The (sort of...) Jap scrap (sort of...) sensible turnip garage

[Mr.Mint]

Strictly for emergencies! Takes an age to put up, makes it impossible to get in and out, and still doesn't really keep much water out

I don't think I have ever seen it fitted before...

 

[svensktoppen]

I use it on long motorway journeys unless it's nice and sunny, and if it really rains hard. If it's just a bit of drizzle or something then as long you don't stop then you're fine

 

[svensktoppen]

Just a quick rant before a more positive update.

Windscreen replacements are a total scam! At least in England. Last time I did it in Belfast I used a neighbour down the road who did a great job on Princess. But this time I got a massive crack on the screen while over in Cambridge...

Over there nobody wants to know if it's not through insurance. Was getting quotes of £1.5-2k Presumably through insurance they can claim more. Most insurance companies even have their own windscreen subsidiaries. It's a self perpetuating money scam, lol.

Plus all the "we need to strip half the car", "need to get it on ramps", "front clam has to come off", etc. Which is complete balls. It's literally two bolts either side to allow the clam to be lifted half an inch to clear the bottom corners of the screen... It's all anyone has ever actually done when changing the screen on this car...

So this time I put it through insurance. It says it won't count as a "claim", we'll see come renewal

Ended up with Autoglass, the preferred windscreen company of the insurer. Anyone else would be double excess. In fairness they did a good job, all they asked was for the clam to be loosened. Which I did myself, took less than ten minutes

Rant over

 

[Blackie]

Just a quick rant before a more positive update.

Windscreen replacements are a total scam! At least in England. Last time I did it in Belfast I used a neighbour down the road who did a great job on Princess. But this time I got a massive crack on the screen while over in Cambridge...

Over there nobody wants to know if it's not through insurance. Was getting quotes of £1.5-2k Presumably through insurance they can claim more. Most insurance companies even have their own windscreen subsidiaries. It's a self perpetuating money scam, lol.

Plus all the "we need to strip half the car", "need to get it on ramps", "front clam has to come off", etc. Which is complete balls. It's literally two bolts either side to allow the clam to be lifted half an inch to clear the bottom corners of the screen... It's all anyone has ever actually done when changing the screen on this car...

So this time I put it through insurance. It says it won't count as a "claim", we'll see come renewal

Ended up with Autoglass, the preferred windscreen company of the insurer. Anyone else would be double excess. In fairness they did a good job, all they asked was for the clam to be loosened. Which I did myself, took less than ten minutes

Rant over

I worked for Autoglass (Newry branch) in ‘04/05 and back then they were the cheapest in terms of excess. However private quotes they were more expensive than any of the local smaller firms by hundreds of £’s usually!

Though there was never usually that much stripping done for any cars I can think of that I was working on back then! The worst would’ve been an Audi 80 or maybe early A4 if I recall, which needed half the door dismantled to replace a door glass!

 

[svensktoppen]

I think it's just because the Lotus manual says "take the clam off"... So that's what they say they'll do and quote accordingly. Even though nobody has ever done that when replacing glass on this car. It's about two inches either corner where the screen is maybe a quarter inch under the clam... So all it needs is just two loosened bolts to free up the corners about half an inch. Takes less than ten minutes. Ah well.

The Autoglass guys said the insurance company won't let them touch the clam in case they break it. So they ask the customer to do it for them. Bet they still charge the hours to the insurance company

 

[FM155]

Had similar with the 155 when in Derby. The 'expert' in the call centre stated with authority that the bonnet had to be removed or it would be a 3 man job, 2 to hold the screen while fitting and a 3rd to open the bonnet. Gave up talking to the expert and the bloke turned up to fit it just put a short support under the bonnet to hold it up at a shallow angle and was able to do it by himself.

 

[EF Ian]

The civic got a new windscreen a long time ago along with some paint work. It went through Autoglass, cost a fortune, when they heard it wasn't an insurance case they cut the cost in half. Which was nice, but shows how much extra they charge if they know its going through insurance, good profit in it.

 

[svensktoppen]

They sent two guys with a van each for this job It's just a racket. But hey, keeps the wheels turning and they did do a good job. It's just such a strange system.

In happier news, she's now 2.5k in since the rebuild and nothing has fallen off or caught fire or blow up. I call that a win, lol.

She did Cairnryan to Yorkshire through the last of the winter rain, then on down to Wiltshire for a couple of days. She does love it down there, hit the first of the spring sun too.

Then on to Goodwood for the Sunday of the Members' Meet. But more on that separately.

For Easter we headed over to see friends and family in Sweden. Lovely sunny drives both there and back again, roof down and t-shirt on the Autobahn Twelve hours each way, in a Lotus - no sweat My new in-car entertainment with the noise cancelling ear phones worked brilliantly too! Superb kit.

She even survived these guys - now there is a test and a half

 

[svensktoppen]

So Goodwood - loved it so much last year I've booked in again this year. First up the Members' Meet, back to it's normal spring time the weekend before Easter. It's a very relaxed event compared to the much bigger revival, and all the better for it. The racing is just as good too.

Car park alone is worth a dander!

Few random pictures from the paddock. You could spend a whole day just drooling over all this. And it's all there, you get right up and close.

Couple of videos. They had a full grid of V8/V10/V12 F1 cars on a "demo run":

 

[svensktoppen]

And finally, a short clip of the Surtees Trophy for unlimited sports prototypes from the sixties - from GT40 to CanAm racers. Just multiply the number of cars on the grid with umpteen millions each. And they're not holding back!

 

[EF Ian]

Really need to get myself to Goodwood for something at some point.

 

[svensktoppen]

Revival or members' meet, there's nothing else like it

I'm sure FoS is great too, haven't heard anyone say they didn't enjoy that. Just a different thing and haven't been myself.

The curcuit is really easy to get to and away from. They've got it all nailed down with the logistics. Also loads of stuff on at these events other than the racing. I wasn't joking when I said you could spend a whole day just drooling over stuff in the paddock, loads of demonstrations, car launches like the GMA cars. Party zone, shopping (albeit at the posh end, lol ). At the Member's Meet you can start with breakfast at the house if you want. The list goes on.

 

[svensktoppen]

Bit of country fun in the Hampshire countryside last weekend in the all terrain Lotus. Most versatile car ever made

And a wee sneak preview

 

[svensktoppen]

This arrived for Princess. I'm so used to the one foot play in the 20-year old standard shifter I don't notice any more, lol, but this should tighten things up a bit It's not just much better engineered, but also bolts properly to the chassis with a few extra bolt points to boot.

Getting a complete linkage for the gear box end as well for a full refresh but that is still in the post.

Then Jonny came out of retirement to help finish off a few bits and bobs for Mitsi despite being flat out with other stuff himself. I think tinkering with a wee Evo actually helped him take his mind off things a bit. Have been gathering bits since before I got the car, lol (true!). Time to get it all on/in!

Also got some Brembos on for now to replace the "gravel" RS brakes, so now she stops a bit better too.

There are two more wee upgrades to come, and a few cosmetic things, but other than that this was about as much as I was planning to do with her. Other than just drive and enjoy the car.

And what a difference Not just goes like the proverbial off a shovel - breathe on the throttle and off she goes! But looks pretty well too if I may say so myself

She was parked outside the window when I was having dinner last night and I couldn't stop forever looking out, lol

 

[svensktoppen]

Mitisi back from her first big adventure - a few days in Provence for the European championships and then over the Pyrenees to Basque country in northern Spain for a ferry back to England from there. And boy did I bring the right car, lol, what a week!

Wee detour through Ardennes on the way down, blending in:

Provence highlights - what a place! Just happened to spend most of the time in the St Baume, classic rally and hill climb area. If I lived down there my licence wouldn't last a week And the scenery!

Compulsory Provençal vineyard. The local plonk is rather agreeable, may have picked up a bottle or two

Across the Pyrenees. A day of seven cols, three big ones, and not a single straight

Finished off in the wee Basque fishing port of Getaria for fish literally straight off the boat, and a wee glass of Txakoli - happiness

She made lots of French and Italian biker friends, and the Spanish had their phones out, lol. Stopped for fuel on the Spanish side, tiny wee deserted mountain village, not a soul in sight. Attendant at the pump starts talking about his nine, thirty seconds later the local plod show up - all total Evo nuts At the port she got pulled into Spanish customs and ALL of them were all over her, lol.

Good wee run

 

[da.murf]

That is next level right there mate.... again will continue to ask... when you organising one for a few of us to try and keep up with you on lol?

 

[svensktoppen]

Was alright Both Provence and Pyrenees were amazing, and we had all of it pretty much to ourselves. Just a few bikes (push and motor kinds). I'm sure it gets mad at weekends and in high season, but it was all incredibly quiet. Decent weather too

 

[dh1079]

Looks absolutely awesome

 

[carmad.]

ya lucky bstrd

 

[big_pete]

You sure know how to use your cars Nick love to see it

 

[gav525]

That's a proper road trip! Incredible scenery, perfect for the Evo!

 

[svensktoppen]

ya lucky bstrd

Lol, I know, still pinching myself

You sure know how to use your cars Nick love to see it

She loved it Topped up half a litre of engine oil after all that hillclimbing across the Pyrénées, but that's it in over 4000km so far. First time she's needed oil since I got her. Or anything else for that matter. Not bad at 23 years old

 

[Gaz86]

@svensktoppen was it your Evo I saw on the Bangor to Ards carriageway earlier today?

 

[EF Ian]

Love to see all your cars get proper use. Would love a car to do this in, can't imagine doing it in the Civic and my Datsun is too precious now to be doing that. Looks like I'll need another fun but capable and reliable car that will remain largely stock. Would be a boring trip in my Mazda 3 daily.

 

[svensktoppen]

@svensktoppen was it your Evo I saw on the Bangor to Ards carriageway earlier today?

Sorry, no.