Ever sheared off a bleed nipple?

[Zelandeth]

Most baffling gearchange I've had to get my head around was on a shed built vehicle made by a mate of mine. Layout was your standard five speed box - but due to the orientation of the 'box and the linkage the whole thing was reversed and mirrored. First was easy to remember, but if you ended up losing concentration for a moment there could be some good moments of "which gear am I in again?!?"

...Granted, the thing would pull off in fourth anyway so it wasn't always too critical. Guess that's what happens when you stuff a Porsche 911 Turbo engine into something that weighs just north of 500kg including the driver...

Most awkward probably the 1929 Albion bus. 1st is left and forward - so far forward that it's nearly on the floor and you've just about knocked yourself out on the steering wheel on the way past. Second is then all the way back so you whack your elbow on the back of the cab. Going for third then results in you bashing your chin on the wheel again. Oh...crash box too.

[daviemck2006]

Deveron coaches had an old Leyland tiger with the box the wrong way round aka your mates buggy Zel. I once had to drive it empty from Buckie to Foggie to pick up 70 odd drunkards from the marquee dance. It was one of those with 3 seats on one side and two on the other. So I did have a few miles to practise with. However when going up through the box once loaded I inevitably changed down instead of up and nearly put 70 people through the windscreen lol

[van ordinaire]

"which gear am I in again?!?" Ahhh - shades of the Renault Dauphine, with the wonderful self centring gear lever, so glancing down at it told you nothing! I found this out nursing one with a slipping clutch out of London on the Euston Road, in the rush hour - deep joy!

The Standard Atlas, in a way squares the circle because, near the end, it was available as an artic tractor (no more than a chassis cab + 5th wheel really) - badged as a Scammel!

[harryp]

Interesting to hear of the Renault 16TS with a column change - mine was floor mounted; a surprise after the R16L which was column.Had an Austin A40 Somerset years ago which was colum and once adjusted properly was a thing of joy, fast light and precise. The clue is "properly"

[NewcastleFalcon]

Yes I have just done (another) one today. Got an 8mm socket on it nice and tight on the hex, unfortunately the cracking it off was literally that....sheared off flush. Not faffing about....new wheel cyclinder required!

regards Neil

[JohnD]

Got an 8mm socket on it nice and tight on the hex,

I don't know whether it's been mentioned in the previous six pages, but I give them a smack with a hammer - end on - and they usually turn ok.

[Gibbo2286]

I once had an old lady customer who confided in me whilst a bit drunk that she only had one nipple since her drunken husband bit one off when they were young.