For those interested in old cars.

[RANGERS]

4 hours ago, steve1 said:

York today.

 

steve

 

 

A strangely late one, even taking that it’s a left hand drive and imported. Production of the Mk1 finally ended in 1992, the Mk3 cabrio had replaced it in Europe from the end of 1991 and progressed around the world. The US did still have a few cars sold in 1994 as a result of production difficulties of the new one in the Mexican plants, but the P plate would make this a 1996-7 car.

[boxbrownie]

6 hours ago, steve1 said:

York today.

 

steve

 

 

Nice but I always hated those CA bumpers.

[Rugd1022]

Despite saying repeatedly that I'm not buying any more Minis I've just bought another one, I didn't mean to, honest! It's a September '68 Mk2 Morris Cooper 998 that was advertised in the latest issue of the Mini Cooper Register magazine and was just too nice to resist. It was restored a few years ago by a chap in Hertfordshire who owns a couple of genuine Abingdon Works Coopers amongst loads of other Minis, it has Cooper S brakes, 'factory recliner' front seats (rare as hen's teeth now) and lots of history including copies of all the previous owners' logbooks etc. Everything numbers wise is ticketyboo, the only deviations from factory spec being the dry suspension in place of the hydrolastic sort which I don't mind, and the instrument pod is actually from an earlier Mk1 997 Cooper, this is not an issue as I plan to replace it with the correct Mk2 version....

 

 

 

 

As nice it looks in 'standard factory' trim, I'm going to replace the steel wheels with a set of Mk3 Cosmic alloys, the bus like steering wheel will come out in favour of the wood rimmed Nardi one I've had for a few years and a period aftermarket dash will go in at some point. The driver's side door mirror isn't to my liking so a pair of nicer ones will be fitted and I've found a NOS Benelite spotlamp grille on ebay. It's a bit dusty in places as it hasn't  been used much this year so I'll be giving it a thorough deep clean - the owner has several other Minis and wanted to thin them out a bit which is why he put it up for sale, my eyes were out on stalks when he opened his garage door with an immaculate low mileage '66 Mk1 Cooper S staring back at me.

 

The Mini bug just won't leave me alone... 😉

 

 

[45568]

Nidge,

           Has the Maserati returned from the tuning specialists, and if so, how is it now?

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

[Rugd1022]

9 hours ago, 45568 said:

Nidge,

           Has the Maserati returned from the tuning specialists, and if so, how is it now?

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

 

Not yet Peter, but I've just had a missed call from them so will find out in a bit 😉

[MJI]

I was followed by a Mini today, not seen one in ages.

[teaky]

On 04/08/2022 at 11:36, Rugd1022 said:

The Mini bug just won't leave me alone... 😉

Would you like another one?  😀

 

[Rugd1022]

Been busy playing with the one I've just bought...!

 

 

[Rugd1022]

A few from today's Roverfest at Olney - a very good turnout, particularly from P4s, I reckon there were around a hundred in attendance....

 

 

 

 

This immaculate and very original '74 P6B belongs to a friend who bought it a few months ago, having kept his eye on it for decades - he was allowed to sit in as a nipper....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Saw a bog-stock red Capri Laser 1.6 yesterday in Ramsey, really mint too - shame it was a 1.6!  I wasn't quick enough for a photo, sorry.  This isn't the Capri I posted a photo of ages ago, but I'm wondering if it is the same owner, it was in the same street.

[Hobby]

13 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

shame it was a 1.6!  

 

Why?

[New Haven Neil]

31 minutes ago, Hobby said:

 

Why?

 

I don't like Pinto engines.

[Hobby]

Ah! Having raced using them and rebuilt two of them (having never, ever, even taken the top off any engine before or since!) I suppose I've a bit of a soft spot for them!

[New Haven Neil]

The sound of the rattling camshaft always put me off.  The sort of cars we could afford back then had always been abused so the dreaded ignored oil changes, blocked oilways and knackered cams were endemic.  The Kent engines always withstood more abuse, the long stroke 1.6 seemed more torquey too.

 

Years later my FIL did build a nice hot Pinto to go into a kit (a JBA IIRC) which ran very well indeed, don't know what spec was - as he's in Kiwi and not very well (as in terminal) I can't really ask him now.

[PhilJ W]

37 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

The sound of the rattling camshaft always put me off.  The sort of cars we could afford back then had always been abused so the dreaded ignored oil changes, blocked oilways and knackered cams were endemic.  The Kent engines always withstood more abuse, the long stroke 1.6 seemed more torquey too.

 

Years later my FIL did build a nice hot Pinto to go into a kit (a JBA IIRC) which ran very well indeed, don't know what spec was - as he's in Kiwi and not very well (as in terminal) I can't really ask him now.

The Kent engine had a bore of 80mm plus a small fraction. Increases in capacity were achieved by increasing the stroke. The 1600 stroke was also 80mm stroke making it 'square' rather than long stroke. The height of the block was increased slightly to accommodate the longer stroke. It was in production from 1959 for over 30 years, longer than the 8/10hp/100E side valve engines.

[Rugd1022]

'Born' a few weeks apart in 1968, both sold from the same London dealership and re-united fifty four years later...

 

[New Haven Neil]

7 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The Kent engine had a bore of 80mm plus a small fraction. Increases in capacity were achieved by increasing the stroke. The 1600 stroke was also 80mm stroke making it 'square' rather than long stroke. The height of the block was increased slightly to accommodate the longer stroke. It was in production from 1959 for over 30 years, longer than the 8/10hp/100E side valve engines.

 

Phil, by 'Long Stroke' I meant as compared to the 1100  and 1300, not being physically a long stroke engine.  Unlike my Enfield.....or the Sulzer ship engines I used to work on - 900mm bore, 1500mm stroke!

[peanuts]

sickening 

Some sickening news emerging from the banger racing world, today.

Only a couple of weeks ago, I saw the post doing the rounds about a Ford Country Squire having been stolen. There were the usual, accusatory cries of "bloody banger racers! Must have been stolen to race".

The disgusting thing is, that it seems those reactions have been confounded, along with a Pontiac Grand Prix.

Unlike many in the classic car fraternity, I'm largely sympathetic to the banger boys. The vast majority of cars they race are far beyond economic repair, with many of them being so far gone as to never see the road again.

That someone would willingly steal a prized classic car, however, and then willingly destroy it for fun... it's sickening.

Surely it's time the banger racing world put in place regulations that ensure legal ownership of the vehicle is in place before a car is raced?

How hard would it be to have someone checking for a receipt of ownership or presentation of VIN numbers (I get it, some cars that get raced are insurance write-offs with no VINs, but still).

I really hope the perpetrators get what's coming to them.

Practical Classics

20 h  · 

JW: A police investigation is underway after two cherished classics were stolen and then allegedly used in a banger race this weekend.

This has been all over social media today and it's getting a lot of people hot under the collar, with the usual speculation and accusations. Nevertheless, we are fully aware that a huge majority of those in the sport are committed classic enthusiasts too, helping to keep classics on the road by extracting usable parts from terminally rotten cars, and join us in the condemnation of criminal activity.

Our hearts go out to the devastated owners of the cars in question. We understand Hampshire Police have possession of the cars and we await the results of their investigation.

 

 

[great central]

Well, the race numbers should be easily traceable through the promoter, both cars being painted in the same scheme they're obviously a team.

Biggest issue is, if it's an independent track they may not ask too many questions and, in my view, are equally liable.

Footage of the meeting will likely appear on Youtube before long.

Edited August 8, 2022 by great central
Add sentence

[peanuts]

1 minute ago, great central said:

Well, the race numbers should be easily traceable through the promoter, both cars being painted in the same scheme they're obviously a team.

Biggest issue is, if it's an independent track they may not ask too many questions and, in my view, are equally liable.

Further down the post it says that those responsible are already banned from 99% of tracks and only allowed to race at the track they did over the weekend .track management and promoter are helping police let's hope they get a lot more than a slapped wrist .there is a video of the race doing the rounds have declined to watch it 

[great central]

6 minutes ago, peanuts said:

Further down the post it says that those responsible are already banned from 99% of tracks and only allowed to race at the track they did over the weekend .track management and promoter are helping police let's hope they get a lot more than a slapped wrist .there is a video of the race doing the rounds have declined to watch it 

 

Yep, found it almost top of the list in Youtube. Final day for the track and promotion, what a legacy!!!!

[peanuts]

1 minute ago, great central said:

 

Yep, found it almost top of the list in Youtube. Final day for the track and promotion, what a legacy!!!!

One wonders if that's what it was all about going out with a bang and the consequences 

[MJI]

17 minutes ago, great central said:

Well, the race numbers should be easily traceable through the promoter, both cars being painted in the same scheme they're obviously a team.

Biggest issue is, if it's an independent track they may not ask too many questions and, in my view, are equally liable.

Footage of the meeting will likely appear on Youtube before long.

The criminals must be made to fully restore those two cars to their previous condition

Edited August 8, 2022 by MJI

[RANGERS]

10 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The Kent engine had a bore of 80mm plus a small fraction. Increases in capacity were achieved by increasing the stroke. The 1600 stroke was also 80mm stroke making it 'square' rather than long stroke. The height of the block was increased slightly to accommodate the longer stroke. It was in production from 1959 for over 30 years, longer than the 8/10hp/100E side valve engines.

The Kent lasted much longer than 1989, in transverse form it became the Valencia which powered the Fiesta up to Mk 4, and first generation Ka until the early 2000s, but was the same basic unit. It’s still in limited production in the US for motorsport use.

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, RANGERS said:

The Kent lasted much longer than 1989, in transverse form it became the Valencia which powered the Fiesta up to Mk 4, and first generation Ka until the early 2000s, but was the same basic unit. It’s still in limited production in the US for motorsport use.

Thats why I said over 30 years. I had a 1991 Fiesta 1100 with the Valencia engine but was unsure of when production ceased. The original engines with the inlet and exhaust manifolds on one side had three main bearings and was produced in 1000, 1200, 1340 and 1500 form. Then the Crossflow with the inlet and exhaust on either side and five main bearings in 1100, 1300 and 1600 form with a longer cylinder block to accommodate the five bearings Then the Valencia engine still with crossflow but reverting to three main bearings and the shorter block so that it could be fitted transversely in the Fiesta.