Coronavirus - The Thread :(

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Bath chair
In front of the Wireless..for the Light Programme

Bernie is right though.. Its a worldwide forum

When new member fiatgirl04 says she is from pa.. it's not Paisley

( Although I always struggle to remember where PA actually is.. 'brain' defaults to
Pasadena..as that 'sounds right'.. but of course it isnt.. 'philly..?' )

Always had a problem with this myself Charlie, despite my sister having lived most of her adult life in the States - having married an American - and my daughter (and family) living in Southern Maryland for 5 years so we've spent a lot of time over there up and down the eastern seaboard. You'd think I'd have it sorted by now?

My sister lives in rural Massachusetts which is easy as it shortens to Mass, but then the confusion kicks in because her nearest town is Petersham. However it's pronounced "Peter Sam" (phonically it sounds like Peetr's Ham) You can imagine the confusion when we first tried to find them many years ago in a rental car with no sat nav. Even just a few miles away from our goal there was no one who had any idea where we were trying to go.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

PS to the above. Light programme? (forerunner to Radio 2) Maybe even The Home Service (precursor to Radio 4, which tends to be my default now a days)

 

[varesecrazy]

During these troubled times I am doing to shopping for a few oldies.. including our neighbours.. next door eventually got a delivery slot arranged from The high streetfrozen food shop..
Great principle.. but they get 'whats left instore..' for an evening delivery.. generally @50% of their order..

Anyway.. I manage with a click and collect on a Sat. Morning
Today.. I pull up near the allocated collection spot alongside an empty car..

No problem..might be staff.. its well away from the shop entrance.

I get my tailgate up..staff inform me they will wheel my shopping out shortly.. great !

Then a 60's bloke appears..with trolley full and WAITS at rear of his car.. doesnt load..
2 mins later a woman appears all suited and masked... with another trolley full

They then spend 10 mins shouting.. due to mask kit.. while loading car..
0.5 m from my open tailgate

I stand 2 spaces away.. trying not to delay them

To cap it all they then leave car+2 trolleys
and BOTH people return into shop..!!

Not sure who's exposure they are limiting

 

[stipo 16]

Thank you Davren

 

[09 johno]

Don't worry Jock
two of my vehicles have dissy's, although I have removed the points and condensers and fitted electronic devices.
the reason being that good quality Condensers are very difficult to find, even known brands fail in short order.
I think that the mechanical system edges in front of electronic's as it can be repaired very cheaply and even by the side of the road (not needed often)

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Don't worry Jock
two of my vehicles have dissy's, although I have removed the points and condensers and fitted electronic devices.
the reason being that good quality Condensers are very difficult to find, even known brands fail in short order.
I think that the mechanical system edges in front of electronic's as it can be repaired very cheaply and even by the side of the road (not needed often)

Ease of repair was the big thing with those older cars. I used to carry a large canvas bag of tools in the boot whenever we went away on holiday, I've replaced a core plug on my old Ambassador in a campsite down on the Dordogne. Done a front wheel bearing on the Anglia on the beach in Devon (those were the days you could park and drive on the beaches). Points/condensers/fried coils/etc I had spares in the bag so up and running again in maybe 15 minutes. The only one I ever had I couldn't really fix was when the DAF 44 chucked one of it's main Variomatic belts on the M1 at about 2am. I never did find it so drove on with just one belt which meant that only one back wheel was being driven. She veered wildly to one side or the other depending on whether you were accelerating or on overrun! Made it back to Edinburgh though. The departing belt made a bit of a mess of the belt covers.

Now a days, although I would always try a good "wiggle" of connectors, the options are quite limited for being confident about a roadside repair. So I have breakdown insurance but even then I think things can be a bit "iffy" if you are not lucky enough to get a really "good" chap turn up in the van. So far I've not had to call on them but I would be very nervous if they tried to do more than read DTCs and I wouldn't want them wiping any stored codes either.

 

[jimboy]

That brings back memories Jock, back in the 60's our uncle & auntie came from Yorkshire to visit in summer time in his standard super ten complete with wee caravan. We used to go all over Scotland visiting places of interest, lots of people did this back then. He would be based at Newburgh beach in Aberdeen shire, great place back then. As you say, looking back all these old cars were easily sorted if they wouldn't start or run properly. My father had an Anglia 1200 super back then. We would always take both cars where ever we were going. My young sister & I would travel with our uncle, he was such good fun.

Roads were quieter, parking was practically anywhere, life was great & nobody seemed to have problems..

 

[ben]

carpetbaggers

Well I've learnt a new word!

 

[09 johno]

The MGO (2 cyl 500cc) in my Signature has variators and is belt driven, a fascinating bit of kit, I changed the belt recently (only one on these) the original hadn't shown any wear after twice the recommended change interval, I think belt technology has improved along with everything else.
The two with mechanical ignition aren't on my list but they are a Reliant and a '90's Renault Trafic.
I changed a clutch on a Reliant in a carpark once, the attendant tried to move me on, but didn't have a hope when I showed him the gearbox by his feet!

Now (when we are allowed) when driving distance I carry my laptop with obd connectors for the Panda, not that I could probably fix an issue but at least I can tell the RAC person what the issue is

 

[varesecrazy]

The MGO (2 cyl 500cc) in my Signature has variators and is belt driven, a fascinating bit of kit,

Not visible to me.. just a white 169

 

[AndyRKett]

Had a drive through Covid test today,
That was a weird experience.....

 

[David C]

Had a drive through Covid test today,
That was a weird experience.....

At least you’re eligible to get one.
I expect the vast majority of the population will never get one!

 

[Kronkron]

Had a drive through Covid test today,
That was a weird experience.....

Tell us more, interested to know what the process is and what it's like.

 

[AndyRKett]

Tell us more, interested to know what the process is and what it's like.

Drive in, someone holds signs up at the car window with instructions.

They clock the car number plate which you have to tell them before you attend, you then have to hold up a QR code in an email you get sent.

You drive to the next station QR Code scanned a second time ID checked.

Drive to a 3rd station where a girl scanned everything and gave me some barcodes and a card, with one of the barcodes stuck to it and our personal details written on it.

Drove to a 4th station where another person scanned the barcode, and gave us a pack of stuff with a single swab, bags and a large instruction sheet.

We were directed to park in a bay and sat and followed the instructions on the sheet, you had to swab your own tonsils and quite deep into your nose.
Break off the swab In a pot. Put a barcode on the pot. Put that with some absorbent material in a bag, then all of that in another bag, then a barcode on the bag.

Once done drive to a final station where a guy checked you’d done everything correctly through the car window, then held up a large bucket for you to open the window and throw the completed packs in.

Took about 20 minutes in all. Just very surreal.

 

[Crossingkeeper]

Thanks to Andy for that explanation of the covid resting procedure.

When I saw the military personnel on the TV news with just a flimsy apron and masks taking swabs through the car window, I feared for their safety, but the way it is being done now gives some degree of isolation for the testing staff.

 

[Bernievarian]

Dizzy = Ignition Distributor.
OD = Outside Diameter.
.

Thanks for the explanation Davren, thanks also to the chaps who have shared some memories from the -sadly gone- 'good old time' ...

BTW, just in case you'd consult french forums, the ignition distributor (dizzy or dissy ? as someone wrote) is called 'Delco' in french (well, at least in belgum ;-) from the manufacturer Delco-Remy
ben, happy that you learnt a new word from me

BRs, Bernie

 

[dave]

This is doing my nut in, there is a cruise ship stuck out in the sea with all the staff on board, its been there weeks, no one has the virus.But they are all being told to stay in their cabins, why? if the whole ship is isolated an no one has had the virus surely it can't suddenly appear from no where so they should be free to roam the boat

 

[varesecrazy]

This is doing my nut in, there is a cruise ship stuck out in the sea with all the staff on board, its been there weeks, no one has the virus.But they are all being told to stay in their cabins, why? if the whole ship is isolated an no one has had the virus surely it can't suddenly appear from no where so they should be free to roam the boat

Having no idea what..or where..

They will only have supplies on board for 10 to 14 days.. because they call into ports VERY regularly..

SO deliveries keeping people fed are the risk

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Fred Olsen's entire fleet is layed up in the Firth of Forth for the duration. That's four quite large liners. Makes quite a sight.

 

[Noideadave]

QM2 is in Weymouth bay