Poisson's Motoring Mishaps
Discussion
That looks great fun, these are really nice cars provided you don't need to go too far or fast.
One word of caution - 20-some years ago my then girlfriend had one. Her father, a classic car fan, and I looked it over and sorted a few bits out. It was OK. She rattled around locally in it for a month or two. Great. She was now confident enough to bring it to my place, about 70 miles across country, Dorset to Wiltshire. So she set off, chugging along happily at about 50, everything fine. Coming past Warminster she was looking around for a place to stop and take a breather when a tyre blew out. Now a modern car will take this in its stride but a Moggy 1000 will leave the road very promptly. It tossed itself and her into a ditch. She wasn't badly hurt, but do take a careful look at the tyres and be aware that the combination of old tyres that may have been sitting around for a long time, unaccustomed activity and a primitive chassis can very easily put you in a ditch.
One word of caution - 20-some years ago my then girlfriend had one. Her father, a classic car fan, and I looked it over and sorted a few bits out. It was OK. She rattled around locally in it for a month or two. Great. She was now confident enough to bring it to my place, about 70 miles across country, Dorset to Wiltshire. So she set off, chugging along happily at about 50, everything fine. Coming past Warminster she was looking around for a place to stop and take a breather when a tyre blew out. Now a modern car will take this in its stride but a Moggy 1000 will leave the road very promptly. It tossed itself and her into a ditch. She wasn't badly hurt, but do take a careful look at the tyres and be aware that the combination of old tyres that may have been sitting around for a long time, unaccustomed activity and a primitive chassis can very easily put you in a ditch.
The engine is slowly freeing up after it's 10 year slumber, but as found by the recent runs to Driffield and Sewerby it's a tad worn consuming about 1/4 of it's oil after each long thrash up and down the motorway.....however the 25MPG problem I am having is just due to a lack of fine tuning so it should raise back to 35 after a fiddle.
A tad smoky start
Many miles later at the East Yorkshire Branch MMOC rally
Abandoned for the cause of fish and chips :P
A tad smoky start
Many miles later at the East Yorkshire Branch MMOC rally
Abandoned for the cause of fish and chips :P
bjh345 said:
Looking good mate, wish I could tune the volvo to get over 25mpg!
Why thank you, don't look too hard though 
The second pic in the last post is the best I've ever got, hides many problems 
I'd also wager the Volvo has a tad more than 48 bhp, although a 35MPG drinking habit is something my pocket/Yorkshireman side of me looks upon with a wish
Well......ARSE
Took the troubled Huw to a mechanic for a second look and diagnosed head gasket failure due to a water pump failure which helped explain the squeals whilst driving and massive oil consumption. Still a right royal pain, so decided to have full flush, tune up, new boot hinges and lock/handle and locking fuel filler cap installed whilst having all parts to do with HG and some hoses replaced.....
Took the troubled Huw to a mechanic for a second look and diagnosed head gasket failure due to a water pump failure which helped explain the squeals whilst driving and massive oil consumption. Still a right royal pain, so decided to have full flush, tune up, new boot hinges and lock/handle and locking fuel filler cap installed whilst having all parts to do with HG and some hoses replaced.....
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
There is a blanking bolt that you can take out to insert a temperature sender. I had a row of extra gauges just below the dash which included a temp gauge. (after the horse has bolted I know 
)
My clue was after 2 minutes the heater was warm XD Lovely if it was chilly though XD)After some poking, the head is buggered in cylinder 2 with nothing seating and the bottom end is knackered. Currently have a second engine (a goldseal unit) being tested to see if it is any good, and if so lobbed in. Just annoyed as Monty (pictured) hadn't moved for a month or two and fired pretty quickly and pulled perfectly, little bugger
As had been said above, they are great cars to learn on ! I had an ex BT bright yellow Moggy van which was ideal as a student: drove it up and down from Durham to Dundee regularly. They can be very economical if driven appropriately (!). I found the best way to conserve the gearbox ( as you know there is no synchro in 1st/reverse ) was to learn how to double declutch. I reckon if I owned one now I would upgrade the drum brakes to discs if possible... as that was probably the worst feature of the car ! Otherwise they are amazing !
Well done on getting one ; looks like there is experience of ownership in the household which is a good advantage !
Well done on getting one ; looks like there is experience of ownership in the household which is a good advantage !
Paul S4 said:
As had been said above, they are great cars to learn on ! I had an ex BT bright yellow Moggy van which was ideal as a student: drove it up and down from Durham to Dundee regularly. They can be very economical if driven appropriately (!). I found the best way to conserve the gearbox ( as you know there is no synchro in 1st/reverse ) was to learn how to double declutch. I reckon if I owned one now I would upgrade the drum brakes to discs if possible... as that was probably the worst feature of the car ! Otherwise they are amazing !
Well done on getting one ; looks like there is experience of ownership in the household which is a good advantage !
Thank you Well done on getting one ; looks like there is experience of ownership in the household which is a good advantage !
Double declutching is on my learning list, easiest way now is drive it as a 3 speed most of the time and 1st when at a standstill as it doesn't crunch then.
Brakes I can live with, even if they aren't working to their 100% capacity at the moment (!)
Regarding ownership, we currently have 6 Moggies, and for now 1 roadworthy until mine returns to the road
Edited by Poisson96 on Monday 14th September 10:34
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