Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Christ, I am so sorry!

I have been really, really busy and sort of 'starting from scratch' with my cars, having done something I never thought I would!

In May I got rid of the Locost and all it's parts (including the engine! and wheels!). I saw it sitting there next to my Starion, and it was in the way. I had an offer, and I just took it and it was gone!

I then welded up the MR2 and stuck it on ebay. It sold for a bit more I sold it for (not recouping any costs of course). I presume the new owner broke it for parts, it had a really good engine and Koni suspension, etc. He could've tripled his money!

I then messed about with my Starion again. I changed the clutch release fork - not before having to take the gearbox out ... AGAIN, and getting covered in gearbox fluid. This stuff STINKS and will never come out of your clothes! Everything was bolted up and everything worked. Next thing was to get it back on the driveway and 'get it running!'.



To cut a long, long story short, I bought more parts for it, including everything that it could be, and I could not get it started. I got an offer and sold it in June 2009, again, for a bit more than I bought it for, but still cheap in comparison. What a confusing car that was, and what a huge amount of money I spent on it, the last amount of parts came to:

  • Fuel Pressure Regulator
  • Stainless Steel Braid Fuel Line
  • Air Flow Meter with box, etc
  • Super Unleaded
No more, the second I filled up the tank, cleaned everything, and tried to run it and it would work, it had to go.

I then went out and bought a Porsche 924 in late June. Possibly the best car I have ever owned. Apart from wear related to age (including a knocking coming from the back that I couldn't trace) and a number of electrical gremlins, it was faultless. I did 3000 miles nearly in a couple of months and even now it was a rare sight on the road and a 'headturner', even getting a comment about it being a 'shitty old Porsche'. I stuck an 80's Blaupunkt stereo in there, and removed it when I realised the speakers had long since perished. It had a bit of fiddling before I sold it in mid August when I sadly could no longer afford the petrol (although it was fairly cheap to run), the same couldn't be said about the insurance which was on 'classic' which cost me 120 pounds a year.

I am now back at square 2004 with a 1993 black Astra LSi and a flame pink 1991 Astra GSi. The former gathering a fifth yearly coat of dust in the garage with various Porsche and MR2 parts piling on top, the latter sinking on it's deflated tyres, circuitry waterlogged and malfunctioning, paintwork slowly succumbing to the rain, tree sap and sunshine. I have had an offer for it but I can't separate, although I should. It is now in the stages of needing severe care. I don't know what to label the black one - there's no doubt it will be in that garage way into the second decade.
I am selling the majority of my spare parts in my garage that I have blatantly been hording, and recycling the plastics (broken steering surround anyone?), including the 'smoov boot' that my Astra originally came with (free sale). The MGF is still here, I replaced the gear selector cable after it snapped when a stupid chavvy Aston Martin blindly and foolishly cut us up.

I am meant to be picking up a new/old car this week!

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