Back to Commuting

SAAB action as nothing to do but commute.

Well it did rain.

It's Alive !

Saturday job, Alpine almost back together, bar bonnet - oh and it still won't start - and it's completely boxed in. Oh and two trips to get electrical parts - lots of admiring glances and comments on Mr E though which was worth the hassle.


Drive it day Sunday, sun rose watery over a mixed grey sky with slight rain in the air. That's a shame. After the week of sun we have had - perhaps God is a bloody Greenie after all.

Drive it say was raining - still some good sights - rewarded by a great Talbot (see pic).

Came back, cleaned the toos tidied the garage and gave the Alpine one more go. It stated !

Sun Rise

Early to work again.

And then the long way home in the spring sun shine.

'Nout

Not even a classic at the station, nor any Porsches in sight - well one yelow boxter - but that does not count.

Eeesing into Summer

Spring evening - if a bit chillie - suited the e-type sunny run home.

Fuel pump arrived though and I fitted it in 30 mins, works but still won't start. 1342 - firing order I think.

Just traveling again

Well saw an airplane today - so what - well it's the first time for a week !

Hope to "do" classics tomorrow. Awaiting new fuel pump for Alpine too.

Sun reflecting on the bonet

Mr E got a long run out to see some Friendly Ferrari's at Lancaster. Passed two Aston DB9s and one 430.

Also 308 action for obligatory B&Q w/e trip to buy some alu rod to make...

Made push rod for larger clutch slave cylinder for Alpine, included screw thread and got it fixed in - I think - only running the car will tell. Next is fixing the fuel pump.

And G4 started and out into the sunshine - but only as far as the sand blocking the drive.

So all four got attention.

Hankering for a 12 cylinder again to complete the team.

Sand Trap

Woops - reversed in to the pile of sand in the SAAB.

Sun shine and Mr E though drive to the coast.

Something rubbing when I turn to the left though.

Oh and the fuel pump does not work on the Alpine.

Nothing doing

Sill missing the classics - too many cars on the drive.

Now that's not funny

Boxed in completely now !

Boxed In

Both garages blocked - so modern again. Looks like G4 and Alpine will stay that way for April.

Dull day anyway.

Sun faded away

Nothing doing classic-wise again. Looking forward to drive it day.

Dull day, flecks of rain in the air driving home at dusk.

Chug Chug Chug

Commuting not driving.

Too late home for a blast in the sun too.

I can't get the G4 out for a MOT due to pile of hardcore blocking the drive ...

160 deg for 30 mins

Cooking the drop arm worked a treat - went on like it was greased - which it was of course.

Now I can't start the car... need to finish off the inside... and the clutch needs bleeding and drags !

Ho hum another week - I guess that's 5 hours today.

Spring Saturday

Stumbled upon a group of 1920's and 30 cars in the local pub.

Just had to stop off for a look.

Other than that a happy drive in the sun in Mr E and the Italian Tin.

Weekend commeth

But the drop arm did not so I'll work on heating up the old one, or fitting the slave cylinder.

Sun and Mr. E

Still sniffing (me not the car) but took the e-type into the sunny morning.

Also hard-standing took a step closer with the gardeners.

Slow days between weekends

I need 5 days weekends and 2 days weeks. But then again I need 10 days weeks to wait for all the parts to arrive before the weekend.

Plan for the sun and the G4 awakening.

Just boxed parts

Boxed up the old steering rack. Not much else. Nice sunny day, but I needed to get to work.

Small Job

Well just managed 10 mins on Monday evening to pop the relay back in the Italian.

Always struggle with the cover to the fuses. Put it back on and hoped that it worked...

The sun shine makes you want to get out and drive.

Stage 2

Starting the re-build.

5 hours in - Steering colunm in (twice), Fuel pump, Clutch Master cylinder, Dash back.

Can't get the steering arm on the splines though ...

Nope

The closest I came was looking at the four exhausts on the Italian Tin. Then the sun came out.

Spannering tomorrow from early.

Beautifull Weather

April fools !

Pisst it down again.

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.