Eddie Honda's wheels of steel (and occasionally alloy)

[paulplom]

I didn't realise you had re registered it.
Did you have to by law?

[Eddie Honda]

Yes, that is a three digit tyre code: "298"

Looks like 228 to me.

What's the significance of three digits?

You're right, I hadn't had a coffee before posting as was looking through piggy-eyes.

228∆ (with a triangle after the 8) is a 1990s date code, so 22nd week of 1998. (The production date of the car is 15th June 1998)

From 2000, they went to four digit format WWYY.

I think if it is without a triangle then it's 1980s.

[Eddie Honda]

I didn't realise you had re registered it.
Did you have to by law?

Yes. I brought it over 27th October 2019. At that point I'm suppose to make an appointment within 7 days for a inspection within 30 days. As it was, I didn't bother with the first deadline as only missing the second deadline gets you a kick-in and they had no appointment slots anyway. It was cleared on the 24th November 2019.

resized_IMG_20191124_102739_3.jpg (234.29 KiB) Viewed 1971 times

Yes. Six hundred and eighty fucking euro and that was just registering it. On top of that is €200/qtr Motor Tax. You could pay yearly instead and save 90 quid, but it's a cunt to a refund without a specified reason. It was then or never as from January 2020, there would have been a further €600 to register in the form of NoX VRT. At €1280 no way. Diesels are a non-starter unless brand spanking new. The old Synergie would have been €740 before the deadline and with the NoX charge €5590! Those figures are bare minimums too, as these are percentage charges based on the OMSP. The "open market selling price" is a dreamt up figure by the taxman and bears no relation to the real world.

The above registration charges do not apply to cars over 30, they get charged as most commericals do at €200 flat regardless of value, even if it has a big fuckoff engine or runs on devil juice. Also the Motor tax becomes a much more palatable €56/pa.

On top of all that are Brexit additons: duty applies if non-UK origin and guaranteed 23% VAT. You could possibly avoid that by buying in NI, but the supply of eligible vehicles is tiny - you can't really work round the rules. They'll get their money.

tl;dr: Imported from GB is prohibitively expensive now. Japan probably cheaper.

[Eddie Honda]

General update:

Thursday was partial grass cutting - I'd cut enough to fill the compost bin for collection on Friday, the do the rest Friday after collection. Well most of the rest. If I keep discipline I can just do it once or twice a week in mulch mode.

Thought I'd move the Pug back to assist. It took a bit of cranking to get going and as it was starting to slow a bit, I jumped the Volvo battery onto the Exide and got it spinning quickly again and fired up

resized_IMG_20210618_183145_8.jpg (417.29 KiB) Viewed 1969 times

resized_IMG_20210618_183155_8.jpg (353.83 KiB) Viewed 1969 times

Swept up whilst i was at it and found MOAR spring under the car

resized_IMG_20210618_183201_5.jpg (404.54 KiB) Viewed 1969 times

That was enough for Friday. Must sort out an exhaust for that Pug. The fit is shockingly bad and blows like bastard.

[Eddie Honda]

Saturday was driveway tetris: Object is to extract my trailer out for use.

Not the easiest operation to do. In theory it should be and in the dim and distant past I could just wheel it round and hook it up. First I better inflate some tyres on Jizz 1, but I need to power the pump, so have to get motorcycle into place.

resized_IMG_20210619_141545_2.jpg (160.49 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Oops #baldybaldy

resized_IMG_20210619_141550_2.jpg (258.71 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

The opposite corner needed doing, but I couldn't be arsed at that point as it wasn't easy to get to and had some air in it.

Then I had to jack up each corner to free the brakes again. Got it pushed forward a couple of feet myself and cut the bit of grass I couldn't reach that it was overhanging.

resized_IMG_20210619_143409_8.jpg (438.87 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Attention then turned to putting the Regal back onto an even keel, using the dolly,

resized_IMG_20210619_153247_0.jpg (424.86 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

resized_IMG_20210619_154103_0.jpg (418.26 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Whilst being disturbed by a nosey ROBIN

resized_IMG_20210619_154515_5a.jpg (312.03 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Start and reverse Pug out of the drive to the edge of the pavement. Put battery in the Volvo and attempt starting it. It doesn't need to much cranking before fuel comes through and starts. Surprised. Doesn't sound too grim either.


[youtube][/youtube]


Brakes don't need much rocking to free to reverse it back up to tip of the Pug. Push to Jizz further forward again.

resized_IMG_20210619_162803_0.jpg (302.32 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Get the Regal between the shed where the trailer was. (The trailer is now at the back of the 106) Light enough to push easily but fell off a couple of times with the dollies shifting over grass.

resized_IMG_20210619_163428_8.jpg (410.75 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Push the Jizz back into the former Regal place.

resized_IMG_20210619_165517_0.jpg (444.88 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Tell the spectators to get out of the way for the umpteenth time

resized_IMG_20210619_165653_9.jpg (403.32 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Then with the single dolly finely positioned not to slip out and near the balance point, move that in position

resized_IMG_20210619_172910_7.jpg (116.18 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

Trailer fits between 106 and house, gets round corner and onto the grass outside the gate. Put Volvo and Pug back.

resized_IMG_20210619_173308_6.jpg (323.65 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

resized_IMG_20210619_174623_9.jpg (333.03 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

resized_IMG_20210619_174633_3.jpg (372.91 KiB) Viewed 1962 times

The tip closed two hours before I finished at 3.45pm. It isn't open on a Sunday either.

[paulplom]

What a fuck on.

[Eddie Honda]

It is when doing it single-handed.

I should really downsize. White 340 needs some rear quarters removing before weighing in, but I got to get the dizzler over in its place because overflow storage loss.

Might get some mojo to do the 106 back axle...

[Eddie Honda]

As the tip trip went out of the window, my afternoon trip to collect some quality used spaces was next on the list. Checked the lights on the trailer - all working. Checked the tyres, one probably earn me a CBW appearance. Still they were holding air, but the mini comp doesn't have a long enough cable to get from the car to the trailer when hitched. Petrol station it is. Nothing exploderated, so I made my way over via the back roads and arrived some 5 hours behind schedule. With various 340 bits in the trailer. It was time to play cambelt roulette and try starting the dizzler.

Battery was good, but no clicky other than the glow plug relay. Not a peep out of the starter.


[youtube][/youtube]


After pissing about for some time checking connections, I went to check if the engine was seized. Nope. Turns fine.

I was wanting to check if there was a good feed to the starter solenoid and then I realised I didn't take my multimeter with me. Opted to just hold it near an earth and tap it off the metal when the ignition switch was turned. Got a spark so no issue there. Then checked all the fuses to see if I'd toasted one in the process of doing that test. Nope. That's good.

Shoved it back for about the third time now with no luck and it decided on this occasion to start turning over. Nothing for the first ten second burst. Nothing for the second. Third or Four time I was getting a glimmer of hope with a faint cough going off the key. Then the fucker decided to finally burst into life. Apologies for potatocam.

[youtube][/youtube]

Don't know whether it had been started to be moved in my absence, but it had been moved since I last saw it, but that was some time ago.

With a bit of back and forth, it eventually strained free of the brakes so that'll help enormously when it comes to loading it and bringing it over. Yer man was pleased too, even though I was late, I think the fact that I did put in an appearance helped with Dermot's van in not being in such a rush to be moved. Which is nice.

Before I left, he asked me about where the bonnet release was on a Morris Minor. It was one that had been stored inside for sometime and I don't think the owner will be back and the keys are being posted on. I could feel the rod from the grille, but I was a bit stumped from there. Having a quick Google, I could see what I was looking for and found the pull behind the 1980s Sharp radio that had been fitted in front of it. I guess it was 1960. I looked it up as it was still on UK plates (808 KCV) and it's Feb 1961. Think it's running a 948cc engine and has beehive indicators added front and rear, but otherwise unmessed with.

Rear driver's side tyre is a Michelin XZX from nineteen canteen

resized_IMG_20210619_213803_5.jpg (184.13 KiB) Viewed 1949 times

(23rd week 1983)

And the front driver's side is a Uniroyal from 34th week of 1983

resized_IMG_20210619_214245_1.jpg (182.03 KiB) Viewed 1949 times

Would be entertaining in the wet.

[Drum]

Lol. Your steptoe-ism is almost as bad as mine!

[Eddie Honda]

Lol. Your steptoe-ism is almost as bad as mine!

If I had your space, I'd fill it up!

Trouble is I'm renting and unwinding my position in vehicles isn't the work of a moment. I've been here long enough to get statutory bags of notice though.

When we were looking for a place, I was lucky to get this: proper quick internet, tick. Largish steel shed with electric, tick. Corner plot with plenty of concrete down, tick. Fuck the rest, where do I sign?