Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Mini Gimp?

always room in here for a bit of saab love

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Love story or does the separation make a Saab story?

I'll get my coat

I still remember the first time aged about 10 I got a lift in my dad's mates 900 turbo, was black with red interior and I thought it was a space ship compared to the bangers my folks were driving.

And it had headrests in the back, which along with twin exhausts and electric windows marked you out as a millionaire or a royal in the early 80's.

I had a couple of old school spots over the weekend. Coolest car I saw in Mayfair yesterday, forget the wall to wall dead to me Lambo's, Porches and Range Rovers, was this little factory fresh gem. A boggo standard Mk1 1.1L Ford Fiesta, from the first year of release, 1976. Before this Fiesta was just a full bush grot mag you'd find in a hedge.


And this gave me a flashback to my folks' bangernomics car days as we had one of these for a while when I was a kid. All I remember about it was it seemed huge inside and was very comfortable on shit country roads, a baby blue Morris 1800.

superb stuff. Both look immaculate

Nice spot of the Ford. Reminds me of the old Honda CVCC I used to have.

My Astra VXR needs valve stem seals replacing.

Which is a time consuming and costly job.

But, I'm told that a man in Birmingham can do it quick and cheap as he has a special tool which means you don't need to take the head off.

YouTube shows it can be done by filling the cylinder with either compressed air or string to prevent it dropping. Maybe this is how he does it.

If this is a better method then why don't more places do it? I'd rather not have to drive to Birmingham.

always room in here for a bit of saab love

The cars, the balcony and the blockwork all fit.

baby blue Morris 1800

Land Crab, which i never understood even then. Some rally success if I recall.

That string method is old school, but is the something special about the valve seals that are difficult to remove/refit or need a special tool?

Are there guides for the valves in the head that may need replacing? https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb63hLwgHMk/WL23xskIO8I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/3wb_W6okfUY_idINsxCKX7FBScv2Pfj6ACLcB/s1600/seal3.jpg image nicked from the internet maybe he has the special tool to remove the guides.

Edit: is the engine ohc and needs a special tool for the dismantling and reassembling the cams/springs that is easier done with the head off the car?

Paddy hopkirk got 2nd in the London to Sidney rally. That car is in the motor museum at gaydon.

Also won a rally before, in chezlovakia? Think that was it.

Why that stuck in my mind and important stuff escaped is annoying

I saw this in the metal at the Princes Risborough Kop Hill Climb either 2022 or 2021. My picture up-thread somewhere but nicked this one off the internet

https://youtu.be/YkqzMNG6iTQ

Could be a similar tool as seen in this repair.

^ he's the one who uses string to hold the valves up. I think the tool to compress the springs is common enough. Still not sure what I'll get from driving to Birmingham and back.

The opportunity to drive away from Birmingham?

I've linked to the Pininfarina BMC 1800 Aerodynamica concept before.. A vision of a future past.

I'd be able to use this for 45 days per year. I don't think I ever used my 911 that much, but then I didn't want to take it out when it wasn't sunny.

Would I find 45 days ridiculous in a place where it's sunny a lot more often?

And I've been to nam 1000 yard stare.

How can, this a cycling forum, not comment of the cycling link to the Austin 1800/2200 suspension? Think that is a major benefit the car had and Alex Moulton was a genius.

As long as it has got good AC

I see this from time to time either in Ascot or here in Bracknell. MGB GT V8 SEBRING or so it says on the back. Very tidy.

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https://youtu.be/dRQKmNbXRB8

Then maybe it's something like the one used here.

Don’t see many , a friend had one pinched about 3 weeks old

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Odd car to pinch. Not as if it isn't unique.

Anyone got a R53 or R6 Mini?

I've got a used OEM roof rack I'm happy to pass on at a discount.