Modern Maladies

SAAB Day - well 'Nutter' tools up to Harkstead to finish the first stage of the job.

Which we did - some tools I even recognised from out first epic DIY stint in Holloway c1986 which felt a bit odd.

Then PM ... well the planet still needs saving - so out with the Aston. Oh what's that though ?

'Emission System Service Required' ? Probably the Lambda Sensor - or lack of use. How many miles have we done since the service then ? c450 miles but no long runs really. Worth checking - but running it fast for a while might clear it too says the bodgers on the net.

However I came home immediately and decided to take the Ferrari instead.

Now that did smell a bit of petrol when we went out, but back in the garage it did not seem to be smelling at all. Odd. Oh and the battery charger connection had fallen off, so I put one of the old ones back on - but they did not seem to work well either and both stayed 'amber' far too long. Ho Hum, so I bought another second hand one - I need it anyway for the Talbot.

Talking of which - even the knobs to hold the instruments in are classy.

Nice big brass thump screws. 

I also changed the position of the heater valve - not sure what is open or closed but we'll experiment.

First Turn of the Key

The next morning around 7:30 am and in the cold, the Talbot started first 'turn of the key' so to speak. Although again once the residual fuel was used up she stopped. Only to be started up easily again.

Just under 30 miles later, taking a route across country we were parked up next to Lavinia outside the hanger waiting for the others.

It was going to be a warm day too. AGM next and in the hanger was David R's nice Blue on Blue tourer.

AGM all done - and Swiss gardens visited - it was time to head home again. Just over 90 more miles [with the same noises] until we chose to stop to fill up with petrol again when almost home. That produced another noise which turned out to be the curled know holding the speedo in place coming loose - bloody bumpy roads.

So just shy of 250 miles later and we are home unpacking - TAS taking it all in its stride. Averaging 16/17 miles a gallon as normal and using almost no oil.

Midlands Bound ?

First though MK2 into town for beauty treatment.

Well a hair cut for me not the car - although the car deserves it more than I do.

The main even however was taking the Talbot to Emberton - 120 miles away - mostly on the A14 which means only 10 miles from home we hit this.

Oh how I laughed. Actually it was fine and the road was opened so we passed the four car pile up reasonable quickly. However we sped along fine at 55-60 mph, but was there a slight knocking at that speed ?

The next problem was the road into and out of the Tesco at Cambridge - that took 30 mins and the car did not like sitting in heavy traffic on a slope with hot oil - and showed me it had low pressure. The run up to Emberton was North then West - missing the chaos that is the ongoing Black Cat interchange work which although longer was fine.

Arriving at the Manor we edged our way in through the walls and parked up. More hot and more bothered than the car I suspect.

The other good news was that the one 'click' on the brakes has solved the pulling issue.

Something More Importrant

Some fool had lost the keys. To everything. The house, sheds but more importantly the Garages. So that was really something more important than anything else at that moment in time.

I spent 2 hours searching inside and out for my keys - some bloody idiot had left them on the wood pile in the car port. That panic over it was car time.

I'd been warming the Talbot (30 mins) and then used the new starting process. Prime the carb, then choke and with a few pumps of the throttle it started first go. Then it stopped (lack of fuel) but started fine again with a bit of 'gas' as the Americans might say. A bit lumpy on tick over but that settled.

Looked good too in the sun. I'd spotted a missing screw too on the door that rattles so added one. I hope that makes a difference.

I also checked with John Polson and he confirmed the big nut needs a tweak if the brakes are pulling - one click with a socket but do it when hot. Looks like a 25mm socket although a 27mm one freed it off so I slackened it off one click. We'll see how we get on.

I then took the Ferrari out - I thought the fuel pump was making a lot of noise when I started it up - but I did not smell anything.

It was only a 1/4 run though as I thought the road was still closed past Stutton - but it turned out it wasn't. Dho.

PM I thought I'd pop into town shopping so what to take ? As the black clouds seemed to be mustering as I went under the bridge I was regretting my choice a little. It was also a bit hard to drive through town as we hit almost every Red Light ! Oh and the squeaky brakes seem to be getting worse - but here we are.

Yes - the inappropriate car was the Imp. It seems more noisy to me and a bit rough - after the long run a couple of weeks ago - but seemed to settle down on the way back after we got back up to speed along the river.

Next Please. To do a few jobs I'd moved the E-type out of the garage - to get more wood in the rafters - so it seemed a shame not to give it a proper run too.

Again a great run. It seems to have settled down a bit better too with more use.

Finally chasing Coltec was unsuccessful - I guess next week at the earliest now.

Someone More Important

Dull and slightly damp day - so the morning was mainly admin - punctuated by a Van run early afternoon.

Then the old Swaperoo - Van to Holbrook, then to drop it off in Stutton, a lift to Harkstead in the MK7 and then SAAB back home again. Only to go out again as I forgot the envelope I was supposed to drop off.

Then chasing Coltec - well just say they had other things to fix and we dropped down the priorities - we'll see what tomorrow brings. A few weeks to go though before I panic.

Evening was the rain and the RGEA meeting - two brave chaps - Tom's Tiger and Martin 3's Hillman ...

... and from me the trusty SAAB - well it's almost a classic now anyway.

Little and Large, News and an Invallid Test

So - late AM it was a quick Harkstead run in the SAAB - just a few tools for a small job. I'll be back though with a bigger hammer next time to try to finish it off.

Then early PM a dump run - this time the SAAB was fuller than full.

Of course even after booking a time on line, we sat in a queue for 20 mins when we got there.

So to news. Coltec say most things are done, speedo cable, brakes and exhaust (almost) done - steering box 'should' be next - so off tomorrow ... We'll see.

I had a look at the Talbot brakes too - there was the big nut - should I tinker ?

NO - I know it will all go wrong !

Finally I took the Ferrari out again - time to top the fuel up and keep running it to the 500 mark - also to see if it smells. 

Looking better each time I see it ... perhaps I'll just buy another car and keep it !

However when filling up the petrol hose was on the wrong side - so I splashed petrol all over the car, the filler and then me as I put the cap back on. It did smell a bit inside after that - but I had petrol on my hands etc. So not really a test.

My own Show-Off

The only real activity was moving the MK2 backwards and forwards to use the space for wood work.

Mind you the pile looks like its grown and not shrunk.

As to the show off bit ? I sent my pic to the Riley club and they posted it.

Well it amused me.

My own Show

It was the Ipswich Felixstow run today - I did admin instead - and some tidying up. Oh the joy.

PM though it was time for jobs. So Mk2 to Harkstead to start with.

The oil buzzer came on but just a 'tap' and it went off.

Then the Imp to the local dump. Just a small planet was saved but it all helps.

I followed an Austin A35 home some of the way - small and grey - buzzing along on tiny wheels.

Next I swapped the trickle charge on the Talbot from the back (now green) to the front battery.

Then I got the Ferrari out - no smell inside or out and no pops either. She was running so well I did the circuit and then the A12 up to Seven Hills and back too.

Was there perhaps a whiff after 20 or so hot miles as we went around the roundabout quickly ? Not really - I could smell the food cooking at the Freston boot just as strongly - so I'm putting it down to a natural hot car and an over active imagination. 

It has done about 72,670 miles on the clock now so another 250 ish and we can see how we get on with the replacement (#2) distributor. Say 72,900 perhaps ?

Work Horses

SAAB back again from the boat and instantly into jobs. 

Filling the petrol cans and then E-type to the boat to drop one off.

Swede to Swede

SAAB down to Fidra for an overnight stay in the Deben.

Seemed packed up as usual.

Not that Rare around Here

I started the day spotting TAS and Lavinia on FB 'Rare and on the Road'.

Nice of the chap to post it.

Then SAAB in play for another wood run to Stutton.

Plus more on the roof.

Then PM a MK7 run to Harkstead for tea and down to the boat to put the outboard on.

Finally a utility run back to Stutton to drop things off, and save the planet on the way back. So the Aston came out.

This sunshine can't last any longer can it ?

As it was the end of the month the miles were taken. Not a surprise TAS won with a strong 163, followed by the Imp with 100. So the Pre-War team on the podium again.

Chasing Lavinia

Talbot on fan first thing as it has gone back to cold mornings. First battery (rear) was also charged up after a day and a half - although that's a slower charging unit. I swapped it to the front which was charged up after just over an hour when I went back to start the car.

It started ok too - not really any drama - but perhaps I gave it too much petrol to start with. Settled down quickly so I left it in the sun to warm before setting off at 9:45 on our little adventure.

The route took me through some lovely villages but also some narrow lanes - oh and the car is pulling to the left on breaking again. I found the café on the A134 fine though. Here they are in the sunshine.

After lunch and chats to a few passers by I followed them for several miles.

South again before turning off and heading home. The car went well and we just pottered along in the cold sunshine. We did 93 miles all in all. This 1930's motoring it taking over !

Home again and unpacked it was time for jobs - but by foot. Then I needed to get a car out for a lift. So the Ferrari got a run.

Oddly it started to smell of petrol again slightly - but only inside and not out. Odd indeed.

Rain and Wrap

Not see rain for a long time but we woke up to steady drizzle.

However chasing Coltec was better news - they are onto my car and working through everything - although left the steering box (the most difficult bit) to last of course. 

At least it is starting to progress - here is the wrap almost complete.

Then a quick Harkstead run to deliver a big bag of drugs.

Late AM just a ride in the MK7 to Sutton Hoo and back. I did spot this car though in a photo.

Not sure what it is - looks like a Sunbeam badge though.

Buses

AM working on the garden and PM pottering - well off to help setting up a scanner that will mainly be scanning buses I suspect. I got a nice Mobil artifact though as recompense.

A total of two MK7 rides and then a SAAB ferry trip.

I did pop the Talbot battery on charge though - in case we can use it later in the week - but impending rain stopped any late evening runs.

The Riley Run

So it was Drive it Day (again) today and this time we chose the CVMC run and the Riley. I'd put on the luggage rack and our food squeezed into the basket on the back - so we were set by 9:30.

It was colder than I thought too but we did not have far to go. We were even first to arrive at the start - only to quickly realise that I'd got the location wrong. DHO !

So after a 10 miles detour we arrived at the correct point, chatted to a few people we knew and looked at a few cars. I was advised that the squeaking brakes are probable here to stay and that the whine is almost certainly the dynamo. So back to the cars, this big old Humber looked the part. A 1931 Humber Snipe.

We followed it on the run through some tiny lanes with grass and piles of stones in the middle - just wide enough for the tiny Imp too squeeze through, so I was happy to follow a bigger car.

Of course we hit a few huge 4x4's who just wanted us to move over for them too. After a lot more leafy lanes we were at the Mill and could have a rest. There were only about 50 cars there but we still were squeezed in next to someone so we could stay with the vintage ones.

Mind you we were probably the smallest car there.

Home again and we stuck to the A14 all the way - doing 50 mph most the way - with odd rattles and noises all around. It was hard going but then that's almost the point. We did almost 50 miles there and only 30 back - but the ones back seemed the hardest. 

We seemed to be smoking a bit when we arrived too but after cooling down and sorting things out I re-started the car and no smoke really showed. Overall we used about 3/4 of a pint of oil, but when I checked I noticed two of the cam box covers were loose again - which might have explained some of the loss as well as the odd noises.

During the day we'd been offered some wood from Oil - the only problem was we had to collect it. So we got back into the trust SAAB and off we went.

So that (plus some other wood and boxes) came home and into the shed where possible.

No rest for the wicked.

T O L B O T !

Early off in the Trusty SAAB to the Talbot meeting. A12 M25 with all that entails. I left early and stopped at South Mime for a quick break only to find Elephants had been sleeping there overnight.

Lots of big cars with black covers were in the car park. Odd.

On the road again slow speeds limits and a blocked lane but the car also gave me a few nudges - turbo needle wavering, a miss fire (?) plus a 'CEL' flash several times. I booted it in second/third and it seemed to go back to normal though.

Anyway I did not get lost and in fact was early - I spotted a lovely blue Talbot (David R's) in the village so I knew I was in the right place. Meeting over I headed home. SAAB running well in 22 degrees and hot sun. It is only April ...

Once home I checked the Imp over for tomorrow - Oil fine but I thought it needed water so I put too much in and it just overflowed - after a few spits that surprised/worried me - so I left it on the grass to drip as I fitted the boot rack. 

On the run to get fuel it was all good though.

Back home I also topped up the Talbot water and made sure to put the radiator cap back firmly.

Then I could not resist starting her up. Prime, choke and a bit of throttle pumping and on the second or third go I caught it on the pedal for a few seconds and we were all good.

We had a nice run around the route (including seeing a Austin 7 in the pub who waved) but interestingly the car felt slower than the Imp - it was around the tight beds - but not on the straits as we romped up to 60 fine.

Oh and TOLBOT ? - I had misspelt Talbot on my folder - shame on me.

Steamy Time (again)

MK7 off to Anglesey Abbey to meet up with M&K for a walk and lunch - oh and then pick up the Talbot on the way back of course. So here we are in the bright sunshine picking it up.

I also got a lesson on starting the car. NO HAND THROTTLE, just prime the carb, one or two pumps of the accelerator pedal and then start - catching on the accelerator as it starts. Ah so very different. 

I also spotted the new wipers were sitting incorrectly, but after a fiddle we sorted that out.

So off I went - only stopping three times. 1. to clean the windscreen, 2. to find my foot rest, 3. when bloody the water and steam started !

I suspected it was the cap. Luckily it was - someone had failed to put the cap back on fully - like I have.

After that we had a good run back - 55 to 65 miles an hour most of the way - keeping steady with the lorries. I stopped to fill up with petrol and then we headed home - a bit knackered but home fine.

Here we are in the strong sunlight, the car laughing at me for my worries I suspect.

Only one of the fleet missing now.

Cheat Code ?

AM more shed time. This time the second coat of paint. 

Then PM sorting things out - a SAAB run to Harkstead for a few jobs and then what ? The SAAB got washed for the run on Saturday - well someone washed it. OK I cheated and it really does need the rust looking at.

After that it was Ferrari time. That was still looking great.

We also flew around the block (again just before the road was close) but the E-type felt more powerful yesterday. Odd.

However the Talbot is ready - so we'll be picking it up tomorrow.