igor

pull the carpets out.

I did this in my first EA wags. Got pissed off with constantly having frozen carpets.

My Civic got knocked back for a frayed seatbelt years ago and the one from the parts car that I replaced it with looked worse to me but the wof guy passed it cos it wasn't frayed on the edge. 

Heard a rumour that AU wagons aren't as bad for rust as the sedans cos of the differences in the arse end. Dunno if it's true but it makes some sense.

One time I picked up some hitch hikers from the UK in my Wolseley and one of them told me that the wooden dash reminded him of his grandfather's Rover. Always got favourable comments from hitch hikers in that car. Many times from European nationals expressing surprise at the fact that such an old car was still in daily use.

depends if you like your groovy old ford or that crappy newer ford

 

its nice to have a newer car every now and then

unless that newer car is an AU Falcon

Liking the flatdeck. It gives the thing some real truckness. How did those widened rims work out with the factory hubcaps? They look like they'd be a prick to take the hubcaps off. You'd just about need to make a special tool for them.

They ceased production of the only falcons worth owning when they stopped offering bench seats and column change.

Didn't even notice the ADO16 until then aviators guy.

Sometimes the remote release solenoid on my coon doesn't click so I just spring the clip with my knife. Not recommended at big city servos due to some city folks paranoia.

Chalk and cheese to compare the two. I've heard many bad stories about the way AU coons rust. Even as a Falcon driver from way back I'd be reluctant to own one. Sweet Cortina by the way.

+1 for doing the road trip.

Universal outlet hoses available from most plumbing merchants, just fit them with a good ring clamp.

I'm trying not to spend money on it. I can probably find some automotive hose or farm thing in my spare parts pile that will do the job. Easy replacement if the machine is up on a stand in the workshop so one does not have to stand on one's head to reach the thing.

Today I finally got round to putting another power cord on the F&P 380. After seven years in the paddock it powered up and spun. All the switch gear seems to be operational. All I need to find now is a drain hose that fits on the pump outlet then I can give it a proper test.

Keep the Stars and Bars flying proudly.

Usually it's because we're too fucking poor to fix it up but we are sentimentally attached to it and don't want to sell it.

One time we were at a 21st and I got talking about cars with the birthday boy. We wandered into the garage to look at his Civic and my wife told him, "our daughter was conceived in the back of a Civic". I've still got that Civic. Wonder if the boy still has his.

Was always legal. Just looked dodgy.

State Insurance are well known for being a bunch of cunts. I'm with the AA and they give me good service. Having been a member since 1983 helps though. Just glad you got it sorted out. Did you get the car back? That's the good thing about third party only insurance. There's no arguing about who owns the wreck.

Once apon a time when thewag was stil 7 shades of red with pug 5 spokes lowered on choppies n blocks i was getting gas at thecaltex out back of orewa. And the piggies pulled up.

There must be some rule they cant come on the forecourt (kinda like how vampires cant come in unless you invite them).

I clock them strait away so take my time get my gas n sticks and head out.

I pull over straight out of leaving the gassy coz its blindingly obvious they are waiting for me.

he tells me " we always pull over escorts" i had wof and rego tho so nur nur. They left me to it.

Use to get this all the time in my XC wags. Random stop my arse. Just picking on old cars. One time in Dunners all the cop could see from behind was a long haired driver in an old car but I'd just come from something important and I was wearing my good suit. When I got out the cop's whole attitude changed and he even started calling me sir like he meant it. 

I used to get warrants from an old geezer garage too. Two brothers. They were good guys but they both retired. I miss them. As well as easy warrants they had a few stories to tell too.

One time in the mid '80s a bunch of us went through McD's drive through in my '51 Vanguard with a cracked exhaust. They couldn't hear us giving the order at the mic thing and I didn't want to switch it off and have to get out and crank start it in the line so we ended up driving around to the window and making everybody wait.

Very few people can identify the Viva, so always lots of explaining.  "No, it's not an Escort/Cortina/whatever"

 

Those that can identify it are always "Oh wow, a Viva, haven't seen one in decades", "My mum had one of those, they were a bit shit", "I learnt to drive in one of those", etc, etc.

 

Then there are the foamers, but I don't see Alex that often.

I scored a root in the back of a Viva once. Wasn't mine but neither was she.

One thing I always get with the Mini goes as follows:

 

"What motor is that?"

"Just the standard 1000"

"Oh really? You should put a 1275 in it. Honestly my mate had a 1275 in his with a race cam and it went hard etc etc"

"No thanks. Bye."

 

Alternatively I tell them I'm going to build a performance 1100 for it and they're like "What, why? Just put a 1275 in"

 

Seriously, it's like everyone thinks Minis don't move unless they have a 1275 motor.

 

Also everyone apparently has some form of Mini part in their shed that they salvaged from some race car or something

I've had Minis with 1100 and 1275. The 1100 was a better car. The 1275 had no discernable top end advantage. They both topped out at around 95mph. 5.20x10 cross plies lasted 3 months on the front of the 1100 Clubman.

Wish I still had my RX30. I'm sure we all have list of cars we wish we kept. That'd be top of mine.

Was a real cool chick used to work at Repco Whangarei in the '90s. She drove a mint as '63 I think Fairlane. Think she's got a Model A hotrod now. She knew some stuff. And every time I've been to Repco Dunedin for anything they've understood what I was asking for. So they're not all dicks at Repco.