Citrojim's AX, Pixo, C3, Running and Cycling Tales

[CitroJim]

Is the 207 proving to be reliable now, Jim?

Touch-wood David, yes it is but I do such a small mileage in it I'm not yet convinced it really is...

Time will tell.. Not taken it on any truly long runs yet and it is likely I won't for a good while...

I have Xantias for that

The 207 is biblically uncomfortable... The seats are like paving slabs

[red_dwarfers]

I'm just looking at the last few profile pictures, there seems to be a cartoon animal theme going on here!

[bobins]

Can't you read, Jim ? That IF module clearly says that "Under NO circumstances should any attempt be made to service this module". You're just a Danger Freak you are - livin' life on the ragged edge, disobeying all the rules

[DHallworth]

What spec of 207 is it, Jim?

Cheryl had a GT model with full leather and the seats on that were excellent. My brother had a 207 GTi that had the half leather buckets in it, they were epic!

David.

[daviemck2006]

What spec of 207 is it, Jim?

Cheryl had a GT model with full leather and the seats on that were excellent. My brother had a 207 GTi that had the half leather buckets in it, they were epic!

David.

I think his 207 is a poverty spec one David. Ive never been in a 207, but my ex wifes 206 sport werent that great and to go with it its driving position was offset and awful for me. My 205 is poverty spec and the seats arent bad, but could be better.

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[CitroJim]

I'm just looking at the last few profile pictures, there seems to be a cartoon animal theme going on here!

Not with me, my profile picture sums me up very succinctly!

Can't you read, Jim ? That IF module clearly says that "Under NO circumstances should any attempt be made to service this module". You're just a Danger Freak you are - livin' life on the ragged edge, disobeying all the rules

I was never one to live by the rules Bobins! No fun in doing that! Anyway, I wonder if I might try getting a replacement from Roberts after getting on for 50 years?

What spec of 207 is it, Jim?

Poverty as Davie says David... Must have been a seat padding shortage in 2007 or else I'm just not heavy enough to compress the seats... My bony bum hates them... Not much padding you see...

[Mandrake]

I'm also working on a vintage Roberts wireless.. Just opened up the sealed IF module to swap the duff transistors in it. The AF116 is well known to fail after 40 years... They suffer from 'tin whiskers' that cause internal short circuits. I will replace them with AF126 types which are immune. It's a tricky job though...

Looks OK to me Jim! I'd much rather replace some transistors on a vintage board like that than have to try to deal with surface mount stuff!

I cut my electronics teeth helping Dad repair 70's & 80's ham radios like this IC-701:




Wonderfully designed and laid out and a joy to work on. These are also 40 years old now.

[CitroJim]

I totally agree about SMD stuff Simon... I won't go near it but that little LP1164 IF Module and it's whiskery transistors is a pleasure to work on... I can still cope with that...

Got to agree about the Jap ham wirelesses... All very finely engineered and a joy to work on...

I have a lovely old (now very much vintage) Trio TS520 HF rig and that too is a beautiful piece of engineering... Works well too...

You can spot it in my shack picture:

Own Work

Not quite as well engineered as the old Eddystone 730 receiver or the Spectrum Analyser but those two are professional devices. The old Trio comes close though...

I've still got some Icom gear too.. An IC202 2m SSB rig and an IC240 2m FM mobile rig. The IC202 is still held in very high regard even today some 40 years since its introduction... It's still used as an exciter for microwave work due to it's very 'clean' transmit signal...

[Mandrake]

I'm trying to remember what other Icom's Dad had other than the IC-701.

Also in the shack was an 2m IC-245 with the SSB option:



A 2m IC-290H which spent a lot of time in the car although was sometimes allowed into the main shack:



A 70cm IC-451A: (took me a while to find/remember the model number! Not a common model I think)



A 6m IC-551D:



Both the IC-701 and the IC-451A could mount into the car as well - the smaller 290H was mounted on the drivers side of a GS just above the knees and the larger IC-701 or IC-551D was mounted on the passenger side.

I owned an IC-02AT, which was the only ham radio I bought as I always just used Dad's radios when I was still a ham!



I wonder what happened to that radio... It's somewhere in NZ but I don't remember if I sold it, gave it to someone or what happened to it!

Good times..

[CitroJim]

That is a lovely set of rigs Simon

Not many vintage 6m rigs in the UK as it's only relatively recently we've had access to that band and although we've always had a 4m allocation it was never worth the major Jap companies making rigs for such a limited market... I think we may have been rather unique in having a 4m band.. Can't not think now who else did.. Maybe Ireland and the UK Dependant Territories although likely not all..

[CitroJim]

Pleased to report Robyn's C1 passed its first MOT with a clean sheet earlier today

Hope she cleaned it before presenting it; 'twas looking filthy when I gave it a pre-MOT the other day...

[CitroJim]

A few pictures of me in action last weekend during the Tour of Wessex....

These were taken by pro photographers out on the course... I've had to buy these and tried to choose the best of them...

Taken by Charles Whitton Photography. and purchased by me...

Taken by Charles Whitton Photography. and purchased by me...

Taken by Charles Whitton Photography. and purchased by me...

[demag]

Well done Jim more power to you.

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[CitroJim]

Nothing to report on the car front at all... The Xantias are virtually in hibernation and the Pug of Love, when occasionally used, seems to be fine...

I'm keen to get cracking on Gabriel's clutch and heater matrix but at the moment I have no time at all - sporting activities are currently taking all my time.

I've spent all the spare time this week doing all the behind the scenes work required of me as duty Run Director to ensure this Saturday's Linford Wood parkrun goes smoothly. It's a special occasion this week as it's the 50th running and I'm responsible for it! No pressure then!

I've baked a cake in celebration of the event...

But honestly, you'd never believe just how much work goes into a parkrun and I still have a bit to do before tomorrow morning...

I've not even cycled this week I've been so busy... I did however get out for a decent run last evening with my local running club and gave my new running top a début

Own Work

It certainly got noticed and a few explanations were called for

The next few weeks will be quieter and as soon as possible work will commence on Gabriel - I'm really starting to miss working properly on cars rather than just talking about it on here... It seems like weeks since I've spent any quality time in the workshop... I've only been in there briefly to do small bike-related jobs

That will soon change

[ekjdm14]

Eagerly awaiting news/pics of the clutch job & dash removal etc. Be interesting to see how they look behind there, is Gabriel an AC car or plain ol' heater & blower? (Wondering how relevant it'd be to work on White, hoping the dash can stay put to get the air con back in service & heater control functioning more than hot or cold, but not holding my breath!)