doilum

It was a long time ago in my early 4mm days. I had associated 3H with the larger scale. It was probably my first non Airfix kit and needed half filling with lead shot to remain stable. Worst thing was I had invested in a rake of three!

Absolutely true to modelling prototype. The Ratio coke hopper proved to be a better looker than runner and has been stuck on a ridiculously short siding with a couple of random cripples.

Or try trimming the cocktail stick off square and fix the nut to the end with double sided tape. Alternatively, make a small tube of masking tape on the end of the stick to hold the nut until the thread bites. Best advice though, find a suitable tray on which to work ( the larger presentation trays of Ferrera Rocher are perfect) to catch the little blighters as they try and escape.

Excellent post. All I need for Christmas is someone to come up with a similar find for " The Hills of Heaven"!

I believe the super test comes at ten years. There may be also tax penalties after this point too. Their loss our gain. My first MX5 came rust free and fully loaded with extras rarely seen on UK models.

Just don't leave the masking tape too long!

There was nothing wrong with cornering on three wheels. Another car that failed to kill me despite a hooligan approach to driving!

The rallycross cars were very special machines. If I recall correctly the shell I described was an all steel fair with a Mater roll cage and a custom floor pan. I think it had a solid rear axle from a Manta or even a Kadett B and standard Astra front end just to make it mobile.

They were certainly involved in the rallycross cars.

That might have been the guy. For reasons safely lost in the mists of time this shell spent several weeks in my garage. I remember the owner turning up one night with the guy he had sold it to and we pulled the rolling shell up the drive with my Dutton as it was too narrow for his truck.

I had forgotten about group S. The Astra / Kadett was a Russelheim project that had a competitive run on the Paris Dakar. The prototype group S rolling shell ended up back in the UK but I can't rember the name of the guy who bought it and completed the project.

Maybe the Italian mille had only 1000 yards! To be fair 10% error was expected on analogue speedometers and 15% at the top end quite probable. This needs to be kept in mind especially when listening to tall tales in old Fords.

As a student, one my friends had a Victor estate ( his dad had a garage and he always had something to run around in). On Wednesday afternoon we would go down into central Birmingham ( visit the library / go guitar window shopping / check out the bargain bin at the newly opened Virgin Records) and as we progressed down New Street fellow students would flag us down for a lift. By the time we turned into Corporation Street and made the final pick up outside Rackham's the back seat was full and tail gate Charlies brought the total to eight or nine. Happy Days!!

Like my Lambretta that showed a good 80 two up????

The early four speed carb model was a bit more sophisticated than it was given credit for. Aggressive front geometry settings made it drive like a big go kart with incredible turn in on dry tarmac. If however a wheel strayed on to a wet verge ( at speed) things got a bit hairy unlike the old rwd RS which took a grass road extension in its stride. Over time the settings were "softened" back to almost standard making the steering lighter and more idiot proof. Later cars also dispensed with the array of warning systems for brake pad wear and oil level. Made down to the bean counters orders these early warning systems became unreliable as the car aged.

Back in late 80s when Ford had failed to deliver a new Clubman's rally car there were several BTRDA competitors who had reshelled their venerable MK2 into a MK3 shell. Getrag did an expensive one and their were a couple of other firms who could supply a kit of bits for those with the necessary welding skills. GM built prototype 4WD Astra's using the engine from the Manta 400 but the project was canned when group B was outlawed and group A was the way to go.

For the same reason that I might post / read a thread on " those interested in old steam railways". There is nothing wrong with a little nostalgia, especially when recalling a well misspent youth, but . let's not be too critical of modern machines with guaranteed first time starting in any weather, ridiculous road holding and secure braking. A few years ago I was making " excellent progress" along the B6265 near Fountains Abbey in my wife's Astra estate (a 1.7 diesel with 200K + mileson the clock) when I had a blasphemous thought. Perhaps the old RS 2000 of my hooligan youth might have struggled to match my pace. A gave my head a good shake lest I spoil any happy memories.

Just for the record. I also had one of very late Escort GTi. Fully special ed with half leather trim from the Cosworth it might have been the best escort we had. It was the fastest, most economical ( if kept below 85+mph it returned 40+ mpg four up) If only they had given it some proper sports geometry at the front. On sweeping A roads it's sweet speed was 50,mph. The XR3i that preceded it did 60. That said we had it from almost new for ten years and apart from eating a pair of front suspension arms and tyres every 9000 miles or so it never failed. Recently I have spotted one or two that have suddenly reappeared in immaculate condition. That has made me smile.

It was a much bigger car. We bought one as a second car for the winter(Dutton hibernated). The top of the drive was just 72" between the houses and as I lined up for the first time I clipped the nearside mirror. Deep breath, try again and hit the offside mirror. Big curse, try a third time and hit both mirrors. This was wider than my friends Vauxhall Carlton or next door's Volvo 144. It had to live out on the road where, one rainy Saturday night it was stolen. We found it next day just half a mile away with the back seats down and, from the wrapping litter, it had been borrowed as a passion wagon. It was a truly poverty spec example in chocolate brown with matching plastic interior and a 1.3 A series engine that couldn't catch it's own shadow. My wife actually liked it. To be fair to the Maestro, one of the best days out in my life was, five up, to the 1986 Challenge cup final in an MG turbo version that my uncle had blagged from a dealer contact as an "extended test drive". Much of the trip down the A1 at 100+ ! Better than an Escort? In poverty spec the Ford is much more fun if less roomy. Would I have swapped the XR3s for an MG if the drive had been wider? No.

My guess is that the unions might have had a say in things. Whilst GM pushed ahead towards a common European model (already 8 years behind Ford) by adopting the Kadett body shells and allowing Wayne Cherry's style department to do a nose job, they secured work for the plant building 1257cc Viva engines. Dad had several Vivas and Chevettes. I don't recall big problems with starter motor removal on Vivas so I guess the problems came from the different cross member on the Chevette. Main problem was that the 55 bhp couldn't easily be increased without spending lots of money and compromising reliability unlike the Ford crossflow .

Helps if you have a tame mechanic with a hoist. Up in the air, remove the wheel and get behind the wheel arch liner. Astra's are no better. Back in the day the average ten year old could swap the bulb on a Chevette or Fiesta without any tools I five minutes including handwash after.

A much underrated car. If only GM politics had allowed it the 1.6 used in the Opel Kadett, Ford might not have sold so many Escorts. Despite two years of hooligan driving I never had any incident or off road excursion. Eventually the boy needed more racer and it was replaced by an RS 2000.

If the wagon floor has an area of approximately 11 sq metres, 1 mm of rain = 11 litres of water = almost 3 gallons !!!! OK, most would run off but having had the joy of humping wooden joists that have sat in the merchant's yard through a wet month, the difference in weight is not to be scoffed at.

Huge things with a bloody great Merlin engine under each wing........

Designed by Mazda adopted by Ford. Not sure who actually makes them. One less servicei item for my NC.