A fresh MOT, requiring two new rear springs(s4p legends, as cheap for two inc 10.00 next day carriage as local auto factors for one spring, who wants one spring!!) used my monster trolly jack and for the first time used axle stands on the rear sub frame four poster mounts. I made some blocks to spread the load and account for the 45 degrees my car was at to get it high enough to get the stands under, View attachment 204750there is only a 4” square cut out in the plastic covers. They seemed so far forward I felt sure my car was a see saw, so kept the jack hovering below the beam whilst I dropped the beam off the shocks. Who wouldn’t smile with a 10 year old car passing and it looks like new underneath, love it.

Pugglt Auld Jock said:

... The front struts must have been so completely "shot" that they were doing absolutely no damping whatsoever. ... surely he couldn't have an MOT with a car in this condition

Click to expand...

The 'bounce' test has always annoyed me.

The dampers job is to control the movement of a spring, that is strong enough to support the car, and resist shock loadings when a 1-2 tonne car hits a bump at 60mph or more.

It is impossible for anybody to replicate that force by leaning on the wing.

Any damper that fails the 'bounce' test has been dead for a very long time.

There are test rigs that vibrate cars and measure the damper response. But these tend to be quite severe, and seem to 'fail' every one, including brand new ones. Only real life test is to see and feel how the car responds over bumps. Something many of us on here do every time we drive, but will escape the notice of most drivers.

The standard 169 Panda and early 500 rear springs are really too stiff for the car to handle as well as it could. But it was cheaper to fit hard springs than fit an anti roll bar. When Ford asked Fiat to build their new Ka, they demanded a softer ride at the back so the beam axle got an ARB along with 30% softer springs. The same "upgrade" went into the 500 and is used on Mk III Pandas.

I have the 500 ARB axle under my wife's 1.2 Panda. It handles better as there is no skipping about on bumps and floats over crap roads. The dampers are identical over all models so they are probably under spec for the stiffer springs used on "normal" Pandas.

The 100HP uses the same dampers with even stiffer springs (standard Panda cut short) so no wonder that skips about. I fitted 500 springs which do hit the bump stops more often but the ride is much better with no skipping on bumps.

It's just a small change..



Notice the amount of airspace behind the front seat..finally people in the front over 5'10 won't have to jam knees in the dash.

Just need to get the buggy gone and we'll be laughing..

Had to go to B&Q, not usually a smile time at all.
While wandering through I spotted a line of three toilets in the bathrooms display area. Just seemed to be inviting someone to sit on them. I looked and smiled, and then noticed a guy doing the same. (He was looking very bored, following his wife around the bathroom displays) Without a word to each other, we sat down on a loo each, and started giggling like small boys. (Most men don't really grow up, do we?) We were then joined by another guy, also appreciating the silliness.
Then the wife of the first guy arrived, and scalded us all like children. Seemed fair.

It will now be difficult to resist any time I have to go to B&Q.

I installed the bathroom and kitchen so I got final say on how it would look. Mrs was clueless anyway so all we ever did was argue because she was incapable of saying what she wanted (or didnt want) and incapable of seeing how anything would look unless put under her nose. I got sick of asking.

My daughter agree 100% by the way. She's the designer and DIYer in her house and her husband genuinely lover her for it.

Any cooks out there? I've been cooking/baking since I was a lad. I'm at the moment making a Christmas cake, a large one, 900g of mixed fruit soaking in dark rum for a week. Just made my marzipan from scratch. I'll mix all my dry ingredients tomorrow & add the fruit then into the oven. I've always enjoyed this, my mother showed me the way initially & I received cooking lessons in school.

If I can cook something from scratch & taste better than shop bought that's good enough for me. Very therapeutic & of course the pleasure you get from the end result always makes me smile. Then when people ask DID YOU really make this.

jimboy said:

Any cooks out there? I've been cooking/baking since I was a lad.

I received cooking lessons in school.

Click to expand...

Much respect to you Jim. I spent most of my school life in boarding schools where I learned to sew and knit as well as many more "manly" skills. Cooking basic fare was also encouraged. The school was heavily accented towards the military life and many of my friends went on into the forces. I knew I wanted to do something to do with vehicles though.

Went full time - for nearly 5 years - to a technical college in London and lived in digs where I expanded my cooking skills. Then, much later in life, when I became a trainer, I became friendly with the resident occupational psychologist where I worked. He was heavily into curries and introduced me to the sensational tastes involved, I've never looked back!

Cooking is a wonderful therapy and the "icing on the cake" (is there a pun there?) is when someone, often dribbling saliva, tells you how much they're enjoying your food.

I consider myself very lucky in my childhood Jock, although it was strict at times, but I wore many hats through the years. Just to say also, I make a mean curry, grind my own spices & fresh produce. To do justice to the dish, it does take some time. I LOVE CURRY

Due to the size of my kitchen...approx 5 sq metres, any upgrading is like for like. I have managed to claw back 200mm of worktop by using a sink with a small draining board. I hesitantly said to my daughter that I would put the draining end nearest the window and the tap in the Right hand corner on the window end..... I was stunned and shocked..she agreed with me !!! I had to have a coffee to calm down. The new sink has been delivered and the rest arrives Dec 13th ! It won't be finished for Xmas ..naturally..

I love cooking and when we refitted they kitchen a couple of years back I did it on the understanding I’d be ordering a Smeg range cooker.

I've always hated cooking, it winds me up very quickly.
Sadly, I now have to do all the cooking. Getting quite good at some things, adequate at the rest, not poisoned us yet. Still hate it, it still winds me up.

Dishwasher does most of the washng up, doing the rest is worse than the cooking.

Need an opair. Do they still exist?

portland_bill said:

I've always hated cooking, it winds me up very quickly.
Sadly, I now have to do all the cooking. Getting quite good at some things, adequate at the rest, not poisoned us yet. Still hate it, it still winds me up.

Dishwasher does most of the washng up, doing the rest is worse than the cooking.

Need an opair. Do they still exist?

Click to expand...

Pugglt Auld Jock said:

Much respect to you Jim. I spent most of my school life in boarding schools where I learned to sew and knit as well as many more "manly" skills. Cooking basic fare was also encouraged. The school was heavily accented towards the military life and many of my friends went on into the forces. I knew I wanted to do something to do with vehicles though.




Went full time - for nearly 5 years - to a technical college in London and lived in digs where I expanded my cooking skills. Then, much later in life, when I became a trainer, I became friendly with the resident occupational psychologist where I worked. He was heavily into curries and introduced me to the sensational tastes involved, I've never looked back!

Cooking is a wonderful therapy and the "icing on the cake" (is there a pun there?) is when someone, often dribbling saliva, tells you how much they're enjoying your food.

Click to expand...

I think I need to send you a friend request.....

Moimo said:

A fresh MOT, requiring two new rear springs(s4p legends, as cheap for two inc 10.00 next day carriage as local auto factors for one spring, who wants one spring!!) used my monster trolly jack and for the first time used axle stands on the rear sub frame four poster mounts. I made some blocks to spread the load and account for the 45 degrees my car was at to get it high enough to get the stands under, View attachment 204750there is only a 4” square cut out in the plastic covers. They seemed so far forward I felt sure my car was a see saw, so kept the jack hovering below the beam whilst I dropped the beam off the shocks. Who wouldn’t smile with a 10 year old car passing and it looks like new underneath, love it.

Click to expand...

One spring sir. That would be Halfords auto centres. I bought two new springs for my daughters Seat a while back, had them delivered and drove them from Norfolk to Manchester and fitted them in half an hour for half the overall cost of Mr Halford fitting one. If they had said you need to fit a pair they would have had the job even at the considerable cost quoted!

portland_bill said:

Need an opair. Do they still exist?

Click to expand...

opair PB? could that be something to do with launching and recovering aircraft on carriers? Sorry, couldn't resist the "poke" On the other hand, if you've got plenty of dosh, maybe these people could help?

https://www.sunfloweraupairagency.c...tVZbj08RT6t_qFcQ0KIxmxnQXiBc36IQaAis-EALw_wcB

Have to say I didn't know you could have a male Au Pair though?

As always, kindest regards
Jock

portland_bill said:

I've always hated cooking, it winds me up very quickly.
Sadly, I now have to do all the cooking. Getting quite good at some things, adequate at the rest, not poisoned us yet. Still hate it, it still winds me up.

Dishwasher does most of the washng up, doing the rest is worse than the cooking.

Need an opair. Do they still exist?

Click to expand...

Mmmm, I find that a bit sad, but each to their own. When I went to an Academy,us lads attended with the girls one period a week home economics, cooking/knitting /sewing & basic clothes making. The girls joined us lads in engineering studies, we had a rolling chassis complete with working engine, the crack was great & we all had to participate to get marks. We all got on well with each other & most of us became pretty competent in our work.

One lad even went on to make his own suits, & in the 70's he had some flamboyant stuff made, this went down well with the ladies & I & some others were quite envious to say the least. Most of us back then when leaving school could look after ourselves & then some, when we experienced the big bad world. It did seem far easier back then compared to todays society with all the STUFF put in your way for no reason & the hidden red tape etc all the bulltihs, (you know what I mean)

I'm mo cookist but can throw some stuff together that 's not just egg n chips. Thankfully my fussy wife enjoys cooking.

I do any clothes repairs that need doing anything from patching kids troose to sewing split seams. Iva also found an excellent sealant that's great for sticking kid's shoe soles back on. Why cant the do it properly at the factory?

I had a mate in my younger days who used to make fantastic fancy dress clothes for parties. All done with an old hand wound Singer.

On the phone today trying to get some festivities arranged and you catch yourself saying something so ridiculous that you have to laugh.

"Ok, just send me Santas availability on an email and we'll work something out, I guess he's pretty busy at this time of year"

Yes I do have an adult job.

Not today, but earlier in the week.

Hiring a basic 3 door automatic hatchback and being given a top of the range AWD Hyundai Kona with dual clutch box and a 170bhp 1.6 turbo petrol engine.

A little plasticy inside, but car play worked well and it had the upgraded audio, too. Very well equipped, loads more gadgets than my 5 series, but a little noisy at a 125mph cruise on the autobahn!

MK did it for me today.