Gosh oh golly, I bought a Dolly.
Discussion
Johnspex said:
In the days before air-mix heating the heater radiator would be blocked off when the heater was turned off so turning on the heater increased the amount of water flowing round the engine so helping the cooling. ( I think ).
On MGs there was a tap under the bonnet to turn the flow to the heater on, I always left mine on as it added a few pints to the mix & made it run a needle's width cooler even with the flaps shut for no airflow through the heater.
Breadvan72 said:
If ever I am driving a car that starts to overheat, I bang on the heater. Anything that draws some heat from the coolant into the air is a help, even I a small one.
Had to do that once in a Renault 18 where the electric fan had died. Suggested it on another occasion to someone who was stopped at the side of the road in a cloud of steam and he looked at me as if I was from Mars.
Breadvan72 said:
a8hex said:
On my XK150 the heater control is under the bonnet, I'd need one from the following month to get new fangled features like in cabin control of the heater.
But if you had such fripperies that would make you a great big softie and not a manly Jag man of manly manliness.Breadvan72 said:
If ever I am driving a car that starts to overheat, I bang on the heater. Anything that draws some heat from the coolant into the air is a help, even if a small one.
I once did that in the middle of summer with a 4ltr petrol jeep Cherokee that over heated in the queue for the Leicester races ,bloody warmEdited by Breadvan72 on Saturday 4th July 01:28
Hijacking your topic a moment! Have just been told about a Sprint that's been languishing in the owner's garage for years and "needs some work" (exactly what sort of work not yet specified).
I've always wanted one...
Anyone know where they rust, in case I give in to temptation and go for a look? Mechanical stuff I can do and enjoy, my skills with the welder are lacking however, unless blowing holes in sheet metal with it is counted as a "skill".
I've always wanted one...
Anyone know where they rust, in case I give in to temptation and go for a look? Mechanical stuff I can do and enjoy, my skills with the welder are lacking however, unless blowing holes in sheet metal with it is counted as a "skill".
I mean easy to get someone who knows what he or she is doing to fix. Lots of bits available, quite a few scrappy ones to loot from, and so on.
Rimmers are well named, and will loot your wallet a bit, but it could be worse: you could be a real mug punter and have an MG!
BTWm, that is not me on my "all MGs are s
t" tack (although they are, or rather all MGBs are - some other MGs aren't), but instead a reference to the MG tax that you pay for getting one fixed, because MGBs are bought by lots of bingobrains who would not know a classic car if one ran them down, and so the prices of everything go up.
[/Runs away]
Rimmers are well named, and will loot your wallet a bit, but it could be worse: you could be a real mug punter and have an MG!
BTWm, that is not me on my "all MGs are s
t" tack (although they are, or rather all MGBs are - some other MGs aren't), but instead a reference to the MG tax that you pay for getting one fixed, because MGBs are bought by lots of bingobrains who would not know a classic car if one ran them down, and so the prices of everything go up. [/Runs away]
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 23 July 12:28
Almost two years on and the Dolomite is going well. Last year it got stuck in dry dock for a long time. My helpful gardener reversed his van into the car (which - being bright yellow - is invisible), and so it needed a new rear offside door skin. A local bodyshop took months to do the repair and paint job (and did not do it all that well). Then the car sat for quite a while at a local garage waiting for various work to be done on it. It eventually got back on the road late last year.
The mobile mechanic whom I had relied on for many years has retired, and it took me a while to find a new bloke to come and fix cars at my place, but I have now found an excellent dude who has done various work on the Dolomite, and it is hooting and roaring better than ever. It has had a new clutch, a new water pump, an upgraded alternator, various work on the carbs, a K and N filter and a pair of stub stacks (to make the air roundy and not pointy, obvs). The car also has some new and grippy Continentals to replace its old Michelins, which had become rather dry and perished.
Mrs BV is not a fan of driving old cars, although she likes travelling in them, but she drove the Dolly yesterday and says that it's like a go cart. She also approves of the car being small, like she is.
The mobile mechanic whom I had relied on for many years has retired, and it took me a while to find a new bloke to come and fix cars at my place, but I have now found an excellent dude who has done various work on the Dolomite, and it is hooting and roaring better than ever. It has had a new clutch, a new water pump, an upgraded alternator, various work on the carbs, a K and N filter and a pair of stub stacks (to make the air roundy and not pointy, obvs). The car also has some new and grippy Continentals to replace its old Michelins, which had become rather dry and perished.
Mrs BV is not a fan of driving old cars, although she likes travelling in them, but she drove the Dolly yesterday and says that it's like a go cart. She also approves of the car being small, like she is.
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 9th April 09:48
Crikey! See below shiny objects in the process of being fitted. Stub stacks, eh? No, I have no clue what they are either.
The airbox is the boggo BL one (K and N air filter, as mentioned above). The exhaust on this car is some customised effort fitted by the last owner but one, although whether it manages to improve the airflow very much I do not know. There isn't much room for a fancy exhaust manifold on one of these cars, because of how the engine is positioned.
The same bloke also put on some spiffy springs and shock absorbers, and fitted a Kenlowe fan and electronic ignition. Since I bought the car, it has had a new dizzy, new HT leads and some posh plugs. It has recently had an oil change - I'm using Valvoline 20 W 50.
Annoyingly, however, the allegedly swanky exhaust is clonking against a Panhard rod, and will need to be repositioned.
The airbox is the boggo BL one (K and N air filter, as mentioned above). The exhaust on this car is some customised effort fitted by the last owner but one, although whether it manages to improve the airflow very much I do not know. There isn't much room for a fancy exhaust manifold on one of these cars, because of how the engine is positioned.
The same bloke also put on some spiffy springs and shock absorbers, and fitted a Kenlowe fan and electronic ignition. Since I bought the car, it has had a new dizzy, new HT leads and some posh plugs. It has recently had an oil change - I'm using Valvoline 20 W 50.
Annoyingly, however, the allegedly swanky exhaust is clonking against a Panhard rod, and will need to be repositioned.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 10th April 09:24
BigMon said:
Lovely. I do like your fleet!
Some very happy memories of growing up in the 80s from reading your posts on your aged automotive harem.
Cheers! These days it is more a Squadron than a Fleet. Currently I have the Dolomite, a 1983 Rover SD1 2600 SE, and a (broken) 1992 Jaguar XJS. The Jag may or may not be revived later this year, depending on availability of funds and level of CBA-ness. I have a one third share in a 1985 Ford Granada Estate, but that mostly lives in Wales. I also have a boring modern car, but that is not worth mentioning. I am currently lacking a Lotus and a Lancia. That situation may be remedied, but not just yet. The one that I really regret selling is my Series Three Landy, which I foolishly let go for far too little money last year. Some very happy memories of growing up in the 80s from reading your posts on your aged automotive harem.
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