General Murphio's Meanderings
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General Murphio's Meanderings
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Land's End here we come, having returned safely from the North Coast 500.
http://www.visitwester-ross.com/north-coast-500.asp
There were 10 cars in total and although most Italian car fans would have admired all of the cars, the stars for me were a 2CV, a Dyane and a Fiat X19 with a TR4 getting the credit for being oldest by three years.
the total distance was over 500 miles and the distance from our house to JoG is 132 miles.
The car was perfect all the way and made it up The Bealach na Ba without problems..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bealach_na_Bà
Photos at Gairloch
DSC_5283 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
Near Shieldaig
DSC_5296 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
and looking over Loch Broom
DSC_5260 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
http://www.visitwester-ross.com/north-coast-500.asp
There were 10 cars in total and although most Italian car fans would have admired all of the cars, the stars for me were a 2CV, a Dyane and a Fiat X19 with a TR4 getting the credit for being oldest by three years.
the total distance was over 500 miles and the distance from our house to JoG is 132 miles.
The car was perfect all the way and made it up The Bealach na Ba without problems..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bealach_na_Bà
Photos at Gairloch
DSC_5283 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrNear Shieldaig
DSC_5296 by Peter Thompson, on Flickrand looking over Loch Broom
DSC_5260 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
Well done Peter is that melting snow on the side of the road?
If so I can see why Sheila decided to stay inside a nice warm Murphio.
I did find this! And there was one that looked like you scratching the back of your head beside Murphio?
If so I can see why Sheila decided to stay inside a nice warm Murphio.
I did find this! And there was one that looked like you scratching the back of your head beside Murphio?
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I like that photo Tony; the first of me driving it that I've seen.
Today we got some very amused looks as I did the classic thing. with some two metre lengths of floor jointing strips I bought. Obviously, just whip,open the sunroof.
We were really motoring today...nudging 60mph. I have run out of lead substitute for the petrol. I wonder if that is anything to do with it?
Today we got some very amused looks as I did the classic thing. with some two metre lengths of floor jointing strips I bought. Obviously, just whip,open the sunroof.
We were really motoring today...nudging 60mph. I have run out of lead substitute for the petrol. I wonder if that is anything to do with it?
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I think you are another one Peter trying to do my OCD no favours.
I swear Murphio's front number plate is slightly wonky?
If it is, don't blame me; it was the fitter in 1969 who drilled the holes and fitted them ORIGINAL ly.
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A photo intended mainly to mess with Tony's compulsion to level things up.
I thought I had already passed the 3500 miles barrier with the car but find that I am actually 83 miles short of that as it was MOT'd at 32404.
Not bad though, the 120 miles I did today is about my average for a week, even through the winter. But that's still only about 6000 a year so plenty of life left in the old boy yet.
I thought I had already passed the 3500 miles barrier with the car but find that I am actually 83 miles short of that as it was MOT'd at 32404.
Not bad though, the 120 miles I did today is about my average for a week, even through the winter. But that's still only about 6000 a year so plenty of life left in the old boy yet.
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A photo intended mainly to mess with Tony's compulsion to level things up.
I thought I had already passed the 3500 miles barrier with the car but find that I am actually 83 miles short of that as it was MOT'd at 32404.
Not bad though, the 120 miles I did today is about my average for a week, even through the winter. But that's still only about 6000 a year so plenty of life left in the old boy yet.
Not have got two annoying black spots on your speedo cowling.
AhhhhGet the T Cut out!!!!:nono:
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Not have got two annoying black spots on your speedo cowling.
Get the T Cut out!!!!:nono:
I hadn't even thought of that; I think they're chips out of the lacquer. They are there for good I'm afraid
I was thinking you would see the warning lamps not fitted in the 12 o'clock position.
My car would annoy you Tony.
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Murphio came out of the garage today and looked a bit miffed. His younger cousin Bluebell has come to live with us. he wouldn't look her in the eyes (one of them is a bit dodgy though).
DSC_6178 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
DSC_6178 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
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It looks like Bluebell has had some dodgy cosmetic repairs in the past on the front door and rear quarters. That photo highlights them quite well.
What's she like on the inside? I have never seen the inside of one of these.
She really is quite weeny for a camper van are you going to be able lie prone when sleeping or is there a stipulation that all owners must sleep in the foetal position?
What's she like on the inside? I have never seen the inside of one of these.
She really is quite weeny for a camper van are you going to be able lie prone when sleeping or is there a stipulation that all owners must sleep in the foetal position?
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Dodgy repairs describes flatteringly the poor quality of some of the body AND chassis repairs on this one. But it is quite a solid collection of retrofitted steel plates.I will show you the inside when I have taken out all the spares that came with it; I could start an Ebay shop.
It's all a bit basic and sparse as I am sure you guessed.
Sleeping space is no problem when the roof is up. It's quite amazing actually.
I think it'll look great with 500F door-handles etc. It already has the floor-mounted choke
I had better go on about it elsewhere....more photos......
https://www.fiatforum.com/850t-900/425104-bluebell-900e-amigo.html
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Not much meandering done lately because of house building committments; just the regular three mile run to the Post Office with Ebay parcels. Then the brakes suddenly stopped working the other day; obviously I only found out when I really needed them. I checked that the brake springs weren't fighting the self adjusters as there are no external leaks and everything is new. So I just bled them with my vaccum system and all is good, but the rears did have some hard-to eliminate bubbles which might be the bleed nipples leaking air in by the threads or possibly a badly fitting union on the rear circuit. More to investigate.
I have also replaced the cracked oil boot on the gearbox and just realised that I could have saved money as I have a perfectly good pair on a gearbox which came with my last but one purchase of scrap metal!
Tracked down a squeak at the back to a nut on a gearbox mounting rubber stud being loose.
Yesterday an ambulance came next door on a wasted journey since my 90 year old neighbour simply appeared to be dead ,(he's OK and on his feet now.) The driver actually stopped to look at my car because he couldn't work out was it restored or original. He really knew how to flatter us.
Tomorrow we will be back on the road over to the West Coast (Scotland) to visit Plockton where the "Hamish Macbeth" series was filmed.
I checked that the brake springs weren't fighting the self adjusters as there are no external leaks and everything is new. So I just bled them with my vaccum system and all is good, but the rears did have some hard-to eliminate bubbles which might be the bleed nipples leaking air in by the threads or possibly a badly fitting union on the rear circuit. More to investigate.I have also replaced the cracked oil boot on the gearbox and just realised that I could have saved money as I have a perfectly good pair on a gearbox which came with my last but one purchase of scrap metal!
Tracked down a squeak at the back to a nut on a gearbox mounting rubber stud being loose.
Yesterday an ambulance came next door on a wasted journey since my 90 year old neighbour simply appeared to be dead
,(he's OK and on his feet now.) The driver actually stopped to look at my car because he couldn't work out was it restored or original. He really knew how to flatter us.Tomorrow we will be back on the road over to the West Coast (Scotland) to visit Plockton where the "Hamish Macbeth" series was filmed.
Not much meandering done lately because of house building committments; just the regular three mile run to the Post Office with Ebay parcels. Then the brakes suddenly stopped working the other day; obviously I only found out when I really needed them.
I couldn't get my vacuum pump to seal enough on the small bleed nipples to get a good enough draw, so I opted for an assistant to get a good enough bleed.
After years of shaking land rovers to pieces over various terrains, I've learned to use nylocs as much as possible.
I'm slowly replacing the majority of nuts with nylocs.
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Good point Steve, the air might be drawing in around the cap of the bleeder; I thought it was through the threads of the nipple. I tend to use threadlock more frequently than nyloc nuts and despite the shaky thing that a 500 is, not much has come loose yet...apart from my teeth
I had a bouncy 200 miles today on a journey to photograph a client's house. Murphio looks a bit odd at the edge of the wide-angle lense. He attracted lots of attention and I could hear the comments as the cottage was right on the street...couldn't understand most of them though because Plockton is a magnet for foreign tourists.
DSC_7769 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
I had a bouncy 200 miles today on a journey to photograph a client's house. Murphio looks a bit odd at the edge of the wide-angle lense. He attracted lots of attention and I could hear the comments as the cottage was right on the street...couldn't understand most of them though because Plockton is a magnet for foreign tourists.
DSC_7769 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
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I tried to video a really good, twisty section of road today, which has great views, steep hills and even a short tunnel...the memory card was full.
So here is sequence from later, which is quite boring and looks quite fast. Turn off after 30 seconds; that's as exciting as it gets! Also, turn off the sound...just wind noise.
See me eating the banana in the mirror.
[ame]https://youtu.be/rJvC9ILklNY[/ame]
So here is sequence from later, which is quite boring and looks quite fast. Turn off after 30 seconds; that's as exciting as it gets! Also, turn off the sound...just wind noise.
See me eating the banana in the mirror.
[ame]https://youtu.be/rJvC9ILklNY[/ame]
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Simple really, you can buy all sorts of special brackets but I just put the camera on a tripod and through the roof.
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Today took us to Kentallan, which is a tiny place on the road between Ballachulish and Oban and the furthest south Murphio and me have been together on the West Coast of Scotland.
DSC_8193 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
I stopped for my packed lunch in a lovely spot overlooking Castle Stalker.
DSC_8067 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
So just over 200 more miles clocked up
DSC_8193 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrI stopped for my packed lunch in a lovely spot overlooking Castle Stalker.
DSC_8067 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrSo just over 200 more miles clocked up
Great photos, have you been to Loch Fyne? Stayed at castle Loch Fyne for a few weeks when the children were younger.
cheers, Steve
cheers, Steve