalu

Nonsense! Some earplugs, a tackle suit and a parka - it'll do just fine


----------



## rhaythorne

I do like the Defender but if I parked a third car out on the street the neighbours would probably get very upset!

I've finally decided to keep my elderly Renault Megane and have the timing belt changed next week so I'll be keeping that for a little while yet. Maybe next winter I'll part-exchange it for a Defender. Although I had planned to sell it and but a Rolex Explorer or perhaps a Sea Dweller









Decisions, decisions!


----------



## cujimmy

rhaythorne said:


> Driving it from London to Scotland would be awful in itself


Not at all, the best thing to come out of London is the road to Scotland!


----------



## pg tips

Spent a lot of time in, on and under one of these in my youth!










and these


----------



## rhaythorne

Of course, I'd really prefer one of these









BOWLER WILDCAT


----------



## Griff

You know you'd really prefer one of these


----------



## rhaythorne

They're quite collectable now! But I'd be afraid of it turning to pappier mache in the rain


----------



## ESL

Ooh, I remember them PG. I used to drive one of the Makrolon "armour" covered jobbies in Northern Ireland for 12 months 1973-'74.

It was like driving a pallet-load of housebricks.


----------



## pg tips

Your poor Arse!









Worst job I ever had was when a harrier pilot decided he'd go "off road" in a 109 incher with his jockey pilot officer mates! TW*TS. Sorry Hawkey I know your pa was an officer but some of 'em









Well anyway he got it bogged down well and truly and then burnt the clutch out! We couldn't get anything near because the ground was so soft so we had to dig our way under it, replace the clutch and the build a road out of those sheet metal planks with the holes in (can't remember their names) to drive it out.

Mind you it got us off exercise for a couple of days!

Another thing we used to do was unscrew the rear light lenses and swap the red and orange over, then see how many of the officers would bring them in because there was an "electrical fault" putting the indicator lights on when they braked and flashing the brake lights when they indicated!


----------



## Nalu

After I bought my S3 and worked it up to snuff, I really wanted a Lightweight (not an FFR though) or a FC101. By the time I could find/afford one, the D90s had come down in price and I could buy this one.


----------



## iloper

i love dedenders...nice one.first one i've seen on red...


----------



## adrian

You guys don't know what a car is. Here's mine.


















Bought with net value of 125CAD 2 years ago. Right now in working state but some oil leaks, suspension problems, some unidentifiable noises, cracked front window, driver door do not open,... (can't remember the small ones).

From the picture you can also admire my car parking skills.


----------



## seiko6139

My parents paid me a visit last Saturday in their new Previa.It's powered by a 1500cc engine and a 500V motor which produces 295 lbs ft of torque at 0-1200rpm.You don't start the engine,you just press a button to power everything up.

Is this the future of cars?

I always buy a relic to run around in but my wife always has a new car every 3 years. We let the main dealer service my wife's car but I always service my own as well as the odd bit of welding etc..

I hate the fact that you can't play with modern cars.

Until july, I ran around in a succession of Vauxhall Vivas, because I'm odd OK









I liked the fact that I could do anything on them without any problems and they were very reliable,probably because I replaced all of the ignition components and the fuel pump before I used them.

I now have a 1989 BMW E30 320i Se which goes like stink but it's more complicated than a humble Viva. It's also rotting away quite nicely









Anyway,have any other forum members driven or considered buying a hybrid car or are they just a fad?

Cheers,

Ian


----------



## Nin

I've used the old version Toyota Prius - pretty good on A roads (63mpg) but not so good on motorways. Nice auto box - CVT I think, but internals were a bit "american" for my liking (beige and chrome). New version is said to be much better.

Currently I have an Audi A2 1.6 sport. You can't get to the engine without some serious dismantling, and frankly after years of crawling under Landrover SII's, minis and escorts, I'm delighted I can;t do anything to it. I'm up to 14K miles and it still doesn't need a service, goes like crazy and does 40mpg - can't be bad.

Next car will probably be a hybrid. Most of the air quality problems in the South East are due to vehicle emissions, so I feel every bit I can do to cut them down helps.

Nin


----------



## pg tips

seiko6139 said:


> Is this the future of cars?


 yes very much so Ian. The Industry is putting more money into R&D of hybreds than anything else at the moment.

Another development is the alternator / generator. Made an integral part of the fly wheel because that's where the most energy is it will create electric current on overrun and crusing and the like as an alternator does but turn into a motor to provide extra enery for hills etc. Much like a hybred.

Big developments in battery and electrics all round as well. Expect two circuits on cars soon one at 12 volts and one at 36 v! 36 volts much better for high power units such as high intensity headlamps, heated screens etc.

I can see a day when the internal combustion engine in cars will be there only for the times of highest demand and to get the batteries charged, most of the day to day will be electric.


----------



## Mrcrowley

I know FA about cars, but this electric thing _sounds_ a good idea.

Seen the odd thing about charging points etc like garages.

Think it will ever work out Paul - or anyone else?


----------



## DavidH

I am looking forward to the future devolopments with electric cars and hope ,someday, to get one. The technology it pretty well established and used in industrial vehicles of all sorts inc. the fork lift. it is now for the motor industry to get its act together and make something that works.

Plus points are the braking generater already mentioned and i am not sure what else!

think about this, you could have an on small board diesel generater to extend range. And I wonder if it would be legal to run that on ribena?

Another thing, The vehicle is only as green as the power station.









I wonder how the heater would work? Mine doesn't work anyway









What others are on the road?

Citreon have a Berlingo Van , I think is purely electric, I have seen those about the town.

Any others you know of?


----------



## Mrcrowley

DavidH said:


> I am looking forward to the future devolopments with electric cars and hope ,someday, to get one. The technology it pretty well established and used in industrial vehicles of all sorts inc. the fork lift. it is now for the motor industry to get its act together and make something that works.
> 
> Plus points are the braking generater already mentioned and i am not sure what else!
> 
> think about this, you could have an on small board diesel generater to extend range. And I wonder if it would be legal to run that on ribena?
> 
> Another thing, The vehicle is only as green as the power station.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder how the heater would work? Mine doesn't work anyway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What others are on the road?
> 
> Citreon have a Berlingo Van , I think is purely electric, I have seen those about the town.
> 
> Any others you know of?


 My wife has just pointed something out David (and I agree).

It may end up being as expensive as a petrol car run on Ribena. You seen the price of the stuff these days?


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## namaste

Agree with David too:switching to electric almost amounts to endorsing Nuclear power...







Hydrogen cars are probably the only viable long term option, but we're not there yet...

But I still believe Toyota's hybrid technology is efficent enough to be an improvement in urban drving conditions.. I'd buy one if I could!









Ford are going to use the technology from Toyota under licence because they had nothing to rival, and other manufacturers are doing the same.


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## Nin

It's not just the power thing, it's air quality too. The majority of air quality problems are created by mobility - mainly cars, but trucks, vans etc contribute too. Urban air quality is a real problem - accounting for a significant number of health problems (I have some figs somewhere). Hybrids are much cleaner (in terms of air quality) than conventional cars, so provide real benefits. That's why you can drive one in the congestion charge zone for free.

There's a reasonable case to say electric cars just export the problem to the power station, but then power stations are pretty heavily regulated, and mostly not in the centre of towns.

But then if we all rode bicycles there wouldn't be a problem ....









Nin


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## Griff

Ford 5.0L in a Volvo 740 Tubo


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## MIKE

Thats worth 2 "eek's"
















You would have thought they would have done something better with the headlights or left them alone all together









MIKE..


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## Stan

That's a Stokie pimp mobile.


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## Ron Jr

That is a nice Q-ship. I would say that voids the warrenty though.


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## jasonm

I hope theve converted it to rear wheel drive, if not it wont go anywhere fast...


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## MarkF

Weren't they all RWD?

Anyway I like it a lot







but unlike this, mine is as slow as a fart, great fun though.


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## Griff

4.0 Rover V8 Ford Capri





































The engine was built up from a bare block, with no expense spared to give power and reliability, it was built using new parts where needed to a real steel spec, it uses a 4.0 block and pistons,stage3 ported polished and big valve heads, skimmed to bring the compression up to 10.6 ish, they were crack tested as was the block, the block has been decked to allow the use of composite gaskets without dropping compression, it is fitted with a viper typhoon cam, Rhoads lifters a higher pressure oil pump (and mgbv8 relief valve) also factory electronic ignition, a new weber/carter 500cfm 4 barrel carb sitting on a 1 1/2 riser to keep it cool, on a new edelbrock performer, filter is a 1 off I.T.G (f1 filter maker), exhaust is a lightly modified rovertech tubular which exits into a new full ashely 2.5" straight though twin system, the flywheel was lightened and balanced along with the crank, rods and pistons at renowned hero engine builder steve bakers shop, hoses are silicon or braided.


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## Mrcrowley

Griff said:


> 4.0 Rover V8 Ford Capri
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> The engine was built up from a bare block, with no expense spared to give power and reliability, it was built using new parts where needed to a real steel spec, it uses a 4.0 block and pistons,stage3 ported polished and big valve heads, skimmed to bring the compression up to 10.6 ish, they were crack tested as was the block, the block has been decked to allow the use of composite gaskets without dropping compression, it is fitted with a viper typhoon cam, Rhoads lifters a higher pressure oil pump (and mgbv8 relief valve) also factory electronic ignition, a new weber/carter 500cfm 4 barrel carb sitting on a 1 1/2 riser to keep it cool, on a new edelbrock performer, filter is a 1 off I.T.G (f1 filter maker), exhaust is a lightly modified rovertech tubular which exits into a new full ashely 2.5" straight though twin system, the flywheel was lightened and balanced along with the crank, rods and pistons at renowned hero engine builder steve bakers shop, hoses are silicon or braided.
> 
> 
> 
> ←
> ​


Err.............

In English does that mean it's fast?


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## jasonm

Potentialy faster than standard...However I always think its better to buy a fast car in the first place rather than make a slow car go fast, it will cost more to modify a car, not be as well engineered or as reliable IMO


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## Mrcrowley

jasonm said:


> Potentialy faster than standard...However I always think its better to buy a fast car in the first place rather than make a slow car go fast, it will cost more to modify a car, not be as well engineered or as reliable IMO
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True.

However this is the answer for those who cannot afford a 'proper' fast car I assume?


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## pg tips

Looks like you've been watching MTV's PIMP MY RIDE too much Griff!









As for the 740 one word. WHY?


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## jasonm

Maybe Paul, but the expence of doing this suff isnt cheap, unless your in the trade , if you uprate the engine then you have to do the brakes ,suspension and tyres etc, also your insurance goes through the roof, I bet PG has seen some right botched up death traps.....


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## Mrcrowley

jasonm said:


> Maybe Paul, but the expence of doing this suff isnt cheap, unless your in the trade , if you uprate the engine then you have to do the brakes ,suspension and tyres etc, also your insurance goes through the roof, I bet PG has seen some right botched up death traps.....
> 
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Yes I was thining about insurance.

Particularly as things like that often appeal to the younger baseball cap glued to head brigade does it not?


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## jasonm

Ive seen Vauxhaul Corsa in these mags that have had 20-30K spent on them with turbo this and race that, bolt on bullshit I call it.....You could buy a EVO 8 for that money. Thats a propper car...


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## Mrcrowley

pg tips said:


> Looks like you've been watching MTV's PIMP MY RIDE too much Griff!
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Are 740s deemed extremely naff these days PG?


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## jasonm

> glued to head brigade


They dont waste glue on their heads...It all goes in paper bags wrapped around their noses...


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## pg tips

yep Jase many, they normally get round it by going to a small old style backstreet garage for the MOT. Worst I say was a 850cc mini standard drum brakes all round that someone had plopped a 1300 race cam'd a series into. I road tested it and it would not stop!

And then you get the pimp'd up fashion guys. Had a escort the other day with a 3 wing foil on the back that was glued on to the rear screen. As he went tearing down the road the screen came out. They called me to put it back in! I got them to follow me to autoglass!


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## pg tips

Mrcrowley said:


> pg tips said:
> 
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Click to expand...

IMO they've never been anything but Paul. Is there a non naff volvo?

Remember those 440's


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## Mrcrowley

pg tips said:


> Mrcrowley said:
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> Are 740s deemed extremely naff these days PG?
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> Click to expand...
> 
> IMO they've never been anything but Paul. Is there a non naff volvo?
> 
> Remember those 440's
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Click to expand...

I'd rather not.

I must admit I like the look of the new coupe's.

But they're a far cry from the rest it looks to me.

Ever see that film Crazy People? Dudley Moore ends up in a Mental home because his job drives him nuts. He starts writing in your face advertisements.

'Drive a Volvo. They're boxy but they're good.'


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## pauluspaolo

I like the Volvo - what a great q car (very fast car in disguise)







. I like the idea behind the Capri but don't like the silly bodykit or huge spoiler much ...... sorry







. Big engines in small cars are great fun.

I remember being amazed at the transformation in performance an extra 300cc made when I upgraded the engine in my Midas kit car from a puny 1,000cc mini engine to a (slightly) less puny 1275cc metro engine - if it was nippy with 1000cc's then it was just plain fast with the 1275 of them







. Of course my Lancia absolutely annihilated it - this car had acceleration (and quite often wheelspin) to spare in any gear - if only the bodywork had been more solid







. It's still on the road though and it's local to me so I see it quite often - I'm just waiting for the back end to part company with the front







. If you look at the figures then, by todays standards, the Lancia wasn't that fast; however it was more than fast enough for me (thank you very much) and had a chassis that could comfortably handle that performance. It makes me wonder what a "proper" fast car feels like.

I'm vaguely toying with the idea of getting a Renault Clio 1.8rsi to replace my current Audi 80 - anyone have any experience of these Renaults?


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## jasonm

> Renault Clio 1.8rsi


A friend had the original 16v, quite quick but the handling was fantastic, a little roller skate....


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## Griff

pg tips said:


> Looks like you've been watching MTV's PIMP MY RIDE too much Griff!
> 
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> 
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No..............as for WHY?.....who knows! I just find it interesting, and the best reason I can think of is that these people are just car fanatics, and get a lot of pleasure out of what they do...........which seems fair enough to me

As for the 740, I had a GLE Estate 2.3i, with electrics and black leather.

It was by far the best built car I've ever had. The build underneath and general rust prevention was outstanding, as was the paintwork.

In its day I think the 740 was a brilliant car, with awesome build quality


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## Guest

I put a Rover V-8 into a MKIV Zodiac back in the 70's and converted a MKIII Zodiac into a pick up so there's nothing new there.









When I had my carburetter and tuning firm we used to get some funny stuff done but there again there weren't any seriously fast cars available at normal prices and enthusiasts would get up to all sorts.

With the sort of fast cars available nowadays (and even standard cars are fast) there is really no need IMO. My new 2.5 turbo diesel Nissan pick up is a lot faster than the "fast cars" of the past.

My sons "off the shelf" Toyota Supra turbo goes like stink and has the brakes and suspension to cope with it all.

Seems to me most "tuners" nowadays get their motor "chipped" and a turbo dump valve fitted and that's all they need.

After a good few years of car stuff I have grown out of interest in cars and never even lift the bonnet nowadays.


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## rhaythorne

pg tips said:



> WHY?


I wasn't going to comment but you took the word right out of my mouth


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## MarkF

Waiting for Roger...........but for me the following, bear in mind I know nothing about and have no interest in cars, if they have big comfy seats I am happy.

1. 1996 Vectra 1.7TD Bought because it had integrated wing mirrors, a pile of unreliable ***** that made it to number 1 because of a hopelessly mismatched engine/gearbox ratio.

2. Morrris Minor "E" reg 1966 I think, I bought it for fun but on my second outing the floorpan went I was left with my legs going like roadrunner on the tarmac.









3. 1997 Vectra 18L estate. I use this for work now, it is reliable put seems to just shed trim, knobs, buttons etc. Nothing is designed to be put together firmly or taken apart easily, it is shoddy.

4. Sierra 2.0 Ghia 1993. Don't know what happened, it just dissolved in 5 years.









5. Micra 1.0L 1995. Bought for Carolyn new, dissolved but never missed a beat . In 8 years nothing went wrong and nothing failed/fell off. But in the end is was a car shaped piece of rust. Stolen.


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## USEDMODEL

In no chronological order (because Mac say's i'm no good at doing that, anyway)

1. Citroen CX2.4 Rally prepared. Trail car for rallying in Cyprus. Drove it back from Cyprus and ex wife used it for parking practice ......... more dents than straight panels in the end. Reason wife is ex-wife.

2. Capri 2 litre ................ floor pan went, had he same problem as Mark. Not very good at running at 70mph.

3. Vectra 2 litre diesel, turbo blew.............no does 0 to 60 mph in 3 days














You think I jest, just follow me.

4. Ford Escort Mk II ...... turned into a right rust bucket......... magnet would not attach itself to any part of the bodywork ........cost a fortune in filler.

5. Triumph Spitfire ........... weak suspension was its downfall .......... couldn't take the weight of driver, passenger and 5 of the rugby team in the back ......... first low profile suspension car I ever owned























Good thread Mark


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## JoT

1. MGB Roadster .... disaster on 4 wheels

2. Mazda 626 .... never gave me any trouble but









3. Mistubishi Colt ... as above









4. Ford Capri Mk II 1.6L .... rust, rust and more rust and 0 to 60 in about 10 minutes

5, MGZT 190E ... my current car, nowt wrong with it except it has halved in value since MG's demise


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## Roger

!/ Chevette HSR 2.3 argument with a cotswold stone wall on a Night Rally.

2/ Renual 12... rotted away infront of me, quickly...British Leyland with garlic

3/ Citroen DS2 collapsed like a 3 legged camel....total unreliabilty

4/ Alfa Sud too much wrong to list here

5 VW Bora TDI best car I ever had, too fast, cost me points on licence


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## rhaythorne

I've only owned six cars so I can't really do a Top 5 of ones I shouldn't have bought. But if I was to put those 6 in order of dissatisfaction it would look something like this:

1. Renault 5 GTX - Cool, but a bit of a dog. Constant fuel vapourization problems which made it buck like a horse in a rodeo after sitting in traffic for more than a few minutes. Able to eat through a clutch cable every month or two. Lots of problems with this one.

2. Renault Clio 16V - Cool, but used to attract all the wrong kind of attention. Fast, but always arrived late as invariably I'd get pulled over by the boys in blue, even when not speeding. Little oiks always trying to steal the alloys or the centre wheel-nut embellishers which I had to replace many times at Â£25 each. Eventually stolen and crashed 500 yards down the road.

3. Renault 18 Auto - Cool, but expensive to maintain and eventually sold for peanuts.

4. Renault Megane 2.0 16V Coupe - Cool, but expensive to buy in its day. Utterly reliable until the last year or two where it suffered a couple of small problems. Hoping this sold at auction yesterday although it'll only be for a fraction of what I paid for it!

5. Renault 16TL - Cool, great car, nothing wrong with this at all apart from the battle against rust.

6. Renault Clio 172 Cup - Cool, fast and great fun to drive. Pretty hopeless in heavy traffic and it rattles where a lot of the sound-proofing has been removed to make it that bit lighter.

By the way, did I mention that all French cars are cool? So are all Italian cars!


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## mach 0.0013137

Reliant Regal Van,

good points...

I got it when I only had a bike licence and I learned how to drive a car enough so I only need 6 leasons in a `proper` car to pass my test









Bad points...

Eventually you could only get init from the van door, a crack in the fibre glass just above the exhaust nearly gave me carbon monoxide poisoning, it failed its MOT due to rust and not long after I sold it the engine dropped out









Lada 1600

Too many problems to list









I would like to say I owned a few Lada`s and the rest were excellent & very reliable but this was a complete pig, when I sold it to this rather mean looking biker type I told him all its many faults.

I met him down the pub a couple of months later and asked him how it was going he told me it died about a week after he`d bought it and, with a grin on his face, told me that if I hadn`t explained its faults at the time I would be a rather nasty mess on the floor now









I offered to buy him a pint but he said (something like) no worries, there was no need and then he laughed









Rover 213

Total rust bucket


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## Roger

> Lada 1600
> 
> Too many problems to list

















A good pal of mine bought a Lada Estate brand new......one hot August sunday we went to spectate a Rally in Wales....parked in a field in the Diect sunlight......returned to the Lada 2 hours later and everything was unbearably hot......when we (eventually) got into the greenhous-like car...there was the most ubelievable stench of rotting fish...it was sick-making...really bad.

To make a short story long......we discovered that Lada used fish-glue to fix the headlining to the roof!!!.

Also with that Lada....they ran the wiring-loom to the ignition key OUTSIDE of the steering cowling!!.

Me????.....I rate build qualty above all else which kind rules out most Italian and french stuff..... dont ask me about my Fiat Mirrafiori and Renault 5 Turbo...I aint got time!


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## USEDMODEL

rhaythorne said:


> 6 in order of dissatisfaction it would look something like this:
> 
> 1. Cool, but a bit of a dog. Constant fuel vapourization problems which made it buck like a horse in a rodeo after sitting in traffic for more than a few minutes. Able to eat through a clutch cable every month or two. Lots of problems with this one.
> 
> 2. Cool, but used to attract all the wrong kind of attention.
> 
> 3. Cool, but expensive to maintain and eventually sold for peanuts.
> 
> 4. Utterly reliable until the last year or two where it suffered a couple of small problems. Hoping this sold at auction yesterday although it'll only be for a fraction of what I paid for it!
> 
> 5. Cool, great car, nothing wrong with this at all apart from the battle against rust.
> 
> 6. Pretty hopeless in heavy traffic and it rattles where a lot of the sound-proofing has been removed to make it that bit lighter.
> 
> By the way, did I mention that all French cars are cool? So are all Italian cars!
> 
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Yes you mentioned French cars are cool..............4 out of the 6 were cool.

Can I recommend a Citroen 2CV .............well you said all French cars are cool


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## Roger

Here is another little episode in my vehicular experience......

My old mob bought thousands and thousands of BMC/BL vehicles.....right from before Morris 1000 days.

Attatched to one outstation where I often worked, was a small 3 man garage whose job it was, to do the pre-delivery inspection before the vans were put into service.

One lunchtime...the Workshop Supervisor came into our canteen, very animated, and said..."come and look at this....you aint gonna believe what we just found"

So we all trooped over to the workshop to find a Morris Ital van (remember them?) on the lift minus its front wheels.........

On the drivers side was a drum brake and on tother side was a disk !!!!

Just proves, I suppose, that it aint just Italian cars nthat are badly assembled

Roger


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## pauluspaolo

Having thought about it for a bit I must admit that I've enjoyed most, if not all, of the cars I've owned in one way or another. However these 5 have a special place in my memory for all the wrong reasons:

1. Morris Marina 1.8 - bright blue with a brown interior. I'll say no more.

2. Suzuki Whizz Kid SC1000 - great fun to drive but very flimsy, noisy & cramped. Amazingly it had more rust than the Lancia and is the only car I've ever been told not to drive (because of corrosion) by my mechanic.

3. Lancia Delta HF Turbo - phenomenal to drive, great handling and pretty fast too, (slightly) less rust than the Whizz Kid, it was fragile like a fragile thing and an absolute money pit - I still miss it!!

4. Not my car but my Dads Mercedes Benz C280 has been less than brilliant. It has utterly effortless performance and is very nice to drive indeed. However it's been bugged by electrical gremlins for the last couple of years (battery would drain for no reason, failing to start, central locking & alarm problems etc etc etc). However it well and truly blotted its copybook last month when the ECU (electronic control unit) packed up and cost an incredible Â£1200 to replace







Needless to say he's lost all confidence in the car and is seeking to change it (for another Mercedes














)

5. Too early to say but a certain bright yellow kit car may not have been my wisest purchase - we shall see


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## johnbaz

hi

i can't really say any 5 cars as they've all been crap.

i had a 1300 auto toyota corolla-a right ugly rust bucket that never broke down in the year that i had it (before it went to the scrap heap in the sky







)

i had a vw polo formel E (1300) just about everything on this car broke !!, so i replaced everything (including g/box bearings)just when it was going well,it got smashed out from under me (written off by insurance)

i had a 1966 humber hawk-what a tank that was, beautiful car-it also got smashed from under me
















a mk 1 1100 escort-wouldn't pull me off the khazi-crap

two litre mk 4 cortina-gorgeous when i got it,chrome wheels,fully skirted up,bright red,eventually parked up when my dad died and everyone said i had to have his car,a toyota crown custom estate 2600 auto,now that bu**er could shift







,due to sentimentality, i've still got this one in the garage, it's gonna have to go soon tho' as practicality demands the space that it's taking up.

btw, driving really bores me to tears,so i'm not really bothered what i use and now have a crappy vectra 1800









regards,john


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## pg tips

Toyota Crown ! WoW Haven't seen one of them in years, there's a firm in town who specialise in transmissions and at one time I towed a crown auto into them no drive.

They looked at me in dispair, there were at that time 5 Crown auto's registered within 50 miles of them (they had checked) they had 4 of them in with knackered boxes and I'd just towed in the 5th! None of the other 4 owners wanted them back after they told them how much repairs on the box would be!









All cars in the end are a bad investment, they don't do anything but eat money!

Best car I ever had was a mini clubman estate which I left standard shity brown on the outside with all the rust but uprated it to 1275 spec, used to fly from the lights!









I've seen some right horror stories over the years how companies used to get away with it is beyond me, I suppose we expected no better, it wasn't until the Japanese really got their act together that standards across the industry improved!

Some pigs I've had, peugeot 104 remember them, they are still using a derivative of that engine today! Datsun 120Y rusted away, Morris ital estate Metalic bright green with a black vinyl roof! Fiat strella Fix It Again Tony! what a heap that was! Hillman Hunter bugger I've had some crap cars I could go on all night!

Best cars I have had must be a humble cavalier, and a 2000E Mk III cortina

I bought a Huyndai 5 years ago for 4K we needed an estate and something reliable and had to get it in a hurry etc. It has been very reliable, never broke down but I've had to put a clutch and brakes all round in the 5 years and 60K miles I've had it.

Went to part x it on another car which I pick up next weekend. They gave me Â£250 for it! I was sorely tempted to say sod off I'll take it on a track day and blow the f****r up but I just can't be doing with the hassle!

btw new car is an 02 one of these, and as I don't hardly drive the car these days you can tell who chose it!


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## johnbaz

yes paul,the gearboxes (toyoglide)were crappy on these cars,this one is on it's 3rd,my dad was a lorry driver and if he saw one on bricks,or just looking neglected,he would go and knock on the door and offer to remove it,he had about five of them altogether (for parts) we stripped the powered steering from one and installed it in his car,it made parking in tight spaces a dream instead of a nightmare









btw,i also had a sunbeam alpine coupe (the rapier fastback type),1725 ohv,on which i put twin strombergs (had the dashpot covers & float chambers chrome plated),that car was the dogs dangly wotsits,i really loved that one,compfy and fairly quick with excellent all round vision









john.


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## Nalu

Decided to resurrect this thread since Mel asked about the vehicle partly seen in the PloProf article thread.

Here is the NAS D90 loaded for the trip from TX to WA. I've made a few (visible and otherwise) changes over the past couple of years 










It's a bit worse for wear after sitting through 18 months of deployments, but it has always been revivable!


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## nursegladys

PG - you almost had it......steel plate with holes in it........PSP........perforated steel plate


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## pg tips

Colin why are the side light lenses orange?


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## jasonm

You got a tank and regs on the roof for those really deep puddles?


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## Griff

Is that a fake Land Rover or a homage!!?


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## Nalu

pg tips said:


> Colin why are the side light lenses orange?


That's the way we roll in the New World!


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## Nalu

jasonm said:


> You got a tank and regs on the roof for those really deep puddles?


Mission-essential kit! All of my open and closed-circuit dive kit was loaded in the roof-rack


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## foztex

rhaythorne said:


> They're quite collectable now! But I'd be afraid of it turning to pappier mache in the rain


I saw 2 collide in Berlin in '91, they both disintegrated, it was hysterical. I was so amazed i picked up a bit of one. I still have it somewhere, it looks like the old Paxolin resin impregnated paper circuit boards.


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## pg tips

Nalu said:


> pg tips said:
> 
> 
> 
> Colin why are the side light lenses orange?
> 
> 
> 
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> That's the way we roll in the New World!
Click to expand...











Ah yes and you make the tail and break lights flash when indicating instead of having orange rear indicators.


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## limey

pg tips said:


> Nalu said:
> 
> 
> 
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> pg tips said:
> 
> 
> 
> Colin why are the side light lenses orange?
> 
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> That's the way we roll in the New World!
> 
> Click to expand...
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> 
> Ah yes and you make the tail and break lights flash when indicating instead of having orange rear indicators.
Click to expand...

Well, not exactly. Some cars have orange rear 'turn signals', some have red. On some cars the turn signal may be an additional brake light when the turn signal is not on, or it could be the brake light unless the turn signal is on. 'Course, some cars have three brake lights on each side so it's not a problem!


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## mel

> Is that a fake Land Rover or a homage?


Santana's are the homage, Arocar is the fake!









Nothing wrong with the Defender that a good set of seat cushions and some painkillers won't cure! But for a machine that does 4x4 with some comfort, the Mitsubishi (Pajero/Montero/Shogun) is the way to go. Towed a twin axle caravan, 6.4metres long all over Europe with it, 2.8TD Auto, never put a foot wrong, averaged around 27 mpg of diesel with or without the van on the back.

Too effete to be a serious company workhorse mind, but, hey, I can live with 7 comfy seats, headrests, 6 CD Stereo, aircon, thick carpets, auto gearbox, two sunroofs, tints, alloys, and alloy sumpguard, GPS etc., etc.


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## Griff

Some proper cars:-



















And No. 6 digs No. 5!!!










All fun to drive!!


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## Nalu

Mel, I have to agree! We called this one the 'Millenium Falcon' as it could make the Kessel Run in less than 16 parsecs. Jon pushed this one to the limit on a back road between a military camp and the motorway to Kuwait City and it went like a bat out of hell!










'Course, I understand this one does OK also 










But until I can afford an LM002, I'll stick with my ear plugs and memory foam arse cushion


----------



## sssammm

For pukka cars check out barryboys site

sam


----------



## Boxbrownie

limey said:


> pg tips said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nalu said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> pg tips said:
> 
> 
> 
> Colin why are the side light lenses orange?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's the way we roll in the New World!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ah yes and you make the tail and break lights flash when indicating instead of having orange rear indicators.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Well, not exactly. Some cars have orange rear 'turn signals', some have red. On some cars the turn signal may be an additional brake light when the turn signal is not on, or it could be the brake light unless the turn signal is on. 'Course, some cars have three brake lights on each side so it's not a problem!
Click to expand...

What? Thank heaven we let you go all those years ago!









I had a Chevy Lumina APV calli import a few years ago and the trouble I had rewiring the rear lamps to make it legal over here, bloody americans and their wiring....grumble, grumble....almost as bad as having 110volts mains....60hz and 525 lines NTSC (never the same colour







)......ok ok so you've gone high def before us.....but maybe we will get it right?









Best regards David


----------



## Nalu

And there you have it folks: a Brit complaining about an American car's electrics! I've seen it all now - Lucas' victory is complete







:lol:


----------



## limey

Nalu said:


> And there you have it folks: a Brit complaining about an American car's electrics! I've seen it all now - Lucas' victory is complete
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :lol:










:rofl:







:rofl:


----------



## Boxbrownie

Watch it matey...or I will complain about american suspension design (independent acording to Chevy was seperate front and rear axles







) and power per litre output as well









Best regards David


----------



## limey

Boxbrownie said:


> Watch it matey...or I will complain about american suspension design (independent acording to Chevy was seperate front and rear axles
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) and power per litre output as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards David


Independent suspension, american style, means that the movement of said suspension has nothing whatsoever to do with the contour of the road the vehicle is travelling along.


----------



## watchless

limey said:


> Boxbrownie said:
> 
> 
> 
> Watch it matey...or I will complain about american suspension design (independent acording to Chevy was seperate front and rear axles
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) and power per litre output as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards David
> 
> 
> 
> Independent suspension, american style, means that the movement of said suspension has nothing whatsoever to do with the contour of the road the vehicle is travelling along.
Click to expand...

Hehe...


----------



## Boxbrownie

rondeco said:


> Boxbrownie said:
> 
> 
> 
> Watch it matey...or I will complain about american suspension design (independent acording to Chevy was seperate front and rear axles
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) and power per litre output as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards David
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have you know Chevrolet were the first to get 1hp per cu in in 1957 ... that's 60.21 hp per litre
Click to expand...

Really? Sounds like another rewriting of history by our cousins.....as the Mercedes SL300 of 1955 had 215bhp from 2,995cc...thats 1.17hp per cu" or 71.78 BHP per Litre.....









Best regards David


----------



## Henry W

For those members i've done deals with, they'll know I work on Shell Oils trading floor, buying and selling oil (in simple terms!!). As well as bieng one of the corporate sponsers of Ferrari F1 (which puts me in a patriotic dilema bieng English and all *very hushed: go Lewis!*), we also sponser Le Mans and God knows what other racing bits and bobs. Well as a bit of a corporate treat for us - most of us in the office are guys and like manly stuff like cars! they drove the Audi Sport / Shell prototype ofer from where it was in Le Mans (after it won the event may i point out!!) and popped it in our office foyer for us to play with! As well as several PS3s with racing games in them linked up allowing a bunch or us to race together. I tell you what, pushing my bosses car head first into a wall is the highlight of my year!


----------



## PhilM

Great post Henry and even better pics









BTW Did you get chance to walk off with a PS3


----------



## jasonm

Very cool.......

That Audi looks superb


----------



## Robert

Nice way to spend time at work


----------



## Guest

My latest aquisition

The owner is giving up classics due to ill health, it was offered at a bargain price (far less than some of you pay for your watches







).

I've had to buy it unseen, apart from photos that is, as a scramble to buy it had started - who dares wins.

Apart from what you can see, the spec of the bits that you can't see is pretty good as well - Steel timing wheel, Adjustable spax all round, body off resto around 10 years ago (& only done a K or 2 since), New brakes & tyres all round. It'll make a nice companion for my Red SE5, now I've just got to find one in blue









Just got to get over to the UK to pick it up within the next few weeks.



















Cheers

Lee


----------



## blackandgolduk

Awesome! I love the Scimitar - there was one in my village when I was growing up and my Dad hankered after one for a couple of years. He's stuck with the Picasso though...







There was also a chap around the corner with an E-type...

Me and the missus are looking at buying a house at the mo, we're going through the finances and she says to me "you know, perhaps we should get a new car while we're doing all this?"

I say "cool, what should we get?" to which she replies "I dunno, how about a Triumph Stag?"

Now I know why I love her!


----------



## Guest

Stag - hmmm, yum, yum.

Engines were an issue with them, many of the triumph V8's were ripped out and replaced with the 3 litre Essex V6 (as in the Scimitar) or the Rover V8.

The specialists have now worked out how to keep the original engines in good fettle so it's now not such a problem.

Whatever you buy - try and track down a car that was built before 1/1/73, the free road tax saves a fair bit of money over the years.

Have a look at Scimitar Values - you'll be suprised how cheap they are.

Cheers

Lee


----------



## PhilM

Excellent one of my all time favorite vintage cars 

Any who would have thought it was produced by the same people as the Reliant Robin


----------



## Guest

Having the 3 wheelers as stable mates has always been a bit of an embarrasment, owners usually refer to them as Scimitars and try not to mention the word Reliant in the same sentence.

Give them their due though, the 3 wheelers did keep Reliant afloat. I always thought Mr Bean should have driven one instead of the mini.

Here's a couple of pics of the red one



















Cheers

Lee


----------



## Griff

Great stuff is all this.

At 17 me and a pal of mine once bought an Austin Hereford for Â£8!!!









We got it round the corner in forward gears. It then ground to a halt.

From then on we could only get the reverse gear, and it was in that that we got it home..........a distance of 4 miles!!!









It *never* went in forward gears again after that despite several attempts on the gearbox.

We later went back at night and wrecked his tyres on his good car after the seller refused us our 8 quid back!!!









The vehicle did see some service however for entertaining one or 2 girl friends!!!
















The seats were very comfortable!!!


----------



## jasonm

Love it!

I had a Gilbern Invader Mk2 as a young 'un..Same engine, Essex 3ltr with overdrive...I loved it.....

Here it is in its new abode in Canada...


----------



## pauluspaolo

I considered buying a Scimitar before I bought the quattro a couple of years ago - I love the styling of them & would still love to buy one one day but with petrol (in some places) selling for over Â£1/litre I just wouldn't be able to run it. I won't be able to afford to run the Micra at this rate!!!

Just out of interest how much is a litre of petrol in France?


----------



## oldfogey

Good car, looks in good condition too. I, too, always admired this model but never got close. Of the cars using the 3litre Ford V6, the Marcos was my favourite.

http://www.paul-stephens.com/marcos.htm


----------



## Guest

I must admit that fuel costs have also shot up over here of late

A litre of unleaded is about 1.30 euros (about 90p), but diesel is about 1.08 euros (75p ish). Add in the price of the Lead substitute for the Scimitar(s) and it all starts adding up. The good thing is that I live in a very rural area, there's sod all traffic on the roads and its an absolute pleasure to drive over here. The flipside is that the nearest supermarket is 10 miles away but there are some great twisty roads on the way and you arrive with a smile on your face.

With the overdrive gearbox on the Scimitar we get high 20's to the gallon if we behave ourselves. For longer journeys the diesel v***o gets pressed into use. When we lived in London we used to get 15 to the gallon if we were lucky.

I could have done without getting another Scimitar if I'm truthful, but no road tax to pay, fifty quid a year to insure and an MOT every 5 years just makes turning away from a bargain buy an impossibility.

The only downside is that the wife has insisted that I've got to get shot of my 16v Redtop Calibra, I've just offered it for a song to a mate who has done me a few favours in the past. I know he'll look after it, he's been trying to buy it off me for ages, who knows, he might even let me borrow it occasionally if I ask him nicely and leave a Scimitar as a deposit







.

Cheers

Lee

Griff - you must be older than you look - Â£8 !, just about buys a bag of fish & chips these days


----------



## Guest

Nice Gilbern, I seem to remember that they also did an estate version.

I know what you mean about Marcos, we used to live near Westbury and use to see some corkers on the roads.

Potz - what you want then is a GTC, nice one on fleabay at the moment http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NO-RESERVE-RELIANT-S...1QQcmdZViewItem

Only problem is that only about 500 were built and they hold their value - you'd get 2 possibly 3 GTE's for the price of a GTC.

You could always look out for a GTE with a full length Webasto







.

Cheers

Lee


----------



## DAVID

Had a Gilbern MK2 estate (GVO 981K where are you now!), great cruiser and the joys of an overdrive gearbox, and for a short while a MK3.

The current owner has a 5 ltr Ford V8 currently fitted, though he plans to slot in a Ford 3.1 V6 with Weslake heads, though the most popular conversion when the original V6 dies is the 2.9 Cosworth 24v.

Works just as well on Scimitars apparently, and the Middlebridge was fitted with the 12v version from new.

Neighbour has an early Scimitar coupe, british racing green and wires, looks fantastic.

D.


----------



## Xantiagib

Doesn't the new citroen C-Crosser/Mistubishi outlander/peugeot 4007 have a similar window line?


----------



## Silver Hawk

For the time being, I'm sticking with vintage two-wheeled transport ( 2 below)...but am starting to consider a vintage car as a next purchase...problem is, one or two of the bikes will have to go


----------



## jasonm

DAVID said:


> Had a Gilbern MK2 estate (GVO 981K where are you now!), great cruiser and the joys of an overdrive gearbox, and for a short while a MK3.
> 
> The current owner has a 5 ltr Ford V8 currently fitted, though he plans to slot in a Ford 3.1 V6 with Weslake heads, though the most popular conversion when the original V6 dies is the 2.9 Cosworth 24v.
> 
> Works just as well on Scimitars apparently, and the Middlebridge was fitted with the 12v version from new.
> 
> Neighbour has an early Scimitar coupe, british racing green and wires, looks fantastic.
> 
> D.


Cool! I always wanted a MK3, you could look on here http://gilbern.co.uk/ for yours









I still have a stack of 'Rarebit' mags


----------



## bowie

still have this TR7 off to work later in it.

bowie


----------



## bluespot

Very nice, good simple mechanics by modern standards, no ECUs or mystery electronic sensors or Catalysts etc. I loved the instuments and layout it's like the old jags.

Just go careful not much in the way of NCAP safety zones in those days.

Is it a V6 ford engine in those ?

You could keep that running for years without major cost. A top car in its day as well.


----------



## Griff

The best fast car I had just had 3 forward gears...................fast.......................very fast.....................and, good morning judge!!!


----------



## rhaythorne

Excellent stuff Henry. I wish my employer would sponsor something decent like that. Our bosses seem to be more interested in horse racing. Imagine if they parked a race horce in our foyer! Along with a building pass the receptionists would have to issue visitors with wellies and a shovel









I was at Bedford Autodrome yesterday and among lots of other fast stuff I got to drive one of these: Palmer Jaguar JP1

We also got what they called a "Star Drive" in which two of these cars, piloted by anonymous Stig-like characters, drive you around at racing speed with you hanging on for dear life in the passenger seat. Those guys are bloody _fast_ and it really makes you appreciate the skill required to drive at those speeds consistently for a full race distance; I was shattered after 15 minutes









When I woke up this morning I could barely move. My arms and legs are killing me from all the steering, gear-changing and pedal work and I've got massive bruises on my elbows, knees and back from all the accelerating, braking and cornering forces. But it was worth it


----------



## ericp

The Palmer days are excellent fun !!!

Did you get to have a go in the Articulated lorry ?


----------



## rhaythorne

They're great aren't they. The artic's not there any more but I did get to do that when I was there in 2000







At that time, my pit "engineer" who helped me with the Formula Palmer Audi was Justin Wilson.


----------



## Guest

I got a better bargain than I originally thought I had.

The owner had a ton of spares (including a stainless steel fuel tank) that completely filled the back of our Volvo V40 estate and the Scimitar itself.

She arrived in France with no problems, that is apart from having to lie to customs in Pompey "any meat or dairy products sir", for gods sake, I'm a Brit, any space that wasn't filled by car parts had cheddar, pork pies, sausages, bacon and all sorts of other crap that you miss when living overseas.

I put her in for the French MOT this morning, it failed on headlights which was to be expected. All in all I'm very pleased with her.

Cheers

Lee


----------



## strange_too

Looks like you got a bargain there.

I helped clear a Austin A40 Somerset owners collection after he died, I found some very interesting things and some things that made me wonder why the hell he had kept them.


----------



## pg tips

I remember my dad having an A40, the drivers door hinges broke so he just welded it shut and we got in the other side


----------



## johnbaz

i have a 2600cc toyota crown custom estate in my garage, it's not turned a wheel in over ten years, it was my dad's car and my mum said i should have it, it was actually a very fast and comfy motor but was a real thirsty bu**er.

i also had a 1966 humber hawk 2250, 4 speed column change with o/drive on third and top, again a lovely car but this one was a slowcoach being a long stroke engine









also had a 1974 (i think anyhow!) sunbeam alpine coupe, fantastic view all around, i really miss that car









as a 14 year old, my dad asked me if i wanted a sports car that was for sale by a chap that he knew for Â£40, it wasn't actually a sports car but actually a kit car, a ford special, it was based on a ford pop sit up and beg







and probably wouldn't pull you off the kharzi







, to me it was the most beautiful car that i'd ever seen (rather impressionable at 14 y/o ) for some reason i didn't end up with it (probably cream crackered when he went to fetch it!!!)

john









damn, i just realised that i don't have a pic of any of 'em


----------



## chris l

Silver Hawk said:


> For the time being, I'm sticking with vintage two-wheeled transport ( 2 below)...but am starting to consider a vintage car as a next purchase...problem is, one or two of the bikes will have to go


An Ariel! Be still my beating heart!

What year is it? It's beautiful...


----------



## pg tips

Johnbaz,

does the Crown's reverse gear work? Just I've only ever seen two on the road and both of them had a knackered reverse


----------



## grey

pg tips said:


> Johnbaz,
> 
> does the Crown's reverse gear work? Just I've only ever seen two on the road and both of them had a knackered reverse


Bit like those 6139s crowns and stems then?


----------



## mrteatime

im still waiting to see if samm has a vintage Porche!


----------



## grey

bowie said:


> still have this TR7 off to work later in it.
> 
> bowie


Looks great, Bowie. Vastly underrated IMHO. Handled well, superb ride (compared with my contemporary 3.0 litre Capris), pity about the wobbly quality control with the shifts in manufacturing sites. Just could have been the homegrown MX5, before the MX5.


----------



## pg tips

I loved purdy's tr7


----------



## grey

pg tips said:


> I loved purdy's tr7


Euphemisms, euphemisms!


----------



## snorky

I love Scimitars and was very tempted but went for this instead










Can't be doing with modern cars really. They just don't have the character of an oldun'.

Got a '68 Vespa too which I can't wait to get back from having its engine sorted!

Cheers,

nick


----------



## oldfogey

Ah, another Merc fancier!


----------



## snorky

oldfogey said:


> Ah, another Merc fancier!


Powerless to resist the quality. The CE replaced a lovely, but juicy W124 300 wagon.

Driving an old Merc is like holding a ball bearing... It just feels right


----------



## Fatbloke

I took these afew weeks ago at Oulton park

Someone might be interested and its gets my post count up anyway


----------



## rhaythorne

Superb







Any of them you?


----------



## pg tips

what's the gt40 lookalikey?


----------



## Fatbloke

rhaythorne said:


> Superb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any of them you?


I wish

The gt40 thing is a ferrari 308 gtb iun Gulf colours just before it got properly spanked by the porsche that was about to lap it.


----------



## rhaythorne

Ferrari lapped by Porsche







Never!!


----------



## Fatbloke

rhaythorne said:


> Ferrari lapped by Porsche
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Never!!


Sorry did I say lapped i meant completely obliterated and humiliated


----------



## pg tips

Fatbloke said:


> rhaythorne said:
> 
> 
> 
> Superb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any of them you?
> 
> 
> 
> I wish
> 
> The gt40 thing is a ferrari 308 gtb iun Gulf colours just before it got properly spanked by the porsche that was about to lap it.
Click to expand...

Ah of course it is, the gulf colours make me immediatly think of the gt40.

nice to see the porker wipe the floor with it


----------



## rhaythorne

Sods!


----------



## hippo

potz said:


> catflem said:
> 
> 
> 
> She arrived in France with no problems, that is apart from having to lie to customs in Pompey "any meat or dairy products sir", for gods sake, *I'm a Brit, any space that wasn't filled by car parts had cheddar, pork pies, sausages, bacon and all sorts of other crap that you miss when living overseas.*
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
> 
> This is soooo true!
> 
> @ Fatbloke
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This just gives me the horn!
> 
> B**locks to any poofy Ferrari or even Porsche.
Click to expand...

I'm with you there Potz can't beat a great bit of British Muscle


----------



## MarkF

snorky said:


> I love Scimitars and was very tempted but went for this instead
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can't be doing with modern cars really. They just don't have the character of an oldun'.
> 
> Got a '68 Vespa too which I can't wait to get back from having its engine sorted!
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> nick


That looks great, I am suprised that they are still so affordable, maybe not for much longer? I like Mercs, pre mid 90's that is and I have a fascination for 740/760 Volvo's too, I have a mint 1988 GL that has just cost me the princely sum of Â£175!









Like to see the Vespa pics when you get it back.


----------



## Fatbloke

potz said:


> My father used to have a 1980 AM V8 Volante (1000 UP) in a limited edition of only 34 cars made. It had a 400 bhp Vantage engine fitted. Brute force and a sound to die for. Petrol consumption was about 15 ltr/100 km when not doing anything and pushing about 25-30 ltr/100 km when giving it stick. 5.4 ltr V8, 4 Weber triples and standard 4-star fuel. Stainless steel exhausts and 285s/255s on BBS rims. All done in burgundy metallic with parchment leather interior.
> 
> Sadly he decided to sell it on as he didn't use it a lot and I was unlucky not to have first refusal.
> 
> (Actually he wanted a Z8 to drive around on the Continent with instead. Spends most of his time in Paris these days and left-hand drive is essential for survival there.)


A few more for you to drool over then

All taken at the Aston MArtin owners club meeting at Oulton Park earlier in the year.










Car pornography


----------



## thunderbolt

1980's Vantage







The only one to have.


----------



## johnbrigade

potz said:


> @ Fatbloke
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This just gives me the horn!


Reading this thread backwards, I was just about to reply to the effect that this made me go all funny!


----------



## Fatbloke

been away for the weekend and this is how to really have fun with old cars


----------



## seiko6139

snorky said:


> I love Scimitars and was very tempted but went for this instead
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can't be doing with modern cars really. They just don't have the character of an oldun'.
> 
> Got a '68 Vespa too which I can't wait to get back from having its engine sorted!
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> nick


That's a nice motor. I'm a big fan of the BMW E30 Coupe. I'm looking for the "right one" at the moment.Too many of them have rough arches and have belonged to boy racers. I'd love to drop on a one owner Vicar's wife's car.


----------



## MarkF

Fatbloke said:


> been away for the weekend and this is how to really have fun with old cars


Is the Chevy 62-63? A wonderful design







The girl looks good too. Great pic, where was it taken?

It took me a while to make the link between this pic and the one of you sporting a flat top.


----------



## Fatbloke

It was in Hemsby close to Great Yarmouth

Musical festival but the girl asked me to do a few pictures for some retro clothing company and it all snowballed from there.

I dont know too much about the cars they just ended up getting used but good fun was had by all.

Note straight through pipes



















Its a beast and sounds like hell just rolled into town.

Great fun


----------



## chrisb

One of these has just appeared in the driveway opposite me (for restoration -inside)


----------



## Griff

Perhaps if you put yer spats on he'll give you a lift to wotk in it!!!


----------



## chrisb

Griff said:


> Perhaps if you put yer spats on he'll give you a lift to wotk in it!!!


 Great, I've never been to "wokt", is it nice? and where's it near?

ps my spats are in the wash


----------



## Griff

We have that many T breaks in the public sector it kinda influencies the way you spell work!!






























p.s.

I always prefer my spats blancoed. Mind you.........we were always smarter in *North* Manchester


----------



## Guest

If you're into 50/60/70's yank tanks, check out a programme called "overhaulin" on the Discovery channel. The guy who runs the show (Chip Foose) does some damm good work.

Another one to watch for custom car fans is Chop shop, which is also on Discovery. A mad bangladeshi car designer teamed up with a good old east end mechanic - the sparks and the language really fly.

Cheers

Lee


----------



## tertius

pg tips said:


> Fatbloke said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rhaythorne said:
> 
> 
> 
> Superb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any of them you?
> 
> 
> 
> I wish
> 
> The gt40 thing is a ferrari 308 gtb iun Gulf colours just before it got properly spanked by the porsche that was about to lap it.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Ah of course it is, the gulf colours make me immediatly think of the gt40.
> 
> nice to see the porker wipe the floor with it
Click to expand...

Whilst I'm completely in agreement that Porsche ought to wipe the floor with a Ferrari to be fair here, if I'm not mistaken that Porsche is Richard Chamberlain's championship winning 935-alike with something absurd like 600-bhp so it really ought to be doing the wiping ...

Didn't realise we had some track lovers here.

Couple of pics from a trip to the Nurburgring back in the summer:



















Full album is here: http://www.tertius.me.uk/pages/Nurburgring...lbum/index.html

and a Bedford track day:



















Full set here: http://www.tertius.me.uk/pages/Bedford_24A...lbum/index.html


----------



## Fatbloke

tis the very same Mr Chamberlains porsche and yes it is ridiculously quick

nice pics mate


----------



## Larry from Calgary

Fatbloke said:


> been away for the weekend and this is how to really have fun with old cars


If you ever get a chance, you might like this http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com/

"To be held on Saturday, August 18, 2007, the Woodward Dream Cruise, the worldâ€™s largest one-day celebration of car culture, attracts more than 1 million visitors and more than 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom, collector and special interest vehicles."

"The Woodward Dream Cruise celebrates the heydays of the â€˜50s and â€˜60s when Woodward Avenue was the heart and soul of cruising in the city that put America on wheels. Combined with music and fashions of the era, the Dream Cruise celebrates the nostalgia of bygone days in the cars that made them so special. The Woodward Dream Cruise is sponsored by a volunteer committee that coordinates the efforts of the nine host cities, the County of Oakland, media organizations, transportation authorities, corporations, small businesses and charities.

Woodward Avenue from Ferndale to Pontiac is lined on both sides with magnificent classic and custom automobiles. It's a 16-mile long car show that is educational, historic and fun for all ages. There is no charge to attend the Woodward Dream Cruise. The Woodward Dream Cruise is the world's largest one-day celebration of car culture that attracts more than 1.7 million visitors, and more than 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom, collector and special interest vehicles."

"Legend has it that the Big Three tested their top-secret project cars after dark on Woodward Avenue during the Fifties and Sixties."

And don't forget to check out Duggans Pub while you're there. http://www.dugganspub.com/ (I highly recommend a "Big Chief" and a pint of Miller Genuine Draft to wash it down. Then again, you might just want a "Little Chief" to keep the cholesterol levels down)

Larry


----------



## Greg

Oh, Oh, Me, Me! I like old cars! :rltb:

My current two:



















The Fiat is being used in a photoshoot there, courtesy of The Classic Car Agency - potentially good little earner if you have a classic and want it to pay for itself, at least in part! 

The Lotus is actually for sale, if anyone's interested? I don't have time to care for it, so it needs to go to a better home. I will purchase something which requires a little less TLC.


----------



## pinkwindmill

Loving the "Porsche"!














































Cheers,

Guy


----------



## pinkwindmill

One more!










Cheers,

Guy


----------



## thunderbolt

pinkwindmill said:


> One more!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Guy


Great pics :lol: Not 100%, but isn't that Walter Rohl behind the wheel of this one?


----------



## squareleg

Sorry mate, nothing beats the original!


----------



## pg tips

I love 'em  all apart from the audi that is!

How cool is that Lambo B)


----------



## BondandBigM

squareleg said:


> Sorry mate, nothing beats the original!


The real deal and best of the bunch


----------



## oldfogey

Is that the same car crashed by Mr Hamilton senior at Digswell?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2077344/Le...es-Porsche.html


----------



## squareleg

> Sorry mate, nothing beats the original!





> The real deal and best of the bunch


Ok, but one day you'll have to explain that to your kids. I prefer this one:


----------



## BondandBigM

oldfogey said:


> Is that the same car crashed by Mr Hamilton senior at Digswell?
> 
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2077344/Le...es-Porsche.html


If it is, he drove a long way :lol:

The car in the pic was at a Supercar Sunday show in Singapore last summer.


----------



## jasonm

Absolutely brilliant!! :lol:


----------



## Guz

jasonm said:


> Absolutely brilliant!! :lol:


What size are these from lug tug :lol: :lol:

Suppose Mr. Brown will impose a crazy tax on these..


----------



## adrian

:lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## Fatbloke




----------



## Fatbloke




----------



## Fatbloke




----------



## Fatbloke

Holiday snaps from the car cruise in Kissimmee florida

not anywhere near as cool as sharkbikes nascar stuff though

Sorry if they burned anyones modem


----------



## BondandBigM

Now your talking



A few from Hermosa beach and Pomona the last time I was over there


----------



## BondandBigM

Recognize these Guy's



















And my last one


----------



## thorpey69

Lovely pics,im glad i havent got a lot of money because the choice of cars out there would fry my brain


----------



## s67

The company I work for has decided to change its company business mileage scheme.

It is now based on cars that do 50MPG so you get paid the cost of a Gallon of Fuel divided by 50 per mile.

This is to encourage us all to ditch the compact execs we have all worked our lives to attain in favour of a more economical car.

I am in favour of saving the planet an all that but to see my MD in a Nissan Micra does not inspire me. God knows what clients will think.

The letter says there are now plenty of cars that do over 50MPG even larger cars.

OK I thought where's the list, the book may say 50mpg but in reality commuting to work does not give you 50 to the gallon.

What cars are we atlking about here, i assume diesel which I have just switched to but I only get 47mpg from a whole tank on average. I have had it chipped and its now doing more but I have had to fiddle with the cars engine to get the increase.

Whats out there?


----------



## jasonm

Im not sure is my short reply, but not wanting to go off on a tangent already, but there must be a formula to work out when it becomes viable to go back to petrol over diesel as the price of diesel go's up ....

IE cheaper petrol but less mpg Vrs pricey diesel but more mpg......


----------



## s67

there probably is the difference in price is now 18p/l but the calculation is based on 50mpg the price of fuel is irrelavant as you get the cost of a gallon divided by 50 be it petrol or diesel.


----------



## pg tips

Go here

http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/fuelConSearch.asp

chose the economy range then the manufacturer (or ALL). There are loads from 51-60 mpg getting fewer as you go more economical.

These are the top 3 on the list

*MINI* *MINI Hatchback R56* MINI Cooper D Hatchback - with particle filter M6 Diesel co2 =104 / com mpg= 72.4

*SEAT* *Ibiza* 1.4 TDI 80PS Ecomotion M5 Diesel co2 =99 / com mpg=74.3 

VOLKSWAGEN *Polo 3 / 5 Door* 1.4 TDI (80 PS) BLUEMOTION with DPF M5 Diesel co2 =99 / com mpg= 74.3



*FUEL CONSUMPTION TEST (Directive 80/1268/EEC as amended by 2004/3/EC)*

The new test has been agreed internationally and provides results that are more representative of actual average on-road fuel consumption than previous tests. There are two parts: an urban and an extra-urban cycle. The test cycle is the same as that used to determine the official exhaust emission classification for the model of vehicle in question.

The cars tested have to be run in and must have been driven for at least 1,800 miles (3,000 kilometres) before testing.

*Urban cycle*

The urban test cycle is carried out in a laboratory at an ambient temperature of 20Â°C to 30Â°C on a rolling road from a cold start, i.e. the engine has not run for several hours. The cycle consists of a series of accelerations, steady speeds, decelerations and idling. Maximum speed is 31 mph (50 km/h), average speed 12 mph (19 km/h) and the distance covered is 2.5 miles (4 km). The cycle is shown as Part One in the diagram below.

*Extra-urban cycle*

This cycle is conducted immediately following the urban cycle and consists of roughly half steady-speed driving and the remainder accelerations, decelerations, and some idling. Maximum speed is 75 mph (120 km/h), average speed is 39 mph (63 km/h) and the distance covered is 4.3 miles (7 km). The cycle is shown as Part Two in the diagram below.

*Combined Fuel Consumption Figure*

The combined figure presented is for the urban and the extra-urban cycle together. It is therefore an average of the two parts of the test, weighted by the distances covered in each part.


----------



## pg tips

Interestingly just checked the wife's car (1.4 petrol honda jazz)

Official data is urban 38.7 extra urban 55.4 combined 48.7

It has one of those digital readouts and it is pretty accurate (I know cos I tested it the old fashioned way when we got it)

I've never seen it below 43mpg it's usually averaging 45 (which is basically start from cold drive 1 mile at 30mph, 4 miles at roughly 60mph and then 2 miles at roughly 10 mph in the morning and the reverse it the afternoon 5 days a week) and on a good long run I've had it over 60 mpg.

When we go to visit her parents in Newcastle we used to time to see how fast we could do it in (remaining almost legal) Now we sit and watch the mpg and see if we can coax it over the magic 60mpg! Sad or what! 

I can remember doing there and back (400miles+) on less than Â£20 :cry2:


----------



## BondandBigM

pg tips said:


> Go here
> 
> http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/fuelConSearch.asp
> 
> chose the economy range then the manufacturer (or ALL). There are loads from 51-60 mpg getting fewer as you go more economical.
> 
> These are the top 3 on the list
> 
> *MINI* *MINI Hatchback R56* MINI Cooper D Hatchback - with particle filter M6 Diesel co2 =104 / com mpg= 72.4
> 
> *SEAT* *Ibiza* 1.4 TDI 80PS Ecomotion M5 Diesel co2 =99 / com mpg=74.3
> 
> VOLKSWAGEN *Polo 3 / 5 Door* 1.4 TDI (80 PS) BLUEMOTION with DPF M5 Diesel co2 =99 / com mpg= 74.3
> 
> 
> 
> *FUEL CONSUMPTION TEST (Directive 80/1268/EEC as amended by 2004/3/EC)*
> 
> The new test has been agreed internationally and provides results that are more representative of actual average on-road fuel consumption than previous tests. There are two parts: an urban and an extra-urban cycle. The test cycle is the same as that used to determine the official exhaust emission classification for the model of vehicle in question.
> 
> The cars tested have to be run in and must have been driven for at least 1,800 miles (3,000 kilometres) before testing.
> 
> *Urban cycle*
> 
> The urban test cycle is carried out in a laboratory at an ambient temperature of 20Â°C to 30Â°C on a rolling road from a cold start, i.e. the engine has not run for several hours. The cycle consists of a series of accelerations, steady speeds, decelerations and idling. Maximum speed is 31 mph (50 km/h), average speed 12 mph (19 km/h) and the distance covered is 2.5 miles (4 km). The cycle is shown as Part One in the diagram below.
> 
> *Extra-urban cycle*
> 
> This cycle is conducted immediately following the urban cycle and consists of roughly half steady-speed driving and the remainder accelerations, decelerations, and some idling. Maximum speed is 75 mph (120 km/h), average speed is 39 mph (63 km/h) and the distance covered is 4.3 miles (7 km). The cycle is shown as Part Two in the diagram below.
> 
> *Combined Fuel Consumption Figure*
> 
> The combined figure presented is for the urban and the extra-urban cycle together. It is therefore an average of the two parts of the test, weighted by the distances covered in each part.


The problem with this is it is not real world, all trials are simulated on a test rig and not on the open road with guys who are on a mission to get the absolute best possible MPG and Joe Public will never get even close. At one time I used to see all the invoices from the fuel cards at a previous company I worked for and almost none of the cars or vans got close to the advertised MPG. Even if you factor in the ones that drove like lunatics and the odd one that was syphoning off the odd gallon here or there is was still not close

B.


----------



## pg tips

Just cheked the work van, the combined figure is 35.8

I'm lucky if I can get it over 30, mind you we are running at the max weight and doing a lot of towing.


----------



## mattbeef

To realistically get that you need a book figure of 60ish id say.

Im supposed to to be able to get 35 out of mine easily but ive never seen it, mine is modified but even still the best ive seen is 33


----------



## Steve R

I struggle to recommend it only because of the uniform incompetence of the dealers who clearly don't know and don't care how to do anything other than change the oil in exchange for a big chunk of cash... however, I have a Golf 2.0 GT TDI and it consistently does 58 mpg in normal use with me.

I'd say I drive fairly quickly but smoothly, and my driving is mostly out of town... with a lead foot and more town driving I imagine it would be closer to 40 mpg but still it's pretty good, drives well, has reasonable guts for overtaking and what-not, is very comfortable, handles tidily... crappy dealers and tractor sound effects aside, I can't really fault it.

That said, it's up for replacement soon and I think I'll go for a Mini Cooper S - the CO2 output is identical and there's only so many diesel years a boy can stand... 

S.


----------



## s67

Just as I thought, its a struggle but not impossible to name a car that can REALLY do 50mpg that has Kudos, I assume that the manufacturers will be bringing some out soon as its on everyones minds even the americans who pay far less than us for fuel.

Our car park could soon like the back lot of the italian job as we all switch to the Mini Mini diesel.

Martyn


----------



## oldfogey

Horses for courses. Few, even of the most economical cars, will manage 50mpg in urban commuting. The Mini diesel mentioned above will get the closest because of its stop / start engine off facility. For country road driving or motorway, you'll manage 50mpg in most modern diesels. Our now 5 year-old 2.5 litre Volvo D5 does that easily.

Does your employer expect 50mpg in urban driving? If so, you might need to do some persuading...


----------



## s67

We will get paid per mile 1/50th of the cost of a gallon anywhere. In the majority of cases we will all be paying with our own money to get around at work, thats like asking a lorry driver to pay for the fuel in his wagon. Except we can all buy more economical new cars and the lorry driver cant.

Its just a sign of times I suppose but why buy a new car when there is nothing wrong with the existing car where is the sense in that?


----------



## PaulBoy

So much of this, as someone else pointed out, relates to how you drive your car & what your driving conditions are i.e. round town, open road, motorway etc - my last three cars have been petrol engines - a 520 BMW with 2L and poodling around I could average over 40mpg & get over 50mpg on motorways - I changed to a 2L Touring which wasn't quite as good but not far off - I recently downsized to an A3 whic has 1.6L petrol and on an open road trip to Arundel yesterday mpg was as high as 49 & never lower than 44 - Drive ecomonically (aircon will cost you about 5 mpg apparently?) & you won't even need a diesel (or a small car)

Paul


----------



## Griff

My Citroen C1 is giving me 57 mpg as an average, and 61 on longer journeys

The road tax is coming down to 20 quid!!


----------



## s67

44 mpg is not good enough that will me mean I am subsidising them 6mpg

30000 miles per year and thats a pay cut.

approx Â£500


----------



## mrteatime

s67 said:


> 44 mpg is not good enough that will me mean I am subsidising them 6mpg
> 
> 30000 miles per year and thats a pay cut.
> 
> approx Â£500


that is bollox....your company is expecting you to find a car that obviously doesnt exist....when it sounds like a pay-cut....all for enviromental reasons...which sounds a lot like the labore bull**** that they come out with


----------



## s67

They do exist but I cant see me doing 30k in a citreon C1. It will be trains and buses etc with no flexibilty so instead of visiting 2/3 sites in a day it will be only one.

Someone may see sense soon.


----------



## Griff

Nowt wrong with these

Citroen


----------



## Steve R

Also check any 4 cylinder BMW diesel by the way - they'll all do 50+ mpg, and a 318d (actually a 2 litre) will probably beat 60 on a regular basis as long as you're not stuck in town and/or drive like a loon.

I think this has been said above already (but I'm too lazy to check, sorry!) - success will really depend on your driving style more than the car to a large extent. I can make my mate's 911 C4 do 35 mpg if I try hard enough... another friend with a Touran with the same engine as my Golf manages about 35 too. Choose wisely, but more than that have words with your right foot!


----------



## unlcky alf

s67 said:


> The company I work for has decided to change its company business mileage scheme.
> 
> It is now based on cars that do 50MPG so you get paid the cost of a Gallon of Fuel divided by 50 per mile.
> 
> This is to encourage us all to ditch the compact execs we have all worked our lives to attain in favour of a more economical car.
> 
> I am in favour of saving the planet an all that but to see my MD in a Nissan Micra does not inspire me. God knows what clients will think.


I'm dying to know, did their letter actually say that this move was to help the company pursue a more enviromentall friendly policy?


----------



## Robert

s67 said:


> This is to encourage us all to ditch the compact execs we have all worked our lives to attain in favour of a more economical car.


Depends what you class as a compact exec but I could live with a 320d, Audi A4 or TT.

I get 17p a mile for diesel which just about covers my costs. From January till June I was getting 14.5p and it was costing me to go out on business.

My freelander can do 37.7mpg and I generally get 37mpg.

I took a trip to Inverness last week. 360 miles @17p = Â£61.20. I took the train at a cost of Â£27.10. Sensible both on price and environment. Train doesn't always suit sadly.


----------



## mrteatime

thought my company was bad!!!!! we get 33p per mile


----------



## Robert

mrteatime said:


> thought my company was bad!!!!! we get 33p per mile


We are about 33p if its your own car - different rates if its a company car or company funded car


----------



## s67

unlcky alf said:


> s67 said:
> 
> 
> 
> The company I work for has decided to change its company business mileage scheme.
> 
> It is now based on cars that do 50MPG so you get paid the cost of a Gallon of Fuel divided by 50 per mile.
> 
> This is to encourage us all to ditch the compact execs we have all worked our lives to attain in favour of a more economical car.
> 
> I am in favour of saving the planet an all that but to see my MD in a Nissan Micra does not inspire me. God knows what clients will think.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm dying to know, did their letter actually say that this move was to help the company pursue a more enviromentall friendly policy?
Click to expand...

Oh yes


----------



## michaelh

I have a Saab 93 1.9tid 150bhp Sportwagon. I have had over 50mpg on the screen before when you are going a distance at the speed limit. I don't do a lot of miles and don't work far away and just knocking about i am getting 43/44mpg.


----------



## unlcky alf

s67 said:


> unlcky alf said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> s67 said:
> 
> 
> 
> The company I work for has decided to change its company business mileage scheme.
> 
> It is now based on cars that do 50MPG so you get paid the cost of a Gallon of Fuel divided by 50 per mile.
> 
> This is to encourage us all to ditch the compact execs we have all worked our lives to attain in favour of a more economical car.
> 
> I am in favour of saving the planet an all that but to see my MD in a Nissan Micra does not inspire me. God knows what clients will think.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm dying to know, did their letter actually say that this move was to help the company pursue a more enviromentall friendly policy?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oh yes
Click to expand...

I can't blame the company for wanting to reduce its costs with the price of fuel as it is, but I wish they'd be a bit more up front about their motives, we're all appreciate the importance of the bottom line.

But I suppose that as long as the government leads by example, and uses faux environmental concerns as an excuse to screw the motorist, we can't expect a more honest approach from others.

Anyone seen Gordon being chauffeured round in his new Prius yet?


----------



## Boxbrownie

No contest really....if you still want a bit of street cred and 50mpg+ its got to be the BMW 320D..........


----------



## pg tips

Air con is a weird one, yes putting it on will use more fuel, the clutch for the pump causes engine drag and it will put the radiator fan on increasing electrical consumption, causing the alternator to produce more current, causing more drag *but* the air con on nice and gentle ticking over is actually more economical than driving with the window open.

excess weight pushes up fuel consumption, in fact anything that causes more drag from having flat tyres (anything from 3 PSI below the manufacturers setting starts to increase consumption) to the car being dirty can all have a tiny effect.

I think I remember reading that later spitfires (WWII fighters not the crappy Triumph roadster) were built with countersunk rivets as this alone added 30mph to the top end speed!

I've lost count of the times I've gone to change someones wheel only to find the boot full of crap and all their tyres well below pressure.


----------



## Boxbrownie

pg tips said:


> Air con is a weird one, yes putting it on will use more fuel, the clutch for the pump causes engine drag and it will put the radiator fan on increasing electrical consumption, causing the alternator to produce more current, causing more drag *but* the air con on nice and gentle ticking over is actually more economical than driving with the window open.
> 
> excess weight pushes up fuel consumption, in fact anything that causes more drag from having flat tyres (anything from 3 PSI below the manufacturers setting starts to increase consumption) to the car being dirty can all have a tiny effect.
> 
> I think I remember reading that later spitfires (WWII fighters not the crappy Triumph roadster) were built with countersunk rivets as this alone added 30mph to the top end speed!
> 
> I've lost count of the times I've gone to change someones wheel only to find the boot full of crap and all their tyres well below pressure.


Every word a gem of truth............especially the Triumph Roadster! :lol: :lol:


----------



## Stuart Davies

I've got a new Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi ZETEC Climate.

My average is a constant 52 mpg however my trips are relatively short and undulating so you'd get more out of it on longer journeys and the open road.

I can live with the fact that it's only 110 bhp as there is still just enough poke to overtake safely.


----------



## Agent orange

Boxbrownie said:


> No contest really....if you still want a bit of street cred and 50mpg+ its got to be the BMW 320D..........


Admittedly mine is an older model (E46 from 2000) and an estate but I don't get 50 mpg. I probably average around 46-48mpg and before I critisised about bring a led footed hoodlum, most of my mileage is on the motorways where I cruise along at around 75 mph in the slow lane. Usually with the A/C off I might add.

The only car that ever exceeded the official mpg figure that I've owned, was a Audi A4 1.9 TDi estate. I could average 60mpg from that, if I drove like an angel.

Cheers,

Gary


----------



## the_rangdo

Mazda 3 1.6D, pretty much the same engine as Stuart's Focus.

Daily commute, 90% road and a little bit of M62 and I get 55-57mpg. Last decent run I did down to Oxford I got 66-ish.


----------



## johnbaz

my eldest lad has a saxo vtr (that i bought him as he was skint and had crashed his 205gti) anyhow the cambelt was de-toothed a couple of weeks ago so i stripped it down and sent the head to be skimmed and two new valves fitting, i also had them replace all of the stem seals as it was burning oil and i didn't fancy doing them (just one damaged inlet valve stem seal really can throw out a lot of blue smoke!)

anyhow i rebuilt it today *and it's nearly killed me* :blush:

i'm aching in places that i didn't know existed but on a better note, upon starting the car- no blue smoke, he took it for a spin and still no blue smoke :thumbup: :thumbup:

it's running smoothly and quietly so it seems really worthwhile (i'm flipping glad it's finished though :good: )

maybe now i'll be able to get some work done on the midget now 

john


----------



## PhilM

Flipping heck that's a lot of work you've had to do, I just hope he appreciates it all especially considering the amount of cash you've saved him


----------



## johnbaz

PhilM said:


> Flipping heck that's a lot of work you've had to do, I just hope he appreciates it all especially considering the amount of cash you've saved him


cheers phil

i've just about stopped aching now 

regards, john


----------



## sonyman

I was chatting away last night and we were showing pics of cars we crashed and I thought it was a good idea for a thread so here goes.

I crashed this into a RAV4 who was on the wrong side of the road overtaking a skip,It was on a small country road and a bend as well but they wrote this car off for this,We paid Â£3000 and got Â£2650 back after owning it for 14 months.

I drove it back home for 2 miles at about 10mph as it was making horrible noises


----------



## johnbrigade

3 [email protected] in a 205 pulled out of a side road, across 2 lanes and straight into me. I got out and looked at them and they legged it. Bloody car had been nicked and I was on my arse with the insurance - lost me no claims. The following day I borrowed the mrs Megane, which was amazingly a lot quicker (which is saying a lot for the Escort! :lol and got nabbed by a speed camera at 38mph. My luckiest week to date I think.










This is the Megane after a lorry driver cut across into the next lane without looking on an island off the M1 and denied any involvement. He had to be taken to court, but neither he nor the company he worked for put forward a case in his defence. I bloody hope he lost his job, the amount of headache he caused.

I think this was Â£3500 worth of repairs - amazed that it stood up so well, considering the amount of plastic used in the construction, but I suppose that's why it had a 5 star safety rating.


----------



## sonyman

johnbrigade said:


> 3 [email protected] in a 205 pulled out of a side road, across 2 lanes and straight into me. I got out and looked at them and they legged it. Bloody car had been nicked and I was on my arse with the insurance - lost me no claims. The following day I borrowed the mrs Megane, which was amazingly a lot quicker (which is saying a lot for the Escort! :lol and got nabbed by a speed camera at 38mph. My luckiest week to date I think.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the Megane after a lorry driver cut across into the next lane without looking on an island off the M1 and denied any involvement. He had to be taken to court, but neither he nor the company he worked for put forward a case in his defence. I bloody hope he lost his job, the amount of headache he caused.
> 
> I think this was Â£3500 worth of repairs - amazed that it stood up so well, considering the amount of plastic used in the construction, but I suppose that's why it had a 5 star safety rating.


ouch when I was dealing in cars in my youth I used to go to a lot a scrap yards,and I was always amazed at the damage some people could do to cars and what they walked away from,One car that sickened me was an old RS Turbo that was covered in blood apparently they had gone underneath a truck and it chopped their heads clean off it was real nasty stuff seats were black I didn't get anything of that car.

Incidentally would anyone buy a car they knew someone had died in,I defo wouldn't no matter how cheap it was.


----------



## BondandBigM

Try this site for some properly crashed cars :lol:

http://www.wreckedexotics.com/


----------



## sonyman

BondandBigM said:


> Try this site for some properly crashed cars :lol:
> 
> http://www.wreckedexotics.com/


Seen that one before Bond it makes me cry to see what some people have done to my grail which is at the mo a 355 Ferrari


----------



## unlcky alf

F'ing French van drivers :taz:

Fortunately his insurance paid up promptly as I didn't have much use for a short-wheelbase pickup :lol:


----------



## sonyman

unlcky alf said:


> F'ing French van drivers :taz:
> 
> Fortunately his insurance paid up promptly as I didn't have much use for a short-wheelbase pickup :lol:


OWWWWWWWWW bet that hurt


----------



## rhaythorne

No pics, but last February, between me, my dad and his neighbours, we had four smashed cars in the space of three weeks! Beat that :lol:

My dad's and the neighbour's cars were parked on the street. At around 3am one morning they were struck at such high speed (by persons unknown) that both cars were pushed up onto the pavement. Dad's car was written off and the neighbour's was towed away for repair. My dad bought a new car but, two weeks later as he was driving into a car park, the unsecured metal barrier blew around in the wind and went straight through his windscreen punching a big dent into the roof. Another write-off! Cue second new car.

Meanwhile, as I mentioned in another thread, I was driving passed a bus that was waiting at a bus stop. Just as I'm going by, the bus pulls away and....clunk! Big dent in the side of my car 

So, thanks for the pics. They say misery loves company and seeing your wrecks somehow makes me feel a little better


----------



## sonyman

rhaythorne said:


> No pics, but last February, between me, my dad and his neighbours, we had four smashed cars in the space of three weeks! Beat that :lol:
> 
> My dad's and the neighbour's cars were parked on the street. At around 3am one morning they were struck at such high speed (by persons unknown) that both cars were pushed up onto the pavement. Dad's car was written off and the neighbour's was towed away for repair. My dad bought a new car but, two weeks later as he was driving into a car park, the unsecured metal barrier blew around in the wind and went straight through his windscreen punching a big dent into the roof. Another write-off! Cue second new car.
> 
> Meanwhile, as I mentioned in another thread, I was driving passed a bus that was waiting at a bus stop. Just as I'm going by, the bus pulls away and....clunk! Big dent in the side of my car
> 
> So, thanks for the pics. They say misery loves company and seeing your wrecks somehow makes me feel a little better


Think I would walk if I were you mate :tongue2:


----------



## mattbeef

BondandBigM said:


> Try this site for some properly crashed cars :lol:
> 
> http://www.wreckedexotics.com/


In my mind that website doesnt exist


----------



## magnet

My head-on with articulated lorry!! Fortunately he came to a stop after pulling out on me and i managed to shed most of my speed by braking and bouncing off the kerbs :huh:

I liked that car :cry2:


----------



## sonyman

magnet said:


> My head-on with articulated lorry!! Fortunately he came to a stop after pulling out on me and i managed to shed most of my speed by braking and bouncing off the kerbs :huh:
> 
> I liked that car :cry2:


Now THAT would hurt did you say oh dear me I am very scared now!!!! or words to that effect,I had a few of those back in the day two blue ones a red one and a silver one,Always liked the blue ones.


----------



## sssammm

Just found a pic of the nissan 300zx that got sploshed when my m8 tried to show me how to take a roundabout at 90mph in the centre of romford, it hit the kerb coming off, blew the tyre, and spun the car which smashed into the central reservation and went over the top

I got thrown out the side window, lucky he had tint film or id be puree

will post the pic tomorrow when scanned

sam


----------



## StevenJJ

Dropped my WRX over on the Isle of Man. The barrel rolling was a touch disconcerting but I didn't actually think it was that bad at the time. Went back the following day to retrieve something thing and realised the biggest injury I was carrying was some scratch marks on my arms from the wild brambles done while clambering up the other side. Edit -- I did buy a lottery ticket and didn't win. The luck was well and truly used up. If you wondered why you can't insure these cars, the answer is here :lol:


----------



## Jonmurgie

:shocking: we have a winner!!


----------



## Mutley

StevenJJ said:


> Dropped my WRX over on the Isle of Man.


Err you appear to to have omited a few details i.e what was you doing just prior to dropping the scooby


----------



## StevenJJ

mutley said:


> StevenJJ said:
> 
> 
> 
> Dropped my WRX over on the Isle of Man.
> 
> 
> 
> Err you appear to to have omited a few details i.e what was you doing just prior to dropping the scooby
Click to expand...

Driving it. Driver error on a dark and rainy night.


----------



## sonyman

You see thats why I dont drive a scooby (apart from the being cl*t cars every c*nt has one  ) I would be gutted to kill it like that its bad enough killing a Fiesat to kill a scooby Id be suicidal :cry2:

Did the insuarance pay out did it get written off any pics of it a bit closer? we are all sick we want to see the damage.


----------



## StevenJJ

sonyman said:


> You see thats why I dont drive a scooby (apart from the being cl*t cars every c*nt has one  ) I would be gutted to kill it like that its bad enough killing a Fiesat to kill a scooby Id be suicidal :cry2:
> 
> Did the insuarance pay out did it get written off any pics of it a bit closer? we are all sick we want to see the damage.


They paid, no further pics I'm afraid. I imagine it eventually was picked over for parts as the damage was to the shell, no front or rear impacts etc.


----------



## sonyman

DISSAPOINTED no pics,Oh well someone will have a new engine and interior out of that one then may have even reshelled it. Nice car it WAS :lol:


----------



## Mutley

Not so much a crash more a tw*t in a mondeo pulling out of a side road straight into the side of me

Before










After










Just had a letter off the insurance co. - The cheeky f*cker is saying it was my fault. WTF I must have gone sideways into the front of his car :taz:


----------



## sonyman

I bet you got out and said ohh mate are you ok forget about my car I just want to know you are ok after all its just a car


----------



## BGM

720'd off a greasy roundabout then rolled down a motorway slip road embankment, through a wooden fence and came to rest on the right side!

Impressive, given that I'd set off from a standing start literally 50 yards before it happened! :cry2:


----------



## BGM

Not me, but my brother did this to his Micra during the snow earlier on this year....


----------



## Mutley

sonyman said:


> I bet you got out and said ohh mate are you ok forget about my car I just want to know you are ok after all its just a car


 :lol:

He was such a sniveling apologetic little git I didn't have the heart to have a go at him (I know I'm a big softy). I didn't realise he was going to pull a stunt like this


----------



## rednotdead

Not me but I was the passenger.


----------



## mrteatime

sssammm said:


> Just found a pic of the nissan 300zx that got sploshed when my m8 tried to show me how to take a roundabout at 90mph in the centre of romford, it hit the kerb coming off, blew the tyre, and spun the car which smashed into the central reservation and went over the top
> 
> I got thrown out the side window, lucky he had tint film or id be puree
> 
> will post the pic tomorrow when scanned
> 
> sam


where abouts in romford sam? i had some knob take me out at gants hill round about in 2001......he totalled my rs turbo


----------



## Boxbrownie

rednotdead said:


> Not me but I was the passenger.


Wow some crash.....must have hit the barrier hard to do that to a classic GT40 :lol:


----------



## BondandBigM

StevenJJ said:


> Driving it. *Driver error* on a dark and rainy night.


At least you are honest enough to admit it, it's usually how it works when you leave the road like that :lol:


----------



## rednotdead

Boxbrownie said:


> Wow some crash.....must have hit the barrier hard to do that to a classic GT40 :lol:


 :lol: :lol:

The 'barrier' was a head-on collision with a Pug 205 at 50+ leptons. The Pug came off worse..............


----------



## sssammm

WHATS GOING ON WITH THIS FORUM, I POSTED PICS TODAY IN THIS SECTION, NOW THE POST IS GONE...

THIS IS GETTING TOO MUCH, I GET MORE POSTS REMOVED THAN PUBLISHED

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER!!!!!


----------



## Sparky

sssammm said:


> WHATS GOING ON WITH THIS FORUM, I POSTED PICS TODAY IN THIS SECTION, NOW THE POST IS GONE...
> 
> THIS IS GETTING TOO MUCH, I GET MORE POSTS REMOVED THAN PUBLISHED
> 
> CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER!!!!!


Hi Sam, see HERE

Looks like the server went down and lots of posts were lost.

Mark


----------



## sssammm

DOH!


----------



## sssammm

Heres my lost post

6 months in a neck brace


----------



## RussellB

What WAS it? 200SX??


----------



## sssammm

500bhp twin turbo 300zx


----------



## BondandBigM

Ouch

:blink:


----------



## dazaa

BGM said:


> 720'd off a greasy roundabout then rolled down a motorway slip road embankment, through a wooden fence and came to rest on the right side!
> 
> Impressive, given that I'd set off from a standing start literally 50 yards before it happened! :cry2:


What a sad sight. Was it written off? No doubt every salvagable piece was sold on, e30 m3 spares are going for stupid money.....


----------



## scottishcammy

Wouldn't put any pics up here, but I've been to a few horrendous crashes. One which sticks in my mind was a Hyundai Coupe that a drunk guy took (was his girlfriends would just dumped him), drove it head on, no braking, into a stone entrance pillar to a farm, it was about 6' wide, and 15' high. The traffic reckoned he was doing at least 100 mph. The first thing I came across was a dishevelled bloke walking towards us enroute, about 300 yards from the scene. Next to him was a tyre, complete with track rod, brake calliper, etc. I thought he was a witness initially, particularly when I seen the car, which was about 1' 6'' tall and completely unrecognisable.

The bloke was the driver, who had crawled out of what was the rear window, about a 6" gap. He passed out in our car shortly there after. He was very nearly killed and in hospital for ages. The ambulance crew couldn't believe he'd actually got out the car, never mind walked for any distance.

He was in a coma for donkeys. I remember the ambulance crew wanting to cut the roof off the panda to get him out, as they didn't want to move him....you should have heard my Insp. when I radioed him that wee beauty!

Luck, lucky guy. I've a few more stoaters when I can be bothered sticking them up, some quite funny. Not comfortable describing any fatal's though.


----------



## TomWazza

Do I come close to winning???

A tree got in the way...



















Replacement...


----------



## BGM

dazaa said:


> BGM said:
> 
> 
> 
> 720'd off a greasy roundabout then rolled down a motorway slip road embankment, through a wooden fence and came to rest on the right side!
> 
> Impressive, given that I'd set off from a standing start literally 50 yards before it happened! :cry2:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a sad sight. Was it written off? No doubt every salvagable piece was sold on, e30 m3 spares are going for stupid money.....
Click to expand...

It was actually an E28 M535i, the plate's the giveaway!

I sold the car on as a whole, some nice woman from Essex came and picked it up with a flatbed Transit (she wanted the alloys and the mint pacific blue leather interior).

It wasn't written off.... Was probably repairable, but I didn't have the cash to do it :cry2:

Anyway, you live and learn....


----------



## JonW

TomWazza said:


> Do I come close to winning???
> 
> A tree got in the way...


A guy I worked with back in the late 90s did the same thing at Le Mans in his TVR... too fast round a corner back to the campsite, the car left the road and he was wholly in the ditch but still making the turn, thinking 'well all ive got to do is keep going and drive out the other end...' then he saw the huge tree growing in the middle of the ditch... oops. car was write off. the Steering wheel broke off and one of the spokes flipped back (top of steering wheel went forward taking the side two with it, forcing the bottom one towards him which then broke off the wheel, oops etc) that punctured his sternum... ouch. Hospital and a claim later and he was off buying a new car... LOL. Tommo is youre out there mate, does it still hurt?


----------



## marmisto

Sadly I didn't have a chance to get a pic of the car I crashed........INTO!









It was a 2cv and I hit the passenger side and broke the driver's arm when he pulled out in front of me!!


----------



## Fatbloke

Would you beleive he didn't see me when he pulled out in his black Audi.










Fatbloke junior posing there.


----------



## dapper

Cheers


----------



## Boxbrownie

scottishcammy said:


> I've a few more stoaters when I can be bothered sticking them up, some quite funny. Not comfortable describing any fatal's though.


I have attended a fair few RTAs when I was working on the local press.......I had drinking buddies in both the local nick and the brigade and would get quite a few calls in the middle of the night tipping me off to some real headliners! Most of them you really wouldn't want to repeat let alone remember.......I can well understand you Cammy.

There are some dopey sh*tslingers around.......thats what one of the traffic used to call the victims, as when they hit hard enough it was the **** that you first smelt on inspecting the scene, not nice...not nice at all


----------



## Boxbrownie

rednotdead said:


> Boxbrownie said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow some crash.....must have hit the barrier hard to do that to a classic GT40 :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> :lol: :lol:
> 
> The 'barrier' was a head-on collision with a Pug 205 at 50+ leptons. The Pug came off worse..............
Click to expand...

Not suprised at all....one thing I will give those Swatches....er...Smarts :lol: is the crash protection is second to none for a car that class.


----------



## James

hmmm,

http://www.monsterauto.ca/chinese-cars.php

Does this mean then I can get 4 Dongfeng's for the price of one hummer?


----------



## MakeTime

James said:


> hmmm,
> 
> http://www.monsterauto.ca/chinese-cars.php
> 
> Does this mean then I can get 4 Dongfeng's for the price of one hummer?


l

You have to take you hat off to them as to how blatant they are about their copies. They say imitation is the best form of flattery, but I wonder how much more reliable they will be vs the vehicles they are emulating? I suspect a couple of Omegas may buy the Shuanghuan CEO!


----------



## sonyman

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/239632/

thats nothing check the above link out


----------



## JoT

I like this comment about the "Lifan 320" _ Like so many other Chinese clones, this is more like those "cheap Rolexes" that are made in China with no attempt to replicate the quality of the original._


----------



## BGM

Saw that Geely thing on Top Gear yesterday! WTF!!??

I wonder how much they'll charge for one of those things?

I've noticed a few vehicles on the UK roads recently that seem to have taken a bit more than a few styling ideas from some of the major motoring manufacturers!










Mercedes GL class????










Cross-bread with this?


----------



## sonyman

BGM said:


> Saw that Geely thing on Top Gear yesterday! WTF!!??
> 
> I wonder how much they'll charge for one of those things?
> 
> I've noticed a few vehicles on the UK roads recently that seem to have taken a bit more than a few styling ideas from some of the major motoring manufacturers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mercedes GL class????
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cross-bread with this?


Yes I saw it there too :cry2: If a roller is about Â£200K they could probably still sell this at Â£30k upwards and it would still be cheap. who knows they may even be well built like Vauxhalls!!!!!


----------



## BGM

Sorry, looks like the first pic above has been moved! Just type Ssanyong into Google Images and you'll see what I mean!

Whilst we're on the subject of Ssanyong, what about this.....










With this.......










????


----------



## mel

James, we all said the same a few years back about Toyota, Nissan and others - they were foreign rubbish then - look at 'em now :yes:


----------



## DeepSea

mel said:


> James, we all said the same a few years back about Toyota, Nissan and others - they were foreign rubbish then - look at 'em now :yes:


It looks like they are gonna be death traps, did you watch the one video from the first post of the Chinese made car that in crash tests they said the dummy was so intertwined with the metal they had to cut it out piece by piece! Unbelievable, it doesnt just stop with cars, they are doing the same thing with Dirt Bikes. Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki, China is making near identical bikes, right down to the color.


----------



## Guest

Hi all,

I recently traded in my 2.2 diesel Merc for a wee Honda HRV 1.6 petrol. On taking it out today I noticed I only got 150 miles to Â£25 of fuel whereas with the Merc I would have got 210-230. Is the little Honda giving good returns and I'm just used to a diesel? Or is it failing a little?

I know it has been parked up for at least a month, could this have something to do with the lesser MPG?


----------



## Robert

Don't know about yours specifically but it wouldn't surprise me if that was normal.

One of my fishing buddies was getting 23mpg from his petrol Honda CRV and I was getting 35-37mpg from my 2.2 diesel Freelander.


----------



## lewjamben

Wrong subforum! :lol:


----------



## BondandBigM

Close on a fiver a gallon these days so sounds not to bad, biggish car, smallish engine, is it 4wd ????

Parkers say average 32mpg but might depend on how you drive it.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Summary.aspx?model=310&page=3


----------



## Guest

BondandBigM said:


> Close on a fiver a gallon these days so sounds not to bad, biggish car, smallish engine, is it 4wd ????
> 
> Parkers say average 32mpg but might depend on how you drive it.
> 
> http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Summary.aspx?model=310&page=3


I have to admit I'm maybe still getting used to driving it...it's very revvy compared to the Merc...it's the 2wd version which should help.

My idea was to have it serviced (it's due one but has been serviced regularly) and try to keep to a cruise rather than a sprint...


----------



## Guest

lewjamben said:


> Wrong subforum! :lol:


D'oh! :sweatdrop:


----------



## vamos666

levon2807 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I recently traded in my 2.2 diesel Merc for a wee Honda HRV 1.6 petrol. On taking it out today I noticed I only got 150 miles to Â£25 of fuel whereas with the Merc I would have got 210-230. Is the little Honda giving good returns and I'm just used to a diesel? Or is it failing a little?
> 
> I know it has been parked up for at least a month, could this have something to do with the lesser MPG?


Diesels are more efficient, although consider how you've changed your driving style? From sitting in the fast lane in a Merc Lump for miles on end, to nipping in and out of traffic in a 'ickle hatchback(?).

Get a Jag and **** the planet, as Dennis Leary said: " i didn't break the planet, it was this way when i found it.."


----------



## scottswatches

the wee honda is quite heavy, and the petrol engine will suck the juice down. Asd a former mechanic this is my advice. Disconnect the battery for an hour, then reconnect it and take the car for a blast. This should reset the engine mapping, as they 'learn' how you drive and adjust the engine management to suit. This means if it has been pottering around town it will feel quite slow (and thirsty), whereas if it was used to being in the outside lane it might actually be running better.

And it is free to try this!!

my car is only a 1.6 petrol, and it is really light, but i struggle to get 20mpg. Damn that turbo....and the addictive throttle!


----------



## Mutley

scottswatches said:


> my car is only a 1.6 petrol, and it is really light, but i struggle to get 20mpg. Damn that turbo....and the addictive throttle!


 :notworthy: That's my sort of driving :thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM

mutley said:


> scottswatches said:
> 
> 
> 
> my car is only a 1.6 petrol, and it is really light, but i struggle to get 20mpg. Damn that turbo....and the addictive throttle!
> 
> 
> 
> :notworthy: That's my sort of driving :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

:lol: :lol:

7.3 V8 with a big Garret turbo you can get you hand inside and even I can get more mpg than that.


----------



## brgkster

that honda makes my 190e seem like a teetotolar.


----------



## Guest

brgkster said:


> that honda makes my 190e seem like a teetotolar.


Alas, you are right...I'm going to try and scale back the MPG but if things don't improve I might have to go back to the German bruisers


----------



## MarkF

We do a lot of outdoor stuff, camping etc and I also ferry a few junior football kids and kit about, I need a new car for this purpose alone, I have other cars.

I had a Ford Maverick, it was great although lacking a bit of luggage space, unfortunately it died, so, I bought another, but this time a Mazda Tribute clone, trouble is, it's bright metallic green and it is sending me bonkers. It's got to go.  Been thinking about the Citroen Berlingo/Peugeot Partner, can anybody offer advice or an opinion? I know that they are pug ugly but I don't care, I want a "utility" vehicle but I definitely don't want or need a dedicated 4x4. I had a Renault 4 when I was a kid and I loved it, that was a utility vehicle with charm, wish they still amde them. Any other suggestions are most welcome.


----------



## MarkF

MarkF said:


> We do a lot of outdoor stuff, camping etc and I also ferry a few junior football kids and kit about, I need a new car for this purpose alone, I have other cars.
> 
> I had a Ford Maverick, it was great although lacking a bit of luggage space, unfortunately it died, so, I bought another, but this time a Mazda Tribute clone, trouble is, it's bright metallic green and it is sending me bonkers. It's got to go.  Been thinking about the Citroen Berlingo/Peugeot Partner, can anybody offer advice or an opinion? I know that they are pug ugly but I don't care, I want a "utility" vehicle but I definitely don't want or need a dedicated 4x4. I had a Renault 4 when I was a kid and I loved it, that was a utility vehicle with charm, wish they still amde them. Any other suggestions are most welcome.


PS I meant "new" to me, I want to spend no more than Â£4k.


----------



## thunderbolt

How about a used Vauxhall Zafira or a VW Touran or something of a similar style?


----------



## BondandBigM

Used one of these now and then, borrowed from a mate. Indestructible and went on next to no petrol.


----------



## AlexC1981

If you want cheap and cheerful you could consider a Fiat Doblo. The newer JTD or multijet diesels look to be much better than those fitted with their previous generation diesel engines.


----------



## pg tips

There isn't much out there tbh, and what is is pretty bad the new berlingo multispace probably being the best of a bad bunch, I assume you don't want to go down the mpv route?


----------



## Odo

Hi Mark, how about a used Citroen Picasso? If you don't need more than 5 seats they are very practical. Big boot, took the seats out of mine and used it as a van today. Should be able to get an 02/03 ( or newer, I have no idea!) plate for less than 4K?

Just a thought


----------



## mattbeef

As much as i hate them id agree with the Picasso.

Plenty to choose from as there will be loads


----------



## MarkF

Thanks for all the replies, I don't really like any MPV's but I'd consider one, not a Zafira though, I have one in Spain and can't see past the "A" pillars. The Picasso is even uglier than the Berlingo but they must have something, there seem to be zillions of them about.

In my mind I know what I want but there doesn't seem to be such a vehicle made.


----------



## blackandgolduk

My old man has a Picasso, his second. I never really liked them, but I have to say they are very flexible. Take the seats out and you have a van, good luggage space in standard set up, comfy on a long run, loads of extras available, cheap to buy and cost nothing to run. My old man does about 25,000 miles a year, and his have never missed a beat - I can see why people like them.

Have you thought about a Multipla? I'd have thought that they were the kind of bonkers car you'd go for...


----------



## pauluspaolo

How about a Nissan Pao? I saw one in Morrisons car park the other day & it looked excellent - though maybe not big enough for what you need  Mechanically they are based on the K10 Micra, they're an import & most tend to be automatics - I love 'em despite that


----------



## MarkF

pauluspaolo said:


> How about a Nissan Pao? I saw one in Morrisons car park the other day & it looked excellent - though maybe not big enough for what you need  Mechanically they are based on the K10 Micra, they're an import & most tend to be automatics - I love 'em despite that


Hi Paul, a year or 2 ago I looked for a Pao for Carolyn, much better value than the Figaro, cuter too IMO. But, half the size I need, ther is an another oddball Nissan, the Rasheen, that might do the trick.

Multipla's, I like those but there are too many quality/reliability issues with them.

Rasheen


----------



## pg tips

It's all this chique (?) styling isn't it, no one wants a box on wheels these days, has to be sleek and "stylish"

Probably too small but I like the nissan cube


----------



## MarkF

pg tips said:


> It's all this chique (?) styling isn't it, no one wants a box on wheels these days, has to be sleek and "stylish"
> 
> Probably too small but I like the nissan cube


Chic? :tongue2: You are right PG, that is why I am struggling, that is exactly what I want, a box on wheels. A vehicle that is simple and maximises space.

Cube luggage space is way too small, had a look.


----------



## mattbeef

Know its more if a people carrier but what about a mitsubishi delica? I know they are in import but would be in that price bracket.

Failing that blow the budget and get a Skoda Yeti


----------



## Griff

BondandBigM said:


> Used one of these now and then, borrowed from a mate. Indestructible and went on next to no petrol.


Like that :thumbsup:

Berlingo sounds the ticket though


----------



## BondandBigM

If it's just a box on wheels you want can you get an older one of these for the money you want to spend. Go forever and plenty of places that can service and fix them.


----------



## Griff

BondandBigM said:


> If it's just a box on wheels you want can you get an older one of these for the money you want to spend. Go forever and plenty of places that can service and fix them.


I agree B

Just one prob......................glug..............glug.........glug


----------



## BondandBigM

Griff said:


> I agree B
> 
> Just one prob......................glug..............glug.........glug


Get an older diesel, they will run on anything, plenty take away shops in Bradford 

http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/introduction.html


----------



## MarkF

B, is that a 4x4 I see before me? Your previous suggestion had enough luggage space for a small cheese sandwich, not very helpful. :blink:



BondandBigM said:


> If it's just a box on wheels you want can you get an older one of these for the money you want to spend. Go forever and plenty of places that can service and fix them.


----------



## BondandBigM

MarkF said:


> B, is that a 4x4 I see before me? Your previous suggestion had enough luggage space for a small cheese sandwich, not very helpful. :blink:
> 
> 
> 
> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> If it's just a box on wheels you want can you get an older one of these for the money you want to spend. Go forever and plenty of places that can service and fix them.
Click to expand...

:lol: :lol:

You'd be amazed how much you can get into one of those old Citreon's 

As for the LR, you can't get much more boxy or utilitarian than one of those and ten minutes with an old imperial spanner and a propshaft is gone, then it's only 2wd, front or rear, you choose :lol: :lol:


----------



## Marky

that is exactly what I want, a box on wheels. A vehicle that is simple and maximises space.

they're boxy but they're good:


----------



## JTW

When i saw the title of this thread I was reminded of this










The Jowett Bradford Utility (pic off the web), my dad had one when I was a kid.

When I was a teenager it was still going although by then it was just an engine and chassis used for odd jobs on the farm - learnt to drive on it though.

And you could own this particular example for just under Â£7k !


----------



## MarkF

Marky said:


> that is exactly what I want, a box on wheels. A vehicle that is simple and maximises space.
> 
> they're boxy but they're good:


Can't see a pic? Is it a Volvo 740? Had 'em, superb cars.

JTW, I was born 1 mile from where Jowetts were manufactured and can remember when the factory was torn down, that was after a period making tractors not cars.


----------



## Marky

MarkF said:


> Marky said:
> 
> 
> 
> that is exactly what I want, a box on wheels. A vehicle that is simple and maximises space.
> 
> they're boxy but they're good:
> 
> 
> 
> Can't see a pic? Is it a Volvo 740? Had 'em, superb cars.
> 
> JTW, I was born 1 mile from where Jowetts were manufactured and can remember when the factory was torn down, that was after a period making tractors not cars.
Click to expand...

Don't know where the piccy went Mark, your right I did suggest a Volvo estate.

Anyway here it is again, I know this one's a bit old but you get the idea of utilitarian design:


----------



## BondandBigM

Marky said:


>


Good Call !!!!!!

I forgot about those, used one as a company "van" a while ago, I'm guessing early to mid 80's or so.


----------



## Sancho Panza

I remember driving my brothers 240 saloon for the first time, they don't like corners, as I soon found out negotiating a corner at my normal speed, not that fast either.


----------



## MarkF

Update:- There is nothing available, a Nissan Rasheen would have done the trick but I couldn't find one, I did find a mint Renault 4 that brought back great memories, but at Â£4k , no thanks.

So, I bought a 1998 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L auto, it's been reliable in the 600 miles I've done, including the 195 miles I did to collect it. Inside it is like a reverse tardis, it has, suprisingly, a lot less interior space than a Mondeo, I'd say it was Ford Focus sized, considering the enormous exterior dimensions, I just don't understand it.

The best economy I have achieved do far is 17mpg, the lowest 8mpg, it usually hovers aroung 13-15mpg, the mpg digital read out is beginning to have a mental effect on me, and not a good one, as soon as my foot touches the accelerator the display goes manic and hurtles downwards. I am going to disconnect it so that the mpg problem goes away. 

I love it, it's the most enjoyable vehicle that I have owned since the '80's. :thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM

MarkF said:


> B, is that a 4x4 I see before me?





MarkF said:


> So, I bought a 1998 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L auto


:lol: :lol:


----------



## Guest

MarkF said:


> pauluspaolo said:
> 
> 
> 
> How about a Nissan Pao? I saw one in Morrisons car park the other day & it looked excellent - though maybe not big enough for what you need  Mechanically they are based on the K10 Micra, they're an import & most tend to be automatics - I love 'em despite that
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Paul, a year or 2 ago I looked for a Pao for Carolyn, much better value than the Figaro, cuter too IMO. But, half the size I need, ther is an another oddball Nissan, the Rasheen, that might do the trick.
> 
> Multipla's, I like those but there are too many quality/reliability issues with them.
> 
> Rasheen
Click to expand...

Was going to mention the Pau,But thought it may be a touch small.Was trying to think of the one one that reminded me of a shrunken Volvo estate ...But seems you already have the Rasheen [As pictured above] in mind  .


----------



## DaveOS

I've got a 2000 grand Cherokee 4.7 V8 and I love it.

It's worth about two bob but it has every thing on it, still looks ok and when you dip your right toe it sound like God clearing his throat.

One thing you need to be careful of is reliability. Parts are horifically expensive, my wheel bearing cost me almost Â£200 from memory eeek!

A 1998 probably means yours is the older shape. I actually prefer these to mine.

Post a piccy if you can


----------



## BondandBigM

Dave O said:


> my wheel bearing cost me almost Â£200 from memory eeek!


 

Presumably main dealer price ????

You should have phoned one of these shops, probably no more than $20 for the bearing :lol:

http://www.napaonline.com/

Or alternatively you should have bought a Ford


----------



## DaveOS

BondandBigM said:


> Dave O said:
> 
> 
> 
> my wheel bearing cost me almost Â£200 from memory eeek!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Presumably main dealer price ????
> 
> You should have phoned one of these shops, probably no more than $20 for the bearing :lol:
> 
> http://www.napaonline.com/
> 
> Or alternatively you should have bought a Ford
Click to expand...

I'm in the trade so looked everywhere at the time but nobody had one.

It's a massive thing that comes with it's own carrier, about the size of an alterator.

From memory it was Â£172 plus VAT but I could be wrong.

The other side needs doing soon so I will be reminded of the exact amount I'm sure


----------



## BondandBigM

Dave O said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dave O said:
> 
> 
> 
> my wheel bearing cost me almost Â£200 from memory eeek!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Presumably main dealer price ????
> 
> You should have phoned one of these shops, probably no more than $20 for the bearing :lol:
> 
> http://www.napaonline.com/
> 
> Or alternatively you should have bought a Ford
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm in the trade so looked everywhere at the time but nobody had one.
> 
> It's a massive thing that comes with it's own carrier, about the size of an alterator.
> 
> From memory it was Â£172 plus VAT but I could be wrong.
> 
> The other side needs doing soon so I will be reminded of the exact amount I'm sure
Click to expand...

I thought there would be a catch somewhere at that sort of price.


----------



## MarkF

Dave O said:


> One thing you need to be careful of is reliability. Parts are horifically expensive, my wheel bearing cost me almost Â£200 from memory eeek!
> 
> A 1998 probably means yours is the older shape. I actually prefer these to mine.
> 
> Post a piccy if you can


The shape is the older style, very utility, I absolutely love it, first car I've liked since about 1989. Power everything and big comfy leather seats, faults found so far include dodgy passenger window motor and er, that's it. 12 months mot, 4 months tax, 90k and only 2 owners, FSH. Cost Â£850 :thumbsup: So, I don't care about reliablity, if anything expensive goes wrong then I'll just throw it away and buy another, although I'd like to think it has years left it in yet. 4.0L straight six, auto, yaaaay, love it, overtook a car today, engine burbled and Jeep shot forward and the display read "*7MPG*" ace!


----------



## DaveOS

MarkF said:


> Dave O said:
> 
> 
> 
> One thing you need to be careful of is reliability. Parts are horifically expensive, my wheel bearing cost me almost Â£200 from memory eeek!
> 
> A 1998 probably means yours is the older shape. I actually prefer these to mine.
> 
> Post a piccy if you can
> 
> 
> 
> The shape is the older style, very utility, I absolutely love it, first car I've liked since about 1989. Power everything and big comfy leather seats, faults found so far include dodgy passenger window motor and er, that's it. 12 months mot, 4 months tax, 90k and only 2 owners, FSH. Cost Â£850 :thumbsup: So, I don't care about reliablity, if anything expensive goes wrong then I'll just throw it away and buy another, although I'd like to think it has years left it in yet. 4.0L straight six, auto, yaaaay, love it, overtook a car today, engine burbled and Jeep shot forward and the display read "*7MPG*" ace!
Click to expand...

I have acheived the heady nights of 1mpg when I accelerated with 'vigour' coming out of the M6 toll booth.


----------



## norfolkngood

Hi as some might know i deal in vintage postcards and photographs

i have this gorgeous photograph of a vintage car but i can not identify it !!! can anyone help ??










regards Norfolk


----------



## Uncle Alec

Got it!

http://www.theswiftc...k/pictures.html

A 1914 or thereabouts Swift ED 10hp


----------



## norfolkngood

cool thanks for that how did you find that out ?? not much to go on other than the badge ! regards graeme


----------



## Uncle Alec

I am heavily involved in the world of old cars. Rileys mainly, but interested in everything. Even caravans of an age matching that of my cars.

You know, a sad geek anorak.


----------



## Rotundus

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-17834710


----------



## handlehall

I'm sure they will make a big success of it just like they have with MG.Lotus was already dying when Chapman passed away.


----------



## MarkF

handlehall said:


> I'm sure they will make a big success of it just like they have with MG.


Yes, after a slow start selling 11 cars in october, November sales rose to the heady heights of s.e.v.e.n.MG cars in the UK.


----------



## tixntox

Can't make up my mind between a Rotus Eran or a Rand Lover  How soon before a Fellali!


----------



## handlehall

MarkF said:


> handlehall said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sure they will make a big success of it just like they have with MG.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, after a slow start selling 11 cars in october, November sales rose to the heady heights of s.e.v.e.n.MG cars in the UK.
Click to expand...

Yes and strangely enough I've seen one of the mugs who bought one on the M62 - it was horrible, Cecil Kimber must be revolving at about 20,000 RPM in his grave.


----------



## MerlinShepherd

Lolls Loyce and now owned by Lolex. :lol:


----------



## Raptor

Found this on the tube a couple of weeks ago

and it features some pretty awesome classic

rally cars with on board footage and awesome sounds.

Enjoy


----------



## pauluspaolo

Thanks for posting the video - fantastic 

Love the Stratos - the car I'd have if I won the lottery - still good after 40+ years!

:thumbup:


----------



## bowie

thanks that was very good.

bowie


----------



## Raptor

pauluspaolo said:


> Thanks for posting the video - fantastic
> 
> Love the Stratos - the car I'd have if I won the lottery - still good after 40+ years!
> 
> :thumbup:


Yes, the Delta 037 at the end sounds like hell on wheels and of course

you can't ignore the WRC Impreza doing donuts


----------



## inskip75

thanks for posting - took me back to the days when I was competing and watching rallying


----------



## BondandBigM

You could buy this a pretend to be a real rally driver on Sundays

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-sport-quattro-S1-rally-car-/280990786266?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D2932001667402997855%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D3%26sd%3D271069807268%26


----------



## BondandBigM

Or this if you had some spare coin from you're lottery win

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Metro-6R4-Ex-Colin-McRae-2-5L-V64V-Rally-Car-6R4-com-2x6R4-Truck-Spares-/271069807268?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D2933231257453569587%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D280990786266%26


----------



## scottswatches

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/alfa-romeo/10138725/Driving-a-classic-1963-Alfa-Romeo-Guilia-TZ.html?placement=mid3

the first fifty seconds before the journalist starts talking are aural heaven!


----------



## Davey P

Excellent - that reminds me, only 2 weeks until Goodwood Festival of Speed! :yahoo:


----------



## bowie

sounds good to me.. bowie


----------



## JoT

My 1970 MkI Ford Escort 1.1L used to sound like that when the silencer rusted through


----------



## saxon46

I had a couple of alfasuds when i was a youngster..........they sounded the nuts


----------



## vw1978

Every time it gets damp outside and I get in my car and start driving the fan belt starts squealing for a few seconds, does anyone know how to stop it? ( without taking it to a garage/ mechanic ).

Thanks.


----------



## tixntox

Your fan belt needs adjusting. It will be loose and slipping. If it does it too long, it will destroy the belt by overheating it. Check that the belt is in good condition before tightening/adjusting it.

Mike


----------



## Rotundus

is the belt loose? if so tighten it.

is it badly worn? if so replace it.

if you are leaving the bonnet up in the rain you may also want to consider closing it 

tt - beaten to it, damn my slow fingers...


----------



## Who. Me?

Rotundus said:


> if you are leaving the bonnet up in the rain you may also want to consider closing it


 :lol:


----------



## William_Wilson

Everything above is correct. There is also the possibility that the belt may appear to be in good shape but the slipping has glazed its surface. If this is the case, adjustment may only yield short term relief. Again the solution is to install a new belt.

Later,

William


----------



## Iceblue

Could be the belt or could be the alternator take of the belt start if up if the noise had gone its the fan belt if the noise is there its the alternator don't running it or long with out the belt on hope it helps


----------



## BondandBigM

Just change it for a new one, a couple of quid and ten minutes of your time. Unless its one of those serpentine belts that goes round everything and you can't figure out how the tensioner adjusts add a few hours for head scratching and expect skint knuckles.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## vw1978

Hmmm maybe not as simple as I hoped it would be, was hoping it would just be a quick squirt of oil and job done ( sorry I'm not big on fixing cars so don't know much about them), only recently started looking under the bonnet, once I found the lever for it, and I'm only trying to fix it myself now because I hate paying people to do jobs that I know I'm capable of, I will have a look on YouTube/google and see if I can figure out how to change it, in the morning.


----------



## BondandBigM

vw1978 said:


> Hmmm maybe not as simple as I hoped it would be, was hoping it would just be a quick squirt of oil and job done ( sorry I'm not big on fixing cars so don't know much about them), only recently started looking under the bonnet, once I found the lever for it, and I'm only trying to fix it myself now because I hate paying people to do jobs that I know I'm capable of, I will have a look on YouTube/google and see if I can figure out how to change it, in the morning.


What car is it, on most its a fairly straightforward job all you should need is the right spanner. Some have a ratchet style on the bracket which makes it even easier. Any motor factor or if your feeling flush Halfords will sort you out with the right size of belt.

It's unlikely to be the alternator or water pump if the squealing goes after a few minutes. You can try tightening it up but its probably on its way out so just change it. Don't squirt oil on it !!


----------



## BondandBigM

It can be this easy on a VW


----------



## William_Wilson

Iceblue said:


> Could be the belt or could be the alternator take of the belt start if up if the noise had gone its the fan belt if the noise is there its the alternator don't running it or long with out the belt on hope it helps


Ummm, how will the alternator turn and make noise if you have removed the belt?

Later,

William


----------



## vw1978

The car is Peugeot 306, 1.6. The worst car I've ever had in terms of repair costs, I've had it about 8 years and it has cost me more in repairs than the car originally cost to purchase, you name it and it's probably been replaced and or repaired, so now I've decided no more mechanics/garage costs, I'll do it myself and just pay the cost of parts. I always say I'm getting a new car but simply don't have enough spare cash laying around and I'm not one for taking finance/loans, does anyone know if those Haynes manuals are any good for someone like me to help with repairs or are their better books out there?

Cheers for the help.


----------



## blacklab

vw1978 said:


> The car is Peugeot 306, 1.6. The worst car I've ever had in terms of repair costs, I've had it about 8 years and it has cost me more in repairs than the car originally cost to purchase, you name it and it's probably been replaced and or repaired, so now I've decided no more mechanics/garage costs, I'll do it myself and just pay the cost of parts. I always say I'm getting a new car but simply don't have enough spare cash laying around and I'm not one for taking finance/loans, does anyone know if those Haynes manuals are any good for someone like me to help with repairs or are their better books out there?
> 
> Cheers for the help.


Haynes are quite helpful, I have used them on bikes and cars, but they can sometimes get a bit lost when they cover multiple models. I agree about the Peugeot, my daughters got a 106 and its a git.


----------



## Raptor

vw1978 said:


> The car is Peugeot 306, 1.6. The worst car I've ever had in terms of repair costs, I've had it about 8 years and it has cost me more in repairs than the car originally cost to purchase, you name it and it's probably been replaced and or repaired, so now I've decided no more mechanics/garage costs, I'll do it myself and just pay the cost of parts. I always say I'm getting a new car but simply don't have enough spare cash laying around and I'm not one for taking finance/loans, does anyone know if those Haynes manuals are any good for someone like me to help with repairs or are their better books out there?
> 
> Cheers for the help.


You should try owning a subaru lol.

YouTube is a great source of how to videos and failing that I am sure there will

be a forum somewhere where you will find a how to or instructions to do the job.

Changed my alternator belt using a YouTube vid and total cost was Â£8.51 for the

belt and ten minutes under the bonnet with a 12mm spanner. Not bad considering

I would have normally let a mechanic do it and pay silly money for the privilege.


----------



## Mutley

Raptor said:


> You should try owning a subaru lol.


If you compare it to other performance cars servicing is fairly reasonable, I can't comment on repairs as nothings gone wrong (yet)

I do seem to visit petrol stations quite regularly though


----------



## Raptor

Mutley said:


> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> You should try owning a subaru lol.
> 
> 
> 
> If you compare it to other performance cars servicing is fairly reasonable, I can't comment on repairs as nothings gone wrong (yet)
> 
> I do seem to visit petrol stations quite regularly though
Click to expand...

Just glad I don't own one of the chocolate 2.5's.


----------



## Mutley

Raptor said:


> Mutley said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> You should try owning a subaru lol.
> 
> 
> 
> If you compare it to other performance cars servicing is fairly reasonable, I can't comment on repairs as nothings gone wrong (yet)
> 
> I do seem to visit petrol stations quite regularly though
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *Just glad I don't own one of the chocolate 2.5's.*
Click to expand...

 :lol:

I do, no problems at all, in 6 years it hasn't missed a beat.


----------



## Raptor

Mutley said:


> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mutley said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> You should try owning a subaru lol.
> 
> 
> 
> If you compare it to other performance cars servicing is fairly reasonable, I can't comment on repairs as nothings gone wrong (yet)
> 
> I do seem to visit petrol stations quite regularly though
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *Just glad I don't own one of the chocolate 2.5's.*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> :lol:
> 
> I do, no problems at all, in 6 years it hasn't missed a beat.
Click to expand...

Lol, fairplay, the fear of it failing would kill me.

Mind you my classic is getting old fast and I am currently looking for

a decent Forester to replace it.


----------



## Mutley

Raptor said:


> Lol, fairplay, the fear of it failing would kill me.


If it breaks it breaks, I'd just get another (although I'd make sure it had been forged) :yes:


----------



## johnbaz

Is the OP certain that it's not the thrust release bearing on the clutch??

I've had the bearings get noisy at the onset of cold damp weather :yes:

Cured it once or twice by squirting WD40 through the hole in the bell housing when the actuating arm goes through, just have to be careful not to get it on the clutch itself :thumbsup:

It only lasts a few weeks each time though :wallbash:

John 

John


----------



## DaveOS

The clutch release bearing tends to make a noise when the clutch pedal is depressed. It's more of a 'graunchy' noise than a squeal.

As said above, it sounds as though the drive belt is slipping. No great drama.


----------



## mel

Going back to the question about Haynes manuals, two thoughts (from when I used to have to do my own maintenance ldman: )

1) Haynes manuals are good enough except - - they have always been written by guys who don't do work on eight year old cars and where everything has either rusted or seized up over the years, and they have a fully equipped workshop with every conceivable "special tool" needed for that make and model of car. Lesser mortals have to make do and mend with a chisel and a 5lb hammer! :lol:

2) For an older car, have a look in two or three local charity shops before paying full price, lots of Haynes books end up there, and I remember getting one where a previous owner had done the same job I wanted to do, and kindly left handwritten "extra" details stapled to the relevant section!

E N J O Y! ::weed:


----------



## Who. Me?

mel said:


> they have always been written by guys who don't do work on eight year old cars and where everything has either rusted or seized up over the years, and they have a fully equipped workshop with every conceivable "special tool" needed for that make and model of car. Lesser mortals have to make do and mend with a chisel and a 5lb hammer! :lol:


Haynes manual translation - "with judicious tapping and leaving" = give up, it isn't going to come off, you're going to break it, round it or strip it and it's going to need a mechanic to put right the damage at three times the original cost.


----------



## Stuno1

So we are all enthusiasts of a number of things. Watches being my most recent area of interest.

However, my first big love was cars and they are still something I love. My favourite cars I have owned are skoda fabia vrs, Mitsubishi fto, Mazda 3 mps and Mazda rx8. All modified to different degrees.

I then took a break from cars due to where I lived (on street parking) and indulged in a motorbikes which are epic! Had my Kawasaki ninja c1h stolen so bought a suzuki gsxr750 which I use for road riding and track days. Tracking a motorbike is the best buzz I have ever had! Tricked it up quite a bit and it is incredible.

Anyway. I have now moved and have a drive so my interest in cars peaked once more. This led to a search for a rapid family car. I looked at m5's, m3's, c63 amg's, xf r's etc but settled on a lexus isf. Love it! Fenominal car! Few light mods planned such as exhaust and intake but pretty much the finished article in standard spec.

Anywho here are some pics of my lexus isf and suzuki gsxr 750 :0)


----------



## Stuno1




----------



## Rekhmire

Bikes for me too. Two Triumphs. Tiger 800










and Daytona 675SE


----------



## Stuno1

Nice. Do touring/track days. Looked at the Daytona bit I am too tall for it. Amazing looking bike though.


----------



## jbw

Not into bikes so can't really comment on those , but that lexus is very nice. I was in the same situ as you a few years back , went through the faze of Impreza's and evo's etc but wanted a fast family car , Finally ended up with an Audi s8 , had the engine done by the uk dealer for MTM and got it de-restricted from 155mph  Would never go back now to those "Pocket Rockets" although they are a lot of fun!


----------



## Boxbrownie

Stuno1..........nice wheels all six of them, but you do realise that bikes are exactly the same as cars, except they have all the safe bits taken off :lol:

Best of luck with the "other thing" BTW :msn-wink:


----------



## tiff_lee

Ah just my kind of thread, i've got too many cars all in a 'project' state so currently looking to finish up whatever I have planned for them then just get rid.

Renault 5 GT Turbo, had this for years but always got pushed to one side when I bought something else



Calibra Turbo LE



Astra GTE 16V



and after passing my bike test a CBR 600


----------



## pauluspaolo

Canâ€™t comment on bikes as Iâ€™ve never had one but I do like cars J

I like the Lexus â€" makes a change from the usual BMâ€™s/Audiâ€™s etc - not that thereâ€™s anything wrong with those cars I hasten to add! Iâ€™ve never had a turbo nutter mega-fast car but I have had some unusual ones & my wife used to own this, which wasnâ€™t slow - having said that it wasnâ€™t terribly exciting, reliable or involving either (she liked it though) :



This wasnâ€™t particularly slow & great fun when it worked (which wasnâ€™t very often) â€" believe me 80mph in this feels like youâ€™re going for the world land speed record ... in an Asda trolley being towed by a Bugatti Veyron:



This wasnâ€™t slow either with a 1275cc engine in it, much more fun & practical than the thing above & it usually worked extremely well:



My current silly car isnâ€™t particularly slow either â€" though itâ€™s probably not as fast as it could be ..... :huh:





Build thread here: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=33356


----------



## jaguar

Yep good topic cars I love them too. Have you tried Porsche 928's. Ive had a 928 S2 and 928 S4. Cheap enough to buy but expensive to maintain. The S2 is a brute but the S4 is very refined and they are extremely powerful. Both V8 the former a 4.7 and the latter a 5.0. They excel on torque and are supremely stable at speed. The S4 is particularly well mannered in handling terms and can be driven fast safely. They really were super cars of their day and are a modern classic now I think.


----------



## Stuno1

Some great responses there and some unique cars.

Jbw- looked at s8 but a bit big for my needs at the moment. Lovely cars!

Boxbrownie - fancy seeing you here :0) cheers pal

TIFF / Paul - some great motors there. Lost of fun to be had with them!

Jaguar - never had either of those. Now I have a daughter and the bike is my weekend toy probably won't for some time! Looked t

at the cayennes for some time but went the lexus route.

Good to see there are other petrol heads on this forum.

Stu


----------



## tiff_lee

Paul I assume the 1275 lump in those motors is an A Series?


----------



## pauluspaolo

tiff_lee said:


> Paul I assume the 1275 lump in those motors is an A Series?


Yes my friend & I put 1275 A+ (from a Metro) in the yellow monstrosity (actually something called a Chris Hollier Mosquito), we bought it as a joint venture & it came with a completely fubar'd 1000cc lump - the new engine completely transformed the car. My friend decided to move to London so we sold the car - I had no garage - fun while we had it but hopelessly impractical with no roof, doors, boot, windscreen, heater etc etc etc.

I loved the Midas & ended up owning it for 9 years as my daily driver. It had a decent sized boot for such a small car so was surprisingly practical; it wasn't particularly refined or comfortable but it was absolutely fantastic fun to drive. It originally came with a 1000cc engine but after 2 or 3 years I paid a chap (who specialised in Mini's) to fit a 1275 A+ (again from a Metro) in it - best thing I ever did  it went like the ruddy clappers afterwards & was just as economical as it was with the smaller engine.

There's one on Ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141137363369 - it's had a lot of work done to it & sounds like a good one to me - if I didn't already have the SS1 I'd very tempted


----------



## Faze

*My boys*


----------



## mjsrb5

Faze said:


> *My boys*


Wow, that's lovely  I'm not into bikes now but I was when I was a teenager, 2 of my mates had Z's , one of them was identical to that, same colour too.


----------



## mjsrb5

Here's my mid life crisis collection haha.

First up is my every day motor a Jeep Patriot, 2.2 Merc engine and no end of trouble. Nice motor to drive but it's been in and out of the garage with various problems and the warranty has just run out so it may be getting punted soon.

[IMG alt="P1070533_zps1e715271.jpg"...s/y161/slorach/P1070533_zps1e715271.jpg[/IMG]

The Mk2 Escort Ghia is my latest motor and it's a weapon. 2.1 pinto and lots of other go faster goodies on it.

[IMG alt="a652baf7-b6ce-4ce9-90c8-4...-4ce9-90c8-40a9070fe60d_zps54205fcc.jpg[/IMG]

I've also got an Opel Manta 1.8 Berlinetta

[IMG alt="Gairloch2012123.jpg"]http...albums/y161/slorach/Gairloch2012123.jpg[/IMG]

And a 1980 Mk2 Escort RS2000

[IMG alt="RS2000117.jpg"]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y161/slorach/RS2000117.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="amanta149.jpg"]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y161/slorach/RS 2000/amanta149.jpg[/IMG]

And an Impreza RB5 (No 041)

[IMG alt="subrs_zpsf75c9676.jpg"]ht...bums/y161/slorach/subrs_zpsf75c9676.jpg[/IMG]

I'm under pressure from the Mrs to thin out my collection a bit so I may have to sell the RS next year


----------



## BondandBigM

Nice bikes, would love one of these new Ducati's but I gave up on them years ago, kept falling off them and it usually hurt. Although I could just stick the Ducati in the front room and drool over it.

Not in the same league as the Merc or Lexus but I've become quite attached to my old Golf.


----------



## Boxbrownie

Forget the car Mr Bond..........that is a PROPER factory! :lol:


----------



## Davey P

I must be getting old, I looked at the rear view of that Lexus and thought to myself "Hmmm, those quad exhausts are a bit much..." :lol: Great looking car though :thumbup:

I've had quite a few sports cars over the years, ranging from the old Escort RS Turbo to a few MX-5's, Nissan 200 SX's, an MR2 T-Bar, and more recently an RX-8 (which suffered catastrophic engine failure - what a surprise... :wallbash: )

My current ride is this Mk3 Golf GTi, which I love:










It's a 2 litre 16 valve version, all totally standard apart from the BBS wheels which I bought earlier this year :thumbup:


----------



## BondandBigM

Boxbrownie said:


> Forget the car Mr Bond..........that is a PROPER factory! :lol:


These five ton hammers are older than me and still going. The ground literally shakes when they are working. It's like stepping into the dark ages, not much has changed in the last fifty or sixty years.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Stuno1

Nice mate. Just buy her something sparkly :0)


----------



## Boxbrownie

BondandBigM said:


> Boxbrownie said:
> 
> 
> 
> Forget the car Mr Bond..........that is a PROPER factory! :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> These five ton hammers are older than me and still going. The ground literally shakes when they are working. It's like stepping into the dark ages, not much has changed in the last fifty or sixty years.
> 
> :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

It reminds me of the first time I walked into the press shops at Dagenham back in the 70s.....filthy and noisy but oh so real.......and such a H&S risk 

Great fun pressing pennies into some poor sods Cortina wing :naughty: :lol:


----------



## tiff_lee

pauluspaolo said:


> tiff_lee said:
> 
> 
> 
> Paul I assume the 1275 lump in those motors is an A Series?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes my friend & I put 1275 A+ (from a Metro) in the yellow monstrosity (actually something called a Chris Hollier Mosquito), we bought it as a joint venture & it came with a completely fubar'd 1000cc lump - the new engine completely transformed the car. My friend decided to move to London so we sold the car - I had no garage - fun while we had it but hopelessly impractical with no roof, doors, boot, windscreen, heater etc etc etc. I loved the Midas & ended up owning it for 9 years as my daily driver. It had a decent sized boot for such a small car so was surprisingly practical; it wasn't particularly refined or comfortable but it was absolutely fantastic fun to drive. It originally came with a 1000cc engine but after 2 or 3 years I paid a chap (who specialised in Mini's) to fit a 1275 A+ (again from a Metro) in it - best thing I ever did  it went like the ruddy clappers afterwards & was just as economical as it was with the smaller engine. There's one on Ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141137363369 - it's had a lot of work done to it & sounds like a good one to me - if I didn't already have the SS1 I'd very tempted
Click to expand...

I used to be into my Mini's, had a 998 but then fitted a 1275 then fitted a metro turbo lump was like a rocket! shame it only had 4 gears.


----------



## Stuno1

Nice golf's. Liked the older models a lot.

Rx8's are a mess! Lovely looking but eat fuel and oil. Very temptemebtal.

Stu


----------



## tiff_lee

mjsrb5 said:


> I'm under pressure from the Mrs to thin out my collection a bit so I may have to sell the RS next year


How much does a mk2 RS2000 fetch, must be near the 10k mark?

I used to have a mk2 RS Turbo looked lovely can't beat that 80/90s styling on hot hatches I think just a shame it was a typical Ford rotting away underneath.


----------



## BondandBigM

tiff_lee said:


> mjsrb5 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm under pressure from the Mrs to thin out my collection a bit so I may have to sell the RS next year
> 
> 
> 
> How much does a mk2 RS2000 fetch, must be near the 10k mark?
> 
> I used to have a mk2 RS Turbo looked lovely can't beat that 80/90s styling on hot hatches I think just a shame it was a typical Ford rotting away underneath.
Click to expand...

They didn't all rot away, this lads' MK1 Turbo is spotless with the added bonus of being a Turbo Techniques one. But not cheap these day.....Â£12.5k


----------



## tiff_lee

Oh yes a lovely machine, I would of had another RS but personally I don't think their cost is justified, for what they cost now you can buy far far more for your money.


----------



## Docta13

tiff_lee said:


> Oh yes a lovely machine, I would of had another RS but personally I don't think their cost is justified, for what they cost now you can buy far far more for your money.


If you own an rs, it's never about the money!!


----------



## Stuno1

I prefer the look of the golf :0)


----------



## tiff_lee

Docta13 said:


> If you own an rs, it's never about the money!!


It's certainly not about value for money


----------



## jaguar

Yes I love the RS reminds me of being a child in the 80's i guess so pretty nostalgic. Beauty of something like the RS and the GTI is they are now icons and gain instant respect among "petrol heads". However they are less likely to break the bank than some of their 80's rivals. I think they are equally as interesting as say a Porsche 944 Turbo these days with their unique 80s glamour especially the RS. However I would think that the RS would cause less sleepless nights than the Porsche should something require repair... :sweatdrop:. If I had over Â£12,000 to spend however I would buy a Sapphire Cosworth, In silver with raven hide perhaps one of the Rouse Sport editions (if my memory serves me). I still have a Ford RS Edition One brochure from 1991 with the full RS Range in they were fantastic cars. Remember following one down the motor way back in the early 90's in my BMW 635CSI itself no slouch. However I was left in no doubt of the Cossies capabilities it left me for dead... :notworthy:. However in those days you did need a pretty good steering lock if you wanted to see your Cosworth the next day . I think you can get the Sapphire Cossie for a bit less than the RS so perhaps a nice Breitling Navitimer to go with it :thumbup:


----------



## BondandBigM

Stuno1 said:


> I prefer the look of the golf :0)


Obviously so do I, they are far better cars than the RS Fords of the same era. That being said there is something about these Series 1 Turbos but they are a bit overpriced for what they are.


----------



## Who. Me?

jaguar said:


> Yep good topic cars I love them too. Have you tried Porsche 928's. Ive had a 928 S2 and 928 S4. Cheap enough to buy but expensive to maintain. The S2 is a brute but the S4 is very refined and they are extremely powerful. Both V8 the former a 4.7 and the latter a 5.0. They excel on torque and are supremely stable at speed. The S4 is particularly well mannered in handling terms and can be driven fast safely. They really were super cars of their day and are a modern classic now I think.


Now that's a car I've dreamed about since I was a kid. My uncle had one until he drove it under the back of a truck.

I'd love a first generation manual with pepper-pot alloys like the Risky Business Porsche.

It'll never happen though.


----------



## jaslfc5

Some lovely stuff on show on here so il keep it brief , I've put my exciting shoes away for a while and put on my slippers and got an auris hybrid . It's ok quite fun of the lights in power mode but I was sick of paying road tax and fortunes on petrol.

I'm buying a Skoda yeti in March I love them so ugly their beautiful . I will wake up one day and realise I'm in a reverse mid life ,maybe it's hanging around with Kevin mccloud that's done it but that's me and cars right now . Frugal safe and a bit meh but cheapness and economy is where I'm at nothing to do with saving the planet though that can feck off.


----------



## BondandBigM

I've done all the mid life crisis malarky, fun while it lasted


----------



## tiff_lee

Someone's a fan of American muscle!

The first thing I thought of when I saw that Corvette was Dirk Diggler, rather Disturbing!


----------



## BondandBigM

tiff_lee said:


> Someone's a fan of American muscle!
> 
> The first thing I thought of when I saw that Corvette was Dirk Diggler, rather Disturbing!


:lol: :lol:

I did spend some time with a porn star in a stripper bar one night. All part of the mid life crisis.


----------



## jaguar

How about a Jensen Interceptor MK 3 7.2 litre V8 once nearly bought one from outside an old watermill near Olton Park Carmine Red with cream hide it was shot though still loved it. They wanted 8 grand for it had an M6 BMW at the time of '86 vintage so stayed with that though I ended up having new sills welded on it and inner rear wheel arches. M6 was fabulously fast though but tail happy once lost the back end outside the police hq in Leeds when I was at uni spun it right across the central reservation a big wide one grassed fortunately...That was back in 92 when I was studying Law at Leeds Uni. Fun times....


----------



## BondandBigM

A mate of mine has an Interceptor, its some sort of limited edition, one of around fifty made. Not sure what it is, something to do with the roof ?? Properly awesome car with the big V8, if I'm correct a 440 Chrysler.

Personally I prefer a Chevy V8, endless tuning potential and you can build them in your shed with a few AF spammers. Here's one I built earlier, 6ltr 500hp with a 4 speed manual. Did everything except go in a straight line.

:grin:


----------



## Raptor

I have been talking to a man and with luck this time next

week I will have something to contribute...


----------



## Stuno1

Raptor said:


> I have been talking to a man and with luck this time next
> 
> week I will have something to contribute...


Teaser hey... Practical or toy?


----------



## jbw

BondandBigM said:


> I've done all the mid life crisis malarky, fun while it lasted


Nice yanks!

Here's a couple of pics of my 68 Mustang Fastback i had years ago , had to scan some old photo's its that long ago! Loved going to all the shows , Americana , tatton park , Sheffield etc...Good times


----------



## Stuno1

You sold that?!?!


----------



## jbw

Stuno1 said:


> You sold that?!?!


Unfortunately yes , One of my biggest regrets, but at the time i had just got married and was buying a house! It was well looked after though , i sold it to the manager of my local Ford dealers. A few months later i heard a noise and looked in the rear view mirror and there it was behind me , that really P****d me off.


----------



## tiff_lee

Absolute beast, I dread to think how much it would cost to run something like that today, you may as well start feeding fifty pounds note into the dashboard.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nice Mustang !!!!

I saw the Bullitt Mustangs in the Petersen Museum in LA a few years back.










Obviously not my pic


----------



## jbw

BondandBigM said:


> Nice Mustang !!!!
> 
> I saw the Bullitt Mustangs in the Petersen Museum in LA a few years back.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Obviously not my pic


Thats the reason i got mine from watching "Bullitt" , I imported it from Florida then did a complete strip down and rebuild , mine only had the 350 in it so wasnt a 390GT.


----------



## BondandBigM

Here's another couple that I had a few years ago, the Vette was another 4 on the floor but the Camaro was an auto



















And a better one of the T/A


----------



## Raptor

Stuno1 said:


> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been talking to a man and with luck this time next
> 
> week I will have something to contribute...
> 
> 
> 
> Teaser hey... Practical or toy?
Click to expand...

Something practical but with a few toys too...


----------



## jbw

Raptor said:


> Stuno1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been talking to a man and with luck this time next
> 
> week I will have something to contribute...
> 
> 
> 
> Teaser hey... Practical or toy?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Something practical but with a few toys too...
Click to expand...

It's not the Batmobile then.


----------



## jaguar

BondandBigM said:


> A mate of mine has an Interceptor, its some sort of limited edition, one of around fifty made. Not sure what it is, something to do with the roof ?? Properly awesome car with the big V8, if I'm correct a 440 Chrysler.
> 
> Personally I prefer a Chevy V8, endless tuning potential and you can build them in your shed with a few AF spammers. Here's one I built earlier, 6ltr 500hp with a 4 speed manual. Did everything except go in a straight line.
> 
> :grin:


----------



## jaguar

Very impressive especially as you did it your self. I love the bullit mustang what a car chase. I have a Roamer Mustang Electronic Watch circa 1970 if any one wants to swap it for a bullit mustang car


----------



## Raptor

jbw said:


> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stuno1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been talking to a man and with luck this time next
> 
> week I will have something to contribute...
> 
> 
> 
> Teaser hey... Practical or toy?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Something practical but with a few toys too...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It's not the Batmobile then.
Click to expand...

Lol, that's really weird, do you know my Christian name?

If you did know my Christian name you would see how apt the

batmobile would be for me.


----------



## jbw

Got this old Celica GT a long while ago as a bit of a project , needed countless bits and bobs but the biggest expense has been the brakes. Just got it through the MOT this morning which was cutting it a bit fine as i am giving it to my son as a present for his 21st and xmas...Just need a truck load of wrapping paper now!


----------



## BondandBigM

You don't see many of these on the go these days, makes a change from the hoards of Subarus that you see. How long before he's doing this with it.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## tiff_lee

That's some birthday present the lucky sod!

I recall seeing a Top Gear comparison of the Celica GT Vs the Escort Cosworth by Clarkson and he chose the cossie because it was cheaper, shame that isn't the case today.


----------



## jaguar

Had a celica 2.0 GT for a short time about 10 years ago loved it mine was dark blue and standard except for lowered suspension it handled really well and was superbly reliable. Your son will love it! My dad bought me a 1980 BMW 635CSI back in 1989 as I turned 17. It is still the car I treasure the memory of most because my dad gave it me. I still regret exchanging it for a Jag XJS V12.


----------



## BondandBigM

Much as I like a bit of Yank muscle I have a soft spot for old Jags. I remember seeing this back in the day of the proper custom car shows. I still have the Custom Car issue when it was featured.


----------



## jaguar

Yep can remember walking home from junior school and seeing a series 2 XJ12 complete with candy flake paint and massive fibreglass arches on wolfrace alloys love the 1970's :yahoo:


----------



## jbw

jaguar said:


> Yep can remember walking home from junior school and seeing a series 2 XJ12 complete with candy flake paint and massive fibreglass arches on wolfrace alloys love the 1970's :yahoo:


Didn't Steed from the Avengers drive a Jag with the those big arches?


----------



## BondandBigM




----------



## Raptor

Well, I have got the new toy. Just about to go out for a meal

so will post some pics tomorrow.


----------



## Docta13

What a tease!!!


----------



## Studsy76

Nice collection boys love the classic stuff

I drive new shape focus st


----------



## RTM Boy

Use to get a ride in one of these most days when I was a young lad - except it was a bluey-purpley colour as I recall.


----------



## BondandBigM

RTM Boy said:


> Use to get a ride in one of these most days when I was a young lad - except it was a bluey-purpley colour as I recall.


Purple Velvet, I had a 3ltr Capri in that colour and at the time my mate had an Escort 1300E in the same. You just wouldn't drive around in a bright purple car these days.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Raptor

Just a quick pic of my new toy as the weather is bad at the moment

2001 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon

With a few extras...

Raceland coilovers

18" Rota gra rims with Toyo tyres

Hks hi power exhaust cat back

K&N panel filter

Sti interior 3 tv's and playstation

Sti scoop

Sti grill

Sti front lip from htautos

Flaps

Window tints


----------



## abdelaboo

need help to identify this chronograph dashboard

thanks,


----------



## Raptor

abdelaboo said:


> need help to identify this chronograph dashboard
> 
> thanks,


Wrong section to post this and no need to make multiple posts requesting info on it.


----------



## Stuno1

Scoob looks lovely fella. My brother had one for a short time and loved it. I see you have two. Greedy ;0)


----------



## Raptor

Stuno1 said:


> Scoob looks lovely fella. My brother had one for a short time and loved it. I see you have two. Greedy ;0)


Lol, yes the green one is my classic turbo 2000 wagon but she is

up for sale to clear the drive. Putting petrol in one is hard enough

let alone two.


----------



## tixntox

My new part time job has me driving Jaguars. :yes: Unfortunately, I don't get much chance to drive them to their potential as I am usually wearing a black tie (if you get my drift - which I don't get to do!) 






Mike


----------



## Mutley

Raptor said:


> Stuno1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Scoob looks lovely fella. My brother had one for a short time and loved it. I see you have two. Greedy ;0)
> 
> 
> 
> Lol, yes the green one is my classic turbo 2000 wagon but she is
> 
> up for sale to clear the drive. Putting petrol in one is hard enough
> 
> let alone two.
Click to expand...

Fine choice,I'm quite partial to a bit of blue


----------



## doingtime

My bird.


----------



## bowie

my daily ride panda cross 4x4


----------



## T6KFR

My biggest regret was selling my lotus exige some years ago when I thought the fire blade would suffice ....

Few years on now with a family I have an Audi Q7 and Q3 with this as my wee toy a nice HD!


----------



## Alas

Had a great morning today. Email telling me my tv licence due soon and renewal quote for my building & contents insurance. Always expensive as the house is timber built.

So jump in the car to go to the shops and trouble. Clutch has been a bit noisy when idling but stops when clutch is engaged so input bearing obviously on its way out. This morning sounds as if someone has thrown a bag of marbles in there. Then when coming out my drive in 1st lovely squeal from the clutch. So get it to the Mini specialist I use and new clutch assembly ordered. As most of the internals will be out tomorrow he checks the wishbones and yes they are scragged as well. So that'll be a couple of capuccinos short of a grand please. Only bright side is that is only about half what BMW would have charged me.

What fun.

Did I mention just two days ago, I'd booked it in for a respray on a few panels because of stone chips. Hahahahaha. I love my cars but this is stretching it a bit


----------



## tixntox

Is that not the R65 gearbox that Rover had some issues with? I thought that BMW had sorted them?

Mike


----------



## Davey P

I bought a Mini Cooper a couple of months ago, and I've already had more things go wrong with it than I did in two years with my old Mk3 Golf GTi - That's progress I guess! :lol:

Having said that, I think it's a great car and I like it a lot. Mine has done just over 100,000 miles, and it's in pretty much unmarked condition both inside and out, so I think that says a lot about the build quality. My problems have only been normal wear and tear stuff. The air con needed a new condenser and re-gas, plus the electric fan was really noisy so I had that changed as well, and a camshaft sensor needed replacing after a warning light came up. I've also had the oil and filter changed as a precaution because I didn't know what was put in at the last service, apparently it's quite important to use the recommended fully synthetic Castrol Gear. Oh, and a sidelight needed it's bulb holder harness replacing. Next up will be new brake discs/pads/sensors needed in the next month or two, so as I said, just wear and tear items really.

I'm lucky, my best mate is a senior BMW mechanic, so that has saved me quite a bit of money already... :sweatdrop:


----------



## BondandBigM

I've only ran bangers for the last few years and a bill for a grand would write the Merc off but you can still keep them going on the cheap, I had some issues with the fuel injection/ignition, Mercedes parts nearly Â£400 + VAT, my fixer upper bloke took a punt on a used set of nondiscript injectors and coil packs from ebay that looked similar.......Â£20, a bit of an all round service, total bill just over a hundred quid

It runs like a limo again, never missed a beat and that smooth you hardly know its idling when you pull up so it can be done on the cheap.


----------



## Alas

tixntox said:


> Is that not the R65 gearbox that Rover had some issues with? I thought that BMW had sorted them?
> 
> Mike


No idea I'm afraid but they usually go at 60-70k and mines at 55k so not unexpected. The clutches are fine for the normal minis but the Cooper S with the supercharger seems to overload them. Hopefully the car will be a keeper as its a bit different so I dont mind doing whats needed. As long as I dont have to pay BMW prices!! Got a local garage that does run of the mill stuff and the guy its at just now for more specialised mini work so saves a bit that way.

Alasdair


----------



## BondandBigM

Alas said:


> tixntox said:
> 
> 
> 
> Is that not the R65 gearbox that Rover had some issues with? I thought that BMW had sorted them?
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> 
> No idea I'm afraid but they usually go at 60-70k and mines at 55k so not unexpected. The clutches are fine for the normal minis but the Cooper S with the supercharger seems to overload them. Hopefully the car will be a keeper as its a bit different so I dont mind doing whats needed. As long as I dont have to pay BMW prices!! Got a local garage that does run of the mill stuff and the guy its at just now for more specialised mini work so saves a bit that way.
> 
> Alasdair
Click to expand...

You might or might not be surprised how generic a lot of automotive stuff is. I worked in an automotive manufacturing company that supplied OEM and the Aftermarket sector as well. It was all the same stuff, made on the same machines by the same blokes with the same materials the only difference at the end of the production lines were the manufacturers logo and packaging and of course the price in the shop or dealer. Although to be fair some of the top name brands were made on certain machine usually by the guys who had been there a while but other than that no difference.


----------



## Tom Radford

I've had my 2000 plate Land Rover Discovery for 3 years, and at the last count a few months ago, I'd spent just over Â£10k just keeping it on the road. That doesn't include any "niceties" just pure repairs, maintenance and spares. Bear in mind I do most of the work myself too, so that isn't just labour costs, that's actual parts spend.

On the upside, its passed every mot first time, except the last one which was yesterday.. I forgot to check the wipers and one was split, so it failed on that!


----------



## Alas

Tom Radford said:


> I've had my 2000 plate Land Rover Discovery for 3 years, and at the last count a few months ago, I'd spent just over Â£10k just keeping it on the road. That doesn't include any "niceties" just pure repairs, maintenance and spares. Bear in mind I do most of the work myself too, so that isn't just labour costs, that's actual parts spend.
> 
> On the upside, its passed every mot first time, except the last one which was yesterday.. I forgot to check the wipers and one was split, so it failed on that!


Wow!!! I'm sadly lacking in mechanical knowledge but that seems a lot of cash to pay out to keep a car on the road. I could understand if it was a vintage e-type or similar but could you not get a more reliable Disco? Friend of mine has one and by the way he talks i'm sure he'll have it for the rest of his life but it doesn't give him too much trouble - yet.


----------



## pauluspaolo

Must be car break down time - I run an Alfa 156 diesel (05 plate) as my daily motor & thatâ€˜s just thrown its dummy out of the pram big time. It starts & runs but momentarily cuts out repeatedly as youâ€˜re driving along, so you end up lurching down the road. Very disconcerting & virtually undriveable. I'm hoping that it's something fairly simple - but no doubt very expensive - I have my doubts though & think it may be the end of my Alfa ownership. I've had it the best part of 3 years so could probably do with a change anyway :-(


----------



## Tom Radford

Alas said:


> Tom Radford said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've had my 2000 plate Land Rover Discovery for 3 years, and at the last count a few months ago, I'd spent just over Â£10k just keeping it on the road. That doesn't include any "niceties" just pure repairs, maintenance and spares. Bear in mind I do most of the work myself too, so that isn't just labour costs, that's actual parts spend.
> 
> On the upside, its passed every mot first time, except the last one which was yesterday.. I forgot to check the wipers and one was split, so it failed on that!
> 
> 
> 
> Wow!!! I'm sadly lacking in mechanical knowledge but that seems a lot of cash to pay out to keep a car on the road. I could understand if it was a vintage e-type or similar but could you not get a more reliable Disco? Friend of mine has one and by the way he talks i'm sure he'll have it for the rest of his life but it doesn't give him too much trouble - yet.
Click to expand...

You either get a good one or a bad one.. I got a bad one. I'm certainly not in the minority, I know people in my disco club who have spent double that.

There aren't many parts left on the car I haven't replaced, including most of the chassis, auto gearbox, and most of the engine. Trouble is, I've spent so much on it, it seems silly selling it. I wouldn't want another type of car and I could buy another disco and end up with the same situation. Better the devil you know and all that!


----------



## BondandBigM

Tom Radford said:


> Alas said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tom Radford said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've had my 2000 plate Land Rover Discovery for 3 years, and at the last count a few months ago, I'd spent just over Â£10k just keeping it on the road. That doesn't include any "niceties" just pure repairs, maintenance and spares. Bear in mind I do most of the work myself too, so that isn't just labour costs, that's actual parts spend.
> 
> On the upside, its passed every mot first time, except the last one which was yesterday.. I forgot to check the wipers and one was split, so it failed on that!
> 
> 
> 
> Wow!!! I'm sadly lacking in mechanical knowledge but that seems a lot of cash to pay out to keep a car on the road. I could understand if it was a vintage e-type or similar but could you not get a more reliable Disco? Friend of mine has one and by the way he talks i'm sure he'll have it for the rest of his life but it doesn't give him too much trouble - yet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You either get a good one or a bad one.. I got a bad one. I'm certainly not in the minority, I know people in my disco club who have spent double that.
> 
> There aren't many parts left on the car I haven't replaced, including most of the chassis, auto gearbox, and most of the engine. Trouble is, I've spent so much on it, it seems silly selling it. I wouldn't want another type of car and I could buy another disco and end up with the same situation. Better the devil you know and all that!
Click to expand...

Anybody that spends Â£20k on an old Discovery has either got to much money or lost their marbles !!!!

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Tom Radford

BondandBigM said:


> Tom Radford said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alas said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tom Radford said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've had my 2000 plate Land Rover Discovery for 3 years, and at the last count a few months ago, I'd spent just over Â£10k just keeping it on the road. That doesn't include any "niceties" just pure repairs, maintenance and spares. Bear in mind I do most of the work myself too, so that isn't just labour costs, that's actual parts spend.
> 
> On the upside, its passed every mot first time, except the last one which was yesterday.. I forgot to check the wipers and one was split, so it failed on that!
> 
> 
> 
> Wow!!! I'm sadly lacking in mechanical knowledge but that seems a lot of cash to pay out to keep a car on the road. I could understand if it was a vintage e-type or similar but could you not get a more reliable Disco? Friend of mine has one and by the way he talks i'm sure he'll have it for the rest of his life but it doesn't give him too much trouble - yet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You either get a good one or a bad one.. I got a bad one. I'm certainly not in the minority, I know people in my disco club who have spent double that.
> 
> There aren't many parts left on the car I haven't replaced, including most of the chassis, auto gearbox, and most of the engine. Trouble is, I've spent so much on it, it seems silly selling it. I wouldn't want another type of car and I could buy another disco and end up with the same situation. Better the devil you know and all that!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Anybody that spends Â£20k on an old Discovery has either got to much money or lost their marbles !!!!
> 
> :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

Well it certainly isn't the former!


----------



## BondandBigM

Tom Radford said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tom Radford said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alas said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tom Radford said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've had my 2000 plate Land Rover Discovery for 3 years, and at the last count a few months ago, I'd spent just over Â£10k just keeping it on the road. That doesn't include any "niceties" just pure repairs, maintenance and spares. Bear in mind I do most of the work myself too, so that isn't just labour costs, that's actual parts spend.
> 
> On the upside, its passed every mot first time, except the last one which was yesterday.. I forgot to check the wipers and one was split, so it failed on that!
> 
> 
> 
> Wow!!! I'm sadly lacking in mechanical knowledge but that seems a lot of cash to pay out to keep a car on the road. I could understand if it was a vintage e-type or similar but could you not get a more reliable Disco? Friend of mine has one and by the way he talks i'm sure he'll have it for the rest of his life but it doesn't give him too much trouble - yet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You either get a good one or a bad one.. I got a bad one. I'm certainly not in the minority, I know people in my disco club who have spent double that.
> 
> There aren't many parts left on the car I haven't replaced, including most of the chassis, auto gearbox, and most of the engine. Trouble is, I've spent so much on it, it seems silly selling it. I wouldn't want another type of car and I could buy another disco and end up with the same situation. Better the devil you know and all that!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Anybody that spends Â£20k on an old Discovery has either got to much money or lost their marbles !!!!
> 
> :lol: :lol:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Well it certainly isn't the former!
Click to expand...

Thought so

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Event horizon

You could have bought an original mini and saved some money.


----------



## Alas

Well turned out not too bad a day after all. They had the car for a couple of days and when I went in to pick it up was told they had a couple of other things needed done. Slave cylinder was leaking and play in one of the wheels was bad so they had to replace a ball joint.

The good news was the wishbones only had to remove the bushes not the whole thing with a new tool they had. No labour charge for the slave cylinder or ball joint as they were already working on these areas. Also got a good price on the clutch so ended up paying Â£828 for new clutch/asssembly, wishbone bushes, slave cylinder and ball joint. Seems great so well pleased especially as with their loyalty scheme have earned enough points for a free MOT already. Took me through and pointed out the work done etc.Place was spotless, no tools lying about, really tidy and each time a car was finished floor was swept,washed and dried for the next car coming in.

Know I'll be staying with them from now on.


----------



## BondandBigM

What bit of the Â£828 was a good price ???

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Davey P

Interesting times for me this week, the Mini engine went belly up and needs a new catalytic converter, plus oxygen sensors, and possibly piston rings. Lucky for me it is just about within the 3 months warranty, so it was trailered off to the seller and they have agreed to carry out the repairs. I am about 300 quid out of pocket after paying for the diagnostics plus transport back to Leeds, but I was quoted Â£1000 just for the CAT and 2 oxygen sensors, plus approx another grand for the engine work depending what they find. I am going to ask if they will keep the car and give me a refund because I don't really want it back. Pretty unlikely they will agree to that, but you never know...


----------



## Alas

BondandBigM said:


> What bit of the Â£828 was a good price ???
> 
> :lol: :lol:


No part of the Â£828, but the Â£150 cheaper than quoted and the extra work included was the nice part.


----------



## PC-Magician

I have a Japanese car six years old and not even replaced a bulb.


----------



## Alas

Had my last Mini for 3 years but only had to replace a tyre that got a nail through it. Last Japanese car I had was my Impreza Turbo which was a money pit. Eventually gave up when the garage wanted Â£2.5k to carry out the repairs required after its service.

Swings and roundabouts.


----------



## PC-Magician

Alas said:


> Had my last Mini for 3 years but only had to replace a tyre that got a nail through it. Last Japanese car I had was my Impreza Turbo which was a money pit. Eventually gave up when the garage wanted Â£2.5k to carry out the repairs required after its service.
> 
> Swings and roundabouts.


Yep Impreza Turbos are known for that.


----------



## Raptor

PC-Magician said:


> Alas said:
> 
> 
> 
> Had my last Mini for 3 years but only had to replace a tyre that got a nail through it. Last Japanese car I had was my Impreza Turbo which was a money pit. Eventually gave up when the garage wanted Â£2.5k to carry out the repairs required after its service.
> 
> Swings and roundabouts.
> 
> 
> 
> Yep Impreza Turbos are known for that.
Click to expand...

On my second Impreza wagon and its definitely a love hate

relationship. When its good its superb but when it's bad it

will make a grown man cry.


----------



## BondandBigM

I've been off proper cars for a few years now other than my last GTI but I'm thinking one last car. Although I fancy a "Q" car, a bit of a sleeper.

So a few choices, feel free to add your's










I'm seriously lusting after one of these, looks like a taxi but a bit special.

http://en.wikipedia....cedes-Benz_500E

Or maybe










An old boss of mine was into his M Cars so I've had a run out in a couple of these older M5's. Can only be described as awesome.










Now I know you have just fell off your chair laughing but these ZT260's came with Ford Mustang running gear and a soundtrack to match, initially not that powerfull but phone Summit Racing or Jeggs in the States, place an order for a few go faster bits and the V8 motor will be knocking out an easy 500+ hp for not a lot of $$$$ sort out the suspension and you're good to go and they are a reasonably rare car that seem to be picking up price wise lately.










Another taxi but again a few tweeks and again these old E55's are good to go with the best of them on the Autobahn  Finding a nice clean one isn't so easy these days though.

So any more ??


----------



## marley

I love the V8 Z.T.s! They sound really great.....a guy I know has one......went out for a spin in it............massive massive fun! You know buying British makes sense too!


----------



## Roger the Dodger

Just get yourself a 'Ram', Bond......you know you want to.............(as do I :sadwalk: )


----------



## BondandBigM

Roger the Dodger said:


> Just get yourself a 'Ram', Bond......you know you want to.............(as do I :sadwalk: )


Been there done the truck thing, given the title I did think about a bevy of big blonde hookers and a couple of cases of vodka ................................but

Maybe a car is a safer option

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Roger the Dodger

BondandBigM said:


> Roger the Dodger said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just get yourself a 'Ram', Bond......you know you want to.............(as do I :sadwalk: )
> 
> 
> 
> Been there done the truck thing, given the title I did think about a bevy of big blonde hookers and a couple of cases of vodka ................................but
> 
> Maybe a car is a safer option
> 
> :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

$hit, Bond.....go for the car, cos Big M's not gonna like the other option......


----------



## BondandBigM

And I've scratched the Dodge thing as well, all be it only for a few hours courtesy of an old mate of mine in the States


----------



## mcb2007

It's got your name all over it Mr Bond


----------



## Roger the Dodger

Go for it, ol' Pal....the blue one, not the orange :lol: ......though I'll bet that 'Bond Bug' is worth a pretty penny today...... :yes:


----------



## mcb2007

You could get it lowered


----------



## BondandBigM

mcb2007 said:


> It's got your name all over it Mr Bond





Roger the Dodger said:


> Go for it, ol' Pal....the blue one, not the orange :lol: ......though I'll bet that 'Bond Bug' is worth a pretty penny today...... :yes:


These things were death traps, not called plastic pigs for no reason. It was a regular Reliant three wheeler but possibly one of the most dangerous things I've ever driven.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## BondandBigM

Come on Boys, we're looking for svelte four seat, four door, big engine hotrods that will be at home on the Autobahn not tat .

Try harder


----------



## mcb2007

If you can find the coupe 75 go for it


----------



## mcb2007

BondandBigM said:


> Come on Boys, we're looking for svelte four seat, four door, big engine hotrods that will be at home on the Autobahn not tat .
> 
> Try harder


Tat look I know it's a 2door but oooh


----------



## mach 0.0013137

BondandBigM said:


> These things were death traps, not called plastic pigs for no reason. It was a regular Reliant three wheeler but possibly one of the most dangerous things I've ever driven.
> 
> :lol: :lol:


Go on Mr. Bond, you know you want it...










:lol:


----------



## Roger the Dodger

Well....it's not a four seater, but just for the hell of it...an Audi R8 Spyder.......cos I would, when I win the lotto......










Perhaps that's why I (well, actually the 710) chose the Peugeot 308 CC Roland Garros special edition....same looks, but a lot less moola...and just as much fun!


----------



## Alas

Raptor said:


> PC-Magician said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alas said:
> 
> 
> 
> Had my last Mini for 3 years but only had to replace a tyre that got a nail through it. Last Japanese car I had was my Impreza Turbo which was a money pit. Eventually gave up when the garage wanted Â£2.5k to carry out the repairs required after its service.
> 
> Swings and roundabouts.
> 
> 
> 
> Yep Impreza Turbos are known for that.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> On my second Impreza wagon and its definitely a love hate
> 
> relationship. When its good its superb but when it's bad it
> 
> will make a grown man cry.
Click to expand...

Agreed - had 3 with the last one a 98 classic wagon with full prodrive spec in reddish blue and the funkiest blue leather interior. Still kicking myself for not just paying the bill and keeping it, even as a second car.


----------



## Alas

Had a ZTT myself and liked it. For an off the wall choice how about.....


----------



## Big Bad Boris

What sort of budget have you got ?

Big budget - Lotus Carlton

Smaller Budget - Volvo V70R, or a T5 (The saloon versions are usually cheaper, or cheaper still are the 850's).


----------



## PhilM

Stop trying to fight it Bond, just give in gracefully and get a couple of these


----------



## Adrian73

This is what you want Mr B.....

boom-lowrider-trike by AD73, on Flickr


----------



## Adrian73

But deep-down this is the reality.....

/onMNjx]








speedydavid by AD73, on Flickr


----------



## PhilM

What about a Sinclair C5 :rofl2:


----------



## Adrian73

For a split second I though that was his passenger behind him....


----------



## BondandBigM

:lol: :lol:

No Audi's, even though I'm a fan of VeeDubs Audi's saloons are hateful things, hard ride, hard seats and imho just not nice to drive with all that engine hanging out the front and at R8 money why not just buy the Lambo and be done with it and I've done the V12 Jag Saloon a while back but










Another old school super saloon with a supercharged V8

Or an S-Type R










Or this










Ugly.... yep but who cares

"independent testing has managed sub 4 second 0-60 times â€" and that is bloody fast for any sports car, never mind a fully appointed 4 door luxury sedan. Cadillac claims a 179 mph top speed"


----------



## BondandBigM

Someone mentioned budget, nearly all of the ones I've pictured are cheap as chips now, Easily get something nice for well under 10K

As an example, a half decent E55

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-E-CLASS-E55-AMG-5-4-auto-FULLY-LOADED-WITH-ALL-THE-TOYS-/281364831366?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4182a69c86

And a Jag

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XJ8-X308-4-0-Supercharge-auto-2001MY-XJR-Metalic-Black-Automatic-/181453836704?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a3f7dd1a0

Now it's fair to say if you bought one of these type of cars and it went t!ts up you could have a very bad day and a very empty wallet but as they say about gambling never bet more than you can afford to lose so in that case about fifty quid.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Raptor

I would love one of these

Mercedes 190E COSWORTH


----------



## BondandBigM

Raptor said:


> I would love one of these
> 
> Mercedes 190E COSWORTH


Yep nice choice, although starting to get expensive for a nice one. I got my Merc from a bloke who also had a 2.6 190, fully loaded with everything you could get back in the day, he also recently picked up a Cosworth 190 but its a bit of a basket case so may only be good for parts.


----------



## BondandBigM

Or maybe a big Coupe, but again these are starting to get expensive






Motor looks nice but I've no idea what he's saying, have we got any Germans in

:lol: :lol:


----------



## mel

Liking the German stuff Commander - -Trabby? or for a bigger car, how about a Wartburg Isabella

(I'll get me coat  )


----------



## scottswatches

I used to work for BMW as a mechanic and MG Rover as a salesman. The E34 M5 is an awesome car that I too hanker after. The ZT 260 was a tough sell, and up close didn't look well made, but did sound good. I was going to mention Jaguar but you beat me to it, so how about a good 1985 BMW 635csi? values are on the up too. Or if you can find a really well looked after 8 series? Two doors I know, but nice all the same

you can get a 2000ish Mercedes 500 s class for little money. just watch for rust.

Or a Maserati quartroporte? how brave are you?


----------



## chris.ph

vauxhall monaro


----------



## BondandBigM

mel said:


> Liking the German stuff Commander - -Trabby? or for a bigger car, how about a Wartburg Isabella
> 
> (I'll get me coat  )


Crombie or Duffle





scottswatches said:


> I used to work for BMW as a mechanic and MG Rover as a salesman. The E34 M5 is an awesome car that I too hanker after. The ZT 260 was a tough sell, and up close didn't look well made, but did sound good. I was going to mention Jaguar but you beat me to it, so how about a good 1985 BMW 635csi? values are on the up too. Or if you can find a really well looked after 8 series? Two doors I know, but nice all the same
> 
> you can get a 2000ish Mercedes 500 s class for little money. just watch for rust.
> 
> Or a Maserati quartroporte? how brave are you?


The Eyetalian Job would be just too risky, they seem to have a passion for changing the belts on a weekly basis at silly money, when you have a look at it the only real choice of a big bruiser is an AMG Merc. The older S Class saloons and coupes are a thing to behold or maybe a CL55 ??



chris.ph said:


> vauxhall monaro


Not a bad choice, I'd save my money and import a Pontiac Monaro like the one in the picture rather than pay over the odds for the Vauxhall equivalent. I was in one that was a taxi in Oz, boy drove it like it was stolen but they all drove like that over there

:lol: :lol:


----------



## BondandBigM

These Chaveliers Vectra's are cheap and surprisingly quick cars


----------



## Raptor

Just a thought but have you thunk about Jap motors?

Impreza or Lancer.


----------



## BondandBigM

As my new works is in the middle of nowhere maybe a 4x4 is in order.

Surprisingly these Cayenne Turbo's have plummeted in price, my mate has one and is goes like sh!t off a shiny shovel all be it that it only does about 10mpg when he's pressing on


----------



## Raptor

The Impreza or Lancer would fulfill the 4x4 requirement and

great handling/torque/power with around 15-20mpg when pushed.

On the plus side the classic Impreza and early Lancer are looking

like future collectables if looked after.


----------



## BondandBigM

Raptor said:


> Just a thought but have you thunk about Jap motors?


No

:lol: :lol:

I've only ever had one Jap car, an old Toyota Supra pretty much the same as the one in the pic. To be fair it wasn't a bad car. Are there any performance big Jap saloons ???


----------



## luckywatch

The first one Bond, the 500E. Yes Sir! :thumbup: End Off.

If it was my last throw then it would have to be a Humvee.










Now for the truth............... 

Long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away, I had a *Supervan III.* I still got the handbook.



















Girls werenâ€™t so demanding then.










Happy days! :thumbup:


----------



## BondandBigM

luckywatch said:


> The first one Bond, the 500E. Yes Sir! :thumbup: End Off.
> 
> If it was my last throw then it would have to be a Humvee.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now for the truth...............
> 
> Long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away, I had a *Supervan III.* I still got the handbook.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Girls werenâ€™t so demanding then.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Happy days! :thumbup:


Quality, if you put enough people in the back you could get them to do wheelies but as there was no steering it ended up in a plastic pig making an illegal left turn through a hedge into a garden. Probably because they let these motorbike types drive them without a car licence and they knew nothing about car control. The same lad also t-boned an Allegro in it on the high street one day and it just bounced off leaving a lot of fiberglass all over the road, it never went again after that incident.


----------



## luckywatch

Back then I was one of the motorbike types. After a final warning in work and at court I got the van.  Never got pulled by the old bill ever again.  Probably assumed I was desperately poor and felt sorry for me

Down Stagg Hill, north of Enfield, I had 85 on the clock, on route to the *Coach and Horses*, with the needle waving around frantically.

Only the brave. :yes:


----------



## BondandBigM

luckywatch said:


> The first one Bond, the 500E. Yes Sir! :thumbup: End Off.


You're not wrong but

It's Hammer Time






:thumbup:


----------



## Raptor

Nissan Skyline?


----------



## Always"watching"

Dear BondandBigM, my choice is a serious one, but not from either Germany, Italy, Britain or the Staes. One quite "ordinary" car I have always loved from the beginning is the Peugot 406 Coupe, designed by Pininfarina and sometimes referred to as the poor-man's Ferrari.

There are still some decent examples of these around and they are cheap, but they are just about to begin their rise to classic status. Sorry about the dull colour of the example pictured - these are truly lovely cars when in nice colours such as metallic blue or red, and yet so far vastly underrated:


----------



## BondandBigM

Raptor said:


> Nissan Skyline?


Yep I never gave that any consideration but another one into the mix


----------



## BondandBigM

> Dear BondandBigM, my choice is a serious one, but not from either Germany, Italy, Britain or the Staes. One quite "ordinary" car I have always loved from the beginning is the Peugot 406 Coupe, designed by Pininfarina and sometimes referred to as the poor-man's Ferrari.
> 
> There are still some decent examples of these around and they are cheap, but they are just about to begin their rise to classic status. Sorry about the dull colour of the example pictured - these are truly lovely cars when in nice colours such as metallic blue or red, and yet so far vastly underrated:


Wasn't it designed by Bertone ????

In a previous life I had a few Pugs, the ultimate hot hatch but you had to be careful or it was hedge backward time. For a Pug saloon a 405 MI 16 would do. The 16v engine in them was epic I had the misfortune to be driving one and the French gremlins struck jamming the throttle full open, scary moments !!!

The Master and his Machine


----------



## BondandBigM

Irfan said:


> I love some of the cars in this thread, especially the E55.
> 
> The main issue with choosing some of these cars is that while they're awesome on paper, the driving experience is nothing like modern cars.
> 
> Compare that E55 with its automatic gearbox to modern day double clutch equipped semi automatic boxes and they're a world apart. Much more responsive and makes driving much more enjoyable.
> 
> Just to throw a spanner in the works...how about a B6 RS4 Avant?


Did you read the Audi comment 

You're absolutely right in your comments but I'm old, I learned my craft in 3ltr triple webbered Capri's and RS 2000 Escorts then moved on to Yanks with more power than brakes and hot hatches when you drove with the throttle and left foot braked in 205 1.9 Pug Gti's so they may be a bit out of date but on the right road I'll show these modern DSG boys the way to go.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Raptor

Tell me this doesn't do it for ya


----------



## BondandBigM

Raptor said:


> Tell me this doesn't do it for ya


Sorry but I don't want any of that malarky, next thing you'll be suggesting I hang around a Micky Dee with a fat bint in the passenger seat and all the other sad billy no mate no lifers.










:lol: :lol:


----------



## Raptor

LOL, fair enough

My mate has a pretty standard looking classic Impreza Terzo

running 550bhp and it is a animal but a definate sleeper.


----------



## Event horizon

Nice selection of cars here especially the hammer but if your looking for an end of the world car. One that get you away from trouble at the touch of the throttle. A car that sounds like demons raging. A car so good it dominated rallying while in production. A car that will dissolve in the rain after a fortnight. A car that could be the end of humanity if anything electrical went wrong with it.

I give you the lancia delta integrale.


----------



## BondandBigM

Raptor said:


> LOL, fair enough
> 
> My mate has a pretty standard looking classic Impreza Terzo
> 
> running 550bhp and it is a animal but a definate sleeper.


No doubt, a lad at the last works had a VX Disastra with a turbo Saab motor, huge horsepower, lots of popping and banging, flames but the thing was a total death trap and borderline undrivable, How he still has a driving licence is anybodies guess. I went out with him to a couple of cruises when I had the MK2 Golf, sorry but I can think of better ways to spend both my time and money.

I'm looking for something a bit more stealthy.


----------



## Timez Own

Don't know about raging about but as for an older luxury motor what about a Lexus LS400?


----------



## mcb2007

BondandBigM said:


> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> 
> Tell me this doesn't do it for ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry but I don't want any of that malarky, next thing you'll be suggesting I hang around a Micky Dee with a fat bint in the passenger seat and all the other sad billy no mate no lifers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

I see Lisa riely has lost a bit of weight


----------



## mcb2007

See told ya


----------



## BondandBigM

Irfan said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Irfan said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love some of the cars in this thread, especially the E55.
> 
> The main issue with choosing some of these cars is that while they're awesome on paper, the driving experience is nothing like modern cars.
> 
> Compare that E55 with its automatic gearbox to modern day double clutch equipped semi automatic boxes and they're a world apart. Much more responsive and makes driving much more enjoyable.
> 
> Just to throw a spanner in the works...how about a B6 RS4 Avant?
> 
> 
> 
> Did you read the Audi comment
> 
> You're absolutely right in your comments but I'm old, I learned my craft in 3ltr triple webbered Capri's and RS 2000 Escorts then moved on to Yanks with more power than brakes and hot hatches when you drove with the throttle and left foot braked in 205 1.9 Pug Gti's so they may be a bit out of date but on the right road I'll show these modern DSG boys the way to go.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I did indeed read your comment about Audi. B6 RS4 is supposed to ride quite well, not as harsh as others  Holding its value well too and very tuneable.
> 
> You can't beat DSG when travelling quickly point to point
Click to expand...

Maybe I need to wait until some of the current crop of super saloons depreciate enough, won't be that long untill the are pretty much worthless and nobody wants them. The trick is to bag one on the way down before the start going back up in price.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-categories/super-saloons

I'm not interested in newer cars in this league even if I could afford one the depreciation is horrendous. Sure you'll point out these RS Audi's still holds x amount of its price but 50/60% of Â£80k is a lot of partying

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Timez Own

I take it that's a no for the Lexus then. How about a straight six 535, plenty of old school grunt with a simple engine


----------



## BondandBigM

Cheap but still not for me, I just don't like them.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Timez Own

Mustang?


----------



## BondandBigM

Timez Own said:


> Don't know about raging about but as for an older luxury motor what about a Lexus LS400?





Timez Own said:


> I take it that's a no for the Lexus then. How about a straight six 535, plenty of old school grunt with a simple engine





Timez Own said:


> Mustang?


Apologies for missing your first comment.

Not really interested in a Lexus, it only has a big engine so it can drag around all the Toyota bits  However the M535i is a good call especially if it was an Alpina. As for the Mustang have you seen the silly money a proper one is going for  The idea is still a biggish stealthy hot rod saloon or maybe a coupe CLK55 ???. An E46 M3 is another one that prices have crashed recently, a bit in your face compared to what I had in mind but still worth a look.


----------



## BondandBigM

This would do, basically the top of the range of what I've already got

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-C55AMG-W202-SALOON-ULTRA-RARE-CAR-ONLY-3-RHD-MADE-FOR-UK-MARKET-175MPH-/271532712446?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f389c61fe



A few quid short so I'd make do with the more reasonable cooking model 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-C43-AMG-V8-Rare-Mint-/281373898282?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item418330f62a


----------



## Who. Me?

Mercedes CLS.

Don't care that it looks a bit like a banana, even the diesels are cool (although I guess you'd only be interested in the AMG).


----------



## KO_81

Sleeper.................

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/03-PLATE-Volkswagen-Phaeton-6-0-auto-2004MY-W12-4Motion-SALOON-BENTLY-ENGINE-/191109539133?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2c7f04253d


----------



## BondandBigM

KO_81 said:


> Sleeper.................
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/03-PLATE-Volkswagen-Phaeton-6-0-auto-2004MY-W12-4Motion-SALOON-BENTLY-ENGINE-/191109539133?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2c7f04253d


And some, I never even thought about one of those, that would surprise a few boy racers at the traffic lights.


----------



## Timez Own

BondandBigM said:


> KO_81 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Sleeper.................
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/03-PLATE-Volkswagen-Phaeton-6-0-auto-2004MY-W12-4Motion-SALOON-BENTLY-ENGINE-/191109539133?pt=Automobiles_UK&amp;hash=item2c7f04253d
> 
> 
> 
> And some, I never even thought about one of those, that would surprise a few boy racers at the traffic lights.
Click to expand...

I have driven one of these and can say that is a lot of car for the money. Takes off like a sports car and rides like a limo. Tried to make it loose grip taking off from gravel, the traction control is serious, I couldn't understand how other cars on the same test (with tc on) would just slow down or momentarily spin, yet this one still threw me back in the seat, (tiz witchcraft I tell yee).

A lot of fun and sheer luxury in one.


----------



## Timez Own

What about a Range Rover Classic Overfinch, or is that to high for the style you're looking for?


----------



## scottswatches

Avoid anything french... :tongue2:


----------



## Davey P

Let's face it Mr Bond, after all these suggestions you will still be getting an AMG Mercedes, the only question is which one... :lol:

A quick search on ebay (without any parameters for age/mileage etc) brings up over 1000 cars, on Pistonheads there are 423, and 52 on Autotrader, so it looks like there are plenty out there anyway :thumbup:

I've got a 2006 Mini Cooper for sale if that helps?


----------



## mel

When we lived in Spain over the winters, one day we were poodling around and drove into a small town (the name of which I'm damned if I can remember) with a small river running through, up towards the Pyrenees somewhere. :yes:

Parked up and went off in search of a coffee, down the side of the wee river, and there was this building with an old hand wound petrol pump outside, dusty old window and a load of bits and pieces in the window, looked to be about the forties or so, all old car stuff. Next window was a "showroom" and peering through the grime, I could make out a

*Hispano Suiza* 

No signs of life, and it wasn't a museum. We found a cafe and I managed to Spenglish with one of the young waiters about the garage, and he said it belonged to - but was part of - a family inheritance feud, and had been closed since before he was born, shut up and left by the family lawyers who had spent over thirty years trying to sort out who owned, and was due what, with no success. :sadwalk:

I often think about driving something like that, with the flat cap and goggles and the leather coat - - would that do you Commander?

Been back in that area since, but never found the town again, sometimes I think maybe it's the Spanish equivalent of Gloccamorra, and only appears every 30 years for a day :lol:


----------



## BondandBigM

Mel there is a bloke that lives on the edge of town has one, proper nice old thing. I found him by complete chance when I was looking for a workshop to rent. But forget the flat cap and goggles, they're for the lacky up front driving it while Big M and I sip vodka cocktails in the back as we are wafting along past the peasants in the fields.

:lol: :lol:

No Range Rovers, these older sub Â£10k ones are driven by wide boys and drug dealers, no good to me.

And does the Mini come with the full complement of internal engine components or are a few pistons missing.

:grin:

Another one I've been having a look at is a BMW 7 series, again fully loaded and cheap. 750iL ?? so the Merc isn't a foregone conclusion yet.


----------



## chris.ph

the v12 phaeton takes some beating for sub 10grand


----------



## BondandBigM

chris.ph said:


> the v12 phaeton takes some beating for sub 10grand


The only minor problem which Bentley owners always seem to omit is that its actually two VR6 Veedub engines cobbled together.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## r00barb

Much more of a sleeper than an "M" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-P-Reg-BMW-540i-/251520648102?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a8fcc83a6


----------



## BondandBigM

r00barb said:


> Much more of a sleeper than an "M" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-P-Reg-BMW-540i-/251520648102?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a8fcc83a6


Maybe but nowhere near as quick, they were more of a cruiser


----------



## r00barb

BondandBigM said:


> r00barb said:
> 
> 
> 
> Much more of a sleeper than an "M" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-P-Reg-BMW-540i-/251520648102?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a8fcc83a6
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe but nowhere near as quick, they were more of a cruiser
Click to expand...

That can be sorted......






Id love a S/C motor, id REALLY love a S/C V8!


----------



## BondandBigM

r00barb said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> r00barb said:
> 
> 
> 
> Much more of a sleeper than an "M" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-P-Reg-BMW-540i-/251520648102?pt=Automobiles_UK&amp;hash=item3a8fcc83a6
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe but nowhere near as quick, they were more of a cruiser
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That can be sorted......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Id love a S/C motor, id REALLY love a S/C V8!
Click to expand...

I had a run out in a 540 and it was so quiet that when I pulled up at the lights I thought it had stalled and tried to start it again while it was running !!

If I had my time again I'd have another one of these with a 426 Hemi, but they are way out of my price range these days.










A proper motor


----------



## Always"watching"

Dear BondandBigM

Dear BondandBigM, I was a bit sad that my suggestion of the Peugot 406 Coupe was overlooked when I mentioned it, but I do urge you to take another look at this rather beautiful two-door but four-seat coupe which was designed by the house of Pininfanrina (and not Bertone, as someone else tried to correct me earlier, posted). The coupe was not only designed in-house by Pininfarina's designer, Ramciotti, it was also made by Pininfarina, in Italy, and 107,633 were produced, between 1996 and 2003. These lovely cars are reputed to have been the prototype designs for a new Ferrari, and they are becoming increasingly scarce in good nick, and yet they are good practical cars, still readily available for not much money. Yes they are Peugots, but ultimately, who cares, especially when one looks back to the great rallying days of the Peugeout super-fast hatchbacks?


----------



## BondandBigM

> Dear BondandBigM
> 
> Dear BondandBigM, I was a bit sad that my suggestion of the Peugot 406 Coupe was overlooked when I mentioned it, but I do urge you to take another look at this rather beautiful two-door but four-seat coupe which was designed by the house of Pininfanrina (and not Bertone, as someone else tried to correct me earlier, posted). The coupe was not only designed in-house by Pininfarina's designer, Ramciotti, it was also made by Pininfarina, in Italy, and 107,633 were produced, between 1996 and 2003. These lovely cars are reputed to have been the prototype designs for a new Ferrari, and they are becoming increasingly scarce in good nick, and yet they are good practical cars, still readily available for not much money. Yes they are Peugots, but ultimately, who cares, especially when one looks back to the great rallying days of the Peugeout super-fast hatchbacks?


Always, I stand corrected I thought Bertone but you're right in that it was Pininfarina.

Without wishing to offend have another look through the pages. What I'm after eventually is a biggish powerful cruiser with a 6 cylinder or a V8 preferably supercharged, rwd, good for the occasional traffic light drag race and more hp than is good for the environment. I hardly do any miles these days and it might just be a weekend toy so fuel consumption is irrelevant.

Unfortunately nice looking as the 406 coupe is it just hasn't got what it takes.

And as I said a Merc isn't a foregone conclusion, I'm liking the supercharged Jag S Type, then I can put my union jack holiday towel on the rear parcel shelf.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## chris.ph

the pug 406 did actually come with a 3l v6 and those can shift........ i would still go for a vxr8 though


----------



## marley

Nah!!!! Its got to be a Z.T. 260!


----------



## BondandBigM

chris.ph said:


> the pug 406 did actually come with a 3l v6 and those can shift......


 2008 Mercedes C63 AMG 0-60 mph 3.8 Quarter mile 12.1

If you're in the Pug the Merc will be so far down the road after a few seconds you won't even be able to read the number plate.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Always"watching"

Ok, Ok, I stand defeated by the competition - I realise that you are looking for a slightly different sort of car than the pug 406 coupe, so I understand your rejection of it


----------



## BASHER

The E34 M5 would be my choice.

They put them together properly and they're a whole lot of fun!

Good luck choosing

Paul


----------



## BondandBigM

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=28415

A grand for a V8 Jag, it might not have the all out grunt of its supercharged big brother but at that sort of money its disposable when you get fed up putting petrol in it.

@Ifran

I happened on a magazine from a month or so ago that had one of those RS Audis as a long termer, a bit of the usual and in the article mpg this trip 10.1 mpg !!!

:lol: :lol:


----------



## pauluspaolo

Well my love affair with Alfa appears to be over 

I've been driving an Alfa 156 diesel (05 plate) for the last 2 1/2 years & it's mostly been a very enjoyable experience. It's comfortable, fast, handles well, economical & good looking - unfortunately the unreliability that Alfa seem to build into their cars has reared it's ugly head & the car has cost me quite a lot this month. Added to that is the fact that the clutch pedal is quite high (the mechanic at the garage says it's slipping but the car seems to drive fine to me) & the timing belt will probably need doing sooner rather than later - both of these are big jobs which will probably cost more in parts/labour than the car is actually worth. The clutch will probably cost Â£500+ for the parts alone (dual mass flywheel, the actual clutch kit, clutch slave cylinder, gearbox oil & hydraulic fluid) & then there's the 8 hours worth of labour involved in fitting it - the front subframe needs to be dropped apparently (though the engine doesn't actually have to come out). The trouble is that because the engine's crammed in the engine bay - it's not actually that big an engine - there's no room round it to access anything 

Therefore I'm selling it - I advertised it on Ebay on a Buy It Now & it was snapped up within an hour of me listing it & the buyer's turning up on Saturday ..... apparently. I'll believe this when I see him & I'm sure he'll want to haggle - in which case he can go back home without the car & I'll readvertise it!

While the car was being fixed I used the Reliant - this was absolutely fine & didn't missed a beat - I didn't build it as a daily driver though & with Autumn/Winter approaching its limitations (no heater fan - so no demisting, rear wheel drive & a 30 year old diff/gearbox) will soon become obvious & I don't particularly want to drive it when there's rain, snow & salt on the roads.

My head tells me to go for something sensible - Focus, Golf, Leon(?) etc - while my heart tells me to go for something daft - Audi TT (old shape), Toyota MR2, Lexus is200.

My budget will be "about" Â£3,000 maximum - I know it's not a massive ammount but there are good cars out there for ths sort of money & it's what I paid for the Alfa; though given my recent problems with it I'm not sure I'd class it as a good car & I'd like to get more than 2 1/2 years out of its replacement. Despite the economy & refinement (compared to old diesel cars) offered by modern diesels I think I'm going to go back to petrol.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received - I'm edging towards a Focus of some sort (probably not the ST170 - too expensive to run/insure) but I also like the Seat Leon - which should provide VW build quality with a stylish & practical hatchback. I had an 02 plate Astra 2.2 before the Alfa but that was dull in the extreme to look at - it handled well & went like stink but was heavy on fuel & expensive to run (parts were cheap though). As I say any suggestions gratefully received.


----------



## Davey P

I don't think you will go far wrong with a Focus mate. I bought one a few weeks ago for bang-on your budget of Â£3000, and it's been great. Mine is a 2008 model, 5 door with 1.8 engine and manual 5-speed 'box. I sold my Mini Cooper after being quoted Â£1000 for a new catalytic converter, it was just ridiculously expensive to maintain and far too complicated with sensors everywhere, so hardly a week went by without some sort of warning light coming on. Nice car, but not for me I'm afraid.

After selling the Mini and buying the Focus, I still had enough money left over for a full major service at my local Ford main dealer, 4 new Goodyear tyres, a new Parrot hands-free system, and various other bits & pieces.

This is what 3 grand gets you these days:



















:thumbup:


----------



## mel

Even the small things on modern cars are too bl00dy complicado1 :yes:

The Combined radio and display on mine, it's started switching by itself through all the options if the radio drops out for about a second or two, so it starts up the CD drive, plays about ten seconds worth of trax if there's a CD in the tray, then goes on to aux 2 and does the same on tht memory stick there, before goingto aux 1 (which I have no feckin idea what/where that is) for ten secs of silence and then back to radio and usually on a different station to the one we were listening to! A press on the steering wheel selector sends it bacvk from there to original radio station. Peugeot AD Mechanic says "A lot of them do that"


----------



## pauluspaolo

Davey P said:


> I don't think you will go far wrong with a Focus mate. I bought one a few weeks ago for bang-on your budget of Â£3000, and it's been great. Mine is a 2008 model, 5 door with 1.8 engine and manual 5-speed 'box. I sold my Mini Cooper after being quoted Â£1000 for a new catalytic converter, it was just ridiculously expensive to maintain and far too complicated with sensors everywhere, so hardly a week went by without some sort of warning light coming on. Nice car, but not for me I'm afraid.
> 
> After selling the Mini and buying the Focus, I still had enough money left over for a full major service at my local Ford main dealer, 4 new Goodyear tyres, a new Parrot hands-free system, and various other bits & pieces.
> 
> This is what 3 grand gets you these days:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :thumbup:


Looks a good one Davey :thumbup: - my sister's got a Mini convertible & to be honest I can't stand any of them - they're just a brand name now & don't adhere to the original Mini design of cramming as much space as possible into as small a space as possible.

Can I ask for a few more details about your Focus i.e. mileage, service history, MOT length & where you got it from (send me a pm if you prefer)? I'd rather buy locally but might be prepared to travel for the right car.

There was a 53 plate (somewhat older than yours) 1.6 Focus for sale near me for just under Â£2000 which seemed a decent car (80,000 miles, 12 months MOT, 3 months tax & a 3 month warranty). I wasn't in a position to buy it then unfortunately & it's since been sold - kicking myself about it now though 

Enjoy the car :thumbup:


----------



## Davey P

No problem mate, I don't mind putting the details on here instead of in a PM.

MOT is until March 2015, mileage is 75,000, and it's had one owner from new with fully stamped service history from the main dealer that supplied it (Marshall's in Cambridge). I rang the garage after I'd bought it just to check, and they confirmed the history is all pukka. It was a private sale, the guy was asking for Â£3200 but I got him to knock Â£200 off because the tyres weren't great and it was also due a major service, which I had done a few days after I bought it. I've probably spent about Â£3600 in total, including the tyres and service, plus another Â£100 for the Parrot kit which is the same as the one I had in the Mini. Factory fitted extras on this one include the usual toys, electric windows & mirrors, central locking alarm, air con, CD player, plus heated front screen (not sure if that is standard on the Focus).

My recommendation, for what it's worth, is to go for a 2006 or later model, because the shape changed then and this model looks much better than the Mk1 IMHO. Engine-wise, I don't have any experience of the others on offer, but the 1.8 petrol is fast enough for me. I can imagine the 1.6 might be a bit slower, probably not by much though, whereas the 2 litre is apparently not far off the ST's performance, but of course that would also be thirstier and more expensive on tax & insurance. Diesels are not really my bag, but I've heard the Focus DCi engines are pretty good if you like that sort of thing. Obviously the mighty ST would have been great, but I couldn't find one anywhere near my budget in decent condition, so that was a non-starter. Also, having attended a speed awareness course yesterday after being caught speeding in the Mini, a faster car is exactly what I DON'T need at the moment! :lol:

Most of my cars have come from miles away (The Mini came from your neck of the woods, just outside Leeds) but this one was just up the road from me, so that was great. Incidentally, I found it on Preloved.co.uk, which is always worth a look. It hasn't got the best search methods, so there doesn't seem to be a way to narrow down the cars by the usual criteria you'd find on Autotrader/ebay/pistonheads etc, but it does show the nearest cars first. In my case, a search for Ford Focus obviously came up with thousands of results, but the one I ended up buying was quite close to the top.

I hope some of my ramblings will help anyway mate, but if you need to know anything else feel free to ask, either on here or via PM. :thumbup:


----------



## chris.ph

I bought a 57 vectra estate 150bhp Sri for 2600 six months 8months ago, blinking good work horses in my book, it had 107000 on it when I bought it and its got130000 on it now with only a couple of tyres and headlight because bulbs changed. There are plenty out there as well..... You could get an early xk8 for that money as well though


----------



## BondandBigM

All reasonably new cars are complicated but you can't go wrong with a fix or repair daily, parts are cheap and every man and his dog with a shed can sort them.

Or alternatively buy an old Merc or BMW I've had both recently and they were cheap as chips to buy and cost me nowt. I bought the Beemer 323 coupe in presentable nick for Â£500 with a year's test and never spent a single penny on it a year later I got a Â£150 back for it. The Merc, less than a grand has 200k miles on it but still drives like a limo has full leather and loads of toys, to date a service at just over a hundred quid and there's plenty of life left in it.


----------



## Adrian73

BondandBigM said:


> Or alternatively buy an old Merc or BMW I've had both recently and they were cheap as chips to buy and cost me nowt. I bought the Beemer 323 coupe in presentable nick for Â£500 with a year's test and never spent a single penny on it a year later I got a Â£150 back for it. The Merc, less than a grand has 200k miles on it but still drives like a limo has full leather and loads of toys, to date a service at just over a hundred quid and there's plenty of life left in it.


What he said.

I do the same. Always bought second hand BM's and Mercs for 1-2k tops (between 8- 10 years old) and they have all driven like new and been of excellent quality interior wise. I'm looking at trading my current Merc 200 estate in for a nifty 2 door 180 coupe....


----------



## artistmike

Adrian73 said:


> I'm looking at trading my current Merc 200 estate in for a nifty 2 door 180 coupe....


Middle age will do that to you......


----------



## pauluspaolo

We have a C180 coupe (3 door hatchback basically) in the family already so I'm not sure we want another. It's an 2007 car I think (it's on my wifes private plate so I'm not 100% sure of the year). It's a perfectly decent, competent car & has been very reliable over the last 3 years or so, but considering it's only just passed 33,000 miles, & is serviced by Mercedes whenever it says it needs servicing, it should be reliable. To be honest it's not a particularly inspiring car, it is well built though & is an effortless motorway cruiser. In no way could it be described as a sports car (not that I'm after a sports car to replace the Alfa) & is much more of a cruiser/tourer. I wouldn't hesitate to jump in it & go 100's/1000's of miles, it has that "it'll go on forever" feel to it.

Talking of cheap cars there's a seriously cheap car place near to us which I pass when I cycle in to work. The last time I wheezed past they had a Lexus in for a whopping Â£690 - it was the most expensive car on their lot! It didn't look too bad but was debadged so I'm unsure of the model (possibly/hopefully a V8) & I couldn't read the mileage but I'm sure it would have been intergalactic. I'm almost tempted to go back & have another look at it. Other than the Lexus the only other cars of even slight interest were an MGF & a Toyota MR2 - both of which will have been thrashed within an inch of their lives & the MGF's head gasket will have been changed 100's of times!

Thanks for your input so far - I'll keep you posted about what I end up with. The fact of the matter is that I don't really want to sell the Alfa but keeping it would end up being false economy & in another year or so I'll probably be sick of it anyway as 3 or 4 years seems to be my limit where cars are concerned (the SS1 excepted which I've already owned for 7 years I think). I also feel as if I've given it away, though I haven't actually sold it yet as I'm sure the chap coming to look at it tomorrow will offer me less for it (never mind the fact that he pressed Buy It Now). It may well end up being a wasted trip for him as I'm not going to accept anything less than the Buy It Now price - which was a pittance anyway


----------



## Davey P

One little tip when selling a car on ebay, you should opt for a Classified Listing instead of the Buy It Now option. It costs a fiver more, but there is no final value fee, and it stops jokers pressing the Buy It Now button with no intention of actually buying (or even turning up). It also stops people ending your listing, then trying to knock you down on price when they come to view the car.


----------



## Who. Me?

pauluspaolo said:


> I also like the Seat Leon - which should provide VW build quality with a stylish & practical hatchback.


Which generation Leon? I've had a 1.9tdi Mk2 for the last six years (bought new in 2007) and I'm really happy with it. Mechanically it's a Mk5 Golf, but with the 'dullness' taken out. It's gone through every MOT without comment and no major repairs yet, just normal servicing (touch wood).

My Dad has bought three new Ford Focuses in that period (picked up his latest one a couple of months ago) and they look good, but looking closely and comparing to my Leon, the Focus isn't a car that I'd want to own beyond its warranty period. Everything looks a bit 'flimsy' in comparison.

Having said that, the Leon is trimmed with lots of hard plastics, so it looks cheap inside, but it feels more solid and the fabrics feel more hardwearing in comparison to the Focus's trim.

If you're thinking of a Leon, look at the diesels they're much better than the petrol equivalents.

At that price range, the sporty versions (diesel = FR, petrol = Cupra) are out. They did 'Sport' suspension options on the lower spec models, but they're just uncomfortable - way too harsh on potholed roads. I was lent a 170PS Leon FR while mine was in for service once, massively quick but it made my flabby bits jiggle in a disconcerting way. The normal suspension in the low and mid-range models is what most manufacturers would describe as 'sporty', which is probably why it's a lot more fun that the equivalent golf.

The only problems I've had were...


a design flaw with the window rubbers inside the door. They touch when the window is all the way down and that transfers water from the outer rubber to the inner rubber when the window is wound down, leaving streaks on the inside of the glass. There is a Seat solution but it is to trim the inner rubber. You'll know if that's been done as you'll hear wind noise from the driver's door at high speeds.

a fault with the CD player - they're made by Blaupunkt and a lot of them went wrong. Any affected should have been replaced under warranty by now though.


Hope that helps - like I say, I've no plans to get rid of mine. It's six years old and still feels tight and solid compared to colleagues' Vauxhalls and Fords and more fun than VWs.


----------



## pauluspaolo

Update on this is that I'm still chugging around in the Alfa. The "nice" person on Ebay who bought the car after it had been listed for only an hour, unsurprisingly, failed to show up at the time we'd agreed & hasn't bothered to get in touch in any way whatsoever ......... what a to55er. I've reported him to Ebay - whatever good that will do.

It's not all bad though as since I got it back from the garage it's been running fine. Turns out that some/all of the injectors needed cleaning/reconditioning. To find out which ones were faulty would mean them having to remove all the injectors & sending them somewhere (not sure where) to be tested - this would cost Â£90 + vat. Then to recondition the faulty one(s) would cost anything from Â£150 - 300 depending on what was wrong with it/them.

I ended buying a set off Ebay - listed as tested & working - for Â£60 (+ some copper seals for a fiver). These seem to have done the trick & the car drives fiine now. Even the clutch seems fine & I wonder if the injector problem was placing undue strain on the engine & so affecting the clutch??? No idea really.

The car is to all intents & purposes worthless. I was offered Â£330 for it scrap value, I doubt that I'd get offered much more than that for it as a part ex (car dealers don't like Alfas apparently) & even selling it on Ebay for Â£750 didn't work. It's an excellent car to drive &, until this last spat with the injectors, it's been reliable.

Maybe having one big - by my standards - garage bill in 3 years of daily use isn't too bad really?


----------



## BondandBigM

I spent the whole day yesterday watching this. A refreshing change from Clarkson banging on with the same old drivel.

If you like your cars and haven't seen this they are well worth a look.

http://www.questtv.co.uk/cars-that-rock/


----------



## Always"watching"

My dear Bond and Big M, great link, great cars, nice way to enjoy some select motor car legends without Clarkson & Co getting in the way. I'm afraid that in spite of his undoubtedly huge fan base, I cannot stand Clarkson. Pity, because I do like cars even though I am not allowed to drive them for health reasons.

Happy New Year B and M


----------



## William_Wilson

I'll wait for Bon Scott to work out the red tape and do a series.

Later,

William


----------



## BondandBigM

William_Wilson said:


> I'll wait for Bon Scott to work out the red tape and do a series.
> 
> Later,
> 
> William


Well there you go, learn something new every day. Fortunately I was never really into AC/DC although it can't be good for you. I was recently working beside an old rocker type bloke in his 60's who still went to see bands every other weekend. He shook his ponytail that much one night at a gig that he passed out and had to have his head drilled in four places to relieve the pressure.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Nigelp

This is quiet nice for Â£4,000 bit rarer than M on the trader at the moment


----------



## Nigelp

Alpina B10 4.6 ...V8


----------



## BondandBigM

This might be back on now, at the time I was thinking of this I got offered another job but a 50 mile daily round trip put a 15mpg motor on the back burner.

But I just got an official job offer in from my old place to restart there again and as its just a couple of miles down the road I can walk, bike it and live with something with a bit of grunt again.

A bit of an off the wall one, I like my old banger Merc, even with a few miles short of 200k all it needed for its MOT last week was brake discs and one ball joint, it still drives like a limo and on talking to my fixer upper mate yesterday who sorted it for me about finding something for me he suggested he could pick up a Merc V8 and throw it in the C180 for not a lot of money.

Mmmmmm maybe a bit of a sleeper wouldnt be a bad thing I haven't had a bit of a hot rod for a while.


----------



## Nigelp

As the title says we've not had a car thread for a while and the spirit of this one is serious cars which are now seriously cheap (to buy) though running costs might just finish you off...then again lifes a risk so i'll kick of with this top of the game (in its day Merc AMG) nicked off the trader. Feel free to add your top motors which can now be had for a song 




























100k or so 13 years ago now 5k.....


----------



## BondandBigM

One of these will bankrupt you, they are seriously complicated motors and if it goes wrong it's scrap if you don't have really deep pockets, nice though


----------



## BondandBigM

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-BMW-750-V12-IL-AUTO-GREEN-/251987004952?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aab988e18

This would do as well

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-BMW-850i-5-0-v12-114k-19-service-stamps-upto-101k-/171756593280?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27fd7da080


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## scottswatches

Lovely cars, but remember that the £5k to buy could be matched with £5k pa to run. At least almost all the depreciation has been done

ignition cool packs on a CL600 are £800 each, and they do go wrong. And you are better to replace both at the same time!


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> One of these will bankrupt you, they are seriously complicated motors and if it goes wrong it's scrap if you don't have really deep pockets, nice though


 know what you mean ive been there twice with porker 928's


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-BMW-750-V12-IL-AUTO-GREEN-/251987004952?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aab988e18
> 
> This would do as well
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-BMW-850i-5-0-v12-114k-19-service-stamps-upto-101k-/171756593280?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27fd7da080


 Both look mint, for me it would be the 850 as i love my big brutish coups. i remember lusting after one of these as a poor student back in '91 when welding the sills on my 635. They should have been awesome but some how seem to have slipped into obscurity whilst the old and less worthy though still good looking 6 is coming on great guns.


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## Nigelp

scottswatches said:


> Lovely cars, but remember that the £5k to buy could be matched with £5k pa to run. At least almost all the depreciation has been done
> 
> ignition cool packs on a CL600 are £800 each, and they do go wrong. And you are better to replace both at the same time!


Yep i know ive never been wealthy so learnt the hard way my list of cars and the age i had them is this

1) BMW 635 CSI when i was 17 (poor student)

2) Jag XJS V12 when i was 22 (a/c 2 in nhs on 8 grand a year in 1995)

3) Jag 4 ltr sov when i was 24 (as above)

5) Jag XJS 4ltr when i was 26 (a/c 4 by now so colossal salary of 14 grand - year 2000)

6) Merc 300ce 24v when i was 28 (as above)

7) Porsche 928 s2 (same time as 300ce) (as above)

8) Porsche 928 s4 and Jag XJ8 when i hit 30 (at the same time lol)

9) Porsche 924s (light relief) but at same time as above

10) Merc 500se (w126) when i was 32

11) Jag XJ8 4.2 when i was 33 (salary increase in 2006 to the massive height of £20,000 pa 13k after tax lol)

:biggrin: :biggrin: got bitten by them all (but fixed on the cheap) once had the fuel head go on the 300ce and the part was £800 from merc though if you're canny all can be run on a budget i think i got the fuel head from a breaker near Ramsbottom called Alf Kymes for 15 quid....carried on for a few years :wink: .

So it is possible to have top motors on a lowish income if you make do and mend that 635 taught me well when i was 17 as it was a pain in the [email protected] it though...got a lot of stuff over the years from douglas valley a good breakers for the expensive stuff. Sometimes though i did feel like doing this especially with the 928's. :russian_roulette:


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## scottswatches

Quite a good list. Loved my 635CSI when I had it and still hanker after an E9


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## Iceblue

Nigelp

love the list mec 500se :biggrin:

I have had the 924 and the 944 I am skipping the 928 as I don't want to remorgage to keep it running but next on the list is a 911 , I would like to think in the next 5 years one will be mine (well a man can dream) and to be fair I thought I would never been in a position to own a tag heuer , breitling or omega so funny how things change :biggrin:

but I would like a merc 190e cosworth or a bmw e30 m3


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## BondandBigM

I wonder if I could pull this off sitting it outside my little rented flat. It would be a nice change from an old Merc and at £10K a bit of a bargain.



















http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolls-Royce-Silver-Spirit-6-8-auto-/261881914928?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf960e630


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## BondandBigM

Or this at £9K










http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-BENTLEY-TURBO-R-LWB/141690559467?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D8017484219364736986798a9e34306e3%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D261881914928&rt=nc


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> I wonder if I could pull this off sitting it outside my little rented flat. It would be a nice change from an old Merc and at £10K a bit of a bargain.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolls-Royce-Silver-Spirit-6-8-auto-/261881914928?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf960e630


Yes defo. Go for it 'bout the only roller i like the Spirit. Will look even cooler out of contextual surroundings :clap: :clap: :clap:


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Or this at £9K
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-BENTLEY-TURBO-R-LWB/141690559467?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D8017484219364736986798a9e34306e3%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D261881914928&rt=nc


The rolly polly looks a peach from the script but i like the bentley best this were proper upper crust gentleman thugs cars i used to know an antiques dealer who had one with the plate B11AGS


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## BondandBigM

I don't even really need a car these days, I hardly use mine and work is only a couple of miles away. I put twenty quids worth of petrol in the Merc and it lasted me more than a fortnight so I could live with something daft like either of those.


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## Nigelp

Go for it as you rightly say only here once if you can afford it its important to get what you want in life :smile:


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## Nigelp

Just for fun heres another incredible for the money a bit more but looks nice probably get a bit off with no trade in

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201505153488188?sort=default&model=turbo_r&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&channel=cars&radius=1500&search-target=usedcars&postcode=ll284su&page=1&make=bentley&logcode=p


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## Nigelp

sorry and one thats not sold lol

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201502171014912?page=1&search-target=usedcars&postcode=ll284su&make=bentley&channel=cars&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&radius=1500&sort=default&model=turbo_r&logcode=p


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## Nigelp

avoiding the T and going for the plentiful mulsanne i like this in the self effacing grey

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201505263775083?onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&make=bentley&model=mulsanne&sort=default&postcode=ll284su&radius=1500&channel=cars&search-target=usedcars&page=1&logcode=p


----------



## BondandBigM

A bit over the budget



















http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bespoke-Aston-Martin-DB5-/381140640917?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item58bdc0a495


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## BondandBigM

Another sub £10K Roller










http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1989-ROLLS-ROYCE-SILVER-SPIRIT-Original-Bill-of-Sale-and-Build-Sheets-/121636554575?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c521a874f

Unbelievably cheap considering what they are, I wonder what sort of nick these things are in at that sort of money.


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## BondandBigM

What about this, even by modern standards these things go like a kicked cat










http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maserati-Coupe-Biturbo-228-/131536534329?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1ea0303b39

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_Biturbo


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## scottswatches

I missed out on a 1968 Bentley T1 by £50. Then I missed a 1969 T1 by £50 a week later. I consider myself fortunate now! These rollers are hand built (i.e. no replacement parts fit straight off the shelf). Not a problem for Bond with his engineering skills, but for me it would have bankrupted me.


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## lewjamben

BondandBigM said:


> This would do as well
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-BMW-850i-5-0-v12-114k-19-service-stamps-upto-101k-/171756593280?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27fd7da080


I agree with Bond on this one. I've always wanted one - even now. I just can't justify it!

I love the lack of a B pillar when all the windows are down. :lol:


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## BondandBigM

Another one that caught my eye, not sure I like the matt wrap but at under £10k you could do something with it.










http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maserati-Coupe-4-2-auto-Cambiocorsa-/181753147297?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a5154efa1


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## Hulahoop

awesome cars if they don't have any electrical problems ,


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## BondandBigM

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/07-57-INCREDIBLE-VOLKSWAGEN-PHAETON-6-0-W12-BENTLEY-PLATFORM-A8-WOW-/281744069227?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item419941526b










A bit of a Q car for no money at all


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## carlgulliver

Lexus LS400 pick them up for a couple of grand and fully loaded. I had the black one on my avatar when I was 18 that was tinted and lowered but the power steering pump started leaking badly which sits above the alternator sadly leaking on to it and caused major electrical issues by shorting half of them out so ended up selling it  Picked up my 2009 Lexus Is250 Sr yesterday so as you can tell I like a good Lexus lol


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## BondandBigM

This is seriously tempting even if it did break down every few hundred yards, you could just sit and look at it

:laugh: :laugh:










http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-Cerbera-4-2-1996-/171864881323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2803f1f8ab


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## scottswatches

i'm trying to persuade my Father to buy this, as I am all out of cash since the kitchen has been built

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-Mercedes-Benz-500SL/331573443832?_trksid=p4069.c100039.m2059&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107094819%26meid%3D68fac57f438740e3a1e95aee3244344a%26pid%3D100039%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D281744069227



I noticed it as the seller had a Vacheron Constantin that I couldn't afford either (even though it sold for £750 - very cheap I thought for an 18kt VC)


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## Faze

Worth a look, some interesting stuff.

http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/h-and-h/catalogue-id-ibhh10014


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## BondandBigM

Used to never miss the sales there, nice place just for a day out and look see. Only minor thing was the guide prices seemed to always be over the top with silly reserves, usually a lot of unsold stuff at the end.

I'll have this even if the front looks a bit iffy

:smile:










http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/h-and-h/catalogue-id-ibhh10014/lot-563ce62a-f9cd-4c6a-81f9-a4d8011cf562


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## carlgulliver

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-VIP-Lowered-Stanced-ls400-/271922137632?nav=SEARCH


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## scottswatches

carlgulliver said:


> http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-VIP-Lowered-Stanced-ls400-/271922137632?nav=SEARCH


that is one of the worst ideas I can imagine, and I'm great at **** ideas!


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## carlgulliver

Haha you not keen then


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## BondandBigM

carlgulliver said:


> http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-VIP-Lowered-Stanced-ls400-/271922137632?nav=SEARCH





scottswatches said:


> carlgulliver said:
> 
> 
> 
> http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-VIP-Lowered-Stanced-ls400-/271922137632?nav=SEARCH
> 
> 
> 
> that is one of the worst ideas I can imagine, and I'm great at **** ideas!
Click to expand...

There's much worse than that, just have a look on some of the Japanese tuning sites


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## BondandBigM




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## carlgulliver

Can't beat a slammed lexus. I see your into your mercedes Bond?


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## BondandBigM

carlgulliver said:


> Can't beat a slammed lexus. I see your into your mercedes Bond?


I'm amazed at some of the videos where they actually drive them, I wouldn't be able to get over the speed bump to get out of my street. Yep I like my old Merc, I fancied a winter camo wrap and a bit of camber !!!!










:laugh: :laugh:


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## Timez Own

BondandBigM said:


> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/07-57-INCREDIBLE-VOLKSWAGEN-PHAETON-6-0-W12-BENTLEY-PLATFORM-A8-WOW-/281744069227?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item419941526b
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> A bit of a Q car for no money at all


I had a drive in one of these. Bit of a street sleeper. Doesn't look like much but goes like ****


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## BondandBigM

Timez Own said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/07-57-INCREDIBLE-VOLKSWAGEN-PHAETON-6-0-W12-BENTLEY-PLATFORM-A8-WOW-/281744069227?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item419941526b
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A bit of a Q car for no money at all
> 
> 
> 
> I had a drive in one of these. Bit of a street sleeper. Doesn't look like much but goes like ****
Click to expand...

I read somewhere that changing the spark plugs is a b!tch, I can't believe how cheap these are considering the original purchase price.


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## BondandBigM

This probably isn't in the line of this thread as it isn't cheap but if it's as good as it looks in the pictures and the description is an honest one it's actually a bit of a bargain. These early chrome bumper C3 Vettes are picking up in price in the US and if looked after properly will only go up in value as opposed to some already listed which you'll be burning fifty quid notes owning one.



















http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Corvette-Stingray-/271930562707?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f50531893


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## apm101

I've always fancied one of these...

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C569677










Lancia Thema 8.32


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## federico.85

apm101 said:


> I've always fancied one of these...
> 
> http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C569677
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lancia Thema 8.32


My parents had one when I was a kid. It spent more time with our mechanic than on the road.


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## harryblakes7

BondandBigM said:


> This is seriously tempting even if it did break down every few hundred yards, you could just sit and look at it
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-Cerbera-4-2-1996-/171864881323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2803f1f8ab


My workmate paid mega money for one when they came out, he used to laugh at my 328 Beemer......... until in 3 months his car fell apart.....starter motor, clutch, indicator stalk fell off, window glass dropped then after leaving it out in the rain it flooded inside, carpets soaked......the chassis underneath closely resembles dexion racking.......... which shined brightly when the steering was on full lock............due to the front tyre hitting it!!

He didn't laugh at my BMW after that........ :laugh:


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## BondandBigM

apm101 said:


> harryblakes7 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> harryblakes7 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> This is seriously tempting even if it did break down every few hundred yards, you could just sit and look at it
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-Cerbera-4-2-1996-/171864881323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2803f1f8ab
> 
> 
> 
> My workmate paid mega money for one when they came out, he used to laugh at my 328 Beemer......... until in 3 months his car fell apart.....starter motor, clutch, indicator stalk fell off, window glass dropped then after leaving it out in the rain it flooded inside, carpets soaked......the chassis underneath closely resembles dexion racking.......... which shined brightly when the steering was on full lock............due to the front tyre hitting it!!
> 
> He didn't laugh at my BMW after that........ :laugh:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> This is seriously tempting even if it did break down every few hundred yards, you could just sit and look at it
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-Cerbera-4-2-1996-/171864881323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2803f1f8ab
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> My workmate paid mega money for one when they came out, he used to laugh at my 328 Beemer......... until in 3 months his car fell apart.....starter motor, clutch, indicator stalk fell off, window glass dropped then after leaving it out in the rain it flooded inside, carpets soaked......the chassis underneath closely resembles dexion racking.......... which shined brightly when the steering was on full lock............due to the front tyre hitting it!!
> 
> He didn't laugh at my BMW after that........ :laugh:
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

No doubt, but even if it was a bag of sh!te at least he looked good

:laugh: :laugh:


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## harryblakes7

Yes agreed, a great looking car.........but like he told me, dont get one otherwise it will destroy the dream........

Am looking for a car at the mo.........cabriolet perhaps.....or as i call them, a ragtop!! :laugh:


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## Faze

In the little boys room at work and thought I'd ask the question.

I'm thinking of going into one of the lease deals for the wife's car this time round.

Normally we buy outright, but really would like to avoid a bank loan as the Corsa we have is 2011 and we'd have to find a few grand.

Does anyone have any experience of these lease deals, and is there a preferred company and do they take your car.

Any info really as going in blind at the moment.

Cheers


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## scottswatches

If it is for your personal use, the correct term is Personal Contract Hire (PCP), and they can work for certain people very well indeed. Not only did I used to sell cars a decade ago, but I have just bought my first new car using a PCP personally. Why? Because my 6 year old Saab is losing £200 a month, and will need repairs soon enough - brakes, clutch, exhaust, MOT etc. For £293 a month I am having a brand new car, with fewer risks of unforeseen costs and lower RFL tax and fuel costs. An extra £93 per month for a brand new, warrantied car makes sense to me.

A PCP is basically a way of hiring a car for a fixed time period. 3 yrs is most typical, and you set your mileage limit. You then know exactly how much it is costing to run a car for three years, with no nasty PX price at the end because the finance house set a Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV). I'll use an example;

cost of car £13000

Deposit £1000

GMFV @ 3yrs and 36,000 miles £6000

The monthly repayments will depend on the APR , but let's guess £200. So apart from insurance, RFL, servicing and fuel your car shouldn't cost much more to run. Now, at the end of the contract this happens;

you go to trade your car in at any dealership, and they offer you £7000. You need £6000 to pay off the GMFV, so you have £1000 as deposit on the next car. OR

The dealer offers £5000. You return the car to the finance house and they take it as full payment for the £6000 outstanding - they guaranteed the value, so you limit your risk.

SUGGESTED 'RULES'

Don't put in too much deposit, as you won't be in the same position when it comes to renew. If your wife's current car is worth £3k then ask for £2k back from the dealer. That sets a realistic price per month when you come to renew. One customer came to me with a monthly payment of £70 because she put too much into the deposit previously. For the equivalent car she would have to find an extra £166 a month, which she wasn't expecting (and it that case couldn't afford)

Slightly underestimate the mileage. For every mile over you go, typically 8p is knocked off the GMFV. So if you had gone over by 3k miles in three years they would reduce the value of the car by £240. Quite cheap I think. If you don't use the mileage they don't increase the GMFV. Don't be silly, but slightly under is better than slightly over.

You will be expected to service the car while you own it, but for most people that is the first two services. Hand it back at three years when it is due the third service

Don't use this scheme if you keep cars for ever - you get a better rate on a loan elsewhere.

A car that depreciates quickly has a lower GMFV, so a higher monthly cost. A new Mondeo for example would have cost me £100 a month more than my Skoda will, and they cost roughly the same new. You might find a BMW costs the same to buy as a Vauxhall Insignia, so shopping around is wise.

any other questions then I am happy to answer them


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## Faze

Wow, what a great answer. Thank you very much for that.

I'll forward to the wife and we'll have a chat about it, but you've explained it very well and in plain speak that is a bonus.

Many thanks.


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## Guest

i have leased my cars for 18 years, but the details are beyond my comprehension, all i care about is how much its costing me per month, it works for us though, Scott obviously knows what he's on about :thumbsup:


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## Toddy101

I've just leased a car this morning (Mercedes A200 AMG Sport) and traded in my Focus Zetec S. As has been said stick a small deposit down, at the end of the term you can just hand it back. I'm getting a cheque back from the garage which will be stuck in savings and I'm very happy with monthly payments for the kind of car I've got. Get a service plan as well, pay a small amount a month then when it's service MOT time you don't have to fork out anything. Also no hassle of having to sell the car when you want to change.


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## Faze

Toddy101 said:


> I've just leased a car this morning (Mercedes A200 AMG Sport) and traded in my Focus Zetec S. As has been said stick a small deposit down, at the end of the term you can just hand it back. I'm getting a cheque back from the garage which will be stuck in savings and I'm very happy with monthly payments for the kind of car I've got. Get a service plan as well, pay a small amount a month then when it's service MOT time you don't have to fork out anything. Also no hassle of having to sell the car when you want to change.


 Which firm did you go with, I looked at one who said they did not take in cars as PX.


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## scottswatches

You don't need to use a dedicated lease firm. Your local dealership should be able to help, and often have offers from the manufacturer to boost things along (eg my finance rate is 2.9% Apr, which is lower than almost any other commercial loan). Plus you support the local dealer, who you will rely on for service and warranty work

PS look on carwow first. Dealers contact you with their best offer, but they also know you are shopping around so know that you at not going to roll over and have your belly tickled. So glad I got out of car sales when I did!


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## Toddy101

As Scott says it was my local garage. You could have a look at first vehicle leasing on the Internet but they don't buy cars.


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## BondandBigM

Be careful, these deals sometimes aren't all they seem. A couple of issues worth considering. If you decide to hand it back at the end of the loan term, firstly they go over the car with a fine tooth comb, any damage and it can end up costing you, there are also heavy penalties for excess mileage. Then there is the final payment, this is manipulated by them in their favour not yours so whilst they have fixed it you will be most likely to have no equity in the car at the end of the term so to move on to your next car you need to come up with another deposit again for a new contract or buy it outright. Another issue is Main Stealer servicing which most will usually demand you use and on the face of things they make it look cheap with fixed prices but get that back on parts and sundries so if it needs any parts that is added on and not cheap so it's worth checking out what you actually get in any service plan they offer. Just check how much a main stealer charges for a gallon of oil or a set of brake pads.

A bit of google brings up any number of articles, here are just a couple

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-2117758/Beware-car-finance-sharks-offering-loans-hire-purchase-deals.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/10683988/Is-PCP-finance-a-good-deal-in-the-long-term.html


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## scottswatches

Bond is right, they will look over the car to inspect for damage and bits missing when you return it. However, a scraped bumper or alloy would also reduce the price any buyer would give you too. And anyone who has had to replace a missing key in the past five years will still be reeling from the shock of what that costs. Main dealer servicing isn't needed anymore, but they won't tell you that. If you want to service it yourself though make sure that you have qualifications and keep the receipts - they might insist that a competent person serviced it, which normally means a garage somewhere. With new cars I would take them back to the main dealer though, so they get all the unofficial upgrades or fault rectification that the manufacturers tell the dealers to do. Ever noticed a dot of paint on a bolt? Normally a sign that the rectification has been done. That is the stage before a full safety recall, and catches 90% of problems before they start.

One major disadvantage is that you have to do something in three years, regardless if the timing is bad for you personally. And who knows where we will be in three years?

in my 6 years at the dealership the worst stories came from people who had bought pups from back street dealers, photocopied HPI certificates with blanks over the details of the write off history, 50% plus APR finance rates. PCP deals rarely went wrong. They came into their own when the difference between UK and European new car costs was equalised. everyone cheered when new car prices fell £2k overnight, but people forgot that their second hand car prices also were worth less. Many cars were handed back to the finance houses. The same would apply if a car company failed - the used values decimate as everyone panics about spares. It has happened to Rover and Saab, so others could follow.

The highest rate finance i ever charged someone was 31.8%apr. The guy was really pissing me about, so he didn't get any favours!


----------



## dobra

Quite a big operation?


----------



## William_Wilson

There are a lot of wreckers in Ontario. This place is a bit tidier than most of them. The really big yards will do a flat fee "all you can carry" day every now and then. The problem I've found in North America is that all of the yards have the same things, and don't have the same things. Things like grills and taillights for some models are made from unobtainium, all the yards have standing orders so you'll never get it.

Later,
William


----------



## handlehall

William_Wilson said:


> There are a lot of wreckers in Ontario. This place is a bit tidier than most of them. The really big yards will do a flat fee "all you can carry" day every now and then. The problem I've found in North America is that all of the yards have the same things, and don't have the same things. Things like grills and taillights for some models are made from unobtainium, all the yards have standing orders so you'll never get it.
> 
> Later,
> William


 Following on from your advice to Blue Knight, I think you'll have better luck finding a grill in the same place you would buy an oven :wink:


----------



## William_Wilson

handlehall said:


> Following on from your advice to Blue Knight, I think you'll have better luck finding a grill in the same place you would buy an oven :wink:


 Fair enough, I was in a hurry and didn't have time to run an English to English translator. I will also add hood and trunk. :biggrin:

Speaking of grills...










Later,
William


----------



## BlueKnight

handlehall said:


> Following on from your advice to Blue Knight, I think you'll have better luck finding a grill in the same place you would buy an oven :wink:


----------



## SBryantgb

Would they have wings for a 67 Cortina?


----------



## BondandBigM

SBryantgb said:


> Would they have wings for a 67 Cortina?


 Probably not but I know someone who will have one.

:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

Saw this and thought of @BondandBigM and @Andyj56. It seems to be a crazy market at the moment with the 20 - 30 year old stuff going for sky high prices whilst the modern stuff often immaculate is for nothing. This can't be bad with the 5 Litre V8. A wolf in sheep's clothing if ever there was 

E500 less than 4 grand and looks mint.










http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609288220483?postcode=bb95hg&advertising-location=at_cars&model=E CLASS&sort=price-asc&radius=1500&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.0&page=1

If only we had a crystal ball to predict tomorrows classics. I remember when these were for nothing only 10 years ago I sold a mint one for 9 grand

928 S4 now over 30 grand










http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201610078532715?make=PORSCHE&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.0&postcode=bb95hg&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=1500&sort=price-asc&page=1

So? Any predictions for tomorrows classics?


----------



## Andyj56

It has not got a v8, but the mk1 Mazda MX5 is at bargain prices at the moment, can only start going up, I have one in my collection, great fun! Love that E500!


----------



## Nigelp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609288220483?model=E CLASS&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.0&advertising-location=at_cars&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&sort=price-asc&radius=1500&postcode=bb95hg&page=1


----------



## BondandBigM

If I had of kept some of the motors I've had over the years I wouldn't be having to chase my ex wife all over the place to top up my Vodka budget.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM

This just came up on my twitter












> User Actions
> 
> Follow
> 
> *Silverstone Auctions*
> 
> Beautiful 1989 #*Porsche* 911 (930) Turbo has just been sold for £151,875


 :swoon:


----------



## BondandBigM

> *Silverstone Auctions*‏@*silverstoneauc*
> 
> Stunning 1972 911 S 2.4 Coupe sells for £200,250


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


>


 These are going daft I get c&sc given off the bloke next door and porsche have set their own classic centres up asking mad prices

http://www.porscheclassiccentergelderland.nl/voorraad-classic








Thats for sale at over £270,000...


----------



## mattbeef

I thought that part of reason old 911's were so expensive is because most met an unfortunate end during their production run?


----------



## WRENCH

All toys.


----------



## BlueKnight

When I was living in Southern Germany, I had a 924 with the Oettinger package which included a host of engine modifications including a re-bore with larger high compression pistons and a host of other goodies. It was much faster and stronger than the 924 Turbo of the same year. Only the 944 was able to keep-up with it.

Living in Orschweier next door to the A-5, going for brunch in Basel was, well....fast.

*Pic ca. 1980*


----------



## WRENCH

WRENCH said:


> All toys.


 For the uninitiated, that's a 27 litre Merlin under the bonnet.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> This just came up on my twitter
> 
> 
> 
> :swoon:


 Here's a useless bit of information.










The pistons, barrels, and heads off early 70's 911's bolt straight on to BSA. B50's. Coincidence or what?


----------



## BlueKnight

WRENCH said:


> For the uninitiated, that's a 27 litre Merlin under the bonnet.


 Was that the engine that powered Spitfires and later model Mustangs?


----------



## BondandBigM

Another couple with the RR Merlin










http://cars.aol.co.uk/2011/04/03/27-litre-rover-sd1-packs-600bhp-punch/










http://www.thepetrolstop.com/2010/03/beast-merlin-powered-car.html


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> Was that the engine that powered Spitfires and later model Mustangs?


 Certainly was. :yes:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> http://www.thepetrolstop.com/2010/03/beast-merlin-powered-car.html


 Legend has it that the German police, apparently after being unable to catch Mr Dodds contraption with the RR grille on it, on the autobahn, asked RR if they were testing a new model in their country.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Legend has it that the German police, apparently after being unable to catch Mr Dodds contraption with the RR grille on it, on the autobahn, asked RR if they were testing a new model in their country.


----------



## BondandBigM

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/03/tom-carrigans-1375-hp-v12-powered-39-chevy-the-allison-car/


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


>












Radial engined MR 2 anyone?


----------



## Roger the Dodger

Not a car, but years ago when I worked at Compair Broomwade in High Wycombe, one of the maintenance departments jobs was looking after a Paxman V12 diesel generator. Each cylinder was 4 litres, making a total of 48! It didn't half make a racket when it fired up. I had to strip it down once....the cylinders were so big that each had its own seperate head. It stood about 6 feet tall, and the oil pressure had to be raised with a hand pump before starting. There were a whole row of glass lead acid batteries to turn the starter motor. I remember the day it was delivered to site...we had a Hyster 10 ton forktruck, and that struggled to lift it!


----------



## Padders

Early 911s have gone mental. Not a 8 or 12 I know but I just got this later one which was not exactly cheap is still accessible to mortals unlike the air cooled stuff. This one from late 2004 should have hopefully stopped deporeciating but we will see. Similar colour the Nige's 928 above?


----------



## WRENCH

Roger the Dodger said:


> Not a car, but years ago when I worked at Compair Broomwade in High Wycombe, one of the maintenance departments jobs was looking after a Paxman V12 diesel generator. Each cylinder was 4 litres, making a total of 48! It didn't half make a racket when it fired up. I had to strip it down once....the cylinders were so big that each had its own seperate head. It stood about 6 feet tall, and the oil pressure had to be raised with a hand pump before starting. There were a whole row of glass lead acid batteries to turn the starter motor. I remember the day it was delivered to site...we had a Hyster 10 ton forktruck, and that struggled to lift it!


 You should try one of these. :yes: Napier Deltic.


----------



## Nigelp

WRENCH said:


> For the uninitiated, that's a 27 litre Merlin under the bonnet.


 I remember reading about a similarly engine Rolls Royce in a short run Magazine called Super Car Classics back in the mid 90's and of course there was also this the subject of much Litigation I believe












Padders said:


> Early 911s have gone mental. Not a 8 or 12 I know but I just got this later one which was not exactly cheap is still accessible to mortals unlike the air cooled stuff. This one from late 2004 should have hopefully stopped deporeciating but we will see. Similar colour the Nige's 928 above?


 I really like the modern take on the Fuch wheels. Nice.



BondandBigM said:


> Another couple with the RR Merlin
> 
> 
> 
> http://cars.aol.co.uk/2011/04/03/27-litre-rover-sd1-packs-600bhp-punch/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.thepetrolstop.com/2010/03/beast-merlin-powered-car.html


 My dad had an SD1 in the mid 80's it was a twin plenum Vitesse like this I loved it when I was 11


----------



## BondandBigM

I had one of these










A bit more agricultural, just fitting a new belt on it was a job and a half.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM

Back possibly to the original question, not a big engine but mere mortals can buy one. These VXR Nurburgring's were totally overshadowed by Ford's Focus RS. But they've started to creep up in price recently.

If you can find a nice clean original one that hasn't been thrashed, crashed or boy racered it might be one of the modern hot hatches to tuck away under a cover for a few years.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> I had one of these
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A bit more agricultural, just fitting a new belt on it was a job and a half.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 I've just got back from one of my usual morning drives which takes me out into the wilds of North Wales. Basically the roads are mud at this time of year and my 55 comes back like its been through a field. I might get one of these instead


----------



## johnbaz

The fifth gear video of the Merlin powered 27l V12 Rover SD1 :thumbsup:

I found it very interesting the first time I watched it :yes:


----------



## SBryantgb

The Meteor variant seems to be the more err.... practical engine than the massive Merlin. One doesn't need to be sitting in the back seats to drive it. :thumbsup: Always a plus.


----------



## xellos99

My prediction for the future is V8 and V12 will be dead as a dodo in Europe.

The new 300+ HP 2.0 Turbos are crap your pants fast and are highly fuel efficient.


----------



## johnbaz

Not in the same league as any of the previous cars but I used to drive this Toyota Crown Custom estate, 2700cc straight six lump with Toyoglide autop gearbox, I put three flippin gearboxes in this whilst my dad owned it as they were extremely weak on reverse gear!! (My dad was a plodder whilst driving so they weren't abused!)


















My aunt acquired this car when it was six months old, It had no powered steering so christ only knows how she parked it as the steering was heavy as!! She was only slightly built too!, Anhow, My father bought it from her when she fancied a change and actually bought several more scrappers on his travels for parts, One of the cars had powered steering so we sent a few hours (5 in total) swapping the steering box, shaft, tie rods etc and fitting the cooling matrix/Pump and reservoir making the steering much more user friendly!!

I ran it for a few years after my father passed away but then wanted a smaller car, I sold it to a chap whi wanted to 'customise' it!

It's now a Subarota as he's unbolted the body from the chassis and somehow fitted it to his Subaru!! 

Pics aren't very good that he sent meunfortunately 



















By the way, I had a mk4 Cortina estate when I started using the Toyota and that big servo was much more efficient than the measly Ford one, I used to skid up to lights and duck down a bit in the seat when they changed, It took a few days to get used to just how much better the big brakes on the Crown were compared to anything else i'd driven!! (No antilock brakes either!! )

Cheers, John


----------



## BlueKnight

Returning back to Canada in the Summer of 1983, we had to sell the 924 in Germany as it would have been too expensive to meet the emission standards. If I recall,we had to post a bond of equal value to the car and had 90 days to get it certified.

So instead we purchased a 5.7L. Z-28. Great looking vehicle but a piece of GM [email protected] A true garage Queen. Sold it with less than 10k's on the odometer and bought a Golf GTI.


----------



## Nigelp

johnbaz said:


> Not in the same league as any of the previous cars but I used to drive this Toyota Crown Custom estate, 2700cc straight six lump with Toyoglide autop gearbox, I put three flippin gearboxes in this whilst my dad owned it as they were extremely weak on reverse gear!! (My dad was a plodder whilst driving so they weren't abused!)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My aunt acquired this car when it was six months old, It had no powered steering so christ only knows how she parked it as the steering was heavy as!! She was only slightly built too!, Anhow, My father bought it from her when she fancied a change and actually bought several more scrappers on his travels for parts, One of the cars had powered steering so we sent a few hours (5 in total) swapping the steering box, shaft, tie rods etc and fitting the cooling matrix/Pump and reservoir making the steering much more user friendly!!
> 
> I ran it for a few years after my father passed away but then wanted a smaller car, I sold it to a chap whi wanted to 'customise' it!
> 
> It's now a Subarota as he's unbolted the body from the chassis and somehow fitted it to his Subaru!!
> 
> Pics aren't very good that he sent meunfortunately
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By the way, I had a mk4 Cortina estate when I started using the Toyota and that big servo was much more efficient than the measly Ford one, I used to skid up to lights and duck down a bit in the seat when they changed, It took a few days to get used to just how much better the big brakes on the Crown were compared to anything else i'd driven!! (No antilock brakes either!! )
> 
> Cheers, John


 I actually loved these and when I was 6 I wanted my Dad to buy one which I took him to look at. It was near my primary School in Nelson Lancs and I'd walked past it all Summer on the way home from school. He bought one of these instead in White i'm talking 1978 










But when I was 6 I had an American Car fetish and despite the Americanised looks of the Crown this is what I really wanted (and yes I'd found a rotted out one in Trodgers' field in the same town)










The one I saw was more like this


----------



## apm101

Prices seem to have hardened a bit for certain E30 BMWs- looks like mine (325i cabrio M-tech 1) has increased in value since I bought it a few years ago. Hope so, anyway!


----------



## BondandBigM

xellos99 said:


> My prediction for the future is V8 and V12 will be dead as a dodo in Europe.


 Just like over the top million quid watches there will always be buyers for serious hyper cars, let's be honest if you had a few bob tucked away or won the Ero Millions would you drive a Focus or an Astra no matter how fast they were.

My prediction is probably not.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM

BlueKnight said:


> Returning back to Canada in the Summer of 1983, we had to sell the 924 in Germany as it would have been too expensive to meet the emission standards. If I recall,we had to post a bond of equal value to the car and had 90 days to get it certified.
> 
> So instead we purchased a 5.7L. Z-28. Great looking vehicle but a piece of GM [email protected] A true garage Queen. Sold it with less than 10k's on the odometer and bought a Golf GTI.


 I had an early 3rd Gen Z28 an 83 if memory serves me right which as you say was rubbish, mainly the fault lay with the Crossfire Injection which was also used on the last C3 and first C4 Corvettes it was obviously tied into what was back then a fairly basic ECU and it was rubbish, from memory it was only used for a couple of model years. Also the then new GM 4 speed auto which was also used in Corvettes wasn't without it's issues.










The solution was to throw away the Crossfire set up and buy a good old fashioned single or pair of Holley carbs


----------



## BlueKnight

At least I had fun getting behind the wheel of this ca. 1992 big block monster. Mostly Corvette bits. Went like stink and I'm glad I didn't foot the billl for tires or fuel for that matter.

Not practical in the Winter but great at covering long distances in Flat Country in Central Canada where you can watch your dog escape for three days.


----------



## WRENCH

Tank engine anyone?












BlueKnight said:


> At least I had fun getting behind the wheel of this ca. 1992 big block monster. Mostly Corvette bits. Went like stink and I'm glad I didn't foot the billl for tires or fuel for that matter.
> 
> Not practical in the Winter but great at covering long distances in Flat Country in Central Canada where you can watch your dog escape for three days.


 We do things slightly different. :biggrin:


----------



## BlueKnight

WRENCH said:


> We do things slightly different. :biggrin:


 At least you have proper bikes... :thumbs_up:


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> At least you have proper bikes... :thumbs_up:


 Certainly do!



















Hehe


----------



## BondandBigM

Big M's mate said to me the other night in the boozer referring to one of the lads we chit chat to now and then.

"Why do you call him 502"

"Because he's got a big chopper between his legs"

She had a strange look on her face as if to say how the [email protected] do you know that.










Typical women bless her not very bright

:laugh: :laugh:

I don't know how he even gets his leg over it never mind rides it.

:huh:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Typical women bless her not very bright
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> :huh:


 What?


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> I don't know how he even gets his leg over it never mind rides it.
> 
> :huh:


 I would be more worried about a case of roasted nuts unless asbestos underpants are an option.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Typical women bless her not very bright
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 :biggrin: And I thought I was blunt!


----------



## bowie

Andyj56 said:


> It has not got a v8, but the mk1 Mazda MX5 is at bargain prices at the moment, can only start going up, I have one in my collection, great fun! Love that E500!


 Got any pictures Andy,I fancy a mx5


----------



## Nigelp

bowie said:


> Got any pictures Andy,I fancy a mx5


 Its one of the red ones, I think Andy still has a lovely mk1














































@Andyj56


----------



## Padders

I have owned a Mk1 MX-5 of some description for every one of the last 20 years. I just let my current 240hp turbocharged Mk1 go to fund the Porsche. It is actually noticeably more pokey than the 911 up to around 5krpms but still looked like a hairdressers car. The fun I had surprising Scoobies etc.

If I were to do it again, I would likely as not go for as nice a Mk2.5 as I could find and leave it alone.


----------



## xellos99

Padders said:


> The fun I had surprising Scoobies etc.


 Reminds me of a local lad who spent 20K making one of these go like a bomb.

He was overtaking 60K sports cars.


----------



## Nigelp

Padders said:


> I have owned a Mk1 MX-5 of some description for every one of the last 20 years. I just let my current 240hp turbocharged Mk1 go to fund the Porsche. It is actually noticeably more pokey than the 911 up to around 5krpms but still looked like a hairdressers car. The fun I had surprising Scoobies etc.
> 
> If I were to do it again, I would likely as not go for as nice a Mk2.5 as I could find and leave it alone.


 Blimey I know where theres a gud un even though I'm a fool to me sen lad :biggrin:

Andy has just flogged this for 1500 notes!



__
https://flic.kr/p/LPfeEg


__
https://flic.kr/p/LPfeEg


__
https://flic.kr/p/LPfeEg



xellos99 said:


> Reminds me of a local lad who spent 20K making one of these go like a bomb.
> 
> He was overtaking 60K sports cars.


 What about the 100k sports cars with 400bhp that falk bought for 3 grand after 14 year? :biggrin:


----------



## bowie

Nigelp said:


> Blimey I know where theres a gud un even though I'm a fool to me sen lad :biggrin:
> 
> Andy has just flogged this for 1500 notes!
> 
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/LPfeEg
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/LPfeEg
> 
> What about the 100k sports cars with 400bhp that falk bought for 3 grand after 14 year? :biggrin:


 nice car


----------



## BondandBigM

Never been a fan of Jim the Jap motors, their alleged reliability is a made up urban myth, I had some eye watering bills for a Supra that I had years back and how many RX8's are sitting on drives with knackered engines, I know of at least two. Similarly I think the MX5 is a bit over rated. driven a few and in the overall scheme of things not that special especially the older ones, sure a bit of fair day and Sunday top down fun but really just a cheaply thrown together two seater copy.

All that being said and this one it looks a bit Max Power outdated now these old RX7's went well and handled better than any MX5 I've been in. Had the occasional run out in this one, was owned by a lad in the office, scary fast, it ran [email protected]+mph at the Pod on cheap street tyres. I doubt if the engine would have lasted long though.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## Padders

Sorry Bond but that comment about the MX5 just ain't right. 2 seater copy? Absolutely and much better than the original if you consider that the original was the likes of MG midget. Cheaply thrown together? Err no. The mechanicals are pretty much bullet proof and while the bodywork does rust eventually have you seen many tidy MGFs lately let alone 70s BL rubbish still running around? Or Fiat Barchettas or any other 90s convertible. The original engine in the MX5 was lifted virtually unchanged from a group B rally 323 minus the turbo, is non interference and can take mega miles and mega power upgrades with very few mods. I agree that they aren't all that exciting from a performance perspective but as I noted earlier there are ways to fix that. Suggest an alternative soft top in the same price range which is anywher near as competent or reliable.

I totally get that you are more Corvette C3 than Frog-eye Sprite type of chap but don't let that blind you to the fact that the Five does what it does very well.


----------



## bowie

I have had two of these .


----------



## BondandBigM

bowie said:


> I have had two of these .


 Brave man !!!

I had a Dolly Sprint back in the day, it did everything except go

:laugh: :laugh:



Padders said:


> Sorry Bond but that comment about the MX5 just ain't right. 2 seater copy? Absolutely and much better than the original if you consider that the original was the likes of MG midget. Cheaply thrown together? Err no. The mechanicals are pretty much bullet proof and while the bodywork does rust eventually have you seen many tidy MGFs lately let alone 70s BL rubbish still running around? Or Fiat Barchettas or any other 90s convertible. The original engine in the MX5 was lifted virtually unchanged from a group B rally 323 minus the turbo, is non interference and can take mega miles and mega power upgrades with very few mods. I agree that they aren't all that exciting from a performance perspective but as I noted earlier there are ways to fix that. Suggest an alternative soft top in the same price range which is anywher near as competent or reliable.
> 
> I totally get that you are more Corvette C3 than Frog-eye Sprite type of chap but don't let that blind you to the fact that the Five does what it does very well.


 I think you've spent to much time on TZ where even a thread about push bike has someone popping up telling the OP to buy an MX5

:laugh: :laugh:

When I say copy










Bit of work on the engine, throw in a couple of Cosworth cams.

I'm sure you'll get the idea.

:biggrin:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Brave man !!!
> 
> I had a Dolly Sprint back in the day, it did everything except go
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> I think you've spent to much time on TZ where even a thread about push bike has someone popping up telling the OP to buy an MX5
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> When I say copy
> 
> 
> 
> Bit of work on the engine, throw in a couple of Cosworth cams.
> 
> I'm sure you'll get the idea.
> 
> :biggrin:


 Lotus.

Lots

Of

Trouble

Usually

Serious.

Nothing wrong with the MX. If Marks and Spencer sold cars.  Reliable, acceptable, clean cut.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> I had a Dolly Sprint back in the day, it did everything except go
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 Remember this?


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Remember this?


 No but is it to much Vodka or is that an Australian advert ??

In principle it was a clever bit of kit, single cam but 16 valves but did you ever try changing the timing chain on one

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> No but is it to much Vodka or is that an Australian advert ??
> 
> In principle it was a clever bit of kit, single cam but 16 valves but did you ever try changing the timing chain on one
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 I remember my mate inexplicably swapped a mk1 RS 1600 for one.

I had a Holbay Hillman Hunter, never gave me any bother, and it got severely hammered.


----------



## Dr_Niss

My Staaag

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


----------



## BondandBigM

Dr_Niss said:


> My Staaag
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


 Another brave man

:laugh: :laugh:



WRENCH said:


> I remember my mate inexplicably swapped a mk1 RS 1600 for one.
> 
> I had a Holbay Hillman Hunter, never gave me any bother, and it got severely hammered.


 Haven't seen one of these in years although to be fair I'd rather have the couple of Fix Or Repair Daylies in the background. I started off with a MK2 Cortina for my first car that I actually bought with a beg steal and borrow from my old man for the pricely sum of £60 which back then was a lot of money !!!

:biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM




----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


>


 That's spooky.


----------



## Padders

God you can be patronising Bond! And wrong. Of course I am aware that the MX5 owes a design debt to the Elan but bearing in mind that most of those spent the 1970s and 80s either in an cloud of steam or static, rusting and delaminating happily, I chose not to name check it as a serious rival. Inspiration certainly, rival no.

I have never commented on MX5s on TZ strangely enough even though I am aware they are a hot topic over there, I have moved on but when I see arrant nonsense I tend to call it out

I have just weighed in my last (of 3) for a 911 so have I no axe to grind but on this you are way off the mark.


----------



## WRENCH

bowie said:


> I have had two of these .


 Was one not enough. (Sorry)


----------



## BondandBigM

I had a few fast fix or repair dailies back in the day. This was the quickest, don't be put off by only seeing three header pipes the rest of the engine was inside the car and it had one seat in the middle at the back. With a hand built chassis and a full house 460 cubic inch big block V8 on anything other than a straight road it was a bit of a death trap.

:laugh: :laugh:





































@Padders

MX5...touchy subject....duly noted.

:biggrin:


----------



## Padders

BondandBigM said:


> I had a few fast fix or repair dailies back in the day. This was the quickest, don't be put off by only seeing three header pipes the rest of the engine was inside the car and it had one seat in the middle at the back. With a hand built chassis and a full house 460 cubic inch big block V8 on anything other than a straight road it was a bit of a death trap.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Padders
> 
> MX5...touchy subject....duly noted.
> 
> :biggrin:


 Well perhaps! I think you would have actually liked mine. It did 0-60 in less than 5s and could spin the wheels in the dry in first, second and briefly third. Just mental but strong enough to do 70k miles like that. Got it up to the redline in 5th at 144mph at Silverstone. Gearing was a little short as standard.


----------



## bowie

WRENCH said:


> Was one not enough. (Sorry)


 had no bother with both of them i replaced the water pump in one and exhaust in the other both ran great and no rot both wear Ziebart and waxoyled


----------



## BondandBigM

bowie said:


> had no bother with both of them i replaced the water pump in one and exhaust in the other both ran great and no rot both wear Ziebart and waxoyled


 They were actually not bad looking cars in their day, correct me if I'm wrong but weren't the engines derived from a SAAB ??

Better once they sorted that bit of them out

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM




----------



## WRENCH

These had a 4.5 litre V8 Hemi in them.










Designed by the same man who gave us this.


----------



## bowie

BondandBigM said:


> They were actually not bad looking cars in their day, correct me if I'm wrong but weren't the engines derived from a SAAB ??
> 
> Better once they sorted that bit of them out
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yes they where


----------



## BondandBigM

@Nigelp I probably posted this before but always worth another look.


----------



## bowie




----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> @Nigelp I probably posted this before but always worth another look.


 Love the old 126 SEC, Just had the ABC fluid changed on my CL55 AMG a surprisingly straight forward job, transformed the ride which was a bit jittery in comparison with the CL500K. The fluid change gets neglected don't think it had ever been done It was dark rather than green, the fluid is £20 a litre and it takes 9 litres. Which might be why it gets left. But at 40k intervals its cheap at half the price, especially considering a pump is about 600 quid.

Bedding into family life nicely, done about 3,000 miles in it in the past 2 months. Going to need a new set of boots soon. Very tempted with some sticky Toyo Proxes. The P Zeros seem a bid skittish. Might be the run flat harshness of the walls?



__
https://flic.kr/p/LWdoWh


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> Love the old 126 SEC, Just had the ABC fluid changed on my CL55 AMG a surprisingly straight forward job, transformed the ride which was a bit jittery in comparison with the CL500K. The fluid change gets neglected don't think it had ever been done It was dark rather than green, the fluid is £20 a litre and it takes 9 litres. Which might be why it gets left. But at 40k intervals its cheap at half the price, especially considering a pump is about 600 quid.
> 
> Bedding into family life nicely, done about 3,000 miles in it in the past 2 months. Going to need a new set of boots soon. Very tempted with some sticky Toyo Proxes. The P Zeros seem a bid skittish. Might be the run flat harshness of the walls?
> 
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/LWdoWh


 Looking good.

From what I read it's not so much the cost of the pump it's the damage is does to the rest of the system when they grenade that leaves you with the big bill so whilst the fluid change isn't cheap in the long term worth the expense.

Not so sure on the tyres, these super sticky things don't last that long and usually aren't that good in the cold or wet, on something like your Merc you might be doing it a disservice.


----------



## WRENCH

Love these.


----------



## BondandBigM

When I had my F350 Dually it was all up in the air and "big rig" wheels now the latest trend is air bags and laying them on their frame rails.


----------



## WRENCH

:biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=system&controller=embed&url=https://twitter.com/Zakspeed_TV/status/794919838460346368?s=09

Shame it's Saturday or this could be my Wednesday Want.


----------



## WRENCH

Throughout life I've worked on many old school dream cars, my mate had a business that specialized in re wiring, another upholstering, I did the engine, and the maestro would do the paint, I've seen Caddy's, Old "Dictators" mercs, but three stand out more than anything.

1.Gordon Keeble.










Chevrolet small block 4.6-liter V-8 into a purpose-made, Keeble-designed chassis.

2. Citroen Maserati.SM.



















And the one that makes me go all week at the knees.

3.Facel Vega HK500.



















360bhp 6.3-litre engine found under the bonnet.

what else is out there that moves a family in style without computers, just a bit of brute force and finesse.

come on, let's see them. :yes:


----------



## Pete wilding

Don't know how to do photo links...........for me AUDI QUATTRO just love the sound...


----------



## WRENCH

Pete wilding said:


> Don't know how to do photo links...........for me AUDI QUATTRO just love the sound...


 This one ?


----------



## richy176

The Citroen Maserati.SM does it for me but I would add in the Citroen DS.


----------



## Pete wilding

WRENCH said:


> This one ?


 Yes Thank you


----------



## Craftycockney

This is a bit of me all day long.


----------



## relaxer7

Missed the boat with one of these...


----------



## Biker

I am not into cars BUT if I could, I would have one of these...


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> I am not into cars BUT if I could, I would have one of these...


 The Humber variant was one of my first cars. (Not this one)










£50, ex Dundee taxi.


----------



## bridgeman

WRENCH said:


> The Humber variant was one of my first cars. (Not this one)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> £50, ex Dundee taxi.


 We had one of these can even remember the reg number GET 163E 1967 in silver with overdrive on 3 and 4th gears.

sadly didn't have it more than 6 months....dad died ,I sold it to a relative and bought a hillman imp .!


----------



## WRENCH

bridgeman said:


> We had one of these can even remember the reg number GET 163E 1967 in silver with overdrive on 3 and 4th gears.
> 
> sadly didn't have it more than 6 months....dad died ,I sold it to a relative and bought a hillman imp .!


 A memory lane trip down Rootes Group classics.


----------



## Roger the Dodger

Mine in 1975...


----------



## pauluspaolo

WRENCH said:


> A memory lane trip down Rootes Group classics.


 Always had a soft spot for Rapiers ever since seeing a rally version at a classic car show :biggrin:

The Facel Vega does it for me - beautiful car :clap:


----------



## bridgeman

London -Sydney marathon 1968 won by a Hillman Hunter!


----------



## WRENCH

bridgeman said:


> London -Sydney marathon 1968 won by a Hillman Hunter!


 It was a bit special.


----------



## BondandBigM

relaxer7 said:


> Missed the boat with one of these...


 I've got a borderline look-a-likey.

:laugh: :laugh:

I've had allsorts and been in allsorts but always had a fancy for one of these.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> I've got a borderline look-a-likey.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> I've had allsorts and been in allsorts but always had a fancy for one of these.


 My mate collects coupe's. Locks them up in a warehouse and never let's them see the light of day.










Some other forgotten classics.










The ultimate British "baddies" motor.










Mind you Mrs T wafted about in one.


----------



## BondandBigM

@WRENCH

The Gordon Keebles had Chevy 327ci and manual 4 speeds from a Corvette which in decimal money is 5.3lt. Nice cars there used to be one in town a bit back that looked pretty much like it was a daily driver.

As for brute force and ignorance, back in the day I had one of these. No finese, no handling but 455ci and over 500lbft in 1970 it had the most torque of any factory muscle car. Something akin to an old school bare knuckle boxer. It just battered the opposition in to submission and although people fell for Chevy and Hemis it was regularly featured in the top two or three fastest cars of its era.










:biggrin:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> @WRENCH
> 
> The Gordon Keebles had Chevy 327ci and manual 4 speeds from a Corvette which in decimal money is 5.3lt. Nice cars there used to be one in town a bit back that looked pretty much like it was a daily driver.
> 
> As for brute force and ignorance, back in the day I had one of these. No finese, no handling but 455ci and over 500lbft in 1970 it had the most torque of any factory muscle car. Something akin to an old school bare knuckle boxer. It just battered the opposition in to submission and although people fell for Chevy and Hemis it was regularly featured in the top two or three fastest cars of its era.
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 One thing that puzzled me was why some of those , and GTO's had that weird "hood" mounted tach ?


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> One thing that puzzled me was why some of those , and GTO's had that weird "hood" mounted tach ?


 Forerunner of heads up display ???

:biggrin:

I had one of these stuck on top of the dash right in front of me, no need for a speedo just change up when the light flashes










Another forgotten big fast V8 GT

https://www.carligious.com/articles/forgotten-supercars/1965-1973-ac-frua-coupe


----------



## BondandBigM

Another big Italian American collaboration four seat V8 Gt, an old boss of mine had one of these and it sounded awesome.


----------



## BlueKnight

I've always had a soft spot for the V-12 Espada III.

( Click on pic for full resolution)


----------



## WRENCH

From 1967. B.M.C concept would you believe ?



















but they stayed with the safe option.


----------



## BondandBigM




----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


>


 If I was a President, the Pope or a Rock Star, that would be my car...!


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> If I was a President, the Pope or a Rock Star, that would be my car...!


 I used to see some little darlings getting let off at private school in a stretch version of that.


----------



## Biker

WRENCH said:


>


 I had one of these back in the mid eighties, it was that dirty beige colour resprayed black, it was possibly the most comfortable car I ever rode in. Also, when you take the headrests out and move the front seats fully forward, the seat backs would recline to form a big double bed.. 

75mph in first!

I would trade my children for another...


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> it was possibly the most comfortable car I ever rode


 You don't often hear comfort and Ford in the same sentence.

These were really plush.


----------



## stairpost

I'm not particularly into cars, but I can appreciate when something is eye catching. That said my boss has got a DB9 which should be a thing of beauty, but as his is a white convertible with a black roof it looks far more like a chav wedding car than something that expensive and well designed should ever look.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> You don't often hear comfort and Ford in the same sentence.
> 
> These were really plush.


 The American version

Proper old luxo barge, much derided in Europe but I'll bet you could waft East to West coast America in one of these workout even creasing you slacks and wool role neck.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> The American version
> 
> Proper old luxo barge, much derided in Europe but I'll bet you could waft East to West coast America in one of these workout even creasing you slacks and wool role neck.


 I remember the first time I saw the inside of a Yank long haul truck cab. Dangerously comfortable is how I described it. Far too easy to fall asleep at the wheel. An old Atkinson with 6 cylinder Gardner in beside you, and a bit of foam bolted to the floor for a seat, much better. :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

Also available in a four door if you had a driver.










http://www.carscoops.com/2017/05/ride-like-king-of-cool-in-steve.html?m=1


----------



## deano1956

the best America/ italiano combo Italian look , with a proper sound :tongue:

deano


----------



## WRENCH

On the other side of the political world the Russians did produce some desirable examples.










https://hague6185.wordpress.com/2014/09/30/vintage-russian-sports-car-zis-101a-sport/


----------



## BondandBigM

deano1956 said:


> the best America/ italiano combo Italian look , with a proper sound :tongue:
> 
> deano


 I'll see your old Ford Cleveland boat anchor and raise you a @BlueKnight










Have you heard one of these old twin distributor six sidedraught quad cam Lambo V12's on full chat.

:biggrin:


----------



## Pete wilding

BondandBigM said:


> I've got a borderline look-a-likey.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> I've had allsorts and been in allsorts but always had a fancy for one of these.


 Had the 2.8 Ghia,lovely comfortable car,very thirsty


----------



## deano1956

BondandBigM said:


> I'll see your old Ford Cleveland boat anchor and raise you a @BlueKnight
> 
> 
> 
> Have you heard one of these old twin distributor six sidedraught quad cam Lambo V12's on full chat.
> 
> :biggrin:


 it may be the way they silence them but they leave me cold  just prefer tenor bass to sopranos,

deano


----------



## BondandBigM

deano1956 said:


> it may be the way they silence them but they leave me cold  just prefer tenor bass to sopranos,
> 
> deano


 Not wishing to teach an old hot rodder how to suck eggs but even Ford have ditched the old boat anchors in favour of the flat plane high rpm howl.

https://www.1aauto.com/content/articles/flat-plane-vs-cross-plane-crankshaft-design


----------



## Padders

BondandBigM said:


> Not wishing to teach an old hot rodder how to suck eggs but even Ford have ditched the old boat anchors in favour of the flat plane high rpm howl.
> 
> https://www.1aauto.com/content/articles/flat-plane-vs-cross-plane-crankshaft-design


 Eh? The current mustang with the 5.0 Coyote engine still has a 90deg crank does it not? I think the special 5.2l in the Shelby model is a flat plane screamer but most yank V8s are still burblers I think.


----------



## deano1956

BondandBigM said:


> Not wishing to teach an old hot rodder how to suck eggs but even Ford have ditched the old boat anchors in favour of the flat plane high rpm howl.
> 
> https://www.1aauto.com/content/articles/flat-plane-vs-cross-plane-crankshaft-design


 many drivers have a soft spot for that classic crossplane burble. that's this old hot rodder, :biggrin:

then, hopefully you know now where it comes from. I do now :thumbsup:

deano


----------



## BondandBigM

Padders said:


> Eh? The current mustang with the 5.0 Coyote engine still has a 90deg crank does it not? I think the special 5.2l in the Shelby model is a flat plane screamer but most yank V8s are still burblers I think.


 Yes you're right, possibly I should of said in their Hi Performance Mustangs but I'll bet it won't be long until you see it in a few other modern-day collaborations.



https://blog.caranddriver.com/holy-flat-plane-crankshaft-we-finally-get-an-in-depth-look-at-the-ford-mustang-shelby-gt350gt350rs-5-2-liter-v-8/


----------



## Padders

I found that article too when I searched on flat plane Ford V8. Reading up on that gt350, it sounds a hell of a beast. I wonder if it will make it over here. I certainly hope so.


----------



## BondandBigM

Padders said:


> I found that article too when I searched on flat plane Ford V8. Reading up on that gt350, it sounds a hell of a beast. I wonder if it will make it over here. I certainly hope so.


 Oddly even though I've had dozens of domestic Fords when it comes to Yank Tanks I'm a GM man, other than my F350 truck I've only had two yank Ford cars.


----------



## Padders

Both are hideous but somehow magnificent at the same time!


----------



## WRENCH

I could live with this.

*








*


----------



## longplay

I have been thinking that there's a market for producing vintage car homages with modern running gear (just not those £500k e-type copies). Some beautiful cars made over the years but few are daily drivers (for a variety of reasons).


----------



## WRENCH

longplay said:


> I have been thinking that there's a market for producing vintage car homages with modern running gear (just not those £500k e-type copies). Some beautiful cars made over the years but few are daily drivers (for a variety of reasons).


 The regulation brigade have just about stifled that idea out of existence. Can't have anyone having fun, can we ? Mind you ;










A friend bought a new one of these.


----------



## longplay

And I bet that turns some heads!


----------



## WRENCH

longplay said:


> And I bet that turns some heads!


 Especially on corners. :huh:


----------



## pauluspaolo

WRENCH said:


> The regulation brigade have just about stifled that idea out of existence. Can't have anyone having fun, can we ? Mind you ;
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A friend bought a new one of these.


 Saw something like that (may have been a kitcar rather than a Morgan) whilst out in the SS1 last weekend - was totally ignored when I waved at him  It did look good though 

Some beautiful cars in this thread (even - whisper it - the American ones) :thumbs_up:


----------



## stairpost

If I could actually drive, I would happily do it in one of these.


----------



## BondandBigM

No motoring thread can be complete without an E-Type.










The one car that looks better in the hardtop version.


----------



## BondandBigM

Iron fist in a velvet glove as only the Germans can do well










Another should have bought one when they were affordable.

They have almost doubled in price since I almost bit the bullet on one a couple of years ago.


----------



## Karrusel

stairpost said:


> If I could actually drive, I would happily do it in one of these.


 I think after a few weeks driving one & paying for a fuel tanker to follow.... you may change your mind :yes:

They did make a very nice noise though :biggrin:

My Dad had one of these for a couple of years back in the 60's, glorious car......when it worked :bash: .

On one occasion they flew a technician out from the factory for a couple of day's as the dealership couldn't rectify the recurring running/carburetor/ignition problems.










The town & country horn's was a nice feature :biggrin:


----------



## stairpost

Karrusel said:


> I think after a few weeks driving one & paying for a fuel tanker to follow.... you may change your mind :yes:
> 
> They did make a very nice noise though :biggrin:


 To be honest, it's only the fact that I can't drive, or afford to buy & run one that stops me from getting a Jensen


----------



## BondandBigM

stairpost said:


> To be honest, it's only the fact that I can't drive, or afford to buy & run one that stops me from getting a Jensen


 Just park it in your living room or move into you garage.

:biggrin:










My mate has some kind of Interceptor that there was only a handful of them made. It's never seen the light of day for as long as I've known him. He just like to site and look at it.

Isn't there one of the Rolling Stones the same ??? serious car collection and can't drive just likes to sit in them.

:huh:


----------



## Karrusel

BondandBigM said:


> Just park it in your living room or move into you garage.
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> 
> 
> My mate has some kind of Interceptor that there was only a handful of them made. It's never seen the light of day for as long as I've known him. He just like to site and look at it.
> 
> Isn't there one of the Rolling Stones the same ??? serious car collection and can't drive just likes to sit in them.
> 
> :huh:


 Ronnie Wood :thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM

Karrusel said:


> Ronnie Wood :thumbsup:


 Not sure just seemed to pop into my mind. Might be he was to full of Charlie to do much else other than sit in a gazzilion quids worth of motor and gaze at the stars.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## stairpost

BondandBigM said:


> Just park it in your living room or move into you garage.
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My mate has some kind of Interceptor that there was only a handful of them made. It's never seen the light of day for as long as I've known him. He just like to site and look at it.
> 
> Isn't there one of the Rolling Stones the same ??? serious car collection and can't drive just likes to sit in them.
> 
> :huh:


 I could could kill 2 birds with one stone by living in the car, save a fortune on rent and bills. Park it in the carpark at work and I'm done


----------



## WRENCH

stairpost said:


> I could could kill 2 birds with one stone by living in the car, save a fortune on rent and bills. Park it in the carpark at work and I'm done


 You need a Blastolene Decoliner. :yes:


----------



## stairpost

BondandBigM said:


> Not sure just seemed to pop into my mind. Might be he was to full of Charlie to do much else other than sit in a gazzilion quids worth of motor and gaze at the stars.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 I had no idea he was having a fling with the drummer???!!! 



WRENCH said:


> You need a Blastolene Decoliner. :yes:


 Uuuummmmmm....... Well that's a thing isnt it?


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> No motoring thread can be complete without an E-Type.
> 
> The one car that looks better in the hardtop version.


 Sexiest car ever IMO.


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> Sexiest car ever IMO.


 A couple of contenders. :thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM

BlueKnight said:


> Sexiest car ever IMO.


 Possibly

.

.

.

.

But










They didn't fall into the BMW Mini or VW Beatle trap and turned out a stunning up to date modern rendition of its predecessor.

The latest F-Types are gorgeous.


----------



## Padders

I much prefer the F which just looks amazing from every angle. The E is great but not perfect. There are a few bits that really grate on me. The narrow track meaning the wheels are lost in the arches, the flat bits of metal below the windows and above the door which look like an afterthought to name but 2. The interior on them is pretty bland too. The XKSS did it better and that was just a racing car with wipers.


----------



## WRENCH

Padders said:


> I much prefer the F which just looks amazing from every angle. The E is great but not perfect. There are a few bits that really grate on me. The narrow track meaning the wheels are lost in the arches, the flat bits of metal below the windows and above the door which look like an afterthought to name but 2. The interior on them is pretty bland too. The XKSS did it better and that was just a racing car with wipers.


 In my youth a neighbour ran this as everyday transport,








and here it is more recent,








always remember it pulling uphill and changing up just as it passed my house.


----------



## BondandBigM

Coincidentally this F-Type was in the car park outside my local Wetherspoons tonight.










And yes it did have a blue badge on the dash !!!

Not wishing to sound like a Daily Wailer but how the [email protected] does a genuine disablist even get in and out of one of these never mind a p!ssed up one.

Do these blue badge chancers still get free road tax ???



:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Not wishing to sound like a Daily Wailer but how the [email protected] does a genuine disablist even get in and out of one of these


 :laughing2dw:


----------



## maker

WRENCH said:


> You don't often hear comfort and Ford in the same sentence.
> 
> These were really plush.


 Very nice, friend of mine had the Zodiac Executive back in the day in dark blue. Unbelievably comfortable we went all over in it. Cool cruiser.

I had a Zephyr mk4 with column change and bench seat in the front. Halogen days Rodney, halogen days.........


----------



## maker

Always lusted after the Iso Grifo after seeing one which belonged to a customer at a garage I worked at in my youth.

Italian styling and American (various used) V8's. Nice.


----------



## dapper

Studebaker Avanti...


----------



## longplay

Turns out Jag restore their old models and, in this case, converted an E-type to electric:

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/09/jaguars-restored-this-old-e-type-with-an-electric-upgrade/

I'm not a huge E-type fan but surely half the appeal is the noise?


----------



## BlueKnight

*'63 Split Window. I would gladly give one of my 'boys' for one....*


----------



## DJH584

BondandBigM said:


> I've had allsorts and been in allsorts but always had a fancy for one of these.


 I used to drive these as police traffic patrol cars. 3.0 litre V6 Essex engine that was virtually unburstable. Our unmarked car was a great runner. Still went up to full speed despite having a cracked cylinder head. The only tell tale sign was the amount of water it was using. The one thing I didn't like about the Mk1 was that the rim of the steering wheel was too thin. Apart from that, an absolutely great car - then we got the Mk2


----------



## WRENCH




----------



## WRENCH

I had a "Plastic Pig",










and my mate had a Capri RS3100,










The pig was quicker.


----------



## BondandBigM

DJH584 said:


> I used to drive these as police traffic patrol cars. 3.0 litre V6 Essex engine that was virtually unburstable. Our unmarked car was a great runner. Still went up to full speed despite having a cracked cylinder head. The only tell tale sign was the amount of water it was using. The one thing I didn't like about the Mk1 was that the rim of the steering wheel was too thin. Apart from that, an absolutely great car - then we got the Mk2


 Back in the day my local plod had a couple of unmarked white 3.0ltr Capris that even with no marking stood out like a sore thumb and the fun on a night was to spot one get behind it and follow it around town until they got a bit annoyed.

You'd never get away with it these days

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> I had a "Plastic Pig",
> 
> 
> 
> and my mate had a Capri RS3100,
> 
> 
> 
> The pig was quicker.


 Your mate wasn't pressing the loud pedal hard enough.

:laugh: :laugh:

I've had both and in comparison to most of the 3.0 & 2.8 Capris that I got through over the years the Scimiter was a dog.

That being said my one fast Capri had triple webers, Swaymar heads and a five speed box stuck in it.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> local plod had a couple of unmarked white 3.0ltr Capris


 White unmarked VX 490 here.


----------



## BondandBigM




----------



## WRENCH

In the unlikely event of a lottery win, my wife says she'll buy one of these. :jawdrop1: Cord Sportsman.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> White unmarked VX 490 here.


 I went through a Vauxhall phase and my first one of many was a 2.3 Victor.

PGD 3M

I wish I still had the registration never mind the motor. Best of the bunch was an Opel Monza, super smooth straight 6 and it felt like it would have went to the moon and back without missing a beat.


----------



## BondandBigM

Some more German muscle


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Vauxhall phase


 Remember these ?

Brabham SL/90 HB.










And the 1975cc GT.










Amazing his long it took to figure out to put "wing" mirrors on the door.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Remember these ?
> 
> Brabham SL/90 HB.
> 
> 
> 
> And the 1975cc GT.
> 
> 
> 
> Amazing his long it took to figure out to put "wing" mirrors on the door.


 Yep had a Viva back in the day.

And these, never had one but one of the boys did, same 2.3 slant four with twin carbs.


----------



## BondandBigM

Reminds me of back in the day watching World of Sport in the hope of seeing a bit of motor racing before the wrestling.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## RSR934

WRENCH said:


> Throughout life I've worked on many old school dream cars, my mate had a business that specialized in re wiring, another upholstering, I did the engine, and the maestro would do the paint, I've seen Caddy's, Old "Dictators" mercs, but three stand out more than anything.
> 
> 1.Gordon Keeble.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Chevrolet small block 4.6-liter V-8 into a purpose-made, Keeble-designed chassis.
> 
> 2. Citroen Maserati.SM.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the one that makes me go all week at the knees.
> 
> 3.Facel Vega HK500.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 360bhp 6.3-litre engine found under the bonnet.
> 
> what else is out there that moves a family in style without computers, just a bit of brute force and finesse.
> 
> come on, let's see them. :yes:


 Love the Facel Vega. I like the Citroen also but it looks like a barge in the photo's.

Regards, Paul.



WRENCH said:


> One thing that puzzled me was why some of those , and GTO's had that weird "hood" mounted tach ?


 Possibly so you did not have to look down as far while you were hanging on for dear life. lol.


----------



## BondandBigM

RSR934 said:


> Possibly so you did not have to look down as far while you were hanging on for dear life. lol.


 




:huh:


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> Reminds me of back in the day watching World of Sport in the hope of seeing a bit of motor racing before the wrestling.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 I remember those days only too well,a bit of motor sport, wrestling, and then the crappy football results which seemed to last for ever, with Dickie Davis. Class.


----------



## RSR934

I haven't got round to finding out how to upload photos yet, it will be on my "to do list" somewhere very near the top. Anyway my list would consist predominantly starting at the top with Ford Escorts MK1 & 11 Mexico (large wheel arch), RS1800 flat nose & RS2000 slanty nose. Porsche RSR934 & RSR935 a few models of the GT2's & 3's various years (refinement does not bother me). Then a fairly long list of American muscle cars.


----------



## BondandBigM

Big Chief and his GTO when they were both in one piece.

:laugh: :laugh:










Which reminds me of another Yank Tank I had. A 70 Pontiac Lemans Sport










Not my actual car.

It's a shame that when I got divorced my ex had a bonfire and amongst other things like my complete Bowie singles collection she also burnt loads of photos of my cars.

In hindsight maybe taking a pair of scissors to our wedding photographs wasn't one of my best ideas.

:biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

@WRENCH

Back in the day when we were kids as you did back then we got on our bikes every weekend.

This place was within peddling distance and as you would expect back then it was surrounded by urban mythology, tall tails and downright lies so it was a must visit place.










Out back there were numerous sheds with old motors which we used to peer in the windows at.

Years later presumably one of his offspring decided to sell the collection and this was pulled out one of the sheds.

A pretty much pristine 69 Hemi Charger !!

Not sure how it got the newer registration plate but back in the day I had an old 70's Caddy with an 80's plate so I presume back then the DVLA weren't so bothered.


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> Another big Italian American collaboration four seat V8 Gt, an old boss of mine had one of these and it sounded awesome.


 What make and model is this please.

Regards, Paul.


----------



## Steve D UK

De Tomaso Longchamp?


----------



## BondandBigM

RSR934 said:


> What make and model is this please.
> 
> Regards, Paul.





Steve D UK said:


> De Tomaso Longchamp?


 Yep probably a fairly rare thing in the UK


----------



## BlueKnight

*Remake of the '67 Shelby GT 500 by Revology Cars based in Florida.*


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> Yep probably a fairly rare thing in the UK


 Hi BondandBigM and Steve D.

The reason why I asked is it reminded me of a Fiat that I could not remember the model of at the time, I think it was the Fiat 131 Arbarth. I think it was the wheel arches that made me think Fiat.

Regards, Paul.


----------



## BondandBigM

RSR934 said:


> Hi BondandBigM and Steve D.
> 
> The reason why I asked is it reminded me of a Fiat that I could not remember the model of at the time, I think it was the Fiat 131 Arbarth. I think it was the wheel arches that made me think Fiat.
> 
> Regards, Paul.


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


>


 Thanks for posting the pic. Yes, that's the boyo. Do you think that there is similarities?. I was thinking more the back end and the wheel arches.

Regards, Paul.


----------



## Chromejob

BondandBigM said:


> No motoring thread can be complete without an E-Type.


----------



## Big Vern

WRENCH said:


> I had a "Plastic Pig",
> 
> 
> 
> and my mate had a Capri RS3100,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The pig was quicker.


 Love the Scimitar. My dad bought one in 1974 ('L' reg I think). I thought it was the absolute dogs. I remember we went 135mph on the motorway once, great memories. It had an 8 track player in it and we had to listen to my dad's rock & roll music always. I always look at them when we go to classic car shows, which I do as often as I can.



BondandBigM said:


> Possibly
> 
> .
> 
> .
> 
> .
> 
> .
> 
> But
> 
> 
> 
> They didn't fall into the BMW Mini or VW Beatle trap and turned out a stunning up to date modern rendition of its predecessor.
> 
> The latest F-Types are gorgeous.


 Mate of mine has just ordered an F Type, due for delivery in May. Although I did tell him to test drive the V6 for comparison, he didn't and ordered the 4 pot 2Ltr. Still a nice car, but 4 cylinder!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's like buying a 718 Boxer or Cayman, don't do it!


----------



## ziggy1024

Big Vern said:


> It's like buying a 718 Boxer or Cayman, don't do it!


 It's worse - the Porsche buyer could claim they had no choice.

More like a Mustang Ecoboost... :Snore:


----------



## BlueKnight

Big Vern said:


> .......he didn't and ordered the 4 pot 2Ltr. Still a nice car, but 4 cylinder!!!!!!!!!!!!!


 *Don't dis the 4 cylinders. Today's modern 4 pots make incredible horsepower. They make V8's of the past look like baby strollers. :laugh: *

*Mine makes 300 HP from 248 HP. with a Dinan engine mapping module. The same set-up will be standard next year as a B48-A20T1 engine ( M35i) on the X1.*


----------



## Padders

BlueKnight said:


> *Don't dis the 4 cylinders. Today's modern 4 pots make incredible horsepower. They make V8's of the past look like baby strollers. :laugh: *
> 
> *Mine makes 300 HP from 248 HP. with a Dinan engine mapping module. The same set-up will be standard next year as a B48-A20T1 engine ( M35i) on the X1.*


 Yeah but the 6 in the M140i makes an easy 340hp as std, 400hp if messed with like this...


----------



## ziggy1024

4-pots have their place. In a Jaguar/Porsche is not their place.


----------



## BlueKnight

Padders said:


> Yeah but the 6 in the M140i makes an easy 340hp as std, 400hp if messed with like this...


 Of course. And the V8 in the F90 M5 makes 600 HP...etc. And you can ask Alpina® for more. He he he .....


----------



## WRENCH

Big Vern said:


> It had an 8 track player in it


 You could never get good radio reception in them because all the electrical interference off the ignition system came straight thorough the fibreglass. I spent ages with bacofoil, extra earths and capacitors, but gave up in the end.


----------



## Big Vern

ziggy1024 said:


> 4-pots have their place. In a Jaguar/Porsche is not their place.


 Your opinion is only your opinion, but as it happens 100% correct.


----------



## Turpinr

Chromejob said:


> I dunno, I'd take one with an Audrey Hepburn top wearing Givenchy.


 E type hasn't been bettered for looks in my opinion although the F type is no dog


----------



## WRENCH

ziggy1024 said:


> Porsche is not their place.


 Come on.


----------



## BlueKnight

*My 1980 2.3 Oettinger 924 had 180 HP. Five more than the Turbo of the same year. Old school technology. 230 mph with a tail wind. I wonder what they could do today.* :tongue:


----------



## Padders

Now 230mph would be an impressive 924 lol


----------



## BlueKnight

Padders said:


> Now 230mph would be an impressive 924 lol


 Dopey me.....D'uh. I hope you read 230 kph.







( I must have caught the jetstream..... :laugh: )


----------



## Padders

I was jealous, my 997 can only do 177mph!


----------



## BlueKnight

Padders said:


> I was jealous, my 997 can only do 177mph!


 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: And you should be......


----------



## BondandBigM

Turpinr said:


> E type hasn't been bettered for looks in my opinion although the F type is no dog


 99 times out of a 100 I'd agree

But










And if you move on to when the later 2+2 E-Types became a bit odd looking


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> 99 times out of a 100 I'd agree
> 
> But
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And if you move on to when the later 2+2 E-Types became a bit odd looking


 The bottom one and the AC Cobra are 2 of the only American cars I've ever liked. Still the E type for me even over Bonds original ejector seat Aston Martin


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> 99 times out of a 100 I'd agree
> 
> But


 *I've said it before....I would give one of my boys for a Split Window. * :notworthy:


----------



## BondandBigM

Turpinr said:


> The bottom one and the AC Cobra are 2 of the only American cars I've ever liked. Still the E type for me even over Bonds original ejector seat Aston Martin


 To be fair I'm a bit bias










@Padders

Hard to believe I walked away from a clean 911 Carrera Super Sport to buy the Vette and the Vette cost more.

What was I thinking

:huh:

The Vette was a bit quicker though

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## mel

When I were a lad - -

We had a neighbour in one of the "£ big houses" on Onslow Drive who had a Jensen Interceptor, in a metallic blue colour.

I think I looked up to see if there was a Commandment "Thou shalt not covet they neighbours motor" and then decided to covet it anyways!

He also had a Jowett Javelin on blocks in the garage, I reckon he knew something about cars maybe?

Not got photies, sorry


----------



## BondandBigM

mel said:


> When I were a lad - -
> 
> We had a neighbour in one of the "£ big houses" on Onslow Drive who had a Jensen Interceptor, in a metallic blue colour.
> 
> I think I looked up to see if there was a Commandment "Thou shalt not covet they neighbours motor" and then decided to covet it anyways!
> 
> He also had a Jowett Javelin on blocks in the garage, I reckon he knew something about cars maybe?
> 
> Not got photies, sorry


 Another anicdot

We were in Edinburgh one night in my mate's 65 Cadillac, nice two tone silver and dark grey. Needless to say back in those days they were a bit thin on the ground down Leith docks and we got pulled by the plod.

They gave us a proper once over and asked to see in the boot. On opening it the found two telly's, then we were in trouble, handcuffs, rubber truncheons, a lot of burglary and so on.

Took us ages to get them to believe my mate actually was a genuine TV repair man.

:biggrin:

As I said who in their right mind goes on the rob in Leith in a 25' long two tone Caddy Fleetwood Brougham limo.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> Another anecdote. ( Fixed it for you)
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 You should write a book. BTW, do you think your 'Vette could smoke my current little four pots? :tongue:


----------



## BondandBigM

BlueKnight said:


> You should write a book. BTW, do you think your 'Vette could smoke my current little four pots? :tongue:


 By a country mile

:biggrin:

When I built the engine I bought the best of the best on offer at time.

Fully forged bottom end, Edlebrock Ali heads, cam and carb, roller rockers, multi strike Accel digital ignition, gear driven cam, big tube headers yada yada yada

And it was a four on the floor, a quartermaster steel clutch with sintered bronze plates and a 3.77 rear end gear set. Before I set up the rev limiter to save the motor a bit it could pull 8000rpm in every gear, did everything but go in a straight line.

You'd be so far behind you wouldn't be able to read the license plate.

An easy win

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> An easy win
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 Not that easy Bond. You would run out of fuel halfway through the quarter mile...So reading your front plate would be easy. Ba ha ha ha .

( Nice car though...) :thumbs_up:


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> To be fair I'm a bit bias
> 
> 
> 
> @Padders
> 
> Hard to believe I walked away from a clean 911 Carrera Super Sport to buy the Vette and the Vette cost more.
> 
> What was I thinking
> 
> :huh:
> 
> The Vette was a bit quicker though
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 All the models of the Corvette Stingray have been handsome.

Ive got a Jag but it isnt an E type and 3 of my watches are of more value, individually


----------



## Andy300

:yes:


----------



## BondandBigM

BlueKnight said:


> Not that easy Bond. You would run out of fuel halfway through the quarter mile...So reading your front plate would be easy. Ba ha ha ha .
> 
> ( Nice car though...) :thumbs_up:


 To be fair it didn't do to many miles to the imperial gallon, even less to a Yank gallon

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## RSR934

Big Vern said:


> Love the Scimitar. My dad bought one in 1974 ('L' reg I think). I thought it was the absolute dogs. I remember we went 135mph on the motorway once, great memories. It had an 8 track player in it and we had to listen to my dad's rock & roll music always. I always look at them when we go to classic car shows, which I do as often as I can.
> 
> Mate of mine has just ordered an F Type, due for delivery in May. Although I did tell him to test drive the V6 for comparison, he didn't and ordered the 4 pot 2Ltr. Still a nice car, but 4 cylinder!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> It's like buying a 718 Boxer or Cayman, don't do it!


 That is a beautiful car. I also think the 718 Boxter is also a beautiful car. It,s come along way from the earlier models, and IMO is as good looking as the 911's. But not the GT3 RSR. I would have a 718 at the drop of a hat.


----------



## BondandBigM

Turpinr said:


> All the models of the Corvette Stingray have been handsome.
> 
> Ive got a Jag but it isnt an E type and 3 of my watches are of more value, individually


 Nothing wrong with an old Jag.

Way back in the day between Pontiacs and several Cadillacs I had an old XJ12

Shame about the rust


----------



## RSR934

Andy300 said:


> :yes:


 God.....what's happened to cars these days. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of beautiful cars available today but they don't seem to have the substance of cars of years gone by.


----------



## BondandBigM

RSR934 said:


> God.....what's happened to cars these days. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of beautiful cars available today but they don't seem to have the substance of cars of years gone by.


 Nothing wrong with a bit of old school.

I wonder if any of the current crop of today's motors will be so saught after.


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> Nothing wrong with an old Jag.
> 
> Way back in the day between Pontiacs and several Cadillacs I had an old XJ12
> 
> Shame about the rust


 I like to think I'm Arthur Daley when I'm driving mine :thumbsup:


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> Nothing wrong with a bit of old school.
> 
> I wonder if any of the current crop of today's motors will be so saught after.


 I think they inevitably will be. But, I don't think you will have as many what we might call the "old school cars". I think you could put most of the early golf,s and ford escorts et al (all variants) in there for starters.


----------



## BondandBigM

RSR934 said:


> I think they inevitably will be. But, I don't think you will have as many what we might call the "old school cars". I think you could put most of the early golf,s and ford escorts et al (all variants) in there for starters.


 It's like Jags, people automatically think Arthur Daily

But I'm old

:biggrin:


----------



## ziggy1024

WRENCH said:


> Come on.


 Good point! Anything post-356 then


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> It's like Jags, people automatically think Arthur Daily
> 
> But I'm old
> 
> :biggrin:


 I like that Jag myself. I remember the cars they used to race with the wide body (on World of Sport or Grandstand). I'm not that young myself anymore.


----------



## BondandBigM

It's a bit like women, a generation thing

:biggrin:

Rough old dog nobody will remember










Or

Wanda

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## Turpinr

RSR934 said:


> I like that Jag myself. I remember the cars they used to race with the wide body (on World of Sport or Grandstand). I'm not that young myself anymore.


 Didn't John Steed drive something like that in the New Avengers?


----------



## BondandBigM

Turpinr said:


> Didn't John Steed drive something like that in the New Avengers?


 The "rose tinted" glasses are well and truly focused

:biggrin:


----------



## RSR934

Turpinr said:


> Didn't John Steed drive something like that in the New Avengers?


 Hi Turpinr.

I believe you are correct. It looks like Cheshire Classic Cars have the original TV car that they have been restoring. I didn't know that by the way, I have just googled it.

Regards Paul. :thumbsup:


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> The "rose tinted" glasses are well and truly focused
> 
> :biggrin:


 Hahaha too right. Just got in from work and have a glass of port in my paw.

Everything was better in those days


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> It's a bit like women, a generation thing
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> Rough old dog nobody will remember
> 
> 
> 
> Or
> 
> Wanda
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 I prefer the colour one. :thumbsup:


----------



## Turpinr

RSR934 said:


> Hi Turpinr.
> 
> I believe you are correct. It looks like Cheshire Classic Cars have the original TV car that they have been restoring. I didn't know that by the way, I have just googled it.
> 
> Regards Paul. :thumbsup:


 I dont think those old Jags look that great with with flared wheel arches but that's just my opinion.

The MK2 Jag was a handsome old beast.



BondandBigM said:


> It's a bit like women, a generation thing
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> Rough old dog nobody will remember
> 
> 
> 
> Or
> 
> Wanda
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 Seriously who's the one on the top?


----------



## RSR934

Turpinr said:


> I dont think those old Jags look that great with with flared wheel arches but that's just my opinion.
> 
> The MK2 Jag was a handsome old beast.


 Yes it was indeed. My uncle Bill once gave my mam a driving lesson (first one) in one. She parked it up a grass verge at the bottom of the street where they lived at the time. No more driving lessons for mam. :bash:


----------



## Turpinr

Turpinr said:


> Im sure at one time they were the fastest saloon car in the world.
> 
> Ive never been in one but remember them and the Mk10 from children.
> 
> The 10 looked huge at the time but doesnt anymore.
> 
> Then again a Mini didn't look as tiny in those days, but now it's a noddy car


 Noddy cat?


----------



## BlueKnight

ziggy1024 said:


> Good point! Anything post-356 then


 What do you and @Big Vern drive? Lots of cars and bikes enthusiasts here. Even our own @Nigelp is a Porsche, Mercedes and now Maserati nut case... :laugh:


----------



## ziggy1024

BlueKnight said:


> What do you and @Big Vern drive? Lots of cars and bikes enthusiasts here. Even our own @Nigelp is a Porsche, Mercedes and now Maserati nut case... :laugh:


 Nothing too exciting, sadly. Mildly fettled Saab (yup, 4-pot!) as the daily, rather more fettled BMW E30 in the garage, old XJ6 as a probably-never-get-round-to-it project and a very old MG as a very long term project which will get some attention one day.

...and 3 kids (and a boat, I admit!) which get in the way of these things. Eldest is old enough to help but not yet old enough to be useful!


----------



## Big Vern

You may realise my bias to a 6 pot, I have saved for many years and finally bought this last year. Daily driver (company car) is Golf GTD:-


----------



## BlueKnight

Big Vern said:


> You may realise my bias to a 6 pot, I have saved for many years and finally bought this last year.










*Bias is good... * :biggrin:


----------



## BlueKnight

BTW, did you know that Goodyear is about to introduce the next generation tire made of 365 recycled condoms. It will be called... Goodyear.


----------



## Karrusel

BlueKnight said:


> BTW, did you know that Goodyear is about to introduce the next generation tire made of 365 recycled condoms. It will be called... Goodyear.


 Will they be flavoured ?

:tongue:


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> BTW, did you know that Goodyear is about to introduce the next generation tire made of 365 recycled condoms. It will be called... Goodyear.


 What puzzles me is, how and where do they collect them ? :huh:


----------



## BondandBigM

@Turpinr

A real one for you if your lottery ticket comes up.

http://www.jdclassics.com/showrooms/1976-Jaguar-XJ12C-Broadspeed-Works-Competition-Car/f82ffa45-4c04-4739-f520-08d526a380ce

And the rest of their site is worth a browse


----------



## RSR934

WRENCH said:


> What puzzles me is, how and where do they collect them ? :huh:


 And who washes them out?, and then blows them back up to make sure they are not punctured. ....No good with holes in. :thumbdown:


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> @Turpinr
> 
> A real one for you if your lottery ticket comes up.
> 
> http://www.jdclassics.com/showrooms/1976-Jaguar-XJ12C-Broadspeed-Works-Competition-Car/f82ffa45-4c04-4739-f520-08d526a380ce
> 
> And the rest of their site is worth a browse


 Mmmmmmmmm I'm probably some way short of affording that 

Wouldnt take long to get to work though


----------



## Andy300

RSR934 said:


> God.....what's happened to cars these days. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of beautiful cars available today but they don't seem to have the substance of cars of years gone by.


 Sorry, are you saying the S1 Quattro is lacking in substance ? :huh: :swoon:


----------



## bridgeman

RSR934 said:


> And who washes them out?, and then blows them back up to make sure they are not punctured. ....No good with holes in. :thumbdown:





RSR934 said:


> And who washes them out?, and then blows them back up to make sure they are not punctured. ....No good with holes in. :thumbdown:


 One size fits all???


----------



## Karrusel

bridgeman said:


> One size fits all???


 Elastic bands are cheap...

:tongue:


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> And the rest of their site is worth a browse


 Love the Aston Martins.


----------



## BondandBigM

@Turpinr

@BlueKnight

I notice no prices but I guess it's one of those "If Sir has to ask" sort of places.

:laugh: :laugh:

@WRENCH

You can have 6 if you pay enough to someone that knows what they're doing


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> @Turpinr
> 
> @BlueKnight
> 
> I notice no prices but I guess it's one of those "If Sir has to ask" sort of places.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 Oh aye definitely. It'll be a case of being asked to leave


----------



## BondandBigM

Turpinr said:


> Oh aye definitely. It'll be a case of being asked to leave


 Or maybe being asked in in the first place

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> You can have 6 if you pay enough to someone that knows what they're doing


 Yes.

And can you just imagine how frightening this must handle. :laughing2dw:










Always thought one of these would be cool. :beach:


----------



## WRENCH




----------



## Karrusel

Some desirable cars, IMO.

Images from visits to the Coventry Transport Museum...










Prototype Aston.....but what a back end!!



















*Bond *should stick to drinking Vodka & catching villains....lousy driver, IMO. :laugh:










Now, just close your eyes & imagine 'Castrol R' pervading the air (I'm awful I know) :biggrin:














































Thrust 2.


----------



## WRENCH

Karrusel said:


> Now, just close your eyes & imagine 'Castrol R' pervading the air


 I still put a tablespoon of that in the tank of the bike for nostalgic reasons.

Savory, :beach:


----------



## BlueKnight

The best smell, is a woman getting off her motorcycle.


----------



## Karrusel

WRENCH said:


> I still put a tablespoon of that in the tank of the bike for nostalgic reasons.
> 
> Savory, :beach:


 Always knew you are a gentleman of discerning taste, Wrench! :yes:

:thumbsup:


----------



## Chromejob

WRENCH said:


> What puzzles me is, how and where do they collect them ? :huh:


 Some [email protected] dumped over 20 in the bushes of my community pool parking lot last summer. Lucky for this slag I didn't catch up with him. I wouldn't have had anything to wrap.... [Children play in that area, for gosh sakes.]



BondandBigM said:


> [ http://www.jdclassics.com/Cars/For-Sale/ ]
> 
> And the rest of their site is worth a browse


 Oh ... MY. :notworthy: Thank you sir.



BlueKnight said:


> Love the Aston Martins.


 Yeah, all the lovely DB4s. :yes: Nice ol' E Types as well. :swoon:


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> The best smell, is a woman getting off her motorcycle.


 Open to debate. :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

I was lucky enough to see the Beemer art car collection.

To be honest probably the most famous one, the Andy Warhol M1 was disappointing










But in the metal this was outstanding


----------



## Chromejob

Chromejob said:


> I wouldn't have had anything to wrap....


 He. I meant He wouldn't have had anything to wrap. /me needs more caffeine, or red meat. :swoon:


----------



## Turpinr

WRENCH said:


> I still put a tablespoon of that in the tank of the bike for nostalgic reasons.
> 
> Savory, :beach:


 The smell of gunk on a hot engine does it for me, or a 2 stroke rice burner.


----------



## WRENCH

Turpinr said:


> The smell of gunk on a hot engine does it for me,


----------



## WRENCH

Karrusel said:


> Always knew you are a gentleman of discerning taste, Wrench! :yes:
> 
> :thumbsup:


 You need to get your chauffeur to take you to a classic motorcycle scrambles meet.






I'll have to go and have a lie down now.


----------



## Turpinr

WRENCH said:


>


 Hahaha my hero. In 1996 me and him were the same age  sadly im 22 years older now.


----------



## BlueKnight

WRENCH said:


> Open to debate. :laughing2dw:


 *That is just plain wrong on all levels. * :swoon:

*That's what I had in mind.....*


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> *That is just plain wrong on all levels. * :swoon:
> 
> *That's what I had in mind.....*


 Do girls have kevlar skin ?


----------



## wrenny1969

Saw a girl come off if a moped in South of France once. Low speed <30 mph wherever she had bounced along the tarmac there were bit of skin grated off. I get annoyed when I see a biker with all the gear and girl on the back with a helmet but joggers/ shorts.


----------



## SlimJim16v

Lots of fantastic cars on this thread. Bond especially had some interesting stuff, proper petrolhead. I also had some tuned Capri V6s, regularly raced at Santa Pod and possibly other places  Regular low 14 second 1/4 miles, with a best of 13.99 on road tyres.

Anyway, surprised no one has mentioned the Lancia integrale. I think the 16v was the best, but needed a few extra horses, mine had about 250bhp and serious front brakes. I should still have it, but **** happens.

Sorry, no photos, still not sorted hosting out.


----------



## ziggy1024

@SlimJim16v

Is this actually ex-capri-owners anonymous? Mine were both mk3s - a 2l laser then a 2.8i.


----------



## RSR934

Andy300 said:


> Sorry, are you saying the S1 Quattro is lacking in substance ? :huh: :swoon:


 Hello Andy300.

No, on the contrary. I was looking at the picture of it and wondering what happened between then and now. Like I said in a previous post, there is a lot of beautiful cars out there now, but they are just not like the S1 in the picture, or the road going variant for that matter. I could have perhaps worded it differently. :thumbsup:

Regards, Paul.


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> @Turpinr
> 
> @BlueKnight
> 
> I notice no prices but I guess it's one of those "If Sir has to ask" sort of places.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> @WRENCH
> 
> You can have 6 if you pay enough to someone that knows what they're doing


 That is absolutely stunning IMO. I've seen some well finished oldies over the years but that's the dogs bo11ocks. :thumbsup: :notworthy:


----------



## RSR934

WRENCH said:


> Open to debate. :laughing2dw:


 I would have thought that would have gone straight in to a wheelie.


----------



## RSR934

WRENCH said:


> You need to get your chauffeur to take you to a classic motorcycle scrambles meet.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have to go and have a lie down now.


 I remember going to Redcar as a young lad and watching the beach racing with the likes of the above BSA, Bultaco's, Hercules, and Maico's amongst the Japanese stuff and bits and pieces. :thumbsup:



BlueKnight said:


> *That is just plain wrong on all levels. * :swoon:
> 
> *That's what I had in mind.....*


 I wouldn't mind a sniff of that. :yes:


----------



## MyrridinEmrys

Bought this MG TF 160 brand new in 2002 and sold it when 1st MOT due, Sometimes wish I'd have hung on to it.


----------



## Chromejob

Which came first, Redcar, or The Mind of Mr. Soames (Terence Stamp)?


----------



## MyrridinEmrys

Have something more practical nowadays: Mk I Audi TT with ABT kit, Miltek non-res exhaust and a Revo remap to 270bhp:


----------



## wrenny1969

these are rare

220px-AC_Invalid_Carriage_1976 by David Wren, on Flickr

Because they had a tendency to do this, handy if you were already disabled

_68439526_trikes_0006 by David Wren, on Flickr


----------



## MyrridinEmrys

wrenny1969 said:


> these are rare
> 
> 220px-AC_Invalid_Carriage_1976 by David Wren, on Flickr


 Used to see these lined up on the sideline at the local footy ground on match day - I believe they got in for nowt!


----------



## JIMMYNo1

had a couple of what I consider nice motas before the kids came along, Honda S2000 AP2, Focus ST both were great cars in their own way. My dream has always been an old school ford though, a series 1Escort RS Turbo or 3 door Cosworth. I fear by the time my kids have left home though and Im in a position to spend my money on cars again the price of these will have gone into the stratosphere.


----------



## Turpinr

wrenny1969 said:


> Saw a girl come off if a moped in South of France once. Low speed <30 mph wherever she had bounced along the tarmac there were bit of skin grated off. I get annoyed when I see a biker with all the gear and girl on the back with a helmet but joggers/ shorts.


 I saw a lad in Corfu once who'd fallen off a Scooter. He'd been wearing a Celtic shirt and shorts and had a broken ankle and his blue-white skin had been gravel rashed.

Bet it was a holiday he'd never forget.


----------



## Turpinr

MyrridinEmrys said:


> Bought this MG TF 160 brand new in 2002 and sold it when 1st MOT due, Sometimes wish I'd have hung on to it.


 Vastly underrated in my opinion. I got an MGZR in 2002 that i loved apart from the German made sunroof which leaked.

Only new car ive ever bought and lost a lot of money on it.


----------



## bowie

anybody on here got one of these Aston Martin one -77 we made the steering shafts for them just had a look at work yesterday have found two shafts and put them in my cupboard might be worth something one day.

http://www.astonmartin.com/en/heritage/past-models/one-77


----------



## Andy300

RSR934 said:


> Hello Andy300.
> 
> No, on the contrary. I was looking at the picture of it and wondering what happened between then and now. Like I said in a previous post, there is a lot of beautiful cars out there now, but they are just not like the S1 in the picture, or the road going variant for that matter. I could have perhaps worded it differently. :thumbsup:
> 
> Regards, Paul.


 Ahhh, wrong end of the stick  .. I did think it was an odd view concerning this legend in motoring history :thumbsup:


----------



## MyrridinEmrys

Turpinr said:


> Vastly underrated in my opinion. I got an MGZR in 2002 that i loved apart from the German made sunroof which leaked.
> 
> Only new car ive ever bought and lost a lot of money on it.


 What I really wanted at the time was the MG XPower SV but at £70,000+ it was way out of my budget:


----------



## Turpinr

MyrridinEmrys said:


> What I really wanted at the time was the MG XPower SV but at £70,000+ it was way out of my budget:


 Chr1st that looks potent.


----------



## MyrridinEmrys

Turpinr said:


> Chr1st that looks potent.


 Carbon fibre body - base model used a 4.6 L Ford Modular V8 kicking out 320bhp at 6000rpm - 0 - 60mph in 5.3 secs with a top speed of 165mph.

They did a 5.0 L 1,000 bhp model as well. :biggrin:


----------



## yokel

A more expensive hobby than my watch "thing".

A lazy (mostly) afternoon at Lydden Hill. Perfect.

Mine's the orange one. :clap:


----------



## Karrusel

MyrridinEmrys said:


> What I really wanted at the time was the MG XPower SV but at £70,000+ it was way out of my budget:


 I agree...










Only 85 (?) produced...stunning!

Had one of the first ZT 180's...










Strangely I do miss it.


----------



## MyrridinEmrys

Karrusel said:


> Had one of the first ZT 180's...
> 
> 
> 
> Strangely I do miss it.


 It's still on the road, taxed and MOT'ed: https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ 

Mine's not been MOT'ed since 2014. :angry:


----------



## Turpinr

Karrusel said:


> I agree...
> 
> 
> 
> Only 85 (?) produced...stunning!
> 
> Had one of the first ZT 180's...
> 
> 
> 
> Strangely I do miss it.


 I liked my ZR too.

One of the many reasons i hate Jeremy Clarkson is that he was always trying to hammer the final nail into Rover's coffin.

Even his co presenter Quentin double-barrel stopped short of that


----------



## BondandBigM

JIMMYNo1 said:


> a series 1Escort RS Turbo or 3 door Cosworth. I fear by the time my kids have left home though and Im in a position to spend my money on cars again the price of these will have gone into the stratosphere.


 When I had my last Golf GTI the lad that valeted the interior had a Turbo Technics Series 1 RS Turbo. Even back then he paid £12.5K for it.

I'll try and find some pics. I had loads of XR tin tops and convertibles back in the day when the were cheap, even one of these Rieger max power wide boy ones










but to be honest for driving the Golf GTI Mk1&2 beat them hands down all day long.


----------



## JIMMYNo1

BondandBigM said:


> When I had my last Golf GTI the lad that valeted the interior had a Turbo Technics Series 1 RS Turbo. Even back then he paid £12.5K for it.
> 
> I'll try and find some pics. I had loads of XR tin tops and convertibles back in the day when the were cheap, even one of these Rieger max power wide boy ones
> 
> 
> 
> but to be honest for driving the Golf GTI Mk1&2 beat them hands down all day long.


 Crikey Bond, that's the 90's car scene summed up in one picture right there


----------



## BondandBigM

JIMMYNo1 said:


> Crikey Bond, that's the 90's car scene summed up in one picture right there


 And also back then

Opel Manta, Monza, Astra & Nova GTE/GSI's Pug GTI's, 3 door Sierras with Ford Motorsports tiger stripes.

Lost count of how many of those I had. But as said they were cheap as chips back then. Nobody could insure them.

A happy time to be alive

:biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

SlimJim16v said:


> Lots of fantastic cars on this thread. Bond especially had some interesting stuff, proper petrolhead. I also had some tuned Capri V6s, regularly raced at Santa Pod and possibly other places  Regular low 14 second 1/4 miles, with a best of 13.99 on road tyres.
> 
> Anyway, surprised no one has mentioned the Lancia integrale. I think the 16v was the best, but needed a few extra horses, mine had about 250bhp and serious front brakes. I should still have it, but **** happens.
> 
> Sorry, no photos, still not sorted hosting out.


 Here you go

The Audi never looked this good










:biggrin:


----------



## WRENCH

Hard to believe that Austin we're once capable of producing something as beautiful as this.


----------



## BondandBigM

In tinternet paliance

"I'll leave this here"






The MI16 not only looked considerably better than the Audi it went a bit better.

Have a few mile under the belt in one,, not mine but my Boss had one and he let me use it now and again

.

.

.

On the rev limiter in every gear

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## Karrusel

WRENCH said:


> Hard to believe that Austin we're once capable of producing something as beautiful as this.


 Indeed!

BMW should be eternally *grateful* for *British* engineering, the Austin 15hp 743cc engine, which enabled them to power their first production car.

The 'Dixi 3/15'...










Oh yes...

:biggrin:


----------



## SlimJim16v

BondandBigM said:


> Here you go
> 
> The Audi never looked this good
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 That's an S4, mid-engine turbo and supercharged. I had passenger ride in a friend's road version, amazing thing, even with only 250bhp.

I'm sure the drivers said, although very quick, they would try and kill you.


----------



## Padders

S4 Stradale? A very rare and these days very valuable thing indeed.

The S4 was more a development of the Monte Carlo, not the Delta/Integrale. It was mid engined for a start.


----------



## RSR934

JIMMYNo1 said:


> had a couple of what I consider nice motas before the kids came along, Honda S2000 AP2, Focus ST both were great cars in their own way. My dream has always been an old school ford though, a series 1Escort RS Turbo or 3 door Cosworth. I fear by the time my kids have left home though and Im in a position to spend my money on cars again the price of these will have gone into the stratosphere.


 I was brought up around Escort MK1's and MK11's, RS2000, and the RS1800 flat nose, and some of the Capri's of the day. I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. The prices of the good examples are already soaring, especially the good Cosworths. You never know they might be a few reasonably priced examples left.


----------



## RSR934

MyrridinEmrys said:


> What I really wanted at the time was the MG XPower SV but at £70,000+ it was way out of my budget:


 I seen one of these at a "Ten of the Best" meeting a few years ago at York. It was banging out about 1000BHP. Awsome bit of kit. :thumbsup:


----------



## RSR934

SlimJim16v said:


> That's an S4, mid-engine turbo and supercharged. I had passenger ride in a friend's road version, amazing thing, even with only 250bhp.
> 
> I'm sure the drivers said, although very quick, they would try and kill you.


 A lad who had a garage on the town had a blue one of the road going version, very rare by all accounts. He also had a Ford RS200. Something I didn't know at the time was they were badged with the "Ghia" labels despite being as minimalist as you can possibly get, the polar opposite of what the "Ghia" badge meant. He also owned the best MK1 Ford Escort I have ever seen to this day.


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> In tinternet paliance
> 
> "I'll leave this here"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MI16 not only looked considerably better than the Audi it went a bit better.
> 
> Have a few mile under the belt in one,, not mine but my Boss had one and he let me use it now and again
> 
> .
> 
> .
> 
> .
> 
> On the rev limiter in every gear
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 Not sure about looked considerably better or went better IMO. I suppose the both brands speak for themselves in the world of motor sport, both have excelled at times in several disciplines.



BondandBigM said:


> And also back then
> 
> Opel Manta, Monza, Astra & Nova GTE/GSI's Pug GTI's, 3 door Sierras with Ford Motorsports tiger stripes.
> 
> Lost count of how many of those I had. But as said they were cheap as chips back then. Nobody could insure them.
> 
> A happy time to be alive
> 
> :biggrin:


 You forgot the Ascona.


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> When I had my last Golf GTI the lad that valeted the interior had a Turbo Technics Series 1 RS Turbo. Even back then he paid £12.5K for it.
> 
> I'll try and find some pics. I had loads of XR tin tops and convertibles back in the day when the were cheap, even one of these Rieger max power wide boy ones
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but to be honest for driving the Golf GTI Mk1&2 beat them hands down all day long.


 I think some of these cars looked alright with kits on them back in the day. However I liked the Golf G60 with the square headlights. I didn't even know they existed for ages. I got the feeling it was a closely guarded secret. I think they look a lot more dated that the standard Mk2 now.


----------



## RSR934

Chromejob said:


> Which came first, Redcar, or The Mind of Mr. Soames (Terence Stamp)?


 Sorry Chromejob.

You've lost me with that one. Call me uneducated or whatever. :bash:



Karrusel said:


> I agree...
> 
> 
> 
> Only 85 (?) produced...stunning!
> 
> Had one of the first ZT 180's...
> 
> 
> 
> Strangely I do miss it.


 Was this the rear wheel drive version.?


----------



## ziggy1024

RSR934 said:


> A lad who had a garage on the town had a blue one of the road going version, very rare by all accounts. He also had a Ford RS200. Something I didn't know at the time was they were badged with the "Ghia" labels despite being as minimalist as you can possibly get, the polar opposite of what the "Ghia" badge meant. He also owned the best MK1 Ford Escort I have ever seen to this day.


 That's because the RS200 (bodywork) was designed by Ghia - that's rather closer to the real 'meaning' than the velour-and-a-tape-player trim level that the name was more often used for by Ford! :biggrin:



RSR934 said:


> Was this the rear wheel drive version.?


 Ooh now you're talking. That was the 260 IIRC with the Ford V8 (180 was the KV6?), but a pretty awesome thing... Sadly they were holding their value all too well last time I looked!


----------



## BlueKnight

RSR934 said:


> However I liked the Golf G60 with the square headlights. I didn't even know they existed for ages. I got the feeling it was a closely guarded secret.


 *Had an 1985 GTI with the square headlights. Had to dig deep in the old picture box.*


----------



## Chromejob

RSR934 said:


> Sorry Chromejob.
> 
> You've lost me with that one. Call me uneducated or whatever. :bash:


 Going back a few years....










Okay, back on topic....


----------



## Karrusel

RSR934 said:


> Sorry Chromejob.
> 
> You've lost me with that one. Call me uneducated or whatever. :bash:
> 
> Was this the rear wheel drive version.?


 Hi

No, it was front wheel drive, 2.5 V6.

It was only the 260 V8 & SVR models that had RWD.

I believe there was also a few prototype '4WD' ZT-T (estate) produced using the 2.5 V6 engine ?

:thumbsup:


----------



## scottswatches

Nice to see some love for the late model MGs. I used to sell these and often had them as companies demos, starting with the ZR and then had a TF after a few good months of sales. The ZT was quite a capable car. The 600 Turbo was more fun, simply because it was out of control so much. The ZT always felt solid.

I left when the CityRover was launched. That was the worst new car I have ever been up close to by a mile. And I have driven a modern Peugeot

(Had to add modern to that line as I have found memories of the 205GTi and a 405 SRI)


----------



## JIMMYNo1

RSR934 said:


> However I liked the Golf G60 with the square headlights


 I always thought that was the golf rally? Im not big on VW's though tbh.



RSR934 said:


> The prices of the good examples are already soaring, especially the good Cosworths. You never know they might be a few reasonably priced examples left.


 even saphs are fetching strong money these days. I think a 3 door will forever be out of my reach. I absolutely love em but when you're talking F355 money for an RS500 you've got to ask yourself a few questions. Probably should of kept my ST and garaged it as it was a pristine low miles example. Could of brought it out of storage in twenty years and made a mint. Lots of love for the blue oval.



scottswatches said:


> Nice to see some love for the late model MGs


 thought there would of been more love for the Rover Coupe, Especially the turbo models. Fast car even by today's standards and undeniably beautiful looking.


----------



## scottswatches

JIMMYNo1 said:


> thought there would of been more love for the Rover Coupe, Especially the turbo models. Fast car even by today's standards and undeniably beautiful looking.


 The Turbo felt fast because the lack of grip meant it slid and wheelspun everywhere! I sold one to a guy with no legs, and he had hand controls fitted - pull to accelerate and push to brake. Scary AF to drive!


----------



## JIMMYNo1

scottswatches said:


> The Turbo felt fast because the lack of grip meant it slid and wheelspun everywhere! I sold one to a guy with no legs, and he had hand controls fitted - pull to accelerate and push to brake. Scary AF to drive!


 I tried to insure one at 17. Needless to say I wasn't able to. Tried to insure a 1.6 aswell n still the price was astronomical. Finished up with a 1.4 corsa SRI and the premium was still more than the value of the car.


----------



## Andy300

BondandBigM said:


> Here you go
> 
> The Audi never looked this good
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 There are many amazing group B monsters still out there doing the hill climb circuits , but the S1 will always be the one everyone wants to see and hear


----------



## Andy300

.. and they don't come much more visceral than a Millington Mkll :thumbs_up:


----------



## BondandBigM

Andy300 said:


> but the S1 will always be the one everyone wants to see and hear


 Not in Italy though

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## Big Vern

BondandBigM said:


> @Turpinr
> 
> @BlueKnight
> 
> I notice no prices but I guess it's one of those "If Sir has to ask" sort of places.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> @WRENCH
> 
> You can have 6 if you pay enough to someone that knows what they're doing


 That is the absolute dogs b*lloc*s.

Have you seen what Singer can do with a 964?


----------



## BondandBigM

Big Vern said:


> That is the absolute dogs b*lloc*s.
> 
> Have you seen what Singer can do with a 964?


 Yep but it took some Brits to show them how to make them go properly

￼ :laugh: :laugh:










https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/singer-and-williams-reveal-493bhp-restored-porsche-911


----------



## BondandBigM

RSR934 said:


> You forgot the Ascona.


 Didn't forget just never had one, had all the others I mentioned.

:laugh: :laugh:

As said though in recent years prices have went crazy. Back in the day I buying these hot hatches and so on comparatively for buttons.

My last GTI cost £1250 even after I sorted it out I probably didn't spend £2K

:huh:


----------



## Big Vern

BondandBigM said:


> Yep but it took some Brits to show them how to make them go properly
> 
> ￼ :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/singer-and-williams-reveal-493bhp-restored-porsche-911


 I know, and isn't that about the best car money can't buy. I would rather have that car than any other available in the world today. If I was minted, I'd be on a plane to California to book my build and agree spec'n with Singer, or may be just down to the Cotswolds discuss the one above.


----------



## RSR934

Chromejob said:


> Going back a few years....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/URL]
> 
> Okay, back on topic....


 Thank you for clearing that up. :thumbsup:


----------



## RSR934

JIMMYNo1 said:


> I always thought that was the golf rally? Im not big on VW's though tbh.
> 
> even saphs are fetching strong money these days. I think a 3 door will forever be out of my reach. I absolutely love em but when you're talking F355 money for an RS500 you've got to ask yourself a few questions. Probably should of kept my ST and garaged it as it was a pristine low miles example. Could of brought it out of storage in twenty years and made a mint. Lots of love for the blue oval.
> 
> thought there would of been more love for the Rover Coupe, Especially the turbo models. Fast car even by today's standards and undeniably beautiful looking.


 Same here with the Fords, They might have been cheap cars and relatively inexpensive to maintain back in the day. But what icons some of those cars have become.


----------



## Andy300

BondandBigM said:


> Not in Italy though
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 :laugh: .. what do them good lookin, style obsessed, design gods know :laugh:


----------



## RSR934

BondandBigM said:


> Didn't forget just never had one, had all the others I mentioned.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> As said though in recent years prices have went crazy. Back in the day I buying these hot hatches and so on comparatively for buttons.
> 
> My last GTI cost £1250 even after I sorted it out I probably didn't spend £2K
> 
> :huh:


 That's a nice golf. :thumbsup: Did you ever have any problems with rust around the boot lock?. A mate of mine had one in excellent nick, apart from the boot lid which was a mess between the bottom of the rear window seal and the boot lid lock.


----------



## BondandBigM

RSR934 said:


> That's a nice golf. :thumbsup: Did you ever have any problems with rust around the boot lock?. A mate of mine had one in excellent nick, apart from the boot lid which was a mess between the bottom of the rear window seal and the boot lid lock.


 That one was surprisingly clean on the outside but the interior was trashed which is probably why it was cheap. I just bought another interior for not a lot and that sorted it out, on the outside I replaced all the trim with 90'spec kit and a set of original BBS wheels to finish it off.












Anyway back on track










Someone in another thread said the M3 was the best handling car ever

:huh:

Strange that, back in the day my old boss somehow managed to put one on its roof and wrecked it.

Regardless of that argument the old M3's were nice looking things, the Mercedes isn't to shabby either and if it's a C36 or 43 probably quicker.

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## ziggy1024

BondandBigM said:


> the Mercedes isn't to shabby either and if it's a C36 or 43 probably quicker.


 I won't claim to be any kind of Merc afficionado, but that looks more like a 190 (evo 1?) than a C-anything...


----------



## BondandBigM

ziggy1024 said:


> I won't claim to be any kind of Merc afficionado, but that looks more like a 190 (evo 1?) than a C-anything...


 Probably right, on having a proper look it's a 190 of sorts.


----------



## Turpinr

RSR934 said:


> That's a nice golf. :thumbsup: Did you ever have any problems with rust around the boot lock?. A mate of mine had one in excellent nick, apart from the boot lid which was a mess between the bottom of the rear window seal and the boot lid lock.


 Ive got a golf plus and didn't spot the rot under the boot lock when i bought it 4 years ago.

The first i new about it was when the number plate lights blew.

I had it repaired but the rot is coming back.


----------



## RSR934

Turpinr said:


> Ive got a golf plus and didn't spot the rot under the boot lock when i bought it 4 years ago.
> 
> The first i new about it was when the number plate lights blew.
> 
> I had it repaired but the rot is coming back.


 It sounds like like it it's bad spot for rust / rot. I suppose, if you only have one bit of body work to worry about it's not to bad.


----------



## BondandBigM

ziggy1024 said:


> I won't claim to be any kind of Merc afficionado, but that looks more like a 190 (evo 1?) than a C-anything...


 Like this


----------



## BondandBigM

Clean

But £65K !!!

:huh:










https://www.area51-engineering.co.uk/copy-of-current-stock


----------



## Say

Can't fit a car in my garage unless it was a mini or something of that size and even then it would have to be empty. I can just walk down the middle at the moment with all my tools and junk :thumbsup:


----------



## Andy300

My garage is a sh!thole at the mo, simply because its only a single garage and contains the following (+all my tools and x2 work benches!)

My motorbike

an AM mountain bike

an XC mountain bike

a road based mountain bike

a 4meter tandem "sit on top" kayak

all my old climbing gear

:bash:


----------



## BondandBigM

My first car was an "F" reg MKII Cortina that I paid sixty quid for.

:laugh: :laugh:

I've still got my old Merc sat outside










I sway between putting it in somewhere, getting it sorted out and painted or just buying another one

Or

More of this



















The problem is that these days to do both I either have to get a proper job, which I'm not keen on, cash in some sun in the fun funds which I'm even less keen on.

Or marry Big M so I can get access to her fun in the sun fund

:huh:

Rock and a Hard Place springs to mind

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> I've still got my old Merc sat outside
> 
> I sway between putting it in somewhere, getting it sorted out and painted or just buying another one
> 
> The problem is that these days to do both I either have to get a proper job, which I'm not keen on, cash in some sun in the fun funds which I'm even less keen on.
> 
> Or marry Big M so I can get access to her fun in the sun fund
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 First, marry BigM. She'll make an honest man out of you. :thumbsup:

Second, contact Nigel as he flips Mercs the way some flip watches. :tongue:


----------



## brummie1875

Sadly there is nowhere near enough space on this thread to list the items in my garage.

Suffice to say last year we had new outward opening doors fitted replacing the old up and over one so that we can actually get in easier as the springs kept catching on the c**P within.


----------



## Filterlab

Still managed to get the car in... just.


----------



## AVO

In my garage I have...

some gardening tools

a step ladder

a compact front-venting tumble dryer

a Toyota Yaris.

Nothing remotely interesting but at least it all fits in.


----------



## WRENCH

BlueKnight said:


> cash in some sun in the fun funds


 No!


----------



## BlueKnight

WRENCH said:


> No!


 Don't put words in my mouth.


----------



## Teg62x

I don't have a garage! 

got two sheds and a summer house if that counts.


----------



## hughlle

Largely a load of old crap, tools strewn everywhere, broken hoovers, boat oars (what boat?). Just found one of these tucked away though :huh: The folks already have a pair of motorized bromptons, so I'm a tad confused.



















Nice and organized


----------



## SBryantgb

Mrs SB's mother :huh: :yes:

Although we have had it converted


----------



## Chromejob

My brother and his wife call their guest garage apartment the Garage Mahal.


----------



## WRENCH

hughlle said:


> ﻿﻿Just﻿ fou﻿nd one of these tuck﻿﻿e﻿d aw﻿ay﻿ ﻿


 I'd get using that. :yes: high spec.


----------



## hughlle

WRENCH said:


> I'd get using that. :yes: high spec.


 Only 8 miles on the clock. I looked up the price, there is no way on earth my dad would buy that for himself. He is way too cheap. He'd buy an old rust bucket for a fiver and then spend the remaining £3400 failing to turn it into what he should have bought 

I did try and get it out, but it has about 4 different locks plus a spoke lock. Gave up.

If it is indeed his and not storing for a friend, I've a very nasty hunch about what it might be about, and if so, it's really not going to end well


----------



## WRENCH

hughlle said:


> Only 8 miles on the clock. I looked up the price, there is no way on earth my dad would buy that for himself. He is way too cheap. He'd buy an old rust bucket for a fiver and then spend the remaining £3400 failing to turn it into what he should have bought
> 
> I did try and get it out, but it has about 4 different locks plus a spoke lock. Gave up.
> 
> If it is indeed his and not storing for a friend, I've a very nasty hunch about what it might be about, and if so, it's really not going to end well


 It is an impressive bicycle. Belt drive, and possibly a Nu-Vinci rear hub option. Nice.


----------



## hughlle

WRENCH said:


> It is an impressive bicycle. Belt drive, and possibly a Nu-Vinci rear hub option. Nice.


 Yep, it's a nuvinci one. I've an unpleasant feeling it might be for my girlfriend.


----------



## WRENCH

hughlle said:


> Yep, it's a nuvinci one. I've an unpleasant feeling it might be for my girlfriend.


 Why unpleasant ?


----------



## hughlle

WRENCH said:


> Why unpleasant ?


 Let's just say she and my parents do not get along and if it is the case, it would be seen by her as buying her loyalty/affection etc. But I have mentioned to them that I was looking at electric bikes for when she moves down to the countryside in a month or two as she refuses to drive due to anxiety, so will have trouble commuting to work.


----------



## WRENCH

hughlle said:


> Let's just say she and my parents do not get along and if it is the case, it would be seen by her as buying her loyalty/affection etc. But I have mentioned to them that I was looking at electric bikes for when she moves down to the countryside in a month or two as she refuses to drive due to anxiety, so will have trouble commuting to work.


 Take it and appreciate it. I've turned away things for similar reasons in the past, and their are no winner's.


----------



## hughlle

WRENCH said:


> Take it and appreciate it. I've turned away things for similar reasons in the past, and their are no winner's.


 If she doesn't want it I have no problem taking it


----------



## WRENCH

hughlle said:


> If she doesn't want it I have no problem taking it


 Good :thumbsup:


----------



## Chukas

My garage is still full of boxes from when i moved house 19 months ago, should really get round to checking them and emptying them.

Also got loads of kids toys, fridge / freezer, tumble drier and golf clubs!!


----------



## fridaypassion

Bit of a thread resurrection. As a newbie I figured there is a pretty strong connection for some reason between car people and watches. I'm quite heavily into cars and own a business in this arena. A lot of my car pals have one or two nice timepeices. I guess we just like engineering.

I'm embarrassed to confess my entire garage as its a bit out of hand at the moment but the most quirky ones we have are a 106 Rallye and an aircooled 911.


----------



## njr911

Lots of Lotus until 8 years ago when the kids came along. Now its a Skoda Octavia VRS 245 which is nice but no Elise.


----------



## vinn

How about "cars that might have been" or that "have been" in your garage? like a 1941 Buick Century - stock - with - stock dual carbs. go 65 m.p.h. in low gear. engine could turn 6,000 rpm from the GM factory. vin


----------



## vinn

spanner74 said:


> Currently a 1953 morris minor series ii, a 1969 morris minor 1000 and a Mazda MX 5 mk 3. Used to have a Honda S2000 and a Fiat Coupe Turbo (should have kept that) both a mk 1 and mk 2 MX 5 and a Merc SLK. Would love a Morgan one day but can't see that happening.


 I saw a Morgan in a friends garage a few years ago, it was a beauty Oak wood frame? vin


----------



## spanner74

@vinn Ash I think. Love the idea of a wooden framed car.


----------



## BondandBigM

vinn said:


> How about "cars that might have been" or that "have been" in your garage? like a 1941 Buick Century - stock - with - stock dual carbs. go 65 m.p.h. in low gear. engine could turn 6,000 rpm from the GM factory. vin


 Back in the day when they were relatively affordable I had a succession of Yank muscle cars and trucks. Including one of these old 70 GS 455 Buicks










This was the last couple I had.


----------



## Nigelp

In the past 6 months or so i've gone through more cars than watches...being an optimist i always work on the premise 'what could possibly go wrong'...All the s class mercs i had last year were fine...apart from the fuel. I spent 6 grand on petrol in 18 months. So i got a bit blaze and bought a maser qp. Which was fine. Well ok it wasn't and when anything went wrong it came back with a bill for 'two and a half grand'. I kept it 8 weeks...then I bought this because the French president has one and i was asked to play ball with the brexit deal going through. I kept it about 4 months. Its a Citroen C6 2.7 hdi twin turbo. lovely comfy thing with a Jag diesel in it. Love or loath looks. 60 grand new and the 8 year old version i bought was 4 grand with full history. But I couldn't gel...So what prestige cars would you like...but are not brave enough? Come on @BondandBigM get the lv sold and get a 996 :teethsmile:

citroen 2 by nigel pate, on Flickr


----------



## BondandBigM

Don't buy an Audi TT !!!

Lasted about four or five weeks before the engine seized.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Current collection, at least the Beamer goes.



















The way LV prices are going if I hold out I might get a 997.

:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Don't buy an Audi TT !!!
> 
> Lasted about four or five weeks before the engine seized.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> Current collection, at least the Beamer goes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The way LV prices are going if I hold out I might get a 997.
> 
> :biggrin:


 i love the e46...i've had a 330 saloon m sport in imola since march and its been spot on. Unbelievably quick, on mv1's like yours. I was looking at a 997 in my fixer upper the other day and they had the engine shields off, everything was solid with rust. Great looking car though. With the way LV prices are going, i'd wait until next year and get a widow maker in black or red, from 1977 with the 4 speed and no syncro. :biggrin: . Then remember me in your will...


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> i love the e46...i've had a 330 saloon m sport in imola since march and its been spot on. Unbelievably quick, on mv1's like yours. I was looking at a 997 in my fixer upper the other day and they had the engine shields off, everything was solid with rust. Great looking car though. With the way LV prices are going, i'd wait until next year and get a widow maker in black or red, from 1977 with the 4 speed and no syncro. :biggrin: . Then remember me in your will...


 A better pic of the Beamer, I looked at a 330 convertible and a couple of M3 convertibles but this 325 was the cleanest I saw. I bought it at the height of summer and probably paid a bit over the odds but hey ho it is tidy.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> A better pic of the Beamer, I looked at a 330 convertible and a couple of M3 convertibles but this was the cleanest I saw. I bought it at the height of summer and probably paid a bit over the odds but hey ho it is tidy.


 looks very tidy, what engine?

I'll get some pics up of my imola its mapped to 250bhp and 390lbft torque, love it best car i've had in years for tearing about in...it brings out my evil side. :teethsmile:


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> looks very tidy, what engine?


 325 but it's enough for just cruising around in.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> 325 but it's enough for just cruising around in.


 nowt wrong with that the 325 6 petrol is a lovely smooth engine plenty fast enough.


----------



## WRENCH

Nigelp said:


> what﻿ co﻿uld po﻿ssib﻿ly go﻿ w﻿ron﻿g﻿'


 When you put "bargain" and "prestige" in the same sentence, usually everything. :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

I've got a phaeton too which i picked up last week and i'm well impressed. I'll get more on that when i get chance.



WRENCH said:


> When you put "bargain" and "prestige" in the same sentence, usually everything. :laughing2dw:


 yep :biggrin:

fancy a used maser qp?


----------



## WRENCH

Nigelp said:


> fancy﻿ a u﻿sed mase﻿r qp?﻿﻿


 No.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> ..it brings ou
> 
> 
> 
> Nigelp said:
> 
> 
> 
> looks very tidy, what engine?
> 
> I'll get some pics up of my imola its mapped to 250bhp and 390lbft torque, love it best car i've had in years for tearing about in...it brings out my evil side. :teethsmile:
> 
> 
> 
> t my
> 
> You need these devil eyes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> evil side.
Click to expand...

 By the way the quote facility has went a bit wonky since you were last here.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> By the way the quote facility has went a bit wonky since you were last here.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 clear your inbox mate...are you trying to corrupt me, i'll get my gran back for a date with you...she's been gone 2 years...went on all hallows, :biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

Actually surprisingly the Audi was a cracking little car, run out Mk1 190hp two wheel drive. Shame about the engine, because there were only a few sold and only for the last few months of the MK1's I can't get an engine for it.


----------



## WRENCH

Chrysler 300c ?






Have their downside, :laughing2dw:


----------



## it'salivejim

Shoot me down, but I always fancied a Rover 75 estate, the 4.6 V8 …










Not prestige as such but cheap as chips and not a bad runner by all accounts


----------



## Davey P

I'm not sure if it's classed as prestige, but if it's a bargain money pit you're looking for I can recommend the mighty Mazda RX-8. Cheap as chips to buy, fantastic to drive, but insanely expensive to run and maintain. I had mine for about a year, and after spending a ton of money on the finest oils and various servicing costs, the engine main bearing let go with just over 50,000 miles on the clock :mad0218:

Am I glad I had one? Absolutely, yes! Would I have another one...? Nope! :laughing2dw:

Here's mine anyway:



:tongue:


----------



## scottswatches

Davey P said:


> I'm not sure if it's classed as prestige, but if it's a bargain money pit you're looking for I can recommend the mighty Mazda RX-8. Cheap as chips to buy, fantastic to drive, but insanely expensive to run and maintain. I had mine for about a year, and after spending a ton of money on the finest oils and various servicing costs, the engine main bearing let go with just over 50,000 miles on the clock :mad0218:
> 
> Am I glad I had one? Absolutely, yes! Would I have another one...? Nope! :laughing2dw:


 i had an RX8 for three months before getting rid. I swapped it in towards a 4.3 litre Automatic Mercedes S class which used much less fuel

And the MG ZT was a retro engineered bodge job. Better to find a good 2.5 V6 and save the money.

And the Chrysler 300c? A little bit of sick just came into my mouth...

I have the bargain, providing the maintenance is reasonable. The Mercedes CL500. 14 years old and 5% of the £70k list price. All being well it will be worth that and more when I come to sell, but scrap it is worth £2k in parts, so it can only cost me £1500 at most in depreciation. It even has a tape deck (as well as DVD!)



The only downsides are costly to run, 30mpg max and everyone suspects you are doing too well in life. My Skoda workhorse is worth over three times what the Merc is, but no one questions you if you drive a Skoda diesel!


----------



## Big Bad Boris

Davey P said:


> I'm not sure if it's classed as prestige, but if it's a bargain money pit you're looking for I can recommend the mighty Mazda RX-8. Cheap as chips to buy, fantastic to drive, but insanely expensive to run and maintain. I had mine for about a year, and after spending a ton of money on the finest oils and various servicing costs, the engine main bearing let go with just over 50,000 miles on the clock :mad0218:
> 
> Am I glad I had one? Absolutely, yes! Would I have another one...? Nope! :laughing2dw:
> 
> Here's mine anyway:
> 
> 
> 
> :tongue:


 Whip out the wankel :whistling: and drop a Rover V8 into it. Not sure if it's an easy swap in the RX8, but it was relatively easy to do in the RX7 - had one and loved it. Used to call it my Jap TVR


----------



## Davey P

Big Bad Boris said:


> Whip out the wankel :whistling: and drop a Rover V8 into it. Not sure if it's an easy swap in the RX8, but it was relatively easy to do in the RX7 - had one and loved it. Used to call it my Jap TVR


 I don't have the RX-8 any more, I sold mine about 5 years ago. However, my next door neighbour has got one to use as a trackday car, and he's fitted a Lexus engine...


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Actually surprisingly the Audi was a cracking little car, run out Mk1 190hp two wheel drive. Shame about the engine, because there were only a few sold and only for the last few months of the MK1's I can't get an engine for it.


 I've got to nip down the hallowed corridors in a minute, they're never going to get it through...she'll be out by Next Tuesday. Oh yes the Tity...there are two of those as permanent props outside our local taxi rank, i don't think they work.



scottswatches said:


> i had an RX8 for three months before getting rid. I swapped it in towards a 4.3 litre Automatic Mercedes S class which used much less fuel
> 
> And the MG ZT was a retro engineered bodge job. Better to find a good 2.5 V6 and save the money.
> 
> And the Chrysler 300c? A little bit of sick just came into my mouth...
> 
> I have the bargain, providing the maintenance is reasonable. The Mercedes CL500. 14 years old and 5% of the £70k list price. All being well it will be worth that and more when I come to sell, but scrap it is worth £2k in parts, so it can only cost me £1500 at most in depreciation. It even has a tape deck (as well as DVD!)
> 
> 
> 
> The only downsides are costly to run, 30mpg max and everyone suspects you are doing too well in life. My Skoda workhorse is worth over three times what the Merc is, but no one questions you if you drive a Skoda diesel!


 Loved loved loved mine, not liked a car so much since i had my 635csi when i was 18, the fuel was a killer for me i did 15,000 miles in one of them 5,000 in the other and about 10,000 in the one before that all in 19 months and thats not including the w221 5.5. I should have known better. But I did my bit in tax revenue to reverse our national debt. I spent thousands at the pumps. Loved every minute, the drive of my life. The best mpg i got in the cl500 was about 20...Can't see good ones staying so cheap forever. The g7 box is sublime. Looks better not in silver... :thumbsup:

good plate


----------



## Nigelp

So you know your beemers then???? I know there are other marques that shone in the title. The hot hatch gen. Pretty much thought it had things wrapped. GTI from vw pug etc etc etc. Everyone had a go. But i reckon bmw started it all long before that with the 02 range. Not least the tii and turbo. Last autumn i came across an extremely rare 330d sport to club sport spec. This is a little car with the same torque figure as a 5.5 litre v8 s class merc. 390lbft and right from 1750 rpm to nye on 4000...and it does 30mpg round town. This mint 17 year old imola cost its first owner more than a Jag xj8 4 litre sov of the same year in 2002. Yep this little fella was 38 grand! A few specs make this a rare gem. It was a personal import built to club sport spec with virtually no sound proofing, driving light delete and increased brake cooling with bigger discs. Full sport and individual spec in imola with shadow line and alcantara black headlining. It has more aggressive camsaft different dme and full mtec suspension interior and body. Its otherwise an e46 with the 3 litre 6 intended for the 7. The rear axle has the active rear axle kinematics right off a 1996 850csi. The M8 in all but name. To sum it up its a lot of fun on the cheap.

Is there a better classic pocket rocket?
































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Pretty much concours note the mpg its saving me a lot...
































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Note the details...proper alignment of centre caps and m badges no locking nuts was part of the spec and the studs are titanium even though they look standard.
































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Note the gen bm bonnet badge...there are a lot of faked badges on sale. Manual sport leather seats to save weight. Engine is more or less the same as a 7. But note how compact the header is. Everything is so tight to fit in.


























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## relaxer7

That's a nice motor Nige and I'm sure you'll have far less bother with it than the Maserati QP which you were always clearly nuts for buying but well done for having the balls to do it in the first place :laugh:

Where do you get all your motors from by the way? They always seem to be nice clean examples!


----------



## BondandBigM

I'm off out to see if my centre caps line up

:huh:

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Does it have the wider rear wheels ??? hard to tell from the pics.


----------



## martinzx

Nice car Nigel! I always get homesick when I read your threads about cars... Well done and enjoy yourself!! :thumbsup:


----------



## Nigelp

relaxer7 said:


> That's a nice motor Nige and I'm sure you'll have far less bother with it than the Maserati QP which you were always clearly nuts for buying but well done for having the balls to do it in the first place :laugh:
> 
> Where do you get all your motors from by the way? They always seem to be nice clean examples!


 Thanks mate, had it since march and done a trouble free 6k in it, had quiet a bit of recommissioning done, but the body and interior are as i got it. I've spent about 2 grand on it, but 900 of that was tyres and brakes, i opted for pirelli p zero assymetrics like on an 89 Testarossa! Y rated. And i'm very impressed with them. Most of my cars turn up through friends who get something special in and know i might like it, but this one was a lucky turn up off a seller in sheffield. I swapped a hirsch modified saab and grand for the beemer which was a fab deal in my mind! :teethsmile:



BondandBigM said:


> I'm off out to see if my centre caps line up
> 
> :huh:
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> Does it have the wider rear wheels ??? hard to tell from the pics.


 Yes they're staggered 255 on the back and 225 on the front and it grips like a scotsman to his wallet. Yeh the centre caps need to be right Mr B :biggrin: ...and go check you ain't got Chinese BMW badges! :tongue:



martinzx said:


> Nice car Nigel! I always get homesick when I read your threads about cars... Well done and enjoy yourself!! :thumbsup:


 I'll bet Martin, modern class cars are crazily cheap over in the uk, We've taken most of what the German posh car sector could pump out so there is a high concentration on a relatively small island and therefore loads of supply and once they get beyond warranties and into mot's most fawk are scared daft of them, due to the electronics mainly. Which is fair enough because when they do go wrong it can be expensive. The biggest costs I had weren't in fact with the maser qp...i did jest a bit there but it was fine and reliable...i just didn't like it! It felt no better than my old Jag x350 and the sky hook suspension and auto back just didn't gel, it wasn't the sum of its parts. But the biggest expense i had was with one of my favourites recently. The big merc w221 5.5 with some amg bits. It was electrically weak and everything packed up from the handbrake to the boot lock all electric. Then the abs lights and asc lights came on which is big money mot failure stuff over here...i sold it for 4 grand and took a 3.5 grand loss in less than 12 months...I probably could have got more it took less than 24 hours to sell and some lads came up from London for it. Guess they either wanted to break it, or use it for some sort of get away car...


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> but 900 of that was tyres and brakes, i opted for pirelli p zero assymetrics like on an 89 Testarossa! Y rated. And i'm very impressed with them.
> 
> Yes they're staggered 255 on the back and 225 on the front and it grips like a scotsman to his wallet. Yeh the centre caps need to be right Mr B :biggrin: ...and go check you ain't got Chinese BMW badges! :tongue:


 :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Yep mine are the same, never noticed when I bought it, it was only when I needed to get a couple of rear tyres and checked the size that I realised they were wider on the back.

I was getting a lift to work in a 330d estate that had been mapped and so on, surprisingly rapid it just pulled like a train. The only minor problem was that it chewed its way through two auto boxes. He eventually had it converted to a manual, apparently a popular mod on them.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> Yep mine are the same, never noticed when I bought it, it was only when I needed to get a couple of rear tyres and checked the size that I realised they were wider on the back.
> 
> I was getting a lift to work in a 330d estate that had been mapped and so on, surprisingly rapid it just pulled like a train. The only minor problem was that it chewed its way through two auto boxes. He eventually had it converted to a manual, apparently a popular mod on them.


 yeh yours are mv1 too, didn't realise from your pic they were staggered, not all were some were 225 all round. Staggered look much better. Mines on its original box with 174k on the clock but i know what you mean the engine torque can destroy the torque converter in the box leading it to lose reverse, which is ok but there are times when you need to back up. Mine seems all good, but i had the full gear box service when i got the car, the full kit and filters which was something like 300 quid. The oil that came out was nasty, but fortunately not damage done. It selects smoothly no clunks and kicksdown crisply. The biggest niggle when i got it was fixing an oil leak on the engine. Turned out some genius had decided the o rings weren't needed on the dipstick tube! There are two and i did it myself. One of the most horrid jobs i've done...lying on my back on the garage floor trying to re positioning the tube. Apart from that its all been routine stuff.

https://www.zf.com/unitedkingdom/en_gb/corporate/aftermarket/spare_parts_corporate/transmissions_corporate/how_to_change_oil/change_oil.html


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> yeh yours are mv1 too, didn't realise from your pic they were staggered, not all were some were 225 all round. Staggered look much better. Mines on its original box with 174k on the clock but i know what you mean the engine torque can destroy the torque converter in the box leading it to lose reverse, which is ok but there are times when you need to back up. Mine seems all good, but i had the full gear box service when i got the car, the full kit and filters which was something like 300 quid. The oil that came out was nasty, but fortunately not damage done. It selects smoothly no clunks and kicksdown crisply. The biggest niggle when i got it was fixing an oil leak on the engine. Turned out some genius had decided the o rings weren't needed on the dipstick tube! There are two and i did it myself. One of the most horrid jobs i've done...lying on my back on the garage floor trying to re positioning the tube. Apart from that its all been routine stuff.
> 
> https://www.zf.com/unitedkingdom/en_gb/corporate/aftermarket/spare_parts_corporate/transmissions_corporate/how_to_change_oil/change_oil.html


 It does look clean, although to be fair I'm not keen on the more door configuration on these I prefer the coupe.

That being said the convertibles have a bit of an odd look with the roof up. I'm going try and get a hardtop for mine before the winter sets in inmo a really nice look. But I rarely have the roof up on it, slightest hint of sun and we just put Big coats on.

I just recently bought this coat especially for winter top down cruising, sunglasses sewen in for that low sun glare not so sure the Plods will like it but hey ho we'll soon find out.










:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> I just recently bought this coat especially for winter top down cruising, sunglasses sewen in for that low sun glare not so sure the Plods will like it but hey ho we'll soon find out.
> 
> 
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:












:laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> It does look clean, although to be fair I'm not keen on the more door configuration on these I prefer the coupe.
> 
> That being said the convertibles have a bit of an odd look with the roof up. I'm going try and get a hardtop for mine before the winter sets in inmo a really nice look. But I rarely have the roof up on it, slightest hint of sun and we just put Big coats on.
> 
> I just recently bought this coat especially for winter top down cruising, sunglasses sewen in for that low sun glare not so sure the Plods will like it but hey ho we'll soon find out.
> 
> 
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 christ i think those coats cost more than our two e46's put together :biggrin:

I love the 4 door versions they're actually more compact, i was in my local bm stealer the other day getting reg plates (i think they make all the difference to get dealer ones) and they had some sort of new fangled m3 csl saloon at 96grand...or about 96 of my 330 

goodness knows why it was 96k there must have been lots of ze German extras onboard. They start at a mere 55k...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/bmw/m3/first-drives/bmw-m3-cs-2018-uk-review


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> christ i think those coats cost more than our two e46's put together


 Don't tell Big M that. I've wanted one for years and she would never buy me one. Totally ridiculous and I only bought it to annoy her.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

On the Beemer extras, back in the day my 80's wide boy boss bought an Alpina 5 series from Sytners.

Even back then the price was eye-watering and the cost to get all the extra bells and whistles alone would have bought you a decent motor. Everything from the radio upwards was an expensive ticky box extra. Needless to say he just ticked every box. I'm sure he didn't even know what half of it was or did.

:biggrin:


----------



## deano1956

currently got this wide ass thing taking up half my drive , not mine my sons, I like speed but this thing scares me when he sets off , even has the button to make the thing go even louder so the police here you coming before you get there :biggrin: and it got more screens, settings than the first manned space module :laugh:

deano

oh just cost him 2 K on a first service at 1500 mls !


----------



## Nigelp

deano1956 said:


> currently got this wide ass thing taking up half my drive , not mine my sons, I like speed but this thing scares me when he sets off , even has the button to make the thing go even louder so the police here you coming before you get there :biggrin: and it got more screens, settings than the first manned space module :laugh:
> 
> deano
> 
> oh just cost him 2 K on a first service at 1500 mls !


 very nice indeed mate! :thumbsup:



BondandBigM said:


> Don't tell Big M that. I've wanted one for years and she would never buy me one. Totally ridiculous and I only bought it to annoy her.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> On the Beemer extras, back in the day my 80's wide boy boss bought an Alpina 5 series from Sytners.
> 
> Even back then the price was eye-watering and the cost to get all the extra bells and whistles alone would have bought you a decent motor. Everything from the radio upwards was an expensive ticky box extra. Needless to say he just ticked every box. I'm sure he didn't even know what half of it was or did.
> 
> :biggrin:


 :laugh: you old rogue, my 330 set me back about 2 grand and i've spent that on it. I've seen a similar one at 5.5k! which is daft at the moment. I had a hirsch performance saab 1.9tid for 6 weeks which was interesting it was the 93 1,9tid in black and auto on a 56. Quiet fun for the 1200 quid it cost.


----------



## Roger the Dodger

BondandBigM said:


> It does look clean, although to be fair I'm not keen on the more door configuration on these I prefer the coupe.
> 
> That being said the convertibles have a bit of an odd look with the roof up. I'm going try and get a hardtop for mine before the winter sets in inmo a really nice look. But I rarely have the roof up on it, slightest hint of sun and we just put Big coats on.
> 
> I just recently bought this coat especially for winter top down cruising, sunglasses sewen in for that low sun glare not so sure the Plods will like it but hey ho we'll soon find out.
> 
> 
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 You'll look like Ed China when the Wheeler Dealers did the Brighton run..... :laughing2dw:


----------



## Roger the Dodger

Wish I still had this....


----------



## Nigelp

Roger the Dodger said:


> Wish I still had this....


 that has the same initial on the plate as my first girl friend...ELB she was mad...saw one going through conwy the other day in brg it looked mint. Not many left but those that are are all molly coddled. Saw a few on the 3 castles in llandudno too. Yep nice motor. Great 70's colour too. :biggrin:


----------



## Bonzodog

At 9mpg,I'm glad I sold this


----------



## BondandBigM

Roger the Dodger said:


> You'll look like Ed China when the Wheeler Dealers did the Brighton run..... :laughing2dw:


 You can laugh but the idea behind the original CP Goggle Coats is along those lines.










And there is a bit of a watch connection as some of them have "watch viewers" in the cuffs










They hark back to the days of days of open topped road racing like the Miller Miga.










I still think the local Plods probably wouldn't be impressed though.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

@Nigelp

I checked, my centre caps don't line up with the small 'M' Sport badges. Now I'm going to have to take all the wheels off and align them.

:huh:

And they are, like my LV, original and genuine. No mickey mouse copies of anything in the Bond Household.

:biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

Bonzodog said:


> At 9mpg,I'm glad I sold this


 Is it just the picture or were the wheels really as wonky as the look.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Bonzodog

:laugh: No ,just the picture


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> You can laugh but the idea behind the original CP Goggle Coats is along those lines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And there is a bit of a watch connection as some of them have "watch viewers" in the cuffs
> 
> 
> 
> They hark back to the days of days of open topped road racing like the Miller Miga.
> 
> 
> 
> I still think the local Plods probably wouldn't be impressed though.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> @Nigelp
> 
> I checked, my centre caps don't line up with the small 'M' Sport badges. Now I'm going to have to take all the wheels off and align them.
> 
> :huh:
> 
> And they are, like my LV, original and genuine. No mickey mouse copies of anything in the Bond Household.
> 
> :biggrin:


 when i got the imola sport (despite the m badges they weren't known as m sports until 2003 or 4 apparently) it was mint looking but some of the details were out. It had chrome grilles in the bonnet they should be shadow line like the rest of the trim, and ebay bmw badges made in china! The plastic jobs that fly off...what some people don't seem to know is the boot badge is smaller than the bonnet one and so my boot badge didn't sit flush. You know the sort of niggles that start to bug after the excitement of a new car settles and you see the bits that need sorting. Also the m badges on the wheels were upside down! My next door neighbours lad is parts lad at my local bmw agent. So i got a full compliment of new badges (i can understand why the ebay china specials are tempting because the bmw ones are 40 quid each for the bonnet and boot and 40 quid for a wheel set...as opposed to a tenner of the bay...theres a reason why they're a tenner off the bay...they're cheap plastic things rather than the pressed enamel of the origis). But yeh back to the positioning of the m badges on the wheels...they need to be directly opposite the m in bmw and upside down at 'tdc'. I know i can use the expressions 'tdc' with you @BondandBigM. You being in a proper job like my Dad was. He taught me the importance of it when i was 19 and we were rebuilding the top end and re-setting the timing on my bmw 635csi after it blew a chunk out of the head gasket and warped the alloy head...all good fun... :biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

it'salivejim said:


> Shoot me down, but I always fancied a Rover 75 estate, the 4.6 V8 …
> 
> 
> 
> Not prestige as such but cheap as chips and not a bad runner by all accounts


 I've had a 75 in the family, dad had a 2.5v6 for a while really well built comfy car with good handling and good looks. Ours was copper leaf which is a lovely colour. The v8 is a mustang engine and puts out about 240bhp which is low for its capacity, but nevertheless enough. I actually really like the looks of the one in the pic and the more ordinary mg versions which look great. The diesel versions use bmw diesels and are a pretty good bet. Nice rare choice. Good looks and good build. The interiors are fab, especially the dashboard which is lovely. Yeh good call. 

I know i'm going to end up buying another car after this thread...I've just been eyeing this up.










https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201810151508345?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&radius=1500&advertising-location=at_cars&make=BMW&fuel-type=Diesel&postcode=bb95hg&sort=price-asc&model=6 SERIES&page=1


----------



## BondandBigM

Did you measure TDC with a DTI when the head was off.

:biggrin:

When I built the engine in my Vette I fitted a gear drive for the cam to replace the timing chain. It had some adjustment so you could get the cam timing absolutely bang on.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Did you measure TDC with a DTI when the head was off.
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> When I built the engine in my Vette I fitted a gear drive for the cam to replace the timing chain. It had some adjustment so you could get the cam timing absolutely bang on.


 can't remember now i'm going back to 1991 and to be honest my dad was the foreman on the job, I was home between exams and my head was full of pointless silly things like the neighbour principle in Donoghue v Stevenson and the extension of liability in negligence for nervous shock on policy grounds by Lord Bridge...I'll ask my dad and get back to you. :thumbsup:

I remember marking the timing chain and rocker box with white paint first and lining up on refitting :yes:

I remember when it started after 2 weeks doing the job and was fine best sound in the world!


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> can't remember now i'm going back to 1991 and to be honest my dad was the foreman on the job, I was home between exams and my head was full of pointless silly things like the neighbour principle in Donoghue v Stevenson and the extension of liability in negligence for nervous shock on policy grounds by Lord Bridge...I'll ask my dad and get back to you. :thumbsup:
> 
> I remember marking the timing chain and rocker box with white paint first and lining up on refitting :yes:
> 
> I remember when it started after 2 weeks doing the job and was fine best sound in the world!


 I'm a dab hand with a DTI










Bang on TDC

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> I'm a dab hand with a DTI
> 
> 
> 
> Bang on TDC
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 I haven't spoken to him yet but my dad used to trail me round from the age of 6 sometimes at up to 10pm at night in the old factories when he was an engineer for Smith & Nephew Medical and Consumer. In the end in built his own high speed wool ball machines for them at a cost of 9 grand each, when the germans wanted 100 grand for machines which had a lower production rate. That looks like a clock gauge and a cnc????? My dad relied on lads like you to make the parts for the machines for him.

btw give up wearing that pepsi seiko it ain't you...thats a proper watch and never say 'sorry' :thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM

Yep Dial Test Indicator

AKA

Clock gauge










Set on top on the piston and rotate the crank until the piston reaches its highest point.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Yep Dial Test Indicator
> 
> AKA
> 
> Clock gauge
> 
> 
> 
> Set on top on the piston and rotate the crank until the piston reaches its highest point.


 spot on, not seen the LV for a bit you haven't sold it and bought a tricked up beetle have you? You'll be sorry expect


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> spot on, not seen the LV for a bit you haven't sold it and bought a tricked up beetle have you? You'll be sorry expect


 No still have it but I just got it serviced and it came back like a new watch. I've only worn it a couple of times since I got it back. I even keep it in the nice Rolex pouch it came back in at night now and think twice about wearing it.

:swoon:

Strange but true

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> No still have it but I just got it serviced and it came back like a new watch. I've only worn it a couple of times since I got it back. I even keep it in the nice Rolex pouch it came back in at night now and think twice about wearing it.
> 
> :swoon:
> 
> Strange but true
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 I know what you mean, its like when I wash and polish my car, mint it all up then it rains...Just think of it as a blank canvas ready to put the next 14 years of dings into. It is 14 years just gone isn't it?


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> I know what you mean, its like when I wash and polish my car, mint it all up then it rains...Just think of it as a blank canvas ready to put the next 14 years of dings into. It is 14 years just gone isn't it?


 Late 2006 on the papers but bought January 2007, one very we'll documented owner and has 22 months Rolex warranty after they serviced.

Has to be worth a decent 996 or 997

:biggrin:

But I know what you mean, I'd regret it. Maybe I should just rent one for a couple of weeks and get it out of my system. There was a car hire place outside our apartment in Lanzarote that had a Turbo convertible for hire. Wasn't cheap but might have been a bit of fun for a week or two.

We are going to Fuerteventura for two weeks shortly and Lanzarote is just a short ferry trip away.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Late 2006 on the papers but bought January 2007, one very we'll documented owner and has 22 months Rolex warranty after they serviced.
> 
> Has to be worth a decent 996 or 997
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> But I know what you mean, I'd regret it. Maybe I should just rent one for a couple of weeks and get it out of my system. There was a car hire place outside our apartment in Lanzarote that had a Turbo convertible for hire. Wasn't cheap but might have been a bit of fun for a week or two.
> 
> We are going to Fuerteventura for two weeks shortly and Lanzarote is just a short ferry trip away.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 keep the lv and get a boxster, there was a time when i was in pcgb when owners were removing the boxster badge with dental floss and hoping people would think they were 911's...well the 996 is a boxster from the screen pillars forwards. :teethsmile:










cheap as chips 12 months fun then swap it on

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201808149481323?make=PORSCHE&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&model=BOXSTER&postcode=bb95hg&radius=1500&page=1

@BondandBigM if you want something with a bit of class forget the modern Porsches and get a proper built pre chrysler merc the r129 is likely to go up soon, especially the early titanium grille straight 6 models...here...you go :thumbsup:










https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201810091322221?radius=1500&sort=price-asc&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&postcode=bb95hg&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&advertising-location=at_cars&model=SL CLASS&page=1

that would probably only set you back 1500 quid on a px against the e46


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> keep the lv and get a boxster, there was a time when i was in pcgb when owners were removing the boxster badge with dental floss and hoping people would think they were 911's...well the 996 is a boxster from the screen pillars forwards. :teethsmile:
> 
> 
> 
> cheap as chips 12 months fun then swap it on
> 
> https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201808149481323?make=PORSCHE&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&model=BOXSTER&postcode=bb95hg&radius=1500&page=1
> 
> @BondandBigM if you want something with a bit of class forget the modern Porsches and get a proper built pre chrysler merc the r129 is likely to go up soon, especially the early titanium grille straight 6 models...here...you go :thumbsup:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201810091322221?radius=1500&sort=price-asc&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&postcode=bb95hg&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&advertising-location=at_cars&model=SL CLASS&page=1
> 
> that would probably only set you back 1500 quid on a px against the e46


 Sorry but the Porker is a bucket list thing to do. Even a 996, get the right one thats had the work done and I have a feeling it would be money in the bank after a year or two.

:biggrin:

Remember my one last throw of the dice thread, dig it out and have a look at the then and now prices some of the choice ones are going for, not may going for less.

Although I wouldn't mind the rear wheels off the Merc, mine aren't staggered.

How's my badge, top dead centre enough for you ??

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Sorry but the Porker is a bucket list thing to do. Even a 996, get the right one thats had the work done and I have a feeling it would be money in the bank after a year or two.
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> Remember my one last throw of the dice thread, dig it out and have a look at the then and now prices some of the choice ones are going for, not may going for less.
> 
> Although I wouldn't mind the rear wheels off the Merc, mine aren't staggered.
> 
> How's my badge, top dead centre enough for you ??
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 yeh thats fine, yep 996's are creeping up i think about 10 years ago an early one was less than 10 grand. I nearly bought a Guards Red 964 tiptronic in about 2005 for around 8 grand. It was a careera 4 if i recall rightly, for sale on a council house estate in Rochdale, by a bloke with tattoos and biceps bigger than my thighs. The rust in the pillars and made me politely decline. Wonder what that would be now? I had a concours 928 s4 at the time which i sold for 8 grand in 2006.


----------



## BondandBigM

Decent 996 prices are definitely firming up, especially the wide boy 4S's you'll be lucky to pick up a nice straight low miles fully serviced up one for less than £25K.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Decent 996 prices are definitely firming up, especially the wide boy 4S's you'll be lucky to pick up a nice straight low miles fully serviced up one for less than £25K.


 I was passing a local second hand shop a few weeks ago and they had a pile of old 911 and porsche world mags...do you want to know what a 911LE was going for a few year back... :biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> I was passing a local second hand shop a few weeks ago and they had a pile of old 911 and porsche world mags...do you want to know what a 911LE was going for a few year back... :biggrin:


 A bit like looking at stainless sports pages of old Rolex catalogues.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

Nigelp said:


> I was passing a local second hand shop a few weeks ago and they had a pile of old 911 and porsche world mags...do you want to know what a 911LE was going for a few year back... :biggrin:


 I know go on @BondandBigM have a guess what a 911 le se flat nose at a good dealer was in 2007 with 58k...

my next door neighbour bought a rolex airking in 1983 and last year the crown fell out so it went to goldsmiths for a fix and service...500 quid he didn't even think it was worth that he was going to bin it!

It sold last year again at rhs and someone made 100k. Well done to them. I expect this year its nearer 175k.


























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

39k at hairpin too














Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa17/auction/lots/r154-1986-porsche-911-turbo-flat-nose


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> I know go on @BondandBigM have a guess what a 911 le se flat nose at a good dealer was in 2007 with 58k...
> 
> my next door neighbour bought a rolex airking in 1983 and last year the crown fell out so it went to goldsmiths for a fix and service...500 quid he didn't even think it was worth that he was going to bin it!


 I'll have a go with £29,995 for the Porker ??

My mate bought a no date sub in the duty free on his way back from Saudi for just short of £500

I used to wind him up because those old ones never had "Superlative Chonometer" on the dial so no COSC cert with it and my 70's GMT did.

But I did pay £900 for it

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Decent 996 prices are definitely firming up, especially the wide boy 4S's you'll be lucky to pick up a nice straight low miles fully serviced up one for less than £25K.


 wide body 4S is one to have



BondandBigM said:


> I'll have a go with £29,995 for the Porker ??
> 
> My mate bought a no date sub in the duty free on his way back from Saudi for just short of £500
> 
> I used to wind him up because those old ones never had "Superlative Chonometer" on the dial so no COSC cert with it and my 70's GMT did.
> 
> But I did pay £900 for it
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 I was talking to the fella next door with the airking he said back in 1983 he could have bought a sub for the same price, he paid 300 quid and wishes he'd bought both.

you were closer than me with the porker! i was amazed it was only 40 grand and only 10 years since! I say only prices have gone daft.

@BondandBigM found you a porsche :yes:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201806207683590?postcode=bb95hg&make=PORSCHE&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&sort=price-asc&model=911&radius=1500&page=1


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> wide body 4S is one to have
> 
> I was talking to the fella next door with the airking he said back in 1983 he could have bought a sub for the same price, he paid 300 quid and wishes he'd bought both.
> 
> you were closer than me with the porker! i was amazed it was only 40 grand and only 10 years since! I say only prices have gone daft.


 Close but no cigar

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

The only minor problem with a 996 is that you need a circa £10K contingency fund for a visit to Hartech just incase the engine does go bang. Its one thing a TT motor going bang at a grand it's just about bearable, mines on a 55 plate so recoverable but a whole other financial league if a Porker grenades its inards.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Close but no cigar
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> The only minor problem with a 996 is that you need a circa £10K contingency fund for a visit to Hartech just incase the engine does go bang. Its one thing a TT motor going bang at a grand it's just about bearable, mines on a 55 plate so recoverable but a whole other financial league if a Porker grenades its inards.


 I know i've had two 928's but fortunately nothing big went wrong. Going back to 2003 it was 1500 quid for a service at loe bank, ive been to hartech years ago they started with 944's. Given there are a few 996's at less than 10 grand i'd still have a go at that price just for the fun of it and if it went bang in a big way i'd sell it for parts, you'd loose a bit well probably 7 grand, but you'd have had your fun. But yeh in all seriousness they don't have a good reputation or didn't for cracking cylinder walls on cylinder 6 due to lack of cooling, oh so i think i once read.

Back in the day I had the 928's the lad who worked on them a porsche specialist near Bury called loe bank (very good too) was very impressed with the 944 Turbo, his main speciality was the 928 a good place to know if you do take the plunge. I can highly recommend the 928 the s2 is a sledge hammer attack when the big valves open on the 4.7 v8. I only paid 3 grand for mine in 2003 and did 15,000 miles in 12 months and it never missed a beat. Swapped it for an s4 which was reliable too. But I preferred my prussian blue 928

mine was regd c416gvr a bit like this


----------



## Nigelp

Or just old bangers. There ain't much -some but not much- in the period 1970 to 1990 that going for nothing these days some are silly money, even old Porsche 924's with the lt van engine are getting daft. But a quick search in the period 1990 to 1995, brings up some pretty interesting old motors for next to nowt.

Hows this for £650









or this for £675










fancy a w124 coup? Hows this for less than £800?










fancy the estate version? Again 800 quid










or the 6 cylinder saloon for a massive 1200 notes










or a black ce for 1500 quid?










mint looking low mile sov? 1700 quid for the frugal 3.2?










and a proper motor...an old school 735i for 1900 quid



















or probably the best merc ever for 2 grand?



















you pays your money and takes your choice


----------



## IBM

Hmm think I'd say old bangers....and probably money pits too!


----------



## Nigelp

IBM said:


> Hmm think I'd say old bangers....and probably money pits too!


 i think i'd be inclined to agree mate, especially the w124 merc in my experience! closely followed by the x300 jag...wait while the classic magazines get hold of them and start asking daft prices. The x300 jag was about as well built as a paper bag.


----------



## IBM

Problem is, despite everything we just said, I would probably buy/own them all. What the f is wrong with me!


----------



## Nigelp

IBM said:


> Problem is, despite everything we just said, I would probably buy/own them all. What the f is wrong with me!


 Nothing its normal every man wants a proper car and if its peanuts and he has a reasonable grasp of the tools and spray can why not? Lap of luxury for a few hundred and rubbing polishing them and lying under them will keep you fit honest it will and then you'll join a car club and meet loads of like minded blokes with desperately unhappy wives. Most of the blokes like watches too. :thumbsup:

I want one of these and should have got one when a good one was 7k about 10 year since...






look quintin has an iwc on


----------



## al_kaholik

Nigelp said:


> i think i'd be inclined to agree mate, especially the w124 merc in my experience! closely followed by the x300 jag...wait while the classic magazines get hold of them and start asking daft prices. The x300 jag was about as well built as a paper bag.


 But if its in good nick and maintained well, a w124 is super practical and a beautiful car to drive, even dare I say it suitable for 7 with the optional rear seats. An easy mile muncher if you convert to LPG.

Orthopaedic seats in the front, Sportline trim 6 cylinder with the 5sp automatic. Fastest estate car on the road at the time. AND if you get one with MBtex, it'll still look new after 200k miles.


----------



## Nigelp

al_kaholik said:


> But if its in good nick and maintained well, a w124 is super practical and a beautiful car to drive, even dare I say it suitable for 7 with the optional rear seats. An easy mile muncher if you convert to LPG.
> 
> Orthopaedic seats in the front, Sportline trim 6 cylinder with the 5sp automatic. Fastest estate car on the road at the time. AND if you get one with MBtex, it'll still look new after 200k miles.


 possibly its just i swapped my twr modified jag xjs for a 1989 230ce coupe when i was in my youth about 2001, and unlike the jag ford fiesta 1.3L's used to pass me like the red arrows, and it was the most unreliable car i've ever owned. My fault for buying the rattly 230 4 i should have got the 300ce.


----------



## al_kaholik

My old man had a 230te, looked hard at a few 320 but bottled it and bought a big Volvo followed by a t5 v70. He had a passant gl5 for a while too. Cracking car but thirsty! But that noise it made :wub:


----------



## Foxdog

They are cheap because lets face it, they are all god damn fugly! :laugh:


----------



## Nigelp

Foxdog said:


> They are cheap because lets face it, they are all god damn fugly!


Especially the 124

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Just got back from looking at a tidy 2006 golf gti auto with flappies for 2 grand. Mapped to 220bhp too.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## BondandBigM

Foxdog said:


> They are cheap because lets face it, they are all god damn fugly! :laugh:


 In the eye of the beholder and all that

:biggrin:










I'm a bit of a fan of those cheap as chips old Mercs. I bought and still have this one.


----------



## DJH584

Foxdog said:


> They are cheap because lets face it, they are all god damn fugly! :laugh:


 Heathen - obviously a "young 'un" :laugh:



Nigelp said:


> Just got back from looking at a tidy 2006 golf gti auto with flappies for 2 grand. Mapped to 220bhp too.


 You didn't buy it then Nigel?


----------



## Nigelp

DJH584 said:


> Heathen - obviously a "young 'un" :laugh:
> 
> You didn't buy it then Nigel?


 No to be honest i don't want a lot of cars again, they become a hassle moving them about to get at the one I want, which would mean getting rid of the Beemer and unless something suddenly went wrong i've put too much into it at the mo to make it sensible to change. I should at least wear out the set of p zeros i put on and the discs and pads. Its one of the few cars, i've had that i actually anticipate getting in in the morning and giving it a blast. Its one of those cars that feels its got a life and soul, not all do whatever they are.


----------



## Nigelp

I might have a gti at some point but i prefer 4 doors, it makes me appear a bit responsible when i need to appear responsible...heres the one i went to look at


----------



## DJH584

Nice looking car but a tad small for me. Currently have a 61 Astra 1.6 with 37K on the clock but have a hankering for something older and larger i.e Merc size. Question is what company insures cars worth less than a £1000 these days? Can't really get away with classic insurance as I would want it as my daily commute.


----------



## Nigelp

DJH584 said:


> Nice looking car but a tad small for me. Currently have a 61 Astra 1.6 with 37K on the clock but have a hankering for something older and larger i.e Merc size. Question is what company insures cars worth less than a £1000 these days? Can't really get away with classic insurance as I would want it as my daily commute.


 I've never had a problem getting them insured i went down to Birmingham for a rare 1998 Honda Accord 3 litre v6 coupe in 2015 in purple with full sports kit, great cars fast with the vtec and worth nothing. I got it for 500 quid. I just go on compare the market and pick the cheapest quote or renew with my current. I think it cost me 200 quid to insure it. If you want something decent a bit classic and interesting that won't cost a lot the big honda legend is a fab car. I had the 3.5 on a 1998 paid 800 quid for it loved it, big comfy powerful old thing and completely 100 percent reliable.

here you go

this ones on the the trader for 999 quid with less than 60k on the clock










almost as big as an s class merc that and unlike the merc it wont bankrupt you

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201810241779625?postcode=bb95hg&model=LEGEND&make=HONDA&sort=sponsored&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=1500&page=1



BondandBigM said:


> In the eye of the beholder and all that
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm a bit of a fan of those cheap as chips old Mercs. I bought and still have this one.


 you've done well to keep that looking good most rotted, to be fair though so have most same era beemer 3's but the merc of that period were awful body wise almost as bad as they were in the 70's. Having said that I've seen absolutely rotten w124's w126's and those big sec's which look like they've spent the last 30 years down on the deck of the titanic. Some of them make a Jag XJ40 look ok... :biggrin:


----------



## DJH584

Nice looking motor and very tempting but I would still have to sell the Astra first before making a purchase. Hmm thanks for the link and definitely something to think about.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> you've done well to keep that looking good most rotted, to be fair though so have most same era beemer 3's but the merc of that period were awful body wise almost as bad as they were in the 70's. Having said that I've seen absolutely rotten w124's w126's and those big sec's which look like they've spent the last 30 years down on the deck of the titanic. Some of them make a Jag XJ40 look ok... :biggrin:


 That's a very old pic but it's still nice and shiny although it is beginning to show its age a bit now.










Nothing a bit of a rub down and a decent quality grey carbon wrap won't sort out though. A bit like my LV, good to go for another ten years.

:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> That's a very old pic but it's still nice and shiny although it is beginning to show its age a bit now.
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing a bit of a rub down and a decent quality grey carbon wrap won't sort out though. A bit like my LV, good to go for another ten years.
> 
> :biggrin:


 I must admit i'm very familiar with sandpaper filler and paint.  Your old c looks good, the mono blocks will be worth a bit, had those on one of my CL500's last year. They were actually the reason why I bought it...which shows how sensible i am i guess...i sent dad for it, up to Wigan. A few days later i found the boot was full of water. Where the cd player was. Someone had left out the seal on the rear light! It was time for it to go when it became incontinent with its abc fluid and one of the suspension units looked iffy. I did buy it at bottom of market in 2016 though at 3 grand. It was the first I bought. When i traded it for a later one, the dealer opened the boot and saws its old plates and nearly had a heart attack, he'd passed it on in the trade to the bloke i bought it off. Nevertheless i learnt a lot about CL500's with that car. Its still got one of my private plates on it N55GCL and is still off the road...

The bottom fell out of the market in cl's just before i bought one and its been falling ever since...this ones about 2 grand...


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> I must admit i'm very familiar with sandpaper filler and paint.  Your old c looks good, the mono blocks will be worth a bit, had those on one of my CL500's last year. They were actually the reason why I bought it...which shows how sensible i am i guess...i sent dad for it, up to Wigan. A few days later i found the boot was full of water. Where the cd player was. Someone had left out the seal on the rear light! It was time for it to go when it became incontinent with its abc fluid and one of the suspension units looked iffy. I did buy it at bottom of market in 2016 though at 3 grand. It was the first I bought. When i traded it for a later one, the dealer opened the boot and saws its old plates and nearly had a heart attack, he'd passed it on in the trade to the bloke i bought it off. Nevertheless i learnt a lot about CL500's with that car. Its still got one of my private plates on it N55GCL and is still off the road...
> 
> The bottom fell out of the market in cl's just before i bought one and its been falling ever since...this ones about 2 grand...


 Yep the mono blocks are probably worth more than the whole car.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

To be fair other than wear out consumables it was faultless when I was using it daily, even with 200K miles on it it never missed a beat or let me down. One of the better motors I've had in recent years


----------



## ziggy1024

Nigelp said:


> The x300 jag was about as well built as a paper bag.


 With all due respect, that's a load of cobblers. Almost as wrong as calling the 3.2 'frugal' :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

ziggy1024 said:


> With all due respect, that's a load of cobblers. Almost as wrong as calling the 3.2 'frugal' :laughing2dw:


 Jag man eh? :biggrin:



BondandBigM said:


> Yep the mono blocks are probably worth more than the whole car.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> To be fair other than wear out consumables it was faultless when I was using it daily, even with 200K miles on it it never missed a beat or let me down. One of the better motors I've had in recent years


 Its luck of the draw in't it?


----------



## ziggy1024

Nigelp said:


> Jag man eh? :biggrin:


 Not really - hence having lost count of how many BMWs I've had, but only having owned one Jag! But the X300 is a massively underrated car, and the AJ16 particularly is a lovely engine. They're just big, heavy, complicated (from a suspension design etc. point of view) cars which don't get looked after properly and suffer from association with the reputation of the early XJ40. In terms of build quality, they stand up well to anything BMW was offering at the time, or in the decade or so afterwards!


----------



## Nigelp

ziggy1024 said:


> Not really - hence having lost count of how many BMWs I've had, but only having owned one Jag! But the X300 is a massively underrated car, and the AJ16 particularly is a lovely engine. They're just big, heavy, complicated (from a suspension design etc. point of view) cars which don't get looked after properly and suffer from association with the reputation of the early XJ40. In terms of build quality, they stand up well to anything BMW was offering at the time, or in the decade or so afterwards!


 I've had 10 jags...3 including a few x300's xj40 xjs x308 x350, loved them but they ain't well built, x300 is a tarted up xj40. X350 was my least favourite and 308 my favourite, along with a twr xjs 3.6. But they all fell apart at the seams...the 350 was rebuilt by jag under warranty at 4 years old.

the late 80's 7 beemer left the jags of the time standing.


----------



## ziggy1024

Nigelp said:


> I've had 10 jags...3 including a few x300's xj40 xjs x308 x350, loved them but they ain't well built, x300 is a tarted up xj40. X350 was my least favourite and 308 my favourite, along with a twr xjs 3.6. But they all fell apart at the seams...the 350 was rebuilt by jag under warranty at 4 years old.
> 
> the late 80's 7 beemer left the jags of the time standing.


 Depends what you mean by 'well built'. My X300 never needed any welding and is still solid as a rock. Not many E32/E34/E36s (or E38/E39/E46s for that matter!) would make that claim. And an XJ40 is a much more sophisticated chassis than an E32 too, so not a bad place to base your design! X308 was a better car to drive than the X300, but that's where engineering quality started to suffer - can't blame them for nikasil, but the chain tensioners, sealed for life gearboxes, non-serviceable hubs etc, were all a step back from the X300. BMWs remain a better compromise for my taste, but I still like the X300 from an engineering POV. Great looking things too!


----------



## tixntox

It seems that even "quality" cars of the recent past are subject to the usual tinworm, cambelt, camchain tensioner, water pump and idler pulley failures these days. The owners club forums are a great place to be for advice before you purchase a money pit. Forum advice has saved me a lot of heartache by looking for the "common faults" on a variety of models. Even asking a seller "Has the ----------- been done?", usually gets "that look" that tells you the answer before the seller opens his/her mouth! Electronic modules were seen as the way forward but poor siting of these components has led to corrosion and connection failures on some of the most "prestigious" models. No names, no pack drill!

Mike


----------



## Always"watching"

Great thread this, @Nigelp, and I have only come across it now. It is nice to get some topics in the non-watch interests section, and I myself realise I haven't written a car-related topic for some time. I was going to write about Swatch and their involvement with the smart car project, but it was just too involved and I decided not to carry on with it. I do like some of the cars from the early 1990s and reckon that a careful choice now could have future investment potential. I suppose that one problem facing everyone, especially those of us who like the more modern classics, is just how environmental legislation will ultimately affect the possibilities of owning, maintaining and driving what are essentially classed as second-hand rather than old-time classics. :biggrin:


----------



## Ziggystardrops

When I took early retirement I wanted a classic car but it had to fit in the garage, I thought the answer was an MG Midget so I bought a really good restored one and had it well over 12 months but it was hard work driving it, no power steering, no power brakes so poor braking performance, noisy, the wife wouldn't drive it and not much fun. So I sold it and bought a MK3 Mazda MX5 and haven't looked back since.


----------



## Steve D UK

I restored an original MK2 Cortina Lotus once. Made a pretty good job and I got looks and thumbs up whenever I was out in it but at the end of the day, it was (at the time) a 35 year old car with 35 year old steering, suspension, seating, brakes, heating, lights, ventilation, fuel smells........... Oh, and the wife refused to go out in it with me as it drew too much attention so I sold it.

I paid £1,500 for it, it was all in pieces and this is how I got it:



and I turned it into this:


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## Nigelp

I think in the last 2 years ive had something like 10 cars. Ranging from a few Merc CL500s, to S Class saloons. To a modified Hirsch Performance Saab. None of them cost much to buy. Though running some of the erstwhile 100 grand Mercs. On a budget can be fun.

Back to the 330. I thought this was worth a thread on its own. Its certainly going to be on going fun. These e46 beemers are so tunable and easy on the wallet. Parts are everywhere and both cars and parts as cheap as chips.

Buy one of the big engined 6 cylinders 3 litre ones in petrol or diesel and they are serious performance machines.

For example this mapped 330d m sport as 390lb ft torque right throught the middle of the rev range. Same as a 5.5 litre v8 s class merc from 2007. In a car not much heavier than a ford focus.

The handling is sublime in standard form on the mtec suspension and blue label M3 steering rack. Add a set of polyurethane bushes to areas like wishbones. Drop links and subframes. And these little cars become giant. Slayers.

In 330d form remember we have a car with the engine straight out of a 2.5 ton 730...it really is a recipe for fun.

Ive pretty much got my 2002 330d sport spot on now. It came to me looking mint. But with no history.

The mechanicals were fine. Engine gearbox rear dif. All as new with 170k.

The challenge was deciding what needed doing. So after the obvious. All fluid changes.

Its been a 5000 mile summer of fun shake down.

This soon revealed the tyres were hardened. So on went a full set of pzero assymetrics y rated as designed originally for the f40.

These transformed not only grip. But also comfort. Much better than the pilot sports in my opinnion.

Recently. I had the usual rust round the jacking points. So stripped it and had a new sill. Welded in.

Floflex bushes in the front wishbone have made a big difference. Though a 25 ton press was needed to get them in. And work shop language which would make a sailor blush according to the girl who runs the office. At my local favourite workshop.

It really is a quick car. Easily capable of defeating the big v8 mercs i had, on twisty roads. And such is the mid range punch. With all that torque. It is likely to out drag them in a straight line. Especially with the mapped 270 bhp and light weight.

All that and im getting almost 30mpg around town.

Recent costs have been the bushing, welding and mot. There was also a fuel leak on number 6 injector. All sorted now.

Im thinking of adding front and rear strut braces. And ive removed some sound proofing to reduce weight. With no noticable change in cabin noise.

Some pictures of the car as it is now.

While it was in the garage. I amused myself by doing the engine cover red and fitting a new badge. All good fun. Eventually ill get the all suspension polly bushed and maybe some coil overs...ill bet the lads at the garage can't wait...such was the fun in pressing in the widh bone bushes. At which point a couple of track days on Anglesey mighy be in order.

Id also like a performance silencer...but feel a tad wasteful just taking off the as new genuine beemer one. I think scorpion do one but at 500 quid they ain't cheap. And i dont want it too loud. It already sounds throaty. So im not sure how a sports box would go down...but they do have a nice big exit pipe in polished stainless...which will probably make the 500 notes they cost worth while...ill do the man maths.

































































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

The nigh on 30 mpg not bad for a car i do use full throttle kick down in a lot of the time.









Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Nigelp

tixntox said:


> It seems that even "quality" cars of the recent past are subject to the usual tinworm, cambelt, camchain tensioner, water pump and idler pulley failures these days. The owners club forums are a great place to be for advice before you purchase a money pit. Forum advice has saved me a lot of heartache by looking for the "common faults" on a variety of models. Even asking a seller "Has the ----------- been done?", usually gets "that look" that tells you the answer before the seller opens his/her mouth! Electronic modules were seen as the way forward but poor siting of these components has led to corrosion and connection failures on some of the most "prestigious" models. No names, no pack drill!
> 
> Mike


 I'll name them...modern mercs a nightmare for weak electrics, giving all sorts of warnings that result in mot failures, when often only an electrical sensor as gone, but still costs a mint to put right and even STAR and the main dealers end up guessing. Jaguar are however better than all the stories re timing chain tensioners and i think a lot was made of this when they did last. Sometimes i think the clubs can be a source of scare stories. Which create work for the garages which supply them with advertising revenue in their monthly mags, and may even be run by club members.

I'm using merc as an example and i've had a few recently which i got shut of due to the leccy problems. The w221 s class was so complex it had hundreds of fuses, even the old cl's were scary with multiple signal processing units and ecus, and its all wired in sequence...a fault on an electric seat can have the fluid suspension all over the place on its height electronics, try finding that on a dfiagnosis chart. But not to single just merc out. All modern cars have got pointlessly complex and weak on the leccies. Which is why some of the older stuff is easier to live with.

Some of the new cars are not going to reach classic status, the costs and faults with silly electronics will finish them off.


----------



## tixntox

Midget - #metoo! Had a 1967 which kept pulling engine oil through the breather into the air intake. Solved by cleaning the "brillo pad" of a filter on the pipework at the front of the engine. Cortina #metoo! Love that exhaust rear box air filter! Had a 1600E which had been "almost" written off in the first month of its life and had all the bits tranferred to a new bodyshell (found when metallic green paint showed up under the (red) door handles! It used to scrub nearside front tyres and pull to the left until a 4 wheel alignment by laser showed up a bent suspension leg! The original owner (once traced) was very helpful with regard to the former history!

Mercs and Jaguars? Don't get me started. We had both at work (part time chauffer in retirement) and both suffered the problems mentioned. Wet flowers (from an over zealous florist) dripped onto the internal electronic boxes and had the dash lit up like a Christmas tree for months!

Mike


----------



## Nigelp

I've been having a quick skirt round today and some of these look nice for less than a grand.

A shiny 316i...make sure you get on your hands and knees with a tourch... :teethsmile: £695










Old school saab for 700?










(no it doesn't look good does it?)

probably better for another 100 quid










clean looking te for 1200, wants a wing...getting sought after.










when was the last time you saw a maxima 3 litre? 1400 quid and 47k










a very nice looking 525tds for 1500 quid










or another good looking 124 for 1500...these are so numerous (though i'd avoid the 124)










fancy a proper classic? Beware you might spend all this winter in the garage welding and filling and have a costly divorce bill.

1500 quid










a very tidy proper big grille 124 te?

1900 quid










a 190 with 83k. 1900 quid

I like this one actually...far better than the 124's










same price classic saab










a corrado for 2k, looks nice










this for 2k










classic saab cab for 2.5k...looks mint










or for the same money










probably the best buy of the lot, the way prices are going on old e30's. This for less than 3 grand






























tixntox said:


> Midget - #metoo! Had a 1967 which kept pulling engine oil through the breather into the air intake. Solved by cleaning the "brillo pad" of a filter on the pipework at the front of the engine. Cortina #metoo! Love that exhaust rear box air filter! Had a 1600E which had been "almost" written off in the first month of its life and had all the bits tranferred to a new bodyshell (found when metallic green paint showed up under the (red) door handles! It used to scrub nearside front tyres and pull to the left until a 4 wheel alignment by laser showed up a bent suspension leg! The original owner (once traced) was very helpful with regard to the former history!
> 
> Mercs and Jaguars? Don't get me started. We had both at work (part time chauffer in retirement) and both suffered the problems mentioned. Wet flowers (from an over zealous florist) dripped onto the internal electronic boxes and had the dash lit up like a Christmas tree for months!
> 
> Mike


 One of my CL500's the one on the 2005 plate. Started going up and down on the hydraulic suspension on its own and in and out of sports mode. I traced it to a broken wire in the drivers door trunking for the electric seat! Crazy stuff. :laugh:

And Jaguar...well Jags have had a mind of their own since well the dawn of time and they can't blame the prince of darkness anymore.

:laugh:


----------



## Andyj56

The 124 Mercedes-Benz is probably one of the best built Mercedes cars, never have any problems with mine, bought for just £2k 18 months ago. Would put a pic up if I could remember how lol


----------



## Davey P

Looks very nice mate :thumbsup:

My advice, for what it's worth, is don't bother changing the exhaust until the genuine BMW one needs replacing. And even then, if you can get a genuine one for the same cost or less than the boy racer Scorpion, I'd stick with BMW. Just IMHO obviously.


----------



## Nigelp

Davey P said:


> Looks very nice mate :thumbsup:
> 
> My advice, for what it's worth, is don't bother changing the exhaust until the genuine BMW one needs replacing. And even then, if you can get a genuine one for the same cost or less than the boy racer Scorpion, I'd stick with BMW. Just IMHO obviously.


 sounds like good advice mate, its quiet loud already and the beemer one seems good. I'll stick with it. :thumbsup:


----------



## Davey P

Nigelp said:


> sounds like good advice mate, its quiet loud already and the beemer one seems good. I'll stick with it. :thumbsup:












:laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

Davey P said:


> :laughing2dw:


 it does mate it does defo my son :laugh: mange tout. I'm thinking about buying @BondandBigM's old mota...he had a CAPREEE GHIA.


----------



## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> The 124 Mercedes-Benz is probably one of the best built Mercedes cars, never have any problems with mine, bought for just £2k 18 months ago. Would put a pic up if I could remember how lol


 there you go @Andyj56 :thumbsup:

Here Andy...fancy another for the collection?










https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201811092274206?make=MERCEDES-BENZ&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=price-asc&postcode=ll284su&model=190&radius=1500&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&page=1

@Andyj56 i slipped up earlier i should have said i would avoid the small grille w124 and go for the proper big grille model, yes its one of the best mercs ever in big grille from! My apologies :thumbsup:

@Andyj56 have you seen the script on the 190? it looks very nice. I guess you have more than enough cars at the moment though!


----------



## Andyj56

No room, already got 4 Mercedes-Benz cars here lol very nice 190! A friend has a mint one with just 14k miles from new, he sold me the mint SL.


----------



## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> No room, already got 4 Mercedes-Benz cars here lol very nice 190! A friend has a mint one with just 14k miles from new, he sold me the mint SL.


 i can't really put the concours r129 picture on this thread can i @Andyj56 :thumbsup:

I think we might need a concours detailing thread for that eh?


----------



## Andyj56

Just had the CL detailed in Llandudno, looks amazing now!


----------



## Nigelp

@Andyj56

Anyone into detailing and concours competitions with cars? This is the nearest to a factory fresh r129 i've come across. I'm sure Andy can supply more pictures. Just like new. :yes: ...nearest camera...bit special eh?


----------



## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Just had the CL detailed in Llandudno, looks amazing now!


 i think you need the other thread Andy :thumbsup:


----------



## Andyj56

My CL55 AMG next to it, the 124 estate at the end belongs to the chap who sold me the CL.


----------



## Nigelp

or your CL55 Andy :biggrin:

I can't compete lovely :thumbsup:










Andy you certainly know your Mercs...we might just need your help :thumbsup:

On here


----------



## mcb2007

I think we need a few more pics on these , they look superb. :thumbsup:


----------



## BlueKnight

*My Porsche Meister, Joachim Vattes of Autohaus Krauss, back in 1980 Germany, had a 6.9 like the one pictured.. Paid thousands in road tax and a real gas guzzler and only 245 HP.....*


----------



## spinynorman

Ziggystardrops said:


> So I sold it and bought a MK3 Mazda MX5 and haven't looked back since.


 Didn't dare do this in a thread full of Jags and Mercs, but since you mentioned yours. Mine's a bit older.


----------



## WRENCH

Dictators special.


----------



## deano1956

gave up concourse many years ago & went down the modified route, still as clean just a different clean and mine tend to be a bit older :biggrin:

deano


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## Andyj56

mcb2007 said:


> I think we need a few more pics on these , they look superb. :thumbsup:


 I will put some pics up once I can remember how? Lol

The SL320 is an Edition in mystic blue with 67k miles on it. The CL 55 AGM has just 59k miles on it, full AMG car, 5.4 l8tr V8, 361 bhp and 391 ft lbs of torque, very quick but utterly smooth and a joy to drive!


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## Ziggystardrops

And here is mine at Ferryside South Wales, well it's the wife's really.


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> it does mate it does defo my son :laugh: mange tout. I'm thinking about buying @BondandBigM's old mota...he had a CAPREEE GHIA.
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/8376837445


 Had a few of those

:biggrin:

The main downside with the Beemer oil burner is filling them up, every petrol station I ever filled a diesel up in the pumps were manky and who wants to turn up anywhere with the Moncler stinking of diesel. No matter how hard you try you just can't get rid of the smell.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:










All pretty much town driving every day even the 11miles to work in my 2.5 petrol.

Although to be fair these days I drive around like an old grandad.

:biggrin:


----------



## BlueKnight

If I recall, the 330d had about 182hp and was good for 140 mph which is darn fast for a diesel of that era. Have you considered a Dinan chip? You could probably get an extra 30 hp w/o stressing the engine and the cooling system.

Mine went from 240 to 300hp without altering every day drivebilty. It actually runs a lot better. at lower RPM. Seems like the new engines are so 'choked' to meet EPA and extract every single mm of fuel, that if it wasn't for he computers, it would detonate itself to death.


----------



## BondandBigM

Rather than concourse I'll just say tidy.

50p worth of materials from the ASDA car bit, a squirt of Big M's fairy liquid and some weekend elbow grease.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Hard to believe it is more than half way through November and I can still get away with the roof down

:biggrin:


----------



## wrenny1969

Advice seems to be against using washing up liquid for a car, not supposed to be that kind to the paint. I've always used a car shampoo as not that expensive.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/why-you-shouldnt-use-washing-up-liquid-to-wash-your-car/


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> I will put some pics up once I can remember how? Lol
> The SL320 is an Edition in mystic blue with 67k miles on it. The CL 55 AGM has just 59k miles on it, full AMG car, 5.4 l8tr V8, 361 bhp and 391 ft lbs of torque, very quick but utterly smooth and a joy to drive!


@andyj56 just right click copy and paste or youll have to use flickr or something like that or become a gallery member on here. You can use tapatalk on your mobby. Put the app on add watches. It will bring up rlt. Log on. Just take a pic with your phone a post it.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk



wrenny1969 said:


> Advice seems to be against using washing up liquid for a car, not supposed to be that kind to the paint. I've always used a car shampoo as not that expensive.
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/why-you-shouldnt-use-washing-up-liquid-to-wash-your-car/


Salt in it. But its ok as long as you rince. Hands that do dishes. Mr B likes to keep his finely manicured mits soft. I just use asda own brand wash and wax. My old beemers far off concours but it scrubs up ok
















Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk



BondandBigM said:


> Rather than concourse I'll just say tidy.
> 50p worth of materials from the ASDA car bit, a squirt of Big M's fairy liquid and some weekend elbow grease.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hard to believe it is more than half way through November and I can still get away with the roof down


It does look good in black with the tan.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk



Andyj56 said:


> I will put some pics up once I can remember how? Lol
> The SL320 is an Edition in mystic blue with 67k miles on it. The CL 55 AGM has just 59k miles on it, full AMG car, 5.4 l8tr V8, 361 bhp and 391 ft lbs of torque, very quick but utterly smooth and a joy to drive!


Andy your AMG has the same torque as my beemer. The 5.5 w221 s class also had 390lbft. That had 387bhp. And the traction control had gone awol...it was fun in the snow last year up over llanfairtallerhan. 

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Nigelp

Scrub that last comment the bm torque figure is in newton meters. So its about 290lbft torque. I just remember seeing the 390 in the manual. Just checked again clearly in nm...still a lot for a tiddler!
















Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Had a few of those
> 
> The main downside with the Beemer oil burner is filling them up, every petrol station I ever filled a diesel up in the pumps were manky and who wants to turn up anywhere with the Moncler stinking of diesel. No matter how hard you try you just can't get rid of the smell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All pretty much town driving every day even the 11miles to work in my 2.5 petrol.
> Although to be fair these days I drive around like an old grandad.


I go in diguise its bladdy freezin









Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## DJH584

@Nigelp Car heating packed up then Nigel? :laugh:


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> If I recall, the 330d had about 182hp and was good for 140 mph which is darn fast for a diesel of that era. Have you considered a Dinan chip? You could probably get an extra 30 hp w/o stressing the engine and the cooling system.
> Mine went from 240 to 300hp without altering every day drivebilty. It actually runs a lot better. at lower RPM. Seems like the new engines are so 'choked' to meet EPA and extract every single mm of fuel, that if it wasn't for he computers, it would detonate itself to death.


Sorry figure i quoted was in nm so standard for mine is 290lbft about. Yes 182bhp is standard for an 02 and 204bhp for an 04. But the later gets swirl flaps which were a bad idea? Not sure what my torque is at the mo. It may have a dinan chip? Ive no history. How can i check? If it hasnt i might get one. Thanks for that mate. Bond might want to mountclare i cant afford too. Im man at asda.









Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk



DJH584 said:


> @Nigelp Car heating packed up then Nigel?


It is freezing my nuts off in wales mate

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> How can i check? If it hasnt i might get one. Thanks for that mate.
> 
> It is freezing my nuts off in wales mate


 Check-out the model year here as the placement varies from model to model.

Sorry about your nuts...he he he


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Check-out the model year here as the placement varies from model to model.
> Sorry about your nuts...he he he


Thanks mate will do. Yep its definitely weather for loosening seized nuts. Its a bit bleak.























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

@bondandbigm told me one of these made his faster.









Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## DJH584

Nigelp said:


> It is freezing my nuts off in wales mate


 And not much better here Nigel. Our coach yard is in full view of the North Sea and the yard is copping the full effects of the easterly wind.

As for Rhos, I used to know that reasonably well as I drove coaches for Alpine's of Llandudno years ago. MOH used to live in the "posh" part of the bay i.e go up Kings Drive and carry on going until you hit the Llanrwst Road.


----------



## Nigelp

DJH584 said:


> And not much better here Nigel. Our coach yard is in full view of the North Sea and the yard is copping the full effects of the easterly wind.
> 
> As for Rhos, I used to know that reasonably well as I drove coaches for Alpine's of Llandudno years ago. MOH used to live in the "posh" part of the bay i.e go up Kings Drive and carry on going until you hit the Llanrwst Road.


 Yes I know where you mean its nice up there up towards Bryn y maen. I like the roads from there over to Llanrwst and LLanfair th, do you remember the house with the suit of armour?


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> *My Porsche Meister, Joachim Vattes of Autohaus Krauss, back in 1980 Germany, had a 6.9 like the one pictured.. Paid thousands in road tax and a real gas guzzler and only 245 HP.....*


 That model of s class was something else wasn't it? Much better looking than the w126 now! I didn't used to think that. Which shows how cars endure and change in our eyes through the years. I'd much rather have that than the 560SEL now...though having said that I think a Blue Black 560SEC from around 1989 is by far the nicest Merc ever. Anyone want to argue? :biggrin:










I don't think the SEC is any match for this though...I mean this puts the top line SEC to shame doesn't it? Late Chrome bumper M6 :yes:


----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> Late Chrome bumper M6 :yes:


 You get two thumbs and two big toes up for that one...! :clap:


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## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> You get two thumbs and two big toes up for that one...! :clap:


 My first car was a 1980 635CSI, to be honest having come back to BMW after 20 years for the first time, having had pretty much every thing else. I wonder now why I didn't just stick with them. Best drivers cars out there eh? I'll get some pics on of my old 635 :thumbsup:


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## BondandBigM

wrenny1969 said:


> Advice seems to be against using washing up liquid for a car, not supposed to be that kind to the paint. I've always used a car shampoo as not that expensive.
> 
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/why-you-shouldnt-use-washing-up-liquid-to-wash-your-car/


 "Car cleaning products purveyor Simoniz has revealed the results of its research into the UK's car washing habits"

Call me an old cynic again but when a Snake Oil salesman tells me not to buy or use another product.........



:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## wrenny1969

BondandBigM said:


> "Car cleaning products purveyor Simoniz has revealed the results of its research into the UK's car washing habits"
> 
> Call me an old cynic again but when a Snake Oil salesman tells me not to buy or use another product.........
> 
> 
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 Lol, to be honest I've never heard anyone on any of the car related forums I've been a member of advocate washing up liquid to clean a car. We are free to do as we please though and the E46 will sadly rust whatever you clean it with. They are a Labour of love on the bodywork side.


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Check-out the model year here as the placement varies from model to model.
> Sorry about your nuts...he he he


If you are into beemers mate. I cut my teeth with a 1980 635csi. It was my first car after passing my test around 1990 aged 18. It was the early 635 e24. But had at some point received trx alloys and a spoiler on the front with integrated driving lamps. These were usually from 82 on. It was kashmir gold with mocha cloth and we bought it in 1989 for £4995. I say we...i mean my dad. On my pursasion when i was 16. I got him to trade in his xj6 for it. He gave it me and i took it to uni. In leeds. Taking the mileage up from 86000 to 170000 by 1995.

I did a lot at it. New used autobox after the gearbox failed. Cylinder head gasket after it blew. New fron wings used. New sills and sill to floor and inner rear arches.

We had a red one too but for some reason the gold one was much faster. Chipped?

It was lethal on the back end and i spun it 360 racing a sierra cosworth right across the grass reservation infront of the police hq in leeds in 1992.

Luckily no damage to me car or anyone else!

I sold in 95 so had it 6 years.

Trx tyres were a nightmare 150 each all those years ago. I used to get used ones at 30 quid each.

Superb looking cars. Pictures aint great taken off old polaroids

It was the early 3.5 aswell before bmw reduced it to 3.4 and still called it a 635. They reduced it on the advice of the m sport division. Because it was over bored and the head gasket subsequently to thin.

It wasnt an m so it was the single cam 218bhp. But at the time that was enough to see off most other cars on the road.

No air con but sunroof which was electric.

It would wheel spin at 70 if you kicked it down. Not sure why but the back end would whip into over steer very easily. But as i say it was very fast and much faster than the red one. So perhaps it had been chipped? It belonged to derek woodman when new and he made his money racing motor bikes before opening the authorised bmw agent in blackpool. It was first regd dck65w then later lcw 466w.






















































































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## tixntox

I spent years making my motorcycles "mint" before I realised that the only way from the top is down. Perfection isn't humanly possible and certainly not when you try to use something in our filthy, polluted world! Cars and bikes are built to drive and ride, not stand and admire. If that's what you want, go to a museum! Rant over! I do still clean and polish my cars but don't get upset when it rains, or another vehicle splashes it on the way past. Seagulls though are subject to my rants, along with pigeons and "road" horses! 










Mike


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## BlueKnight

tixntox said:


> I do still clean and polish my cars but don't get upset when it rains, or another vehicle splashes it on the way past. Seagulls though are subject to my rants, along with pigeons and "road" horses!
> 
> Mike


 Well, stop polishing that bike! I almost fried my cones from the reflection.... :tongue:


----------



## Nigelp

wrenny1969 said:


> Lol, to be honest I've never heard anyone on any of the car related forums I've been a member of advocate washing up liquid to clean a car. We are free to do as we please though and the E46 will sadly rust whatever you clean it with. They are a Labour of love on the bodywork side.


 They sure are, i've just had one of the sills done on mine and the rear arches have already been done by someone before me. It will want front wings one day no doubt, but they are so cheap and bolt on bolt off. Fortunately the floors and subframe mounts are all good and likely to stay that way as the metal is a good gauge and still in factory chip so all good. I used to use washing up liquid all the time and in my washer bottle! I can recommend fairy during the winter...for wipers that do windows it gets your screen sparklingly clean :laugh:



BondandBigM said:


> "Car cleaning products purveyor Simoniz has revealed the results of its research into the UK's car washing habits"
> 
> Call me an old cynic again but when a Snake Oil salesman tells me not to buy or use another product.........
> 
> 
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 I have to confess to using washing up liquid too until i started using carplan in a white bottle can't remember its name. Now i use Asda wash and wax. Its cheaper than fairy.

and when your done you can chuck some in't washer with ya Georgio asda jumper. :yes:



tixntox said:


> I spent years making my motorcycles "mint" before I realised that the only way from the top is down. Perfection isn't humanly possible and certainly not when you try to use something in our filthy, polluted world! Cars and bikes are built to drive and ride, not stand and admire. If that's what you want, go to a museum! Rant over! I do still clean and polish my cars but don't get upset when it rains, or another vehicle splashes it on the way past. Seagulls though are subject to my rants, along with pigeons and "road" horses!
> 
> 
> 
> Mike


 I agree, i've had my fill of cars that i'm frightened to use because they are too good, you know scared of shopping trollies, scared of rain and salt. I've done all that. I did concours with PCGB with 928's and it sent me a bit ocd and i lost the enjoyment. Now i just want a car that i can play with. I want it to be fast, look good and drive well, but most of all i don't want to be worried about damaging it. If i do i want to be able to just have it made look right again and then carry on having fun. Which usually involves just using it as non car people do. Its easier with something you can just buff up, spray up and tinker with. Nice bike btw. :thumbsup:


----------



## Nigelp

Ive been using meguiars for a long time now to wax a 30 quid tub lasts 12 months and you can get an average car looking good. Im not fussed about wash and wax cheap is just as good. But a good wax makes a difference and the megs ultimate is the one i get good results with no effort.
















Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## tixntox

BlueKnight said:


> Well, stop polishing that bike! I almost fried my cones from the reflection.... :tongue:


 That bike, and all my other bikes have long gone to new owners. Happy polishing!  Mike


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## Andyj56

On Tapatalk now so I can add pics. This is the CL55 AMG at the detailers in Llandudno.






























Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> On Tapatalk now so I can add pics. This is the CL55 AMG at the detailers in Llandudno.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


 It looks superb!


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## Andyj56

This is the SL320 'Edition' this is a 2000 3.2 V6 in mystic blue. Previous owner had it for 9 years and has looked after it very well, still has full Mercedes-Benz service history.



















































Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## scottswatches

I'd hate to get my CL500 detailed as I would see all the faults even clearer!

The M635CSI is one hell of a car. I had the standard auto version for a while and loved it, and the Merc CL is probably the closest thing now. Buy while they are cheap, as I could now longer afford a 635csi. Mine cost just 5% of the new price


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> This is the SL320 'Edition' this is a 2000 3.2 V6 in mystic blue. Previous owner had it for 9 years and has looked after it very well, still has full Mercedes-Benz service history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


 Yes its mint Andy and i like the plate! To Helen Jones? :yes:



scottswatches said:


> I'd hate to get my CL500 detailed as I would see all the faults even clearer!
> 
> The M635CSI is one hell of a car. I had the standard auto version for a while and loved it, and the Merc CL is probably the closest thing now. Buy while they are cheap, as I could now longer afford a 635csi. Mine cost just 5% of the new price


 I told you it was pretty close to the 635 Scott, but there is just something about the old e24 635 isn't there? Nothing quiet hits that spot does it. :thumbsup:

I do like the w216...coming down nicely in price too...










and then i look at one of these...


----------



## DJH584

Nigelp said:


> Yes I know where you mean its nice up there up towards Bryn y maen. I like the roads from there over to Llanrwst and LLanfair th, do you remember the house with the suit of armour?


 I was only up there for a year Nigel, whilst Lynda sorted out her divorce so I wasn't aware of it. I have asked Lynda about it but she doesn't know of it either.


----------



## Nigelp

DJH584 said:


> I was only up there for a year Nigel, whilst Lynda sorted out her divorce so I wasn't aware of it. I have asked Lynda about it but she doesn't know of it either.


 Its more or less across from the church...the house in the pic is set back a bit more. Near the rspca. It was for sale, a lovely home.

found it seems its still for sale so must be let out at the mo

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/2169963/


----------



## scottswatches

The W216 looks bland to my eyes, and I have faultless taste. So does the newer 6 series. Your comment in the 635 vs CL500 did make me look and eventually buy the Merc, so I thank you for that. But I still long for something more involving that can seat 4 and has a big enough boot. I'm not Maserati brave/daft, but maybe an XJR, or a BMW 840i manual? Or a W215 CL55 AMG with the supercharged 500bhp engine?

Practically ruled with picking the standard 5.0l V8 - incredibly the 2004 model meets Euro4 emissions, vital for driving in some cities in Europe currently (and some UK cities plan on making that the benchmark soon too).

The 2005 model, with the same engine, gearbox and weight, didn't meet the same standard. Strange but let's just assume it was legit and Mercedes didn't fudge the tests! (Like VW and others did)


----------



## Nigelp

this has got me looking at cars and ive just found this...










full AMG kit...nigh on 400 bhp 118k

9 grand :doctor: come on Nigel...not again...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201810251813263?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=ll284su&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&year-from=2007&model=CL&radius=1500&page=1



scottswatches said:


> The W216 looks bland to my eyes, and I have faultless taste. So does the newer 6 series. Your comment in the 635 vs CL500 did make me look and eventually buy the Merc, so I thank you for that. But I still long for something more involving that can seat 4 and has a big enough boot. I'm not Maserati brave/daft, but maybe an XJR, or a BMW 840i manual? Or a W215 CL55 AMG with the supercharged 500bhp engine?
> 
> Practically ruled with picking the standard 5.0l V8 - incredibly the 2004 model meets Euro4 emissions, vital for driving in some cities in Europe currently (and some UK cities plan on making that the benchmark soon too).
> 
> The 2005 model, with the same engine, gearbox and weight, didn't meet the same standard. Strange but let's just assume it was legit and Mercedes didn't fudge the tests! (Like VW and others did)


 I know what you mean Scott the early CL is fab but a bit what can I say...not that exciting? I'll have a think.

I think your word involving probably sums it up.


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## BlueKnight

Funny how nobody has mentioned about buying new batteries every time you went for a tune-up. Maybe it was just the M5 who kept the fan going for ever after being ridin' hard and put away wet.


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## Nigelp

I did find that, after a while and in fact the amg tweaked w221 with the 5.5 i had was more fun to drive...even though the cl500 was more bespoke



BlueKnight said:


> Funny how nobody has mentioned about buying new batteries every time you went for a tune-up. Maybe it was just the M5 who kept the fan going for ever after being ridin' hard and put away wet.


 with my 635 i kept a power pack jump start in the boot...is that what was wrong? The battery lasted no time.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> I did find that, after a while and in fact the amg tweaked w221 with the 5.5 i had was more fun to drive...even though the cl500 was more bespoke
> 
> with my 635 i kept a power pack jump start in the boot...is that what was wrong? The battery lasted no time.


 The alarm ???

my Merc will only last a few days with the alarm on before the battery goes off, if I leave it open it's not an issue for weeks


----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> I did find that, after a while and in fact the amg tweaked w221 with the 5.5 i had was more fun to drive...even though the cl500 was more bespoke
> 
> with my 635 i kept a power pack jump start in the boot...is that what was wrong? The battery lasted no time.


 Not surprised. I had my first 'warning' a few weeks after I purchased the vehicle. Now it's on a tender when not in use. Just in case.


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> The alarm ???
> 
> my Merc will only last a few days with the alarm on before the battery goes off, if I leave it open it's not an issue for weeks


 it never had one before the time of alarms i think? or not that i knew off it was a 1980, but if left over night sometimes even a new battery could be flat and sometimes not, it was weird like a drain somewhere that i never got to the bottom of so i got one of those power packs that you connect and jump them with. As I nearly missed my final Criminal Law exam...and being on here as taught me how important that was in spotting them... :biggrin:



BlueKnight said:


> Not surprised. I had my first 'warning' a few weeks after I purchased the vehicle. Now it's on a tender when not in use. Just in case.


 no luxury of that back in the day, it was parked outside my student digs in a rough part of leeds...but thanks im sure you are right.








that solved it all i could afford at the time

i used to take the plastic knob out every night lol


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> this has got me looking at cars and ive just found this...
> 
> 
> 
> full AMG kit...nigh on 400 bhp 118k
> 
> 9 grand :doctor: come on Nigel...not again...
> 
> https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201810251813263?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=ll284su&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&year-from=2007&model=CL&radius=1500&page=1
> 
> I know what you mean Scott the early CL is fab but a bit what can I say...not that exciting? I'll have a think.
> 
> I think your word involving probably sums it up.


 Who needs an old Merc with a dashboard that will eventually light up like a Christmas tree with warning lights



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-55-BMW-M3-CS-3-2-Sequential-2005MY-FBMWSH-SPARE-KEYS-/192687382329

Surely this can only go one way






:biggrin:


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## WRENCH

Perfection ?


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Who needs an old Merc with a dashboard that will eventually light up like a Christmas tree with warning lights
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-55-BMW-M3-CS-3-2-Sequential-2005MY-FBMWSH-SPARE-KEYS-/192687382329
> 
> Surely this can only go one way
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 That's true. Yes the M3CS is a different league isn't it? Horses for courses I guess, but I can't imagine that I will buy anything else for my own use other than a BMW. I started off with one when I was not much more than a kid and i'm likely to stick with them for good now. Get a good M Sport with a big engine and even if it isn't an M car, they are just so fast and agile. :yes:


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## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> Get a good M Sport with a big engine and even if it isn't an M car, they are just so fast and agile. :yes:


 Last Spring, I had a X3 M40i for the best part of three hours while my X1 was in for service. On SPORT+ with launch control, it really scooted. BMW announced that the B58 engine ( B58B30O1) will get of boost to 382 HP in the new model year.


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Last Spring, I had a X3 M40i for the best part of three hours while my X1 was in for service. On SPORT+ with launch control, it really scooted. BMW announced that the B58 engine ( B58B30O1) will get of boost to 382 HP in the new model year.


 nice, my 330 is very low tech by todays standards. It will be 17 years old next summer, which amazes me really. It doesn't even have a traction control system, only a few sensors for anti skid, which can be switched off, with a 5 second press on the button. It has the old tiptronic on the autobox with dates to 1998. But i can feel everything its doing, its one of those cars where you really have to hold the steering wheel and you can feel exactly what the front end is up to. Same with the back, instead of electronic aids, i can feel the axle and suspension geometry working. For an auto box that was designed 20 years ago, it is good. Even left in D it will drop a gear and pick up the revs if i go into a dip in the road and lift off, so it knows i want to go again and pull the tail in. I've not had it in icy conditions and i would respect it in such and not provoke or take liberties with it. I expect on a tight right hander the off side (in the uk) wheel would just spin, not sure whether the 330d sport had an LSD in 2002? I'm more wary on a left hand bend. Its old school beemer and it would oversteer and i think opposite locking it would have it snaking if it was with too much speed.

Its definitely got a great feel.


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## Steve D70

Nigelp said:


> I might have a gti at some point but i prefer 4 doors, it makes me appear a bit responsible when i need to appear responsible...heres the one i went to look at


 Just had to sell my GTI, bloody lovely car with the DSG box, heated leather, cruise control etc.

http://[IMG alt="24edg8g.jpg"]http://i63.tinypic.com/24edg8g.jpg[/IMG]

Bought an old e28 BMW 520 few years ago, seriously under powered but I loved it, it looked like this but grey metallic as I bought some alloys for it.

http://[IMG alt="28krqtv.jpg"]http://i63.tinypic.com/28krqtv.jpg[/IMG]


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## BlueKnight

Steve D70 said:


> Sold my GTI and bought an old e28 BMW 520 few years ago, seriously under powered but I loved it, it looked like this but grey metallic as I bought some alloys for it.


 It's just a sign that you went from pubescence to adultery....... :sign_what:


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## Steve D70

BlueKnight said:


> It's just a sign that you went from pubescence to adultery....... :sign_what:


 The 520 was about 15 years ago, I just sold the Golf last month as I've lost my license due to my hea :thumbdown: lth


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## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> It's just a sign that you went from pubescence to adultery....... :sign_what:


 these were complete understatement weren't they on the TRX's they were about the only thing that distinguished them from a 518. What a car. I remember walking round Chelmsford in about 1988 and seeing one of these parked up casually along with a V12 Jag and thinking to myself...the Germans are going to pull the rug from under the established kings of the uk car industry... :yes:


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## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> What a car.


 I've always admired 5 Series. They are Goldilocks BMWs. Not too big. Not too small. Just riiiiight......

The new M5 Competition is stuff of dreams. Alpina , Schnitzer, Hartge and other tuners can dress it up a bit more but the M5 is sweet right out of the box. :wub:


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## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> I've always admired 5 Series. They are Goldilocks BMWs. Not too big. Not too small. Just riiiiight......
> 
> The new M5 Competition is stuff of dreams. Alpina , Schnitzer, Hartge and other tuners can dress it up a bit more but the M5 is sweet right out of the box. :wub:


 did you see my thread when i was last in my bmw dealer here in wales?

i was looking at this

http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/122513-only-went-for-reg-plates/&tab=comments&do=embed&comment=1328064&embedComment=1328064&embedDo=findComment#comment-1328064

e39 530d's 535i 540 all as cheap as chips in the uk even the m sports...3 grand will buy a 2002 minter,,,

i don't know what its like where you are matey but here fiesta money buys an M5 from the next gen. The UK is getting stupid with giving away top cars after the first mot...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/E39-BMW-M5-5-0-SILVERSTONE-BLUE-SALOON-M-SPORT-PETROL-SPORT-CLASSIC-CAR/192741832986?hash=item2ce04ef91a:g:gvAAAOSwyulbzSPp:rk:6f:0

that m5 is just for eg...we are falling over 10 grand supercars in the uk and no one seems to want them!


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## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> did you see my thread when i was last in my bmw dealer here in wales?


 I must have missed it. Here, there are no bargains to be had. As a matter of fact, some dealers are adding huge mark-ups on premium models. The M2 Competition is nearly $100Gs before taxes. :swoon:


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## BlueKnight

BlueKnight said:


> I must have missed it. Here, there are no bargains to be had. As a matter of fact, some dealers are adding huge mark-ups on premium models. The M2 Competition is nearly $100Gs before taxes. :swoon:


 But it doesn't beat this one.....US$200,000 "Market Adjustment" on an M4 GTS.

( Click for bigger pic)


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## DJH584

@BlueKnight How on earth do they justify nearly 50% (48.54%) mark up on the MSRP ?


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## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> I must have missed it. Here, there are no bargains to be had. As a matter of fact, some dealers are adding huge mark-ups on premium models. The M2 Competition is nearly $100Gs before taxes. :swoon:


 seems the UK is an anomaly a neighbour has just bought a holiday home at the foot of the Pyrenees and says cars are expensive there, I know @martinzx says the same where he is.

In the uk once they are out of warranty and into the first mots most cars drop like stones.

By the time they are 10 years old you can have more or less what you want. Maserati, AMG Mercs, BMW M5 M3 M6 you name it.

For example

this 05 M6 is just over 9 grand










AMG mercs? given away

fancy a 2002 s55L?...less than the price of a discounted SMP

£2,900










an economical 2008 diesel s class? with only 120k?

4 grand


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## BondandBigM

DJH584 said:


> @BlueKnight How on earth do they justify nearly 50% (48.54%) mark up on the MSRP ?


 Because there are more buyers than cars available.

Simple capitalism in action

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Because there are more buyers than cars available.
> 
> Simple capitalism in action
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 its other way here int it? This has just come up in LLandudno for 1500 quid ono looks clean s320




























im surprised @Andyj56 hasnt bought it by now

the blurb off the ad its on fb just come up in my news feed

Mercedes S320 1997 M.O.T October 2019 Very good running condition No known mechanical defects Nice leather interior Electric controls throughout, inc Sunroof Future classic car £1500 ONO. Receipted proof of items recently replaced. Brakes discs/pads, wheel bearings



BlueKnight said:


> But it doesn't beat this one.....US$200,000 "Market Adjustment" on an M4 GTS.
> 
> ( Click for bigger pic)


 i was in my same bmw agent the other day and they had the new m3 cs coup which starts at 55 grand...with extras the one in the showroom was 96k!


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## Andyj56

Nigelp said:


> its other way here int it? This has just come up in LLandudno for 1500 quid ono looks clean s320
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> im surprised @Andyj56 hasnt bought it by now
> 
> the blurb off the ad its on fb just come up in my news feed
> 
> Mercedes S320 1997 M.O.T October 2019 Very good running condition No known mechanical defects Nice leather interior Electric controls throughout, inc Sunroof Future classic car £1500 ONO. Receipted proof of items recently replaced. Brakes discs/pads, wheel bearings
> 
> i was in my same bmw agent the other day and they had the new m3 cs coup which starts at 55 grand...with extras the one in the showroom was 96k!


 Looks good, but I've already got 4 Mercedes-Benz cars!


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Looks good, but I've already got 4 Mercedes-Benz cars!


 @Andyj56funnily enough it was driving towards me this afternoon, on the bridge in Conwy. Its an R reg and looks spot on, not seen it around before so don't know where it has sprung from? The colour is lovely and from what i could see it looked as good as in the photos so it looked excellent. And was very clean. Its the 3.2 straight 6 which i believe is an excellent engine.

I actually prefer this shape of s class now to the w220 or 221 it looks more proper merc, before the chrysler influence and rot set in. Should be less complex on the electrics too and more reliable that way.

Like you though i really don't want the expense of another car to run especially a big petrol at the moment. But 1500 quid ono its crazy or brilliant if your a buyer.


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## Nigelp

just been checking out prices and something similar on the trader is 3k but whether it sells is another matter

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201809110366366?year-to=2000&radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&sort=sponsored&postcode=ll284su&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&year-from=1990&advertising-location=at_cars&model=S CLASS&page=1


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## Andyj56

This looks very nice, assume it is the same 3.2 V6 as in our 2000 SL320.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-BENZ-S320-AUTO-ONE-F-KEEPER-FULL-SERVICE-HISTORY-NEW-MOT-W220-/264068004257?nav=SEARCH


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## Nigelp

Done quiet a lot at this little bimmer (hope thats the right name@blueknight). Since December. Some of which involved me spending the day in llangefni in an abandoned sheep hut. Where it is alledged grown men once practiced animal husbandry...before getting caught presumably.

Well it passed its mot last year with minimal expenditure. Its a fast car in standard form. But i wanted it faster...so on went hybrid turbo, race filter dry, stage 2 map. It was at stage 1. And probably the biggest single difference. Back box delete with a custom made stainless system.

The Egr...exhaust gas recirculation has all been deleted. With forced intercooled air to the hybrid turbo and an egr delete pipe. Simple mod.

Ive also stripped a lot of the heavy standard sound deadening and installed stinger roadkill instead. So its shed a few pounds.

In short its probably the fastest car ive had. Mpg is still good and it sounds superb. Amazing what a difference the race filter made to induction. Some pics. Its also on eibach proline springs and led interior lights. Ive dumped the spare wheel too...








































































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## bridgeman

Lots of words in the thread I don't understand,but it looks great.

however ,what about insurance,do you have to tell them about every modification,especially things like fitting a turbo etc.

first question on my insurance is "has it beeen modified from manufacturers standard"


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## WRENCH

bridgeman said:


> what﻿﻿ about insurance,do you have to tell them about every modification,especially things like fitting a turbo ﻿etc﻿


 Yes.


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## Nigelp

Its already a Turbo its a 330 Turbo diesel, but yes and the price goes up a bit. Not a lot but a bit.


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## pauluspaolo

bridgeman said:


> Lots of words in the thread I don't understand,but it looks great.
> 
> however ,what about insurance,do you have to tell them about every modification,especially things like fitting a turbo etc.
> 
> first question on my insurance is "has it beeen modified from manufacturers standard"


 I've declared all the mods (new engine, uprated brakes & suspension etc) on my 1985 Reliant Scimitar SS1 & the insurance usually costs me well under £200/year (I think it was £150 last year). This is for a fully comp/limited mileage (3,500 miles) policy. The car's insured & taxed all year round but I don't use it much in winter so I never get anywhere near the mileage limit. My point being that modified cars needn't cost the earth to insure especially if you go through one of the specialist insurers (I'm insured with Adrian Flux).

My friend had a 330D estate I think - it was a 3 litre straight 6 diesel anyway - which was a bit newer than yours. It made a great noise & went like the clappers & was completely standard so the performance on yours must be fantastic. Interesting thread  :thumbs_up:


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## Nigelp

pauluspaolo said:


> I've declared all the mods (new engine, uprated brakes & suspension etc) on my 1985 Reliant Scimitar SS1 & the insurance usually costs me well under £200/year (I think it was £150 last year). This is for a fully comp/limited mileage (3,500 miles) policy. The car's insured & taxed all year round (I don't use it much in winter though), the point being that modified cars needn't cost the earth to insure especially if you go through the specialist insurers (I'm insured with Adrian Flux)
> 
> My friend had an 330D estate I think - it was a 3 litre straight 6 diesel anyway - which wasa bit newer than yours. It made a great noise & went like the clappers & was completely standard so the performance on yours must be fantastic. Interesting thread  :thumbs_up:


 Thanks, mines a 2002 so a 184 as standard and auto. From the off it felt fast even after big v8 petrol cars, but there was some turbo lag upto say 1500rpm pulling out at round abouts etc. Then the torque would take over and off it went. Since the EGR went and the back box went the lag went with them. To the extent its more likely to loose traction is you boot it, and it snakes a bit. In fact now it will wriggle a bit as it passes 3000rpm and 70mph. On a track of course...Yes it goes like a train its just a flow of power that builds and builds. The egr delete has meant the turbo spools up much faster. Its also had the swirl flaps blanked off in a previous life. Not sure what bhp is now. I'd guess around 250.


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## pauluspaolo

Nigelp said:


> Thanks, mines a 2002 so a 184 as standard and auto. From the off it felt fast even after big v8 petrol cars, but there was some turbo lag upto say 1500rpm pulling out at round abouts etc. Then the torque would take over and off it went. Since the EGR went and the back box went the lag went with them. To the extent its more likely to loose traction is you boot it, and it snakes a bit. In fact now it will wriggle a bit as it passes 3000rpm and 70mph. On a track of course...Yes it goes like a train its just a flow of power that builds and builds. The egr delete has meant the turbo spools up much faster. Its also had the swirl flaps blanked off in a previous life. Not sure what bhp is now. I'd guess around 250.


 Must admit that I've thought about getting an old motor with a big engine (straight 6 or V8 preferably) more than once before now just for the fun of it. You know the sort of thing - Lexus, BMW, Merc, Audi, Toyota Soarer, Jag etc etc etc - they're cheap(ish) to buy, usually pretty reliable, but not that cheap to run & would probably come with an astronomical mileage. The bigger engines are understressed though & made to do big mileages so, hopefully, there wouldn't be too many mechanical issues to worry about. What puts me off though is the cost of fuel & the potentially big bills if/when things do go wrong! Service items are probably on a par with other makes but the more specialist items - engine/gearbox parts, sensors, exhausts etc - might be very expensive.

Anyway I've not plucked up the courage to do it yet despite changing my 2001 Focus late last year This was down to a combination of too much going wrong with it, me not being inclined to do the work (despite being able to) & just being a bit fed up with it after owning it for 3 years. The result was a £100 trade in "deal" at a local Evans Halshaw dealership for a 2007 Suzuki Swift Sport (1600cc, 16 valve engine with variable valve timing). This is probably the polar opposite of Nigel's BMW & I have to say that I love it  It's not that powerful (123 bhp I think) but it's great fun to drive, handles like a grown up go-kart & makes a great noise when you give it some beans. You can't be lazy with it though & just let it woofle along in top gear, you actually have to drive it! I've never driven a car with so little torque - you have to be in the right gear, or be prepared to drop down a gear & rev the nads off it, to make decent progress. It has the hardest ride I've ever experienced even compared to the Reliant (which isn't exactly compliant in the suspension department) & it's low geared - 3,800rpm at 70mph in 5th - so motorway trips aren't much fun  The low gearing is good for acceleration but you're always looking to change up a gear & eventually you run out of gears, later versions have a 6 speed box which must be an ear, & life, saver on a long trip. Despite the above I do actually like the car a lot - it looks good (I think), has been reliable so far, is more economical than the Focus (depending on how it's driven) & reasonably practical even though it's a fair bit smaller than the Focus. Another plus is that my ancient Dad can get into it easily (unlike my wife's Merc C180 coupe which is too low for him).

Anyway here's a pic - I look forward to hearing more about the Beemer :clap:


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## Nigelp

pauluspaolo said:


> Must admit that I've thought about getting an old motor with a big engine (straight 6 or V8 preferably) more than once before now just for the fun of it. You know the sort of thing - Lexus, BMW, Merc, Audi, Toyota Soarer, Jag etc etc etc - they're cheap(ish) to buy & usually pretty reliable, but not that cheap to run & would probably come with an astronomical mileage. The bigger engines are understressed though & made to do big mileages so there, hopefully, won't be too many mechanical issues to worry about. What puts me off is the cost of fuel & the potentially big bills if/when things do go wrong! Service items are probably on a par with other makes but the more specialist items - engine/gearbox parts, sensors, exhausts etc - might be very expensive.
> 
> Anyway I've not plucked up the courage to do it yet despite changing my 2001 Focus late last year This was down to a combinations of too much going wrong with it, me not being inclined to do the work (despite probably being able to) & just being a bit fed up with it after owning it for 3 years. The result was a £100 trade in "deal" at a local Evans Halshaw dealership for a 2007 Suzuki Swift Sport (1600cc, 16 valve engine with variable valve timing). This is probably the polar opposite of Nigel's BMW & I have to say that I love it  It's not that powerful (123 bhp I think) but it's great fun to drive, handles like a grown up go-kart & makes a great noise when you give it some beans. You can't be lazy & just let it woofle along in top gear, you actually have to drive it! I've never driven a car with so little torque - you really do have to be in the right gear & be prepared to rev the nads off it, or drop down a gear, to make decent progress. It has the hardest ride I've ever experienced even compared to the Reliant (which isn't exactly compliant in the suspension department) & it's low geared - 3,800rpm at 70mph in 5th  This is good for acceleration but you're always looking to change up a gear & eventually you run out of gears, later versions have a 6 speed box which must be an ear, & life, saver on a long trip. As I say I like the car a lot - it looks good (I think), has been reliable so far, economical (depending on how it's driven) & reasonably practical even though it's a fair bit smaller than the Focus. Another plus is that my ancient Dad can get into it easily (unlike my wife's Merc C180 coupe which is too low for him).
> 
> Anyway here's a pic - I look forward to hearing more about the Beemer :clap:


 suzuki swift looks fun, I've recently gone through a load of old mercs with big v8 petrols and to be fair nothing really went wrong with them and i paid 3 grand each for them and got that back when i sold them, so it was free motoring, but yes the fuel bills are too high to use them all the time. The merc cl500's are cheap as chips, because people are frightened of the sussy, but in my experience its fine. The w221 s class is a gift now and my last one had 382bhp and was probably my favourite merc. Again it was totally reliable while i had it. I didn't put a spanner on it. There were the silly electrical warning lights which were faulty sensors for abs and stability control, but there wasn't actually anything wrong.

Have a look at cl500 mercs on the trader or ebay if you fancy a big v8 you can get a nice one for 3 grand, or ate least I did. I had two only paid in the region of 3 to 4 grand for them and one was mint and the other had full mb history and 18 grand spent over a four year period mainly on the suspension and electrics resulting in a car that felt spot on. It was a 2005 car bought 2 years ago for £2,995 and being a 2005. It had the 7 speed auto which felt a big improvement over the older box in the earlier cl i had. Enjoyed it for over 12 months, spent loads on fuel and got my money back when i sold it, which i did within 24 hours. The new owner being over the moon.


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## pauluspaolo

Nigelp said:


> suzuki swift looks fun, I've recently gone through a load of old mercs with big v8 petrols and to be fair nothing really went wrong with them and i paid 3 grand each for them and got that back when i sold them, so it was free motoring, but yes the fuel bills are too high to use them all the time. The merc cl500's are cheap as chips, because people are frightened of the sussy, but in my experience its fine. The w221 s class is a gift now and my last one had 382bhp and was probably my favourite merc. Again it was totally reliable while i had it. I didn't put a spanner on it. There were the silly electrical warning lights which were faulty sensors for abs and stability control, but there wasn't actually anything wrong.
> 
> Have a look at cl500 mercs on the trader or ebay if you fancy a big v8 you can get a nice one for 3 grand, or ate least I did. I had two only paid in the region of 3 to 4 grand for them and one was mint and the other had full mb history and 18 grand spent over a four year period mainly on the suspension and electrics resulting in a car that felt spot on. I was a 2005 car bought 2 years ago for £2,995 and being a 2005. It had the 7 speed auto which felt a big improvement over the older box in the earlier cl i had. Enjoyed it for over 12 months, spent loads on fuel and got my money back when i sold it, which i did within 24 hours. The new owner being over the moon.


 The last one sounds spot on :thumbs_up: I just couldn't afford to run one as a daily driver & the Reliant isn't going anywhere so I'm not looking for a replacement silly car just yet.

The Swift cost me £2.500 which makes it the 2nd most expensive car I've ever bought in my life. I'm not counting the Reliant which cost £1200 to buy & lots more to restore/modify over the 10 years I've owned it. My Alfa 156 was the most expensive at £3,000. This is/was/has been my only diesel & the most unreliable car I've ever owned & I lost count of the number of times I had to change the injectors. This is despite it being well looked after by the previous owner (a Jaguar garage/specialist). It did look brilliant & drove fantastically well (when it worked) but I doubt if I'll ever get another  Having only just got the Swift I'm planning to keep it for a good few years


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## Nigelp

pauluspaolo said:


> The last one sounds spot on :thumbs_up: I just couldn't afford to run one as a daily driver & the Reliant isn't going anywhere so I'm not looking for a replacement silly car just yet.
> 
> The Swift cost me £2.500 which makes it the 2nd most expensive car I've ever bought in my life. I'm not counting the Reliant which cost £1200 to buy & lots more to restore/modify over the 10 years I've owned it. My Alfa 156 was the most expensive at £3,000. This is/was/has been my only diesel & the most unreliable car I've ever owned & I lost count of the number of times I had to change the injectors. This is despite it being well looked after by the previous owner (a Jaguar garage/specialist). It did look brilliant & drove fantastically well (when it worked) but I doubt if I'll ever get another  Having only just got the Swift I'm planning to keep it for a good few years


 I'm like you i've never paid a lot for a car (barring one jag which was a mistake), they have mostly been in the 3 grand range and to be honest I've either always been lucky...or i know my cars! feel free to choose. But I've had all sorts since i was 17 and i'm now 46 and i've not had a disaster yet (even the jag mentioned above was good...i could just kick myself for ever being stupid enough to pay so much). I had a Jag x308 with 130k on the clock still on the same timing tensioners and nikasil engine and i ran it upto 200k without a murmur over a 4 year period. I've had two Porsche 928's one in the 3 grand region, which were super reliable. I ran the 3 grand one over a winter covering 15k in about 6 months for work on expenses and it copes in the snows and i sold it without it ever having let me down for what i'd paid.

All 3 CL500's which tided me over 2 years were sold for what i paid and never let me down and i didnt spend a penny fixing them, just a couple of oil changes and brake discs on one. I've had 2 jag XJS's tick both 100% fine apart from an annoying air con leak on one...i wound a window down. The car was only 2 grand. I've had about 8 jags in total and though i know they are unreliable, mine were fine, i used each one every day for work rain or shine and was never left stranded.

The most unreliable car I had was my w124 merc 230ce it failed to start a few times and was the dizzy cap so no big deal and was a good car, but to me it felt slow. But then I'd come straight from a v12 jag to a 2.3 litre 4. So its me to blame not the car. It was probably ok.

Had a 220 and 221 s class again 100% reliable never let me down. both old cars and over 200k on the clock.

Going back to the CL500's if you look on the trader there are probably over 100 for sale! So they were mass produced and sold in droves in the uk for such a pricey car new. If you do buy a bad cl500 though...each suspension strut is a grand, the pump is 2 grand, the valve blocks are upwards of a grand, the pipe work is expensive and a lot hidden in the bulk head and it rusts. The pipes upto the bulk head are an engine out job. Its also worth noting that the bleed valves rust on the pipes and so you can't fully change the sussy fluid. Which eventually knackers the pump and valve blocks. The sussy fluid must be changed every few years or 30,000 miles. Also now these cars are getting old whatever you do if the pump and valve blocks are original the seals harden. The valves are one way valves. If the seals harden they become two way and the car will drop to the floor rendering it undriveable. Which can then lead to pump failure. They are the sort of car where it is best to buy a good one have your fun then sell it while the going is good, as there can be big money repairs even on a good one. Its also worth nothing that the suspension units do rust so if they are original they can be shot even on a car properly serviced. The pipes going to each strut are also prone to shear at the strust head where they feed fluid, which means a new strut. Then there are the signal acquisition modules etc etc. But if you buy one for 3 grand and the worst happens you can flog it to a scrapper and get 1500 quid.

The alfa sounds interesting i could fancy an alfa.


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## Nigelp

to give an idea of a CL when it does right down on its suspension. They do this naturally in sleep mode if they are left for a while. So it could still be fine if it pumps up ok and stays up and doesnt lean when parked on a kerb. If it does one of the height sensors could be shot. This is 1900 quid on the trader. If all is ok with the sussy, it could prove a bit of fun. If not. Well its worth that in bits.










(ps they actually look better when they are fully down but you can't drive them, it just becomes a pretty ornament)

the Jags look nice in the background.


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## Andyj56

That's why a CL can never be boring, you never know when something very expensive can go wrong lol, it's recommended to always park with the front wheels pointing straight ahead in case the suspension collapses!


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> That's why a CL can never be boring, you never know when something very expensive can go wrong lol, it's recommended to always park with the front wheels pointing straight ahead in case the suspension collapses!


 Well thats true enough, they can be a bit nerve wracking, when i looked through the 18 grands worth of bills for my 2005 one that certainly wasn't boring, also don't park half on a kerb it can upset the suspension sensors and you drive round at 45 degrees for a day till it sorts itself. Great cars, and still lovely looking things. Maybe I should have kept the one with the full AMG kit, but I'd had my fun out of them. Its not been mot'd for a while...

check out FP51NVT, that was the lovely one with the full AMG kit, new pump full history and only 90k on the clock that was always parked in our garage. Not been motd this time??????????????


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## Nigelp

I'll include a bit of an update on the vw paheton. I got last october. Not much to say about this. Nothings gone wrong. Not even so much as a headlight bulb to replace. Feels super solid. Very very stable and easy to drive fast. The 4 motion system is very secure and the air suspension very cosy. Has to be said its my dads favourite car to date. Its his really rather than mine. But all cars in the family get shared so its an ours really. Really well built car. Looks good to. Understated and classy. It belies its size. Its an inch longer and wider than a w221 s class merc. It weighs over 2 tons despite being aluminium. But still get close on 30mpg round town from the 3 litre tdi and its bags of torque. It just goes. Acres of room in it too. Its on just ovwer 100k miles now. Definitely recommend these for anyone after a high quality understated big car. Which is also a very rare site. Making it feel nice and exclusive. Whilst most mechanical parts are shared with the rest of the audi and vw range. And the underpinnings and body under the outer panels with bentley. It has a lot of design cues shared with bentley with the wide wing tops square boot and rear roof line. The veyron is there in some of the details. Like the campagnolo boot hinges and bonnet struts which are superb. Another quality car for little money. And easy and cheap to run.





































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## Nigelp

Flicking through the photos on my phone reminded me of another mod. I did on the little bimmer m sport. It had a slight oil leak which i was aware of and was reported on the mot. I traced it to the crank case breather which is a small unit. Attached to the cam cover. This being a straight 6 engine. Its easily accessible. I replaced the standard one with a vortex type. Which contains a plastic filter and wont need doing again. Did this a month or so back and the oil leaks gone.

More interestingly it gave me a chance to gunk it all and clean the engine underside and suspension. Steering rack etc.

This revealed the purple lable m sport rack and the m sport wishbones. Still with their m sport blue labels in place. You can also see the orange flow flex bushes. Made in north wales. These have made the steering both more precise and lighter. And the ride a tad firmer.

As can be seen its extremely good under there almost like new. And the critical subframe mounts. An e46 problem area are as new.

The last pic shows one of the swirl flap blanks done before me.


























































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Ive also got rid of the aftermarket aluminium pedal covers and gone back to standard. Apart from feeling better. They look better. Less blingy. Some new fitted mats off ebay for 12 quid too. Pretty good for the price to. Also some new boot struts after the old ones went weak. Also a tenner off the bay and seem fine.























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

I guess growing up watching the 6 million dollar man, Kojak and starsky and hutch left an indelible impression. When i was a little lad i went mad on hot wheels red line, matchbox size cars. Starsky and Hutch are back on forces TV at night and its got me going again! I'd love an old American car.

Something like this. :yes:

Not a clue what it is but i love the big yank tanks of the 70's does not have to be a muscle car I'd prefer something just big relaxed and cool, like a pink caddy!...But not in Pink.


----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> Not a clue what it is but i love the big yank tanks of the 70's﻿


 1970 Chrysler Imperial Crown.


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## BlueKnight

My very first car was a 1972 Challenger 440 Six-pack with Hurst pistol grip 4-Speed tranny. 9 MPG on a good day. Dodge told the Insurance companies, it only had 400 HPs. Great car as long as you didn't have to brake or steer. Ran on ruby red Sunoco 260.

Not my picture but identical to the one posted with white vinyl interior. Canadian models added ugly bumper guards.


----------



## WRENCH

Got to have big "wallaching" foul handling guzzlers, with lots of vinyl and bad tyres.


----------



## BondandBigM

Back in the day I must of had upwards of 30 Yank Tanks.

Camaros, Trans-Am's, Corvettes, Buicks, Caddies, Fords & Mopars.

68 Firebird, Five Trans-Am's, a 70-1/2 "Bull nose" Formula 400, 70 GS Buick Convertible, a 73 Ford Torino, a couple of Z28 Camaros and a 73 shark nosed Camaro, three Caddies a couple of Vettes to remember but a few.



















People will be scornful but just remember when a 455 GS Buick was running 12/13 second quarter miles straight out of the showroom you were driving MKII Escorts and Cortinas that couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

I'll dig up some more pictures.



BlueKnight said:


> My very first car was a 1972 Challenger 440 Six-pack with Hurst pistol grip 4-Speed tranny. 9 MPG on a good day. Dodge told the Insurance companies, it only had 400 HPs. Great car as long as you didn't have to brake or steer. Ran on ruby red Sunoco 260.
> 
> Not my picture but identical to the one posted but with white vinyl interior.


 A mate of mine still has one of those.


----------



## BondandBigM

Back when I did a bit of pimping in my spare time. My now ex wife was less than impressed when I turned up the this. She was in hospital at the time and I went to pick her up.

When the porter wheeled her out to the front door she took one look at it and asked for a taxi.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

A few more that I had.

An 80 four speed manual Vette, it actually came from Saudi and still had the Arabic plates on it.










A 79 T/A quite rare in gold as GM had problems with the paint. It came with the WS6 pack which included heavy duty suspension and 8" snowflakes.










One of the Camaros I had. A Z28 with tuned port injection.










A view from the office, this is the red Vette, another four on the floor. And don't be put off by the speedo, for some reason back then they were pegged at 85mph but at 6500rpm in top gear as the Yanks are fond of saying it was haulin @ss


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> And don't be put off by the speedo, for some reason back then they were pegged at 85mph but at 6500rpm in top gear as the Yanks are fond of saying it was haulin @ss


 I remember those speedos... :thumbdown: Imagine Ferraris, Porsches and the likes coming to the US with those on. Another stupid legislation from mental midget desk jockeys. " Stay alive, drive 55 "......


----------



## vinn

there were and is USA cars that will do 100 m.p.h. in1938, but you guys just can't aford the gasoline! name one? yes, 1938 buick century. engine turned 6,00 rpm and went 65 mph - in low gear - (thats miles per hour) and was verified by G.M. a 1956 a buick century would do the same. the only thing good about those British imports was a 12 volt battery. vin


----------



## BondandBigM

The legendry Hemi beating GS Buick. Buick came late to the muscle car showdown. I had a 70 convertible and it was a tyre shredding torque monster.

455 cubic inches and guaranteed single figure mpg. As @BlueKnight alluded to back in those days due to rising insurance costs they and others wrote down the actual horse power figure but it was all out war between the big three to produce the quickest car.










In 69 if you were lucky you could have one of these.










And buy a few bits from GM's parts catalogue then get this bloke to have a tinker with it.










As I said, my first car was a 68 MK2 Cortina which would have been lucky to have 60hp never mind 600

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Back when I did a bit of pimping in my spare time. My now ex wife was less than impressed when I turned up the this. She was in hospital at the time and I went to pick her up.
> 
> When the porter wheeled her out to the front door she took one look at it and asked for a taxi.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 I went to hospital today and the man who offered to cut my toe off to make it better was wearing an omega smp and had an e39 M5! Can you credit that!


----------



## Bcasecollector

I had quite a few old 70's cars. This was the last one I owned.


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## Nigelp

Just ordered a new driver side front wing for the mad red BM the old one has some filler in the arch, so next week will be spent fitting it and spraying it, which will keep me off the streets, I've also put the spare wheel back in for a bit of weight. Typical high powered BMW it wants to whip the back end round! 635CSI DNA! Love it, feels alive.


----------



## BlueKnight

Bcasecollector said:


> I had quite a few old 70's cars. This was the last one I owned.


 Beauty...! :thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> hot wheels


 Somewhere in my Vodka addled brain a light just flashed, barely but nevertheless .

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Back in the day when I was an International Man of Mystery I ended up at a loose end in LA.

So looking for something to amuse myself that didn't involve booze and hookers I ended up going to the Petersen Museum for a look see and in one of the halls they had a Hot Wheels display.

Along with loads of the models and toy cars they also had the full sized originals.




























Not my pics, I try and find some of my own.

They also had what porported to be the original Bullit Mustang. Although like the McQueen Heuer all a bit of smoke mirrors and advertising.

In real life he wore a Rolex and drove a Pontiac Trans-Am.

Or was that another smoke mirrors and marketing urban myth

:biggrin:


----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> Typical high powered BMW it wants to whip the back end round!


 They do like to drift! Do you have a limited slip?


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> They do like to drift! Do you have a limited slip?


 thankfully yes and dsc though its better with dsc off...sometimes it wheel spins in reverse in the dry backing it into my garage. And thats on newish p zeros! Gotta love a powerful bimmer! Cut my teeth on a e24 635 when i was 18...nowt like 'em


----------



## BondandBigM

BlueKnight said:


> They do like to drift! Do you have a limited slip?


 That "been through a hedge backwards" moment

Tried that

More than once

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

My old Boss managed to put an E30 M3 on its roof one day and his secretary wrote off his later M535 going down a slip road onto the M1.

"Ultimate Driving Machine" my @rse

Doesn't matter what you are driving to fast is to fast.

:biggrin:

o


----------



## Nigelp

(should add can't beat a powerful 'old school' bimmer  )



BondandBigM said:


> That "been through a hedge backwards" moment
> 
> Tried that
> 
> More than once
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> My old Boss managed to put an E30 M3 on its roof one day and his secretary wrote off his later M535 going down a slip road onto the M1.
> 
> "Ultimate Driving Machine" my @rse
> 
> Doesn't matter what you are driving to fast is to fast.
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> oesn't matter what your dri


 yeh my 635 tried to kill me a few times, guess your 325 ain't got the balls to finish off 007

:laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> (should add can't beat a powerful 'old school' bimmer  )
> 
> yeh my 635 tried to kill me a few times, guess your 325 ain't got the balls to finish off 007
> 
> :laugh:


 I never do more than 45/50mph, these days I drive like an old granny.

Big M starts crying if we go any faster, how do you think I manage to get 30+mpg from an old 2.5 - 6 petrol motor

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Doesn't matter what you are driving to fast is to fast.


 spun my 635 outside the police hq in Leeds in 1992. Racing a cossie.



BondandBigM said:


> I never do more than 45/50mph, these days I drive like an old granny.
> 
> Big M starts crying if we go any faster, how do you think I manage to get 30+mpg from an old 2.5 - 6
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 I actually love the 2.5 six petrol in the e46 its a classic, the 325 just is!

its in the blood.










but yeh they are certainly a drivers car, not one where you can use a light grip on the steering wheel...I took the back roads up to a hospital appointment greasy as **** and its amazing I didn't save the nhs the trouble of seeing me. In so much as i got there without as Bond says going backwards through a hedge. Hence my adding a bit of weight back in the boot, by putting the spare wheel back. :laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> I actually love the 2.5 six petrol in the e46 its a classic, the 325 just is!
> 
> its in the blood.


 You can just about drive it like an automatic, even in 5th gear it will pull from almost walking pace to a ton plus and a bit without a murmer or judder. In any gear it's silky smooth right up to the red line.


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> "Ultimate Driving Machine" my @rse


 I thought I knew how to drive until I went to the advance driving school at the RCMP Academy. It was a humbling experience. High speed take-downs, pit maneuvers, going backwards between pylons ( hitting one = 100 push-ups) and taking the Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor on the track called the "Snake". (Missing your time = 100 push-ups) .And there was that " Last second decision" exercise with cardboard cut-outs.


----------



## BondandBigM

BlueKnight said:


> I thought I knew how to drive until I went to the advance driving school at the RCMP Academy. It was a humbling experience. High speed take-downs, pit maneuvers, going backwards between pylons ( hitting one = 100 push-ups) and taking the Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor on the track called the "Snake". (Missing your time = 100 push-ups) .And there was that " Last second decision" exercise with cardboard cut-outs.





















I'm saying nothing

:whistling:

:biggrin:


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> I'm saying nothing


 Pah...That's in Florida. They were probably hit by a blue haired left-lane bandit. :laughing2dw:


----------



## relaxer7

Can't beat a beemer for driving pleasure. Just had my brothers AUDI A5 S-Line for a week and on the back roads to work it felt like it was driving me....hmm. He should have got the Quattro ..


----------



## WRENCH

Always loved trucks. My mate bought (imported) a new Jeep like this. Spent the first few month's rustproofing it, and it did him well for many years.


----------



## Nigelp

relaxer7 said:


> Can't beat a beemer for driving pleasure. Just had my brothers AUDI A5 S-Line for a week and on the back roads to work it felt like it was driving me....hmm. He should have got the Quattro ..


 That's what i think too, they really are driving machines,much more involving than most cars i've had. Which have been detached and refined, which is ok if that's what you want. Superb gearboxes and steering systems, not to mention brakes! They are certainly the most focused of cars i've had. Some would say harsher, but i like that, I like to feel what a cars doing and BMW are masters. Better than Porsche in my book.


----------



## stdape

Big Cars are nice, but trying to run them in this Country is Expensive, and only time you see Police lol. My sons are Petrol Heads, especially the Younger one, at present he has a VW Golf tuned up, goes like ? Of a shovel, few posers in sports car, boy racers had their heads shrunk when he left them behind. Personally i prefer Motorbikes, and not speeding. Will say sons are not normally.


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## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> I like to feel what a cars doing and BMW are masters


 Agree but then I'm biased..... :tongue:



Nigelp said:


> not to mention brakes!


 Did the former owner add bigger sway bars or are those factory M originals? And speaking of brakes, braided brake lines should be on your shopping list. Easy to install, not too expensive and probably the biggest bang for your money when it comes to performance.


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Agree but then I'm biased..... :tongue:
> 
> Did the former owner add bigger sway bars or are those factory M originals? And speaking of brakes, braided brake lines should be on your shopping list. Easy to install, not too expensive and probably the biggest bang for your money when it comes to performance.


 well spotted mate! Yes at sometime someone has put bigger sway bars on and the anti roll bar bushes as we call them are orange floflex done before me, which is why i followed suit when the rear wishbones needed doing. It has a bit of a past this little 330d and it doesn't even sound like a diesel it throbs and sounds like this...Its an enchanting car...






factory m are bigger than standard, but taper into the bush these don't more like on the alpina e39 than any of the e46 including the M3. From what i can workout.


----------



## Nigelp

me too! but these ones!


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## Nigelp

Ive fitted the new wing as threatened to the little beasty today. Went on well. Good fit. Not bad for 40 quid. Not worth filling them is it? The old one had been filled knew it had. E46 arches are prone. Then again it almost 18! I'll spray in tomorrow. Structure is mint which is good to know. Come summer i will have new rear arch repair panels. Theyve been filled. Again cheap as chips. Easy and fun car to play with! Love working on it. Bmw use really good fittings all the screws are like new when you want to take something off.















































































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## WRENCH

Nigelp said:


> me too! but these ones!


 I remember in the early seventies, two local firms had Macks. My mates dad's usually run Volvos and Ford Transcontinentals, and they hated the Macks.


----------



## Nigelp

WRENCH said:


> I remember in the early seventies, two local firms had Macks. My mates dad's usually run Volvos and Ford Transcontinentals, and they hated the Macks.


 S&N had similar ones called Guy when i was a kid, so i knew the all as Guy Lorries.


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## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> Easy and fun car to play with! Love working on it. Bmw use really good fittings all the screws are like new when you want to take something off.


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


>


 very good :laugh: i'm painting it today in't garage, i'll get some pics up later, managed to slice my finger on a sharp burr on the edge of the new wing so i've filed that down. All going swimmingly. No pain no gain.

I sneezed and the snot was red! I thought i was bleeding to death nearly fainted...then realised i was spraying red paint and stood in the corner of the shed in a fog of the suff! :laugh:


----------



## Davey P

Nigelp said:


> managed to slice my finger on a sharp burr on the edge of the new wing so i've filed that down.


 Wait, woooah, you filed your finger down? Bit extreme mate, I would have just stuck a plaster on it... "I'll get me coat"


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## Turpinr

Nigelp said:


> very good :laugh: i'm painting it today in't garage, i'll get some pics up later, managed to slice my finger on a sharp burr on the edge of the new wing so i've filed that down. All going swimmingly. No pain no gain.
> 
> I sneezed and the snot was red! I thought i was bleeding to death nearly fainted...then realised i was spraying red paint and stood in the corner of the shed in a fog of the suff! :laugh:


 Not 2k is it :jawdrop1:


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## Nigelp

Turpinr said:


> Not 2k is it :jawdrop1:


 no it was £6.99 at halfords. Cheaper than beer. :thumbsup:

beer tastes better and doesnt make you see things. Well go on then it can do.

Its gone on well. Waiting for lacquer to dry so im on a teabreak with rotundus. I'll be glad to get away he keeps banging on about watches.





































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Turpinr

Nigelp said:


> no it was £6.99 at halfords. Cheaper than beer. :thumbsup:
> 
> beer tastes better and doesnt make you see things. Well go on then it can do.
> 
> Its gone on well. Waiting for lacquer to dry so im on a teabreak with rotundus. I'll be glad to get away he keeps banging on about watches.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


 Looks good from what i can see.


----------



## Andyj56

Did you paint the back and the edges before bolting it on? Hope the colour matches well, the finish looks very good in the pic!


----------



## Nigelp

Just to cut and polish in a few days. Not bad results for 2 days work and a total of 58 quid. New wing on and painted. Its a bobbies job. Only one sliced finger.



















































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> Just to cut and polish in a few days


 Clear coat next?


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Clear coat next?


Its on

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

As an interlude the throttle actuator looked a bit iffy on the phaeton...which can block the dpf. Not like a throttle valve on a petrol. It doesnt affect the running until its fooked it. It simply increases the temp by forcing in more oxygen to clear the dpf. Daft idea. But a new one will prevent poblems. If youve got a diesel check yours. The valve fails stays open and blocks the dpf.






























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## WRENCH

Rat Rod.


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Clear coat next?


 I used tac coats with the clear coat when the red was done, so i could quickly build up a good thick lacquer clear coat.


----------



## Nigelp

WRENCH said:


> Rat Rod.


 I like that! I has that idea in 1976 and used dads hammers to make scrap yards out of my entire toy car collection, sometimes with ones that were bought only a few hours earlier. It resulted in a few tannings of my backside as a kid.


----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> I used tac coats with the clear coat when the red was done, so i could quickly build up a good thick lacquer clear coat.


 Smart...! If you haven't done so already, turn off the lights in your garage and run a portable light ( Fluorescent is better) to make sure you don't have any 'orange peel' reflections.


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Smart...! If you haven't done so already, turn off the lights in your garage and run a portable light ( Fluorescent is better) to make sure you don't have any 'orange peel' reflections.


 Thanks will do i'll do it with 1500's wet and dry and some fairy tomorrow then some cutting polish then some wax. I've been doing that way since i was about 19 when i first filled and sprayed the front wings on my 635csi, I did them every six months until i could afford the 500 quid each for new ones when i started work after uni! :laugh: lol 500 quid each they were for the 635 in 1990 :swoon:

and trx michelin 220/55/vr390 tyres, were the only ones that would fit and they were 200 quid each in 1990...I started off with expensive taste...an e24 635 makes every other car i've ever had seem cheap and cheerful to run!

The rear silencer was 300 quid in 1990 toooooooo! Nowt like one though is there?










drop dead gorgeous most beautiful car ever.


----------



## Nigelp

I will leave it a week now then just t cut and wax should be enough? Perfect match. Considering thats not be touched with anything. Just the lacquer finish no cutting or polishing it looks pretty good.

































































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Bonzodog

Nigelp said:


> I will leave it a week now then just t cut and wax should be enough? Perfect match. Considering thats not be touched with anything. Just the lacquer finish no cutting or polishing it looks pretty good.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


 That looks pretty good .


----------



## Davey P

Looks excellent mate, now I know who to come to if my MR2 ever needs the red paintwork sorting out :notworthy:

Just out of interest, is there any reason why you didn't paint the wing while it was off the car? I would have thought it would be much easier to paint without needing to mask off everything first?


----------



## BlueKnight

Davey P said:


> Just out of interest, is there any reason why you didn't paint the wing while it was off the car? I would have thought it would be much easier to paint without needing to mask off everything first?


 I was thinking the same thing but my guess is that it was to prevent accidental damage while re-assembling. (?)


----------



## Nigelp

Davey P said:


> Looks excellent mate, now I know who to come to if my MR2 ever needs the red paintwork sorting out :notworthy:
> 
> Just out of interest, is there any reason why you didn't paint the wing while it was off the car? I would have thought it would be much easier to paint without needing to mask off everything first?





BlueKnight said:


> I was thinking the same thing but my guess is that it was to prevent accidental damage while re-assembling. (?)


 Various reasons, i'm used to working on panels already on the car and with lacquer Ive always found that after a tac coat the next coat needs to go on while you watch the shine build up, any haze is dust and air and the shine wont be as good, no matter how much cutting and polishing. I've found you can only see the shine build when you are below the level of the panel looking up and down the car to the light. So that's one reason. Accidental damage is another, as once on even a factory panel will need some tweaking to line up right, which means bolting on and off and trial fits. Also spraying off the car with a wing isnt easy and they have a tendancy to sit at an angle, on the cars its held and straight. It just feels more natural once its on the car. You can spray the edges off the car and i did in the door shut off the car, apart from that you can get at everything with it on the car. Even the edges of panels no problem. I guess its force of habit really. Apart from that i cant think of any real reason why you couldnt spray it first. Apart from what i'm used to doing and have built an eye for, blueknight's reason of damages is as good as any. You will scratch it somewhere, they never go on right first time and the bolts can be in some funny places. A pro shop would probably do it on the car as they would blend into the door and bonnet for absolute perfection in match, but with something like a BMW with good quality paint if its been looked after and NOT a metallic you might not notice any difference in colour. If it something like a metallic silver car then you may do especially if its an ordinary run of the mill motor.


----------



## Davey P

Great answer, cheers mate :thumbsup:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> in real﻿﻿﻿﻿ life he w﻿ore a Rolex a﻿nd drove a P﻿onti﻿ac Tr﻿ans-A﻿m. ﻿


 Genuinely loved these. Some of his mods ended up on the bikes.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> That's what i think too, they really are driving machines,much more involving than most cars i've had. Which have been detached and refined, which is ok if that's what you want. Superb gearboxes and steering systems, not to mention brakes! They are certainly the most focused of cars i've had. Some would say harsher, but i like that, I like to feel what a cars doing and BMW are masters. Better than Porsche in my book.


 All that being said, getting on for six litres of Chevrolets finest can still do a job.

Might not handle the corners as well, although that's debatable, but with the grunt they have it's not a problem, they get to the corner well in front.










Is that a Beemer in the background.

:whistling:

As I said.

"The Ultimate Driving Machine"

Depends whether you fall for the smoke, mirrors & advertising guff.

:biggrin:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> but﻿ with the grunt they have it's not a problem,


 Just check out how little that gear lever is used.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Rat Rod.


 Not really, that's just a battered old Yank banger with a satin black rattle can job. A few years ago before anything and every thing was advertised as "rat rod" worth about fifty quid and that's only if you could get somebody to actually take it off your hands.

Now the Welderup bloke, he does proper rat rods



















Nice but I prefer my motors to be a bit shinier.

Something like this although my early 70's one was red.

:biggrin:

http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=system&controller=embed&url=https://twitter.com/Marceldesrosie1/status/1090947303832211456?s=09


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Now﻿ th﻿e Welderup b﻿loke, he does ﻿proper ra﻿t ro﻿ds﻿


 Well, if I had the cash,


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> All that being said, getting on for six litres of Chevrolets finest can still do a job.
> 
> Might not handle the corners as well, although that's debatable, but with the grunt they have it's not a problem, they get to the corner well in front.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that a Beemer in the background.
> 
> :whistling:
> 
> As I said.
> 
> "The Ultimate Driving Machine"
> 
> Depends whether you fall for the smoke, mirrors & advertising guff.
> 
> :biggrin:


 its like merc in't it? Engineered (to rust) like no other car in the world... :laugh:


----------



## BlueKnight

BondandBigM said:


> Is that a Bimmer in the background.


 " You don't need to lead all the laps. You only need to lead the last one"

BTW, there was probably enough parts falling off the Camaro due to rust to build a Mini. :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> " You don't need to lead all the laps. You only need to lead the last one"
> 
> BTW, there was probably enough parts falling off the Camaro due to rust to build a Mini. :laughing2dw:


 lol well put



BlueKnight said:


> " You don't need to lead all the laps. You only need to lead the last one"
> 
> BTW, there was probably enough parts falling off the Camaro due to rust to build a Mini. :laughing2dw:


 bond is only being difficult he knows where its at really :yes:

[IMG alt="Image result for csl batmobile racing" data-ratio="58.33"]http://www.gtspiritmedia.com/gtspirit/uploads/2012/05/BMW-3.0-CSL-Batmobile.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## BondandBigM

The pair of you have me laughing my Stone Island cap off.

:biggrin:

Not many Beemer/Bimmers in this top ten.

As in none, maybe they were a few corners behind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nürburgring_Nordschleife_lap_times

Do I see a Chevy and a Snake up there or there abouts.

:whistling:

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:



BlueKnight said:


> " You don't need to lead all the laps. You only need to lead the last one"
> 
> BTW, there was probably enough parts falling off the Camaro due to rust to build a Mini. :laughing2dw:





Nigelp said:


> lol well put


 "The Corvette C7.R scored its first Le Mans win at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Jordan Taylor driving the #64 Corvette to victory in the GTE-Pro class. It is also Corvette Racing's 8th win at the circuit. Corvette Racing won endurance racing's infamous "triple crown" with wins at the 24 hours of Daytona, 12 hours of Sebring, and the 24 hours of Le Mans."

Not to shabby for a cart sprung old Chevy.

Might I suggest you've possibly watched to many episodes of Clarkson on TG.

:tongue:


----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> bond is only being difficult he knows where its at really :yes:


 *He just needs V&RB glasses to really know where it's at. ba ha ha .. :laughing2dw: *


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> The pair of you have me laughing my Stone Island cap off.
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> Not many Beemer/Bimmers in this top ten.
> 
> As in none, maybe they were a few corners behind.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nürburgring_Nordschleife_lap_times
> 
> Do I see a Chevy and a Snake up there or there abouts.
> 
> :whistling:
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> "The Corvette C7.R scored its first Le Mans win at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Jordan Taylor driving the #64 Corvette to victory in the GTE-Pro class. It is also Corvette Racing's 8th win at the circuit. Corvette Racing won endurance racing's infamous "triple crown" with wins at the 24 hours of Daytona, 12 hours of Sebring, and the 24 hours of Le Mans."
> 
> Not to shabby for a cart sprung old Chevy.
> 
> Might I suggest you've possibly watched to many episodes of Clarkson on TG.
> 
> :tongue:


 bond you are a ghost you have disappeared in your avatar! :tumbleweed:

someone has nicked bond is it you @BlueKnight

Camero the ultimate driving machine :laugh:

[IMG alt="Image result for camaro car 1980" data-ratio="63.41"]http://www.dragtimes.com/images/16064-1980-Chevrolet-Camaro.jpg[/IMG]



BlueKnight said:


> *He just needs V&RB glasses to really know where it's at. ba ha ha .. :laughing2dw: *


 christ we need to get 007 back under control here in the uk or the island will sink!

he just needs to get his leg over this weekend and he will be back to his senses

[IMG alt="Image result for money penny" data-ratio="75.00"]https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3394/4602889789_76e5ee7172_b.jpg[/IMG]

bloody yanks leading him astray and his rusty merc.

@BlueKnight looks like bond is ahead of us!










he will have his winkle out soon, like @mcb2007 had in last saturdays thread


----------



## Nigelp

wonder if this is worth a dabble? only up the road from me, might just be the header tank, looks clean.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901294402957?transmission=Automatic&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&radius=15&postcode=ll284su&sort=price-asc&page=1

having said all this, i went to my fixer up garage in llandudno to sort dads vw and they had one of these in...tempting

[IMG alt="Image result for black maserati convertible" data-ratio="51.44"]http://www.moibbk.com/images/maserati-granturismo-convertible-black-4.jpg[/IMG]

amazing how big they are much bigger than my old merc cl500's!


----------



## Nigelp

im not getting one though no more masers! Bloody things. I'll stick to mercs, bm's and vw's bloody germans got us over a barrel. And Italy and France.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> wonder if this is worth a dabble? only up the road from me, might just be the header tank, looks clean.
> 
> https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901294402957?transmission=Automatic&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&radius=15&postcode=ll284su&sort=price-asc&page=1
> 
> having said all this, i went to my fixer up garage in llandudno to sort dads vw and they had one of these in...tempting
> 
> 
> 
> amazing how big they are much bigger than my old merc cl500's!


 Not sure I'd touch any Beemer with cooling problems at any price. Cheap for a reason springs to mind.

How much was the Mazer convertible, classy looking bit of kit even if it did eventually bankrupt you.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Not sure I'd touch any Beemer with cooling problems at any price. Cheap for a reason springs to mind.
> 
> How much was the Mazer convertible, classy looking bit of kit even if it did eventually bankrupt you.


 which is what my dad said, seems i've got two keeping me in check now!


----------



## DJH584

@Nigelp Long time no speak Nigel - hope you are well. Great piece of work on that front wing. Regards. David.


----------



## Nigelp

Been on one of my favourite Local drives today, out the top of Colwyn Bay and into the wide blue yonder Snowdonian wilderness, then onto Anglesey and my favourite bay Bull Bay. I love the Island. The beach at Benllech to Redwharf Bay is a good place to. These roads are the Beemer sports natural habitat. Its without doubt the most fun point to point car ive ever had. Safely back in the garage if a little salt encrusted, the roads were a bit snowy but it dealt with them. Just a fab fab fun little car.

Top colwyn bay

51210385_252757262341438_8534319983902064640_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

Bull Bay

51237927_252757632341401_2304506488405622784_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

Bottom of Snowdon

51165108_252757349008096_1564792117920792576_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

slate mines near Lake Padarn

51308439_252757375674760_2351176054015524864_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

road snowdon pass

51366966_252757315674766_7014502311078658048_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

bull bay

51366966_252757315674766_7014502311078658048_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

50771839_252757645674733_825096718306508800_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

51567859_252757492341415_1586273959492452352_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

51124233_252757605674737_8923124200474935296_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

Benllech

51019909_252757679008063_4992795938528428032_n by nigel pate, on Flickr

Safely back in the garage if a little coated in road salt.

51253903_252757779008053_212442959499493376_n by nigel pate, on Flickr


----------



## Nigelp

DJH584 said:


> @Nigelp Long time no speak Nigel - hope you are well. Great piece of work on that front wing. Regards. David.


 thanks David, sorry missed this earlier. I had a lot of practice filling and spraying the wings on my BM 635 when i was about 19, much easier when they are not metallic, like the flat red on my old 330. The car is so easy to look after its a joy to own and fun to tinker with. Despite all my posh cars this is the one i love. It will be out again in the morning. Its got a character we call it Herbie! It doesn't feel like just a car, it seems to live, breath and have heart and soul. Its a tuff little fella! :yes:

[IMG alt="Image result for herbie vw" data-ratio="91.29"]http://www.sebeetles.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/herbie_bruce_campbell.jpg[/IMG]


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## Nigelp

Finally got a good quality 330d badge in gloss black to match the rest of the trim. Bmw only seem to do them in chrome for the e46. Any way it matches now. Its a good one proper adhesive pads that are strong black and disappear when pressed on. Got the spacing right by copying one off the e46zone forum. So thanks to the lads on there for help.































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

@bondandbigm. Thanks for the advice putting my mind at rest on the lsd. I'll back off a bit when taking tight cambered bends to avoid losing grip on the inside. An M3 would be nice wouldnt it? E46 m3 isnt a bad price at the moment. I love the mustard yellow ones. The 330d on some of our fun roads this morning. Alls up there is the odd tractor and sheep. Must be the way i drive the 3 litre audi A8 petrol gets as much mpg....my dad drives that mostly...






































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

One thing ive been wondering is imola still a current bmw colour? I didnt think it was? But ive read a few blogs where customers have ordered new 2019 m models in the colour. Mainly in the far east and usa. And paid a $5000 sum to get it. I think on the new f90 m3. Its a stunning colour in the sun. My 17 year old paint in the sun. After just a polish with a tub of 30 quid meguiars ultimate wax. Im old fashioned i dont go in for all this modern coating stuff. It might be better. But i just like an ordinary wax with some decent carnuba. Love doing it too.





































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

As an aside i was in the main audi dealer in llandudno junction a lovely new garage that went up 2 years ago along with vw and skoda. getting some plates made for the a8. In the showroom was a spanking new white a8 5 litre tdi diesel...wonder how easy that will be too shift now diesel is dead in the water? Im actually typing this from the back of an a8 great ride!






























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Bonzodog

Been a fan of Meguiars products for years,there is somthing quite therapeutic about waxing a car.


----------



## Nigelp

Bonzodog said:


> Been a fan of Meguiars products for years,there is somthing quite therapeutic about waxing a car.


 I've loved cleaning and polishing cars since my dad bought a Daimler Sovereign 4.2 on a V reg in 1985. It was just like Arthurs. I've used all sorts over the years, but upto now meguairs tech wax 2 and ultimate wax has been the best, with the latter probably the better of the two. I spent hours in the garage when i was 14 polishing that cotswold yellow daimler....and eventually filling the tops of the front wings over the head lights when i was about 13. While dads was on back shift. Then it broke down and me and dad spent all christmas in the garage getting it going. Freezing cold. No wonder i'm like i am cars eh? Cant live with em cant live without em thats what they say in't it?

[IMG alt="Image result for Arthus daimler" data-ratio="75.00"]http://www.minder.org/cars/cars_Daimler_DYO979V/slideshow/img/dyo979v_640x480_9.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## Bonzodog

Megspolish and canuba wax is my favourite.


----------



## Nigelp

Bonzodog said:


> Megspolish and canuba wax is my favourite.


Sounds good

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## WRENCH

Hey @Nigelp what's going on here then ?










I've got to really cane my scooter to get it below 178.3 mpg.


----------



## Bonzodog

Bonzodog said:


> Megspolish and canuba wax is my favourite.


 Forgot to mention ,I clay bar first.Way to much time on my hands :biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

Bonzodog said:


> Forgot to mention ,I clay bar first.Way to much time on my hands


Ive only used a clay bar once it was a meguairs on a 500 quid purple honda. One of the rare 3 litre coupes. It came up well. When i had the Mercs (mostly ensure repair constantly as my dad nicknamed them). The lacquer seemed easily marked especially on the dark blue one. A bit like jags. Not used one on the beemer. I did it with that meguairs 3 stage when i got it. Using paint cleaner at stage 1. That meguairs ultimate compound is good for paint correction. Clay bars are they just really for getting contaminants of the surface of paint that is already in excellent shape?

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Bonzodog

I only use Megs,never tried clay on old paint so can't comment on its effect,but on new/ nearly new paint it leaves a lovely surface to polish and wax on to.My car is garaged so twice a year works out fine for me.


----------



## Nigelp

Bonzodog said:


> I only use Megs,never tried clay on old paint so can't comment on its effect,but on new/ nearly new paint it leaves a lovely surface to polish and wax on to.My car is garaged so twice a year works out fine for me.


I always thought clay was for new paint. Its just for above surface. So old paint might not benefit. And renovators will shut the contaminant anyhow. Thats how i see it.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## A2orry

Yes got to agree cracking old bus.I had a 330d m sport estate and the cocker spaniel to go with it .I'm assuming that you are mechanical minded one question have you removed the swirl flaps in the inlet manifold and replaced the oil breather at the top of the rocker cover with the vortex type ?


----------



## Nigelp

A2orry said:


> Yes got to agree cracking old bus.I had a 330d m sport estate and the cocker spaniel to go with it .I'm assuming that you are mechanical minded one question have you removed the swirl flaps in the inlet manifold and replaced the oil breather at the top of the rocker cover with the vortex type ?


 yes both done, im an out of work lawyer who wanted to be a car mechanic, so yes im mechanically minded because i cant afford to employee a mechanic to fix it for me at the moment. Dad taught me all i know, hes a time served engineer. Not a mechanic that is apparently an insult to a proper time served engineer. Ive deleted the egr too. :thumbsup:



Igerswis said:


> If your going for a full detail, always use clay if you can feel imperfections and debris on the surface when you run your fingers over it. Use plenty of lubricant and keep folding the bar so your using a fresh side per panel. Paint should feel as smooth as glass, if it doesn't then it's not a good surface to start polishing or refining.
> 
> Pro tip: cut the clay bar in 2-3 pieces in case you drop a piece. Then you have more to use later on.
> 
> Once you've clayed the paintwork, wheels and glass, you'll find you've got minor marring in the surface. You then need to use cutting and refining compounds to remove the defects and bring back the original finish.
> 
> Wax or sealant is applied afterwards to protect the finish, not to add any further shine or enhancement. If it does it's probably containing fillers to hide mild imperfections.
> 
> Clay bars are used on new or old paint; the older paint often needs the most correction and it's been exposed to the elements for longer which is why clay will remove more contaminants from the surface.


 thanks i'll do the old 330 this summer i get it now, you've explained that the clay bar is flatting the paint back then not just cutting it. Thanks Irfan for your input there ive always been confused on that score! :thumbsup:


----------



## A2orry

Nigelp said:


> yes both done, im an out of work lawyer who wanted to be a car mechanic, so yes im mechanically minded because i cant afford to employee a mechanic to fix it for me at the moment. Dad taught me all i know, hes a time served engineer. Not a mechanic that is apparently an insult to a proper time served engineer. Ive deleted the egr too. :thumbsup:


 Cool have you had a look at the damage caused if a manifold flap gets sucked in to the cylinder .I ran mine for a few years no problems that are worth talking about .I'm a mechanic working for my father he's 70 now and can still do a bit .We have good sized garage MOT station body shop .He is a very keen golfer hardly see him in the summer that's when it's my baby .



A2orry said:


> Cool have you had a look at the damage caused if a manifold flap gets sucked in to the cylinder .I ran mine for a few years no problems that are worth talking about .I'm a mechanic working for my father he's 70 now and can still do a bit .We have good sized garage MOT station body shop .He is a very keen golfer hardly see him in the summer that's when it's my baby .


 forgot to say my father is a time served instrument mechanic. He was in the royal ordinance factory. before he opened the garage wooded hut then.


----------



## Nigelp

A2orry said:


> Cool have you had a look at the damage caused if a manifold flap gets sucked in to the cylinder .I ran mine for a few years no problems that are worth talking about .I'm a mechanic working for my father he's 70 now and can still do a bit .We have good sized garage MOT station body shop .He is a very keen golfer hardly see him in the summer that's when it's my baby .


 I've not seen it but can imagine! Write the engine off! My dads 70 too and fitter than me! Sounds like you have a good going on there. :yes:


----------



## A2orry

Nigelp said:


> I've not seen it but can imagine! Write the engine off! My dads 70 too and fitter than me! Sounds like you have a good going on there. :yes:


 ye man it's crazy how fit my dad still is after the slog he's had still plays golf off of a ten handicap.


----------



## Nigelp

The new boot carpet arrived. 20 quid off the bay. Better than the boring mucky looking grey one. Looks jazzy. Reminds me of the 80s porshes with their disco linen. 































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## A2orry

Do you have eny dampnes in the boot ? E36 was notorious for it problem was rear lights that are fitted to the boot lid let in water .


----------



## Nigelp

A2orry said:


> Do you have eny dampnes in the boot ? E36 was notorious for it problem was rear lights that are fitted to the boot lid let in water .


 not as yet, completely dry in there though its had new rear lights and seals at some point in the near past.


----------



## BondandBigM

A2orry said:


> Do you have eny dampnes in the boot ? E36 was notorious for it problem was rear lights that are fitted to the boot lid let in water .





Nigelp said:


> not as yet, completely dry in there though its had new rear lights and seals at some point in the near past.


 Neither of my old E36 or the E46 have leaked and surpringly the convertible is bone dry inside, it doesn't even mist up inside, a first !!!

I've had quite a few convertibles or lift out t-top motors over the years and regardless of make or model they all leaked like sieves when it rained.

And yes before you ask I'm the daft one that pays over the odds stupid money at the beginning of the summer and can't give them away when the weather turns later in the year.



:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## A2orry

BondandBigM said:


> Neither of my old E36 or the E46 have leaked and surpringly the convertible is bone dry inside, it doesn't even mist up inside, a first !!!
> 
> I've had quite a few convertibles or lift out t-top motors over the years and regardless of make or model they all leaked like sieves when it rained.
> 
> And yes before you ask I'm the daft one that pays over the odds stupid money at the beginning of the summer and can't give them away when the weather turns later in the year.
> 
> 
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 It was a common problem may be the west coast weather had something to do with it. the outer part of the lens would separate from the rest of the unit and let the water in .


----------



## Nigelp

I'm not really thinking of those that shout about it, not those with AMG badges, M badges or even RS badges. But the ones which more or less reach the same ends without the need to tell everyone whats under the bonnet. Think modern versions of the Merc 500E from the 80's and 90's. E39 5series BMW's with the 4.4 V8 but which otherwise look exactly the same as a 520i SE. Jag XJ's with the 5 litre V8 and no R badge. Audi V10's without the RS badge (if they exist?).

A quick search reveals theres an abundance for under 5 grand.

Merc E500? less than 6 grand? Tick.









even for less than 4 grand










545i for 4 grand? Sure.










not cool enough? A bit too old man? How about a 5 litre Jag XK portfolio for less than the price of a ropey 911?









not practical? How about an xf with the 5 litre v8? less than 7k









fancy something a bit more classy?

Audi S6? 5.2 QV Quattro? less than 7k.

[IMG alt="1aa69501a5124ca29cc773a21cfaaf99.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w800h600/1aa69501a5124ca29cc773a21cfaaf99.jpg[/IMG]

Germans not reliable enough? How about a 445bhp Lexus that will blow the socks off m series beemers and amg mercs? 6 grand.

[IMG alt="f489f62a463a4cde971218f7dc2e15aa.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w800h600/f489f62a463a4cde971218f7dc2e15aa.jpg[/IMG]

still looking for sporty? CLS 500? Less than 5k

[IMG alt="ee3a832da9404bb7b00d1edf459cb520.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w800h600/ee3a832da9404bb7b00d1edf459cb520.jpg[/IMG]

want to get the roof down? SLK55 AMG? 8grand.

got your name on it @BondandBigM

[IMG alt="d001ccf18cd945f2af931fd8f74a89ba.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w800h600/d001ccf18cd945f2af931fd8f74a89ba.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="495c2c79a29e4c12b7df188b6ff7f44f.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w800h600/495c2c79a29e4c12b7df188b6ff7f44f.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="2105a3c6b3fe42c1b73c26ed5199474b.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w800h600/2105a3c6b3fe42c1b73c26ed5199474b.jpg[/IMG]

Visit MOTORHUB then.

want the CLK version? with less than 100k miles in single ownership from new, full mbsh and its ivoice for north of 60k?









6 grand :biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

I've had a run out in one of those Audi S6 V8's it was reasonably quick for a big barge but surprisingly not really properly quick like I was expecting. A bit disappointing.

The SLK looks tidy but Big M and I would never get in it or if we did we probably wouldn't be able to get back out. We already struggle to get in and out the Beemer

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

I know you're not keen but










XJR


----------



## Nigelp

Just been looking at this Audi A3 3.2 Quattro Sport its an auto and 115k history and looks clean. 0-60 6.4 and 155mph. Still 20mpg around town due to the trick variable box. Thats a fair engine in a little car. Looks smart too. Only 3 grand.









[IMG alt="ba4a613125434934b2ef462180a11795.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w800h600/ba4a613125434934b2ef462180a11795.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## BondandBigM

Just as an asides the 5.2 S6's have a detuned Lambo V10 so might be a tad quicker than the V8 one I was in.

:biggrin:



Nigelp said:


> Just been looking at this Audi A3 3.2 Quattro Sport its an auto and 115k history and looks clean. 0-60 6.4 and 155mph. Still 20mpg around town due to the trick variable box. Thats a fair engine in a little car. Looks smart too. Only 3 grand.


 To boy racer

:biggrin:

In any case I'd probably go for the VW version the Golf R32. Although I've read that there are some issues with the VR6 timing chains and not a cheap fix. When I bought my TT I had a look at a newer 3.2 but wasn't sure.

So stealthy Q Car.










Passat R36 or a Jetta R32 maybe


----------



## WRENCH




----------



## BondandBigM

Okay you'll look like an extra out of an episode of the Sopranos but you'll surprise a few people in a traffic light drag race especially if it has a few go faster goodies chucked into its NORTHSTAR 32V V8

£4k for a bit of fun

:biggrin:





















WRENCH said:


>


 A lot of years ago I saw one of those in a breakers yard in Daventry. It was flood damaged and had been written off, they couldn't get it going but in hindsight it might have been worth a punt.


----------



## WRENCH

I've driven one of these, and it wasn't very nice going round corners.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Okay you'll look like an extra out of an episode of the Sopranos but you'll surprise a few people in a traffic light drag race especially if it has a few go faster goodies chucked into its NORTHSTAR 32V V8
> 
> £4k for a bit of fun
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A lot of years ago I saw one of those in a breakers yard in Daventry. It was flood damaged and had been written off, they couldn't get it going but in hindsight it might have been worth a punt.


 i think i saw that caddy on the trader today i nearly suggested it for you! :laugh: reminds me of an 80's volvo

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="66.82"]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/1984_Volvo_760_GLE_sedan_%2827858621516%29.jpg/220px-1984_Volvo_760_GLE_sedan_%2827858621516%29.jpg[/IMG]

the original 500e was the ultimate q car wasn't it with all the porsche bits on. They were cheap enough a few years back

[IMG alt="Image result for mercedes w124 500e" data-ratio="75.00"]https://images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/file/width/640/media/6628171/Mercedes-Benz%20500E%20(1).jpg[/IMG]

this would have given the staid looking 124 a run for its money too!

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="74.57"]https://a1.amlimg.com/OTMwNTJiZGZjMjgwZDkyODBkMGRiMzFhYjIzMjFjMDVi--0htiyNjJvk_y63TXPtaHR0cDovL21lZGlhLmFkc2ltZy5jb20vYmI5MjYxZmYzMjg4NDY1MmM1NzAxMDQzZWZkZTg4YmI0MDQ3YWZiZmExNDlhZGI4NDVmOWFjMzNmZDUxMTFiYS5qcGd8fHx8fHw3MDB4NTIyfGh0dHA6Ly93d3cuYWR2ZXJ0cy5pZS9zdGF0aWMvaS93YXRlcm1hcmsucG5nfHx8.jpg[/IMG]

and the ford scorpio cosworth not to mention the saab 9000 carlson that had the mid range punch of a ferrari testarossa in 1989, the latter would have left the 500e merc for dead!

[IMG alt="Image result for ford scorpio cosworth advert" data-ratio="56.25"]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/905YF7vnKmQ/maxresdefault.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Image result for saab 9000 carlsson" data-ratio="52.25"]https://i.wheelsage.org/pictures/c/carlsson/italdesign/saab/9000_cd/carlsson_saab_9000_cd_8.jpeg[/IMG]


----------



## WRENCH

V70 T5


----------



## Nigelp

these with the 2ltr turbo out the impreza.

[IMG alt="Image result for subaru forester 2 litre turbo" data-ratio="65.67"]https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/gallery/SUBARUForester-2242_1.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## Nigelp

one last finishing touch for the little BM, it was supplied by Sytner in Nottingham when new and though I have the PDI book and key ring the original rear window sticker was either never fitted or more likely long gone. Mine would have been an early type ie no internet address. I've managed to track them down at a company specialising in resto stickers and labels.

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw dealer window sticker" data-ratio="75.00"]https://sites.create-cdn.net/siteimages/23/2/2/232266/15/8/5/15859294/500x375.JPG?1507015666[/IMG]

https://www.isaydingdong.co.uk/


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## julian2002

I'm a bit of a Lexus fanboy so if I had a bit of spare wedge it'd be a Lexus ISF, my usual pauper self and it's be whatever flavour of LS(400 / 430 / 460 / 600h) I could afford or possibly the GS 450h now very cheap and silly quick for a 4 door saloon with zero real sporting pretensions. If I needed something bigger for family / tip run duties there's the RX400h which again is very cheap now and where I actually put my money.

If you can stand to have a Vauxhall badge in your life there's the vectra/ insignia GSI/VXR's with the 2.8 turbo v6 and no speed limiter.

Saab 9000 / 9-5's are a great shout too.


----------



## WRENCH

Hey @Nigelp, get a Q scooter. :laughing2dw:






Quite impressive when it hits the powerband.


----------



## Roger the Dodger

WRENCH said:


> Hey @Nigelp, get a Q scooter. :laughing2dw:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quite impressive when it hits the powerband.


 It looks like it's powered by a rubber band... :hmmm9uh:


----------



## Nigelp

Roger the Dodger said:


> It looks like it's powered by a rubber band... :hmmm9uh:


 amazingly good weapons lethal for twanging nipples, got me a shacking in the office many years ago. Then an apology along the lines of 'i'm sorry for shaking nigel, but that elastic band got me right on the nipple and it was stinging all afternoon'. Time i grew up.


----------



## Nigelp

Got the supplying dealer plates and dealer window sticker in it now.























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Got the supplying dealer plates and dealer window sticker in it now.























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Fiver for sticker 30 quid for plates. Adds a bit of originality. Still got their 17 year old key ring though its seen better days.









Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Merc E500 with desirable coil spring conversion 3 grand.

Comes with full service history, long mot, runs and drives beautifully without fault very smooth and relaxing to drive, has been maintained to a high standard, desirable coil spring conversion done so no air suspension issues to worry about,the 5 litre v8 is widely considered one of the most reliable power trains Mercedes has ever produced including the gearbox which has also been serviced, condition is excellent for the age comes with loaded with options such as heated and cooled seats, sat nav, electric leather seats, an excellent sound system and everything else you would expect from a premium brand, and finally tyres and brakes have also been recently replaced. , Grey, 5+ owners, All Viewings Strictly by Appointments Only, Card Payments Accepted, £3,000 p/x welcome










...if you can handle the fuel bills or just use it occasionally.


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## Nigelp

not really a q car more a bondandbigm car :laugh:



















1984 caddy deville for 5 grand. 4.1 so its the eco-version.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> not really a q car more a bondandbigm car :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1984 caddy deville for 5 grand. 4.1 so its the eco-version.


 Been there done it three times.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

I had a 70's Caddy limo with crushed velvet brocade interior and a 500 cubic inch V8, that's about eight and a bit litres in modern money.

Made a 55 CL look positively economical.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:



Even did a bit of drag racing in the blue one.



The Mustang was all smoke no fire

:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Been there done it three times.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> I had a 70's Caddy limo with crushed velvet brocade interior and a 500 cubic inch V8, that's about eight and a bit litres in modern money.
> 
> Made a 55 CL look positively economical.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> 
> 
> Even did a bit of drag racing in the blue one.
> 
> 
> 
> The Mustang was all smoke no fire
> 
> :biggrin:


 found you an AMG...

*
Mercedes-Benz C Class 3.2 C32 AMG 5dr
*

++ VERY RARE C32 AMG ESTATE ++

£3,495










356bhp that little C.

can that be right?

thats as much as the 5.5 v8 amg in the cl500. 0-60 5.4.... erson-golfing:


----------



## Nigelp

Second hand tool tray for a tenner. With original label still on. Hinges were weak on old one as was catch. Its an old bm touch this. Had it on my old 6. Did my head in now as then making sure catch was perfectly horizontal. Gone back to grey carpet. Only 13 quid.























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## BondandBigM

Out of curiosity are those Vortex crankcase breathers worth the extra money over a pattern replacement or is it one of those over talked Max Power jobs that makes absolutely no difference what so ever.

Mine, presumably original, is on its way out and every now and again when driving along it chuffs out a bit of oil smoke and reading up a bit that seems the likely culprit although to be fair I'm thinking that so long as it doesn't throw an engine management light I'll just bypass it. I've seen catch can kits to sort out any residual oil. In the old days you just stuck a small cheap K&N breather on the rocker cover.

That's if I can actually get to it.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Out of curiosity are those Vortex crankcase breathers worth the extra money over a pattern replacement or is it one of those over talked Max Power jobs that makes absolutely no difference what so ever.
> Mine, presumably original, is on its way out and every now and again when driving along it chuffs out a bit of oil smoke and reading up a bit that seems the likely culprit although to be fair I'm thinking that so long as it doesn't throw an engine management light I'll just bypass it. I've seen catch can kits to sort out any residual oil. In the old days you just stuck a small cheap K&N breather on the rocker cover.
> That's if I can actually get to it.


The vortex type is a plastic filter in the breather housing. That replaces a paper filter. Its supposed to not need replacing again. Whilst the loo roll paper type needs doing every service. Thats the theory. Theyre not much about 15 quid with seals about 25 max. I dont really know enough to say. Only that the paper ones are a pain in the bum to fit. The vortex slots on and stays in place. Its murder lining the paper one up and holding the spindle and lining the seals up.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

I dont think you can bypass it on the m57. It sits ontop of the camcover and has to seal. Not sure what would happen if you just left the filter out. To be honest i dont really know what it does. I became familiar with mine because it was leaking. Some clown hadnt bothered with seals. Alls good now. But torqueing the seals down is a patience job or it will leak. Yeh ask me how i know

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

A bit of mesh where the old fog lamps were. Much faster now. Fed up of replacing the glass ones. Has 3 cracked with stones in 12 months. Too many stones about.






























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> The vortex type is a plastic filter in the breather housing. That replaces a paper filter. Its supposed to not need replacing again. Whilst the loo roll paper type needs doing every service. Thats the theory. Theyre not much about 15 quid with seals about 25 max. I dont really know enough to say. Only that the paper ones are a pain in the bum to fit. The vortex slots on and stays in place. Its murder lining the paper one up and holding the spindle and lining the seals up.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


 Sound like the bypassing idea might be the way to go, the indicator shows it's due an oil service in a couple of thousand miles so I might get it done then and in the meantime I'll just smoke out everybody behind me now and then.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

To be fair I've never had to put a drip of oil in it since I bought and the oil is still well up in between the markers on the dipstick.

The only expenditure of note is that I've shelled out for another diff for it, rebuilding the one that's in it wasn't financially viable aka silly money. I know the lad that's breaking a 330 coupe so it will be good.

Although I might buy some stickers that were probably never on the car even when it was new.












:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Sound like the bypassing idea might be the way to go, the indicator shows it's due an oil service in a couple of thousand miles so I might get it done then and in the meantime I'll just smoke out everybody behind me now and then.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To be fair I've never had to put a drip of oil in it since I bought and the oil is still well up in between the markers on the dipstick.
> The only expenditure of note is that I've shelled out for another diff for it, rebuilding the one that's in it wasn't financially viable aka silly money. I know the lad that's breaking a 330 coupe so it will be good.
> Although I might buy some stickers that were probably never on the car even when it was new.


How do you bypass it. Whats the benefit. Might be different between the 325i petrol and 330 diesel? Im just happy ive not got an oil leak anymore. So ill leave it now. It wasnt a hard job just a fiddle seating it right. A new housing seals and votex filter was about 70 quid. Tell you what is a pain doing the o rings on the dipstick tube. Best to get someone to guide it down while you lie under the car. Mine doesnt use oil either done about 8k in it without putting any in. Theyre good solid cars. Not to fancy just straight forward.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> How do you bypass it. Whats the benefit. Might be different between the 325i petrol and 330 diesel? Im just happy ive not got an oil leak anymore. So ill leave it now. It wasnt a hard job just a fiddle seating it right. A new housing seals and votex filter was about 70 quid. Tell you what is a pain doing the o rings on the dipstick tube. Best to get someone to guide it down while you lie under the car. Mine doesnt use oil either done about 8k in it without putting any in. Theyre good solid cars. Not to fancy just straight forward.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


 https://www.bimmerworld.com/Engine/Crankcase-Vent-Systems-Valves-and-Hoses/






Essentially it relieves the pressure in the crank case but sucks oil mist into the intake which is then burnt off during combustion. Surprisingly the BMW system isn't very good and when it goes off it sucks more oil into the intake, by bypassing it you do away with the problem. It doesn't matter if its diesel or petrol it does the same thing.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> https://www.bimmerworld.com/Engine/Crankcase-Vent-Systems-Valves-and-Hoses/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Essentially it relieves the pressure in the crank case but sucks oil mist into the intake which is then burnt off during combustion. Surprisingly the BMW system isn't very good and when it goes off it sucks more oil into the intake, by bypassing it you do away with the problem. It doesn't matter if its diesel or petrol it does the same thing.


 You know more than me and are more technically minded in any case are we on about the same thing i'm on about this.

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw e46 330d crankcase breather" data-ratio="75.00"]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e308/l18ydl/IMGP2342.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw e46 330d crankcase breather" data-ratio="73.67"]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FB8AAOSwunBbIQw~/s-l300.jpg[/IMG]

above the votex and below the loo roll type

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="68.43"]https://images.esellerpro.com/2669/I/486/978/feb45192.jpg[/IMG]

and i still dont know what it does i only know how to replace it. :laugh:


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> You know more than me and are more technically minded in any case are we on about the same thing i'm on about this.
> 
> 
> 
> [IMG alt="Image result for bmw e46 330d crankcase breather" data-ratio="73.67"]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FB8AAOSwunBbIQw~/s-l300.jpg[/IMG]


 Yep essentially the same, apparently there is some sort of internal diaphragm that over time perishes causing the oil to be sucked directly into the intake hence all the smokey old Beemers you see going around. Both petrol and diesels have them.

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/1?q=bmw+e46+petrol+crankcase+breather&bih=512&biw=360&hl=en-GB&tbs=vw:l,ss:44&prds=num:1,of:1,epd:4407474633736545693,paur:ClkAsKraXyL_vQ_nG6d6XyAZ2b9iKniPcM2I7MyFCJwQYGEiWhgmOkPgvZCZKiB1nqx0tfSPXhUru1a7_d0YOHoCAM3YTNqYsUwlSt_tgNdmovzCCgKphdD2XhIZAFPVH70xMV-_TW7YBJLslEt1WEZS3tZB5w,prmr:1,pid:4407474633736545693,cs:1


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Yep essentially the same, apparently there is some sort of internal diaphragm that over time perishes causing the oil to be sucked directly into the intake hence all the smokey old Beemers you see going around. Both petrol and diesels have them.
> 
> https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/1?q=bmw+e46+petrol+crankcase+breather&bih=512&biw=360&hl=en-GB&tbs=vw:l,ss:44&prds=num:1,of:1,epd:4407474633736545693,paur:ClkAsKraXyL_vQ_nG6d6XyAZ2b9iKniPcM2I7MyFCJwQYGEiWhgmOkPgvZCZKiB1nqx0tfSPXhUru1a7_d0YOHoCAM3YTNqYsUwlSt_tgNdmovzCCgKphdD2XhIZAFPVH70xMV-_TW7YBJLslEt1WEZS3tZB5w,prmr:1,pid:4407474633736545693,cs:1


 Thanks interesting might be why my 330d on full throttle is chocking half the cycling population of north wales one bloke swerved to avoid the cloud the other day, all you can see from behind is a little red roof disappearing over the horizon. :laugh:

surely @scottswatches can make all this clearer? I'm still confused, where is the diaphragm is it separate from the breather? It must be and I just can't get my head around how bypassing it with external pipe work around the outside of the cylinder head takes it out of the system when its just a unit on top the rocker box cover. The bypass still leaves it in the system, as long as the unit is atop the rocker cover which it has to be unless there is a blanking plate?

@BondandBigM i think i get it now the one in your link above is the petrol one and i can see how that can be bypassed, the diesel one cant i dont think? As it bolts directly to the rocker cover, rather than being connected by pipes. So i guess i can still carry on.

[IMG alt="Image result for 007 car smoke screen" data-ratio="58.50"]https://www.007james.com/i/gadgets/aston-martin-db5/smoke-screen.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> Thanks interesting might be why my 330d on full throttle is chocking half the cycling population of north wales one bloke swerved to avoid the cloud the other day, all you can see from behind is a little red roof disappearing over the horizon. :laugh:
> 
> surely @scottswatches can make all this clearer? I'm still confused, where is the diaphragm is it separate from the breather? It must be and I just can't get my head around how bypassing it with external pipe work around the outside of the cylinder head takes it out of the system when its just a unit on top the rocker box cover. The bypass still leaves it in the system, as long as the unit is atop the rocker cover which it has to be unless there is a blanking plate?


 It creates a vacuum, as understand it if you leave it in situ blank off the inlets and outlet and do away with the pipe to the intake manifold.

Probably a bit more complicated than that but in principle similar, for example on my last Vette it was a small pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) valve on one of the rocker covers, this was piped directly to the inlet manifold so when under vacuum it vented the pressure in the engine crankcase. I just did away with the pipe work and replaced the pcv valve with a breather and let it do its own thing.

This is the very simple version, this is on the rocker cover and piped into the inlet manifold, this set up is prone to sucking oil directly into the intake.










If you do away with it you just replace it with a small breather like this, the minor down side is it vents into the engine compartment and can be a bit smelly hence why the oil catch can, much beloved by the Cossie boys is used, you vent into a small cylinder which stops oil being sucked into the engine and can be emptied now and then.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> It creates a vacuum, as understand it if you leave it in situ blank off the inlets and outlet and do away with the pipe to the intake manifold.
> 
> Probably a bit more complicated than that but in principle similar, for example on my last Vette it was a small pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) valve on one of the rocker covers, this was piped directly to the inlet manifold so when under vacuum it vented the pressure in the engine crankcase. I just did away with the pipe work and replaced the pcv valve with a breather and let it do its own thing.
> 
> This is the very simple version, this is on the rocker cover and piped into the inlet manifold, this set up is prone to sucking oil directly into the intake.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you do away with it you just replace it with a small breather like this, the minor down side is it vents into the engine compartment and can be a bit smelly hence why the oil catch can, much beloved by the Cossie boys is used, you vent into a small cylinder which stops oil being sucked into the engine and can be emptied now and then.


 thanks, i think i understand now and i think the diesel one works differently there is no pipe work it bolts straight to the rocker cover, i understand the petrol bypass now, you are letting air in but not oil then? A bit like egr blank on a diesel? Yeh I'm with it now i think. Why have air and oil breathing off the crank case in any case, and its an American slang isn't it, its really a rocker box breather isn't it?


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> thanks, i think i understand now and i think the diesel one works differently there is no pipe work it bolts straight to the rocker cover, i understand the petrol bypass now, you are letting air in but not oil then? A bit like egr blank on a diesel? Yeh I'm with it now i think. Why have air and oil breathing off the crank case in any case, and its an American slang isn't it, its really a rocker box breather isn't it?


 No really, as your pistons whizz up and down it creates pressure in the bottom of the engine or crankcase as the Yanks like to call it hence when it isnt working properly that pressure can oil force oil into the system and the vacuum of the engine then sucks it into the inlet manifold.

My basic understanding is that's the problem with the BMW set up, it is sometimes described as an oil separator and the small bog roll filter soakes up the excess oil but some how when it wears out or perishes it allows oil to be sucked directly into the inlet. As always I'll stand corrected if a proper BMW pro turns up and says otherwise but the basic principle of the idea has been around for years.


----------



## A2orry

BondandBigM said:


> Out of curiosity are those Vortex crankcase breathers worth the extra money over a pattern replacement or is it one of those over talked Max Power jobs that makes absolutely no difference what so ever.
> 
> Mine, presumably original, is on its way out and every now and again when driving along it chuffs out a bit of oil smoke and reading up a bit that seems the likely culprit although to be fair I'm thinking that so long as it doesn't throw an engine management light I'll just bypass it. I've seen catch can kits to sort out any residual oil. In the old days you just stuck a small cheap K&N breather on the rocker cover.
> 
> That's if I can actually get to it.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 If you leave changing the small looks like a miniature bog roll one it leads to early turbo failure .the vortex type was a technical upgrade by BMW not a max power thing.


----------



## scottswatches

Sorry @Nigelp I left BMW 25 years ago and even them only used factory parts.

My CL has just had spark plugs. £8 each (they last 50,000 miles) and I needed 16! On the plus side a new parking sensor was also £8 And took me five minutes to change.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> No really, as your pistons whizz up and down it creates pressure in the bottom of the engine or crankcase as the Yanks like to call it hence when it isnt working properly that pressure can oil force oil into the system and the vacuum of the engine then sucks it into the inlet manifold.
> My basic understanding is that's the problem with the BMW set up, it is sometimes described as an oil separator and the small bog roll filter soakes up the excess oil but some how when it wears out or perishes it allows oil to be sucked directly into the inlet. As always I'll stand corrected if a proper BMW pro turns up and says otherwise but the basic principle of the idea has been around for years.


Yes ive heard it called an oil seperater

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

What you say makes sense. So thats why the loo roll filter is replaced by the plastic vortex filter on the diesel. In order to prevent the problem you explain. The plastic vortex filter is supposed to last forever. I know that sounds a big claim but thats the theory it doesnt block up or wear out. I still dont know how it works. But going back to your explanation of a catch can. It could be thats what the votex does and with the heat the excess evaporates off. Its catching the excess and instead of holding it like the paper filter that will block. Its evaporating it off?

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk



A2orry said:


> If you leave changing the small looks like a miniature bog roll one it leads to early turbo failure .the vortex type was a technical upgrade by BMW not a max power thing.


Yes it is a bmw part you can get either it seems. The later m57n 204bhp i think they only supply the vortex but its a straight replacement on the m57 184.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Nigelp

scottswatches said:


> Sorry @Nigelp I left BMW 25 years ago and even them only used factory parts.
> My CL has just had spark plugs. £8 each (they last 50,000 miles) and I needed 16! On the plus side a new parking sensor was also £8 And took me five minutes to change.


Big costs involved with them, which has hit prices hard. Its amazing how popular they were new in this country. For a car that cost 100 grand new upto 20 years since. There are over 100 looking for new homes on the trader for example. Fuel cost and the suspension woes have not helped prices. Like the 928 which was cheap for years for the same reasons. Strangely what i considered our best one. The one with the amg kit. Fp51nvt. Hasnt been motd since sept last year. So its either been bumped and written off or something expensive has put it beyond economic repair. I always felt anything could do that with the prices as they are. I was lucky really had 3 over a 2 year period and just ran them. Nothing needed repairing or replacing and i sold them for what id paid. Although thatcwas more luck with the first one as it was problematic on the sussy, but fortunately the dealer was happy to give me 1500 quid against the 2005 g7 one which was a great car for 3 grand having had 18k lavished on it in 4 years between 2012 and 16. For £2995 screen price and 1500 px that was a good deal. Though i lost my reg plate n55gcl...which still records the car as existing. Funnily enough they had a yard next to the garage with cars just layed up. Including a very tidy rot free 1986 635csi. So it could be with them. The 05 plate went to london for what i paid and the one with the amg kit went to a member over on tz.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## A2orry

Nigelp said:


> Yes ive heard it called an oil seperater
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk
> 
> What you say makes sense. So thats why the loo roll filter is replaced by the plastic vortex filter on the diesel. In order to prevent the problem you explain. The plastic vortex filter is supposed to last forever. I know that sounds a big claim but thats the theory it doesnt block up or wear out. I still dont know how it works. But going back to your explanation of a catch can. It could be thats what the votex does and with the heat the excess evaporates off. Its catching the excess and instead of holding it like the paper filter that will block. Its evaporating it off?
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk
> 
> Yes it is a bmw part you can get either it seems. The later m57n 204bhp i think they only supply the vortex but its a straight replacement on the m57 184.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


 That n on the engine code is the way of telling that it has technical upgrades ther is quite a few I think .Also X5 version of the m57 engine has a flap free manifold .



A2orry said:


> That n on the engine code is the way of telling that it has technical upgrades ther is quite a few I think .Also X5 version of the m57 engine has a flap free manifold .


 forgot to add the orange silicone diaphragm in the bog roll type turns to jelly not good .


----------



## Nigelp

A2orry said:


> That n on the engine code is the way of telling that it has technical upgrades ther is quite a few I think .Also X5 version of the m57 engine has a flap free manifold .
> 
> forgot to add the orange silicone diaphragm in the bog roll type turns to jelly not good .


 glad i stuck with the vortex, it had a vortex in it when i got it and the housing had a leak not the vortex but the cover because someone hadnt put the seal in! I bought a new unit and it came with the bog roll filter, knowing nothing about them at the time i fitted it, but subsequently went back to a votex when i read about the problems last summer. Glad i did!


----------



## Nigelp

Decided to do my wheels gloss black like @wrenny. I got bored of silver again. Should go well with the shadowline trim. I decided having seen wrennies they give the car a meaner look.























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Nigelp

Much meaner look on the gloss blacks. 50 quid for the paint. Good coverage and finish. Goes well with imola red and the shadow line trim....wonder how black bronze would look...
















Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Davey P

Looks great mate, nice one :thumbs_up:

I've only ever fitted black wheels on one car, a Golf GTi with black powder coated BBS which I bought to replace the standard silver 5-spoke VW alloys, and almost immediately hated. Looked pretty good when first fitted, but over time I realised they showed every speck of dust, and were a nightmare to clean (my neighbours used to think I was bonkers, scrubbing in between the spokes with a toothbrush :laughing2dw: ). Anyway, here is the car in all it's glory:



An awesome motor to own and drive, and I thoroughly enjoyed it (apart from the wheels, of course) :biggrin:


----------



## BondandBigM

To expensive but easy to clean












http://www.ac-schnitzer.co.uk/


----------



## Nigelp

Davey P said:


> Looks great mate, nice one :thumbs_up:
> 
> I've only ever fitted black wheels on one car, a Golf GTi with black powder coated BBS which I bought to replace the standard silver 5-spoke VW alloys, and almost immediately hated. Looked pretty good when first fitted, but over time I realised they showed every speck of dust, and were a nightmare to clean (my neighbours used to think I was bonkers, scrubbing in between the spokes with a toothbrush :laughing2dw: ). Anyway, here is the car in all it's glory:
> 
> 
> 
> An awesome motor to own and drive, and I thoroughly enjoyed it (apart from the wheels, of course) :biggrin:


 looks good patey boy (my nickname too at school). Been there with an 89 3.6 xjs, doing the lattice alloys with a tooth brush and wonder wheels, the acidic stuff. Way back in about 1998. I was doing them one saturday afternoon and my then girl friend came round and started moaning, so i said to speed the process up i'd get her a tooth brush so she could do the other side. Which amazingly she did! Thing was she was wearing fake tan or some such and the acidic spray off the tooth brush, a very fine mist left her face with tiny white dots all over it.

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="133.33"]https://xj40.rvdz.me/images/77/77_150203___XJ40s07.jpg[/IMG]



BondandBigM said:


> To expensive but easy to clean
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ac-schnitzer.co.uk/


 nice.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> looks good patey boy (my nickname too at school). Been there with an 89 3.6 xjs, doing the lattice alloys with a tooth brush and wonder wheels, the acidic stuff. Way back in about 1998. I was doing them one saturday afternoon and my then girl friend came round and started moaning, so i said to speed the process up i'd get her a tooth brush so she could do the other side. Which amazingly she did! Thing was she was wearing fake tan or some such and the acidic spray off the tooth brush, a very fine mist left her face with tiny white dots all over it.


 Hours and hours and hours spent keeping these shiny

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


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## Nigelp

these look good.

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="66.70"]https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8478/8206142653_6e9972eaa9_b.jpg[/IMG]


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> these look good.
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/3


 https://m.facebook.com/pucpolish/

These are the go to boys, the re make OEM wheels into split rims.

Cant imagine they'll be cheap though.


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> https://m.facebook.com/pucpolish/
> 
> These are the go to boys, the re make OEM wheels into split rims.
> 
> Cant imagine they'll be cheap though.


 Have you got old and serious? @Roger the Dodger is at it between 9 and 10 allegedly.


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## BondandBigM

Still like the black and silver look

A bit like my LV possibly not the sort of motor you'll find in an industrial setting like this.

One of these days our really angry small man syndrome forklift driver will put it in the skip because I've encroached in his working area.

We just throw him a bit of raw meat now and again.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:



Just as an asides the car park was full at one point earlier in the day but I like a bit of OT, peace and quiet after everyone else has gone.

:biggrin:


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## Nigelp

Wondering whether to have the power steering fluid changed. I bet its never been done. Steering is quiet and very precise. Its sensitive to cambers and road defects, its not a numb system that you can afford to rest one hand on. More one you have to hold. Being the m sport i take it these are the signs of good feedback through a good sporty set up. Rather than the isolated steering in something like a big merc. Never the less im wondering whether it should be flushed and new fluid. Im thinking Dexron 111 red. Any thoughts? At parking speeds it can feel heavy. But not as heavy as an e36 325i, which i had a few years back. Thoughts? Whats the SE steering like? Sensitive, quick, with a lot of feel and communication of the road surface? Which is how i would describe the sport.

In the meantime the quick spray job on the wheels looks pretty good up close.






























Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Having checked the fluid it still smells sweet and is a nice pinky red.









Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## BondandBigM

Now these would be a bitch to keep clean

But all the same nice motor










https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-190e-/173872193657

But on the other hand £2.5K spent on the "C"


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## Nigelp

It wouldnt even be worth spending 2.5k to put them on a cl or sl. Not financial sense amyhow...on an e46 though

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Imagine instead of the staid mercs. Those on a mustard m3

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

I can't even get into the garage at the top of the drive to look at the little red beemer at the mo, what with my toe, im ok but all bandaged up and told to chill, Im missing my car more than anything else. I love this little car. Ive to be chauffeured in the A8 which is cosy, but not thrilling. Im not saying ive ever been an athlete but ive never really had anything wrong with me and ive always been able to sprint the 100m...not at the moment. Very therapeutic in a way. Should be back on my feet in 3 weeks at which point i fancy one of these to go with the little 3. This one in fact.

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw e39m5" data-ratio="69.50"]http://assets.bauer-wolke.co.uk/imagegen/p/1200/630/s3/digital-cougar-assets-uk/MomoAds/2018/02/15/145740/01-IMG_1558.jpg[/IMG]

im glad i created this as a thread for the 3 i can look back at it.


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> Those on a mustard m3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


 Back in the day you could get MK2 Golfs in a hideous green colour. But original ones started going for silly money.

They were rare simply because nobody bought them so maybe one those mustard M3's with the matching interior than nobody in there right mind would buy might be worth a punt for the future

:biggrin:


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Back in the day you could get MK2 Golfs in a hideous green colour. But original ones started going for silly money.
> 
> They were rare simply because nobody bought them so maybe one those mustard M3's with the matching interior than nobody in there right mind would buy might be worth a punt for the future
> 
> :biggrin:


 a mates dad had a forest green mark one. In about 1984

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="75.00"]https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/data/external_url_proxy.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi46.tinypic.com%2Fv5eedc.jpg[/IMG]

theres a nice looking golf gti auto on the trader for a decent price.










https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201904086748700?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&radius=1500&make=VOLKSWAGEN&postcode=ll284su&transmission=Automatic&aggregatedTrim=GTI&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=price-asc&model=GOLF&page=1&modal=photos

looks like it on coil over doesn't it? What ya think?

[IMG alt="2019-03-08_04-25-30" data-ratio="75.20"]https://live.staticflickr.com/7822/40354172063_d4b6f39a1d_b.jpg[/IMG]

didnt realise your monoblocs were split rims, not seen that before, are they are special?


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## BondandBigM

This sits round the corner from me



Tidy little thing, just goes to show how bloated the later GTI's became.


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


>


 A roof and to many doors !!!

You need to get a bit of that Welsh wind in your hair.

Got mine back today, I'm minus a few quid and some but after a bit of spit and polish inside and out I soon forgot about that.

:biggrin:


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> A roof and to many doors !!!
> 
> You need to get a bit of that Welsh wind in your hair.
> 
> Got mine back today, I'm minus a few quid and some but after a bit of spit and polish inside and out I soon forgot about that.
> 
> :biggrin:


 i cant afford it anyway, just dreamin, yours does look mint doesnt look to be any filler in it, or rust, is it a late one? Mines good but still got filler in the rear arches, im having them cut out and new sections let in when they show, amazingly they arent yet, but its a good climate on this part of the welsh coast believe it or not.

golf looks lovely and yes the modern ones are a bit mr blobby.


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> i cant afford it anyway, just dreamin, yours does look mint doesnt look to be any filler in it, or rust, is it a late one? Mines good but still got filler in the rear arches, im having them cut out and new sections let in when they show, amazingly they arent yet, but its a good climate on this part of the welsh coast believe it or not.
> 
> golf looks lovely and yes the modern ones are a bit mr blobby.


 Mine is a 2001 and it has had a couple of front wings but they fit up and have nice panel gaps. The paint on them could be better though and maybe I might get them done properly at some point.

It's a proper drive now that the annoying whine has gone. It's going back in next week to get the oil separator vortex thingamybob thing sorted.

In hindsight it would have been really nice in this spec with an automatic but I was set on a manual. That was the issue getting a diff for it, they were nearly all autos that came up on the various sites and completely the wrong gear ratio. On top of that it turns out that the 2.5's and up manuals had a physically bigger diff than the more common lesser models.


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Mine is a 2001 and it has had a couple of front wings but they fit up and have nice panel gaps. The paint on them could be better though and maybe I might get them done properly at some point.
> 
> It's a proper drive now that the annoying whine has gone. It's going back in next week to get the oil separator vortex thingamybob thing sorted.
> 
> In hindsight it would have been really nice in this spec with an automatic but I was set on a manual. That was the issue getting a diff for it, they were nearly all autos that came up on the various sites and completely the wrong gear ratio. On top of that it turns out that the 2.5's and up manuals had a physically bigger diff than the more common lesser models.


 they are great cars, despite everything ive had and i know you've had all sorts, it always leaves me smiling with its handling go and looks, I think its going to be a sought after 3 like the e30, not saying they are ever going to command big prices, but everyone who has one seems to love them. Just full of character. Steering is superb.

Its one of those cars that i cant wait to get into.

Also the box and back axle ratios when matched to the engines are spot on whether manual or auto, but then again hasnt the 3 bm always been the one to beat?

right back to this its what bm are best at.

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw 2002 tii" data-ratio="70.67"]https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/bmw-2002-tii-yoshiharu-miyakawa.jpg[/IMG]

to be fair, for small compact sporty, no-one has ever matched them, all tried, never done it.

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw 2002 alpina" data-ratio="75.00"]https://rmsothebys-cache.azureedge.net/5/5/d/2/8/f/55d28f83bdaa8206dc19e9834492488faad10950.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="75.00"]https://rmsothebys-cache.azureedge.net/0/d/9/6/d/6/0d96d6817c7ebb34234619d1065826e756518d19.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="66.65"]https://silodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/BMW-2002-Tii-9.jpg[/IMG]

say what you want about merc, but i think BMW leave them standing with all models, same with Audi. It was BMW who kicked Mercedes back into action in the 70's when merc were resting on laurels that always seemed imaginary.

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="60.00"]http://thumbsnap.com/s/AUEGMfZS.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="60.25"]http://www.fast-classics.com/wp-content/uploads/bmw-3-0-csl-5-2018-09-26/frontXpageXedit-1024x617.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="60.27"]http://www.fast-classics.com/wp-content/uploads/-2015-03-03/M1A0002-Edit.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="60.25"]http://www.fast-classics.com/wp-content/uploads/-2019-01-22/IMG_2921-Edit-1024x617.jpg[/IMG]

we all have a different eye for cars, but for me there is nothing like a BMW.

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="66.88"]https://images2.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2017-05/02/24645103-2-48.jpg&width=640&height=480&autosizefit=1[/IMG]

the e24, 6 is the nicest car ever designed.


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> they are great cars, despite everything ive had and i know you've had all sorts, it always leaves me smiling with its handling go and looks, I think its going to be a sought after 3 like the e30, not saying they are ever going to command big prices, but everyone who has one seems to love them. Just full of character. Steering is superb.
> 
> Its one of those cars that i cant wait to get into.
> 
> Also the box and back axle ratios when matched to the engines are spot on whether manual or auto, but then again hasnt the 3 bm always been the one to beat?


 You say that but my C Class still drives like a limo and can still hustle on B roads.

Hard to choose

I have a feeling that an old V8 C43 Sport would be more than a match for an M3 and the interiors are just nicer and better screwed together than the Beemer. The interior on mine is just a step up.


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## Nigelp

Mercedes called them the upstarts from Munich...BMW said our prestige is not on the hood.



BondandBigM said:


> You say that but my C Class still drives like a limo and can still hustle on B roads.
> 
> Hard to choose
> 
> I have a feeling that an old V8 C43 Sport would be more than a match for an M3 and the interiors are just nicer and better screwed together than the Beemer. The interior on mine is just a step up.


 I agree and the SEC was all that and more but i'd take an E24.

both lovely cars, but the Bm just leaves it.

[IMG alt="Image result for mercedes 560sec" data-ratio="55.11"]https://cdn.bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/15274666761f0352DSC_0873-940x518.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="91.33"]https://motor-car.net/images/stories/flexicontent/item_14196_field_16/l_bmw-m635-csi-top-view.jpg[/IMG]



BondandBigM said:


> Hard to choose


 it is, but theres just something about BMW's the indefinable IT merc dont have that.

Porsche do and Maser do, Merc dont.


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> Mercedes called them the upstarts from Munich...BMW said our prestige is not on the hood.
> 
> I agree and the SEC was all that and more but i'd take an E24.
> 
> both lovely cars, but the Bm just leaves it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it is, but theres just something about BMW's the indefinable IT merc dont have that.
> 
> Porsche do and Maser do, Merc dont.












I'll leave this here.

Maybe we can agree to disagree

:biggrin:


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> I'll leave this here.
> 
> Maybe we can agree to disagree
> 
> :biggrin:


 old mans car.  no charisma

apart from that i agree.


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## Nigelp

I'd better explain myself fully regarding Mercedes Benz gate, as witnessed on here, i intend this mainly for the purposes of my good friend and senior member @BondandBigM . Right where do I start? On the basis it is assumed seeing as i had 5 top end old benz all at once. Right! Bit of history.

Ive always been a Jag man, had a dozen of them owned by the time i was 30, BMW rode significant, because i learnt to drive in an e24 635csi when i was 17 and i loved it, but being a Jag man i swapped it as soon as i started 'working' for a v12 jag (which wasnt as nice in any way as the 635...and despite continuing to be a Jag man none of my subsequent ones thrilled my like that 635...but Jags were cheap, flash and plentiful and 635's and even 735's were not, not even 535's so beggars can't be choosers I was stuck with Jag).

In 2000 still unable to afford a decent BMW I bought a Mercedes w124 coupe 2.3 litre and it was slow and dull, well made and boring. I swapped it for a celica gt4...so you know where im coming from Ok.

Fast forward to 2016 and i still cant afford a nice 750il let alone a 760li, so its Jag or merc again because always always always you can pick up a cheap top of the range merc or jag that will still look good and still be reasonably reliable.

Here is the crux

Me and dad got talking and i said you can get a running CL that will last a couple of years for 2 grand. Dad said a C class thinking of a small compact car. I said no the CL500 its the big V8 s class coupe of the early noughties, cost 100k new and you can get a runner in good cosmetic nick that will see you through a couple of years.

So off he went to London...and looked at a wreck, on the way back near Manchester he found a nice one for 3 grand and with a p/x of 1000 for an old honda he brought it home. Mum loved it and said are there any more of these for sale (mum loves any car that she is comfy in). Yes i said 200 unwanted ones on the trader. So off dad went to Pontefract and bought another (not ive not spent any of my own money as of yet).

It was lovely, mint full AMG kit and £3000.

Then we decided we needed four doors so the Yorkshire Terrier had more comfort, so in came a 1900 quid s500L lovely thing nothing wrong with it totally reliable, but a bit old looking and some filler, they bodies on them were crap you see.

So i got a 2007 s550 full designo amg job, with AMG exhausts, engine and body kit, which had been owned by a family of race horse breeders in Ireland, which says it all, it was the best merc could do by 2007 and had nigh on 400bhp and quiet a few electrical problems.

However my point?

None of the Mercs were really my choice, they were cheap and flash, so dad liked them, they were comfy so mum liked them, once dad got fed up of putting fuel in (thousands of pounds worth in no time it seemed...and on a single occasion he watched the digits on the pump roll around to £215 when fueling the s550...should have seen the look on his face as he toddled off to the speed bank). That was it i was glad to get shut.

So ive never been a merc man, ive always seen them as a bit crinkly a bit his and hers for the over 60's, a bit old hat. However BMW, Porsche and yes Jag! Maserati, even Audi with their Quattro have always done it for me. But mostly been too expensive....whereas you can always find a nice cheap merc that will still do the job....which in a way defeats my own argument, but no subjectively i dont like them that much. Must be a mental image i have.

A bit sort of crinkly and fuzzy whilst the bmw porsche mental image i have as always been sharp. And the jag one smooth.

[IMG alt="Image result for old woman in mercedes convertible" data-ratio="74.93"]https://automanager.blob.core.windows.net/wmphotos/016133/866211c068da4dddbfa081d89101ec96/770aa80e00_355.jpg[/IMG]

cf

[IMG alt="Image result for old woman in mercedes convertible" data-ratio="50.67"]https://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2601193.1460655289!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/mercedes-benz-230-sl-pagoda.jpg[/IMG]

cf

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw 3.0 csl" data-ratio="72.55"]https://cdn.bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/5a27425536b37_IMG_20171204_152230-940x682.jpg[/IMG]

cf

[IMG alt="Image result for jag xjs twr" data-ratio="66.98"]http://addictedtoauto.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/57-6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Image result for mercedes sl" data-ratio="66.69"]https://www.mercedes-benz.com/all-time-stars-files/2018/07/ALL-TIME-STARS-320SL_Designo-2-1180x787.jpg[/IMG]

cf

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw m635csi" data-ratio="65.31"]https://drive-my.com/media/k2/2018/M6-1.jpg[/IMG]

cf

[IMG alt="Image result for porsche 928 gts" data-ratio="75.00"]https://rmsothebys-cache.azureedge.net/e/7/f/c/b/9/e7fcb93f6e2cf81c73808b0cbb1107eccb4b4edb.jpg[/IMG]

mercedes are good at staid, safe and boring even with the sports models, they are a bit like posh volvos, whilst as you can see porsche, jag and bmw do sporty very well, whilst mercedes do it in a less sexy way and i think that is what stirs me for the porsches of this world and not for the mercs of this world. Nice, safe and reasonably fast, but a bit blue rinse a bit over 60 and still blonde and tanned.

[IMG alt="Image result for mercedes cl500" data-ratio="47.65"]https://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/5/2003/12/112-0002-Road-Test-2000-Mercedes-Benz-CL500-01s-2000-Mercedes-Benz-CL500-Front-Drivers-Side-View.jpg?impolicy=modalgallery[/IMG]


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## BondandBigM

Does he need a step son

All I got from my old man was a sixty quid MK2 Cortina, it was a wreck and could barely get out of the estate without something going wrong.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Anyway










Sharp as a pin and would easily batter any BM into submission. Granted some Beemers do look the part but function over form springs to mind.

:biggrin:


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Does he need a step son
> 
> All I got from my old man was a sixty quid MK2 Cortina, it was a wreck and could barely get out of the estate without something going wrong.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> Anyway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharp as a pin and would easily batter any BM into submission. Granted some Beemers do look the part but function over form springs to mind.
> 
> :biggrin:


 im still not convinced even by that, its like an addidas pump in comparison with a nike one.

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw m3 csl" data-ratio="66.64"]http://crossley-webb.com/wp-content/uploads/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-1.jpg[/IMG]

the merc looks like a bloke did it himself after a trip to halfrauds in coventry and the bm doesnt.

:grinning-face-with-sweat:



BondandBigM said:


> Granted some Beemers do look the part but function over form springs to mind


 maybe thats it maybe that is what as always attracted me to BMW and in a lesser way Porsche, they are more understated than Jag and Merc, well in the past they were, no big grilles, no pretentious just cool. I remember walking around Sutton Coldfield when I was 14 and seeing the old M5's casually parked up around Monmouth drive and Sutton park and thinking how much cooler and more modern and classy they looked than my dads Daimler double 6.

[IMG alt="Image result for 1984 bmw m5" data-ratio="66.60"]https://farm1.static.flickr.com/77/31539296795_b31f1dfd29_b.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Image result for 1985 daimler double six" data-ratio="67.42"]https://pvlimages.blob.core.windows.net/images/verylarge/B659VLJ_13122018_38.jpg[/IMG]


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## Andyj56

I've had lots of different cars, we now have 5 Mercedes Benz cars now, never known better cars, 92 w124 230E, 2000 SL320 Edition, 2002 CL55 AMG, 2002 C270 cdi Elegance estate and a 2007 SLK 200 Kompressor, love them all! No problem with BMW cars, just what takes your fancy really.

































































Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> I've had lots of different cars, we now have 5 Mercedes Benz cars now, never known better cars, 92 w124 230E, 2000 SL320 Edition, 2002 CL55 AMG, 2002 C270 cdi Elegance estate and a 2007 SLK 200 Kompressor, love them all! No problem with BMW cars, just what takes your fancy really.
> 
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> 
> Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


 thats it Andy each to their own, your cars are lovely! I'll bet you fancy a change a some point or is it merc forever? Come on bet you fancy another Jag.

[IMG alt="Image result for Jag e type" data-ratio="62.50"]https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/images/2017/05/08/TELEMMGLPICT000127526240_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqn7jOxxwNwPO46UtedWLKnnBypQCTsn-Ju-04ZZy_x4Y.jpeg?imwidth=450[/IMG]

i do at some point....

i still love Jags.

Ive done my merc time for a fair while... :yes: nowt wrong just had my fill and nice to have an change. The 2010 xj is growing on me....so is the 06 xk....so is the bmw 650i...and on it goes eh. Variety is the spice of life.


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## Nigelp

see what i mean?

[IMG alt="Image result for jag xkr black" data-ratio="56.25"]https://smgmedia.blob.core.windows.net/images/113525/1024/jaguar-xkr-coupe-petrol-25e00c2fd1d8.jpg[/IMG]


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## Andyj56

No plans to change from Mercedes at the moment, i did think about buying another mk 2 Jaguar, but remembered what happened with the last one back in about 1978, endless rust.... very happy with Mercs. :yes:


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> No plans to change from Mercedes at the moment, i did think about buying another mk 2 Jaguar, but remembered what happened with the last one back in about 1978, endless rust.... very happy with Mercs. :yes:


 to be honest i prefer more compact cars for knocking around in for myself now, i would like an e39 bmw, thats the 1998 to 2002 one not the later ugly one when bangle ruined them, but thats about as big as i'd go and it would have to be a sport for the looks, say a 535i v8, you can get a minter for less than 4 grand. If i was to stray from bmw, id have a golf gti or r32 or possibly and audi a4 or a3 3.2 quattro, they are all cheap enough apart from the r32 3 grand or less. If i was to go merc again it would be c class with the big 3.5 and amg kit in something later and petrol, i wouldnt have another diesel with dpf, the beemers is fine no dpf or egr, a very straight foward little car. For me i wouldnt have a big car again, no point the compacts are more fun around here, the big ones are big cruisers. Which means the bmw 3 with a big engine is always going to be hard to beat in m sport for me. I mean its not in the same class as the mercs, thats just be and @BondandBigM winding each other up, but for fun on our roads round north wales, combined with low running costs, they are going to be hard to beat.

Id have one of these in fact i have my eye on this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-BMW-E39-535i-V8-M-SPORT-AUTO-4DR-SALOON/254206983409?hash=item3b2feabcf1:g:F0gAAOSwaAlciw5A

on the other hand if i was to go for a merc again in the current market it would be something like this, which is a bargain!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201902064672184?make=MERCEDES-BENZ&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&postcode=ll284su&model=C CLASS&radius=1500&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1

thing is when we start discussing cars @Andyj56, one or both of us usually ends up buying something. :laugh: , last time for me it was that S550 from Ireland, you tried to talk me out of...I should have listened! :laugh:

that little merc is pretty nippy over 270bhp 0-60 in 6.4 and 155.

i quiet like this...










look andy @Andyj56 J56 on the plate...mot history looks good, only 87k miles...that would go lovely in your collection. I fancy it myself.

this is cheap for an AMG, but wants a bit of paint. £2,500

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901083738401?model=C CLASS&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&postcode=ll284su&sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&radius=1500&page=1


----------



## Nigelp

Andy, Andy Andy! @Andyj56 what about this to replace the diesel estate! Be great for blasting to the car shows this summer. C32 AMG tourer...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201805096329590?sort=price-asc&radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&postcode=ll284su&model=C CLASS&advertising-location=at_cars&page=3










soooooo much choice, the newer one for less than 4k with the big engine up in Blackburn.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903256246612?make=MERCEDES-BENZ&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&model=C CLASS&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&radius=1500&postcode=ll284su&advertising-location=at_cars&page=3










What about this Andy? The E500, with the bothersome air suspension converted to coils 3 grand, looks mint, only up in Bury!



















https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901194099323?radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&sort=price-asc&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.0&postcode=ll284su&advertising-location=at_cars&model=E CLASS&page=1


----------



## Andyj56

Some nice cars there, our C class estate is going great, just been to Weston Park in it, it's an 02 C270 cdi so don't think it has a dpf, drives great with about 170bhp and did 46mpg! Handles well too! The SLK is the everyday car a 1.8 Kompressor easy to see 35mpg from it, wonderful to drive, can see why the R171 SLK is so popular!


----------



## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Some nice cars there, our C class estate is going great, just been to Weston Park in it, it's an 02 C270 cdi so don't think it has a dpf, drives great with about 170bhp and did 46mpg! Handles well too! The SLK is the everyday car a 1.8 Kompressor easy to see 35mpg from it, wonderful to drive, can see why the R171 SLK is so popular!


 Im stuck in at the moment ive had an operation to remove a lump off my toe, something and nothing but its meant for the last 2 weeks ive had to elevate my foot, stitches come out friday, hospital were fab, up in Oswestry, Yes i saw your slk for sale down at cars for conwy before i had the op, but not seen it properly since becuase ive not been out, only seen it driving past when im sat in the back of the car. We saw you coming under the tunnel with the top off, it sounded very good, we were in the A8.

I dont think your merc will have a dpf its a bit older, but merc were the first to have them in 2002/3 they developed them! then gave up for a bit because they were having trouble. Best way to tell is if there is soot in the end of the pipes then there is no dpf. Thats why i like my 330d the economy is good even around town im getting 29mpg and on a run on a and b roads often mid to high 30's. I dont do long motor way trips, but it might do 40mpg then. Very fast too, having the exhaust done, deleting the egr and putting a panel filter in made a big difference, its been mapped at some time too, you can drift it even in the dry if you are not careful! Its a lot of fun, not driven it for 3 weeks due to my foot!

The A8 is verg good on MPG, mum and dad love it, probably the best car we've had, very smooth with the cvt box and superbly built, its doing as much mpg as the bmw diesel!

Its been very well looked after.

The Phaeton had a dpf and egr and everything was blocking up went into limp mode, got it cleared out and swapped it for the petrol audi becuase it wasnt suited to short runs. Crazy idea is dpf and egr just chokes the engines.


----------



## Andyj56

Hope the foot improves! No dpf on the estate, soot in the end of the exhaust, so that's good! The engine can be remapped, but I'm told the gearbox isn't happy about it, so I'll leave it as it is, goes well anyway.


----------



## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Hope the foot improves! No dpf on the estate, soot in the end of the exhaust, so that's good! The engine can be remapped, but I'm told the gearbox isn't happy about it, so I'll leave it as it is, goes well anyway.


 im fine, not had any pain since the op so hopefully stitches out friday and all done, it was a specialist Orthopaedic Hospital in Owestry, I had my own ensuite room all modern, and about 5 nurses there didnt seem to be anyone else on the ward, i never saw anyone, had to be there for 730 so it meant setting off about 530, op was done by 11 and back in my own room with the ensuite it was great service!

I wouldnt have another dpf diesel, the citroen was ok and i liked that car, shame mum wasnt comfy in it, i did think of keeping that and letting the bm go at the time, but i like the little red bm so much i decided not to, the colour alone i love and would be hard to find another.

The Phaeton had the typical problems of dpf and egr blockage soon after we bought it. After a few months the exhaust gases warning light came on, so we took it in and they did a dpf regen which involves plugging it into a pc and going through a rev cycle. Loads of soot came out. It was almost totally bloked in all the exhaust. It seemed ok for a month then it came back on again. Turned out the EGR valve was bloked to and it went into limp, max 20mph. So we had a regen again and decided it wasnt going to be good driving it around with few long runs, dad didnt want to have to take it on long runs just for the sake of it, to inconvenient, he wants a car he can just use. Also have you seen the given mpg figures for the phaeton? 18mpg around town can be normal for the 2.7tdi!

Challenge was getting something comfy for mum. I came on the A8 by chance on the trader and it looked mint, he agreed to take the phaeton and 1500 for the audi, so far the A8 has been trouble free and mum finds it even more comfy than the vw.


----------



## Andyj56

Modern diesels are really just for heavy use, they just clog up with short journeys. The chap at Cars of Conwy said he has a lot of problems with modern diesel cars!

That A8 does look very good!


----------



## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Modern diesels are really just for heavy use, they just clog up with short journeys. The chap at Cars of Conwy said he has a lot of problems with modern diesel cars!
> 
> That A8 does look very good!


 its been looked after, by the previous owners, only had 2, only on 100k miles which for a 2005 is low, it still has that new car feel and still smells like a new car, although dad smoking his pipe in it will put paid to that, though he doesnt do it much i dont think, at least i hope he doesnt, not unless he is out on his own in it any how, which is rare. He must love it, i dont have to polish it or wash it, hes doing it his self.

Got it from a trader with a good reputation here. Right grand blokes, 3 of them been in the trade all their lives, in their late 70's! Used to sell Ford Anglias new.

https://woodhousemillcarsales.co.uk/

The first owner of the A8 had a private plate on it and googling that private plate shows he swapped it for another A8 in 2015 so it was with owner number 1 for the first 10 years who gave it full audi history from the supplying dealer. The second owner kept this up and only the last service was an independent at the time we got it, when the oil and filter was done. Its oyster grey which has a light purple in it, its very modern and the MMI and the feel of the car is still very upto date. Everything works too which is a bonus and no silly glitches as of yet.

I remember reading the reviews in the car mags comparing the A8 with its rivals and all the writers commented on the quality of the interior in the A8, it really is well made.

Its a Long Wheel Base too, though its not obvious to look at there is extra length over standard in the back doors. It has novel features for a car from 2005 like little LED's under the door handles.

Im hoping we dont need to change this one again and that looked after dad gets an easy 10 year out of it. With a bit of luck and a tlc over the years the little bm will take me to being 60 years old too! Then it will be a classic...unless diesel is banned by then.


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## Nigelp

we were parked in the exact same spot yesterday Andy @Andyj56

[IMG alt="c740e81b0ebf5ad2dda36da5ec9a0e4d.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190422/c740e81b0ebf5ad2dda36da5ec9a0e4d.jpg[/IMG]

i cant believe its 12 years since i picked the keys up from the estate agents across the road, your paints spot on with the special process youve had done, i guess its worth doing on those sort of cars, not much point with mine really, a bit of meguiars is good enough. I keep changing my wheel colour on the little bm, gloss black at the mo, had them silver and semi matt black. The cl does look particularly good, but they have always been perhaps my favourite merc ever, have you thought about getting some plates made at the merc main dealer in the junction? I would and id get 4 stainless screws for each one and fit them in the corners, like they do on mercs. They always look good then.

I got ones for the Audi from the Audi main dealer in junction, only 30 quid, they are a sytner group, so it has Audi Sytner on the bottom. I can recommend meguiars metal polish for the rear tail pipes from halfords, it puts a protective coating on.

[IMG alt="8382cc96dc8db5c13c7eb1e4a17749f3.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190422/8382cc96dc8db5c13c7eb1e4a17749f3.jpg[/IMG]

they will come up really well with this and you can do that black leading edge inside the pipe too and it will stay clean.

[IMG alt="Image result for meguiars metal polish" data-ratio="66.55"]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQbwZ2FeH5hLOHHJC3UsNJvhXRcPy0LTXguSlTBTgnELtyx6l-w[/IMG]


----------



## Nigelp

wouldnt mind this for the 1500 quid they are asking, with full mot and decent mot history. e39 530i agean
































































that would go well with the 330, i like agean blue and its on m sport parallels, even with 170k which is fine for a 2003, it looks a bargain.


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## Andyj56

Yes we had the CL and SL ceramic coated, both came out very well, still looking for a private plate for the CL, not found one that took my fancy yet at a sensible price.

The blue BMW looks good, are you buying it?

Nigel, this was for sale at Weston Park, even has your name on the reg plate!

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

CL55 AMG Kompressor
















Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Yes we had the CL and SL ceramic coated, both came out very well, still looking for a private plate for the CL, not found one that took my fancy yet at a sensible price.
> 
> The blue BMW looks good, are you buying it?
> 
> Nigel, this was for sale at Weston Park, even has your name on the reg plate!
> 
> Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


 theres no picture attached Andy, i would like the 530i aswell as the 330d but probably wont happen. Yes the CL would look good with a private plate, try these.

https://www.plates4less.co.uk/

my plate N55GCL came from there so did dads, they are reasonable. My first CL the odd one that no one seemed to know wether it was a cl500 with a 5.5 engine or a cl500 with a replacement engine, i had a bill for a used engine 5.5 so i guess the original one must have broken. It had cl55 on the back and was faster than the cl500 i replaced it with. That car still exists on the plate above i lost when i sold it. Dads car FP51NVT has been off the road a while, maybe he wrote it off? Unless something expensive went wrong. It seemed perfect when we had it. The 2005 one with the 7 speed auto, must be on a plate now as it doesnt come up as yd05vbp. Im thinking that the first one i had is laid up in the yard where i sold it, the garage went out of business and all the cars were still locked in the yard 12 months later. The owner a certain Danny was a crook by the seem of things, he took 300 quid off us to tax the 05 plate car and didnt! But to be honest id have been happy at the time to have paid 1800 quid rather than 1500 to change. That first car with the 5.5 engine if it still exists would have been good if the suspension hadnt been on the way out. The fluid bottle was leaking i sealed it up, but it had obviously never had a fluid change and all the seals in the valve blocks were perished, the car would lean over if left parked two wheels on the kerb, the final straw was when i went on the drive one morning and 3 of the brake callipers were leaking, the suspension struts were also corroded. But strangely it was my favourite.

its important to have regular fluid changes on rodeo for the cl500 suspension every 30,000 miles or however many years it is. I forget now.

and have the fluid changed in the automatic gearbox every 70k

theres a service kit with filter sump and magnets and seal.


----------



## Andyj56

Strange, I can see the pics, will try again.
















Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Strange, I can see the pics, will try again.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


 looks identical to the one dad had with the amg kit on but thats the supercharged cl55 with the amg interior to isnt it, dads was a standard cl500 as far as we know, but it sounded a lot better than any of the other cl's we had and felt faster though it had lower miles at 90,000, we only paid £3,300 and it was unmarked, we toyed with keeping that one, but seeing as its now off the road and i dont know why it might be good we didnt! I cant see that anything would have failed on it though more likely its had a bump or something even been nicked and trashed...afterall it went to london and he was using it for commuting to leeds!

Do you remember when i did all that paint work on the first one in the garage? I enjoyed that and it came out very well, the aluminium had a few microblisters that was all, which was on the first one i had. Amazingly someone had left a seal out of the back light on that and the well with the cd player in was a foot deep in rain water, we took the light out and sealed it with silicone and then put it back together. I enjoyed tinkering with that one. That was only 3 grand which at the time was about as cheap as you could get one. Did i ever tell you about the one dad went to view in London! He went down to london to look at a cl that looked good on the trader, must have been a different car, it was a wreck he said, the engine wouldnt rev right, all the seats were split and a lot of trim broken, he drove straight back upto warrington and bought that 2002 one we had first which looked fine especially after the 500 quid purple honda with the dented door. Thing is i loved the 3 litre honda.


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> see what i mean?


 Old man's car compared to the Merc










:biggrin:

And that blue BMW is almost worth buying just for the alloys, I've seen an E46 with them filled the arches out nicely.


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Old man's car compared to the Merc
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> And that blue BMW is almost worth buying just for the alloys, I've seen an E46 with them filled the arches out nicely.


 true the jags always have been, i thought the bm was a good buy too, looks rust free in the normal areas and i like the colour in and out and yes the m parallels are worth a bit in good nick. All the looks of an M5 there almost for 1500 quid and i'll bet a 530i will be fast enough for old fellas with bad eyes and poor reflexes like you and me.

handle well being a sport too thats a lot of fun and good looks for nowt. Be fun minting it up a bit, its crying out for the lips polishing on the parallels, a set of black grilles, some decent plates and a 530i badge on the boot, perhaps a stainless tip on the exhaust and a few coats of wax and that is looking and feeling a million dollars.

mmmmm up near silsden that bm i know silsden well enough used to go through there in my 635 going up to uni when i was about 19...id like that. Not that far to travel from llandudno to look.


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## Nigelp

i can see these 2 side by side

[IMG alt="8ef3fbc973d31a823877a94201138c8f.jpg" data-ratio="56.25"]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190404/8ef3fbc973d31a823877a94201138c8f.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="501414bc9d4241ceb867f60be6a996a5.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w1024/501414bc9d4241ceb867f60be6a996a5.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="f4d08771c571481095527e78e8202df6.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w1024/f4d08771c571481095527e78e8202df6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="9a6a9b2ccd3fab4e93d44dccbcec5cb8.jpg" data-ratio="56.25"]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190404/9a6a9b2ccd3fab4e93d44dccbcec5cb8.jpg[/IMG]


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## BondandBigM

There's a dodgy one on the trader

:biggrin:



















https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903206084120


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## Nigelp

you know mate they havent done a bad job of that panel gaps look good and its a cheap to run 3.5 but 22 k all it needs is debadging so there is no lies going on.










very miami vice, but id prefer it to a standard one i like it. But on a 57, more like 13 grand?

too much of a premium. Didnt realise these were so cheap on a 2007

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201902205144037?make=MERCEDES-BENZ&year-from=2007&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&postcode=ll284su&advertising-location=at_cars&model=SL CLASS&radius=1500&page=1










id have the black one, its a car buyers paradise these days, why pay a lot?

come on bond, sell your LV to @kevkojak

after all you still have the gmt and the gmt in that.

just comparing the little red devil with a CL, this is fun!

[IMG alt="8ef3fbc973d31a823877a94201138c8f.jpg" data-ratio="56.25"]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190404/8ef3fbc973d31a823877a94201138c8f.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="0a61fab0a3ee82b9ec88abf527ce8edc.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190424/0a61fab0a3ee82b9ec88abf527ce8edc.jpg[/IMG]

now whos the moppit there! a ragamuffin! love that little red car.


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## Nigelp

cant wait to get back behind the wheel of the little red [email protected] and put v13 on.

there was an Heuer in that video!


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## BondandBigM

In a couple of weeks I'll be round the corner from that black one.

Many moons ago I actually bought a car from them, MK2 Escort Sport. They always had some interesting stuff in.


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> In a couple of I'll be round the corner from that black one.
> 
> Many moons ago I actually bought a car from them, MK2 Escort Sport. They always had some interesting stuff in.


 let me know how you go on mrb.

...that is uncanny i didnt realise where it was great colour combo.

small world


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> let me know how you go on mrb.
> 
> ...that is uncanny i didnt realise where it was great colour combo.
> 
> small world


 It's a bit of a do my sister is organising so we'll be up there for a few days, the last time we stayed in the City centre. Plenty of garages to trawl around although I doubt if Big M would be best pleased. I went for a look at an E Class convertible at the weekend and she just fired up [email protected] on her phone and wouldn't get out of the car.



I notice they also have this.










https://www.thegreatwesternmotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/bmw-m3-3-2-2dr-glasgow-201802234012000


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> It's a bit of a do my sister is organising so we'll be up there for a few days, the last time we stayed in the City centre. Plenty of garages to trawl around although I doubt if Big M would be best pleased. I went for a look at an E Class convertible at the weekend and she just fired up [email protected] on her phone and wouldn't get out of the car.
> 
> 
> 
> I notice they also have this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.thegreatwesternmotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/bmw-m3-3-2-2dr-glasgow-201802234012000


 nice she will get over it they always do you've just got to put the car first, in your mind at least and then when they get in and like it thats half the battle, ive been there a million times.

me i'd have the bm but i reckon you? the merc.

btw those prices pretty much sum up why the bmw is the more specialised car don't they? The merc does look a million dollars, but the bmw is where the real knowledge is isnt it?

i remember about your sisters do we were discussing porsche 996's when you last mentioned it. Have a good time 60th twins isnt it?


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> nice she will get over it they always do you've just got to put the car first, in your mind at least and then when they get in and like it thats half the battle, ive been there a million times.
> 
> me i'd have the bm but i reckon you? the merc.


 She has no interest, she once tried to get into a black Audi A4 instead of the Merc in ASDA carpark.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

I show her a few M3 pics and she'll say looks just the same as what you've got. That one in Glasgow looks a nice colour, slight blue tint to it. Not seen one like that so it might just be the pic.



Nigelp said:


> i remember about your sisters do we were discussing porsche 996's when you last mentioned it. Have a good time 60th twins isnt it?


 To many expensive horror stories with 996's. I'd still have one but like the big Mercs you could be in all sorts of financial whoes if it went wrong.

At least if the Beemer went wrong you could just throw an old Toyota engine in it.






https://pmcmotorsport.com/conversion-set-toyota-jz-bmw-e46-m3-getrag.html

:biggrin:


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> She has no interest, she once tried to get into a black Audi A4 instead of the Merc in ASDA carpark.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> I show her a few M3 pics and she'll say looks just the same as what you've got. That one in Glasgow looks a nice colour, slight blue tint to it. Not seen one like that so it might just be the pic.
> 
> To many expensive horror stories with 996's. I'd still have one but like the big Mercs you could be in all sorts of financial whoes if it went wrong.
> 
> At least if the Beemer went wrong you could just throw an old Toyota engine in it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://pmcmotorsport.com/conversion-set-toyota-jz-bmw-e46-m3-getrag.html
> 
> :biggrin:


 come on bond you are a car man and its never going to leave you until you are on a cold slab hoping to avoid god.

If she cant tell the difference she certainly isnt going to notice the lv as gone and theres an M3 on the drive etc etc etc.

You wont miss the rolex too many nobs have them now and you know it, same with omega etc etc. Get the M3.


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## BondandBigM

https://petrolicious.com/articles/the-mercedes-benz-e60-amg-is-still-a-super-exclusive-super-sedan


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## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> https://petrolicious.com/articles/the-mercedes-benz-e60-amg-is-still-a-super-exclusive-super-sedan


 why get that when you can have a proper porsche instead. Porsche did the work for them on the e500 didnt they, that might be an e600 amg, but in reality there is only one factory turning out BSC products, the other ones still doing their best with an O Level marketing strategy. Come on we both know Porsche make the finest high performance sports car in the world. The mercs nice all the above are but different class mate.

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="75.00"]https://i.wheelsage.org/pictures/porsche/911_gt2/autowp.ru_porsche_911_gt2_79.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="75.00"]https://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg/201501/porsche-carerra-gt2--16.jpg[/IMG]

every tom dick and harry, has either got had or wants a merc or bmw, be a bit different @BondandBigM

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="46.64"]https://photos.stuttcars.info/upload/2013/04/30/964rs-copyright-porsche-downloaded-from-stuttcars-com.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="66.75"]https://assets.bauer-wolke.co.uk/imagegen/p/800/-/s3/digital-cougar-assets-uk/MomoAds/2018/05/21/034302/968-cs.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Image result for porsche 928 gt" data-ratio="58.33"]http://www.rsiauto.fr/images/PORSCHE/928-GT/928-GT-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Image result for porsche 924 carrera gt" data-ratio="66.58"]https://img.pistonheads.com/Fullsize/porsche/924/porsche-924-S3599672-1.jpg[/IMG]

where ya merc now?

[IMG alt="Image result for mercedes taxi" data-ratio="60.00"]http://www.premiumservices24.gr/datafiles/33.jpg?width=830[/IMG]

predictably i know :laughing2dw:

or the bmw?

[IMG alt="Image result for drug dealer bmw" data-ratio="75.22"]http://www.e46zone.com/forum/uploads/monthly_01_2009/post-33-1232370146.jpg[/IMG]


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## Andyj56

The E500 is worth loads now! Lots of 911's about.

Suddenly I'm being tempted by this, C32 AMG estate, 354bhp! For sale by a friend in the Mercedes club in Llandudno!























Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> The E500 is worth loads now! Lots of 911's about.
> 
> Suddenly I'm being tempted by this, C32 AMG estate, 354bhp! For sale by a friend in the Mercedes club in Llandudno!
> 
> Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


 i know im only pulling @BondandBigM's leg, and tbh the 996 was crap, though the 993 gt2 is worth about 300 grand now, That looks very good how much?

thats a lot of bhp in a little c might be as fast as my 330 nearly!

Go get it Andy!

is that on west shore? I'll guess at price...5 grand?

I found an e500 for 3 grand!

its sold, heres one for 4 grand

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201904247257860?make=MERCEDES-BENZ&radius=1500&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&model=E CLASS&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.0&postcode=ll284su&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=price-asc&page=1

but i know what you mean the 500e rebadged e500. We should have bought one when they were 7 or 8 grand.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes-E500-W124/173873797569?hash=item287baf99c1:g~cAAOSw9m9ctG4U

£23,000 on ebay


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## Andyj56

It's £5,900, 0 to 60 is under 5 seconds, seriously quick!

The old 124 E500's are big money now!


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## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> It's £5,900, 0 to 60 is under 5 seconds, seriously quick!
> 
> The old 124 E500's are big money now!


 yes that ones £23,500

thats seriously quick, price is good enough, if i were you id get it.

it will be its the same power as your cl55, in a car half as big, i would definitely get that andy.

that e500 500e 124 is comparatively cheap now isnt it? Most are 40k plus aren't they?










were they all left hookers?

ive found the e500 i was looking at for 3 grand.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-E500-AVANTGARDE-118K-5-0-V8/233188950500?hash=item364b2501e4:g:SOwAAOSwdxVcTzaM

hes had that a while now, he doesnt seem to beable to sell it. Might get it for £2500

yep @Andyj56 go and get that amg estate, it looks a bit special. I'll look forward to seeing it when my foots better!!!!

:beach:


----------



## Andyj56

Yes, all 124 e500's left hookers.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1099579


----------



## Nigelp

Andyj56 said:


> Yes, all 124 e500's left hookers.
> 
> https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1099579


Go and get the C AMG Andy looks well good!!!

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

this is nice a bit unusual too, instead of an M3 @BondandBigM Alpina B3 coupe in black for less than 8 grand.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2002-02-BMW-ALPINA-B3-3-3-COUPE-SWITCHTRONIC-FSH-13-SERVICE-STAMPS-AND-INVOICES/382870314420?hash=item5924d95db4:g:rdwAAOSwrndcd-JT


----------



## Nigelp

Seeing as this thread is entitled for the love of old cars. Might aswell report back on the 14 year old A8 lwb 3ltr petrol. None quattro. Been looked after this 2 owners fash and it shows its perfect. And economical 30mpg is easy. Highly recommend these.
















Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

Its Bose sound system is good and its been comfy while my toes been strapped up sitting in the back.
















Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> this is nice a bit unusual too, instead of an M3 @BondandBigM Alpina B3 coupe in black for less than 8 grand.
> 
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2002-02-BMW-ALPINA-B3-3-3-COUPE-SWITCHTRONIC-FSH-13-SERVICE-STAMPS-AND-INVOICES/382870314420?hash=item5924d95db4:g:rdwAAOSwrndcd-JT


 Big M would definitely never know the difference.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:



This one looks tidy as well

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Alpina-B3-Convertible-with-hard-top-in-stunning-alpina-blue-/293035737420










Both of them baring the alloys look virtually identical to the one I have.



A couple of stickers and a set of Alpina rep alloys and I'd still have a few quid in my pocket for V&RB's

:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Big M would definitely never know the difference.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> 
> 
> This one looks tidy as well
> 
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Alpina-B3-Convertible-with-hard-top-in-stunning-alpina-blue-/293035737420
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Both of them baring the alloys look virtually identical to the one I have.
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of stickers and a set of Alpina rep alloys and I'd still have a few quid in my pocket for V&RB's
> 
> :biggrin:


 not as distinctive as they were once are they! To be honest ive never seen how they stack up against the M cars, they were there prior to the M cars and were always based on a tweaked standard model werent they? For example the e24 Alpina only had the single cam 635 unit, they seemed a bit pointless once the M cars came in really?

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="75.00"]https://suffolksportscars.com/cms-data/gallery/blog/carsforsale/1985-alpina-b10-35-e28-saloon/whitecar-34.jpg[/IMG]

still there is something special about the proper old school ones. Wasnt there a b10 biturbo?

https://www.classic-trader.com/uk/cars/listing/alpina/b7/b7-turbo-coupe/1981/156031

[IMG alt="Image result for alpina e24 b10" data-ratio="56.40"]https://live.staticflickr.com/4581/37599357225_c5bbdf6e06_b.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="60.65"]https://www.supercars.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1978_Alpina_B7TurboCoup1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Related image" data-ratio="69.57"]https://img.favcars.com/bmw/6-series/bmw_6-series_1978_pictures_2_b.jpg[/IMG]

Nelson piquet had a specially modified M635CSI with 3.8 engine in the mid 80's

it was his road car, but must have had the race car engine in it

[IMG alt="Image result for Nelson piquet bmw 635csi 3.8" data-ratio="80.60"]https://mediapool.bmwgroup.com/cache/P9/201802/P90291683/P90291683-more-space-or-more-glamour-the-m-635-csi-e24-and-bmw-m1-ensure-it-s-not-an-easy-decision-1500px.jpg[/IMG]

they were lovely cars the e24, i like them better than anything! Anything else on 4 wheels.


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## Nigelp

The Audi A8 is very economical on the motorway on the trip from llandudno to owestry and back. Its averaged nearly 38mpg. Remarkable. For a 3 ltr petrol. Its a very smooth engine and gearbox. The CVT auto constantly variable so it never feels to change gear. The A8 is a really good car. I took these from the back while dad was dri ving me home from hospital this aft.
















Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

39mpg by the time we got home which is better than the 3ltr diesel phaeton and as good as the citroen c6 2.7tdi twin turbo. And as good as the volvo s80 d5 2.4 diesel.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## Nigelp

Gutted.












































Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


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## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> Gutted.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk


 Shame it was a tidy motor but so long as you are OK and no-one else was hurt that's the main thing.

The motor is replaceable


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Shame it was a tidy motor but so long as you are OK and no-one else was hurt that's the main thing.
> 
> The motor is replaceable


 Yeh thanks mate, I know mate i dont know how i kept it in a straight line with the crack in the wheel luck i guess, Im over her now ive got another, im a good healer!






Very pleased with the GTI. But you know eh?

RIPthis thread i guess.


----------



## Bonzodog

P I A when this happens,a mate of mine had a mint low milage A 4 cabrio written off because of a low speed rear end shunt.Insurers wrote it off tho it's a easy fix,shame really.


----------



## Nigelp

Had a stroke of luck regarding the claim for the 330d, I now have a witness with dash cam footage, Went into Halfords for some wipers for the GTI and I was telling the manager what had happened to the red BMW, one of the young lads who works there piped up that he was driving behind me and saw what happened would provide a full witness statement and dash cam footage.


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## Nigelp

Im sure @BondandBigM knows what type of cars im on about, what would you class as a Medallion man car? Ive got some surprising ones here (and i never thought of Ford Capri).

[IMG alt="Image result for medallion man" data-ratio="73.58"]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DhDYIhOXcAA-3DY.jpg[/IMG]

how about?

ferrari 440i

[IMG alt="Image result for ferrari 400i" data-ratio="66.70"]https://cdn.bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Exterior-4-940x627.jpg[/IMG]

merc cl500?

[IMG alt="Image result for merc cl500 1994" data-ratio="75.00"]https://uploads.carandclassic.co.uk/uploads/cars/mercedes/10291345.jpg[/IMG]

firebird

[IMG alt="Image result for pontiac firebird" data-ratio="60.00"]https://cdn.bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/5b6adb3bb50ba_pontiac_trans_am_1533692482abe081da73ef94Trans-Am002-940x564.jpg[/IMG]

merc sec

[IMG alt="Image result for merc 560 sec" data-ratio="75.00"]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d9/e1/b8/d9e1b8773fbb6190474d7dfe4f044d22.jpg[/IMG]

gamma coupe

[IMG alt="Image result for lancia gamma coupe" data-ratio="66.67"]https://d32c3oe4bky4k6.cloudfront.net/articles-videos/-/media/uscamediasite/images/story-images/2018/02/ebay-gamma(4).ashx?modified=20180220204435[/IMG]

granada coupe

[IMG alt="Image result for ford granada coupe" data-ratio="75.05"]https://car-from-uk.com/ebay/carphotos/full/ebay929967.jpg[/IMG]

bm 850i

[IMG alt="Image result for bmw 850i" data-ratio="66.70"]https://cdn.bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/DSCF30221-940x627.jpg[/IMG]

all the cheap flash medallion man cars of now (and forget the capri that pricey now)

perhaps the most medallion man of the moment is the merc cl500 that came out in 2002, lovely looking car, as cheap as chips to buy and hence its medallion man image.

[IMG alt="Image result for merc cl500 2002" data-ratio="75.00"]https://da1urhpfd469z.cloudfront.net/uploads/advertphotos/19/0309/37667008-780-640x480.jpg[/IMG]

porsche even have one now in the 996

[IMG alt="Image result for porsche 996 autotrader" data-ratio="75.13"]https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w390/aedc447dbcd14dceb75c6b664f03da6c.jpg[/IMG]


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## BondandBigM

I knew as soon as I read the title I would of had something off the list.










Had two 79 Trans-Am's, an 81 Turbo T/A all the same shape as this one, a 68 Firebird, a 72 Formula 400 Firebird think Thunderbolt & Lightfoot and a mid 80 Trans Am similar to the Knightrider shape.

The blue one in the picture looks like it has the WS6 package which included 8" snowflake alloys, four wheel disc brakes and radial tuned heavy duty suspension.

And loads of Capris

:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

come on you know what i mean cheap flash, add what you like.



BondandBigM said:


> I knew as soon as I read the title I would of had something off the list.
> 
> 
> 
> Had two 79 Trans-Am's, an 81 Turbo T/A all the same shape as this one, a 68 Firebird, a 72 Formula 400 Firebird think Thunderbolt & Lightfoot and a mid 80 Trans Am similar to the Knightrider shape.
> 
> The blue one in the picture looks like it has the WS6 package which included 8" snowflake alloys, four wheel disc brakes and radial tuned heavy duty suspension.
> 
> And loads of Capris
> 
> :biggrin:


 i had 3 in the form of cl500's which my mate tony in the trade refers to as money pit old donkeys! great fun though for a few grand and sell them before they go pop he said which i did ;-)

i guess the old jags come into it too

[IMG alt="Image result for jag xk8 1996" data-ratio="59.52"]https://images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/file/crop/420x250/images/owners-reviews/7092.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Image result for jag x300" data-ratio="56.25"]http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii628/leeevernden1/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-08/7B5B5CBE-C9C2-4544-8504-E700D2FAF673_zpsstscfjpw.png[/IMG]


----------



## WRENCH

Fine selection from these shores,


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## BondandBigM

Essex Boy RS Turbo convertible


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## Nigelp

monza

[IMG alt="Image result for opel monza gte" data-ratio="66.67"]https://www.classiccars4sale.net/images/made/images/uploads/aa/Opel_Monza_344_420_280_84_int_s_c1.jpg[/IMG]



WRENCH said:


> Fine selection from these shores,


 im cruising in my 1.0 got my rag top down but my robin wont go.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> monza


 How do you know my car history

:biggrin:


----------



## JoT

I had several Capris in the 70's and early 80's, loved them :laughing2dw:

If I had a garage I would buy one now


----------



## BondandBigM




----------



## Roger the Dodger

Talking of Capris...my mate's mum's Capri in the garage in this pic from around 1975...and I'm on the back of his MGB roadster.










And how about a scarce Mini Cabriolet....deffo medallion man stuff. This one is my old guv'ner's and is in mint condition, though I'd bet the Minilite rims are probably worth more than the car.


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## BondandBigM

70's Medallion Man

Been there done that

Pimping in a few Caddies



:biggrin:


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## Roger the Dodger

BondandBigM said:


> 70's Medallion Man
> 
> Been there done that
> 
> Pimping in a few Caddies
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 Natalie would have approved of the bottom one....and this was the best version of one of my favourite disco numbers of the time... :thumbsup:


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## richy176

Can only think of two cars that would match a `medallion man' image and just hope Cassie is asleep or I fear for my life. :scared: :shothead:


----------



## vinn

BondandBigM said:


> 70's Medallion Man
> 
> Been there done that
> 
> Pimping in a few Caddies
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 buick century 1939, buick rivera and 1988 cady coupe de ville. man cars. vin


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## BondandBigM

vinn said:


> buick century 1939, buick rivera and 1988 cady coupe de ville. man cars. vin


 Or a Boat Tailed Riv with a 455, I've only ever seen one in Scotland.

Now that was a proper bit of kit.



For those that don't know what I'm talking about.

7500cc of "Bad to the Bone" Buick










@vinn will know what I'm talking about

:biggrin:


----------



## vinn

BondandBigM said:


> Or a Boat Tailed Riv with a 455, I've only ever seen one in Scotland.
> 
> Now that was a proper bit of kit.
> 
> 
> 
> For those that don't know what I'm talking about.
> 
> 7500cc of "Bad to the Bone" Buick
> 
> 
> 
> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> 
> Or a Boat Tailed Riv with a 455, I've only ever seen one in Scotland.
> 
> Now that was a proper bit of kit.
> 
> 
> 
> For those that don't know what I'm talking about.
> 
> 7500cc of "Bad to the Bone" Buick
> 
> 
> 
> @vinn will know what I'm talking about
> 
> :biggrin:
> 
> 
> 
> YEA, i stll have the coupe de ville and drive it. drove the rivera with the 400 plus engine, its rusting away in the swamp. the 39 century - had to sell when i was a kid. vin
> 
> @vinn will know what I'm talking about
> 
> :biggrin:
Click to expand...


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## scottswatches

looks like my car wish list

And i have one of them now as my daily driver!



I paid 5% of what the original owner paid back in 2004, so depreciation is all be done. Like its owner it is old, a bit too big and has a drink problem (25mpg average).

Amazingly it qualifies as ULEZ exempt, so should I take it to London, Paris or other cities with ULEZ zones it can scare the Prius's!


----------



## spinynorman

I was at a local "festival of motoring" and took a few pictures. Anyone else like photographing cars?

I noticed the Waltham clock in this Silver Ghost.



And the seaplane mascot



The calormeter on this Lagonda



And on this Delage



with instruments by Jaeger


----------



## gimli

That first car is nicer than most cars out there today... The dashboard is very beautiful.

Back when products were made with heart and soul and not consumerism in mind...


----------



## spinynorman

gimli said:


> That first car is nicer than most cars out there today... The dashboard is very beautiful.
> 
> Back when products were made with heart and soul and not consumerism in mind...


 Agreed. I can see why someone would want a Rolls Royce when they were like that. Modern Rolls and Bentleys leave me cold.


----------



## vinn

spinynorman said:


> I was at a local "festival of motoring" and took a few pictures. Anyone else like photographing cars?
> 
> I noticed the Waltham clock in this Silver Ghost.
> 
> 
> 
> And the seaplane mascot
> 
> 
> 
> The calormeter on this Lagonda
> 
> 
> 
> And on this Delage
> 
> 
> 
> with instruments by Jaeger


 good show ! it s nice to see cars that were saved from the scrap heap. "panel clocks" also quite collectable. vin


----------



## Nigelp

mk7 M looks nice in grey

[IMG alt="DSC_9794a" data-ratio="74.80"]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48403073921_376df02fec_b.jpg[/IMG]


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## wrenny1969

nice old motors - personal bugbear of mine is when the owners of a modern Jaguar stick a silver Jaguar emblem on the bonnet. These old cars knew no better but a person tossed over a bonnet can be opened up by those tacky accessories. Should be an MOT failure.


----------



## Nigelp

scottswatches said:


> looks like my car wish list
> 
> And i have one of them now as my daily driver!
> 
> 
> 
> I paid 5% of what the original owner paid back in 2004, so depreciation is all be done. Like its owner it is old, a bit too big and has a drink problem (25mpg average).
> 
> Amazingly it qualifies as ULEZ exempt, so should I take it to London, Paris or other cities with ULEZ zones it can scare the Prius's!


 ive had 3 and all were trouble free for a snip, fab old cars. But...just wait ;-)

But then again for what we paid if anything happens just scarp it.

Cant go wrong for 3 grand.


----------



## Nigelp

i hasten to add scott, at the moment these cars are in the place 928s were in the mid 90s no one can fix some of the problems that are appearing, ECUs cant be rebuilt neither sam units and most are shot used. At the moment the CL is a liability no one can be relied on to keep them going.


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## wrenny1969

I've just paid out £661 for my MOT, 3 replacement brake pipes (corroded) and a power steering hydraulic pipe (metal joins corroded). These older wagons are great but they will start to cost owners a few quid.

mines an e46 330ci 2002.


----------



## WRENCH

wrenny1969 said:


> I've just paid out £661 for my MOT, 3 replacement brake pipes (corroded) and a power steering hydraulic pipe (metal joins corroded). These older wagons are great but they will start to cost owners a few quid.
> 
> mines an e46 330ci 2002.


 I take it that wasn't main dealer prices either ?


----------



## wrenny1969

WRENCH said:


> I take it that wasn't main dealer prices either ?


 the hydraulic pipe came from BMW to ensure correct fit but the work was carried out at a trusted independent garage. It owes me nothing but bits are starting to perish given it's 17 years old. Eyes wide open - like your wallet :yes:


----------



## BondandBigM

wrenny1969 said:


> I've just paid out £661 for my MOT, 3 replacement brake pipes (corroded) and a power steering hydraulic pipe (metal joins corroded). These older wagons are great but they will start to cost owners a few quid.
> 
> mines an e46 330ci 2002.


 Similarly I've spent about the same sort of money my E46 to get another year's ticket with pretty much the same sort of things, brake pipes, shockers and so on but it's still cheap to keep it on the road for another year compared to buying something else.

All told I've spent about a grand on it recently but it's still a quality bit of kit with a few years left in it yet.

And it's a bit of a Medallion Man motor, old geezer, top down, a few buttons undone on the Armani shirt and a Rolex

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## wrenny1969

BondandBigM said:


> Similarly I've spent about the same sort of money my E46 to get another year's ticket with pretty much the same sort of things, brake pipes, shockers and so on but it's still cheap to keep it on the road for another year compared to buying something else.
> 
> All told I've spent about a grand on it recently but it's still a quality bit of kit with a few years left in it yet.
> 
> And it's a bit of a Medallion Man motor, old geezer, top down, a few buttons undone on the Armani shirt and a Rolex
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 Absolutely right but the owner of the garage I use says "you can't make an old car new." I'm sure he'll have a good go at it though :laughing2dw: Cleaned mine yesterday, polished it today - looks the nuts imho.


----------



## BondandBigM

wrenny1969 said:


> Absolutely right but the owner of the garage I use says "you can't make an old car new." I'm sure he'll have a good go at it though :laughing2dw: Cleaned mine yesterday, polished it today - looks the nuts imho.


 So far everything on mine has been age related wear and tear. There are a couple of local Beemer indies but it's at that age and price point where I don't bother paying a specialist I just use a local fixer upper who does a good job at a reasonable price and keeps me on the road.


----------



## Nigelp

The bloke who had one of the CL500's before me spent 18 grand on the suspension between 2008 and 2012 according to the bills. It was a 2005 car. I once had a 928s4 that had 20 grands worth of bills over a 4 year period when it between 10 and 14. I bought it when it was 14. So someone got peed off. My old e46 had had brake pipes etc and the rack looked new. Shame some old bat totalled it. Nope the old e46 is cheap to run by most standards its a simple old car. But so is the GTI. I dont think id buy another old money pit.



wrenny1969 said:


> I've just paid out £661 for my MOT, 3 replacement brake pipes (corroded) and a power steering hydraulic pipe (metal joins corroded). These older wagons are great but they will start to cost owners a few quid.
> 
> mines an e46 330ci 2002.


 it will never make the e46 un runnable cost wise and some one will always beable to fix it at virtually any back street garage cheap enough. This is not the case with cars like the cl500 and 928 which were built for millionaires. And as they age new problems like you say develop with any old car out of the blue. Unlike your e46 with the erstwhile millionaires cars they just become untenable and not only on cost grounds as even at silly money the expertise often isnt there to fix them. This happened with the 928s2 in the early 2000's you just couldnt get ecus and no one could fix them. With the CL the suspension and electrics will kill most. Like i say not just on cost grounds but simply because a lot of garages even specialists either can't work on them or dont want the hassle and would rather do servicing on 5 year old e's c's and s's. They are basically old dinosaurs and will become virtually extinct.

stick to the bm its a safe bet. It will never cost you crazy money and you will always get it fixed.


----------



## wrenny1969

Nigelp said:


> stick to the bm its a safe bet. It will never cost you crazy money and you will always get it fixed.


 I suspect my BMW is the equivalent to my top time in some ways.


----------



## Nigelp

wrenny1969 said:


> I suspect my BMW is the equivalent to my top time in some ways.


 Breitling? Just don't buy a 6 7 or 8 ;-)

the e24 was sooooooo lovely and a nightmare.


----------



## wrenny1969

Nigelp said:


> Breitling? Just don't buy a 6 7 or 8 ;-)
> 
> the e24 was sooooooo lovely and a nightmare.


 Yes Breitling - they seems to be growing in value over the last 5 years. I almost traded for a convertible 6 about 7 years ago. Glad I didn't.


----------



## Nigelp

wrenny1969 said:


> Yes Breitling - they seems to be growing in value over the last 5 years. I almost traded for a convertible 6 about 7 years ago. Glad I didn't.


 if your 330i coup is rust free body wise sills arches etc stick to it, it will become sought after.

toptime is often nicer than navitimer.


----------



## spinynorman

A few weeks ago, at the Silverstone Classic, a handful of my favourite rally cars.







And a few laps of the circuit by Sir Jackie Stewart in a Matra, to celebrate 50 years since his first British Grand Prix win.


----------



## vinn

it has nice lines, much like the Pontiac Fiero.


----------



## spinynorman

vinn said:


> it has nice lines, much like the Pontiac Fiero.


 There was something about hearing a Stratos approach through a forest at night. Although they were actually better suited to tarmac.


----------



## johnbaz

I love car shows!

These were at the Festival of Transport ten years ago at Graves park here in Sheffield..

















































































I've hundreds of pics on my computer but never uploaded them to imgur!!

Ps, Sorry about the low quality of the pivcs, I'm not very good with a camera 

John


----------



## deano1956

johnbaz said:


> I love car shows!
> 
> These were at the Festival of Transport ten years ago at Graves park here in Sheffield..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've hundreds of pics on my computer but never uploaded them to imgur!!
> 
> Ps, Sorry about the low quality of the pivcs, I'm not very good with a camera
> 
> John


 the beige Jensen Healy is mint! and the kuglewagon is nice too, john you ever done any of the Sheffield custom / hotrod show's( known as steel city cruisers) held at the old steel works sports ground just off Tinsley viaduct or the ones in Rotherham, I have been going to theses last 10 years +

deano


----------



## johnbaz

Morgan three wheeler..

































This was at the Low Edges Classi car show back in 2015, There was a massive turnout of cars along with steam engines and medieval jousting!!, Wasa great day out!!

John :thumbsup:


----------



## Nigelp

love the interceptor still the one ive never had, though nearly bought one in 1994 when i was 22, too thirsty for going from burnley to law school york, so made do with a v12 xjs. And missed my 635 csi that was my faithful companion through uni in leeds.


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## johnbaz

deano1956 said:


> the beige Jensen Healy is mint! and the kuglewagon is nice too, john you ever done any of the Sheffield custom / hotrod show's( known as steel city cruisers) held at the old steel works sports ground just off Tinsley viaduct or the ones in Rotherham, I have been going to theses last 10 years +
> 
> deano


 'Fraid not Deano 

I've a Midget in the garage which I started to 'Do up' back in 2015 but then my knee went kaput so didn't get the thing ready!, Had the other knee done in June this year so hopefully, I'll be able to carry on the work needed to be roadworthy next year!! :thumbsup:

This is a virt that someone did for me with Mini type indicators, I'd already removed the big ugly rubber and iron bumpers!










I'd started cutting out the rot below the headlight and filled the massive hole for the indicator (Going bumperless so they need filling and then drilling for the wire to pass through!)

















Put a section of inner wing in as it was tinworm infested!!










And plugged a small hole in the wing!










I can't wait until I can get started on it again!

Hopefully then i'll be able to attend the meetups!! :thumbsup:

John


----------



## Nigelp

sir matt had one like this when he was with man u

[IMG alt="2wqoYbt.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://i.imgur.com/2wqoYbt.jpg[/IMG]

gorgeous

[IMG alt="wlCO8Tg.jpg" data-ratio="75.00"]https://i.imgur.com/wlCO8Tg.jpg[/IMG]

ff 

makes up for the tosh roger put on


----------



## deano1956

johnbaz said:


> 'Fraid not Deano
> 
> I've a Midget in the garage which I started to 'Do up' back in 2015 but then my knee went kaput so didn't get the thing ready!, Had the other knee done in June this year so hopefully, I'll be able to carry on the work needed to be roadworthy next year!! :thumbsup:
> 
> This is a virt that someone did for me with Mini type indicators, I'd already removed the big ugly rubber and iron bumpers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd started cutting out the rot below the headlight and filled the massive hole for the indicator (Going bumperless so they need filling and then drilling for the wire to pass through!)
> 
> 
> 
> Put a section of inner wing in as it was tinworm infested!!
> 
> 
> 
> And plugged a small hole in the wing!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can't wait until I can get started on it again!
> 
> Hopefully then i'll be able to attend the meetups!! :thumbsup:
> 
> John


 best get a move on john before they ban fossil fuel cars on the road :laugh:

deano










this one nige I though was mint and would be more economical than the 7 litre monster interceptor

deano


----------



## johnbaz

deano1956 said:


> best get a move on john before they ban fossil fuel cars on the road :laugh:
> 
> deano


 Deano, I work at Forgemasters and at certain times of the year we are subject to things called Triads, This involves shutting the whole firm down (Everything electric has to be turned off) for up to two hours at peak times, If we don't then it's possible that the grid could go down, For any power we use we get charged something like thirty times the normal cost! :huh:

I can't see the grid holding up if everyone suddenly acquired electric cars! :hmmm9uh:

John


----------



## Karrusel

johnbaz said:


> Deano, I work at Forgemasters and at certain times of the year we are subject to things called Triads...
> 
> John


 Did this apply when making 402 ton 'Supergun' barrels ?

:tongue:

:thumbsup:


----------



## deano1956

johnbaz said:


> Deano, I work at Forgemasters and at certain times of the year we are subject to things called Triads, This involves shutting the whole firm down (Everything electric has to be turned off) for up to two hours at peak times, If we don't then it's possible that the grid could go down, For any power we use we get charged something like thirty times the normal cost! :huh:
> 
> I can't see the grid holding up if everyone suddenly acquired electric cars! :hmmm9uh:
> 
> John


 true, I am safe in the knowledge petrol will last to see me off this mortal coil or to the end of my driving ability which ever comes first, but I am not in a rush to do either :biggrin:

deano


----------



## johnbaz

Karrusel said:


> Did this apply when making 402 ton 'Supergun' barrels ?
> 
> :tongue:
> 
> :thumbsup:


 Well Karrusel, They were supposed to be pipes for the petro-chemical industry!

How were we to know that pipes for the petro-chemical industry shouldn't have an eight ton breech?! :huh: :hmmm9uh: :laugh:

John :blush:


----------



## spinynorman

johnbaz said:


> , Sorry about the low quality of the pivcs, I'm not very good with a camera


 Nothing wrong with those pics, and anyway, it's always good to see some real classics. Is the one at the top a Vanguard?

For the first set I posted, I saw someone else taking closeup shots of grills, badges, facias. So I copied them and was quite pleased with the results. It's still nice to see the whole car, though.


----------



## johnbaz

spinynorman said:


> Nothing wrong with those pics, and anyway, it's always good to see some real classics. Is the one at the top a Vanguard?
> 
> For the first set I posted, I saw someone else taking closeup shots of grills, badges, facias. So I copied them and was quite pleased with the results. It's still nice to see the whole car, though.


 Yep, I think that was a Vanguard, I can recall my aunty having one when I was a kid, She used it to work for a Taxi company called Abbey Taxis!! 

A nice classy old Lagonda


























John :thumbsup:


----------



## spinynorman

Nigelp said:


> love the interceptor still the one ive never had, though nearly bought one in 1994 when i was 22, too thirsty for going from burnley to law school york, so made do with a v12 xjs. And missed my 635 csi that was my faithful companion through uni in leeds.


 My car at uni was a Triumph Herald.


----------



## johnbaz

A couple more..

Daimler SP250

















Daimler 15hp

















Bristol

































John


----------



## spinynorman

johnbaz said:


> Yep, I think that was a Vanguard, I can recall my aunty having one when I was a kid, She used it to work for a Taxi company called Abbey Taxis!!
> 
> A nice classy old Lagonda
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> John :thumbsup:


 Great shots of a superb car. I love the look of that engine.


----------



## johnbaz

Roller :thumbsup:

















































Daimler V250

















John :thumbsup:

Some aeryplanes that kept going by making a racket!! :clap:

The sky was very moody back at this show!
















A35? And a Frog eyse coming at me! :huh: :notworthy:










A couple of prancing horses :thumbsup:

































John


----------



## Nigelp

spinynorman said:


> My car at uni was a Triumph Herald.


 that was pretty good really how long back? Im going back to 1991 to 1994 when i was at leeds, the 635 had been my dads, it was a 1980, great car but the gear box went and i had to get a used one put in which was 500 quid fitted (a lot then), also the head gasket went and it took me 2 weeks to strip it and put it back together and regrind all the valves with dads help of course, dealing with rust was biggest hassle, new sills, wings and inner back arch plates by the time it was 11 years old lol. Also trx tyres were pricey 120 quid each in 1989 i used to get used ones for 35 quid at coppy nook in blackburn. The car cost £4,995 in 1989 when a new 635 was 38 grand or as much as our then detatched 3 bedroom house in reedley nr burnley. I kept the 6 until i graduated in 94/5 and p/x'd it for an 87 v12 xjs which was a mistake, i should have got a newer 6. Trouble was the 6 high line or any 635 from about 1982 on was about 7 grand then and the xjs was only 4 grand jags were always cheap (like mercs now). At the time i was only earning 8 grand a year passing invoices in the nhs...such was the point of uni eh bit of a waste of time and money really.

wheel badge missing

[IMG alt="ONOA4P5.jpg" data-ratio="66.50"]https://i.imgur.com/ONOA4P5.jpg[/IMG]

nice though


----------



## vinn

johnbaz said:


> A couple more..
> 
> Daimler SP250
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Daimler 15hp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bristol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> John


 i like that side mount spare tire mount. vin


----------



## happyal27

Some lovely classic cars here. I love the thought of classic cars but I just can't give up the silly little gadgets in modern cars, like parking sensors, remote central locking etc.


----------



## spinynorman

A while ago I decided to see what I could do with a DLSR and bought a Nikon D3300, which is the budget end of their range and about right for my lack of skills. At the low end Nikon looked better than Canon. I mostly use the stock 18-55mm lens, but I also have a Nikkor 55-200mm lens, so I thought I'd see what I could do with that from the stands at the Silverstone Classic. These are from the Pre-1966 Touring Car race, which was a lot of fun.



Minis, Mustangs, Cortinas. Quite a mixture, at least on the first couple of laps.





Two Alphas with slightly different views on the right line through the corner.







Smoke in picture above the result of an altercation between these two.


----------



## vinn

spinynorman said:


> A while ago I decided to see what I could do with a DLSR and bought a Nikon D3300, which is the budget end of their range and about right for my lack of skills. At the low end Nikon looked better than Canon. I mostly use the stock 18-55mm lens, but I also have a Nikkor 55-200mm lens, so I thought I'd see what I could do with that from the stands at the Silverstone Classic. These are from the Pre-1966 Touring Car race, which was a lot of fun.
> 
> 
> 
> Minis, Mustangs, Cortinas. Quite a mixture, at least on the first couple of laps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Two Alphas with slightly different views on the right line through the corner.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Smoke in picture above the result of an altercation between these two.


 two mustangs in there, i guess they are not stock. good pic's. i use a canon 350 D. vin


----------



## Steven68

johnbaz said:


> A couple more..
> 
> Daimler SP250
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Daimler 15hp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bristol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> John


 I like the blue car..so nice


----------



## al_kaholik

Done a few, digging the archive though

Brakes by Alex Bennett, on Flickr

Tepid by Alex Bennett, on Flickr

21 by Alex Bennett, on Flickr

When I had time and the car was new to me/good condition/washed/clayed and hand finished...

Reflections by Alex Bennett, on Flickr


----------



## WRENCH

I was thinking, that seeing I have been car free for so long, when the day comes that I need something to get to the shop, I'll get one of these.










no depreciation or hi-tech worries, tax, mot. Cheap insurance, fast enough for urban traffic, everything you need to keep them running for not much money. My mate runs an Ulster regularly, like this one.


----------



## Roger the Dodger

WRENCH said:


> I was thinking, that seeing I have been car free for so long, when the day comes that I need something to get to the shop, I'll get one of these.


----------



## WRENCH

Roger the Dodger said:


> Great for the summer...perhaps not so good during the winter...especially up there. Brrrrrr!


 Remember @Roger the Dodger I'm used to two wheels only all year. :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

Mate sent me info on this. Tempted. Wife isn't. :laughing2dw:


----------



## Turpinr

WRENCH said:


> Mate sent me info on this. Tempted. Wife isn't. :laughing2dw:


 Oh no, George and Mildred :laugh:


----------



## spinynorman

Turpinr said:


> Oh no, George and Mildred :laugh:


 That's exactly what I was thinking, but you beat me to it.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Tempted. Wife isn't. :laughing2dw:


 Can't really say I blame her










:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

my dad had one of these in the 60's got it stuck in the tram tracks in blackpool and the roof blew into the sea. I think you had to cock your leg over the front to start it. he had a BSA Bantam when he was 16 in about 1960 but my gran (mums mum) fell off the back so he had to get a 'car'

[IMG alt="Image result for reliant 3 wheeler 1950s" data-ratio="60.62"]https://www.reliant.website/rmc_hist2_1.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> Can't really say I blame her
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 My missus bought me that as an airfix type kit one xmas, I was upset when it didn't survive a house move. :laugh:






This is what I think of when motor bike and sidecar is mentioned


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Can't really say I blame her
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :biggrin:


 Can't wait.


----------



## BondandBigM

Turpinr said:


> Oh no, George and Mildred :laugh:


 Didn't go well for Olive either










:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Turpinr

BondandBigM said:


> Didn't go well for Olive either
> 
> 
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 That was the other one that springs to mind :laugh:


----------



## WRENCH

Interesting what sprouted from the comedy sidecar. :laughing2dw:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallow_Sidecar_Company


----------



## BlueKnight

From the weird and wonderful to the cute and downright bizarre.


----------



## BlueKnight

I never understood those "Demon Cambers."

:sign_wtf:


----------



## WRENCH




----------



## Karrusel

Believe Davey (again) hasn't hit anyone this week ?

There again it's only Wednesday.

:tongue:


----------



## Davey P

Wait... whoah... we're supposed to stop for pedestrians? Who knew? :laughing2dw:


----------



## Roger the Dodger

A bit similar to when the wife took her driving test...she did pretty well and got 9 out of 12...the other 3 managed to jump out of the way....


----------



## PC-Magician

Just detailed the car :thumbsup:



















The visiting cat came to inspect


----------



## richy176

PC-Magician said:


> Just detailed the car :thumbsup:


 Before you drive you might want to clean that number plate :toot:


----------



## spinynorman

Did you do next door's car as well? It looks very shiny. :biggrin:

I just clean mine.


----------



## PC-Magician

richy176 said:


> Before you drive you might want to clean that number plate :toot:


 For the time being may just get driven up and down the drive. :sadwalk:


----------



## JoT

I had to look up what detailing was :laugh:

I understand it now to be a valet+ !

Looks good mine you!


----------



## Nigelp

Ive had this about a month now. The GTI was fast fun but not really my sort of car...to be honest it felt about as good as ford in build not bad, but id expected it to feel like a 3BM and that was too much to ask it seemedthe quality wasnt there.

I saw this e90 on the trader at a dealer in Bradford with a good reputation and with reasonable miles for its age a decent mot history and full bm history it looked good. Well looked after with all keys. Black sapphire, black dakota sport leather, shadow line trim, bm sun protection drug dealer rear windows and a lot of options from new including electric blinds in the back and the 258bhp 7 series 3 litre 6. Unusually the body is SE with sports chassis, steering, steering wheel and aluminium trim. Its even got shadow line grilles in the bonnet. Wheels are elipsoid and on the back 275's.....225 on the front. I drive us present as is extended leather to doors. Its a very early e90 on a 55 plate. Pro Nav system the lot. In fact it listed at £45,000 with extras 15 years ago...thats a massive 15 grand on a basic 330i of the time. Its also got bmw sos...TV and AUX inputs pretty good for 2005.

Supplied via Holland Park in London who supply official cars to the UK government, but specced by Sytner and PDI'd in their nottingham shop where the alpinas were built.

First thing you notice is the stance which is low for an SE giving away the sports susy....then the disks and alloy calipers all round....discs are drilled and grooved even on the back and bigger than a CL500...all made me a bit interested...along with a grade 1 tracker and security film on the inside of the front side windows to stop smash and grab. It made me think someone had been nervous.

The steering is the best ive had its almost f1 precise and the ride is still well damped despite sitting slightly lower than a standard sport....it was fitted with m3 sub frame and bushes on the back new...confirmed to the chassis number. Not normal even for a sport and hence the 6 series elipsoids rather than the usual 330i ones. From what ive been able to gather so far it was either then supplied in september 2005 to a government agency connected with security, my first thoughts were ex police, but apparantly not as its no evidence of anything but private use and a fairly minimal annual miles of 7 or 8k. All i know for sure is sytner specced it via their alpina facility in nottingham in july 2005 ish. Then it went to holland park where it was stamped up and fitted with anti hijack glass run flat tyres and the tracker. Then went with a number of officially supplied cars to the uk government. Thats all the information i can get from them off the chassis. So who knows? Maybe it just went to someone working in an office doing the governments asset register? Nevertheless id love to think it had been specced up like it has for a retired Doyle type in the Professionals. Whoever had it when new certainly wanted a decent level of security and a car that could handle itself when needed....whilst attracting as little attention as possible. Especially in the dark...


----------



## spinynorman

Nigelp said:


> Ive had this about a month now. The GTI was fast fun but not really my sort of car...to be honest it felt about as good as ford in build not bad, but id expected it to feel like a 3BM and that was too much to ask it seemedthe quality wasnt there.
> 
> I saw this e90 on the trader at a dealer in Bradford with a good reputation and with reasonable miles for its age a decent mot history and full bm history it looked good. Well looked after with all keys. Black sapphire, black dakota sport leather, shadow line trim, bm sun protection drug dealer rear windows and a lot of options from new including electric blinds in the back and the 258bhp 7 series 3 litre 6. Unusually the body is SE with sports chassis, steering, steering wheel and aluminium trim. Its even got shadow line grilles in the bonnet. Wheels are elipsoid and on the back 275's.....225 on the front. I drive us present as is extended leather to doors. Its a very early e90 on a 55 plate. Pro Nav system the lot. In fact it listed at £45,000 with extras 15 years ago...thats a massive 15 grand on a basic 330i of the time. Its also got bmw sos...TV and AUX inputs pretty good for 2005.
> 
> Supplied via Holland Park in London who supply official cars to the UK government, but specced by Sytner and PDI'd in their nottingham shop where the alpinas were built.
> 
> First thing you notice is the stance which is low for an SE giving away the sports susy....then the disks and alloy calipers all round....discs are drilled and grooved even on the back and bigger than a CL500...all made me a bit interested...along with a grade 1 tracker and security film on the inside of the front side windows to stop smash and grab. It made me think someone had been nervous.
> 
> The steering is the best ive had its almost f1 precise and the ride is still well damped despite sitting slightly lower than a standard sport....it was fitted with m3 sub frame and bushes on the back new...confirmed to the chassis number. Not normal even for a sport and hence the 6 series elipsoids rather than the usual 330i ones. From what ive been able to gather so far it was either then supplied in september 2005 to a government agency connected with security, my first thoughts were ex police, but apparantly not as its no evidence of anything but private use and a fairly minimal annual miles of 7 or 8k. All i know for sure is sytner specced it via their alpina facility in nottingham in july 2005 ish. Then it went to holland park where it was stamped up and fitted with anti hijack glass run flat tyres and the tracker. Then went with a number of officially supplied cars to the uk government. Thats all the information i can get from them off the chassis. So who knows? Maybe it just went to someone working in an office doing the governments asset register? Nevertheless id love to think it had been specced up like it has for a retired Doyle type in the Professionals. Whoever had it when new certainly wanted a decent level of security and a car that could handle itself when needed....whilst attracting as little attention as possible. Especially in the dark...
> 
> View attachment 21620
> 
> 
> View attachment 21621


 Sounds intriguing. Exterior pics coming, I hope. :yes:


----------



## Nigelp

Ive had a few jobs done since i got it. Servicing was fully upto date with a level 3 bmw services including plugs at sytner in february. It needed a new battery and ive had some cosmetic paint work done at a local body shop. Which included respraying the front near side wing due to lacquer peel, the boot lid due to the same and the front bumper and door mirror. For a total of 800 quid. It will be getting a set of pirelli p zeros or possibly michelin sport cup 2 which it came with when new as tyres are newish but mixed makes.


----------



## Nigelp

@BlueKnight is it a beemer or a bimmer? :biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

Get some of this to polish it with...a tub is as much as a rolex sub almost....


----------



## PC-Magician

Nigelp said:


> Get some of this to polish it with...a tub is as much as a rolex sub almost....


 Already treated with a ceramic coating. :thumbsup: water just runs off it, extremely hydrophobic..


----------



## Nigelp

PC-Magician said:


> Already treated with a ceramic coating. :thumbsup: water just runs off it, extremely hydrophobic..


 i might try that stuff on mine.


----------



## PC-Magician

Nigelp said:


> i might try that stuff on mine.


 Mine will be 3 years old in May and had a number of comments which were all good.


----------



## BondandBigM

Yep the Hinching season is upon us again. I turned mine over yesterday and gave it a quick spin round the block.



I'm still a big fan of Autoglym products, reasonably priced and a good finish although to be fair I just used some cheap at the end of last year and its lasted quite well but if the weather holds out I'll give it a good clean next weekend.

There is a whole lot of stupidly expensive snake oil product out there but for the most part no better finish.


----------



## Davey P

BondandBigM said:


> I'm still a big fan of Autoglym products, reasonably priced and a good finish


 Yep, same here, I only use Autoglym shampoo to wash the car, no wax or other detailing products (I'm too lazy for that!), and it seems to work fine:



:thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM

Davey P said:


> Yep, same here, I only use Autoglym shampoo to wash the car, no wax or other detailing products (I'm too lazy for that!), and it seems to work fine:
> 
> 
> 
> :thumbsup:


 This was the stuff I used, it was on offer in ASDA a bit back.



Easy on and easy off with minimal swirling and its lasted well, only a couple of washes at the local car wash.



I bought a bottle of this for this year which gives a great shine.



Possibly a machine polish beforehand but I've had some seriously daft quotes so I might buy a proper buffer and do it myself.


----------



## Nigelp

Davey P said:


> Yep, same here, I only use Autoglym shampoo to wash the car, no wax or other detailing products (I'm too lazy for that!), and it seems to work fine:
> 
> 
> 
> :thumbsup:





BondandBigM said:


> This was the stuff I used, it was on offer in ASDA a bit back.
> 
> 
> 
> Easy on and easy off with minimal swirling and its lasted well, only a couple of washes at the local car wash.
> 
> 
> 
> I bought a bottle of this for this year which gives a great shine.
> 
> 
> 
> Possibly a machine polish beforehand but I've had some seriously daft quotes so I might buy a proper buffer and do it myself.


 Try meguiars ultimate wax for 30 quid a bottle that lasts its much better than autoglym. Honest.

In fact id choose meguiars over zymol or coatings.

The meguiars is like a film rather than abbrasive wax...autoglym have always combined a cutting compound with their waxes which was great un the 80s on the hard paint. But look now in bright sun and it will always leave a haze. Especially on dark colours. And the meguiars leaves no white resiudue. The gold autoglym is only a seal. They were very good in 1991 with the resin polish but times and paints have changed.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> Try meguiars ultimate wax for 30 quid a bottle that lasts its much better than autoglym. Honest.
> 
> In fact id choose meguiars over zymol or coatings.
> 
> The meguiars is like a film rather than abbrasive wax...autoglym have always combined a cutting compound with their waxes which was great un the 80s on the hard paint. But look now in bright sun and it will always leave a haze. Especially on dark colours. And the meguiars leaves no white resiudue. The gold autoglym is only a seal. They were very good in 1991 with the resin polish but times and paints have changed.


 Yep I get that there gold label is just a "top coat" to be used after the polish hence the machine polish first and that paint has moved on but bearing in mind mine is getting on for 20 years old.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Yep I get that there gold label is just a "top coat" to be used after the polish hence the machine polish first and that paint has moved on but bearing in mind mine is getting on for 20 years old.


 I first bought autoglym in about 1988 to polish my dads jag it was the best the 4 quid a bottle for resin polish fun times and memories :yes:

I spent hours in the garage on that car when i was 14 listening to billy joel and the smell of autoglym would im sure bring it all back...shame the jag was unreliable.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> I first bought autoglym in about 1988 to polish my dads jag it was the best the 4 quid a bottle for resin polish fun times and memories :yes:
> 
> I spent hours in the garage on that car when i was 14 listening to billy joel and the smell of autoglym would im sure bring it all back...shame the jag was unreliable.


 Just as an asides with the red label resin instead of polishing it off I used to wash it off with hot soapy car wash then dry it off with a proper leather then you didn't get that sort of haze that it could leave.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Just as an asides with the red label resin instead of polishing it off I used to wash it off with hot soapy car wash then dry it off with a proper leather then you didn't get that sort of haze that it could leave.


 Sounds a good idea last time i used it was on a 1998 jag xj8 308 and it hazed badly but im sure jags paint was very soft. What you did to avoid the haze proves the cutting that was good for say a 1980 beemer would be bad for anything post circa 1990. I first experienced it with a 1995 celica and wondered what was up. The polish is fine on hard paint. I used it lots on my 1980 635 and it smoothed the hard paint lovely. Good for classic cars in original paint! I dare say it would do a modern silver merc but not the soft dark paint they use.


----------



## Biker

I washed my car... Once. (Mainly to get rid of that green mossy stuff that builds up - was a waste of time though, five years later it's all back)


----------



## Filterlab

One of the prettiest cars I owned was my Saab 9-3 Aero convertible. It drew more comments and attention than anything I've ever had - and I've had a lot of cars.

It had to go due to being daftly impractical and needing more work than I was prepared to pay for, but it was a great car; albeit for the crippling ride quality.


----------



## spinynorman

Filterlab said:


> One of the prettiest cars I owned was my Saab 9-3


 Lovely car. Way back I had a 99 estate, which wasn't as much fun, but good to drive. Except on the rather rough surface of the M5, when it would hop from one lane to the other.


----------



## Filterlab

Ahhh, a bit of tramlining. Always good fun!

The 99 Turbo was the car that started the following for Saabs in a big way. They were super cool! My 9-3 was 'warmed' to 260bhp which made it fun, although it was the 400lbft of torque that made it a mid-range monster. The 30-90 time was alarming!


----------



## Boots

I had a 900 Turbo in the Nineties - that was a fantastic car!


----------



## Nigelp




----------



## BlueKnight

Nigelp said:


> @BlueKnight is it a beemer or a bimmer? :biggrin:


 Does it have two or four wheels? Silly boy.....he he he.


----------



## Nigelp

BlueKnight said:


> Does it have two or four wheels? Silly boy.....he he he.


 nice one, ;-)

i think the body shop which did the paint work as gone to the wall...in the plague crisis which means im going to have to sort out the bit im not happy with...if im right...glad im of independent means in these times.

anyone noticed that ive put the shadow line back to stainless?...it was wrapped.


----------



## Teg62x

My first MR2!



My second MR2 with a V6 conversion done!





Then onto my GT4


----------



## spinynorman

Only picture that survives of my first car, a Triumph Herald 1200. Picture must be circa 1972. It died of chassis rot a couple of years later.



I remember it fondly for the time the clutch cable broke in the middle of the Hanger Lane / North Circular interchange.


----------



## Filterlab

spinynorman said:


> Only picture that survives of my first car, a Triumph Herald 1200. Picture must be circa 1972. It died of chassis rot a couple of years later.
> 
> 
> 
> I remember it fondly for the time the clutch cable broke in the middle of the Hanger Lane / North Circular interchange.


 Yeesh!

I has a clutch cable break in single-lane roadworks on Norwich's ring road in rush hour. Taught me how to start a car in 1st and change gear on synchromesh only in a hurry!


----------



## spinynorman

BobJ said:


> Any Mini Fans?


 I had two and they were great cars. This one followed the Herald, bought used from my boss's wife. Tax disk on a shot from the front says May 1974.



Later I bought a white one brand new, at a discount as I worked for British Leyland. :thumbsup:


----------



## BobJ

Quiz question, Can you name either or both of these two vehicles from my younger days?


----------



## Turpinr

spinynorman said:


> I had two and they were great cars. This one followed the Herald, bought used from my boss's wife. Tax disk on a shot from the front says May 1974.
> 
> 
> 
> Later I bought a white one brand new, at a discount as I worked for British Leyland. :thumbsup:


 I got a discounted 6 month old one when I worked for Leyland Motors, in 1985. :thumbsup:

Was there a pull out of the hat system for who got that months 1st pick ?



BobJ said:


> Quiz question, Can you name either or both of these two vehicles from my younger days?


 One's a kwak triple.


----------



## spinynorman

Turpinr said:


> Was there a pull out of the hat system for who got that months 1st pick ?


 I don't remember that. I also don't remember what happened to the white mini, I must've sold it, because by 1976 I had a 1750cc Allegro with brown vinyl roof. It was lefthand drive, intended for Lebanon, IIRC, but couldn't be shipped due to the civil war. I remember going down the track at Longbridge collecting the parts (paid for) for a colleague to convert it to RHD.


----------



## Turpinr

spinynorman said:


> I don't remember that. I also don't remember what happened to the white mini, I must've sold it, because by 1976 I had a 1750cc Allegro with brown vinyl roof. It was lefthand drive, intended for Lebanon, IIRC, but couldn't be shipped due to the civil war. I remember going down the track collecting the parts (paid for) for a colleague to convert it to RHD.


 I think I entered a draw one month and there were 3 minis in it and I got drawn out first and got first pick.

I got a blue mini mayfair (£2600)which I was chuffed with.Not long after that, I met my missus who had a beige Allegro. :hmmm9uh:

Our apprentices played Longbridge's in the BL cup, at the time the TR7 had just come out.

We got taken round the production line and rest of the factory where we saw Red Robbo who looked like he was sat on a throne :laugh:


----------



## Robin S

Turpinr said:


> I got a discounted 6 month old one when I worked for Leyland Motors, in 1985. :thumbsup:
> 
> Was there a pull out of the hat system for who got that months 1st pick ?
> 
> One's a kwak triple.





BobJ said:


> Quiz question, Can you name either or both of these two vehicles from my younger days?


 I'm probably way off but looks to me like a Yam RD250 DX Dream that has had a 'cafe racer' job done on it?


----------



## Turpinr

Robin S said:


> I'm probably way off but looks to me like a Yam RD250 DX Dream that has had a 'cafe racer' job done on it?


 The fins on the engine look like a (250?) kwak and the kick start does too.

It also looks like there's a 3rd exhaust

Could be wrong though


----------



## BobJ

Turpinr said:


> The fins on the engine look like a (250?) kwak and the kick start does too.
> 
> It also looks like there's a 3rd exhaust
> 
> Could be wrong though


 Yeah, KH250 Kwak :thumbsup:

I tuned the engine to within an inch of its life then realised the standard drum brakes front and rear were never stopping it. Swapped the wheels, front forks, brakes from a Yam 250XS to give me disc brakes. The tank if I remember was from a Honda, the seat homemade, The paint was still drying on the side panels in the kitchen asI took this photo with the tail piece up next for rattle canning. :laugh: The Micron expansion exhaust pipes were also added.

Here's a pic (left) before the conversion.


----------



## Turpinr

BobJ said:


> Yeah, KH250 Kwak :thumbsup:
> 
> I tuned the engine to within an inch of its life then realised the standard drum brakes front and rear were never stopping it. Swapped the wheels, front forks, brakes from a Yam 250XS to give me disc brakes. The tank if I remember was from a Honda, the seat homemade, The paint was still drying on the side panels in the kitchen asI took this photo with the tail piece up next for rattle canning. :laugh: The Micron expansion exhaust pipes were also added.
> 
> Here's a pic (left) before the conversion.


 How old was your kwak ??

Some of my mates had the older S1a, b & c's

I loved the triple sound, there was nothing else like it.


----------



## WRENCH

BobJ said:


> The Micron expansion exhaust pipes were also added.


 My mate put a set of expansion chambers in his as soon as he bought it new. He found the original pipes in his dads loft last year , as new, and sold them on eBay for more than what he paid for the bike.

I had a bit of time with a H1. Period fuel figures quoted around 28mpg, but 13 was easily achievable. They were pretty extreme for the time.


----------



## BobJ

Turpinr said:


> How old was your kwak ??
> 
> Some of my mates had the older S1a, b & c's
> 
> I loved the triple sound, there was nothing else like it.


 I cant remember, the photo is around 1980 and I wouldn't have paid a lot for the bike second hand so probably early to mid seventies.

Yes great sound, once it was tuned and revved off the clock!



WRENCH said:


> My mate put a set of expansion chambers in his as soon as he bought it new. He found the original pipes in his dads loft last year , as new, and sold them on eBay for more than what he paid for the bike.
> 
> I had a bit of time with a H1. Period fuel figures quoted around 28mpg, but 13 was easily achievable. They were pretty extreme for the time.


 I think I traded in my original standard exhaust pipes for something or other which I was prone to do at the time. :laugh:

Once tuned I used to get over a ton on the flat.

Nobody had a go at getting the car? Hillman Imp, never did get it running properly. :laugh:


----------



## WRENCH

BobJ said:


> Nobody had a go at getting the car? Hillman Imp, never did get it running properly


 Sorry, I spotted it. I have many memories of them, all bad. :laughing2dw:

I do remember the parcel shelf thing behind the rear seats was large enough to take a full size cello.


----------



## spinynorman

BobJ said:


> Nobody had a go at getting the car? Hillman Imp, never did get it running properly.


 I did, but as my guess was an Alfa it's a good job I didn't post it and make a complete fool of myself. 



WRENCH said:


> I do remember the parcel shelf thing behind the rear seats was large enough to take a full size cello.


 Enquiring minds are wondering how you know that. :biggrin:


----------



## WRENCH

spinynorman said:


> Enquiring minds are wondering how you know that. :biggrin:


 Because I play the violin, and my friend plays the Cello, and her dad had a Hillman Imp. :thumbsup:


----------



## BobJ

spinynorman said:


> I did, but as my guess was an Alfa it's a good job I didn't post it and make a complete fool of myself.
> 
> Enquiring minds are wondering how you know that. :biggrin:


 I did go on an Italian car ownership run with a Alfa 145 twin spark a few cars later :laugh: after a Lancia Delta (not integrale) and Lancia Prisma, both dirty rotters! :laugh:


----------



## Filterlab

BobJ said:


> Hillman Imp, never did get it running properly. :laugh:


 My parents had one brand new. It didn't even run properly new! :laughing2dw:


----------



## Turpinr

Filterlab said:


> My parents had one brand new. It didn't even run properly new! :laughing2dw:


 Didn't they have head gasket problems ??

The avenger was another pile of dung.


----------



## lewjamben

Yeah, I'm a little obsessed with detailing my car and isolation has made me worse! I found myself cleaning the dipstick handle the other day!










Even the hinge areas of my doors are spotless - not bad for a (nearly) 5 year old car.










Oh, and the obligatory beading shot...


----------



## PC-Magician

lewjamben said:


> Yeah, I'm a little obsessed with detailing my car and isolation has made me worse! I found myself cleaning the dipstick handle the other day!
> 
> 
> 
> Even the hinge areas of my doors are spotless - not bad for a (nearly) 5 year old car.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, and the obligatory beading shot...


 Never managed to bag a red car, one day.


----------



## JRParker

Interior looks clean, any other performance or aesthetic plans? Its nice to have a smart looking car with a bit of oompf! I like the boot lip, exhaust tips look clean too.

I had never owned a bimmer then got the E93 335i about a year ago and have really enjoyed it. Before that i had has a Impreza WRX STI but i wanted something smarter. Whats your road tax? Mine was £555 

Gonna have the sell the bimmer after lockdown is over though as i cycle to work now and just cant justify it...


----------



## johnbaz

spinynorman said:


> Great shots of a superb car. I love the look of that engine.


 I presume the air filters were removed for a better view of the engine! :hmmm9uh: Never noticed at the time they weren't fitted!!

John :thumbsup:


----------



## pauluspaolo

johnbaz said:


> 'Fraid not Deano
> 
> I've a Midget in the garage which I started to 'Do up' back in 2015 but then my knee went kaput so didn't get the thing ready!, Had the other knee done in June this year so hopefully, I'll be able to carry on the work needed to be roadworthy next year!! :thumbsup:
> 
> This is a virt that someone did for me with Mini type indicators, I'd already removed the big ugly rubber and iron bumpers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd started cutting out the rot below the headlight and filled the massive hole for the indicator (Going bumperless so they need filling and then drilling for the wire to pass through!)
> 
> 
> 
> Put a section of inner wing in as it was tinworm infested!!
> 
> 
> 
> And plugged a small hole in the wing!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can't wait until I can get started on it again!
> 
> Hopefully then i'll be able to attend the meetups!! :thumbsup:
> 
> John


 Go for it John :thumbs_up:

Had my Reliant SS1 on the road for a while now & I still get a buzz whenever I drive it :biggrin: :clap:


----------



## JoT

Aston Martin are making 25 new DB5 cars priced at £2.5 million plus taxes! They will even have the Bond gadgets fitted!

Nice if you can afford one

https://www.mtdmfg.com/news/aston-martin-db5-production-recommences-after-55-years/


----------



## BondandBigM

I've put my order in

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

That being said as they are nearly bust again so I won't be holding my breath.


----------



## richy176

BondandBigM said:


> I've put my order in
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> That being said as they are nearly bust again so I won't be holding my breath.


 Your order should be safe - they are going to change the name of the Racing Point F1 team to Aston Martin next season as Lance Stroll's dad has a big stake in both they should be safe - must not disappoint his son.


----------



## BondandBigM

richy176 said:


> Your order should be safe - they are going to change the name of the Racing Point F1 team to Aston Martin next season as Lance Stroll's dad has a big stake in both they should be safe - must not disappoint his son.


 I'm not convinced, the share price was in the toilet a few weeks ago and F1 sucks up a ton of money, couple that which rumours of lots of unsold cars sitting on an old airfield.

I hope he has deep pockets.


----------



## WickerBill

Trust me. He has deep pockets! Not only that but Toto Wolff who runs Mercedes F1 is a large shareholder. Between them they have a net worth over 3 billlion USD. It's probably the best thing to happen to Aston in years. With the Mercedes engine tie up in the last 2years they are finally producing class leading cars....just needed the finances and leadership to back it up.

they now have it...


----------



## BondandBigM

WickerBill said:


> Trust me. He has deep pockets! Not only that but Toto Wolff who runs Mercedes F1 is a large shareholder. Between them they have a net worth over 3 billlion USD. It's probably the best thing to happen to Aston in years. With the Mercedes engine tie up in the last 2years they are finally producing class leading cars....just needed the finances and leadership to back it up.
> 
> they now have it...


 They may well be wealthy but that doesn't always work. They still have to sell motors.

This is just a random comment

https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2020/06/15/the-aston-martin-share-price-has-been-rising-should-you-consider-buying-auto-stocks-now/

This one is a bit out of date but still hints at a bit of a rocky road ahead.

https://www.thearmchairtrader.com/aston-martin-shares-still-expensive-at-40-pence/


----------



## WickerBill

Yeh they do. As I said, the foundations of producing good cars are now there. They need to get their brand recognition out there more but I'm sure with their track record they know what is required


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> I've put my order in
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> That being said as they are nearly bust again so I won't be holding my breath.


 You could always go for the low tech option.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> You could always go for the low tech option.


 Back in the day my mate and I had a lot of fun with an estate version, was it a Dyane ?? Indestructible, couldn't kill it.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Back in the day my mate and I had a lot of fun with an estate version, was it a Dyane ?? Indestructible, couldn't kill it.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 Ami 8 ?










Dyane. My wife had one for 20 years.










The Hoffman convertible kits are cool.










as are the pickups and Mehari.


----------



## BondandBigM

Looks like Aston aren't the only one's in trouble.



It will all come out in the wash but I suspect we'll be reading about more casualties shortly.


----------



## Nigelp

JRParker said:


> Interior looks clean, any other performance or aesthetic plans? Its nice to have a smart looking car with a bit of oompf! I like the boot lip, exhaust tips look clean too.
> 
> I had never owned a bimmer then got the E93 335i about a year ago and have really enjoyed it. Before that i had has a Impreza WRX STI but i wanted something smarter. Whats your road tax? Mine was £555
> 
> Gonna have the sell the bimmer after lockdown is over though as i cycle to work now and just cant justify it...


 Its cheap it 15yr old. Got it minted now and a plate for it.

























Getting it upto scratch and the work done over the past few months since the place went marxist as been a battle.


----------



## JoT

Very nice Nigel. looks in great condition

I am still chewing over what to do with my diesel BMW it's only a 316 Sports automatic but runs great and has enough poke for my needs. It is on a 62 plate with only 50,000 miles on the clock and has the sports or comfort mode options, great car if not that inspiring. The war on diesel seems to be continuing and I really don't know what to do, keep it and run it into the ground which will take about 15 years :laugh: or sell it while there is some value and buy something else.

I did think about a BMW 330e SE saloon which is a plug-in / self charging hybrid but there is so much I don't like about hybrids, for example the 330e is 200 kg heavier than a petrol only version, it only has a 40 litre fuel tank and at about 50 mpg on a long distance journey is no better than my 316 diesel (take no notice of the bullcrap 140 mpg BMW number for the 330e) and with the electric motor turned off or if the battery is drained you will be lucky to get 30 mpg from the petrol engine alone. Finally the boot is small given the need for a battery and a fuel tank.

Maybe I should stick to the diesel and get a Euro 6d-temp but then Euro 7 will come in a year or two and the goalposts will change again

I wish they would just leave us alone :laugh:


----------



## Nigelp

Cars have been that good for the last 15 yr especially bmw...just ask @BlueKnight and @yokel that its plausable to buy one now that someone paid 40 grand for like a 3. Thats still mint for less than 3 grand look after it and barring old women in small mercs writing it off for you will last 10 year. The bloke down the rd has just got a 2012 730d the newer shape. And when i saw it with his private plate on i thought it was new. Turns out its done 160k miles and he paid 6 grand. Thats a 60 grand car new maybe more. My 330i was 3 grand and everything mechanically electrically and body wise is spot on. The 6 cylinder petrol is probably the smoothest 6 in the world. It makes my audi a8 v6 feel like a tractor ticking over and the bm just leaves the fit and finish inside especially of the audi standing. Not as soft and comfy as the big audi mind. But you wouldnt want that in a beemer. The leather in the small bm is for example streets ahead of the s550 merc i had from 2007. The quality of the bangle era on bms is a revelation after newer mercs jags and audis even the vw phaeton.


----------



## Nigelp

thing is if you are going to have one you need to look like this. And lets face it we don't.

[IMG alt="007's Aston Martin For Sale. Machine Guns Included | WIRED" data-ratio="68.79"]https://media.wired.com/photos/59343d1fca941e4d0cb7a669/master/pass/james-bond-aston-martin-db5.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## Nigelp

cars, women and tears. In that order, can't live with them...can't shoot them. Im still waiting for the Jensen SP 'ceptor to be finished after that garage turned marxist in the current 'crisis' too. I might detest work myself. But not in others.


----------



## al_kaholik

Nigelp said:


> cars, women and tears. In that order, can't live with them...can't shoot them. Im still waiting for the Jensen SP 'ceptor to be finished after that garage turned marxist in the current 'crisis' too. I might detest work myself. But not in others.


 Unsure what the marxist comment is about but my ears pricked up at interceptor. I'm a fan


----------



## BondandBigM

al_kaholik said:


> Unsure what the marxist comment is about but my ears pricked up at interceptor. I'm a fan


 This looks fairly original, running and driving, not sure where it will end up price wise though.

@Nigelp

https://themarket.co.uk/listings/jensen/interceptor/b0943160-dbcf-4842-88d9-b8edede8fa67?status=live


----------



## al_kaholik

BondandBigM said:


> This looks fairly original, running and driving, not sure where it will end up price wise though.
> 
> @Nigelp
> 
> https://themarket.co.uk/listings/jensen/interceptor/b0943160-dbcf-4842-88d9-b8edede8fa67?status=live


 I don't need another project just yet... apparently the guy up the road from me runs a specialist, I'm yet to meet him as we've only moved in recently, but once lockdown is done, my neighbour will be taking me up to the workshop. Excited


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> This looks fairly original, running and driving, not sure where it will end up price wise though.
> 
> @Nigelp
> 
> https://themarket.co.uk/listings/jensen/interceptor/b0943160-dbcf-4842-88d9-b8edede8fa67?status=live


 It looks ok in the pics maybe a good starting point. Not sure what owt is worth at the moment. Interceptors seem to have gone a bit daft like most things lately. Really it should be an 8 grand car that.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> It looks ok in the pics maybe a good starting point. Not sure what owt is worth at the moment. Interceptors seem to have gone a bit daft like most things lately. Really it should be an 8 grand car that.


 Yep no worries about an MOT and so as long as you kept on top of the vitals like brakes and steering you could just smoke around in it as is for a bit.

Back in the days when you got your years ticket down the pub I've driven around in worse.

:biggrin:


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Yep no worries about an MOT and so as long as you kept on top of the vitals like brakes and steering you could just smoke around in it as is for a bit.
> 
> Back in the days when you got your years ticket down the pub I've driven around in worse.
> 
> :biggrin:


 Yeh me too. I used to go to a scrap yard called alf kyme over bacup with me dad for parts like alternators and stuff. In the days when cars were piled 4 high. And the yard was swimming in muddy oil and mangy dogs on chains. I used to love it. You could get an mot behind the bar in most burnley pubs once youd driven or more likely pushed the car out of the auction down burnley wood. :biggrin:


----------



## WRENCH

Found this in an old box of photos, late 1980's early 90's, flat out climbing south towards Glenshee.


----------



## WRENCH

Built by Leyland Australia, here's a YouTube clip of the saloon version.






What is more interesting however is the coupe version, the Leyland Force 7V. originally Michelotti styled.



















Over 60 coupe's were built, but most were crushed when Leyland Australia failed. Apparently 10 survived, and one found its way back to the U.K. and was used by Lord Stokes, the then head of Leyland, as his personal transport.

Some more info,

https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_leyland_force7

https://www.whichcar.com.au/features/leyland-p76-history

Here's the original full size mock up,










All ten survived, and the one used by Lord Stokes was sold, and is now in New Zealand. This car while in the UK was used for evaluation purposes, and was rumoured to have been used as part of the development process of the Rover SD 1.


----------



## Nigelp

Bit of an up date on the 15 year old e90 330i...it looks feels amd drives like a 3 year old. Miles ahead of e46. Perhaps not as pretty? Reliability as been spot on. Along with the mk5 gti. The 3 litre 6 is living up to its reputation as the best straight 6 made. It basically dates back to the mid 80s with added vanos variable valve timing. Which id the only thing ive touched. A couple of new vanos solonoids for oil control to the cams. They need to be scrupulously clean. And at 112k new ones were wise. All in all a cracking little car.


----------



## Guest

In the same period from 2014 I've had 17 cars, I sense I have a problem more with cars than watches


----------



## Guest

As you will see and I will let you pick, one didn't last long at all, the burgundy Merc was a company car, it's the A7 at the minute

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## Nigelp

Nick Parr 1977 said:


> In the same period from 2014 I've had 17 cars, I sense I have a problem more with cars than watches


 Me too. Since 2016 ive had a few too mainly old ones. 3 merc cl500s a few merc s class saloons including an s55 amg. A phaeton a few bmws a golf gti for collecting grandfather clocks for me mum. An audi a8 a citroen c6 a jensen interceptor sp in bits with holes and mice.



Nick Parr 1977 said:


> As you will see and I will let you pick, one didn't last long at all, the burgundy Merc was a company car, it's the A7 at the minute
> 
> View attachment 24890
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
> View attachment 24907


 Some expensive stuff there. How did you like the big xj. I had a 350 previous model and found it too light on the front end. I fancy a 2010 on xj. Been looking at petrol 7 bms too.


----------



## Guest

Nigelp said:


> Me too. Since 2016 ive had a few too mainly old ones. 3 merc cl500s a few merc s class saloons including an s55 amg. A phaeton a few bmws a golf gti for collecting grandfather clocks for me mum. An audi a8 a citroen c6 a jensen interceptor sp in bits with holes and mice.


 I love older cars, prior to the photos and it's a shame I didn't get pics back then I had a golf gti and many many many others, loved the Bmw e36 and older and the older Merc's Sl, Cls when they first came out, always wanted the cl500 and an Amg...

This little beauty will be up for sale soon, less than 5000 miles, 4.7S Carbon kit FAMSH, not mine sadly father in laws

View attachment 24909


----------



## Nigelp

Nick Parr 1977 said:


> I love older cars, prior to the photos and it's a shame I didn't get pics back then I had a golf gti and many many many others, loved the Bmw e36 and older and the older Merc's Sl, Cls when they first came out, always wanted the cl500 and an Amg...


 The cl500s are bargains but the fuels a killer if you use them all the time. Ive had a few old 928s. Bought an s2 in 2003 for 3 grand and had loads of fun in it. It was nearly 20 yr old then. A bit tatty but stonking performance. Swapped it for a tidy s4 and didnt like it as much. Had an old e24 635 csi years ago. Just have an old e90 330i at the mo and really enjoy it.

It spends most its time on single track roads in north wales where i live. This time of year they are full of mud. It would be a shame to have something to posh again. Its a case of dodge farmer giles on his tractor.


----------



## Guest

Nigelp said:


> The cl500s are bargains but the fuels a killer if you use them all the time. Ive had a few old 928s. Bought an s2 in 2003 for 3 grand and had loads of fun in it. It was nearly 20 yr old then. A bit tatty but stonking performance. Swapped it for a tidy s4 and didnt like it as much. Had an old e24 635 csi years ago. Just have an old e90 330i at the mo and really enjoy it.
> 
> It spends most its time on single track roads in north wales where i live. This time of year they are full of mud. It would be a shame to have something to posh again. Its a case of dodge farmer giles on his tractor.


 Some nice cars there, wife's step dad does rallying, they run a 2000 Porsche and an Impreza, frightens life out of me as I thought I could drive, he is on another level. E90 330 nice car, S4 is a tidy car, always fancied a RS4 or 6


----------



## sssammm

And this one is in my garage.....

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0zqcepgyqt11io5/Photo 13-07-2020%2C 19 56 16.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/24ub8ud7u38hs03/Photo 13-07-2020%2C 19 56 03.jpg?dl=0


----------



## rhaythorne

Cool!

Sadly, I have to make do with a mobile phone game version :sadwalk:


----------



## sssammm

Thats the older model, Gen IV


----------



## rhaythorne

That makes me feel even worse :laugh:


----------



## Nigelp

Shy retiring type then eh. :jawdrop1:


----------



## BondandBigM

rhaythorne said:


> Cool!
> 
> Sadly, I have to make do with a mobile phone game version :sadwalk:


 On one of my trips to the states I was lucky enough to drive this one around LA for an hour or so, supposedly had a ton of money spent on the engine, man alive was it a beast of a thing in the go department, fast and loud


----------



## WRENCH

Don't you just hate short YouTube clips :laughing2dw:


----------



## mitadoc

Morning, lads.

Do you think there will be some serious restrictions for diesel cars in near future? I know it is hard to predict, but your opinion is appreciated.

For the last 4 years I have been driving an Euro 6 diesel which is still ULEZ exempt + road tax is great too ( 30 GBP ). I love the car and I intend do keep it and my wife will drive it anyway.

I am after a second car now. I am slightly concerned about all the restrictions which are implemented every few years. I prefer not to argue what the impact on the environment would be. My brain just says hybrid ( I will not buy purely electric, period), however my heart tells me to buy something I like ,not what the politicians suggest. Like another diesel or petrol. SUV is what I am after, or I think I am after. LOL.

Have you had such a dilemma?

Cheers and TGIF.

Dimi


----------



## JoT

I have the same problem, have a 316D which I would like to change but have been hanging on to it because I am really not sure what the future brings. Been thinking about a self-charging hybrid as plug-in only hybrids are no good for me given I haven't got a power source close to my parking bay.

One option is to keep the Euro 5 316D it is probably good for another 100,000 miles, probably see me out :laugh:

I have just put front shock absorbers, new brake pads and two new tyres so it won't be sold just yet


----------



## Guest

wrenny1969 said:


> 17 cars in 6 years - wow. I'm just about to get my rear arches sorted, last done in 2016, on my '02 BMW coupe and then have it transported out here to Spain and put on Spanish plates. The car was the last I bought in 2007 and that has saved me a few quid over the years.
> 
> My wife's car is 6 years old, maybe as you get older you lose the urge to have the latest model.
> 
> At least this is a car thread so won't upset anyone


 My farther in law who has the Aston Martin, his daily driver is a 2003 BMW E46 coupe


----------



## Karrusel

This is a dilemma that many of us have been, will be, facing if the tree huggers & money grabbing authorities have their way!

For many years have used 2 vehicles (petrol & diesel) for private use, the last diesel changed for a petrol variant 18 months ago.

Due to the ever increasing areas planning to introduce clean air zones, two of which I drive into regularly, I'm seriously considering a hybrid next time.

Like yourself will keep clear of 'all electric' until support infrastructure & range is universally improved.

:thumbsup:


----------



## kevkojak

Buy what you like. By the time they restrict Diesel cars to the point of it causing you problems petrol won't be far behind.

As it stands right now you have 20 years (2040) before conventional fuels are set to be phased out completely. Do we believe that number? Nope. As anything it will be a shifting goalpost depending how far along the tech has come and how reliant the government are on fuel duty.

The tech is the crucial bit. We need electric cars which will run all day on a single charge, or are all capable of this rapid charge (30-odd minutes) that some Tesla's have. A lot of it is dreaming and speculation at the moment, the best one I read was an article about stretches of road with built-in induction chargers which charge you up as you go. :huh:

Anyway I've just chopped a Diesel XC90 for a thirsty Jag X-Type (yeah, the "mondeo" one) and currently looking at an XK8 to go with it. No concerns yet. The pollution contribution is negligible, "clean" battery tech is pushing through but right now it's not a viable/cost effective alternative so just buy what you want for now.


----------



## Davey P

Nick Parr 1977 said:


> In the same period from 2014 I've had 17 cars, I sense I have a problem more with cars than watches


 Your neighbours probably just assume you're a car dealer :laughing2dw:

At this point I would normally be uploading a pic of my beloved Porsche (any excuse! :tongue: ), but Flickr appears to be unavailable at the moment


----------



## BondandBigM

Davey P said:


> Your neighbours probably just assume you're a car dealer :laughing2dw:


 At one point I had that many cars, works vans and hire cars through my hands and sat outside someone, presumably a neighbour, reported me to crimestoppers and the Plod turned up to check me out.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Guest

Davey P said:


> Your neighbours probably just assume you're a car dealer :laughing2dw:
> 
> At this point I would normally be uploading a pic of my beloved Porsche (any excuse! :tongue: ), but Flickr appears to be unavailable at the moment


 They did at one point, also I was listed on police intelligence for a while, luckily I had a few friends on the force at the time who updated them, crazy


----------



## Davey P

Nick Parr 1977 said:


> They did at one point, also* I was listed on police intelligence for a while*, luckily I had a few friends on the force at the time who updated them, crazy


 I'm not surprised, you seem like a pretty shifty character to me... :laughing2dw:


----------



## mitadoc

Thank you for your feedback. I really do not want a RAV4 hybrid instead of GLC250D. LOL.


----------



## Biker

Meh got a 2003 320D, which has only just turned 70K, think Ill get another 20 years out of it yet.

I am tight as fk when it comes to cars, I tend to buy one that's 4 or 5 years old and drive it until scrap.


----------



## al_kaholik

It's about what you need it for. They still win out for larger vehicles that do big miles. If you aren't doing big miles per year look at petrol which the initial outlay is less on. Looking at small SUVs, as we are at the moment, diesel vs petrol real world mileage (not WLTP) isn't that different if you look at long term reviews...

My feeling is that we are still 3-5 years away from genuinely comparable prices of electric/hybrid and diesel cars.

What they don't tell you is that to use the super fast chargers at a motorway service station costs nearly the same as a tank of fuel, so if you anticipate doing lots of longer journeys where you can't charge for free or cheaply the cost is staggering on top of the purchase price, and higher insurance.


----------



## Nigelp

I wouldnt touch a diesel with a barge pole now. Not just the mechanical stupidity with dpfs but the fact dealers only give pennies. Not for me and the mpg was wildly overstated. My 330i is only 4mpg off my 330d.

Stick to petrol it will last most of us out.


----------



## JoT

Nigelp said:


> I wouldnt touch a diesel with a barge pole now. Not just the mechanical stupidity with dpfs but the fact dealers only give pennies. Not for me and the mpg was wildly overstated. My 330i is only 4mpg off my 330d.
> 
> Stick to petrol it will last most of us out.


 What's your view on the BMW 3 series hybrid? Seem reasonable value for a 3 year old car circa 15k?


----------



## Nigelp

JoT said:


> What's your view on the BMW 3 series hybrid? Seem reasonable value for a 3 year old car circa 15k?


 To new for me John im strictly in the old petrol bracket. Big mercs bms and jags sub 10k. Cant beat them. Buy @scottswatches cl you would love it. No honestly mate this modern stuff to me is like reading the Times.


----------



## scottswatches

My CL has sold @Nigelp, so @JoTmissed out there.

Hybrid means you are always carrying round heavy systems when using the alternative power source, and I am not convinced by it personally. I am guessing the petrol version is 3k or more cheaper, and I would go for that. In the real world economy is probably similar, less to go wrong too. Plus £3k in the bank


----------



## Nigelp

scottswatches said:


> My CL has sold @Nigelp, so @JoTmissed out there.
> 
> Hybrid means you are always carrying round heavy systems when using the alternative power source, and I am not convinced by it personally. I am guessing the petrol version is 3k or more cheaper, and I would go for that. In the real world economy is probably similar, less to go wrong too. Plus £3k in the bank


 Ive no interest in the modern cars Scott I wasnt even interested when young. When all the lads were buying new xr3 and gti in the early 90s and i was 20 ish i wanted a jensen had to make do with a v12 xjs which i swapped the 635 for when i was 22. Ive just always liked older things. Dad tells me the batteries alone are a fortune if the pack up in these new things. He reads auto express and some bloke had his merc go fizz and that was thousands for the battery it seems. I mean a battery lol. Give me a jensen sp and a fuel station any day. Even a bmw 330i will do.


----------



## JoT

Nice @sssammm it's in your garage but is it also yours!?


----------



## WRENCH

Unimog.


----------



## sssammm

Yep , its mine


----------



## JoT

Brilliant, nice one :yes:


----------



## BondandBigM

Is this yours or the other one ??

https://www.tomhartley.com/used-car-details/used-dodge-viper-acr-extreme-coupe-viper-white-manual-petrol/id-62199214902/


----------



## sssammm

Yep thats my one, the other one is silver


----------



## BondandBigM

They have a stunning collection of motors for sale, not sure I'd buy a caravan off him though.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

Still would like one of these; Citroen Mehari .










Same ultra reliable power unit as the 2CV. Down side is a chassis and upper bodywork frame that if not looked after, is prone to rot. Lovely and a lazy thing to drive.






Or maybe a FIAT 500 Ferves Ranger. :hmmm9uh:


----------



## Biker

Always fancied a Tuk-Tuk...

Dunno why, just do


----------



## Roger the Dodger

Biker said:


> Always fancied a Tuk-Tuk...
> 
> Dunno why, just do


 Loads of electric ones in Portugal...mainly for sightseeing trips...


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> Always fancied a Tuk-Tuk...
> 
> Dunno why, just do


 This one ?


----------



## Biker

Nah just a regular one to hold up the farm traffic...


----------



## BondandBigM

Biker said:


> Always fancied a Tuk-Tuk...
> 
> Dunno why, just do


 Maybe if I was driving but as a passenger possibly one of the more scary things I've done.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> Nah just a regular one to hold up the farm traffic...


 https://tuktukuk.com/gallery/

198cc

https://tuktukuk.com/buy-a-tuk-tuk



BondandBigM said:


> Maybe if I was driving but as a passenger possibly one of the more scary things I've done.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 I know someone who bought a Piaggio Ape, and drove it home from Italy. Oh and it's 50cc, and cost around £7K.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> https://tuktukuk.com/gallery/
> 
> 198cc
> 
> https://tuktukuk.com/buy-a-tuk-tuk
> 
> I know someone who bought a Piaggio Ape, and drove it home from Italy. Oh and it's 50cc, and cost around £7K.


 Crashed in Italy, we ended up in a field. Another totally dangerous place to drive, three hour lunches every day quaffing the cheap local fizz and the bloke who was driving, Pepe, only had one eye.

:huh:

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

Nice though.

https://enzari.com/2020/10/ultra-rare-alfa-romeo-bat-cars-head-to-auction/

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/so20


----------



## JoT

Must have been kept hermetically sealed for it not to look like this!


----------



## BondandBigM

JoT said:


> Must have been kept hermetically sealed for it not to look like this!


 Yep that's pretty much what happened to the Alfa I had.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Biker

Gorgeous!










Lerve the blue one!


----------



## jizzle

Just thought I'd spark up a random topic... I have recently bought a (new to me) car, and I'm doing a couple of mods to it, nothing much really... (Ceramic coated, vinyl wrapped roof)

I was talking to my dad about it and we were talking about the mods he did to his cars back in the 80s/90s - I was wondering if anyone remembers these or has anything else to add!? What do you remember?

-Traffic light air fresheners (we think they were orange scented)

-Halfords would be on a high street!

-Sun visor stickers applied to the windscreen (solid black at the top, then graded down to small dots)

-Fancy tax disc holder

-Beaded car seat covers/back support

-4* Petrol

-Big rally car style fog lights

-Pepper pot alloys (Ford) / BBS Multispoke alloys.

-Go faster stripes applied to the sides of a car.

-Reflector strips which clipped onto the doors.

-Metallic colours such as beige/bronze/brown/gold.


----------



## BondandBigM

Where to start, over the years I've spent a small fortune on car stuff. Probably right from my first car a Mk2 Cortina in the 70's a lot on wider bigger wheels and tyres.

But for it I remember buying a fancy matching steering wheel & gear lever, a radio and a stick on heated rear window.

I don't so much remember Halfords but locally there were loads of small motor factors selling all sorts.


----------



## JoT

The only car I modded was my very first car, a Ford Escort 1.1 Mk1 - it was a huge waste of money because the engine was knackered, but at the time I thought it was cool :laugh:

From memory:



Sprayed acrylic black with fine gold stripes down the side


Used vinyl dye to paint the headlining black


Fitted an ammeter (no idea why!)


New carpets


Fluffy back seat cover :naughty: 

Chrome tailpipe


Fitted a cassette tape player which had a habit of chewing up tapes


Rear speakers


----------



## jizzle

JoT said:


> Fitted a cassette tape player which had a habit of chewing up tapes
> 
> 
> Rear speakers


 Ahhhhh yes! I remember my dad buying a Blaupunkt Radio Casette from a market, and I remember he put speakers in the parcel shelf of a Sierra I think.


----------



## BondandBigM

Exhausts

The bigger, louder and more pipes sticking out the back the better.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

I fitted side pipes to a Corvette I had, loud, it seriously annoyed my next door neighbours and my truck had a 4" diameter system on it. Numerous other big bore systems on various other cars over the years.


----------



## Alpha550t

After the usual stick on bits on my first couple of cars, I decided to customise a Marina van. Fitted a 1.8 TC engine, front discs, air dam rear roof spoiler. Frenched aerial, tail lights and number plate. Side windows ( mini rear sides fitted upside down! ). Twin side pipes, stainless moon disc wheels and General Grabber tyres. Totally retrimmed the interior ( well my dad did, he was an upholsterer ). This included the back with wood panels and purple velour !!! Resprayed Tara Green. Had it for about 3 years, then being a Marina it fell to bits , happy days though. Oh yes, yellow whiplash aerial.


----------



## Davey P

I've never been into modding cars, but if we're talking about 1980's mods I can remember doing a few "tasteful" additions to my first car - The mighty Opel Manta (in bright orange, ha ha! ). I fitted a lovely radio cassette with graphic equaliser... :swoon: and 6 x 9 speakers in the parcel shelf, which was covered in... er... a piece of "flokati" white fluffy rug :laughing2dw: Didn't need any other mods after that, it was already awesome enough!

The only other car I've modified was an MX-5 which had new TSW alloy wheels, K&N Typhoon air intake, stainless exhaust, boot spoiler, clear rear lights and side repeaters, and a complete respray in the original colour but with added sparkle in the clear coat:



Not in the same league as my current Porsche, obviously, but still great fun to drive :thumbsup:


----------



## WRENCH

My Morris 1000 van got MG Midget engine and running gear, a Nikki twin choke carb,










and a Peco silencer that exitited under the drivers door that made a twittering noise,










A modified Hillman Hunter brake master cylinder and servo, and a set of home made wide steel wheels.


----------



## BondandBigM

53 Pop, the original steel body set low, chopped top, wide arches, flip front on a one off chassis with a full cage, coil over front suspension, an S-Type Jag rear end and a well built 460 ci big block Ford V8 set back almost inside the car, I had to sit in a single seat in the back.



Ferociously fast and surprisingly handled like a go kart.


----------



## Biker

BondandBigM said:


> 53 Pop, the original steel body set low, chopped top, wide arches, flip front on a one off chassis with a full cage, coil over front suspension, an S-Type Jag rear end and a well built 460 ci big block Ford V8 set back almost inside the car, I had to sit in a single seat in the back.
> 
> 
> 
> Ferociously fast and surprisingly handled like a go kart.


 In that reflection, it looks like you're wearing a top hat!


----------



## al_kaholik

These are beautiful, granted very of their time, but incredible to behold. 50s future vision. There is a lot to be said about the atomic era of design


----------



## al_kaholik

WRENCH said:


> Still would like one of these; Citroen Mehari .
> 
> 
> 
> Same ultra reliable power unit as the 2CV. Down side is a chassis and upper bodywork frame that if not looked after, is prone to rot. Lovely and a lazy thing to drive.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or maybe a FIAT 500 Ferves Ranger. :hmmm9uh:


 Kubelwagen/Thing/Type 181? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_181


----------



## WRENCH

al_kaholik said:


> Kubelwagen/Thing/Type 181? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_181


 Or a VW Bombadier.


----------



## Davey P

I just read that as "$14.840" and wondered what the fuss was about, then noticed it was $14.8 million :laughing2dw:


----------



## al_kaholik

WRENCH said:


> Or a VW Bombadier.


 Was trying to put my finger on what this is earlier as I'd not heard it called the Bombardier (reading tells me was built under licence). I know it as the Iltis! A more modern version of the Type 181/2 (aptly called the Typ 183). Water cooled 4-pot but still very much in touch with its roots in the interior


----------



## WRENCH

al_kaholik said:


> Was trying to put my finger on what this is earlier as I'd not heard it called the Bombardier (reading tells me was built under licence). I know it as the Iltis! A more modern version of the Type 181/2 (aptly called the Typ 183). Water cooled 4-pot but still very much in touch with its roots in the interior


 Another good one is the Auto Union Munga. It has a 3 cylinder 2-stroke motor.















These things were/are incredibly good off road.


----------



## Nigelp

Fake telephone ariels on the back of xr3 escorts in the late 80s. :laugh:


----------



## John_D

I moded my first car in the late 1960's ( a 1960 848cc Mini van) but being an engineer I did it the right way. I stripped the engine and rebuilt it to 'Half Race' spec, head, valves, cam, Cooper S duplex timing gear, Janspeed manifolds, a big single carb and the whole lot lightened and balanced, lowered it a bit and uprated the brakes........the only visual giveaway externally was the oil cooler in the centre of the grill..........Would keep up with an MGB to 70MPH, then the B would ease away while the Mini topped out at a 105mph at 7000rpm in fourth gear.......


----------



## Nigelp

John_D said:


> I moded my first car in the late 1960's ( a 1960 848cc Mini van) but being an engineer I did it the right way. I stripped the engine and rebuilt it to 'Half Race' spec, head, valves, cam, Cooper S duplex timing gear, Janspeed manifolds, a big single carb and the whole lot lightened and balanced, lowered it a bit and uprated the brakes........the only visual giveaway externally was the oil cooler in the centre of the grill..........Would keep up with an MGB to 70MPH, then the B would ease away while the Mini topped out at a 105mph at 7000rpm in fourth gear.......


 My dad modified a reliant when the roof blew off on blackpool prom.


----------



## Hotbulb

I Had all sorts including Fiat twin, Alfasud a 3 litre mk 2 Capri when I was 21 then Was into air cooled V dubs for a few years back when they were sensible prices then had my first series 1 Landrover fitted with Essex v6 , I used to go to all the early Hickstead car shows back in the eighties and dream of owning a yank but marriage and kids came along so had to have the sensible 7 seater family car , kids all grown up and divorced so now back into cars and building and racing vintage Amercian Fords with the odd Landrover thrown in ...happy days


----------



## WRENCH




----------



## spinynorman

Until I went to the Gaydon museum, I associated the Leyland company/brand in the UK with trucks and vans. I didn't know they had cars in their heritage.










https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyland_Eight


----------



## WRENCH

https://petrolicious.com/articles/the-gruelling-8500-mile-peking-to-paris-motor-challenge-was-won-by-an-87-year-old-in-a-1974-leyland-p76


----------



## spinynorman

WRENCH said:


> https://petrolicious.com/articles/the-gruelling-8500-mile-peking-to-paris-motor-challenge-was-won-by-an-87-year-old-in-a-1974-leyland-p76


 That wasn't bonkers enough apparently. Not bad for 87.

https://petrolicious.com/articles/hes-87-years-old-but-rally-legend-gerry-crown-has-just-signed-up-for-the-round-the-world-endurance-rally


----------



## pauluspaolo

My dad, at 91, has finally & reluctantly decided to give up driving. He only did 300 miles last year (for obvious reasons) & when he did go out in it his confidence wasn't great & he ended up having near misses which, when he tells the story, were never his fault but you can't help thinking that actually they were!

Anyway the upshot of this is that I've bought his car....... a Suzuki Kizashi. A what you cry?! Even the bloke from the insurance company had to look it up as he'd never heard of it either! It's a medium sized saloon, sort of BMW 3 series size, & was very much a toe in the water exercise for Suzuki who are a manufacturer not normally associated with this section of the market. They were hoping to sell 500 cars/year in the UK but I'm not even sure they managed that & stopped making the car in 2013/14. Dad's - mine! - has a low mileage (32,000) & is the newest & most luxurious car I've ever owned. At age 57 & driving mostly in traffic I fancied something a little less frantic than the Swift, despite that car being fantastic fun to drive. Fuel economy is *not *going to be great but it's an effortless drive compared to the Swift: 70mph in the Kizashi = 2000rpm & silence, 70mph in the Swift = 4,000rpm & lots of noise! Despite being from the same manufacturer they're like chalk & cheese!

In other counties Kizashi's could be had with a 6 speed manual gearbox (2 wheel drive only) & assorted trim options but in the UK we only got one flavour - 2.4 litre petrol engine with 180(ish)bhp, a CVT gearbox, intelligent 4wd, leather interior, a/c, sunroof, parking sensors, electric & heated seats, bluetooth connectivity etc etc etc. All Kizashi's came with the same engine & there was no diesel option, though I dare this would have been offered had the car been more successful.

Apart from service items (filters, brake pads, shock absorbers etc.) buying spares is going to be interesting &, as I've discovered, the internet is your friend. I've heard horror stories about the CVT gearbox giving up the ghost so that's going to be treated to an oil & filter change as soon as possible. The gearbox has a drain plug & removable sump so shouldn't be too difficult as long as I can jack it high enough to get under it - the sump will have to be removed anyway to get to one of the filters. I've ordered the parts from Singapore, the prices were reasonable & on a par with what I'd expect to pay in the UK (God knows how much they'd have cost from Suzuki!) but I don't know how long they'll take to arrive. There's a YouTube video showing how to strip the gearbox down completely (it lasts for over an hour) & I can safely say that it's not something I'm going to attempt! Other than that maintenance seems reasonably straightforward except for changing the headlamp bulbs which require the bumper to be removed! This in itself seems pretty simple/straight forward but what were Suzuki thinking of when they "designed" this particular feature?!

Anyway here are some photos of the thing I'm either going to love it or hate it! :thumbs_up:


----------



## Biker

Lovely lookin' car. Your dad has taste, plus the fact Suzuki tend to build reliability in there too.


----------



## spinynorman

Never heard of it. Like you, I associate Suzuki with small cars and motorbikes. It looks good and if it drives well, what more could you want.

There was an elderly gentleman round here who kept driving long after he should have stopped. You could always hear him coming, though, as he never got out of second gear.


----------



## Biker

spinynorman said:


> Never heard of it. Like you, I associate Suzuki with small cars and motorbikes. It looks good and if it drives well, what more could you want.
> 
> There was an elderly gentleman round here who kept driving long after he should have stopped. You could always hear him coming, though, as he never got out of second gear.


 Wish my dad would give up his car keys, he is at the point now where his hearing and speech (post stroke) are not what they should be, his anticipation and reaction speed is slower than a day in jail and I just don't want him to be in an accident, or worse, cause one.

But the flimsy motoring laws we have, allow him to continue.


----------



## pauluspaolo

Biker said:


> Wish my dad would give up his car keys, he is at the point now where his hearing and speech (post stroke) are not what they should be, his anticipation and reaction speed is slower than a day in jail and I just don't want him to be in an accident, or worse, cause one.
> 
> But the flimsy motoring laws we have, allow him to continue.


 That's the argument my sister & I have been having with Dad, his reaction times will be slower than they were (even if he doesn't think they are) & that his eyesight & hearing (which are both good for his age) won't be as good as they used to be either. Last time I was out in the car with him driving his lane discipline, especially on roundabouts, was bad & when turning left, into a side street from a main road for example, he'd just about stop the car before making the turn, I was expecting to be rear ended by the car behind every time he did this. Anyway he finally seems to have seen reason - but he's that stubborn I wouldn't put it past him to buy another car (if he does hopefully it'll be a smaller one).

The car was fine this morning on the trundle into work - effortless really :thumbsup:


----------



## spinynorman

Biker said:


> Wish my dad would give up his car keys, he is at the point now where his hearing and speech (post stroke) are not what they should be, his anticipation and reaction speed is slower than a day in jail and I just don't want him to be in an accident, or worse, cause one.
> 
> But the flimsy motoring laws we have, allow him to continue.


 20 years after she went blind, DLV invited my wife to renew her driving licence. Of course she didn't.


----------



## WRENCH

pauluspaolo said:


> Suzuki Kizashi


 There used to be one running around near me. Now I know what it is.


----------



## Biker

I mus confess, I do like the look of it, is it auto too?


----------



## pauluspaolo

It's a cvt (continuously variable transmission) so not really an auto but it works just like an auto - stick it in D, press the loud pedal & away you go. It also has flappy paddles (not tried them yet) & gears can also be changed manually using the gear lever, push it to the left & it's forward for up changes & backwards for down changes..... or is it the other way round? I haven't tried that yet either. It's quite a heavy car so initial progress isn't mind blowing but it'll be effortless (that word again) & go like a train on the motorway. Apparently the 6 speed manual, 2wd version is quite a bit quicker but we didn't get that in the UK so you're stuck with the cvt which blunts the get up go. The steering's a bit light/remote (certainly compared to the go kart like Swift) but the handling's actually pretty good without too much roll & the suspension feels quite stiff (possibly helped by lack of use/low mileage) but still comfortable. Having only owned the car for 2 days I haven't been hooning around in it but I don't think it's that sort of car anyway.

Quite like it so far but I'll probably hate it when a headlight bulb goes & I have to take the bumper off to change it :laugh:


----------



## Biker

Has anyone here ever built a kit car?


----------



## Alpha550t

Biker said:


> Has anyone here ever built a kit car?


 Only Airfix !


----------



## eezy

Biker said:


> Has anyone here ever built a kit car?


 Once fitted a brand new bodyshell on a Mini, does that count? 

Car in question was about 4 years old and severely bent. Was a nice car when done, until that is, a few weeks later, my niece met a bus head on in the lanes and wrote it off again. Gave up then


----------



## wrenny1969

Biker said:


> Has anyone here ever built a kit car?


 My late cousin did, a Dutton Phaeton in the 80's I think. He was a clever guy, spoke Russian, software programmer, restored and collected vintage pinball/ fruit machines. Eccentric and dead by 55 last year 

From memory it had a 1600cc ford engine, was geared for 0-90mph and was crazy quick and low on the road. He never built a second kit car, which is telling, instead buying off the shelf, normal stuff like Subaru.


----------



## Biker

eezy said:


> Once fitted a brand new bodyshell on a Mini, does that count?
> 
> Car in question was about 4 years old and severely bent. Was a nice car when done, until that is, a few weeks later, my niece met a bus head on in the lanes and wrote it off again. Gave up then


 Yeah, course it does, I was just wondering if such things were still available and how difficult are they now all of these gimmick electronics seem to proliferate.

I like my old BMW as the only bit of tech it had was ABS, the rest of it was down to the driver being able to drive, and I would like to think kit cars are along the same vein.



al_kaholik said:


> Mostly France. Provided by nuclear power!


 To many peoples chagrin, I am a proponent of nuclear power.


----------



## Wowbagger

al_kaholik said:


> Mostly France. Provided by nuclear power!


 It will take a long time to exhaust existing capacity. Provided the bulk of charging is done off-peak, there's plenty of time to introduce more capacity. Also, refining petrol uses vast amounts of electricity.

In the medium term, the biggest issue is at local substations: where you have a few dozen EVs trying to charge overnight, then their capacity will need to be increased. But I know a few people generating most of their miles from their own roofs.


----------



## Biker

Wowbagger said:


> I know a few people generating most of their miles from their own roofs.


 I'd like to get to this position :thumbsup:


----------



## al_kaholik

Wowbagger said:


> It will take a long time to exhaust existing capacity. Provided the bulk of charging is done off-peak, there's plenty of time to introduce more capacity. Also, refining petrol uses vast amounts of electricity.
> 
> In the medium term, the biggest issue is at local substations: where you have a few dozen EVs trying to charge overnight, then their capacity will need to be increased. But I know a few people generating most of their miles from their own roofs.


 Peak capacity and the ability for the assets not to be stressed continuously is the key. As you say, substations and a number of the assets inside will cause problems.

The condition of assets and the cost and timescales to refurbish and replace is not short and we need to be moving quickly to alleviate this.


----------



## WRENCH

Wowbagger said:


> We should all still ride our bikes more.


 Definitely. Steel frame, single speed, no worries.



Biker said:


> I'd like to get to this position :thumbsup:


 I had 20+years totally off grid. Wind turbine, solar panels (photovoltaic for electric, and water heaters) electric power stored in reclaimed submersible/submarine cells. And a Lister diesel generator for emergencies, which I only remember having to use a couple of times due to icing. Everything home built and assembled apart from the turbine, which was a nautical unit, and a quality voltage invertor. I had one turbine fail, and the photovoltaic panels do degenerate over a period of years, but the technology can be kept simple, and easy to manage. Due to my location, the turbine produced the most power year round.


----------



## Wowbagger

I have to say that I wouldn't get very far without my trusty Rohloff hub...


----------



## BondandBigM

Biker said:


> To many peoples chagrin, I am a proponent of nuclear power.


 I live a couple of miles from a Nuclear power station so so am I

So long as it doesn't do a Chernobyl on us we'll be fine.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

On the kit car thing possibly it's legislation rather than advanced technology that has made it less popular these days.


----------



## eezy

Biker said:


> I was just wondering if such things were still available and how difficult are they now all of these gimmick electronics seem to proliferate.


 Apparently so. There are over 100 kit car manufacturers listed including the likes of Dutton and Gentry who are still going.

Gentry will still make you a kit for the replica MG TF for £8k. It looks like it comes with pretty much everything from chassis to dashboard and all body parts.

I would imagine all the electrics now come with multi plug harnesses rather than having to sort where each individual wire goes.


----------



## WRENCH

Alpha550t said:


> Do Fossils make vehicles?


 Yes.


----------



## Biker

Always lovwd Rovers, had a few too, who makes the MG now?


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> who makes the MG now?


 SAIC Motor Corporation Limited.

489 Weihai Road Jingan District Shanghai, 200041 China

Give them a call.


----------



## Biker

WRENCH said:


> SAIC Motor Corporation Limited.
> 
> 489 Weihai Road Jingan District Shanghai, 200041 China
> 
> Give them a call.


 没有机会的伴侣！


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> 没有机会的伴侣！


 除非他有充满鳗鱼的气垫船


----------



## Biker

WRENCH said:


> 除非他有充满鳗鱼的气垫船


 unless he has a hovercraft full of eels??


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> unless he has a hovercraft full of eels??


 Стара балканска пословица при куповини неисправног аутомобила из Кине


----------



## Biker

WRENCH said:


> Стара балканска пословица при куповини неисправног аутомобила из Кине


 :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## nursegladys

WRENCH said:


> Стара балканска пословица при куповини неисправног аутомобила из Кине


 I believe you are in receipt of the Russian Covid vaccine, with no ill effects :doctor:


----------



## Nigelp

Quick up date on this. Its been a great little car for a daily do everything. Enough room, and enough fun. And 20mpg to boot even round town it manages 19mpg. But if i was worried about fuel id have bought a moped. Nope great little car. The n52 early silver cover engine with 258bhp and little of the silly stuff that came later is the pick. Just had 4 michelin pilot sport 4 s fitted for about 500 quid and it rides handles lots better than the chingchangs or whatever they were it came on.

















Had new M Sport springs on the front after one snapped (crap north wales roads). Reduced front end lift quiet a lot.


----------



## BondandBigM

Biker said:


> but nooooo not an Audi TT, personally I have too much self respect.


 :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

I had one, surprisingly quick and handled well, fwd 190hp in a fairly light car a bit more than just a Golf in Tarts clothes, the early ones have been creeping up in price recently just a shame the engines are made out of toffee.

@kevkojak

Mine was a 55 plate last of the MK1's, seized due to oil starvation, apparently a fairly common problem, some forums recommend not buying one with a few miles on it without having the sump taken off and a thorough clean, flush and replacement of the oil pick up and internal filter.


----------



## kevkojak

There's a pretty good TT buyers guide in the latest issue of Classic Cars, absolutely no question that a well looked after example can of go one way now. The front wheel drive doesn't massively appeal, I think it'd need to be the awd model.

£3-£5 grand snags a fsh model, hardly any with under 100,000 miles on them though. I'm hunting, see what pops its head up, happy enough to have a prod under the bonnet and upgrade the brakes and suspension, I'm not touching bodywork though, it's a seriously thankless task that. :teethsmile:


----------



## BondandBigM

What I want to know is where all these super low mileage cars that are being advertised these days are coming from.

https://www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/

Most of the ones listed here are run of the mill stuff that back in the day were nothing special and run into the ground, even the RS Focus's, I guess as prices rise there is the temptation for a bit of licence with mileage and descriptions.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> What I want to know is where all these super low mileage cars that are being advertised these days are coming from.
> 
> https://www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/
> 
> Most of the ones listed here are run of the mill stuff that back in the day were nothing special and run into the ground, even the RS Focus's, I guess as prices rise there is the temptation for a bit of licence with mileage and descriptions.


 Interestingly, a close friend, who has proven to "get it right" over the years, who has the wherewithal, and space, has stocked up on decent Audi TT's, and others for breaking. They will sit in storage until the time is right.

Who would have thought these would now be making upwards of £13k. (twin wheel diesels, more) There's a guy near me specialises in restoring these things, and he's jammed with work.


----------



## Biker

WRENCH said:


> Interestingly, a close friend, who has proven to "get it right" over the years, who has the wherewithal, and space, has stocked up on decent Audi TT's, and others for breaking. They will sit in storage until the time is right.
> 
> Who would have thought these would now be making upwards of £13k. (twin wheel diesels, more) There's a guy near me specialises in restoring these things, and he's jammed with work.


 I don't know why but that Tranny pickup is just... lovely.


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> I don't know why but that Tranny pickup is just... lovely.


 I had a LWB twin wheel MK 2 like the one above, and it was a great thing to drive, and totally reliable. Liberal use of "Aberdeen overdrive" gave good mpg as well. :laughing2dw:


----------



## Biker

Back in the olden days, I always quite fancied one of these..










But ended up with one of these










[IMG alt="See the source image" data-ratio="75.00"]https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsDf3OKPdBc/WsIFQ-5wKKI/AAAAAAAAkj8/tj17P9cbgSIxOFbtCRwQOjTcqM7FeKiQgCLcBGAs/s640/18_11.jpg[/IMG]

Loved the sliding doors.


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> Back in the olden days, I always quite fancied one of these..


 I got a new one in 1983 that very same colour. It was a great truck. Made by Ford South Africa, but it was a rot box. The last one in good nick I saw belonged to General Accident in Perth.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> I got a new one in 1983 that very same colour. It was a great truck. Made by Ford South Africa, but it was a rot box. The last one in good nick I saw belonged to General Accident in Perth.


 Had a new works one back in about 83/84 but my memory of that Cortina based P100's was spending a lot of time sat in it waiting for the AA to turn up. It did everything except go.

I had a CF it was better but had a couple of gearboxes go on it and it had the same issue as the VX cars with that slant 4 1800,2300 engine where the bolt that held the alternator bracket to the engine used to shear off and was a bitch to get at especially in the Victor but it was a nice torquey engine and had a bit more grunt than the Ford.


----------



## Nigelp

Id like to be driving a moorland green 1974 Interceptor SP but....its still not done and funds are as dry as a Munk


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> It did everything except go.


 Only bother I ever had was the points shoe used to wear quickly on them, so I'd carry a spare set. The later ones had that horrible variable venturi carburettor on them, and they wouldn't start once they got worn.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Only bother I ever had was the points shoe used to wear quickly on them, so I'd carry a spare set. The later ones had that horrible variable venturi carburettor on them, and they wouldn't start once they got worn.


 Yep it had one of those VV carburettors, but one we had was trouble right from day one till the day they got shot of it.



Nigelp said:


> Ok seriously? What would I want to drive? Probably a brand new Bentley saloon and a vintage Blower. However thats not going to happen....but but but 997's are looking cheap. ..


 Lambo Contach

I remember years ago getting tickets for getting the press day of the Scottish motor show, the cars weren't all roped off and I managed to get a seat in one, bright red with the big wing on the back. Awesome looking thing, nothing really like it back then.

For a modern car

Not sure to much to choose from but I'd probably start with a new 911 Turbo while I made my mind up.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Yep it had one of those VV carburettors, but one we had was trouble right from day one till the day they got shot of it.
> 
> Lambo Contach
> 
> I remember years ago getting tickets for getting the press day of the Scottish motor show, the cars weren't all roped off and I managed to get a seat in one, bright red with the big wing on the back. Awesome looking thing, nothing really like it back then.
> 
> For a modern car
> 
> Not sure to much to choose from but I'd probably start with a new 911 Turbo while I made my mind up.


 That Joel Mutton mate...that Ferrari eh?

Id rather have a 400i or 412 than the lambo....didnt that singer have one? What was his name?

Peter string fellow he had one too


----------



## BondandBigM

I told you I'd change my mind.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

The earlier original black and gold Bandit 77/78 Trans Ams always takes the glory but I have a soft spot for the slightly later 79's. I had three a white one, a nice blue one and a gold one all were T-Top cars.

This looks a bit nice, a modern update on a rarer hard top.





































https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1979-pontiac-trans-am-62/


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> I told you I'd change my mind.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> The earlier original black and gold Bandit 77/78 Trans Ams always takes the glory but I have a soft spot for the slightly later 79's. I had three a white one, a nice blue one and a gold one all were T-Top cars.
> 
> This looks a bit nice, a modern update on a rarer hard top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1979-pontiac-trans-am-62/


 Thats a very nice looking engine.

I actually fancy an e30 325i chrome bumper. Its a car that has stuck in my mind from my early teenage years.

Long story short, my dad was being made redundant in 1987, so accepted a transfer to Birmingham and he and mum bought a home in Sutton Coldfield. The couple selling it wanted the contracts signing asap and because we were 120 miles away he drove up with them.

My dad had a 1979 Daimler Sov 4.2 at the time and it used to be at least a 2 hr drive.

I always remember the story as dad couldnt believe it.

The bloke rang up and said he was on his way. Just over an hour later he was parked outside my grans in Nelson about 120 miles in about an hour that was going some in 87.

He had a brand new D reg champagne 325i saloon. And it made the old jag look a hundred years old.


----------



## BondandBigM

Nigelp said:


> Thats a very nice looking engine.
> 
> I actually fancy an e30 325i chrome bumper. Its a car that has stuck in my mind from my early teenage years.
> 
> Long story short, my dad was being made redundant in 1987, so accepted a transfer to Birmingham and he and mum bought a home in Sutton Coldfield. The couple selling it wanted the contracts signing asap and because we were 120 miles away he drove up with them.
> 
> My dad had a 1979 Daimler Sov 4.2 at the time and it used to be at least a 2 hr drive.
> 
> I always remember the story as dad couldnt believe it.
> 
> The bloke rang up and said he was on his way. Just over an hour later he was parked outside my grans in Nelson about 120 miles in about an hour that was going some in 87.
> 
> He had a brand new D reg champagne 325i saloon. And it made the old jag look a hundred years old.


 Back then I had a girlfriend who worked in a car hire office, the main yard was a five minute drive away from Edinburgh Airport and they had a desk in the airport terminal. All the usual Ford/VX/BL stuff of the day but due to their location they also had a small fleet of BMW/Merc/Jags/Range Rover on offer for the more well heeled tourist, usually Americans.

She was allowed to take a car from the yard at night so we got to flash around in new cars although the main contributing factor on choosing one was a decent amount of petrol in the tank so as likely to be an Escort as a Beamer. I remember her having a couple of those E30's nice motors and quick but even for the time brutal fuel consumption and dodgy handling, if you got it wrong they were well scary.

As I've previously mentioned my old wide boy boss managed to write off an E30 M3 by putting it on its roof.

That being said if you can find a good one I can still see the attraction of them today especially a convertible.


----------



## Nigelp

BondandBigM said:


> Back then I had a girlfriend who worked in a car hire office, the main yard was a five minute drive away from Edinburgh Airport and they had a desk in the airport terminal. All the usual Ford/VX/BL stuff of the day but due to their location they also had a small fleet of BMW/Merc/Jags/Range Rover on offer for the more well heeled tourist, usually Americans.
> 
> She was allowed to take a car from the yard at night so we got to flash around in new cars although the main contributing factor on choosing one was a decent amount of petrol in the tank so as likely to be an Escort as a Beamer. I remember her having a couple of those E30's nice motors and quick but even for the time brutal fuel consumption and dodgy handling, if you got it wrong they were well scary.
> 
> As I've previously mentioned my old wide boy boss managed to write off an E30 M3 by putting it on its roof.
> 
> That being said if you can find a good one I can still see the attraction of them today especially a convertible.


 I can well believe the scary handling, my dad gave me a 1980 BMW 635csi a in 1990. When I passed my test. I took it to uni in 1991 to 1994 and it was powerful for its time infact i rarely had anything beat me, but the handling was lethal even in the dry on the back end. It was too light i think on the rear. It taught me over steer opposite lock. I will find an old pic of it. Dad bought it in 89 for 5 grand and i sold it in 1995 when i started work infact i part exd it for a v12 87 xjs and got 2500 quid against the jag at 4. To be honest i was not happy after the novelty wore off. Loved that 6 even if it was a pain in the arse for trx tyres exhausts and rust. Id just got it looking good and sold it. Kashmir gold with brown velour very 70s :biggrin:









Thats me with it in summer 1995 when i went back up to Leeds uni for the graduation ceremony. By that time id put new front wings on it and sprayed them myself in the garage at home, done the cylinder head and just got it the best i could... 12 months later after law school i let it go...go figure as the yanks say.


----------



## Hotbulb

WRENCH said:


> Interestingly, a close friend, who has proven to "get it right" over the years, who has the wherewithal, and space, has stocked up on decent Audi TT's, and others for breaking. They will sit in storage until the time is right.
> 
> Who would have thought these would now be making upwards of £13k. (twin wheel diesels, more) There's a guy near me specialises in restoring these things, and he's jammed with work.


 Bought my first Transit diesel tipper new in 1988, had many more since and took delivery of my new Transit in January , gone through various engine variants all diesel and all including the new one with a smaller 2 litre engine have returned an average of 22mpg , so much for technology and more efficiency


----------



## WRENCH

Hotbulb said:


> Bought my first Transit diesel tipper new in 1988, had many more since and took delivery of my new Transit in January , gone through various engine variants all diesel and all including the new one with a smaller 2 litre engine have returned an average of 22mpg , so much for technology and more efficiency


 I had a 1987 100 LWB 2.5 DI chassis cab with a beaver tail body, and it could manage 35mpg unladen. I also had a 1978 D series 7 1/2 ton 6cyl, and it averaged around 18 mpg. Nobody else ever drove them, so they weren't hashed, the Transit had over 350 K on it when it went away.


----------



## eezy

Talking of Transits did anybody hear the story of the fleet that used to work in the Cheshire salt mines?

I have not bothered looking it up but from memory these Transits started life by being cut in half so that they could be lowered into the mine and were then put back together down below. It was said they survived well, reasonably unaffected by the salt because of the environment underground.

They were subject to the same inspections and maintenance programmes as other mine equipment so remained in good order.


----------



## BondandBigM

Now as is well documented I'm no fan of look-a-likies

But

I would make an exception for one of these.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/354370/new-gto-engineering-squalo-set-2023-launch










Where do I sign

:biggrin:

Although I would have them change the wheels to more traditional wires and delete the vents on the rear quarters.


----------



## BondandBigM

Should have bought one when they were cheap.










https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/road-cars/an-aston-martin-db5-for-every-occasion-3-car-collection-on-sale-for-4m

:huh:


----------



## pauluspaolo

As some forum members may know I've owned this car for a number of years - I'll have owned it 13 years this year which is by far the longest I've owned any car. It's been off the road for 3 or 4 of those years whilst I fitted a new engine (1800 zetec to replace the original 1600 cvh) & uprated the suspension & brakes. I've never really considered the car finished though & this year I've fitted new alloys (it's one of the few cars that 3 spoke alloys look good on I think), new tyres & a new custom made stainless steel exhaust manifold (sounds good & looks so much better than the cast iron one I'd fitted before). For fairly obvious reasons the car didn't get used much last year & I only did 200 miles in it (I'm surprised I did that many). Anyway today was MOT day & I'm happy to say the car passed. Happy days & I'll probably be adding to the mileage tomorrow :biggrin: :notworthy:


----------



## Biker

forgive my ignorance, is that a kit?


----------



## pauluspaolo

Biker said:


> forgive my ignorance, is that a kit?


 Considering the "build quality" it may as well be a kit car, but no it's actually a production car (a Reliant Scimitar SS1). Reliant - they of Del boys 3 wheeler fame - built just over 1500 of them at their factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire. They came in various flavours most with Ford cvh engines (1300, 1400 & 1600) but some were fitted with the 1800cc Nissan turbo engine (from the Nissan Silvia turbo). These are called the Reliant 1800ti which makes them a pretty quick car even by todays standards. Owners have modified them even further & some now have big power 300+bhp in some cases which must be mental in such a small light car! Later versions were restyled & look a heck of a lot better with some having Rover K series engines. Handling on all versions is excellent with a surprisingly comfortable ride & very direct steering :laugh:


----------



## Biker

I remember the other Scimitars, I think they had 3.0l Ford v6 lumps in them, in fact I saw one a few weeks back in Helensburgh. Never seen that version though


----------



## pauluspaolo

They're not common, though there is another one not far from me. I've never talked to the owner but I've seen it out & about a couple of times. Randomly it's looked after by the same garage that MOT's mine. Funnily, whilst my wife was in my SS1 we saw the other one & she asked what that funny looking car was?!?! :laugh:

The Scimitar GTE's were much more successful (Princess Anne owned a couple I think) & are more common. They were/are powered by Ford V6's - the 3 litre Essex & the 2.8 litre Cologne. However owners have started to modify these & have fitted various alternative engines over the years - everything from turbo diesels to whopping great V8's.A conversion that's becoming popular is fitting the V6 from the Vauxhall Omega leading to the car's being known as Scimega's. Not sure how much oomph the Vauxhall engine makes but it's a lot more than the Ford engines do :biggrin:


----------



## bridgeman

Have followed your rebuilds over the years….well done for reaching MOT pass,looks good :thumbsup:


----------



## pauluspaolo

Thanks all :thumbs_up: I've driven to work in the car today just to celebrate its MOT pass. Even the temperature gauge worked on the journey in, which is a rarity as it's very intermittent/temperamental & just to prove that it threw it's dummy out of the pram on the way home & didn't work at all (not even a hint of movement :huh: ) Otherwise all was OK & the car continues to be fun to drive with very direct steering & excellent handling :thumbs_up:


----------



## Colin Belfast

Saw a lovely Jaguar XK120 in British Racing Green this morning, looking wonderful with the hood down. (1952 - I checked the registration online) :thumbs_up:


----------



## BondandBigM

Colin Belfast said:


> Saw a lovely Jaguar XK120 in British Racing Green this morning, looking wonderful with the hood down. (1952 - I checked the registration online) :thumbs_up:


 Years ago against all the advice I dipped my toe in the Jag water, it was an itche that had to be scratched and a rust bucket money pit that cost me more than the car was worth but the V12 motor was a sublime bit of British engineering, smoother than a smooth thing.


----------



## WRENCH

Always fancied a proper old school London black cab. I honestly thought I'd seen the latest model on Sunday.


----------



## BondandBigM

Another should have bought one when they were cheap. I had a couple of later C3 Vettes but always fancied a split window. They are fetching crazy money now.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1963-chevrolet-corvette-80/

$165K which by the time you got it here would pretty much be the same number in Sterling and it's not even that original.

:huh:


----------



## eezy

BondandBigM said:


> Years ago against all the advice I dipped my toe in the Jag water, it was an itche that had to be scratched and a rust bucket money pit that cost me more than the car was worth but the V12 motor was a sublime bit of British engineering, smoother than a smooth thing.


 I worked on the very first V12's as an apprentice at the Jaguar factory.

Some of the older apprentices were allowed to help load the transporters. One lad was loading an E type and the throttle stuck. He hit the loading ramp and leapt up the back of the trailer just stopping at the top. The throttle linkage had a sort of round swivel plate with an arm going to each bank of the 'V'. The swivel had gone too far and the arms went over centre and locked.

He always kept a clean pair of pants in his locker after that........


----------



## BondandBigM

eezy said:


> I worked on the very first V12's as an apprentice at the Jaguar factory.
> 
> Some of the older apprentices were allowed to help load the transporters. One lad was loading an E type and the throttle stuck. He hit the loading ramp and leapt up the back of the trailer just stopping at the top. The throttle linkage had a sort of round swivel plate with an arm going to each bank of the 'V'. The swivel had gone too far and the arms went over centre and locked.
> 
> He always kept a clean pair of pants in his locker after that........


 Back in the day most smaller petrol stations, I seem to think Esso, had a couple of bays for services and Mot tests which independents could lease or rent. My cousin took one on. He had a Cortina on the ramps, reached inside to start it but unfortunately it was still in gear.

It shot off the end and got wedged between the ramp and the back wall.

Pretty much put him out of business

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## eezy

BondandBigM said:


> It shot off the end and got wedged between the ramp and the back wall.


 Not seen that but had many a one run off the rails and get stuck in the middle of the ramps.

Those 2 posters with 2 arms used to fill me with dread. Press the button and wait for the chassis/floor to start crunching


----------



## BondandBigM

eezy said:


> Not seen that but had many a one run off the rails and get stuck in the middle of the ramps.
> 
> Those 2 posters with 2 arms used to fill me with dread. Press the button and wait for the chassis/floor to start crunching


 Rear chassis rails on Mk2 Cortinas patched up with shaved down 4x2 fence posts and news papers with catty in the front wings.

The good old days

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Eaglegale

A long time ago, one of the ushers for my wedding was in his SS1 on the way to from Berkshire to the ceremony in the Midlands. The engine went bang in a big way, so he and his wife never arrived. We think the cambelt went. Pre-mobile phones so we didn't hear what happened for weeks as we were off in the USA on honeymoon. Cool car though.


----------



## pauluspaolo

Been out in the car again today - to a local car show/get together organised by a YouTuber called HubNut. I've not seen any of his videos but my friend has & he rates them quite highly. It was at a place called The Motorist in Sherburn in Elmet just outside Leeds. I've not been before but it's quite a place with a cafe, garage & classic sales/restoration. Mine was the only SS1 but various other Reliants turned up - 3 wheelers in the main but also a GTE & a very smart Kitten (like a 3 wheeler but with 4 wheels). The meet also celebrated pretty mundane, once common, but now rare cars, such as Vauxhall Cavaliers, Rover 75's, Fiat Seicento, MG Maestro & MG Montego amongst many others.

There was also a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) meet on so there were lots of Japanese cars there - Honda CRX (always liked these but very rare now), Nissan Skylines (old & new versions) as well as various Toyota's, Mazda's, Subaru's etc etc etc.

The classics/borderline classics were mixed in with the modern cars so you'd get an MG Midget parked next to a Volvo XC70! To say it was free it was pretty good really. The SS1's gone well & created a bit of interest - it's been a good day :thumbs_up:


----------



## BondandBigM

The world has went mad.

£650K and still four days to go

:swoon:

https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1996-porsche-911-993-gt2

Back in the day there was a bloke who lived who lived along the road from me had one of these. I used to see it often and it looked like his daily driver. I wonder if he still has it, lucky boy if he does.


----------



## scottswatches

BondandBigM said:


> The world has went mad.
> 
> £650K and still four days to go
> 
> :swoon:
> 
> https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1996-porsche-911-993-gt2
> 
> Back in the day there was a bloke who lived who lived along the road from me had one of these. I used to see it often and it looked like his daily driver. I wonder if he still has it, lucky boy if he does.


 Those wheel arch extensions look awful too - and you wouldn't like it is the screw heads didn't align perfectly (they look like self tapping screws!)


----------



## BondandBigM

scottswatches said:


> Those wheel arch extensions look awful too - and you wouldn't like it is the screw heads didn't align perfectly (they look like self tapping screws!)


 I'll bet for that sort of money the seller will have had his apprentice grease monkey out there with his 5mm Allen Key lining up every last one of them.

As they say

"The Devil is in the Detail"

That's what you pay the big money for.



Don't you have an old Lotus with an old iron Ford Cortinas engine and back seats..... So......

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:










I'll take the Porker any day of the week all week.

:biggrin:


----------



## scottswatches

BondandBigM said:


> Don't you have an old Lotus with an old iron Ford Cortinas engine and back seats..... So......
> 
> :biggrin:


 Ford block, Cosworth head. And it isn't going to ever be £600,000 unless we suffer Zimbabwe like super inflation, so I'll take the compromise :tongue:


----------



## BondandBigM

scottswatches said:


> Ford block, Cosworth head. And it isn't going to ever be £600,000 unless we suffer Zimbabwe like super inflation, so I'll take the compromise :tongue:


 Have you been to Cosworth! ??

No disrespect but back in the day a Lotus with four seats was about as popular as a [email protected] in swimming pool.



:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## eezy

Back in the 60's my boss at the time used to rally a Mk1 Cortina GT. I asked why not a Lotus and was told you could get a fair bit more power from a race tuned crossflow than a Lotus engine.


----------



## BondandBigM

scottswatches said:


> Cosworth head


 Sort of

The Lotus/Cosworth connection is an interesting story but it depends who's telling it and how rose tinted their glasses are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus-Ford_Twin_Cam



eezy said:


> Back in the 60's my boss at the time used to rally a Mk1 Cortina GT. I asked why not a Lotus and was told you could get a fair bit more power from a race tuned crossflow than a Lotus engine.


 Not so sure about that one although I suspect that for the cost involved he had a point.

My mate has a 65 FHC Elan which has a well worked over twin cam, I've driven it a couple of times and even by today's standards it's a bit quick but it wasn't cheap to put together.


----------



## BondandBigM

Fancy an F1 car.

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/sm21/st--moritz/lots/r0014-2002-mclaren-mp4-17d/1152466

Could hang it on the wall or just sit in it now and again.


----------



## Alpha550t

BondandBigM said:


> Fancy an F1 car.
> 
> https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/sm21/st--moritz/lots/r0014-2002-mclaren-mp4-17d/1152466
> 
> Could hang it on the wall or just sit in it now and again.


 Doesn't say anything about tax and mot.


----------



## BondandBigM

Alpha550t said:


> Doesn't say anything about tax and mot.


 Years ago I had one of my cars in a show at the Newcastle Arena, Mercedes had a stand and they had Coulthard & Hakkinens F1 cars on display.

When they were setting up prior to opening for the public we had a look and were allowed to have a seat, I couldn't physically get in one. A really tight squeeze.

So it would just be expensive wall art.


----------



## WRENCH

I had an original one of these in the 1970's and it was truly horrible, this looks like scary fun though, and I'd like to drive it.


----------



## BondandBigM

£230k plus commission

:swoon:

The world has truly went mad


----------



## JoT

BondandBigM said:


> £230k plus commission
> 
> :swoon:
> 
> The world has truly went mad


 It looks like it has spent a night parked in Central Estate!


----------



## BondandBigM

JoT said:


> It looks like it has spent a night parked in Central Estate!


 I suppose it all depends on the margins. Can you put one of these back together for less than £95K and turn a profit.

These old Countach are huge money to restore properly. An old mate of mine did two Espadas and the cost of some of the parts was eye-watering, nothing was remotely cheap.


----------



## Hotbulb

It's been a kinda busy few months but managed to do Goodwood revival after being invited to take part in the Hotrod parade and show celebrating 70 years of the National Hot Rod Association … all went well till Sunday morning when I blew up my engine sending a Conrod out both sides of the block and through the sump … of your going to do it do it in style in front of the cameras and an audience , a fantastic photo came up of the moment it went bang , I have now stripped down the engine to see what's salvageable maybe the head and three pistons , onward and upwards I suppose


----------



## eezy

The way that piston is distorted, did it get clobbered by the valves?

Can't see from the pics but is it a 'common' engine?

I've seen a few cast iron blocks welded back together where that has happened.


----------



## scottswatches

We used to mark parts like the NFG, and put them to one side. :laughing2dw:

Fully agree if you are going to blow up, best to do it with a stage like that

Time for a new engine. No idea what you will be looking for but a small block V8 or supercharged 4 would be on my list


----------



## Ugg10

Ouch, looks pretty spectacular and not much left to salvage. Also looks like a pretty expensive engine build, is that a low level dry sump or just a fancy ally pan. That's the reason I am sticking with modern "disposable" engines, my 1.6 Zetec SE all ally engine, with cams, throttle bodies, rod bolts, valve springs and ecu will push out 160hp and rev to 8k on stock internals with no head work, if it goes bang it's £150 to replace, I liken it to a modern day Twink! Plus it's bolted to a RX8 6 speed box which again will rev to 9k, ratios for gears 2-6 are pretty much the same as a Quaife Clubman but it's helical not straight cut and can take 250hp/250ftlb all day every day, and again it it goes pop it's £150 to replace.

All the best finding a replacement and the car looks epic by the way.


----------



## Hotbulb

eezy said:


> The way that piston is distorted, did it get clobbered by the valves?
> 
> Can't see from the pics but is it a 'common' engine?
> 
> I've seen a few cast iron blocks welded back together where that has happened.


 It's a Black top Zetec so not expensive to replace , The piston hit the head and but looks like the valves have survived



















Ugg10 said:


> Ouch, looks pretty spectacular and not much left to salvage. Also looks like a pretty expensive engine build, is that a low level dry sump or just a fancy ally pan. That's the reason I am sticking with modern "disposable" engines, my 1.6 Zetec SE all ally engine, with cams, throttle bodies, rod bolts, valve springs and ecu will push out 160hp and rev to 8k on stock internals with no head work, if it goes bang it's £150 to replace, I liken it to a modern day Twink! Plus it's bolted to a RX8 6 speed box which again will rev to 9k, ratios for gears 2-6 are pretty much the same as a Quaife Clubman but it's helical not straight cut and can take 250hp/250ftlb all day every day, and again it it goes pop it's £150 to replace.
> 
> All the best finding a replacement and the car looks epic by the way.


 Yes a fair bit of money gone into that engine , It's a much modified black top Zetec running race cams , head has been ported and flowed to the max but stock size valves , block was decked 30 thou and over bored to 2060 cc and fitted with forged pistons , bottom end all ARP , lighted flywheel and all balanced ,sump is a raceline Ali one and a not dry sump , fitted with 48 DCOE carbs with 42mm chokes , it pulled 227 hp on the Dyno @8100 rpm , the gearbox is a type 9 that has been fitted with BGH helical gears so nice and quiet but nearly as strong as a Quaife also running a sintered paddle clutch as I kept spitting out the bell housing friction plates type ones , hopefully my engine builder can redo a new block and bottom end and salvage some of what's left , the con Rod that failed was the only stock item left which is the law of sod so maybe forged rods next time , back racing in May hopefully trying to beat my own class records at Pendine Sands hot Rod races



scottswatches said:


> We used to mark parts like the NFG, and put them to one side. :laughing2dw:
> 
> Fully agree if you are going to blow up, best to do it with a stage like that
> 
> Time for a new engine. No idea what you will be looking for but a small block V8 or supercharged 4 would be on my list


 The plan is to up my current records at Pendine then strip out and put in a small block Ford but rebuilding this engine is the cheaper option at the Moment as that will require a full drive retrain up grade


----------



## Ugg10

Sounds like a fair chunk of the cost is obviously in the head/carbs/setup so if that is OK then looks like it should be salvageable with a bit of work. BGH box is also a nice bit of kit. I had a stock Silvertop on Bike Carbs/megajolt in my Fisher Fury, great engine with loads of torque. Good luck with the rebuild. Small block ford will be a great road engine, assume it will be with a T5 behind it.


----------



## Hotbulb

Ugg10 said:


> Sounds like a fair chunk of the cost is obviously in the head/carbs/setup so if that is OK then looks like it should be salvageable with a bit of work. BGH box is also a nice bit of kit. I had a stock Silvertop on Bike Carbs/megajolt in my Fisher Fury, great engine with loads of torque. Good luck with the rebuild. Small block ford will be a great road engine, assume it will be with a T5 behind it.


 Thanks , i did manage to break 3rd gear on the BGH gearbox with a mixture of drag racing and hill climbing which was a first for them ha ha , so got a few Quiafe bits in it now for good measure , sounds like you had a nice set up there as well

I haven't decided yet on gearbox behind the small block but I like the Muncie and Richmond 4 speeds as I have a bit of a doppelgänger going on with 5 speed boxes when I'm racing and tend to either miss third and go into fifth or go back into first which has caused a few problems as you can imagine , I have a Muncie already which is fitted in another project I'm building , there nice and compact as well where as the Tremecs are huge and the T5s are a bit on the weak side especially with my history


----------



## Hotbulb

As a former VW fan I found this quite amusing


----------



## BondandBigM

I need an appointment with The Bank of Big M regarding my allowance

PDQ

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

I passed by the local Porsche stealership the other day and they have one of these on display in the showroom so I stopped off for a look see.










A face only a mother could love but in the metal an absolutely stunning looking thing. Form over function.

Definitely one for the lottery win fantasy garage. I might polish up the LV and get Big M to iron my Versace undercrackers and try and blagg a test drive.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

A couple of not very good pics, the security bloke was less than impressed at me licking the windows at seven o'clock this morning so another place that probably won't let me in never mind getting a test drive.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

There is alway a bit of decent sounding exhaust noise in the wind at work so I had a wander out at break time to see if I could find where it was coming from.










:huh:

How much is a 512 TR worth these days and the one hidden behind the Lambo was a Maserati

Not the sort of motors you'd expect to find in the backwaters of a Teesside Industrial Estate.

I'll have the Ferrari please.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## Biker

BondandBigM said:


> I'll have the Ferrari please.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 That's what the chap said that had them stolen to order....


----------



## BondandBigM

Biker said:


> That's what the chap said that had them stolen to order....


 Turns out it's a place that tunes and services high end motors, although why someone would go to a dodgy Teesside Industrial Estate with a £300+k Ferrari and not send it back to the factory in Italy to be properly fettled I have no idea.

By the way it was absolutely spotless, there wasn't a mark on it inside or out.


----------



## WRENCH

This will be a load of fun.

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-bikes/2022-honda-dax-st125/


----------



## BondandBigM

Seeing as the New Jersey bloke didn't get back to us I found a 65 a bit closer to home not a Fuelie but it has the disc brake option. Close enough to maybe go for a look see.










https://www.retroclassiccar.com/1965-chevrolet-corvette-stingray-c2-327-v8-manual/

Looks nice but £74K though

:huh:


----------



## BondandBigM

This caught my eye today.










At first it might look like just another ratty chaved up old boy racer Focus

Until you get round the back










I've never actually seen one in the metal, there were only about a 100 or so RHD made. I was speaking to the bloke and mentioned that I had never seen one before, he was laughing and told me the owner had just bought it but had another one and pointed inside and sure enough another identical one sat inside. Two in the space of five minutes

Apparently he had just paid £80K for the one in my pictures.

:huh:

Madness

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## eezy

Anybody fancy a Range Rover import from China?

Watch | Facebook


----------



## WRENCH

eezy said:


> Anybody fancy a Range Rover import from China?
> 
> Watch | Facebook


 The guy from the local "lockups" must have been over to train them. :laughing2dw:


----------



## eezy

WRENCH said:


> The guy from the local "lockups" must have been over to train them. :laughing2dw:


 So proud of their workmanship that they share it on video...


----------



## BondandBigM

@JoT

Another tidy one for you to have a bid on

https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1972-ford-capri-3000-gt


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> @JoT
> 
> Another tidy one for you to have a bid on
> 
> https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1972-ford-capri-3000-gt


 Two of my mates had RS3100's with the fashionable double clusters of 3 cibie's. I saw one of cars last Saturday. The current owner has obviously spent a fortune bringing it back to factory spec. One of the guys replaced his with a new Broocklands 280, and trashed it on third party insurance pretty soon after getting it.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Two of my mates had RS3100's with the fashionable double clusters of 3 cibie's. I saw one of cars last Saturday. The current owner has obviously spent a fortune bringing it back to factory spec. One of the guys replaced his with a new Broocklands 280, and trashed it on third party insurance pretty soon after getting it.


 An original RS3100 was a rare car, one year only, they were a bit special and they only made few. The story has it that most went to smaller privateer teams funded through the back door of Ford Europe. Win on Sunday Sell on Monday.










There were loads of clones though, back in the day you could buy all the panels and whip your engine down to a local place on a Monday for a rebore and have it back in the car for the weekend but the originals were a bit more than a rebore and a set of pistons.

Loads of "3.1 Mate init" around

There were also plenty of tunning companies around at the time who offered to upgrade standard 3.0 cars. Probably the best known back in the day was Jeff Uren with his Commanch Capri but also Broadspeed and Swaymar.

If I was buying an RS3100 now I'd want to go over it with a fine tooth comb......twice, they were rare in their day so I suspect finding a genuine unmolested one today would near impossible and you'd need deep pockets.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> An original RS3100 was a rare car, one year only, they were a bit special and they only made few. The story has it that most went to smaller privateers funded through the back door of Ford Europe. Win on Sunday Sell on Monday.


 One of the two was genuine, the other I don't know for sure. The genuine one was a gift from a rich dad. :laughing2dw:

Speaking of ford V6 tuning, my "Plastic Pig" had a lot of decent engine mods done on it by the previous owner, and it was quick as well as being horrible. I was in my early 20's at the time and the insurance then was horrendous.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> One of the two was genuine, the other I don't know for sure. The genuine one was a gift from a rich dad. :laughing2dw:
> 
> Speaking of ford V6 tuning, my "Plastic Pig" had a lot of decent engine mods done on it by the previous owner, and it was quick as well as being horrible. I was in my early 20's at the time and the insurance then was horrendous.


 I bought my first Capri back in the 70's but even back then I was an a bit of a image concious fashion [email protected] so I didn't want a scruffy boy racer MK1.

:biggrin:

I bought a MK2 3.0 Ghia, a drive with one hand other arm round the current lady automatic, purple velvet, black vynal roof and plush grey velour interior. I still remember the registration OCS 888R. Nothing like it round my way, probably because nobody my age was daft enough to buy one in that colour combination or spec.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

@BondandBigMjust had a look at the spec of the Brooklands Capri, on paper 12bhp more than the RS3100 apparently.



BondandBigM said:


> purple velvet


 I take it that was on the inside. :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> @BondandBigMjust had a look at the spec of the Brooklands Capri, on paper 12bhp more than the RS3100 apparently.
> 
> I take it that was on the inside. :laughing2dw:












Purple Velvet

:biggrin:

Whilst the later 2.8 had a bit more power and was without doubt a bit smoother it wasn't as tunable as the original 3.0 Essex engine. It had siamesed exhaust ports so only two outlets in the exhaust manifolds as opposed to three on the old V6.

I had a couple of 2.8's great cars but against the competition of the day they were beginning to show their age.


----------



## BondandBigM

My fixer upper mate who looks after the Beamer always has some sort of project going on at the back of his shed.

He's trying to tempt me with this























































Healthy crate V8 and it's a four speed manual.

:hmmm9uh:


----------



## BondandBigM

The finished article. It's on the road now.










He's been bombarding me with snaps.

Remember the last throw of the dice thread.

:hmmm9uh:

The main issue is that The Bank of Big M isn't impressed with the idea.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

Inflation

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM

In today's crazy classic car market at a £114K this seems almost reasonable.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/mst-mk1-ultimate-rally-recreation


----------



## eezy

BondandBigM said:


> In today's crazy classic car market at a £114K this seems almost reasonable.


 And if you want to reshell your original Escort £25k buys you a new one.


----------



## BondandBigM

eezy said:


> And if you want to reshell your original Escort £25k buys you a new one.


 You must doing your shopping at Aldi

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Meanwhile in the real world.










And that's before you buy a couple of Recaro seats never mind a decent Cossie engine.



:biggrin:


----------



## eezy

BondandBigM said:


> Meanwhile in the real world


 Yep, the real world....


----------



## Stan

There are some sad sacks out there! :laugh: :laugh:


----------



## Ugg10

eezy said:


> Yep, the real world....


 I think I would prefer one of the SHP RSR space frame mk1 escorts. Iirc a rolling chassis is around £15k, add a Honda S2000 drivetrain for 240hp at 9k and you could be on the road for around £30k. I have seen some with plates so I guess IVA is possible. Or go mad and as one person has done, install one of those huyabusa v8 engines and a quaife sequential for some F1 sound track fun. There is also with a Millington installed!

https://www.facebook.com/SHPRSR/



















2.6l v8 based on 2 huyabusa engines, 500hp.










https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/YMvCdotEWjQ?feature=oembed


----------



## BondandBigM

The seagulls and pigeons were sh!tting on some expensive Porkers today.










The silver one was a proper GT3 with center lock wheels and sports exhaust. Not sure about the gold one, not withstanding the tacky advertising graphic the rear wing looked a bit cheap and Halfords. Might be the real thing thought.


----------



## WRENCH

I remember a guy buying one of these when they first appeared, early 1990's. I saw it yesterday, same owner, and the car still looks fresh.

LS400.










https://mag.lexus.co.uk/how-ls-400-shook-uk-motoring-press/


----------



## WRENCH

Hotbulb said:


> A blast from the past


 I love this thing,

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Paiqx1FuwVw?feature=oembed


----------



## chas g

Caterham 7 with 1.6 vx Bill Blydenstein engine. Lots of fun and kept it for 10 years. Sold it to pay off my mortgage


----------



## Hotbulb

WRENCH said:


> I love this thing,
> 
> https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Paiqx1FuwVw?feature=oembed


 Nice T , I thought about doing an overhead valve conversion on mine … an expensive way to go slow ha ha , My friend is currently building a 27 T race car fitted with a Flathead V8 , I'll put up some pics when's he's finished which is a bit down the line yet


----------



## WRENCH

The gears were a delightful experience in a "working" Land Rover.










Long lever, 4 forward and 1 reverse.

Red lever forward, high ratio/2 wheel drive. Shove the yellow lever down for 4 wheel drive in high ratio. Pull the red lever back, and the yellow lever pops up, and you're in 4 wheel drive low ratio. Short black lever in position shown, normal drive, in the forward position, overdrive. You could add another 2 levers if you were really serious. PTO drive and diff lock.

That round black thing under the dash is a device that makes a noise masquerading as a heater.

And you could also add freewheeling hubs on the front, which meant in order to get 4 wheel drive you had to get out and switch them over to engage.

And people love these things. :laughing2dw:

Oops, nearly forgot the hand throttle.


----------



## Biker

WRENCH said:


> The gears were a delightful experience in a "working" Land Rover.
> 
> 
> 
> Long lever, 4 forward and 1 reverse.
> 
> Red lever forward, high ratio/2 wheel drive. Shove the yellow lever down for 4 wheel drive in high ratio. Pull the red lever back, and the yellow lever pops up, and you're in 4 wheel drive low ratio. Short black lever in position shown, normal drive, in the forward position, overdrive. You could add another 2 levers if you were really serious. PTO drive and diff lock.
> 
> That round black thing under the dash is a device that makes a noise masquerading as a heater.
> 
> And you could also add freewheeling hubs on the front, which meant in order to get 4 wheel drive you had to get out and switch them over to engage.
> 
> And people love these things. :laughing2dw:
> 
> Oops, nearly forgot the hand throttle.


 Used to drive a 1960's firefly and it had a layout like that. It was a riot to drive and I would regularly snap half-shafts..


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> I would regularly snap half-shafts


 Did you ever see the trick for removing the broken end out of the diff without stripping it ?


----------



## Biker

No, I would let the MT section deal with, after some amount of muttering and grumping..


----------



## WRENCH

Biker said:


> No, I would let the MT section deal with, after some amount of muttering and grumping..


 A length of 1/2" bar with rubber hose over it leaving the end exposed, connected to an arc welder with the amps set low, so when the exposed end was fed down the axle and contacted the broken end still in the diff, it would stick, and you could then draw the broken end out.

I was just thinking, I have some of these "mad powerful" round ceramic magnets. I wonder if one of them on a rod would do the same ?


----------



## Hotbulb

Do love a Landy I've had a few , first one was a 80 inch fitted with a V6 Essex which was sold on 30 odd years ago ( I sold a 59 Split screen VW camper for £1000 to fund it as I fell out of love with the VW scene and that's all they were worth then ) i then had a Stage one V8 which was ex water board , i then had a 86 inch fitted with a high compression Rover V8 which was a blast , also had 3 110's and about 6 Disco 1"s both TDI and V8's in between ,the silver one was my last which was a V8 manual a full off roader, cost me £300 and I did my best to kill it at a local off road play centre , best £300 worth of fun I had in a long , while the DISCO 4 is my current run around and general tow vehicle


----------



## BondandBigM

Hotbulb said:


> Do love a Landy I've had a few , first one was a 80 inch fitted with a V6 Essex which was sold on 30 odd years ago ( I sold a 59 Split screen VW camper for £1000 to fund it as I fell out of love with the VW scene and that's all they were worth then ) i then had a Stage one V8 which was ex water board , i then had a 86 inch fitted with a high compression Rover V8 which was a blast , also had 3 110's and about 6 Disco 1"s both TDI and V8's in between ,the silver one was my last which was a V8 manual a full off roader, cost me £300 and I did my best to kill it at a local off road play centre , best £300 worth of fun I had in a long , while the DISCO 4 is my current run around and general tow vehicle


 Glutton for punishment

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## eezy

WRENCH said:


> Did you ever see the trick for removing the broken end out of the diff without stripping it ?


 Called out to a Bedford TK once, stuck on a very busy city main road. Grossly overloaded and had a broken halfshaft. While I removed the broken outer piece I sent the crew off to find a garden broom. They climbed over loads of gardens and nicked one. I then took the good shaft out and wacked the broken bit out with the broom handle.

No doubt left some old dear wondering where her brush was


----------



## WRENCH

The only two decent engine conversions I've seen on a Land Rover were a 2.5 DI out of a Transit into a 109, and a straight 6 diesel out of a Nissan Patrol into a 90 Defender. It was a bit of work, as the bulkhead had to be cut and modified.


----------



## Hotbulb

WRENCH said:


> The only two decent engine conversions I've seen on a Land Rover were a 2.5 DI out of a Transit into a 109, and a straight 6 diesel out of a Nissan Patrol into a 90 Defender. It was a bit of work, as the bulkhead had to be cut and modified.


 Good old slogger the Nissan engine , i bought my new first Transit tipper in 88 which was a 70hp 2.5 di , bought my latest in March this year which is a 2 litre 170 hp , had loads in between and all have averaged 22mpg ….not sure if I should laugh or cry as some things just don't change


----------



## WRENCH

Hotbulb said:


> Good old slogger the Nissan engine , i bought my new first Transit tipper in 88 which was a 70hp 2.5 di , bought my latest in March this year which is a 2 litre 170 hp , had loads in between and all have averaged 22mpg ….not sure if I should laugh or cry as some things just don't change


 I had a 1988 Transit 100 LWB chassis cab with a beaver tail body and with liberal use of "Aberdeen overdrive" it would manage 30+ mpg. It never once let me down. From memory it went away with 175k + on the clock, and it usually had a tandem axle trailer attached. I used to take stuff up to Nigg and Ardesier, so it was all long journeys. I'd winch the trailer on the back when empty, which also meant I didn't have to run with the tacho, as the trailer was "broken down recovery". 

@Hotbulb was your tipper a 190. It would have had a lower geared diff than the 100. I put 190 rear springs on mine to stop the soft wallowing ride. It also made it less obvious that you had too much weight on it.


----------



## Hotbulb

WRENCH said:


> @Hotbulb was your tipper a 190. It would have had a lower geared diff than the 100. I put 190 rear springs on mine to stop the soft wallowing ride. It also made it less obvious that you had too much weight on it.


 Yes 190 with flick switch overdrive on the gear stick giving you 6 gears as it worked in 3rd and fourth , always done a lot of towing and still do , the new one is 7 ton GTW which is very handy , I can fit both digger and dumper on my 16ft tilt bed and be legal for a change , still can only carry about half a ton on the bed ….. but of course I stick to that


----------



## BondandBigM

Hotbulb said:


> Yes 190 with flick switch overdrive on the gear stick giving you 6 gears as it worked in 3rd and fourth , always done a lot of towing and still do , the new one is 7 ton GTW which is very handy , I can fit both digger and dumper on my 16ft tilt bed and be legal for a change , still can only carry about half a ton on the bed ….. but of course I stick to that


 A proper Ford










Had this F350 for a few years, International 7.3ltr turbocharged V8 power stroke diesel with a heavy duty towing package, overdrive automatic and 9" rear end. Rated to tow around 10 tons.

Enough torque to pull out tree stumps, I bought from a bloke who towed one of those fifth wheel trailers.

The only minor downsides were parking it and single figure mpg. Not so much these days at two quid a litre but I sort of regret selling it. It had just over 300k miles on the original engine when I let it go and it still pulled like a train.


----------



## Hotbulb

BondandBigM said:


> A proper Ford
> 
> 
> 
> Had this F350 for a few years, International 7.3ltr turbocharged V8 power stroke diesel with a heavy duty towing package, overdrive automatic and 9" rear end. Rated to tow around 10 tons.
> 
> Enough torque to pull out tree stumps, I bought from a bloke who towed one of those fifth wheel trailers.
> 
> The only minor downsides were parking it and single figure mpg. Not so much these days at two quid a litre but I sort of regret selling it. It had just over 300k miles on the original engine when I let it go and it still pulled like a train.


 Now that's my kind of truck , I had a brief foray with a Amercian camper van I bought a few years ago that had the same engine and similar chassis , pulled like a train as you say but the roof was rotten so I got my money back from the dealer as it was not fit for purpose


----------



## WRENCH

Hotbulb said:


> Now that's my kind of truck


 There's three of these monstrosities running around local, all dually/diesel.








i bet they're economical. :laughing2dw:


----------



## Hotbulb

WRENCH said:


> There's three of these monstrosities running around local, all dually/diesel.
> 
> i bet they're economical. :laughing2dw:


 I pulled up along side a guy in Hemi powered pick up the other month and ask him how many to the gallon , he just stuck up one hand full of fingers and grinned then roared off up the road , made me chuckle


----------



## WRENCH

Hotbulb said:


> I pulled up along side a guy in Hemi powered pick up the other month and ask him how many to the gallon , he just stuck up one hand full of fingers and grinned then roared off up the road , made me chuckle


 I've heard 3 mpg mentioned if you show off at the lights.


----------



## Biker

My scanner has made a hash of the picture, I need to get a better one! but this was my beloved 3.0Ltr Granada Ghia coupe


----------



## BondandBigM

@chas g

I know we discussed this before. Back in the day almost every car was a rusty bucket even the Japanese motors and about as reliable as the number six bus. I did have a Merc that was a complete dog but on the other hand the last one never missed a beat similarly my 20 odd year old Beemer has, in my ownership, been supremely reliable having never let me down once since I bought it. Another one that gets a bit of grief are old Jags but I had an old 70's XJ12 and it was fantastic, smoother than a smooth thing although shame about the fuel consumption.

I think to degree it's just your luck, think Nissan, built by Makems up here, I wouldn't touch one with your money never mind mine.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Weren't these small Toyotas built here in the UK or was that Honda's

:hmmm9uh:


----------



## chas g

BondandBigM said:


> @chas g
> 
> I know we discussed this before. Back in the day almost every car was a rusty bucket even the Japanese motors and about as reliable as the number six bus. I did have a Merc that was a complete dog but on the other hand the last one never missed a beat similarly my 20 odd year old Beemer has, in my ownership, been supremely reliable having never let me down once since I bought it. Another one that gets a bit of grief are old Jags but I had an old 70's XJ12 and it was fantastic, smoother than a smooth thing although shame about the fuel consumption.
> 
> I think to degree it's just your luck, think Nissan, built by Makems up here, I wouldn't touch one with your money never mind mine.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> Weren't these small Toyotas built here in the UK or was that Honda's
> 
> :hmmm9uh:


 Not sure where my aygo was glued together.

My fear with Mercs was when I put them in for a service and could be faced with a huge bill. Cost of service say £500.....................plus plug leads, front discs, windscreen wipers etc £1500 =£2000

Never knew how much it was going to cost. I think they are better these days.

Worst for rust was a friends Lancia Beta. It was 2 and 1/2 years old and when it had a service the garage said it was so rusty and structurally unsound it should be scrapped. He managed to trade it in.


----------



## tall_tim

chas g said:


> Not sure where my aygo was glued together.


 I think they're built in Czechia. Was not far from the plant for a hydrogen conference a few years ago.


----------



## BondandBigM

Fiat or Toyota ??

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/nrGxLik5-Oc?feature=oembed

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3TxW4AU6IaM?feature=oembed

Whilst the Yaris is quick I had a look at one recently and they look a bit playstation so I'll save up for the Fiat Ferrari.

Anyway I like Italian things

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Anyway I like Italian things


 Yep,

Honda's "Ducati slayer" may have done it in terms of reliability, but never in looks.


----------



## chas g

BondandBigM said:


> Fiat or Toyota ??
> 
> https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/nrGxLik5-Oc?feature=oembed
> 
> https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3TxW4AU6IaM?feature=oembed
> 
> Whilst the Yaris is quick I had a look at one recently and they look a bit playstation so I'll save up for the Fiat Ferrari.
> 
> Anyway I like Italian things
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 2 nice toys for a bit of fun.

I think I would go for a second hand M3,M5 or Nissan Gtr instead of the fiat or Toyota.


----------



## BondandBigM

chas g said:


> M3,M5 or Nissan Gtr


 Obviously

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

Not so sure about the GTR, a lad in my local bought one, savage acceleration and it handled like it was on rails but it was a bit soulless.

I missed the boat on an M3, when I bought my E46 I looked at a few and you could get a decent one for about £7/8K but now like a lot of things the prices have shot up, even rough ones are going for £10k plus. And they are not without there problems which could potentially be financially ruinous if it went wrong.


----------



## chas g

BondandBigM said:


> Obviously
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:
> 
> Not so sure about the GTR, a lad in my local bought one, savage acceleration and it handled like it was on rails but it was a bit soulless.
> 
> I missed the boat on an M3, when I bought my E46 I looked at a few and you could get a decent one for about £7/8K but now like a lot of things the prices have shot up, even rough ones are going for £10k plus. And they are not without there problems which could potentially be financially ruinous if it went wrong.


 I agree about the gtr being soulless.

Friends son has got an audi s3 which is quick enough for me yet still practical and you can get a really nice one 2nd hand for £25k.

I had a Caterham for 10 years which was good fun and cost nothing to run.


----------



## BondandBigM

chas g said:


> Friends son has got an audi s3 which is quick enough for me yet still practical and you can get a really nice one 2nd hand for £25k.


 https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/i8LPgonuJ98?feature=oembed

Bosses wife recently got one of these AMG 35's, waited absolutely ages for it, only had it a couple of months and crashed it.

:huh:

I'm still going for the Beemer though, these 135's are pretty quick.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## chas g

BondandBigM said:


> https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/i8LPgonuJ98?feature=oembed
> 
> Bosses wife recently got one of these AMG 35's, waited absolutely ages for it, only had it a couple of months and crashed it.
> 
> :huh:
> 
> I'm still going for the Beemer though, these 135's are pretty quick.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 It's all down to how the car puts the power down. At Brighton speed trials I have seen a 300hp Caterham get mullered by a 250hp heavier Porsche the 7 spent too much time spinning up on the start line going nowhere.

If you want to accelerate really quickly but not go very far, an electric car is the answer. A Mcmurty electric car took the hill record at Goodwood that has stood for decades.


----------



## BondandBigM

chas g said:


> It's all down to how the car puts the power down. At Brighton speed trials I have seen a 300hp Caterham get mullered by a 250hp heavier Porsche the 7 spent too much time spinning up on the start line going nowhere.
> 
> If you want to accelerate really quickly but not go very far, an electric car is the answer. A Mcmurty electric car took the hill record at Goodwood that has stood for decades.


 Back in the day I was a regular at the drag racing. It was all in the start the first 60 feet and your reaction time to the christmas tree. I beat many a big horse power car, if I got it right I was off just as the last yellow flickered to green.

To be fair I did have a few horses in my Vette and it was a four on the floor. 5000rpm pop the quartermaster clutch (I sold a plexi glass 70's Pepsi GMT to buy it :huh: ) and hang on. I never used the clutch to change up. The Yanks used to call it banging gears.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## chas g

BondandBigM said:


> Back in the day I was a regular at the drag racing. It was all in the start the first 60 feet and your reaction time to the christmas tree. I beat many a big horse power car, if I got it right I was off just as the last yellow flickered to green.
> 
> To be fair I did have a few horses in my Vette and it was a four on the floor. 5000rpm pop the quartermaster clutch (I sold a plexi glass 70's Pepsi GMT to buy it :huh: ) and hang on. I never used the clutch to change up. The Yanks used to call it banging gears.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 Used to go to santa pod photo is of friends speed way bikes and his chevy belair in the back ground. He has spent a fortune on it. Unfortunately he now has parkinsons disease so not sure how long he will be able to continue at santa pod.


----------



## chas g

@BondandBigM I found a poor quality short video of the Bel Air. At the end he did a 9.7 sec 1/4 mile

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ptKnZJQvKCo?feature=oembed


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Back in the day I was a regular at the drag racing. It was all in the start the first 60 feet and your reaction time to the christmas tree.


 Sounds about right. Technique can be a huge advantage.


----------



## BondandBigM

chas g said:


> @BondandBigM I found a poor quality short video of the Bel Air. At the end he did a 9.7 sec 1/4 mile
> 
> https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ptKnZJQvKCo?feature=oembed


 A bit quick

That Lenco box probably cost more than my whole car.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:

I always fancied a set of Hurst Lightning Rods.



















At one point I looked into a Quaife six speed sequencial gearbox but they were huge money.


----------



## BondandBigM

If you like American Muscle cars this is definitely worth a watch.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/2XIWL5Flc28?feature=oembed


----------



## WRENCH




----------



## chas g

That's a blast from the past. I don't think I have seen one on the road in the last 20 years.


----------



## eezy

WRENCH said:


>


 The ''most impossible car to start of all time''. I had a V4 and spent more time trying to start it than driving it.


----------



## WRENCH

eezy said:


> The ''most impossible car to start of all time''. I had a V4 and spent more time trying to start it than driving it.


My mate had a 2000E same as this, with Rostyles as well. It went like the wind, and never gave any problems.


----------



## Davey P

WRENCH said:


> My mate had a 2000E same as this, with Rostyles as well. It went like the wind, and never gave any problems.


 My dear departed Dad had a Corsair once, and it was nothing but trouble, probably the most unreliable car he ever owned... :mad0218:

In more up to date news, I washed my car yesterday, and this morning it was peppered with purple poo from the local starlings clearly on a diet of blackberries... It's almost like they do it on purpose..... :taz:


----------



## chas g

Davey P said:


> My dear departed Dad had a Corsair once, and it was nothing but trouble, probably the most unreliable car he ever owned... :mad0218:
> 
> In more up to date news, I washed my car yesterday, and this morning it was peppered with purple poo from the local starlings clearly on a diet of blackberries... It's almost like they do it on purpose..... :taz:


 A beautiful car like that deserves to be parked in a garage and not be the target for errant starlings.

I once left my car parked under a cherry tree for the weekend and I have never seen such a mess when I shifted it on Monday morning.


----------



## bridgeman

chas g said:


> That's a blast from the past. I don't think I have seen one on the road in the last 20 years.


 Reading the ad. …0 to 60 in under 21 seconds!!! :wheelchair:


----------



## eezy

Davey P said:


> My dear departed Dad had a Corsair once, and it was nothing but trouble, probably the most unreliable car he ever owned... :mad0218:


 I'll second that. The 4cyl inline was better though than my V4.



Davey P said:


> In more up to date news, I washed my car yesterday, and this morning it was peppered with purple poo from the local starlings clearly on a diet of blackberries... It's almost like they do it on purpose..... :taz:


 Shoot the buggers! :crazy5vh:


----------



## WRENCH

bridgeman said:


> Reading the ad. …0 to 60 in under 21 seconds!!! :wheelchair:


 13.5 seconds for a 2000E.

Remember there were still plenty of these on the go.













Performance

 

Model



MM



Series II



1000 (948cc)



1000 (1098cc)



Top Speed



62 mph



63 mph



75 mph



77 mph



0-60 mph



n/a



52.5 seconds



31.3 seconds



24.8 seconds



Fuel Consumption



36 mpg



36 mpg



39 mpg



38 mpg


----------



## JoT

WRENCH said:


> My mate had a 2000E same as this, with Rostyles as well. It went like the wind, and never gave any problems.


 The Essex V4 engine in the 2000E was modified and an improvement on the bog standard 2.0 litre and 1.7 litre engines. The standard engines were OK in Transit van, albeit unreliable, but horrible in a car, very lumpy runners. My dad had a 1.7 litre Deluxe and it ran like a bag of spanners and it was always in the garage getting something done to it. Why Ford persevered with the Essex V4 for as long as they did I do not know given the list of issues they never really got on top of even with the later engines. As for starting, my dad's car also took some cranking, he always reckoned it was down to a weak starter motor which was very common in Fords at that time; your mate was very lucky if he didn't have problems!


----------



## WRENCH

JoT said:


> your mate was very lucky if he didn't have problems!


 His dad had the local Ford garage. My father in law also had one, and loved it.


----------



## Davey P

chas g said:


> A beautiful car like that deserves to be parked in a garage and not be the target for errant starlings.


 I agree mate, but you can see the size of my garage in the background - It's at least 3 feet too narrow to get in and out of the car, and that's not taking into account all the crap that's stored in there...  :laughing2dw:


----------



## JoT

I bought this early 1970's Alfa Romeo Guilia when I went to work in South Africa in the late 80's. I think it was from 1972 and had been assembled in Rhodesia by Willowvale Motor Industries. The original 1.3L engine had been replaced by a 2.0 litre Alfa Romeo Twin cam engine which just squeezed into the engine compartment. Pictured here in the bushveld after having the radiator topped up on a hot day (I did close the bonnet properly before I drove off!). Later that day I filled up with some bad petrol (water in it I think) and spent the next couple of hundred miles coughing and spluttering. It was fast, held the road well and could manage dirt roads but was very temperamental!


----------



## JoT

Another one of my memorable African cars, South African built single cab Toyota Hilux 4x4 with a 2.2 litre OHV engine, front axle diff-lock (manually set on each hub) and obligatory roll and bull bars given it was a bush vehicle. Fitted with off-road / dirt road tyres, a bit tricky on tarmac especially in the wet, pictured here in 1992


----------



## JoT

Less memorable but a solid car was my Mazda 626, it was a modified GC version built by Samcor in South Africa with a 1.8 litre 8 valve engine. Pictured in 1991 in the Northern Province, it had been a very wet trip which made the dirt roads quite difficult. I think we had stopped to look at some elephants, although we were well outside of a game park at the time. I only had the car a couple of weeks when I got caught in a thunderstorm with hailstones the size of golf balls, I managed to get partially under a tree but the bonnet suffered a lot of dents


----------



## WRENCH

JoT said:


> South African built single cab Toyota Hilux


 I had 3 of these South African built Ford's.










Rust eventually got them all.

Loved these,

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/FjBvJNkNGqg?feature=oembed

I used to get a lift every Saturday for a couple of years in the mid 60's in one.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/cBglgMTM0Pc?feature=oembed


----------



## BondandBigM

Probably worth it just for the running gear alone.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195265360861


----------



## JoT

I am driving a brand new BMW 218d while my car is in the garage having a couple of wheels skimmed. Not a bad car and a remarkably quiet diesel engine even by BMW's standards. The driver display is all touchscreen and digital and I am finding it hard! Bring back dials! It also stops when it thinks I too close to something while parking. While it is an auto there is no gear-stick like most autos just a toggle switch, it's a bit like driving a mobile phone


----------



## rhaythorne

^^^ Probably while I shall never buy another (modern) car. Are you driving it, or is it driving you?


----------



## Karrusel

rhaythorne said:


> ^^^ Probably while I shall never buy another (modern) car. Are you driving it, or is it driving you?


 Agreed!

I said that after the last 2 acquisition's.

Takes a month, & the use of of watchmakers loupe, to read the instruction manual in order to customise/disable driver, entertainment, comfort, economy, performance settings. The salesman hadn't a clue, he just said "this is the future for all cars".

Moggie 1000's & Trabant's were a pleasure (as long as you wore waders)!

:biggrin:


----------



## JoT

rhaythorne said:


> ^^^ Probably while I shall never buy another (modern) car. Are you driving it, or is it driving you?


 The dash looks something like this, it has also got a heads-up display just to confuse matters










And the other controls are all touch screen with some activated by voice and looks something like this from a different model










This morning the car was talking to me, asking if I wanted the concierge, I pressed cancel and it asked me again a couple of minutes later, my three year old BMW seems prehistoric in comparison :laugh:


----------



## chas g

JoT said:


> The dash looks something like this, it has also got a heads-up display just to confuse matters
> 
> 
> 
> And the other controls are all touch screen with some activated by voice and looks something like this from a different model
> 
> 
> 
> This morning the car was talking to me, asking if I wanted the concierge, I pressed cancel and it asked me again a couple of minutes later, my three year old BMW seems prehistoric in comparison :laugh:


 Or maybe it makes your 3 year old BMW look highly desirable.

How you are supposed to be able to drive safely with a dashboard like that is beyond me.


----------



## eezy

rhaythorne said:


> ^^^ Probably while I shall never buy another (modern) car. Are you driving it, or is it driving you?


 Reading some of the horror stories on forums about diagnostics and repair costs, I am fast coming to the conclusion that if my car expires before me the next one will have points, single coil and a carburettor and will be tax and MOT exempt.


----------



## rhaythorne

Modern car dashboards now appear to be far more complicated than 70's sci-fi spacecraft cockpits! This one is from "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" although it also has bits of Colonial Viper from "Battlestar Galactica":










If you buy a new car just tell the dealer your name is Starbuck!


----------



## JoT

JoT said:


> The dash looks something like this, it has also got a heads-up display just to confuse matters
> 
> 
> 
> And the other controls are all touch screen with some activated by voice and looks something like this from a different model
> 
> 
> 
> This morning the car was talking to me, asking if I wanted the concierge, I pressed cancel and it asked me again a couple of minutes later, my three year old BMW seems prehistoric in comparison :laugh:


 Picked up the car this afternoon and back to something sensible! I will enjoy it while I can!


----------



## WRENCH

JoT said:


> The dash looks something like this, it has also got a heads-up display just to confuse matters
> 
> 
> 
> And the other controls are all touch screen with some activated by voice and looks something like this from a different model
> 
> 
> 
> This morning the car was talking to me, asking if I wanted the concierge, I pressed cancel and it asked me again a couple of minutes later, my three year old BMW seems prehistoric in comparison :laugh:


 That frightens me.


----------



## JoT

WRENCH said:


> That frightens me.


 It takes some getting used to because isn't very intuitive, it also takes more than a quick glance for it to register when you are driving. I looked into the various options and you can simplify the display but the way the dials are laid out it still isn't great. I was hoping there would be an option just to recreate the old style dials digitally, but no.


----------



## WRENCH

JoT said:


> It takes some getting used to because isn't very intuitive, it also takes more than a quick glance for it to register when you are driving. I looked into the various options and you can simplify the display but the way the dials are laid out it still isn't great. I was hoping there would be an option just to recreate the old style dials digitally, but no.


 Sounds about right. The last modern motorcycle I owned had more in the owners handbook about the "dash" settings and setting it up than the actual operation of the bike. Age probably pays a big part, but this is all alien to me, and offers far too many distractions that could potentially cause accidents, in my case.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Sounds about right. The last modern motorcycle I owned had more in the owners handbook about the "dash" settings and setting it up than the actual operation of the bike. Age probably pays a big part, but this is all alien to me, and offers far too many distractions that could potentially cause accidents, in my case.


 May something a little more of our era then.


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> May something a little more of our era then.


 Behave.


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Behave.


 Can't have a car with no music

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


----------



## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Can't have a car with no music
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 There's what you got on the old Triumph Thunderbird. All that superfluous nonsense inside the speed scale was supposed to work out the RPM, which your ear worked out anyway, if you were savvy.










And the oil pressure indicator,










That cross head thing popped out when the pressure was up.

What else do you need ?


----------



## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> There's what you got on the old Triumph Thunderbird. All that superfluous nonsense inside the speed scale was supposed to work out the RPM, which your ear worked out anyway, if you were savvy.
> 
> 
> 
> And the oil pressure indicator,
> 
> 
> 
> That cross head thing popped out when the pressure was up.
> 
> What else do you need ?


 Heart FM, Radio 4 and a roof over my head when it's raining

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


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## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Heart FM, Radio 4 and a roof over my head when it's raining
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 Wean!

:laughing2dw:


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## BondandBigM

WRENCH said:


> Wean!
> 
> :laughing2dw:


 Marginally better than tooting around wearing three dead cows, boots that wouldn't look out of place down the pit and a hat that looks like a prop from Star Wars.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


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## WRENCH

BondandBigM said:


> Marginally better than tooting around wearing three dead cows, boots that wouldn't look out of place down the pit and a hat that looks like a prop from Star Wars.
> 
> :laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


 Not guilty. :laughing2dw:


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## WRENCH

Speaking of Capri's


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## swisstime

WRENCH said:


> Speaking of Capri's


 Maybe women preferred Porsche anyway if they had enough money ?


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## WRENCH

swisstime said:


> Maybe women preferred Porsche anyway if they had enough money ?


 Or in my wife's case, a Citroen 2CV.


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## swisstime

WRENCH said:


> Or in my wife's case, a Citroen 2CV.


 It seems, she is modest. Be lucky ( and have more money for watches ).


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## WRENCH

swisstime said:


> WRENCH said:
> 
> 
> 
> Or in my wife's case, a Citroen 2CV.
> 
> 
> 
> It seems, she is modest.
Click to expand...

 No, she's got good taste. :laughing2dw:


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## Davey P

swisstime said:


> Maybe women preferred Porsche anyway if they had enough money ?


 Did someone say Porsche...?

 

(Any excuse to post a pic of my pride and joy) :laughing2dw:


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## chas g

My sister has just bought this beautiful 1963 Austin Healey 3000. A car I have always wanted and once got close to buying a 100/4 mot failure but the cost of getting a new steering box and other repairs was more than he wanted for the car.


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## Littlelegs

My VW T4 goes in for some bodywork repairs soon. It's going to be gone for 6-10wks :swoon: , so I just bought a 1.6 16V MK4 Golf as a runabout. My mate has owned it from new. I quite like it now it's polished up a bit.


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## al_kaholik

Littlelegs said:


> My VW T4 goes in for some bodywork repairs soon. It's going to be gone for 6-10wks :swoon: , so I just bought a 1.6 16V MK4 Golf as a runabout. My mate has owned it from new. I quite like it now it's polished up a bit.


 For all the foibles and complaints people have of the mk4 platform they are still cracking cars.


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## Littlelegs

al_kaholik said:


> For all the foibles and complaints people have of the mk4 platform they are still cracking cars.


 He's spent quite a bit keeping up to it over the years so it seems pretty good. It needs a new coolant temp sensor as the gauge is erratic - works when it likes.

Also needs a new oil fuller neck where it joins the rocker cover as it's a bit loose and has a slight blow. Otherwise it's great now I've cleaned the tree sap off it :thumbsup:


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## chas g

Littlelegs said:


> It needs a new coolant temp sensor as the gauge is erratic - works when it likes.


 I had a mk4 Golf from new. It was only 6 months old when my ex phoned me to tell me she was driving it and all of a sudden it took off and wouldn't stop so she had left it at the side of the road 4 miles away. I spoke to VW and they said it was a temperature sensor fault that was very common. Other than that it was a very nice car until it got stolen off my drive at 3am and they hit the gate post on the way out. I got it back weeks later with dents on every single panel, cigarettes burn holes in the seats and vulgar messages written using a lit cigarette in the headlining. Completely wrecked it.


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## BondandBigM

Littlelegs said:


> My VW T4 goes in for some bodywork repairs soon. It's going to be gone for 6-10wks :swoon: , so I just bought a 1.6 16V MK4 Golf as a runabout. My mate has owned it from new. I quite like it now it's polished up a bit.


 6/10 weeks......that sound expensive!!!

After about a dozen MK1 & MK2 Golf and Jetta 8v and 16v GTIs I had three MK4 Golfs, they got a bit of an undeserved reputation but they were great cars and I never really had any problems with any of them, they just did what it said on the tin. Reasonably affordable reliable A-B motors. Personally I think their shape and looks has held up well.



chas g said:


> I had a mk4 Golf from new. It was only 6 months old when my ex phoned me to tell me she was driving it and all of a sudden it took off and wouldn't stop so she had left it at the side of the road 4 miles away. I spoke to VW and they said it was a temperature sensor fault that was very common. Other than that it was a very nice car until it got stolen off my drive at 3am and they hit the gate post on the way out. I got it back weeks later with dents on every single panel, cigarettes burn holes in the seats and vulgar messages written using a lit cigarette in the headlining. Completely wrecked it.


 Would a dodgy temp sensor make it randomly take off down the road under it's own steam ??


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## Littlelegs

BondandBigM said:


> 6/10 weeks......that sound expensive!!!
> 
> After about a dozen MK1 & MK2 Golf and Jetta 8v and 16v GTIs I had three MK4 Golfs, they got a bit of an undeserved reputation but they were great cars and I never really had any problems with any of them, they just did what it said on the tin. Reasonably affordable reliable A-B motors. Personally I think their shape and looks has held up well.
> 
> Would a dodgy temp sensor make it randomly take off down the road under it's own steam ??


 Yeah it is going to be expensive. Needs a fair bit doing tbh. Windscreen out to repair around frame and scuttle panel, 2 front wings, sills both sides, panel repair around fuel fuller and to rear offside, rear arches, a few dings here and there and a bottom half respray :swoon: . Plus whatever else they find. Worth it as it's a camper conversion.

I like the golf so far and it goes well. It has a few scuffs on the body but overall is good. Seats need a clean, but he's kept up to it mechanically. It's 19yrs old but still looks great. I may keep it when the van comes back.


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## chas g

BondandBigM said:


> Would a dodgy temp sensor make it randomly take off down the road under it's own steam ??


 If the sensor was registering a cold engine I assume it would over fuel.


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## BondandBigM

American Top gear rip off that dare I say it is actually a quite good watch.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/0aW9kKmzHgk?feature=oembed

Hoovies regular YouTube shows are also worth a look, he buys the cheapest high end cars on sale then takes them to the "Wizard" for the fix. Some of of the repair costs are eye watering.

As they say ....... cheap for a reason.

:laughing2dw: :laughing2dw:


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## eezy

Caselini Sulky - the oldest microcar manufacturer in the world. Seems like they've been through the full range of engines like Vespa, Lambretta, Minarelli and so on. Currently using a Mitsubishi diesel.


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## WRENCH

eezy said:


> Caselini Sulky - the oldest microcar manufacturer in the world. Seems like they've been through the full range of engines like Vespa, Lambretta, Minarelli and so on. Currently using a Mitsubishi diesel.
> View attachment 82497


Speaking of,
I'd have a BSA three wheeler, only with the air cooled V twin though. Unlike the more famous Morgan, BSA used front wheel drive. (Pics from Pinterest and Wikipedia)

















DRK did quite a nice kit using Renault drive train, I've seen on done "period" with spoke wheels etc, and it looked the part. 








There was an original BSA on a recent Bangers and Cash which made around £9.5k. which wasn't bad, you'd get that back. The Guzzi engined Triking is another nice one.


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## eezy

WRENCH said:


> Speaking of,
> I'd have a BSA three wheeler, only with the air cooled V twin though. Unlike the more famous Morgan, BSA used front wheel drive. (Pics from Pinterest and Wikipedia)
> View attachment 82664
> 
> View attachment 82665
> 
> 
> DRK did quite a nice kit using Renault drive train, I've seen on done "period" with spoke wheels etc, and it looked the part.
> View attachment 82667
> 
> There was an original BSA on a recent Bangers and Cash which made around £9.5k. which wasn't bad, you'd get that back. The Guzzi engined Triking is another nice one.
> View attachment 82666


Yes I love those old 3 wheelers. A mate had a Ford engined Morgan that he and his father built from a basket case. It was a beauty, agile and surprisingly stable but you could hang the back end out without trying too hard. With the screen down it used to go under car park barriers and you used to look up at Triumph Spitfires.

Would need a rather large shoehorn nowadays to get me in and out though.


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## sssammm

I recently sold this tool, had it 3 years, became so valuable it was scary to risk on the road, was the only one in the UK
Dodge Viper ACR Extreme Gen 5


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