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Aug 10, 2021 19:47:18 GMT
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Thank you for the messages of condolences and support. It really is very much appreciated. I can't pretend that it's been an easy time, but I am starting to get there. Lots still to arrange but all is ok. I figured that an hour or so back in the garage would be beneficial, so I had a tidy up first, then started on something that wasn't an exhaust or a dashboard (I REALLY didn't feel like doing more dash work at the moment). The headlining. Or, more importantly, something that was screwed to it. The Mk1 Midas has a Fiat 126 rear view mirror and interior light all rolled into one unit. And it seems that the old adage that some Italian build quality isn't up to much rings true in this case. The light lens that fits onto the base is hard plastic and clips on with 3 brittle tangs. I have two different lenses, both of which are missing one tang. This makes the design useless, as the lens simply falls out thanks to Sir Isaac Newton's favourite discovery. It's a really poor design, but then I suppose if the car in question was first introduced in the early 70s, its life expectancy was more than likely to end some time ago. In theory I could get another 126 mirror unit with good lens, but I would more than likely be throwing money after something that would probably break again. So I decided (as with a few things in this car) to do it slightly differently. I would fill in the holes in the one piece headlining with good ol' chopped strand mat and resin, then put an interior light in its place (design is yet to be decided). I would then get a mirror to either mount on the screen, or on to the dash top once it's completed. I grabbed a Jaffa Cake box for Cardboard-Aided Design, then covered it with parcel tape. I then taped this to the headliner, and flipped it over. Out came my resin and fibreglass, and I carefully filled up the holes. I will make sure it's all ready to be modified once I decide on my interior light set up. This thing will be moved on. I don't like it as I think it's a really bad design. Of course this leaves a hole needing to be filled... ...so out came the CAD and some tape... ...which was quickly followed by some fibreglass and resin. One final thing - I am not sure whether the headlining (which is a one-piece bit of fibreglass) should be kept as is, painted with textured paint, or recovered, possibly in a lighter colour to make the interior a bit less sombre. What's everyone's thoughts?
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Aug 10, 2021 19:15:29 GMT
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Superb!
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Practical Performance Car March 2020 issue 191, has an article on a Marina similar to yours, with a twin cam head from the BMW bike engine fitted to the A series engine. I've taken a picture and tried sharing it here but can't figure out how on the phone. There was an earlier one which had a Zetec Head on an 1800 if I remember correctly - a red coupe. Made for interesting reading.
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Thanks guys. Don't think it's a compression spanner as the ends are smaller than 22mm. Typically I have put it down somewhere "safe" and can't measure it but from memory it looked about 13mm & 16mm or 1/2" & 5/8" in old money. As long as I am not worrying any of the Ford gang by hanging on to it
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Hello fellow RRers. As mentioned in my Midas thread, my Dad sadly passed away a few days ago, and we have been going through his things. My brother was happy for me to have Dad's old toolbox, so along with various other stuff, it found its way back to my garage. Amongst the contents were numerous old box spanners, a wonderful old thick pencil which I think my Grandad left in there along with the spanner shown below: Now, I am pretty certain that this is just a random old open ended spanner that someone has stamped some letters into, but just in case, I thought I would utilise the greater knowledge of my fellow forum gurus. Those that know old Fords, please tell me it isn't some random special tool that was only ever offered with an optional toolkit to an obscure special edition, and some super-successful Ford nut Businessman won't offer me £500 for it... Thanks in advance. PS Dad had a Mk1 Escort 1300 GT from new in the early 70s. Long since gone sadly, although he always raved about the ZF gearbox it had! Looked a bit like this one:
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This is a story my Dad was told by his Dad when he was a little boy. My Grandad at one time worked for a car company in the 1930s whose vehicles could do 100mph. (sadly I do not recall which make of car this was). On more than one occasion, a customer who had bought said vehicle came in, claiming it would not do 100mph and demanding why not. What my Grandad would do is to calmly ask if they wouldn't mind sitting with him on a test drive and they would take the car out. Grandad was not known for his patience, and he would proceed to take the car to that speed with no trouble at all whilst the terrified passenger cowered in their seat beside him. "Nothing wrong with this car", Grandad would explain. "You just don't have the bottle!" It's a lovely story - I have no reason to doubt it, but sadly the details are missing. Must have been a bit frightening at the time doing 100mph on 1930s roads!!
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If it's any consolation Rian, last Thursday I parked my SLK on Felixstowe seafront, checked mirrors and blind spot, went to open the door and a passing car hit it and slammed it shut on me (thankfully my leg wasn't out or it would have been broken). All the details I got on the car that did it was a fast-moving small white hatchback. They didn't stop, there's no CCTV and I didn't get a reg mark. So I now need my door repaired.
Right now I appear to be having all the bad luck...
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Jul 27, 2021 16:15:13 GMT
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Sadly I have recently lost my Dad as well as Mum, so this has meant we've started to go through the house. There is a cupboard at the top of the stairs in their house that was affectionately known as "The Tardis" because it appeared to be bigger on the inside. I went through this the other day and among the random stuff I found (which included 2 separate halves of different Henry Hoovers which when put together worked perfectly), I came across a 1970s Council Workmen's lamp. It was in REALLY good nick and still has the burner in it. I have not had a close look to see if there's any paraffin in it but I doubt it! Quite why Dad had this I have no idea as he was nothing to do with the roadworking industry - I wonder if he "borrowed" it after a heavy night on the sauce? Still, it's so nice I have decided that it's going to be hung up in the rafters at some point. Thanks Dad
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Jul 27, 2021 15:45:32 GMT
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So of course you doorknocked it and made an offer mrbounce? I hope.....😀 Sadly not. Now is not the time.
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Jul 26, 2021 20:45:48 GMT
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Hi everyone
I have not updated this thread in over a month due to family matters. Sadly I lost my Dad last weekend.
I will come back to it and update you all when the time is right.
Dave
2021 has not been a good year...
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Jul 26, 2021 20:31:50 GMT
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Do I win the award for best abandoned project spotted? A wannabe "Henry Hi-rise" spotted today. Epic. That is all.
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Jul 26, 2021 20:28:10 GMT
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I have wandered around my old stomping ground of North East Essex this last week and have acquired a number of spots: Chevy Express - small in the US, not so tiny here... Toyota Celica - this is well-used but is fully taxed and MOT'd. E36 BMW with the world's most well-used seat bolster This VW Bus isn't road legal, but I can't call it abandoned. However it does seem to have a new use as a storage unit. Sorry for the rubbish pic. Very smart MGB roadster - looks nice for a rubber bumper version Glorious sounding TVR Chimera. Nice colour too. Lovely PB Cresta. The owner was just burbling around town for a bit. Nice. And what looks like an abandoned Starlet. Still taxed and MOT'd.
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Jul 23, 2021 21:24:16 GMT
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Love this - a proper estate and a real survivor. If you ever thought about making it quicker, I could just mention that rotten SLK 230Ks have never been cheaper. I'd imagine that it wouldn't be too hard to drop one in Instant supercharged TE
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Jul 21, 2021 20:29:18 GMT
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Rhode Island - excellent find! I looked at getting a 1920s one from the States on eBay but it was going to work out as too expensive, plus it went for more than I could afford anyway!
Loving the idea of putting the flag on the gate. Looking forward to seeing that finished.
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Jul 15, 2021 16:34:47 GMT
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Some really nice ideas there. I dread to think what it cost him though as by the sound of it a lot of work was farmed out. Still, we'd all do that if we could afford to! The first car I ever looked at buying was a Mk2 1300 Escort. Nuts - it could have been me
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Jul 15, 2021 16:20:19 GMT
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I suspect it's the remains of an Austin 1100/1300 or '60s Mini, with that steering wheel (which is similar to a 1962-on Morris Minor's). Those discs look like 1100/1300 items as do the drums and the front suspension arms are I believe 1100/1300 as well. Given that they used to rust for fun that probably explains why there isn't much left Could have been nicked then dumped? Or just driven there and left to die... Of course it could just be the suspension and subframe units bunged over the edge.
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Last Edit: Jul 15, 2021 16:22:42 GMT by mrbounce
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Jul 13, 2021 12:50:11 GMT
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This is so great. Your daughter is so lucky!!
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Jul 10, 2021 16:26:11 GMT
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A couple more pictures from my archive: Hard looking Rover taken in about 1991: VW Beetle with amusing exhaust And a Cobra from a distance. I believe this is one my mate worked on - a Pilgrim Sumo with a 2.8 litre Cologne V6. Seems a bit wrong to not have a V8. Hasn't been on the road since 1991.
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MG looked lowered and on banded steels - sweet. James That MG looks familiar - have you been hanging around Kesgrave again, or is it a happy accident??
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