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Nov 20, 2017 19:23:06 GMT
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Well there you go, that works. Thanks George!
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Ok, I know I'm being a numpty, but how do I jump to the latest posts in a thread? I can see the 'new' notification, but if I click on that it just takes me to the start of the thread. How do I get to the latest post? The same thing happens with my bookmarks.
Is it just me?!
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Is there a 'recommended' site to replace PB? I've not many pics, so it isnt going to be too laborious to transfer across, but just want to get off PB as soon as possible, if only to register my displeasure!
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Budget in mind? Driving the mileage in one hit will mean comfort being important, which would push me further toward something Swedish..... This is really important. Especially if you're doing this trip for work, you cant afford the luxury of arriving knackered and needing a couple of days to recover. I know it is a very left field idea (and not really appropriate for a car forum), but do you actually NEED to drive? By the time you've factored in channel crossing, fuel, stop overs, euro insurance (will you fall foul of the 'no more than 90 days/year issue?), etc, etc, suddenly sleazy jet becomes quite affordable. But, if you are going for a car, I can recommend both a 850/V70 and Saab 9-3 or 9-5 as mile crunchers. All of mine were petrol, so cant comment on diesel economy, but they are all 'nice places to be' for long journeys. And all are just as powerful/fast as 90% of the BMWs/Mercs/Audi's you'll meet on the autobahns. If you're going to be spending the majority of time in Europe, have you considered LHD? Used to be cheaper to buy in the UK, but with so many eastern Europeans exporting cars, no idea if this is still the case.
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As an ex car radio installer from the eighties, from experience I can tell you that it is probably more likely to be a permanent live in an older car. In the days before digital stereos were standard fitment and there was no memory feed in the radio loom it was commonplace to piggy bag a feed from the fag lighter because it was normally a permanent live. It cost less to the manufacturer to make it permanent rather than including a relay to isolate it with ignition. The exception was usually Japanese cars. Well there you go, every day a school day! I was basing on the 80's and 90's cars I've rallied and always needed the ignition on to power the map magnifier which was plugged in to the cig lighter skt.
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The whole issue of cages and harnesses in road cars is very fraught. As slipngripross says, adding a cage adds significant structural strength to the passenger cell of the car. Unfortunately, that strength comes at the expense of big lumps of metal inside the passenger cell that are almost exactly at head height, so unless you're wearing a helmet, it is questionable if a cage adds to your 'total safety'...all depends on the type of accident you're planning to have!
As for harnesses, I use the OEM seat belt mounting points for the lap strap part, after all, the car designers have spent £Millions getting Type Approval and crash tests done to prove the strength of those points. The more difficult decisions come with the shoulder points, and if you've got them the crutch points.
On my rally cars, I used to use the the rear seat seatbelt mounting points (obviously with the rear seats removed). The angles are generally within the MSA allowance/regulations (45 deg iirc), but there's no doubt in a head-on crash you'd get a significant downward force on your shoulders as your get moved forward and hence the shoulder straps get pulled down on to the seat tops (or cut outs if you're using competition buckets).
I've now got a cage with a harness bar built in, and I spec'ed it so the harness straps are as close to horizontal as the regs allow (15 deg below horizontal iirc). Having had to, errr, dynamically test the cage and harnesses, I can say that worked quite well, in so far as the only personal injury was in the nethers from an slightly under-tightened crutch strap that allowed me to mover forward about 25mm before coming to a rather sudden stop...let's just say I had a squeaky voice for a while after the accident!
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Cig lighters are pretty high current, typically 10-20A,after all it is effectively just a heating element between +12v and gnd! Certainly much more than gauges and a sat nav would draw.
As for being permanently live, I'd be surprised on an older car. Moderns, with battery level sensing electronics can shut off the power if the battery gets too low, but on a (say pre-2010) car they wouldnt normally have a permanently live cig lighter skt for the worry of flattening the battery. Of course, very easy to check if you've got a phone charger with an led.
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I havent got a pic, but I got a 'classic' Range Rover Vogue 3.9 as a hire car when they first came out - guessing about 1988? Had to drive from Kent to Plymouth. It was sheer hell! Stonking V8 and auto box...cruising along the M25 and M3 when it wasnt a car park. Even hustling it along the country lanes to get to the hotel out at Down Thomas was fun.
Putting the expenses claim in for all the fuel rather took the shine off it as a possible personal daily, but it definitely is top of my personal 'nicest car' list!
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I know you're probably sorted by now, but what about a trip to the breakers? Charlie Trents in Poole has a big stack of head units in their counter. Sure some of them are double din. No idea on prices though.
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I know you're sorted for now, but a left field choice might be the MGZR Express with Streetwise suspension. Or get an OEM Streetwise (they do diesel flavour) and turn it in to an Express. The 200/25/ZR is well used in rally circles and can cope well with the rough stuff. They're surprisingly strong.
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Sept 11, 2017 11:32:50 GMT
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Wedge Rovers (200 or 400 flavour) are getting a bit rare now. Coupe (Tomcat) even more so!
Even bubble 200 (as opposed to 25/ZR) are getting rare now.
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The one thing I'd say about the cheap cigarette lighter chargers is some of them have rubbish EMC protection and will massively interfere with your radio. In the end I bit the bullet and bought an 'own brand' one from Tesco or Sainsbury on the basis of easy of taking it back if I had a problem.
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May 23, 2017 17:45:43 GMT
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Test Valley Car Breakers, Andover Road, Ludgershall, SP11 9PE Fair bit of modern, and some late-90s stuff and a little bit of earlier. All the cars are just dumped on the ground (no racks) and it can get a bit muddy at times, so worth bringing a jack and a piece of board if you need suspension bits. Prices seem to vary from 'blimey that was cheap' to 'HOW MUCH?!!". Noon Car Breakers, Linden Dairy, Hollom Down, Salisbury SP5 1BP I havent been for over a year, so no idea on stock now, but used to have a complete mix of 1970s to modern. All on racks but last time I went they seemed happy for me to wander around. Used to be run by a really nice chap, proper old school breakers yard, but without the bad attitude and flea bitten dog! Taken over by his sons (iirc), and now do a lot of 'recycling' and some second hand bits off the shelf. Used to offer a 'we'll take it off the car for you' service, but not sure if they still do. J Jones Motor Spares, Caen Hill, Nr Devizes, Wiltshire. SN10 1RD Never been inside, but have dropped off a scrap car. Looked a big yard, but no idea if you walk around. TBH didnt seem particularly good to deal with, but YMMV.
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Cracked it! Mate came over with a big crow bar that we used to really push the tyre down in to the 'indent' bit of the wheel. Made a huge difference.
I think it was difficult to do it on my own because of the reinforced sidewalls.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Will get some tyre soap too.
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Nov 28, 2016 23:33:32 GMT
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Long story short, just bought a Clarke strong arm bead breaker - the type with a pneumatic ram that breaks the bead and also clamps the wheel when removing/replacing the tyre.
I've been given a Sealey tyre bar (the one with the three little wheels on the end). I managed to get a tyre off, but just can't get the new tyre on. I've got one side on, but no amount of struggling will get the second side of the tyre on the rim.
I know I'm a beginner and I know I'm trying to put on reinforced rally knobblies, but there must be some tricks to make it easier. Any ideas?!!
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Where are you Dan? I've got a hydrolastic pump from when I rallied a Metro. You're welcome to borrow it if you want to DIY the suspension.
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Oct 13, 2016 10:27:03 GMT
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I've had a bunch of Rovers and now ZRs. As OEM the same key works both the door and ignition, so if they are different profile, at some point someone has swapped a lock.
As for resynching the fob, sorry nothing to add other than have a good search on the Rover/MG forums.
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No pics as it was late 1980's, but turned up at hire car place to collect a car for a work trip. Had ordered Sierra sized estate. Did paper work and chap pointed to a Ford Orion. Hmmm, that's no good for four of us and loads of kit. Err, no sir, your car is the new Range Rover behind the Orion. Next morning found me enjoying the joys of 15mpg, 3.9 Vogue RR rumbling down the M3 on our way to Plymouth.
Did I have a big smile? I think I did.
Unfortunately, karma more than made up for it with a whole bunch of hire car sh!t!!!
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Oct 12, 2016 22:48:56 GMT
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Bump PM sent re the knobbly tyres.
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