The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)

Now this is a silly idea, but you could go an buy one. I know, I know. They're rare and never come up for sale but take £500 from your bank account, find one, tax it, insure it, fill the tank and put the remaining £400 back in your bank. If you're feeling frivolous, get yourself an estate one for the moving of reasonably large things as and when it is required.

Dipping your toes in shed waters, and see what bites....always exciting, never know what turns up

Same happened to my TVR - I decided to go to a COVID vaccine session in it, and some bugger scratched it down the side in the health centre car park. No note on the screen of course. Only decent car I own..... So I now don't take it anywhere with a car park, and run sheds for every day use

You’d be surprised at how cheap some are, particularly on the classics side. But like Scimitars they’re incredible value.

…although due to age not really reliable for everyday use so doubtful if they qualify for proper shedding. Maybe there could be a sub genre for period shedding?

Bought dad a car.

Dad was ungrateful and having a go at me for "pissing off without saying anything".

Dads missing out.

ANYWAY, enough with the life story, here it is. A cross between shed and compact-barge-spec.

A 2005 Ford Focus 1.6 Ti-VCT Ghia saloon in Jeans Blue. Local dealers launch demo plus 3 owners from the same family, latterly owned by a retired Ford Master tech. 69,000 miles. Some nice options such as upgraded wheels, adaptive headlamps, CD autochanger and fake wood! An honest, beautiful car for a grand.

I had the clutch changed yesterday on my C2. I've had it four years now and driven it 20k miles and noticed recently a slight burning smell at high revs so knew it was going. Yet I always assumed, as not had a car with a failing clutch before, that the main sign is slippage. Revs climbing but no acceleration. Yet I've never felt this. The gear selection has always been a bit notchy and the bite point high, but I assumed this typical.

Well turns out the new clutch was very much needed. Gear selection is now actually quite smooth, the bite point was not supposed to be that high at all and it feels much more eager in every gear. Being sensible while bedding in of course. The pedal is so much lighter now. Finally it seems it did have a rattly release bearing so it's quieter too.

While being very happy I'm also wondering just how long it would have lasted? The car is now on 90k miles and is 15 and a half years old. I have receipts from when the car was 1 year old onwards and there is no paperwork for any previous clutch so assume it was the original.

So lesson learned. It's not just 'slipping' as I expected it to be and a burning smell as the only signs of a failing clutch. Now it, and myself, will be much happier with the drive to Liepzig in a couple weeks time.

That looks like a great buy for £1K, although Saloons have always been really rare in England.

But I was amazed the first time I went to Ireland - I don't think I saw a Hatchback!

Couldnt resist looking at the MOT history. Hmm looks like it was welded at the current MOT (failed first test on both sides, outer sills, usual seat belt anchorage point) and perhaps more worryingly, the right side had only been welded as recently as the 2022 by the looks of it, as failed for same reason on the nearside sill. But hey, for £1000 if you get a year's motoring out of it, it not the end of the world!!

It will vary from place to place. If they already have a glut of them in stock then they won't want more until the ones they've got have been stripped. Scrapped a Sorento about 6 months back and one of the places only offered £100 but another offered £250. Did a C2 a month ago and that was £180. You need to shop around for the best prices or just put it on ebay on an auction - they pretty always fetch more than scrap value if it's just an MOT failure for underside rot.

I love a good C1 - or a bad one, I don't mind. PM me if you want. You need to be local ish though, or feel the need for a trip to the lovely Brecon Beacons. (or whatever they are called these days)