MOT

Well, I took my car for its yearly MOT test the other day, and yeah, not good. I was expecting a few advisories to come up, but nothing like this! A failure on 9 points!

Sorry for the picture, but for some reason my phone keeps putting it this way round not matter what I do!

Ok, so its not as bad as it first sounds. 2 for the hand brake and 3 for the fuel filler. I've got reconditioned rear calipers and hubs on route (with Hermes somewhere) and I'm in the process of sourcing a new fuel neck. That should solve 5 problems. A new tyre, new locking pin and tightening up a bolt are simple. The head light couldbe because the lense is dodgy and needs cleaning and polishing. I think that it should all be rather easy, just need to get the bits to do it all.

And then there is the whole raft of advisories to deal with!

Yes, that really does reach 21.

Again, nothing to serious. Brake discs are mostly due to lack of use, especially the rears, as the calipers are shot. A perished tyre, that'll be replaced with the other for an axle pair. That will also sort the valve issue. The rear beari21.will be sorted with new hubs (with the calipers somewhere). The exhaust mounts can be replaced easily, and are probably due replacement and the power steering issue is because I haven't cleaned it all up properly when I did the power steering gaiter change.

The only items that worry me are the CV gaiters. These are going to be more difficult to replace, but not impossible, however, I think I will replace both the inner and outer gaiters at the same time ( although I've yet to check the inner ones) so that I dint have to repeat the process again.

So all in all not so bad, just annoying and it will take some time to correct. Hopefully the car will be back on the road in no time.

Oh, and the rear handles and locks are playing up again! (New handles with hubs and calipers somewhere)

Change of direction

Well, this blog has been ticking along for the last few months aand I've  been struggling with the balance of the blog. I initially started this as a blog about being a stay at home father but for several reasons I have found it difficult to find the right balance between public and private and have in many respects been avoiding the blog and one mote than one occasion have considered deleting the blog and all the posts, however, I have decided to continue but change the direction.

So what direction is the blog going in? Well it won't be a dramatic shift, but the main focus of the blog will be on my DIY and my car, there maybe a few parenting posts but they will be few and far between.

There is always plenty of DIY going on, currently moving a bathroom and there is always something up with the car, currently two of the door handles don't work.

Car, Mid service by torch light

Bathroom, Post plumbing nightmare

So the blog will continue, and hopefully there will be more regular updates, hopefully!

Yet more Car Stuff

Here are a few more pictures from the car show and you can see just what a glorious weekend it was, clear blue skies all round!

Some big Jags, plus a couple of Rovers at the end.

A few old Morris's and a Mini, along with a nice MG Midget

Not sure what this one was, I'm pretty sure it was an Alfa, but not sure, its not British so I don't really care, but it did look nice.

A steam powered car, I tried to get the steam coming out and you can just about see it by the rear wheel. Just as I'd put the camera away, the driver let out a great big puff of steam and made the little man jump!

Fiat Topolino, the little mans favourite car, apparently. Not my cup of tea, too Italian. Was in very good condition though.

Fast Fords. Focus ST, Escort RS2000 mk5, Escort RS Turbo, Escort RS2000 mk2,  Escort RS2000 mk1. Nearly a whole collection of Escort RS's, I'd take the mk5, mostly cost we had a rubbish white 1.6 when I was growing up.

Lotus Elan SE, Nice car. over heard the owner talking, apparently its usually broken, easy to fix though.

And now for something different. Who doesn't like the Raleigh Chopper?

I probably should have taken some pictures of the motor bikes that were around the hall, but not really an old bike fan. Next time I'll snap a few of the better ones.

Another Car post

Every couple of years they have a car show just down the road from me. I missed it for various reasons last time it was on, wasn't happy but wasn't a lot I could do about it. This time however, I went three times! Once by myself, so I could have a good look around, once with the little man (who was more interested in the model cars!) and once with the whole family. I wont bore everyone with all the pictures, but here are a few of the highlights.

Required E-Type, after all you cant have a classic car show with out an E-Type! Parked next door is its modern successor.  

MG's, three B's, a factory V8, an aftermarket V8, and a standard Roadster.

More BL metal, Allegro, 1100 and Mini

Triumph TR4a, one of my favourite cars and our wedding car. Although our wedding car had bumpers and no stickers, and the window fell out, but that's another story! 

A couple more MG's, this time a LE, and behind it a restored and upgraded 2 litre B.

I enjoyed my wonder around the show as there was a wide variety of cars on display, from post war Austin's and Norris's right up to 16 plate mustangs. Ok, so I was a little unsure about why a few of the cars were included, they weren't classics really, as some were just a few years old. Some were also in that difficult "teenage" period where they are just old, not old enough to be a classic but not new enough to be new, much like my own MG.

Having said that, I'd go again.