Today I mostly .....
Had the Riva break down halfway through turning it around...Then spent a good 15 minutes trying to figure out what was wrong.
...Eventually realising that I'd run out of petrol. Idiot.
Encountered a gent who'd broken down at the petrol station, engine really struggling to turn over in a rough looking R plate Mazda 323. Initial thought - Flat battery.
Opening the bonnet however I instantly recognised the odour of a cooked engine. Quick look in the door confirmed temperature guage pegged - engine struggling to turn over because it's seizing up due to being so hot.
Despite having demonstrated to the gent in question the hole in the top radiator hose I could fit three fingers through - the response remained a resolute "is battery."
...in fact, the answer to every thing I stated or asked over the following ten minutes was: "Is battery."
Eventually I gave up - Reason being a complete and total Polish/English language barrier. I never even managed to get where he was going/coming from, or even how far it was, or if there was anyone he could phone that could maybe help translate. I hate leaving someone stranded 15 miles from nowhere at 20:00 on a Saturday evening, especially with two kids in the car - but I can only repeat myself so many times. Eventually I walked back to my car and drove off - leaving him trying yet again to start his battered old Mazda.
...Felt sorry for the car aside from anything else.
Got back home and got the petrol into the Riva, at which point it burst back into life as normal, making its displeasure at my carelessness well known by backfiring several times while the automatic choke tried to make its mind up. ...Also reminding me that I really need to order a new exhaust for it, as it's got naught but the cat on just now, so is a bit loud!
...Eventually realising that I'd run out of petrol. Idiot.
Encountered a gent who'd broken down at the petrol station, engine really struggling to turn over in a rough looking R plate Mazda 323. Initial thought - Flat battery.
Opening the bonnet however I instantly recognised the odour of a cooked engine. Quick look in the door confirmed temperature guage pegged - engine struggling to turn over because it's seizing up due to being so hot.
Despite having demonstrated to the gent in question the hole in the top radiator hose I could fit three fingers through - the response remained a resolute "is battery."
...in fact, the answer to every thing I stated or asked over the following ten minutes was: "Is battery."
Eventually I gave up - Reason being a complete and total Polish/English language barrier. I never even managed to get where he was going/coming from, or even how far it was, or if there was anyone he could phone that could maybe help translate. I hate leaving someone stranded 15 miles from nowhere at 20:00 on a Saturday evening, especially with two kids in the car - but I can only repeat myself so many times. Eventually I walked back to my car and drove off - leaving him trying yet again to start his battered old Mazda.
...Felt sorry for the car aside from anything else.
Got back home and got the petrol into the Riva, at which point it burst back into life as normal, making its displeasure at my carelessness well known by backfiring several times while the automatic choke tried to make its mind up. ...Also reminding me that I really need to order a new exhaust for it, as it's got naught but the cat on just now, so is a bit loud!
LOZ: Oddball cars, lighting information, and anything else I remember to upload!
Current fleet: 02 VW Caddy 1.9SDI, 90 Mercedes 208D Autotrail Navajo, 85 Sinclair C5, 78 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6GL, 73 AC Model-70.
Current fleet: 02 VW Caddy 1.9SDI, 90 Mercedes 208D Autotrail Navajo, 85 Sinclair C5, 78 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6GL, 73 AC Model-70.
Cleaned the Riva for the first time in goodness knows how long - it was turning green.
Fixed the leaky offside rear door (plastic sheet inside had dropped off). Also cleaned out and undersealed the inside of the door while I was in there as there was a worrying amount of surface rust in there. Reckon I'll be doing the same to the other three doors before too much longer.
Then started looking at chassis tilting rigs, and wishing that I had that sort of money handy...and started wondering whether I could build something to do the same job. Actually being able to GET at the underside of the Riva would mean I could probably actually get it finished. Unfortunately my welding is just about passable when done on the level...but is useless when done laying on my back under a car at this point - at which point I have to defer to my flatmate's experience - unfortunately he's busy enough that availability is often an issue. ...Hence the car having been a work in progress since 2008.
...Plus it would be a brilliant bit of kit to have around to properly clean and rustproof the underside...£200 odd suddenly starts to seem attractive! Especially given that the Riva and Cappuccino both need that treatment, and I know at least three other cars I could have queued up for that treatment straight away.
Wonder if any of the tool hire specialists rent things like that out...Hmmm...
Fixed the leaky offside rear door (plastic sheet inside had dropped off). Also cleaned out and undersealed the inside of the door while I was in there as there was a worrying amount of surface rust in there. Reckon I'll be doing the same to the other three doors before too much longer.
Then started looking at chassis tilting rigs, and wishing that I had that sort of money handy...and started wondering whether I could build something to do the same job. Actually being able to GET at the underside of the Riva would mean I could probably actually get it finished. Unfortunately my welding is just about passable when done on the level...but is useless when done laying on my back under a car at this point - at which point I have to defer to my flatmate's experience - unfortunately he's busy enough that availability is often an issue. ...Hence the car having been a work in progress since 2008.
...Plus it would be a brilliant bit of kit to have around to properly clean and rustproof the underside...£200 odd suddenly starts to seem attractive! Especially given that the Riva and Cappuccino both need that treatment, and I know at least three other cars I could have queued up for that treatment straight away.
Wonder if any of the tool hire specialists rent things like that out...Hmmm...
LOZ: Oddball cars, lighting information, and anything else I remember to upload!
Current fleet: 02 VW Caddy 1.9SDI, 90 Mercedes 208D Autotrail Navajo, 85 Sinclair C5, 78 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6GL, 73 AC Model-70.
Current fleet: 02 VW Caddy 1.9SDI, 90 Mercedes 208D Autotrail Navajo, 85 Sinclair C5, 78 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6GL, 73 AC Model-70.
More like this morning I mostly.....Got into work and discovered the VDI system is ill. The mailservers had issues over the weekend causing over 6000 messages to get queued up. 
and the email archiving systems DB was not up!
and the email archiving systems DB was not up!Regards.
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
Sat in Natwest and waited for them to open a student account. Waked away with maybe 30 pieces of paper RE different bits of the account, in the days of being green and email you'd think they would save time and money and just email it all, wouldn't you?
Last year I wanted them to change my account from a kids one to an adult one (I was 19) and they couldn't do it because it was a cheque guarantee account and I didn't earn enough money (winter shut down at work, less hours) so I left. They offer a rail card as part of their student account which is a 1/3 off for 5 years, so I went back to them as i figure that could be handy. I got an account with a £500 over draft and a credit card also with a £500 limit and I didn't have to provide any details of income.
And we wonder why people live off credit?
Last year I wanted them to change my account from a kids one to an adult one (I was 19) and they couldn't do it because it was a cheque guarantee account and I didn't earn enough money (winter shut down at work, less hours) so I left. They offer a rail card as part of their student account which is a 1/3 off for 5 years, so I went back to them as i figure that could be handy. I got an account with a £500 over draft and a credit card also with a £500 limit and I didn't have to provide any details of income.
And we wonder why people live off credit?
Last night I used a mates tyre machine to remove 5 tyres of rims and then remove the ones off the Landy and swap the 5 replacements over.
Tonight, fixed the back gate and back fence after the wind from last night and hung the towel radiator ready for plumbing in.
Tonight, fixed the back gate and back fence after the wind from last night and hung the towel radiator ready for plumbing in.
Regards.
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
Applied several metres of duct tape to the windows and ceiling of our office in an attempt to make the place something resembling draught proof.
Winter, it appears has arrived.
Winter, it appears has arrived.
LOZ: Oddball cars, lighting information, and anything else I remember to upload!
Current fleet: 02 VW Caddy 1.9SDI, 90 Mercedes 208D Autotrail Navajo, 85 Sinclair C5, 78 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6GL, 73 AC Model-70.
Current fleet: 02 VW Caddy 1.9SDI, 90 Mercedes 208D Autotrail Navajo, 85 Sinclair C5, 78 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6GL, 73 AC Model-70.
Replaced the exhaust down pipe as the flexi was blowing and replaced the mid box with a straight through pipe. I thought I was doing well until I discovered the last three nuts that needed removing were rusted solid. In the end it was a combo of FBH, chisel and air powered grinding tool.
Regards.
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
Took delivery of a new plotter in work, a HP 4020PS. The delivery driver left the plotter on the pavement and the went. So it took 1 pallet truck and a porters trolley to move it through work, measuring about 8ft long, 4ft high and 2 ft wide, it was a beastie to move.
Setting up needed 4 printer cartridges installing, 8 printer heads, and 8 cleaning cartridges.
Setting up needed 4 printer cartridges installing, 8 printer heads, and 8 cleaning cartridges.
Regards.
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
This afternoon i have mostly been violated by B&Q. 6ft x 2ft 6mm exterior ply. £14 a sheet and i needed two. I needed some so i got it. called in at a local builders merchants to get some ring nails. Found out their ply is 8ft x 4ft and is less than £10 !!!
So took the wood back to B&Q and got a full refund!
So took the wood back to B&Q and got a full refund!
Regards.
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
John 2E0DHN
Holly: This is not a daffodil, repeat, this is not a daffodil!
Got stuck in a mud hole a bit further along than the one in Simon's photo. Last time I went through it, it had a level bottom, but now the motor was lodged at 45deg to the right, with left side wheels in the air and going nowhere. Engaged locker and crawled right out!!
Found out after that two Nivas and one Disco had required recovering from that hole! And another Disco had to be pulled out afterwards!
Lockers rule, ok!!!
Regards,
Found out after that two Nivas and one Disco had required recovering from that hole! And another Disco had to be pulled out afterwards!
Lockers rule, ok!!!
Regards,
Hoodoo
'03 Niva 1.7si
Buckley, North Wales.
'03 Niva 1.7si
Buckley, North Wales.