What's made you smile today?

[bugsymike]

The rig tows really well. My SIL said we'd have problems in the mountains but he now has to eat crow. We hit a stretch of old 66 west of Kingman, AZ that had 191 curves in 8 miles. There were a lot of switchbacks and the diesel didn't care. Things were sketchy a couple times with the cross winds in Utah but no worse for wear.

The artists are the Eagles and the song was 'Take It Easy'.
Standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona,
Such a fine sight to see, It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford.
slowin' down to take a look at me.

The statue of the guy leaning on the lamp post is Glenn Fry of the Eagles.

Over here, anything being towed with a hitch is a trailer. And Buster was just tired. He is actually enjoying the trip because he doesn't have to share us with anyone else.

@bugsymike Camera angle. The truck has Rough Country off road suspension and usually doesn't know the trailer is back there. I tested the 'off road' part yesterday in red clay.

Buster looks content
Reminds me of when my children were young and the seven of us went to camp at a large Steam Rally some miles away ,we had a Peugot 504 Family 7/8 seater estate, with all the seats occupied, the boot space full of camping equipment our German Shepard was squashed on that pile with her head resting on the roof lining, she didn't care as long as she was with us. Very good natured with all the family, I recall running down the stairs one day and putting nearly all my 16 stone on her nose where she was resting her head on the bottom step, all she did was look at me! A lovely dog that sadly died of a twisted gut.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Buster looks content
Reminds me of when my children were young and the seven of us went to camp at a large Steam Rally some miles away ,we had a Peugot 504 Family 7/8 seater estate, with all the seats occupied, the boot space full of camping equipment our German Shepard was squashed on that pile with her head resting on the roof lining, she didn't care as long as she was with us. Very good natured with all the family, I recall running down the stairs one day and putting nearly all my 16 stone on her nose where she was resting her head on the bottom step, all she did was look at me! A lovely dog that sadly died of a twisted gut.

When I was younger we always ran around in "trade in" cars which I bought cheap because the boss didn't want to retail or trade them. One such was an Austin Ambassador - which I actually bought from another garage for a change, but still an "unwanted car" which I found in the back of his storage warehouse under a load of sacking and cardboard boxes! It's bodywork, covered in dust, turned out to be exceptionally good but it had a problem with it's gearbox final drive so, with just a couple of weeks to go until our holiday in the Dordogne, I heaved the whole power unit out - that's what I built the gantry and bought a block and tackle for (picture somewhere on the forum) and set about a rebuild in my wee garage. It's a very involved story, too long for here, but ended up being a bottom end engine rebuild too. Finally got it back together barely a day before the holiday so was running the new bearings in going south, M6/M5 and other roads, to the ferry in Southampton.

I've always had estate cars since very early on in our married life so the Ambassador was a bit of a departure from the norm and we packed it to the roof with all the camping gear and 3 kids so well packed into the vast back seat that they could hardly move. I was amazed at how much we got into it. As the journey progressed they moved stuff about until, at our second comfort break on the M6, they had formed it into a "nest". They looked like three wee birdies in a nest! Stuff was packed around them so well that opening a back door was not on so they had to climb into the front to get out! (don't ask about seat belts please). The car ran beautifully except for a wee noise when pulling hard up long hills - being ever the pessimist I was imagining the worst, probably one of the transfer gear needle roller races breaking up? I later found it was a bit of hard gun gum rattling around in the exhaust - yes, I'd "over egged" the gun gum on the downpipe flanges! After a few years I part exchanged it for a MK2 1.8 Vauxhall Astra SXI estate - one of the best cars I've ever owned, almost as much fun as the 1275 "S". He was another small out of town country garage and he ran the Ambassador for years as a Taxi and customer transport car.

 

[portland_bill]

I got Scarlett's anti roll bar all wire brushed & painted up today with 3 coats of black paint, I used Matt paint as I don't like car bits looking glossy it's tacky
View attachment 453884
the 2 new anti roll bar brackets I ordered are coming Monday. I'm going to go find a local hardware shop & get new bolts, nuts & washers etc as 1 of the bolts has snapped & I want them all matching, then copper slip it all up so I don't get this hassle again

Be careful with what you buy at hardware shops, some can be quite low grade.
Metric bolts are graded, most automotive stuff is 8.8, but often suspension and other critical areas use a higher grade, 10.9. There should be a number on the head, sometimes just the first digit without the decimals.
These guys are really good, with a good reference section explaining a lot. https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/Ref-Strength-Spec.html

These others are also good, but more difficult ot find what you need on their websites.

Namrick Ltd

Established in 1980 to provide a fastener service to Classic Car restorers both amateur and professional. We aim to give the highest quality products at economical prices and are proud of our personal service and quick deliveries.<br /><br />This web site is owned and operated by Namrick Ltd...

www.namrick.co.uk

Spalding Fasteners - Nuts, Bolts, Screws, Rivets etc. Low prices, fast delivery

Spalding Fasteners - Nuts, Bolts, Screws, Rivets etc. Low prices, fast delivery

www.spaldingfasteners.co.uk

Fasteners, Fixings, Screws, Nuts & Bolts - Serving London & the UK

www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk

There are probably others, but I've not needed to look further.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Be careful with what you buy at hardware shops, some can be quite low grade.
Metric bolts are graded, most automotive stuff is 8.8, but often suspension and other critical areas use a higher grade, 10.9. There should be a number on the head, sometimes just the first digit without the decimals.
These guys are really good, with a good reference section explaining a lot. https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/Ref-Strength-Spec.html

These others are also good, but more difficult ot find what you need on their websites.

Namrick Ltd

Established in 1980 to provide a fastener service to Classic Car restorers both amateur and professional. We aim to give the highest quality products at economical prices and are proud of our personal service and quick deliveries.<br /><br />This web site is owned and operated by Namrick Ltd...

www.namrick.co.uk

Spalding Fasteners - Nuts, Bolts, Screws, Rivets etc. Low prices, fast delivery

Spalding Fasteners - Nuts, Bolts, Screws, Rivets etc. Low prices, fast delivery

www.spaldingfasteners.co.uk

Fasteners, Fixings, Screws, Nuts & Bolts - Serving London & the UK

www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk

There are probably others, but I've not needed to look further.

I'd actually go as far as to say a lot of the nuts and bolts you find in general hardware stores are not suitable for use in our applications. That's why I like to source from the trade itself or engineering companies - I'm lucky as there are quite a number around the docks here in Edinburgh - Forth Engineering, George Browns, etc. These multisize boxes from the likes of discount supermarkets and hardware stores should be avoided. I'm always especially suspicious of "bright shiny" product.

 

[FiatMatt94]

Be careful with what you buy at hardware shops, some can be quite low grade.
Metric bolts are graded, most automotive stuff is 8.8, but often suspension and other critical areas use a higher grade, 10.9. There should be a number on the head, sometimes just the first digit without the decimals.
These guys are really good, with a good reference section explaining a lot. https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/Ref-Strength-Spec.html

These others are also good, but more difficult ot find what you need on their websites.

Namrick Ltd

Established in 1980 to provide a fastener service to Classic Car restorers both amateur and professional. We aim to give the highest quality products at economical prices and are proud of our personal service and quick deliveries.<br /><br />This web site is owned and operated by Namrick Ltd...

www.namrick.co.uk

Spalding Fasteners - Nuts, Bolts, Screws, Rivets etc. Low prices, fast delivery

Spalding Fasteners - Nuts, Bolts, Screws, Rivets etc. Low prices, fast delivery

www.spaldingfasteners.co.uk

Fasteners, Fixings, Screws, Nuts & Bolts - Serving London & the UK

www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk

There are probably others, but I've not needed to look further.

Thanks portland_bill, I'll look into these. To prevent the other 3 bolts snapping I've been dowsing them in penetrating fluid for the last couple of days so hopefully I'll only have to get 1 broken stud out, I only went to unbolt the bracket originally to change the outer bushes the thing I don't get though is someone has recently changed the inner anti roll bar bushes as they look brand new but they didn't bother to do the outer bushes which really needed doing, I don't know what was going through that person's mind at the time to only do the inners & not the outers it would have saved me having to deal with broken brackets at nearly £20 each & the hassle of trying to find them.

 

[portland_bill]

Thanks portland_bill, I'll look into these. To prevent the other 3 bolts snapping I've been dowsing them in penetrating fluid for the last couple of days so hopefully I'll only have to get 1 broken stud out, I only went to unbolt the bracket originally to change the outer bushes the thing I don't get though is someone has recently changed the inner anti roll bar bushes as they look brand new but they didn't bother to do the outer bushes which really needed doing, I don't know what was going through that person's mind at the time to only do the inners & not the outers it would have saved me having to deal with broken brackets at nearly £20 each & the hassle of trying to find them.

Don't be tempted to go stainless. If you peruse the info on the Westfield site, you'll see that the best stainless is about the same tensile strength as 8.8, not good enough for suspension requiring 10.9.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Don't be tempted to go stainless. If you peruse the info on the Westfield site, you'll see that the best stainless is about the same tensile strength as 8.8, not good enough for suspension requiring 10.9.

Thanks PB, I didn't know that although I've always perceived stainless to be "soft"

 

[bugsymike]

Thanks PB, I didn't know that although I've always perceived stainless to be "soft"

There are different grades, as I recall I used A4 and 316 for my boat/marine use which is fairly soft and non magnetic , but the cheaper "catering grade" is a sod to drill easily as very quickly work hardens.
However neither is particularly strong.
I don't know the full details, but one of my customers could "bore for England on the subject", although a nice bloke.

 

[FiatMatt94]

Don't be tempted to go stainless. If you peruse the info on the Westfield site, you'll see that the best stainless is about the same tensile strength as 8.8, not good enough for suspension requiring 10.9.

The only thing I've used stainless for on this car is the screws for the rear lights as they were rotten, rounded off & mismatching which is one of my real hates along with noisy wipers & squealy brakes, I just hate things that mismatch I'm a tad OCD with things like that.

 

[bugsymike]

The only thing I've used stainless for on this car is the screws for the rear lights as they were rotten, rounded off & mismatching which is one of my real hates along with noisy wipers & squealy brakes, I just hate things that mismatch I'm a tad OCD with things like that.

One thing I hated was Fiats use of plastic headed screws when holding light lens on as the screw would rust into place and then the head would break off when using the screwdriver.
On the boat if I used a stainless nut and bolt, any damage or burring on a thread usually caused the nut to jam it's self to the bolt so unable to save either thread, unlike a normal steel bolt which is more forgiving.

 

[FiatMatt94]

At last I've finally solved the rear end water leak issue that has persisted since I've owned Scarlett, I was stood outside yesterday looking at the back of the car thinking what else could it be as it's been one of those leaks that when you sort one bit then it works it's way along & comes in somewhere else , it'd had obviously been happening for a while previous to me owning her as there was slight surface rust in the affected areas, so far it's had the following

1) Brought & fitted the new rear light seals at a staggering £128 for the pair
2) Got a second hand boot seal for just under £15 from memory out of a scrap car as the new rear light seals did help a little but didn't fully sort it.
3) replaced both rear lights with new old stock parts as the fixings were broken on the originals at about £80 for the pair.
4) It then started leaking through the seam where the slam panel joins the rear panel along with the vent in the rear panel so I sorted that with some clear waterproof sealer which has sorted that bit.
5) After looking very closely at the boot seal it wasn't quite sealing in one corner although the seal was in the correct position so a small amount of sealer under the rubber sorted that out or so I thought
6) the last lot of rain here I went out to the car, low & behold there was water in the car.

So back to yesterday when I was standing at the back of the car looking for an answer I soon found it, I looked at 1 side of the boot lid then looked at the other very closely, repeated the process a couple of times to make sure I wasn't seeing things I then came to the conclusion that the boot lid wasn't quite sitting evenly on both sides as it was slightly sticking out more on 1 side than the other as up close you could see it by the rear light positions, so I swapped the rubber buffers around then adjusted them accordingly so the lid was sitting evenly on both sides, last night there was a downpour so this morning I went out to the car, opened the boot to a bone dry car I call that a success.

So after all that it turned out to be something really simple which took about 30 seconds to sort out .

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

At last I've finally solved the rear end water leak issue that has persisted since I've owned Scarlett, I was stood outside yesterday looking at the back of the car thinking what else could it be as it's been one of those leaks that when you sort one bit then it works it's way along & comes in somewhere else , it'd had obviously been happening for a while previous to me owning her as there was slight surface rust in the affected areas, so far it's had the following

1) Brought & fitted the new rear light seals at a staggering £128 for the pair
2) Got a second hand boot seal for just under £15 from memory out of a scrap car as the new rear light seals did help a little but didn't fully sort it.
3) replaced both rear lights with new old stock parts as the fixings were broken on the originals at about £80 for the pair.
4) It then started leaking through the seam where the slam panel joins the rear panel along with the vent in the rear panel so I sorted that with some clear waterproof sealer which has sorted that bit.
5) After looking very closely at the boot seal it wasn't quite sealing in one corner although the seal was in the correct position so a small amount of sealer under the rubber sorted that out or so I thought
6) the last lot of rain here I went out to the car, low & behold there was water in the car.

So back to yesterday when I was standing at the back of the car looking for an answer I soon found it, I looked at 1 side of the boot lid then looked at the other very closely, repeated the process a couple of times to make sure I wasn't seeing things I then came to the conclusion that the boot lid wasn't quite sitting evenly on both sides as it was slightly sticking out more on 1 side than the other as up close you could see it by the rear light positions, so I swapped the rubber buffers around then adjusted them accordingly so the lid was sitting evenly on both sides, last night there was a downpour so this morning I went out to the car, opened the boot to a bone dry car I call that a success.

So after all that it turned out to be something really simple which took about 30 seconds to sort out .

And oh so verysatisfying!

 

[FiatMatt94]

One thing I hated was Fiats use of plastic headed screws when holding light lens on as the screw would rust into place and then the head would break off when using the screwdriver.
On the boat if I used a stainless nut and bolt, any damage or burring on a thread usually caused the nut to jam it's self to the bolt so unable to save either thread, unlike a normal steel bolt which is more forgiving.

I remember them as having grown up around 131's & many other old Fiat's, they were not one of Fiat's best idea's, another one of Fiat's not so good things I remember came back to me last week when I was doing the front suspension on the Seicento, so the strut bolts on the old Fiat's used to all have the same size bolt head & nuts I seem to recall old Panda's, 131's etc the bolts & the nuts were always the same diameter, the Seicento on the other hand one end was 18mm & the other end 19mm, I always wondered why Fiat did that, my dad always said the first Fiat he came across with that was the Uno's.

 

[FiatMatt94]

And oh so verysatisfying!

It was very satisfying as this has been a bit of an annoying feature in my time with the Seicento & I wanted it solved before the winter, good thing is now it's all sorted & nearly everything has been replaced on the back end of the car with genuine Fiat bits so there's no chance of anything else going anytime soon

 

[StevenRB45]

Not bad for a big ol' bus.

It does better on weekends but my wife uses it round the doors week days.

Actually 1 mpg better than the last tank the C3 managed.

Continues the tradition of Japanese cars in my life that have pessimistic fuel computers and gauges.

C3 has a 45 litre tank I fill up at 1/4 on the gauge which is 32 litres or there abouts that usually having got you somewhere between 300 and 330 miles.

I was disappointed to be down to a quarter of the 50 litre Toyota tank after only 277 miles. Also the trip computer when the car is full is 400 miles the C3 usually says 440 or something similar even 500.

The trip computer has been giving late to mid 40s after most trips (when I've driven...30s for the stuff my wife does) but 8.42 gallons used as you'd work out of you're used to a fuel gauge that tells you how much fuel you have in 277 miles would be 32 to the gallon. But 1/4 on the gauge appears to in reality be over 40% of the tank left given the pump clicked off at 29 litres.

Mazda was the same...to get a decent fuel range you had to run it until the light came on at which point you had quarter of a tank left.

 

[vexorg]

I don't understand this obsession with small fuel tanks in cars. The juke is small, the 500 is small, the new ds is very small.

The old ds is over 60 litres, and i usually get 650 miles when the light comes on, then fill up soon after, typically just under 13 gallon to fill. Expected range is 680 miles to empty after most full ups.

 

[StevenRB45]

Old cars tend to have bigger tanks as they used to be less efficient.

You have to remember the DS4 came with a 1.6t that would barely manage 35 to the gallon..13 gallons would be required to give it the same range as C3 manages on a 10 gallon tank.

Probably less noticeable on diesels which if anything have stood still for 20 years/got less efficient as more emissions gear got added but 20 years ago the equivalent of my car would have been a 1.8 that would be lucky to do low 30s. As a result fuel tank would need to be bigger to achieve the same range, which eats into interior space for boot space, under floor storage etc. Now it doesn't really need the massive tank but the space can be used for other things.

Oh also Adblue usually occupies part of the fuel tank...so there's a reasonable number of diesels with lower fuel capacity than the petrol now.

 

[vexorg]

Ah, so that's why new cars are so small compared to old...

 

[Cheest]

The last day of camping today. Yay! We have about 350 miles to drive from central Iowa to eastern Illannoy tomorrow.

I've driven about 4K miles in the last 2 weeks. Had the truck up to almost 10K ft and down to 230' below sea level*. We off grid camped at 8500', saw temps from 30F to 100F, camped overnight in two different downpours, and spent a ton of dollars on fuel. I made steaks and baked potatoes over an open fire with friends in Kremmling, Colorado for Mrs. Cheest's b'day. The truck is still covered in red Utah clay and the front of the trailer is covered in Nebraska mud.

I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and I bet Buster is looking forward to sleeping on his couch,

Mrs.Cheest and Buster waiting for breakfast. Jackson Lake State Park in Colorado.

Grasslands Sunrise

Wild Turkeys

*Death Valley Nat'l Park

 

[vexorg]

I thought death valley was in california