Colin Lindsay

So just buy an old tractor and store it there! Simple! I can remember an older generation of the family telling me about running out of petrol once and running the car on whiskey to get home...

Sounds like a vehicle fuel tank.... mixup at the pump? Council oil disposal tanks will take it - at least my local will so assume they're all the same - provided you can get it there.

They are, Sam, and I've had a recent discussion online with some suppliers who had photos of the originals on their site but supplied Philip's versions for my Herald before telling me that is all I'll get these days. I've been advised to buy metric and retap the metal, which may work for some of the timing cover screws but is not ideal. https://www.fixaball.co.uk/products/m3-machine-screws-slotted-pan-head-a2-stainless-steel?variant=24158657223 I've found similar in UNC: https://www.a2stainless.co.uk/4-40-UNC-x-5-16-Slot-Pan-Head-Screw_ARHYP.aspx ...plus others listed as a 5/16 6-32 thread, which Pete will have to explain. I may have located some on a USA site: https://www.spitbits.com/store/85-PAN-HEAD-SCREW-MK41500-5req-P2601.aspx There are so many bolt and fastener sites on the Net it would take days to check them all. I'm going to tour a few local hardware shops with one in my pocket and see if they have any old stock.

Bit like my Herald Coupe. My young daughter could only use the rear seat if she lay sideways, so never travelled in it unless it was in the front. (where there were no seatbelts either... which is why I sold it).

You can remove the door before you weld in the brace; just don't remove the car from the chassis at the same time... I've found that a rivet is great for removing the pin; one of the same diameter is usually long enough to clear the plastic disc so that you can get a good smack against the head. I've lost a few over the years and replaced with round masonry nails of the correct diameter, just cut to the right length. Make sure that yours has not been replaced with a nail or the like so that there's actually a small flat head at one end.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-UPGRADED-AUSTIN-PRINCESS-4-POT-BRAKE-CALIPERS-PAD-KIT-ESCORT-CAPRI-TRIUMPH/153461286829?fits=Car+Make%3AAustin|Model%3APrincess&hash=item23bb0167ad:g:GoYAAOSwXUNcvuNe I've found a link to a set of calipers that will allegedly fit all - Ford, Austin and Triumph, although I had thought that there were differences in the mountings with Fords at least - and if you look down the listing he has given the dimensions. He has three or four sets for sale, all at varying prices, but claims they have a pre-fitted spacer block that has to be removed if they're to be used on the Princess; this would indicate that they've been spaced for vented discs already. There are second hand Austin originals for £100 also listed by another seller. This link is quite an interesting article, although he's fitting them to a Marina rather than a Triumph: http://www.cjw-consulting.co.uk/4pots/4pots.htm Companies like Willwood do a complete kit for the GT6 but only for single discs. Are you intending to do a lot of speed? I've heard that there's only a marginal improvement over the originals, but have never tried them myself.

I'm assuming that that is not the original manifold? Looks like a Moss / TT version? Possibly an alternative manifold may help?

They really get to you, don't they? Commiserations, Graham.

There are two dangers with this: one, the DVA ask on their forms for a replacement V5 has the vehicle been rebuilt, so you have to be careful as to your reply. If you say yes, they want proof that it's the same vehicle - photographs will usually do - but as with anything official if you give away too much and alert them they'll dig deeper and deeper, so say nothing. If you say no and they inspect the vehicle for any reason it can also cause bother. Remote, yes, but possible, so why risk it? Two: I've seen so many people posting about their cars, and even selling them, where both posts and adverts claim: the car has received a replacement chassis from a donor vehicle... and you never know who might just be interested. As the song says: whatever you say, say nothing.

You, as well?

Your air rifle runs on batteries??? Mine was a Webley Patriot .25 (ran on air!) and would have gone through the target - cats, foxes or unwanted china - and the wall behind it.

Most suppliers these days are selling the same spring for all 4 cylinder cars; 131535 or 131535UR. Early Heralds were 100420; I don't have the Spitfire manual to confirm but I'd guess that newer version is what's on offer these days for all 4-cylinder cars. It would be interesting to know the spec of the uprated version compared to the standard. Some suppliers are also selling the same spring for the 6-cylinder cars too.

My Diesel Mondeo takes about six to eight miles before the temperature gauge starts to move, and that's only a 1.6. Not only that but it cools at the drop of a hat; park up to go into a shop and when you come out, it's cold again. I doubt if it will ever reach normal operating temperature when idling. Is there a Motability scheme on mainland UK? Over here they're now pushing for all Motability cars to be electric. It's a real moneyspinner for Car Dealerships over here, and this should be another great boost for profits given the higher costs of EV.

Even better!

Yep; it's rather like the concept of electricity. It's generated elsewhere, so we can all pretend that it's non-polluting, since we can't see it in our locality. Nimby-ism in it's purest form.

Any of the Febi valves for VW are a straight fit; one pipe on each end and a simple push/pull lever to attach the cable. As cheap as £8 new on eBay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FEBI-Heater-Valve-VW-171819809E/333424739258?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D82b028789ada40069dc1c76179b04633%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D233423198655%26itm%3D333424739258%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I'm wondering if this is anything to do with the steering column being designed to collapse in the event of an accident; I'm assuming it's designed to telescope in the event of a front-end impact, where to avoid the entire column being driven forward and striking the driver it collapses inwards; however is this anything to do with the driver striking the steering wheel (pre-seatbelt days!) and if the wheel has room to move away from the driver it may lessen the impact? Thinking out loud again, but just wondering why they would say that in the manual. (Incidentally my own WSM may just have cleared that up as it says " the column may be unable to telescope if fitted to it's lowest position".) So, I may be right after all. It needs to telescope top and bottom.

NOW I get the principle and that makes so much more sense to me as to where I can use it, and how many applications it could be suited to. Thanks Mark.

Met a car yesterday going the wrong way on a dual carriageway. He was turning so as to go bonnet-to-bonnet with jump leads for another car a couple of hundred yards away that had conked out. Not sure whether to blame that one on the petrol engine, or the electrics... but the idiots are definitely out there already

I think a 'how-to' video is required... hint hint!

That should suit me at present then. I should imagine holding something in the mouth, like a torch, to free the hands up is also not on...

That would do for me too, but it would be good to be able to point to the codes on the unit and show other members how to identify them, or even just what it all means.

Just what I was about to post - you beat me to it!! It's all quite heavy and because of the restricted space, hard to hold in any kind of balance, and it won't actually all come out as one unit, given the method of fitting the diff to the chassis, which is below and whilst you can drop the diff you can't do it with the rear spring and halfshafts attached - the chassis rails get in the way, and there won't be enough room above to lift the unit over them. I reckon you'll have to dismantle everything and then reassemble on the other chassis.

I know it's a genuinely serious thing, and we're going to need to do something asap, but I just think we're the ones footing all the bills and having all the restrictions and guilt placed on us while China, India, Brazil, and the like continue to belch out pollution and do absolutely nothing about it. Next thing, we'll be paying vast sums of money to those countries to cut down emissions; money we could use on our own infrastructure and welfare. Add Philippino volcanoes and Australian bush fires and my little car exhaust or my wood-burning stove seems to be small fry indeed.

Every time I try to see through totally frozen windows - yes. On warm nights when I can't sleep - no. When I listen to sanctimonious b***** on TV preaching night after night - definitely. That's not mine, just a pic of one fitted. There are two settings: icy cold, and barely-warm breath. You really have to strain to feel any heat in the blast at all.