My 'fleet' is fudged

nitro4wd · Post by **nitro4wd** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:06 am

I am a very depressed lad indeed. My Niva still needs welding, g/box changing (I took the exhaust off and haven't had time to go back at it) and cv boots renewing to get it's MOT. The 414 has a caved in front end and needs to be pushed/towed back and forth to get the Niva in and out of the garage, and the 5 just gets worse. Yesterday it developed an alarming steering fault, really difficult to turn to the left and it snaps back quite violently when it self-centres. Couple that to now buggered dampers and the need of a new set of tyres (Â£22 a corner budget tyres are CRAP!); reads like a fun car eh?

I need to get rid of the 414 and the 5, and get the Niva on the road! Why oh why doesn't this all just happen magically?

No seriously, that was not a retorical question...

ladaboy · Post by **ladaboy** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:38 pm

Morris Minor - no front bumper, wing needs spraying

Lada, crash damage front, side and back, shaky transmission, wiring trouble and rusty etc etc etc

Camper van - needs CV boots, heater fixing and general tidy

I think this time of year is very depressing for old car owners. Lots of things go wrong, and it's too cold in the garage to fix them. So the little faults mount up.

Everything will seem much better in the spring!

LINCSLADA · Post by **LINCSLADA** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:23 pm

I no how you feel ive just booked a week off work to do a few bit's to my niva.Or should i say dad will be helping me

New Gbox to fit
New cv boots to do(one actually)

Cheers Gav

Neil Chowney · Post by **Neil Chowney** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:40 pm

Gav, when divvying up the two jobs between you and Pater, make sure you plum for the CV gaiters.....

LINCSLADA · Post by **LINCSLADA** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:51 pm

Haha im with you on that one neil

Cheers Gav

Zelandeth · Post by **Zelandeth** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:09 pm

I know that feeling!

Present status:

Skoda 135 RiC - Broken gear linkage, kingpins that will need attention for the MOT (end of feb), duff lambda sensor, and noisy clutch release bearing. Oh. and a couple of minor bits of welding too.

Saab 900i Auto - needs welding (major!), two CV boots, two ball joints, and a full set of brake pipes for the test. ...and me to find the battery.

...Oh to be back at college again! Had time to work on them then!

...granted, didn't have any money to do so then. Catch 22 I guess!

Hope you get the fleet sorted out soon!

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:40 pm

Does SAAB actually stand for anything, like Fiat is something like Fabrique Italiano Automotive Turin. I suppose I could google it but I can't be arsed

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:44 pm

Should have thought a bit more - they have an aircraft dont they

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:56 pm

Suprising what is GM now aint it!

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:09 pm

One of the most impressive aircraft I have seen was the BAC Lightning Interceptor. Sadly no longer in service, awesome to watch though. I used to live near Binbrook air base (the home of the Lightning) and it was an utterly amazing sight to see one after the other climb litterally vertically until out of sight on a sortie. It was one of the very very few aircraft that could stand on its tail in mid air with the amount of thrust it generated. Absolute pigs to work on though , apparently. because they had one engine mounted above the other but slightly different longitudinal positions. They were all disbanded in the late eighties when the MOD sold off the airbase,

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:31 pm

I think you are right. The RAF were seling them off for arounf Â£1500 (no engines though)

Hoodoo · Post by **Hoodoo** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:18 pm

From standstill to 40,000 feet, nothing beats a Lightning, even today!
Was up on a hilltop in the Dovey valley back when the Phantom had just entered service with the Fleet Air Arm, and watched a Sea Vixen and a Phantom playing tag about 200ft above the river. Fantastic sight when you're about 500ft above them!
Regards,

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:08 pm

Aparently one of the Lightnings that was based at Binbrook malfunctioned and stuck on full throttle (this is only what I had overheard at one of the local public houses in the Binbrook area) the pilot had already ejected and the aircraft was lost off radar at well over mach 2 into the sea. The RAF didn't know actually how fast a BAC Lightning would actually achieve and would never disclose what speed they had attained from the aircraft. Obviously there are official figures but these are a very conservative estimation.