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For those interested in old cars.


DDolfelin
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But sadly nigh on impossible to fix for the home mechanic, and all too often pretty hit and miss for the main dealer workshops also (despite manufacturer support, computers and factory manuals).

 

Main dealer servicing isn't necessarily up to the mark either. My son recently bought a 12 plate Toyota Yaris, supposedly full main dealer service history. he showed me one of the spark plugs last week. Vitually nothing left of the centre electrode and most of the porcelain insulation gone as well. We're both surprised it managed to run on 4 cylinders at all :O

I would reckon that plug could have been unchanged from new.

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Main dealer servicing isn't necessarily up to the mark either. My son recently bought a 12 plate Toyota Yaris, supposedly full main dealer service history. he showed me one of the spark plugs last week. Vitually nothing left of the centre electrode and most of the porcelain insulation gone as well. We're both surprised it managed to run on 4 cylinders at all :O

I would reckon that plug could have been unchanged from new.

 

Was it a Hybrid one? If so, previous owner was probably trying to run on electric motor most of the time.

 

I wonder if the stop-start systems cause spark plugs to wear out more quickly?

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Was it a Hybrid one? If so, previous owner was probably trying to run on electric motor most of the time.

 

I wonder if the stop-start systems cause spark plugs to wear out more quickly?

Straight petrol one, no idea if it has this start stop malarkey, I had a hire car in January with that on. Soon disabled, so annoying!

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I'd have thought if S/S caused undue wear on the plugs it'd be all over the press by now, it's been around for many years now, sounds more like poor servicing... Like the S/S myself, I recon it saves me around 10% on fuel costs, though having driven a manual with it i have to admit that it suits automatics far more than manuals, and include VW's "autohold" brake system and it's the height of relaxing commuting!

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Another rare old beast this week.

 

 

An '83 Lister coverted XJS 6.0 Litre cabriolet.

 

 

Bloody expensive car when new. It had been a bit neglected recently and had lots of bits not working. All sorted now though.

 

 

 

New fascia wood, radio/cd unit and work on the instrument panel, heater and folding top.

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Another rare old beast this week.

 

 

An '83 Lister coverted XJS 6.0 Litre cabriolet.

 

 

Bloody expensive car when new.....

... and very prone to rot.

 

Meanwhile, spotted this CX 22 TRS on the way to work, so just had to take a photo:

 

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I think this one has been on Flickr before, so it's nice to see it in real time.

Edited by Horsetan
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Very nice Ivan - are they Alfa 'teledial' alloys..?

 

Out of the blue I've just been offered a late '60s RHD Lancia Flavia Coupe, might go and look at it next week, the owner knows it's out of my budget but it's always nice to make new connections. Nice lot those Italian car nuts  ;)

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Very nice Ivan - are they Alfa 'teledial' alloys..?

 

Yes, because Alfa wheels are the only other ones which will fit CX hubs - the PCD is one of those weird 5x98 measurements which virtually no other makers except Alfa and Citroen use. If you see Alfa wheels on a CX (usually a GTi Turbo 1 or 2), that means the owner got fed up of paying through the nose for metric wheels and tyres!

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the owner got fed up of paying through the nose for metric wheels and tyres!

 

Wasn't that the case with MG Metro and Maestro wheels  also?

 

 

John

Metro and early montego wheels, thankfully the maestro somehow avoided them.

That said my metro turbo uses 185/55r13 tyres and other than some awful camacs are no longer available.

The toyos that are presently on it have degraded and need changing before an MOT test which is a real shame as it had awesome handling with those

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For some truly frightening metric tyre prices, click here - obviously people still buy them because originality.

 

Thanks for the link - not for the radial tyres but for inner tubes !!. My Rover P5B has Rostyle wheels and has inner tubes fitted. I need a spare.

 

https://www.vintagetyres.com/shop/tubes-inners/inner-tubes

 

Brit15

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Thanks for the link - not for the radial tyres but for inner tubes !!. My Rover P5B has Rostyle wheels and has inner tubes fitted. I need a spare....

Might they not be cheaper from another source? I find that Vintage Tyres and their rival Longstone Tyres charge some truly horrific prices and it may be better to look elsewhere.....

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Thanks Horsetan - One local tyre dealer stated he couldn't source them. I'll try others and also look online. Your post jogged my memory that I need a spare tube !!

 

Brit15

 

Just before I sold my P5B Coupe I put four new Vredestein tyres on it, my local tyre emporium ordered them from Germany, IIRC they were around £100 each.

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A load of Alfa’s used metric tyres as well. The 33 had 2 different wheels that looked the same except one was metric and the other imperial.

 

Most people just hunted for a 2nd hand imperial set. Metric tyres just meant a lot of money for rubbish tyres!

 

Katy

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Thanks Horsetan - One local tyre dealer stated he couldn't source them. I'll try others and also look online. Your post jogged my memory that I need a spare tube !!

 

Brit15

 

Try the independent dealers rather than the chains, they tend to deal with a wider range of wholesale suppliers so can often access types and sizes that the multiples can't supply.

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Now here's something a bit different in Tesco's car park today - makes a change from the occasional Ferrari or Maser - and it's long time since I saw a real one of these. (finishing up as a truly major rebuild job after going somewhat astray at Becketts at Silverstone back in the late 1960s).  Anyway this one is an ASM replica DBR which has been in the hands of its present owner for 12 years although he said he hasn't raced it for a couple of years as he's been racing his E Type instead; he's hoping to get this back on the track next year.  Made a superb noise not only leaving the car park but heading away on the main road over 100 yards away.

 

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And more by luck than any sort of judgement I got my own car in one of the views and my daughter's car in another one - nothing fancy in either case of course.

Edited by The Stationmaster
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