Car club monthly meeting

[Hawkey01]

Attached a few of the cars a the monthly car club meeting in my village - Los Montesinos - Costa Blanca. Meeting monthly on the first Sunday - slightly fewer than normal this time as some were on display in the square - celebrating their 25th anniversary. Usually a lot of old US and also new muscle cars.

Neville

The history attached for the Alfa very interesting.
TR - MK2 Jag - Alfa Spyder - Chevy Bel-Air.

[Tom Alexander]

Originally Posted by Hawkey01

Attached a few of the cars a the monthly car club meeting in my village - Los Montesinos - Costa Blanca. Meeting monthly on the first Sunday - slightly fewer than normal this time as some were on display in the square - celebrating their 25th anniversary. Usually a lot of old US and also new muscle cars.

Neville

The history attached for the Alfa very interesting.
TR - MK2 Jag - Alfa Spyder - Chevy Bel-Air.

1957 Bel Air 2 door hardtop, I believe. Ah! for the good old days when you could tell the make, model and year quite easily. Now with these modern "tin" boxes, they are like the old Council houses -- all made out of ticky-tacky, and they all look just the same.

[BobClay]

So that's where Inspector Morse has been hiding ....

[Hawkey01]

A few more attached.

Late MG Midget, Early Range Rover, Brace of 911's and the side car with Danish plates, make on the tank NIMBUS.

Neville

[Dartskipper]

Originally Posted by Tom Alexander

1957 Bel Air 2 door hardtop, I believe. Ah! for the good old days when you could tell the make, model and year quite easily. Now with these modern "tin" boxes, they are like the old Council houses -- all made out of ticky-tacky, and they all look just the same.

You could tell the make of most cars by the sound of their engines or exhausts. Some had rather musical gearboxes too!

[Hawkey01]

To days and last selection.

A very nice restored Vespa, DS19 one of two this with German plates the other was Spanish, TR2 and finally the Talbot. Forgot to take photo of her history but a totally original car with 1.9 diesel engine. Wax oiled from new and except for normal maintenance totally original. Low mileage and one owner. She was for sale but not my type of vehicle.

Neville

[BobClay]

A Vespa !!

(Mutter mutter, bloody MODs, mutter mutter.)

[Bob Smith]

I used to have an "Inspector Morse" jag many many years ago in British Racing Green, brilliant car.
only problem I had with her was the removable rear wheel arch panels that had to be taken off to get to the wheel tended to rust easily.

Got a photo somewhere.

[BobClay]

Those Jags were cracking cars. Remember this from the British crime film Villain when you'll cringe at some of the now 'classic' cars they're wrecking in the days when a 'heist' consisted of Jif lemon juice and baseball bats.

https://youtu.be/Uhej8MZn2aQ

I always remember Richard Burton admiring the Jag in one scene describing it as 'good steel.'

[Farmer John]

Citroen DS19? Yes please, what a superb car. Just try going into a garage with one and saying "The suspension....". You will be instantly alone, though they just take some understanding.

[Jolly Jack]

Originally Posted by Bob Smith

I used to have an "Inspector Morse" jag many many years ago in British Racing Green, brilliant car.
only problem I had with her was the removable rear wheel arch panels that had to be taken off to get to the wheel tended to rust easily.

Got a photo somewhere.

I had a Jag Mk1 2.4 (1956), which had those wheel well covers but they covered more fully than the Mk2. I modded the whole wheel arch to eliminate them. Sadly no pics, but it took some welding, filling and paint but looked good after, but getting the same each side was difficult(!). This was back in 1966. Not my idea as I had seen it done in an American Hot Rod mag.

A modern take on the Mk2.

This could be an up-to-date late model except for the flat side glass.

JJ.

[Tom Alexander]

Sorry I don't have a photo, but my Dad had a 1923 Swift of Coventry. Could hold a dance in the back seat. 3 speed gate change lever between the driver's door and the steering wheel -- make it a bit awkward getting in and out, but with not having synchromesh on the gears, it made for a good introoduction to matching revs to speed when changing up, and having to double de-clutch when changing down. Then there was the throttle and magneto advance levers on the steering column. 4 cylinder flat head 1000 cc engine with enough torque to climb a wall in first.

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by Jolly Jack

I had a Jag Mk1 2.4 (1956), which had those wheel well covers but they covered more fully than the Mk2. I modded the whole wheel arch to eliminate them. Sadly no pics, but it took some welding, filling and paint but looked good after, but getting the same each side was difficult(!). This was back in 1966. Not my idea as I had seen it done in an American Hot Rod mag.

A modern take on the Mk2.

This could be an up-to-date late model except for the flat side glass.

JJ.

Correct JJ, yes mine was also a Mk1 2.4, just realised the the "Inspector Morse" was a Mk2.

[Varley]

I am astonished to find myself on this thread but a friend of mine has just bought himself a Riley Elf (with a view to electrifying it after a year or so in its classic state).

Despite my dire warnings that electrikery in cars and yachts is nothing like the real stuff on ships (and knowing I set alight his wife's car with Mr. Underwood in it after fitting a radio) he is letting me play with the electrics on his new pride and joy. I hope petrol head is not catching. Surely 66 is too old to take up driving.

[BobClay]

I shall await the news of the first British astronaut gaining orbit on a British built launch vehicle ...

[BobClay]

I recently bought a Super OBD device (I'm a bit of a sucker for gadgets) which plugs into the OnBoardDiagnostic socket on a car. (All cars after 1996 should have this fitted.)
The idea is you put an App on your phone which connects to your gizmo and then displays errors codes and a whole rook of info.
As you can see below there were no error codes (apparently this thing will decode the code and display the fault) and I thought: 'Shall I put an error on the engine to test it ?' (yank out a wire or something) and then I thought: 'Are you out of your tiny mind ?' and moved on.
Shown are a few of the displays available.
In terms of diagnostics I can't really test it without zonking something, and that seems like shooting yourself in the foot.

[Farmer John]

Bob, don't you have any friends who will let you bugger up their car for a laugh?

[BobClay]

That's not a bad idea !! (Starts skulking around the car park.)

[Farmer John]

Oh no it's the Phantom Fault Finder and F***er (that's Fixer).

[BobClay]

I read it as 'Farter' ... .... think The Two Ronnies and the Phantom Rasberry Blower (back then BBC probably couldn't have got away with the F***er.)

I'm not sure the OBD device can sense that ....

[Jolly Jack]

I inherited a OBD2 device from my elder son - not quite as fancy as Bob's but expensive kit back then, as he used it at work for cars that weren't Ford, so did all makes.
What I got for my present Jag., was a factory download of their dealer's computer system. Expensive, at £80. but would be paid for if I had just one or two trips to a dealer, at their prices. Unlike just an OBD2, it can also be used to re-programme stuff like air suspension ride height and much more. Thankfully, I haven't needed to use it.......yet!


JJ.

[Tom Alexander]

Originally Posted by Varley

Despite my dire warnings that electrikery in cars and yachts is nothing like the real stuff on ships (and knowing I set alight his wife's car with Mr. Underwood in it after fitting a radio) he is letting me play with the electrics on his new pride and joy.

I think I may have posted this before, but given the thread, I think it's probably appropriate for another go round:



Lucas Electrical Theory:

Positive ground depends on proper circuit functioning, which is the transmission of negative ions by retention of visible spectral manifestation known as "smoke". Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work. We know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of an electrical circuit, it stops working. This can be verified repeatedly through empirical testing.
For example, if one places a copper bar across the terminals of a battery, prodigious quantities of smoke are liberated and the battery shortly ceases to function. In addition, if one observes smoke escaping from an electrical component such as a Lucas voltage regulator, it will also be observed that the component no longer functions. The logic is elementary and inescapable!
The function of the wiring harness is to conduct the smoke from one device to another. When the wiring springs a leak and lets all the smoke out of the system, nothing works afterward.
Starter motors were considered unsuitable for British motorcycles for some time largely because they consumed large quantities of smoke, requiring very unsightly large wires.
It has been reported that Lucas electrical components are possibly more prone to electrical leakage than their Bosch, Japanese or American counterparts. Experts point out that this is because Lucas is British, and all things British leak. British engines leak oil, British shock absorbers, hydraulic forks and disk brake systems leak fluid, British tires leak air and British Intelligence leaks national defense secrets. Therefore, it follows that British electrical systems must leak smoke. Once again, the logic is clear and inescapable.
In conclusion, the basic concept of transmission of electrical energy in the form of smoke provides a logical explanation of the mysteries of electrical components especially British units manufactured by Joseph Lucas, Ltd. (This has also been referred to as the "smoke theory" because when the smoke comes out its finished, cooked or done for.)
And remember: “A gentleman does not motor about after dark.”
Joseph Lucas “The Prince of Darkness”
1842-1903
A few Lucas quips:
The Lucas motto: “Get home before dark.”
Lucas is the patent holder for the short circuit.
Lucas - Inventor of the first intermittent wiper.
Lucas - Inventor of the self-dimming headlamp.
The three-position Lucas switch--DIM, FLICKER and OFF. The other three
switch settings--SMOKE, SMOLDER and IGNITE.
The Original Anti-Theft Device - Lucas Electrics.
If Lucas made guns, guns would not fire.
Back in the ‘70's, Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners. It was the only product they offered which did not suck.
Q: Why do the British drink warm beer? A: Because Lucas makes their refrigerators.

[BobClay]

I've spent the weekend in Chatham, Kent ... (yes ... 'Southern Jessie' land.)

I've come to the following conclusions:

Satnavs are somehow discomnobulated by road systems down here. Mabel is very upset (Mabel is the voice on the Satnav, she sounds a bit posh to me, so I call her Mabel to keep her in her place.)

The road systems down here fully support the recently emerged science of Chaos Theory.

Drivers down here all do very good impersonations of Attila The Hun on steroids.

There are roadworks that defy all understanding !! ... but I do have a theory about that. Some wag shouted 'GOLD GOLD' for a laugh and everybody else started digging at random to look for it.

[Malcolm G]

But I would think that it was The Midlands that invented the Cone Storage Area, - it has spread.

There are huge numbers of traffic cones in existence and no one has a warehouse or yard big enough to store them when not in use.
The answer is to keep them 'in use' by placing them randomly on roads where they just think it would be a good idea to do some work, regardless of whether any work is being carried out. - Miles and miles of single lanes with no-one actually working, - Just a Cone Storage Area.

[Jolly Jack]

Originally Posted by BobClay

I've spent the weekend in Chatham, Kent ... (yes ... 'Southern Jessie' land.)

I've come to the following conclusions:

Satnavs are somehow discomnobulated by road systems down here. Mabel is very upset (Mabel is the voice on the Satnav, she sounds a bit posh to me, so I call her Mabel to keep her in her place.)

The road systems down here fully support the recently emerged science of Chaos Theory.

Drivers down here all do very good impersonations of Attila The Hun on steroids.

There are roadworks that defy all understanding !! ... but I do have a theory about that. Some wag shouted 'GOLD GOLD' for a laugh and everybody else started digging at random to look for it.

They don't need gold down there mate - everyone knows Suv'ner's are minted. I'm surprised you found your way into the Medway Towns, and especially Chatham Bob. There is normally a filter system that directs all 'North-of-Watford pilocks', as they are known down there, via the most obstructed route, which is being expanded as we speak.
My wife is from Strood so we get in on her lifetime visa, and showing her 'Up-the-Gills' membership card.


JJ.