Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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I'd suggest a meeting point somewhere south of the M42/M5 junction, so that people coming from either east or west of Birmingham don't have to backtrack to meet up.
Just off J5 of the M5 there's a Premier Inn/Maccy D's. Petrol available half a mile up the road, too.
From there it's 96 miles to Brean via the M5. Services at Strensham (18 miles) Michaelwood (30 miles) Gordano (21 miles) and Sedgmoor (16 miles) for those with weak bladders. ;D
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Dawn Drive...?Brian Damaged
@damaged
Club Retro Rides Member 33
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Twas fun (I organised it), but in a tragic twist a bunch of us finished the day off at Hednesford for the Pre-68 and watched a driver get killed right in front of us.
Didn't feel inclined to repeat the event, as it would have always reminded me of how I felt when I got home that afternoon. Sounds a bit over-dramatic I guess, but I don't care. If I never see anything quite that horrifying again it would STILL be too soon for me. I had several sleepless nights and bad dreams for a couple of weeks afterwards.
Nothing stopping someone else organising one somewhere else, mind....
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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I had a good role model. That was taken in 1967, can still remember the smell of that car even now. We caravanned throught my childhood/youth, so that '58 Zeph was followed by a string of big Brit barges (Mk2/3 Z-cars and latterly a PC Cresta) right through the 70's. By 1977, Daddy Damaged had cottoned onto the considerable abilities of Pinto-powered Cortinas as towcars. That one (a 2000GXL) had Spax shocks fitted all round and estate void bushes to tame the wallow. Was a brilliant towcar, replaced only in 1980 when he discovered Peugeot 504's....hence the 505 sat on my drive at the minute, and the love of Gallic tat we both still share. Disgusting strides, though. ;D
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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I'd like to propose a change to the forum MO. 'All posts about Top Gear will be met with pictures of cats'Show of hands:
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Buford T Justice [pics]Brian Damaged
@damaged
Club Retro Rides Member 33
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buford drove pontiac parisiane's/boneville's I beleave. Yeah it appears the Internet says Buford's car is a '77 Pontiac Le Mans, although I guess I can forgive the guys building this awesome Caprice! Even if the name is slightly confusing. Perhaps it belongs to his brother Gaylord.
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 30, 2013 10:55:33 GMT
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My seven daily drivers over the last seven years or so have cost me £1400 in total, and grossed me about £750 when i sold/baled them. My last Xantia cost me £225, needed a breather pipe replacing, did that, flew through the MOT a couple of months later. Ran it until the bottom end started knocking, sold the wheels/tyres/battery for £50, put the rest over the bridge and got £205 back. 14000 miles and I ended up £30 up!
Even the Benz only stands me at about £550 after buying it and sorting a couple of niggles. If it fails the MOT on anything spectacular it'll get the same treatment if no-one wanted it as-is.
You can do it on a complete shoestring, as long as you're not bothered what you drive.
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 28, 2013 20:47:46 GMT
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Traditionally I've travelled down on Saturday and spent the (drunken, usually) night at A52 before heading down to Brean with Bruce and the gang.
This year though other commitments (I've been DJ-ing at my local football club on Matchdays and it looks like I'm taking over as matchday announcer as well now) mean that I'm restricted to travelling down on Sunday.
Plus the chances of me having anything interesting to take down are minimal at best. The Benz is being sold as soon as I've MOT'd it, I'm going back to a (probably modern) Gallic shopping-trolley of some description.
So if anyone's passing Damaged Towers (just off J4 of the M5/J1 of the M42) and has a shotgun seat in the Mids convoy (and doesn't mind putting up with my inane babble en route) I'd appreciate it. Will happily cough up towards fuel costs. I'll have my camera gear with me, so some M5 tracking shots of everyone would be a cool addition to the archive of Beach Party pics! ;D
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 28, 2013 18:34:10 GMT
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More importantly he was the drummer with Bentley Rhythm Ace Now playing with the reformed Wonderstuff, too. I'm sure I'll watch, if only to spot any BRA music over the credits....
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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wyedeanBrian Damaged
@damaged
Club Retro Rides Member 33
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Jan 27, 2013 22:01:01 GMT
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 24, 2013 21:16:39 GMT
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If you're in the Midlands, I'd happily recommend A44 Exhaust Centre in Worcester. They custom fabricated the system on my mate's 250bhp XE-powered Talbot Sunbeam rally car eight years ago and it's still going strong!!! a44exhaustcentreworcester.co.uk/
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 24, 2013 19:02:22 GMT
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Just two 'rules'. 1. TAKE YOUR LITTER HOME. If you can't do that, Scott from Rust Rash Flyers has very kindly offered to drop a dozen dustbins on the beach in the morning, and take them home again afterwards. USE THE BINS.
2. NO HOONING. Berrow Beach is a public car park and is covered by the Road Traffic Act. If you get caught driving like an ar5ehole on the beach you'll be prosecuted in exactly the same manner as you would on a public road. Plus bear in mind that it's a popular local spot on a weekend so we'll be sharing the beach with local walkers/families/horseriders. There's a 5mph speed limit on the sand as well as a blanket ban on driving about for no reason. If you want to show off your dubious drift skills, then please do it somewhere else.
ADDENDUM: I've been asked by a couple of people about bringing motorcycles/mopeds onto the beach. Unfortunately this is a complete no-no as they are banned. Also, there is now a blanket 15mph speed limit in force on Berrow Beach. As with all speed limits, this is set by the local council and is as enforcible as any other on a public road.
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 24, 2013 17:06:56 GMT
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Rosemary Smith drove for the BMC Works team in Minis in 1961/62before switching to Rootes. She made a reappearance in 1970 when she drove a Maxi on that year's World Cup Rally.
But hey, what do I know?
The signature is in all probability Hopkirks, though. You got that bit right.
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 24, 2013 12:38:28 GMT
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Number 4 is Rosemary Smith who is probably more famous for her exploits in Rootes vehicles than BMC.
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 23, 2013 10:42:34 GMT
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A set of glow plugs and that'll be good to go.
These XUD engines are legendary, especially in non-turbo form like this one. With regular maintenance they're generally good for 300k and more with ease. At 67k that's barely run in!!!!
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 20, 2013 22:45:30 GMT
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Yo bountyhunter! Shut your face, your posts are tosh and no-one's interested. LOLOLOLOL just cos you don't understand them .......... No, because nobody gives a fcuk what you think. [/facepalm]
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 20, 2013 22:06:58 GMT
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Karrier Gamecock ;D
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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commer truck engineBrian Damaged
@damaged
Club Retro Rides Member 33
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Jan 20, 2013 21:34:54 GMT
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One of my all-time favourite diesel engines.
When I was a young lad, there was a haulage firm nearby who had a fleet of Commers, all fitted with TS3 'knocker' engines. I can still remember the scream of the blowers as they laboured up the hill past my bedroom window at stupid o'clock most mornings. Gorgeous.
'Now THAT is an engine' ;D
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 20, 2013 18:45:45 GMT
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what time do people tend to go home? does anyone camp? It's pretty much open-door, you can arrive/leave whenever you want. Most people have drifted off by mid/late afternoon, though. Berrow Beach is absolutely chocker with camp/caravan sites. I know Grunty caravanned it last year. Down to you to organise that yourself!!
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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WinterWatch 1963Brian Damaged
@damaged
Club Retro Rides Member 33
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Jan 20, 2013 17:25:21 GMT
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If you enjoyed that, you'll love this:
Geoffrey Jones' Oscar-nominated film 'Snow', shot in the winter of 1962/63. Not much automotive content, but plenty of trains, and it's beautifully filmed.
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Jan 19, 2013 11:58:07 GMT
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The irony's not lost on me that a lot of the people moaning about the relatively high cost of some 80's motors will happily go out and spend £500+ on a set of 'fashionable' alloys in the name of exclusivity and one-upmanship...
It's just a car. Let the guy alone to make a living.
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