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Jun 21, 2017 10:02:10 GMT
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Hmph. I was hoping I'd get to post the Skoda Favorit MTX Cabrio first but I got beaten to it. I'm going to post another picture anyway because I think they look cool - when the roof is down. It was a professional job?! Yeah, MTX is, I think, a Czech company akin to Baur or Ghia. They look horrific with the roof up, but down, pretty neat.
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Jun 20, 2017 18:03:59 GMT
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You've also got the Mazda B2500, which is fairly robust, or the Vauxhall Frontera which people seem to really rate offroad but for a pickup type body you'd only have the SWB option which isn't so big.
It's funny now just thinking about it that the European manufacturers pretty much just vacated the entire pickup/4wd market for 15 years right in the era you're looking at. Even now I can only really think of the Amarok pickup, everything else is an SUV not a working pickup/4wd. (Mercedes G-class excepted as they were always priced beyond your average farmer.)
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Jun 20, 2017 17:52:16 GMT
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I would also disagree. Whilst I can't comment anything useful on the Manta situation, I can definitely say that the Nova, Corsa, Cavalier (esp. MK3) and Carlton demand is very strong in Ireland and prices reflect that. Certainly a well sorted Nova is several grand but the Fiesta is not even registering, similarly something like a Cavalier SRi is something I see regularly being asked for but Mondeos of the same age have vanished, and the stock racers have killed off all the Granadas while people are heading to the mainland to bring back Carltons (I guess they are vaguely contemporary). Even the Corsa is picking up and the warmed up ones are disappearing into dry garages as the Nova prices drive up. I know it's not all Vauxhalls way, as the Astra GTE is almost unknown compared to a MK3 RS1600i or whatever, but they're certainly not all gone and forgotten; quite the opposite. I'm no great fan of them, I just don't have any interest in them, but I have and have had friends and acquaintances including on here that are very much into them, but if I never say anything else about them I will at least write that much.
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Jun 20, 2017 17:33:39 GMT
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Hmph. I was hoping I'd get to post the Skoda Favorit MTX Cabrio first but I got beaten to it. I'm going to post another picture anyway because I think they look cool - when the roof is down. And then I'm going to post up a picture of a BMW E36 Cabriolet. Not the nice, factory designed one that you're thinking of, but the Baur interpretation... Compact AND SALOON...
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Jun 20, 2017 14:54:42 GMT
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How about now?
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On Saturday past I went to Event #3 of the vintage car clubs competitive year. As previously mentioned I ran the Spring Rally with my dad's help and before that there was a Spring Trial (driving up slippery hillsides) which I missed. This one was a "driving test" (autotest) event in Ballywalter Park, which is a superb estate with lots of yards, lanes and an operational farm. I went just for a day off/day out, and it was incredibly warm and sunny so that made it all the better. I did voluntarily let myself be roped into doing some marshaling as they were short a body or two. But while there, I took the opportunity to pore over one of the fastest Austin 7s around, to see what I could glean. It's running decked Renault 4 pistons and a straight cut gearbox, notes I embedded away. I talked with the owner of it, and another owner that's built a couple of fast 7s, and another guy who has a Ruby-based Ulster replica. The latter has a very fresh rebuilt 4 speed gearbox which is amazingly positive and gave me chance to feel how a tight box should be, which now means I can figure out why the gearbox in the silver special (also Ruby based, hence 4-speed) doesn't engage reverse. It was not-so-affectionately referred to by one or two people as "the Spam-can" which I don't like, so I will have to do something to it to warrant a new, more pleasant, name. For now though, here's a couple of pictures to share seeing as I've no updates of any work done. This Riley has just, finally, been finished and was out for what I think might be it's competitive debut. I'm not sure if I took this photo in some tropical paradise or the Ards Peninsula, but the car would be at home in either. And I managed to confuse one of the Austin 7 guys pretty well. Oh, he says, I haven't seen you out for a while. Did you get it finished? No, not yet, I said. What are you in today then? he asked My MG, said I. MG? I didn't know you had an MG! PA? TF? What is it? A ZT... "Oh." It looked pretty fine even after following the little old cars with their skinny wheels up muddy tracks and sliding all over the place.
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Either of these sets?
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Any pictures showing the wheels a bit better actually, can't be 100% sure which ones they are...
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Eh, no, the miracle pill of choice changes every week, don't you know. Best kebab I've had in a while was made by a Pole working in a Hungarian owned place based in a large cupboard under the stairs of a row of flats down a side street accessed through a side door down an alley off that. My Lithuanian friend took me there and none of the conversation was in any dialect I know any of. Took me several hours to monster through it. He took his home and fed his wife and toddler with the rest of it. The owners moved to the city now and are doing very well, but too far to travel just for another one...
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Jun 14, 2017 23:52:42 GMT
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I agree, insisting on a removal of sentiment is just insulting to anyone that has any sentiment invested in a car, in fact it degrades why most of us do this and why we are on here. Bringing it down to just money and value of the finished car is missing the entire point of "the love of cars" and turning it all into financial rationalisation. That's not what we are here for. You know it needs lots and lots of work, lots of time, and lots of money. But if it's sentiment driving you to do it, go for it, if you can last the distance and afford it. If not, you can always store it until you can. Many people have already contributed sage advice helping you come to that decision point yourself. Don't let people disguising negativity as "realism" dissuade you. You don't need an attitude of "it can't be done", "you're stupid for considering restoring a car unless it's worth more in the end than you put in". If you want to do it there are plenty on here who will give you moral support and advice, and if you don't, that's your decision and nobody will begrudge you for that. It may be the cynic in me but I can understand the reason for your encouragement for the OP to embark on a BMW restoration that will,no doubt, require many difficult to find BMW parts . "I drive an Alfa, ride a Triumph, race an Austin, rally a Skoda, deliver in a Fiat, cruise in a Cadillac, and break BMWs "You and I have " jousted " on another site and, if you excuse the pun , it surprises me that you have embraced sentimentality as I recall you were absolutely brutal in deciding the fate of any of your , and families , vehicle if they even suffered a puncture ....... Metanoia , it seems , has paid you a visit. Yes, it is you being cynical. Only you, or someone with your kind of attitude, could twist "if you want to" into me pushing someone into a situation that holds a slim possibility of some minor financial gain to myself. The only thing paying me a visit is the recollection that you were, wrongly, scathing in your assumptions about me. You also as I recall were completely unable to grasp the concept of "devil's advocate" in relation to said conversation, and wildly berated me for your interpretation of that being that I was about to smash up an m6. Funny how your sentiment at the time drove you to your postulations, deriding my point (and only a point) about financial motivation. Now, you push a different creed, and still wrongly cite everything I say despite very plain English. Extremism and absolutes do not belong in the realm of any free materialistic choices. An opinion or advice is only a good and welcome thing where it is delivered free of derision of alternatives and disrespect. In short, just be nice.
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Jun 14, 2017 22:33:49 GMT
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I had one in 2005 as my first ish car and have one now that my mum was using for two years. Never had any problems with either after normal servicing. Electric Windows and all...
Do love them as a first car though, much more robust than a 106 which I also like and still fresh looking.
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Updated with better pictures and a lower price.
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The pictures are fantastic. That's made my morning. I'll be back for another visit later.
All out-wowed by those stripey jackets, though!
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That's true Mr. X but non-turbo VAG 1.9s are also deathly slow.
If you were looking at VAG it would have to be only up until that B5 shape. anything newer than that is rubbish on MPG, well not rubbish, but not what you'd expect from them and not good or reliable enough to warrant the extra costs. They are however (speaking mainly of the newer shape Passat) comfortable on the long runs and pretty affordable at the minute.
The Subaru options are a good call too, a Legacy or an Impreza Wagon will offer very high reliability and are nice things to burble along in, and not entirely shocking on economy but they will need a few stops as tanks are small. Not necessarily a bad thing to break up the monotony but might not get as far as you'd like.
I came in to suggest three cheap estates that will do 50mpg. The BMW E46 330d. While a 320d will also do 50mpg, they are not a reliable engine (and is the same one fitted to the Rover 75, which is a lovely car but also not entirely reliable unless you find a really, really well looked after one). The E39 530d is only capable of 40mpg which is hard to fathom, but it's true. Only a manual one will do that, but it will go forever, wearing parts are cheap enough, and in Germany will pose no problems. Plenty of lift when you boot it on the 'bahn too. The Alfa 156 2.4JTD 10v. Will easily do 50mpg on a run and is a lovely place to be. Much, much more reliable than you expect - put new top wishbones in (DIY if you can use tools) and make sure it's not rusty and it will do it without complaint. Audi A6 2.5tdi. The old 90s shape one. Almost retro cool, run on anything and huge boot. Very comfortable if a bit wallowy. Might even touch 60mpg actually, depending on how hard you drive.
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Jun 11, 2017 21:22:57 GMT
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Not harsh just a realistic synopsis of my situation but why remove sentimental value from the equation if I'm not looking to make money or get a return on investment? I'm getting a very good professional restorer to quote on the bodywork this week we'll see what he thinks. I've seen his work over the years and it is top quality. I'm braced for a shock. I agree, insisting on a removal of sentiment is just insulting to anyone that has any sentiment invested in a car, in fact it degrades why most of us do this and why we are on here. Bringing it down to just money and value of the finished car is missing the entire point of "the love of cars" and turning it all into financial rationalisation. That's not what we are here for. You know it needs lots and lots of work, lots of time, and lots of money. But if it's sentiment driving you to do it, go for it, if you can last the distance and afford it. If not, you can always store it until you can. Many people have already contributed sage advice helping you come to that decision point yourself. Don't let people disguising negativity as "realism" dissuade you. You don't need an attitude of "it can't be done", "you're stupid for considering restoring a car unless it's worth more in the end than you put in". If you want to do it there are plenty on here who will give you moral support and advice, and if you don't, that's your decision and nobody will begrudge you for that.
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The artistry is superb. It would be a shame if that's all the scans you had left.
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HoTWire do you want the toy cars sales in this section too rather than in "parts for sale"? there's a few threads there that could be moved in that would help populate.
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If it's rocker cover you will likely have smelt it burning off on the exhaust already.
If it's oil filter cap you will see spewage around the top of the housing.
If it's pas fluid from the res it will be red.
If it's oil filter housing, the most likely, then you'll not be able to see anything but the seal is a fiver from bmw and it's worth doing regardless.
It could of course be any other pipe or seal as well but those all mentioned are the common ones.
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If you really want to travel - to NI - I have a very well sorted Arosa 1.0 for sale here!
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The next day my dad came up again and started re-shaping the muguards that I bent a bit before - when I bought the silver Austin it came with a little single axle Brenderup trailer which was a really nice piece of kit but had a folding tailgate and was an inch too short for an A7 so it kind of got forced home, bending the guards. The new work trailer has a bed in the centre which should take care of movement concerns for now - although a 16ft trailer to pull around a car just over 8ft long is, well, ridiculous. Anyway he was doing that so I made up some new, proper wires, triple checked and wired up the coil properly, and together with everyone in work that day we set the timing, once I'd found a spare main HT lead. It came off a Skoda Favorit pickup so again the Favorits' come to the rescue. (It'll be restored in due course as well.) New plugs in, everything set, new fuel pipe connection made, lots of PTFE tape to stop the screw-on joints from leaking (that's the right way to fit fuel pipe, yeah?) and test fire #1 commenced. New choke cable that I'd fitted this week pulled out - and holds! - fuel primed - jumper battery connected - and... bang. first turn. running like a champ. Much too fast so I adjusted the idle right down. Fitted the coolant hoses, adjusted the fan belt a bit with a hammer, put a charged battery in, and found a bit of oil lying around the filter. Fired it up again and my dad gave the kill it signal - oil spewing out of the pressure dial feed. It was cracked about an inch up from the housing. So Vinny called upon to cut down and flare it out - but ever the craftsman he cut the pipe, flared and turned coils in a new piece and joined it in. Lots more PTFE tape and I fitted that in, no more oil leak. And then having ironed out all the immediate problems, I bolted the seats in (which took an hour, you don't really see the time passing from a written post like this! and it was ready for a test drive. Oh, and fitted the steering wheel of course. Couldn't find reverse so had to push it round to get it out but once out off I went. Got right up to third gear (of four) and it was all over the place and impossible to see out of and the brakes were hopeless. So back to normal then! Still cannot find reverse, but it runs fine in all the forward gears, so currently it's semi, almost enough, fixed. Just need to dial in the timing now, and test the charging circuit as it would be really good if that would work. The coolant is getting very hot very quickly, which means it's probably too far advanced on the timing, but if we can get this all sorted the next vintage event is an autotest (the event I'm best at) in about 3 weeks. Maybe...
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