What's made you smile today?

[The Panda Nut]

I was back on house wiring for a few hours earlier and I feel I've broken the back of this job. I am removing pretty well all thats left and the doing the rest (basically kitchen from scratch as the last coner is over the kitchen. I also have the garage to reconnect and rewire and the outside lights. I have never seen such a mess in any of the many houses we have owned over the last 50 odd years. I will the need to arrange a building wiring safety check.
Today I removed between 10 and 20m of wire today that was entirely uneccessaryfrom just tow socket supplies. There is at least the same agin to come out tomorrow. I hope its good enough to re use as my spool of new wire has run out. though I may well just go get some more new wire and be done with it, I have some channels to cut into the walls to add a cable to close my new ring main and a couple of cables to get down inside the walls for the same reason. It may not be the very best in terms of tidiness, but all my cables are in use, all are properly and neatly routed and fixed and as far as I can tell all the new wirng is compliant with the regs. I have removed all corroded wiring and its now done in line with up to date standards with lights and ring mains now separate and everything done up to the correct torque. Its is without doubt better than it was although I have yet to attach the sockets and throw the switch. All wires are labelled and we have an accurate plant of where every wire runs. There will be 3 juntion boxes in the ring main down from somewhere like 10. Hopefully even at snails pace I shall be able to finish the loft insulation and get downstairs again. Basically where I thought I would be 4 months back. It will be nice when we have a loo back.

Now I need warm weather as I am running out of fire wood. The waste wood from this place has provided 90%of out heat this winter which really does make me smile.

 

[portland_bill]

If empty very light on the back end , just like the BMC J4 van I had before, but without the sliding doors that cut off your head if braking when looking out.

That brings back memories of the J4 pickup that was the workshop runabout. Originally a low compression 1622 B-series engine, that got destroyed by abuse. Around the same time, we recovered a crashed Riley 4/72 Farina (Posh A60), same engine, but high compression and twin carbs. Written off car was purchased, engine transferred. Engine cover was modified with a large hammer to make room for the twin carbs. Still on the low ratio gearbox and final drive, acceleration was very brisk. Stopping with drum front brakes, not so brisk, especially with the front end bouncing from the worn out lever arm shocks. It has a speedo like a Mini, with the fuel gauge in the bottom. Speedo went to 75. Needle would go around to E on the fuel gauge. Terrifying and exciting all at once, like a roller coaster.

 

[bugsymike]

That brings back memories of the J4 pickup that was the workshop runabout. Originally a low compression 1622 B-series engine, that got destroyed by abuse. Around the same time, we recovered a crashed Riley 4/72 Farina (Posh A60), same engine, but high compression and twin carbs. Written off car was purchased, engine transferred. Engine cover was modified with a large hammer to make room for the twin carbs. Still on the low ratio gearbox and final drive, acceleration was very brisk. Stopping with drum front brakes, not so brisk, especially with the front end bouncing from the worn out lever arm shocks. It has a speedo like a Mini, with the fuel gauge in the bottom. Speedo went to 75. Needle would go around to E on the fuel gauge. Terrifying and exciting all at once, like a roller coaster.

That brings back happy memories as a poor apprentice I owned a 1964 Chrome Bumper MGB Roadster I bought for £90.
It was a high mileage shed , but lots of Summer fun.
The same type of Lever arm shock absorbers were on The MGB and on arriving at Wiscombe Hill Climb after a fast drive up, parked up in the bumpy field, jumped out, locked the car and the the suspension was still bumping up and down in time with the running on engine.
I learnt my lesson as a few weeks later the worn shock absorbers caused both front coil springs to break so I had to replace them as well as the shock absorbers.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

That brings back happy memories as a poor apprentice I owned a 1964 Chrome Bumper MGB Roadster I bought for £90.
It was a high mileage shed , but lots of Summer fun.
The same type of Lever arm shock absorbers were on The MGB and on arriving at Wiscombe Hill Climb after a fast drive up, parked up in the bumpy field, jumped out, locked the car and the the suspension was still bumping up and down in time with the running on engine.
I learnt my lesson as a few weeks later the worn shock absorbers caused both front coil springs to break so I had to replace them as well as the shock absorbers.

Those lever arm shocks were pretty terrible weren't they. A friend built up an indecently fast Morris Minor when the rest of us were messing about with Anglias and the like. The "Moggy" of course had lever arm type shocks and he was looking into a kit which replaced the shocker - which in effect also acted as the top suspension arm - with a kit which consisted of a plate which bolted to the lower arm allowing a telescopic shocker to be used. I'm a bit vague on precise details. I think there was also a more expensive kit which replaced the lever arm shock with solid arm and bushes? It was at the time that I was leaving college and starting with Firestone and life got so busy I lost contact with him so don't know the final outcome. His Moggy was quite radically lowered and indecently fast with a modified engine - I think from a Midget? but not as quick as my pals 1500 engined Anglia in a straight line.

 

[bugsymike]

Those lever arm shocks were pretty terrible weren't they. A friend built up an indecently fast Morris Minor when the rest of us were messing about with Anglias and the like. The "Moggy" of course had lever arm type shocks and he was looking into a kit which replaced the shocker - which in effect also acted as the top suspension arm - with a kit which consisted of a plate which bolted to the lower arm allowing a telescopic shocker to be used. I'm a bit vague on precise details. I think there was also a more expensive kit which replaced the lever arm shock with solid arm and bushes? It was at the time that I was leaving college and starting with Firestone and life got so busy I lost contact with him so don't know the final outcome. His Moggy was quite radically lowered and indecently fast with a modified engine - I think from a Midget? but not as quick as my pals 1500 engined Anglia in a straight line.

Some relied on the old lever arm shocks as the top mount for the suspension on that conversion which was OK as long as the arm bushes were not shot also.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Some relied on the old lever arm shocks as the top mount for the suspension on that conversion which was OK as long as the arm bushes were not shot also.

Many of the ones I changed had so much wear in the top arm bushes that the arm slopped around like a ? I seem to remember they stopped taking back the very worn ones in exchange? but I may be mistaken - it was a long time ago. For a road car I thought the Macpherson strut was a better solution even if, theoretically, it's geometry was poorer.

 

[SB1500]

 

[The Panda Nut]

I called at the brake relining place today. I was passing. By the tomee I was out of noop. The boss was walking up with Rubys dics and pads. I was expecting to pay 70 for discs. He handed me two vast boxes. Two discs in each. So £35 for discs and 35 for pads. Ferodo quality, coated discs at that price are a bargain. I offered to take both sets but he said returning stuff costs him nowt. This place is a real gem of a supplier. He even remembered my name from 5 years back!

 

[The Panda Nut]

finally I did my tip run. 1st since you have to book in advance .Easy. Waved in and through. No one else there at all. I dumped a mountain of plaster board coving, secondary glazing, a garden bin full and the back boiler. Lifting that boiler a dead weight 4 foot into the skip was testing.... We shall see If I can still move tomorrow. Satisfying to be shot of that lot. I think the boiler must have been at least 100lb. Im suprised I managed.

 

[bugsymike]

finally I did my tip run. 1st since you have to book in advance .Easy. Waved in and through. No one else there at all. I dumped a mountain of plaster board coving, secondary glazing, a garden bin full and the back boiler. Lifting that boiler a dead weight 4 foot into the skip was testing.... We shall see If I can still move tomorrow. Satisfying to be shot of that lot. I think the boiler must have been at least 100lb. Im suprised I managed.

Lucky, our lot don't even let you put a bar stool with a padded seat in and our Council tax is one of the dearest .

 

[The Panda Nut]

Lucky, our lot don't even let you put a bar stool with a padded seat in and our Council tax is one of the dearest .

oh deers. I think they have 90% less business now you must book. I was expecting a charge. The bin was emptied today and that got shot of the old hob amongst other things. Trick is dont over load and it all goes straight in the truck.

 

[SB1500]

My auntie got a new Audi, it's the Audi version of the T-Roc. Bright red. Noticed the private plate on it and it in the drive last week. They've had 3x Audi A4's since the early 2000s, but now they're mid 50s I suppose it's time for them to move up to the easy-to-get-into crossover trend.

But being a not new VAG car, it must be at the mileage for a belt change as it's away having that done and she's been driving the Panda Pop around.

Looking forward to getting the chance to ask her what she thinks of the Panda!!! haha

Edit: I say "they" as it's a shared car with her and my uncle, but he'd drive a van for his work most of the time. Not being "post-modern" politically correct... never!

 

[The Panda Nut]

My arms ache. Its took all day to clean and paint these. At least they look good now. its amazing how good the new multi tools are. It did use a lot of sanding pads

 

[PuntoHowTo]

It’s a hard life working in the Italian police service

 

[The Panda Nut]

It’s a hard life working in the Italian police service

View attachment 461083

And it was fun driving that fast

 

[The Panda Nut]

View attachment 461076
My arms ache. Its took all day to clean and paint these. At least they look good now. its amazing how good the new multi tools are. It did use a lot of sanding pads

For the record, Panda 1,2 front disc. 12mm in itial thickness and Minimum 10.2mm These are Ferodo coated discs and clearly high quality. Discs and pads £86 including VAT Im convinced by the detailed test and comparrison data that money doesnt buy much better. The informaion about wet braking effects on discs and pads is eye opening. Saving £25 on stuff that may take a lot longer to stop? No thanks. Now have 1 set of Fiat pads and these on the shelf. I understand Fiat used Ferodo as OEM.

 

[SB1500]

For the record, Panda 1,2 front disc. 12mm in itial thickness and Minimum 10.2mm These are Ferodo coated discs and clearly high quality. Discs and pads £86 including VAT Im convinced by the detailed test and comparrison data that money doesnt buy much better. The informaion about wet braking effects on discs and pads is eye opening. Saving £25 on stuff that may take a lot longrt to stop? No thanks. Now have 1 set of Fiat pads and these on the shelf. I understand Fiat used Ferodo as OEM.

I've seen Ferodo parts I think on my older Panda, but the pads on my 2017 1.2 Panda were 'Ate' stamped as well as the Fiat / Alpha stamp

 

[portland_bill]

For the record, Panda 1,2 front disc. 12mm in itial thickness and Minimum 10.2mm These are Ferodo coated discs and clearly high quality. Discs and pads £86 including VAT Im convinced by the detailed test and comparrison data that money doesnt buy much better. The informaion about wet braking effects on discs and pads is eye opening. Saving £25 on stuff that may take a lot longrt to stop? No thanks. Now have 1 set of Fiat pads and these on the shelf. I understand Fiat used Ferodo as OEM.

My car still had the OE pads when I got it, which were Bosch, like the calipers. Any manufacturere will source from several suppliers, to ensure continuity of supply in case of industrial disputes or factory failures.
Previously I've had Pagid pads and discs on the Panda, which are part of the group that own Mintex, and they were fine. Latest ones, fitted recently are Bosch discs and pads, and are significantly stronger in braking than the Pagid.

 

[Johnbee]

Manda has clean bill of health for another year, in the form of 12 months MOT, with no advisories

 

[StevenRB45]

When reversing do not reverse into the sea....