August 2006
A friend of mine asked me today about getting a weekend car that his whole family could enjoy. He likes the 1930's style but he doesnt know much about which ones are any good. he is decided on the era of car so just looking for suggestions within the 1930's.
He wants something that can easily seat 5 and max price of £10,000. He would prefer something that doesnt need an engine rebuild every year and size wise, atleast the size of a Ford Granada, which rules out something like a Ford Model Y.
I was hoping some of you can remember back that far and have any ideas on what he should look for?
I was told my grandfather had a matt black Humber limo which he bought for a few quid back in the 60's which he used as a family car for years, but I doubt theres many of them around now! Read more
I'm considering uprating my alternator to give a better charge at low engine revs.
The best value seems to be HillMart (www.alternatormart.co.uk) who supply Unipoint alternators from Woods Auto Supplies, possibly built/imported from Taiwan.
Are Unipoint alternators any good? Read more
I remember the good old days of dynamos when (if you had an ammeter fitted)
and were driving on a dark rainy day with the wipers headlights and demister on
you were in a battery current deficit situation !
This is why you were allowed to drive with sidelights in a lit up area,a rule which should be rescinded IMO,the plethora of background lighting these days can often make sidelights invisible.Alternatively bring back dim-dip.
ive got a 1988 1300 polo 4 speed with a poorly box, ive managed to source a 5 speed box from the same year/engine car along with the gear linkage
am i right in thinking the engine can be left in the car ? anything to look out for ?
im also fitting a new clutch
whats the best way to align the linkage Read more
The London Metropolitan Police have ordered 117 Honda Civic Hybrids, the largest fleet purchase for hybrid cars in the U.K., according to the Green Car Congress. The police will use the hybrids for Community Support Officers to use as part of a Safer Neighbourhoods program.
The cars will not be used for patrol vehicles, which are primarily performance diesels. Previously the Metropolitan Police tried electric and liquid propane vehicles, but stopped due to impracticality and reduction in funding; however, the force plans to run four of 70 hydrogen-powered vehicles that will be introduced by the Greater London Authority. As well, the Toyota Lexus RX400h hybrid SUV is currently undergoing trials in the U.K. for full police duty, including patrol and emergency response.
I wonder if this will result in lower council tax bills aftere the savings in fuel costs.
I think not somehow.
Cue the Hybrids not being economical debate ! Read more
"The police driving around in hybrids will give them a softer image which is not what is wanted to stop crime."
I tend to agree, the police have a very difficult job balancing reputations, the strong-arm-of-the-law as a detererent to crime and the softly-softly neighbourhood bobby.
Perhaps in some areas the hybrids may actually help, help with the perception of the police being green and caring (however hypocritical this is for reasons given further up) though me thinks that will be Chelsea, Edgbaston and Wilmslow and not the neglected urban estates where the honest man dreams of spending a grand on a car and the criminals who nick BMWs for fun will laugh at the prospect of plod in such a vehicle.
I have recently bought a 98 Fiesta Chicane 1.4 zetec for a good price, but since I have bought it I have realised it has a terrible problem which I unbeleivably missed when test driving.
When I first pull off in 1st gear the car jerks and the revs drop just like a learner driver, but if I pull off slowly and ride the clutch the car is fine most of the time. it also jerks if I change into second at low speeds but after that the car is fine when I am driving at higher speeds the car drives perfect.
I took it to my local garage who advised the gear and engine mounts may be worn and need replacing, he replaced them at a cost of £100 the mounts were worn and split but the problem is still there.
my mechanic says the only way to cure the problem 100% is to replace the clutch & gear box at an additional cost of £300 is he taking me for a ride.
The car is also lumpy when engine breaking in low gears and jerks a bit when slowing down so I have to put my foot on the clutch but when I accelerate through the car pulls excellent.
I am starting to think it is an electrical problem rather than a gearbox problem has anybody else experienced these problems????
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Awsome thread, I had to join just to say thanks to all the posters which contributed to this.
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Hi,
The last few days when I try to start my Espace in the morning, 2.2dCi 2001 it accpets the key, radio/dash lights up engine cranks but the imobiliser on the dash LED flashes. So won't let me start. No warning lights etc. The OK symbol appears as normal.
Trying the spare key doesn't change anything.
After 5mins of taking the keyin/out it works !
At lunch, 4pm or evening it's fine.
Weird problem. Thought maybe a battery that charges from the ngine may be draining overnight ?
I'm goin to replace the key fob batteries just in case.
Any thoughts ????????
Nick
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I have had the receiver go on a laguna changed at extreme expense and dealer I know cannot get a Vel Satis to go with the same problem he told me if he changes anymore bits he will have to reregister it as a different car.
I need to change the pads on my Espace latest generation, can anyone tell me how to keep the brakes released when I turn off the engine? Read more
There is a hatch in the floor between the two front seats. Lit that and you will see a yellow lever. Pull it while operating the auto brake (press the centre while pulling it) and the brakes release.
i just wondered if there is a fault code reader available for a diesel? specifically for a 306 hdi?
I cant seem to find one
thanks Read more
they are about but not cheap ones. The OBDCII standard applies to petrol engines not diesels. and most cheap code readers just handle obdc.
Snap-on, bosch etc do them but as I say not cheap. The modern stuff that uses canbus seem to be able to be read with the standard canbus kit. dont know about 306 hdi. Is there a way of reading fault codes with a small circuit / bulb or similar ?
Is it bad for a diesel to crank it over while the plugs are doing their thing?
It chugged a bit this morning (Quite a chilly night) but did fire up. It wasn't as quick as usual (About 2 turns of the motor!).
Is a grumpy sounding engine the worst thing that can happen? Read more
About the only thing I liked about our old Polo diesel was that it started its preheat cycle when you unlocked the doors.
I read somewhere a long time ago that the partially burned fuel and sooty deposits caused by improper cold starting of a diesel can eventually foul the injectors, but I don't know how true that is.
Cheers
DP
I was once told that in the 1960s, major motorways were designed for comfortable cruising at 90 mph. This is in terms of things like exits, signs, superelevation (a.k.a. banking on bends) and bend radii. Anyone have any better info?
What kind of science fiction future did they envisage, I wonder?
Where did it all go wrong?
Zebra
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We were once talking to my mate's Grandad about motorway driving and he told us about driving his friends Jag XK140 on the M1 in the early '60's. Doing 120mph he would give cars a couple flashes of main beam and they would neatly pull over for him, then he'd give them a thankyou toot and a wave as he passed. And he'd often get a friendly wave back
So much has changed, coming up behind a car (on a dual though) doing barely 60 in the OS lane, a quick dose of lamps results in quite the opposite. I don't think that that was a cheery wave the driver gave me yesterday anyway.
Browse
I well remember a colleague paying something like £10,000 to have a 1939 Daimler professionally restored - only to find it was utterly boring to drive.
To some extent your friend will have to go with what's available - those 30s cars that haven't gone to the great scrap-heap in the sky are cherished by their owners and not often sold (except by their executors).
One of those huge old 6-cylinder Vauxhalls of the mid-30s might be what's needed - if one can be found. Only a few years ago I followed one pulling a caravan - at quite a good pace.