One Alpine step forward - one back ?

Dull grey day but I decided to do just one job on the Alpine - I'd left it out so I could do something after all. So today's simple task was the replace the door striker. It's a strait swap for the one on the car ...

How it got broken I'm not sure but that's just collateral damage. I had to take the door panel off to get to it and worked out how it came off - in retrospect I could have done it without doing that if it had just been a strait swap ... and I'd know what to do. However the issue was that the casting of the new one was too thick. A problem with remanufactured parts. So I had to 'slim' it e.g. grind it thinner.

That took several hours to do and it really only just fits to be honest but it works.

I put everything back together - using the new springs and replacement part I had bought but realised I still need one more an inner chrome escutcheon for the slightly larger door handle. Oh well. Worse though I also noticed a bit of a problem with the door bottom.

Not sure how that has happened?

Anyway I decided we needed a run in the gloom and to top up with fuel so we did. Fun - although the roads seemed very slippery - oh and I locked up the brakes stopping quickly.

Back home it was quite dark so I tested the lights and the indicators. The front off side indicator is not flashing at all - that might explain the rear flashing at twice the speed. The near side - side light is a bit dim and the ammeter light is still on when it should be off.

I guess the next jobs will be electrical then.

As to the month end miles - well the Talbot won followed by the Aston.

Down to 90% ?

I warmed the Talbot up for several hours while working. 

Then after lunch I fired it up. I primed the carb (I still think the fuel falls back) and with no choke turning it over for a while until the pressure was up. Then pumped a few times and did it again. I set the hand throttle to about 75% and pumped the throttle a couple more times. She started to fire and then caught a few tries later - but without the spike in revs.

Of course the real reason was to get the car on the drive and look at the headlights in the daylight.

The new (thicker one) is definitely a bit darker and obscures the bulb more. But it is very close. I wonder what the 4mm would look like ? From a distance if I'd not pointed it out ...

Anyway we went around the block just for a blast in the sunshine. Talking of which the vertical windscreen and shiny bonnet/paint means you can't see anything driving into the sun. I'll have to look out for that.

Then the garage phoned so I popped out in the sunset to pick up the SAAB. Still needs a Lambda Sensor - it monitors the oxygen levels in the exhaust gases and tells the ECU which alters fuel air mix accordingly. Anyway it's on back order.

Appears any SAAB colour as long as it is silver/grey.

So back to the Talbot. What to do - just swap over the other one to the 6mm or try to get some 4mm lenses cut ?

Frost and Fogged up Car

Cold and frosty start to the day - so I decided not to warm the Talbot yet.

Thick ice on the loan car at 8:00 - but I'm not going anywhere in it.

PM I took the MK2 off for just a quick job in Harkstead. Nice sunny day when I left.

But it was dark when I came out. Also the car was totally fogged up. I'd forgotten how bad old wet cars can be. Home fine though and decided to report the broken barrier on the corner of the mill. So I popped out in the Golf again to take a snap shot.

I suspect that's why the traffic comes over into my lane sometimes.

Then finally MK7 ride to the Stutton Panto - Oh No We Didn't !

On the way back I noticed the post had been pushed the other way though.

99% the same ?

So SAAB to Abbott's first thing for them to check the car. Very wet and some roads flooded after the rain last night. Funny thing is that the loan car also has the 'check engine' light on all the time.

Another diesel - but a 93 saloon this time. Here is the growing 'dead pool' collection too.

Later I got a call from the restoration company - almost £300 for two. Umm...

So PM I decided I'd better try mine and do the Talbot light. Ah now there is a learning lesson. As the mastic I had used cleaned off the flat side quite easily ... whereas the stippled side was impossible to clean. Well almost.

After almost two hours of cleaning and throwing everything at it I eventually gave up - well it was 99% clean. Next time I'll mask the stippled side. Fitting them back to the car was quite easy and then I looked at the lights ...

Again 99% the same although I sensed the new one had a bit more 'stipple'. Will anyone notice ?

We'll see in the daylight. I might leave it though and fit the second one later if it is noticeable. 4mm would have been better in retrospect I suspect.

Finally the garage phoned. Two problems. #1 is a lambda sensor - OK. #2 is the throttle body misbehaving and they are not available any more... So we'll use a second hand one from the dead pool.

Snuck in another 1930's experience

Cold but very sunny start - so AM after a few home jobs, packed the car for a Harkstead morning. MK2 into service saving the SAAB 'in case'. Here it is on  the lawn ... 

... because I was heating up the Imp to move it out. Jobs done that's exactly what I did too.

I needed a bulb though, the sky was blue so I thought "why not" and took the Imp home and back - got appreciative waves too. Then moved the bubble and inflated the tyres before packing her away again. I noticed the clock was not strait and in fact a nut has fallen off one of the bolts. So that's on the list.

The PM slog into town with four more wheels - off to the dentist. 

Slow, busy run back and so it was nearly dark when I'd finished - so I decided that was that for today.

Accidental Efficiency

Admin etc. first thing then I bought a light for the Harkstead off shoot. I decided I needed to get the Aston out so we went off to the DIY shop - remembering to pack a load to save the planet. On the way I remembered that I also needed supper - so that was three jobs in one trip. 

I dropped off the bottles and did the shopping and then it was 'inappropriate car' time.

Here we are at Screwfix - at least it was easy to park.

Almost at once I got a call from the glass people to say it was ready. So after lunch I jumped back into the Aston and went to get it - not quite the right car for the trading estate perhaps. The glass was the 6mm one so a bit thicker than the original but very hard to tell. We'll see when it's on the car and the lights are shining through it.

Then on the way back I thought I'd do one more job and went all the way around Ipswich to the art shop for supplies. Yes not the correct car to take to a crowded car park either. 

On the way in the queue out I noticed the brakes were rubbing a bit - lack of use I'd assume. Oh and the bloody alarm people phoned.

Next was a quick job at Harkstead so this time it was the Golf.

I decided to bite the bullet and get the old rim off the Talbot and try to stick the new one in. Not too much of a mess - but it will need a clean.

I left it with a box of screws to force it down and set. I'll see what it looks like after a clean tomorrow.

Straws

Windy but very warm so I spent some time with the E-type, just cleaning off the connections on the fuel gauge connections. Or in reality clutching at straws.

Obviously it did not work. I suspect the 'float' has been eaten by the ethanol in the petrol we have to use now.

Then PM a run in the Alpine to Stutton. Went nicely and the kids liked being in it.

Still looking good too.

Finally IT job at Harkstead where the client had to try out a laptop. So MK2 back in service.

Thaw

Well that was Winter then. Dull wet grey day with high winds and rain. Just the type of weather for a classic car. But at least it washed the salt away.

So we took the Golf anyway as I'm keeping the SAAB for work runs.

Yes we can do that !

So I decided to do some car jobs ... even though it was frozen and the garage was going to be cold. First job was to heat up the wooden garage then ahead of looking at the E-type fuel gauge - while I worked in the brick one on the Talbot.

First job was measuring the thickness of the glass. Umm 3mm ? Hard to tell without taking the broken one off - which I did not want to do.

I then put the battery on charge and decided I should really add on a second trickle charge point to the other Talbot battery. Easier said than done - and then I found that I had no fittings for it in my stock. So SAAB off to Halfords to pick up a few - not as good as my other ones either. Then in Ipswich the car started to stutter and hunt. Bugger.

Home again and it took a lot longer than it should have as I had to solder them on. However I did remember to check the polarity before I connected them this time. 

That done I noticed the first battery was already showing green so I swapped them over using my new connection.

After lunch I got an email back from a local glass company saying 'yes they thought they could make me a lens'. So having faffed about (e.g. worried thought about which car to take in the Winter weather) I took the good one off and went to see them. The glass they chose was called 'Stippolyte' by Pilkington. I'd spotted that yesterday and holding them up together I could not tell the difference.

Oh and yes it was the MK2.

So we'll see next week if it looks the same on the car. 

I've got it Covered - in Salt !

No car action at all. Due to the dull, cold and frozen day. I could not even clear the gutters as they were rock solid.

I did cheer up when I spotted that I'd got two of the covers selected to represent the best of the 240 the E-type club have published though.

Actually the first and the latest - both at night. As was one of the others and two of the Caterham ones. I suspect it's my 'thing'.

I also contacted the vintage headlight people again - not much energy there they had not even read my email ...

Oh and the first salt was thrown about at random tonight.

ION: it might not be worth replacing it as there is a suspicion that Russia have upped the threat by launching an "experimental" medium-range ballistic missile - say the American's. Just to show they could load it with a Nuclear warhead. Hopefully it is all pre-peace talks strategy.

Wheely Big

SAAB out first thing - two degrees and a little frost - and down the A12 to Brentwood to collect the Aston wheels. Nice V8 in my old colour sitting outside.

Brought back nice memories - both very silver in the sunshine.

I loaded the wheels in the boot of the SAAB quite easily - it impressed the mechanics with the way it just swallowed them. They look gold in this light but they are not.

With that boost to my ego it was obvious that the car would misbehave on the way back - the 'Check Engine' light on and then a bit of a stutter and hunting. Ho Hum.

Getting them out they looked huge but here they are packed away. Seemed to fit fine.

The tyres need replacing though - one day.

ION: More missiles were launched at Russia by Ukraine - and the Americans are shipping them mines. Lets see what happens now.

Doing the SAAB shuffle

SAAB to Harkstead mid morning. I did check on the Imp though.

It was hard to get the wheel chair in and out - the bubble is too near the door - I should really move it.

Then PM I shuffled back up for more jobs. I noticed the 'Check Engine' light is still off though which is encouraging.

ION: Ukraine did not spend much time waiting and launched missiles into Russia first thing today.

Visiting Time

AM I pottered about working out how to prop up the roof of the bubble so it does not rub on the Talbot roof when it's deflated.

So I popped out in the SAAB for some wood - on the way back I noticed the 'Check Engine' light was off again. I set about trying several methods and eventually had a workable solution.

Not quite what I had in mind but it works.

PM I popped out to take a new cover up to the Ferrari. 

That looks better. I'd taken the Aston - which was going well.

When I got home I sanded down the fittings I had made as they were looking a bit 'pointy'.

ION: The Russians are warning of Nuclear Armageddon (again) as the US lets Ukraine launch the missiles they have into Russia - mind you they only go about 200 miles ... 

Clean Bubble Now

Decided to clean the bubble first thing. So set about it with decent results but it took 8 buckets in the end of filthy water.

Talbot in the sunshine for the morning while I worked on the inside. I also cleaned the roof where the muck from the bubble had settled. Then I got the Aston out too so I could get the ladders up for the outside and top of the bubble.

Meanwhile James had phoned to say he was passing so I tidied up and wondered which car to take to lunch ? In the end it was neither as the Strand was flooded (high tide) and the other route was blocked. So SAAB back in service. Here we are next to the Audi - that's still going too.

Actually the Audi seems to have aged very little in the 10 or so  years Oli has had it. Ignoring the dents that is.

Two different Lights

First is the 'Check Engine' light still on as I popped out in the SAAB first thing.

Then I let Monty play in the car  - he does like cars ...

Then PM looked at the Talbot light. Smaller than I had imagined measuring it again. 9 3/4 inch across but the frame would take a little more.

I'm not 100% happy with how clipped back on either. I might add some sealant for good measure.

Finally ride in the Passat. B&Q for me and Waitrose for Oli.

While we were there Monty found a car he wanted in the shops which he could not have. He screamed and cried all the way home. He was so distraught at home that Lucy went back to the shops to get it - mind you Oli had forgotten things for supper too...

... and Stack 'em

So that's number four packed away.

First thing was to warm the E-Type and clear out the store for the Aston wheels. Heady stuff.

I'm not sure how big they are - and therefore if they fit - but they should.

Then started the E-type and moved it out of the garage - ready for the next bubble.

Still looking clean - although the roof and rear paintwork is looking very flat. Oh and the light surround still annoys me where it does not fit properly.

However after I'd put the bubble up it rewarded me with a good run around the block. I think I'll check the contacts on the fuel gauge in the boot before taking it to pieces - but that is probably a forlorn hope.

But here we are with the Alpine looking splendid too. Each time I pass it it looks better.

Finally we rounded off the day with a SAAB run to Harkstead and back. Check engine light still on.

But no - courage returned and we went to the Ipswich waterfront for a few quick guerilla shots.

Night driving an old car is so much fun.

Was that really quicker ?

I'd decided to move the second bubble into the brick garage for the Talbot to reside in this Winter. First though I had to move everything around. So Alpine on heater early on to get everything lined up. 

Still surprises me how 'crisp' it looks now. Later I popped in into the garage next to the E-type and it looked even better.

Then next was to heat the Talbot up while I worked out how to put the bubble on wheels. Eventually I had made this - basically a car chassis.

The trolley was to steer it but I can't say it worked that well, although once on it the bubble moved quite easily even on the gravel.

I then found that it was a bit high to get out of the car port and too wide and too high to get in the garage.

But we managed it eventually - and was it quicker than dismantling it and rebuilding it ? Probably not.

I then took the Talbot around the block in the gloom. Looked stately on the drive though.

I put that away and took the Aston out to save the planet - oh and get some pipe insulation for the bars in the bubble to protect the headlights. Well one headlight anyway.

It has an surprisingly soft clutch pedal after the Talbot too. Oh and a lot more power.

Finally Google popped up with this picture from 20 years ago.

We don't have the Ginetta any more but the E-Type (and Alpine) are still with us. 

Was it really 20 years ago ?