Dreary Weather again

Just moderns - but bits arrived for Alpine. Clutch master cylinder etc.

25 words for rain

Did you know the British have 25 words for rain ? Well enough to make you run a modern most of the month at this rate.

More parts

Ordered up the clutch master cylinder I thought I'd ordered last time.

Alpine parts - al least you can get them.

And John Grose confrmed two services for TGV.

I wonder if that's right

Not the right size ? Alpine slave cylinder... Must check.

Stuttered again

SAAB stuttered again when driving... must get it in for a service.

Might try to start the re-build on the Apine steering tomorrow though.

Oh and pick up TGV

Towing eye

Ah so that's how the towing eye works, you screw in the large ring.

Watched Steve go - talked about old Austins so it's gone to a good home.

Said Good By to Steve

Nice man came to get the heart of Steve. Sounds lke it will help keep another car running. So that's recycling !

Dull Dull Dull

But it gets me there and back.

Still running Moderns

Orderd parts for Italian Tin, waiting for the rest to arrive.

Ah that's what a relay does

Italian Tin. Run in the sun. Oh so good. Ah.. but what's that - no electric windows. That will be a fuse ? A relay actually. Well let's see what that costs.

Oh and the big E still feels a bit Wondering at speed. So don't drive it at speed then.

Time to get the G4 out form under the covers.

Just hit it harder

So another 3 hours on the Alpine, but I got the steering arm off. Drill it, hit it, drill it again, heat it, hit it again, set it alight, hit it harder.

And it just popped off. Easy.

Just Running Moderns

So another SAAB commute, car covered in bird droppings. Not the flashiest car in the car park today.

But then... Probably the only blue one ? Well certainly the only blue SAAB.

Mass Electric Car Announced

This blog is called the "last days of the car" because the petrol car is under threat. It's going to happen so we have to accept it. These are relics and they will go.

It might be electric or hydrogen or something else, but it will eventually change.

It took about 10 years to replace leaded with unleaded so I guess we've got 10 years to go before there is a mass alternative to the petrol car.

I'll be 60 but what will happen to the classics we drive today ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8573724.stm

Also there is an announcement of a chain of charging points this week.

Jay Leno thinks they will be like horses. We'll see, but until then it's classics a go-go.

More E-Action

Having to drive in to work in the sun again, in a 1960's classic. Ho Hum.

Chillie but Sunny

Took Mr E in today, clean and shiny. Cold coming back. But nice sunset to leave it.

Glanced at the Italian tin when I put it away - nice just to see it sitting there.

Need to order more Apine parts though...

So the bonnet came off

Alpine steering column needs the bonnet off to get it out Official !

Well that was the end of the 8th hour working on it. So it's all off and what next ?

Mr. E Nice and clean though now.

Clean Metal

So the 308 got a wash, mostly at the back I must say. Got a good run in the sun too. I also foxed the small rattle in the door speaker.

Mr. E also got a run and is really inneed of a wash too.

Alpine - another 3 hours - ah - and that's how you use a ball joint splitter - you hit it harder each time !

And this is what the damage looks like to the steering box. Nasty.

Dirty Italian

Ok so it needs a wash and needed petrol and the rest, but the 3 small kids in the petrol station liked it today.

Stubbon Alpine though about 3 hours into removing steering box.

Bought my first ball joint splitter - see how it works tomorrow...

Met Nigel !

Now that might not seem fantastic enough to blog about but look at the picture.

What an alternative

So the Alpine is broken and the SAAB was needed by someone else - the alternative seemed to be take the e-type.

Now something makes me think that driving the e-type to work every day might not be the best use of it, but then again it seems to be enjoying more use again.

Fuel gauge has settled down again - even at 1 deg tonight. Oh and it does have a heater and de-mist too.

So I find myself in most classic enthusiasts dream car, just because my modern is demoted to family run around again. Spoilt who me ?

Still winter and cold

So SAAB action - might rain Friday too. Bugger.

But saw lots of nice alpine pictures on flickr - search for "alpine felaw" so that reminded me of winter

Another dull day

SAAB action but nothing to report. Still need to start work on Alpine.

Just commuting in the cold

Back to zero deg again. But dry. Frost on the way.

SAAB worked well as load lugger though.

Just a little "e"

Quick wiz in Mr. E. To get a bulb for the SAAB. Well it was sunny - but still only about 2 deg.

Pot Holes

Ran the Italian Tin in for it's service at Grimaldi which was full of nice italian metal.

The road there was more like a track with lots of pot holes and broken tarmac.

Time to get under the Alpine and see that went wrong...

Fire up the Quatro

Had ride in new Audi coupe - nice but a bit modern. Big car to.

Alpine still in disgrace sitting in the drive, in the rain.

More bloody frost tomorrow too.

Bad Car !

Steering broke - but luckily just 1/2 a mile from home - abandoned Alpine. Had to drive back with very odd steering...

Mr E had to be the sub !

Investigate at the weekend

What's the date ?

Odd SAAB had wrong date on the dash ? Well at least it has a clock.

Just SAAB City

Nice BMW coupe in the car park, but I resorted to SAAB comfort in the cold.

Sun on Mon

Lots of sun although it was still frazen. A bit of a stutter on starting. Drive into work in the sun. Left in the cold and dark though ... again.

Sun then rain now floods

Saturday was great - Oli in Italian Tin, Mr. E out in the Sun and Apline out to dry off.

Sunday rain rain rain after Saturday Sun. Ever sturdy SAAB was aquaplaning with the floods across the road.

Back to moderns again

Looked out of the window at 5:00 pm and the sun was shining - the odd sports car driving buy. Spring can't be far away.

Until then SAAB in action again on commuter runs.

Need to get Italian tin out soon.

Cascading rain

Cascading down in the evening - Alpine pressed into service due to car pressure.

Hard work - wipers can't cope - screen misted up - rain dripping in on me.

Still not Spring

More rain and more rain tomorrow, at least it's getting a bit warmer. SAAB only this week I guess.

A bit of sleet

and rain and wind and snow. Basically still Winter weather. SAABs a go-go.

More wind and rain

So SAAB action again.

But high hopes dashed

... and after the sun of yesterday was the rain. For most of the day too, so no classic car action just SAAB-fest to the dump.

Sun again

Alpine out and about and Mr E taken for a run. No squeek now...

Recovering from a week of running the Alpine, through all types of weather. That was hard work.

How did they cope ?

Fog in the morning. Driving rain tonight.

It's cold, you can't see anything, the windscreen is misted up and the wipers can't cope.

I know there were less cars 50 years ago, but even so I forgot how much harder it is to drive a classic car when the weather s bad.

Alpine pressed into service

But very cold, iced when I got out of the station.

BMW driver liked the Alpine and she started, but no visibility at all on the way home. Frozen fngers too.

Early's and Drizzel

More time in the modern - dull commuting to station car park. Nice classic shape 911 there - dark green. Puts me to shame.

Alpine in the cold

Hard starting and squeeking steering column - another one !

Big boys toys

Well sun shone and Mr. E came out to play again.

Fuel gauge goes up and down - could be damp connection - see what it's like in the sun.

Modern and flying B

Highlight was a slate grey Bently coupe with "Hem V8" number plate.

No let up

Just a bit more driving on heated seats.

Like Castor Sugar

Should have parked under the trees. Slight sprinkles of snow on the car.

Turned on the windscreen wipers to clear it off, snow starts to mound up and fly off and catches the inside of the door as I close it - covering the seat and foot well. Dho.

Roads wer like caster sugar had been sprinked on them.

Gonna be hard rain

That's keeping me in the modern again. Ice again too. Some early 6am starts coming up this week too.

Shame - I felt spring was lurkig around the corner - but it was ore grey skies.

Sleet again

Winter turned up again today - SAAB time.

Rode in smart Merc on the way back, white dials with black numbers. Not sure I liked it but it looked the part in the twilight.

Alpine in the Rain

Only two Alpine turned up for the meet. Rain and foggy windscreen not nice.

More snow predicted so less Classic action this week.

Mr. E shines

Good long run in E-type in the sun. 50+ miles.

Oiled squeek from steering, still feels a bit odd on the new tyres.

And someone cleaned one of the SAABs.

Friday - Nearest day to Monday

Rain in the morning so modern - especially with the squeeks from the off side rear on the Alpine.

Take a look tomorrow.

Sun predicted, Need to run E and Italian Tin and start G4. No salt left after the rain and drying tonight.

Could be a 4 hitter.

In Good Company

Another wet and windy day. I parked next to this beast so I could get a bump start if the Alpine is too wet to get going !

I bet you could buy my car for the cost of his wheels.

More dreary Weather

Rain, and cold. Alpine hard to start this evening, I did not treat it to the blow heater this morning either. We're both going soft. Try again tomorrow.