My 100th post topic-Working in a muddy puddle

[dnsey]

I have in the past been stupid enough to jack and prop up one side of a car so far that it fell over onto its side. It gained a couple of dents, but was only an old banger anyway Took a good shove to push it back onto its wheels, though!

I use one of those foam sleeping mats sold for camping to kneel or lie on whether I'm working indoors or out - pretty comfortable and warm, but not too thick to use under the car.

[civvie]

Although I am lucky to have a concrete standing to do repairs I obtained an offcut of some cushion floor Nairn? floorcovering from the local carpet shop, it also had a bit of padding and it was big enough.
Don't do raining any more.

[NewcastleFalcon]

This thread has been selected by the random hand of the FCF Archives February Ferret 2023, have a read back only a couple of pages. Some contributions from members still contributing today, remind yourselves of what you said in 2011!

I will be attempting at least one new post on the old thread, I'm sure the 2023 FCF audience can add to the thread contributed to by the 2011 FCF audience.

Go on, dare you! Click the link and just do it!

viewtopic.php?t=35597

So far the challenge has foundered on stony ground. so an addition to the old thread from yours truly.

Its not always raining and muddy in the outside workshop and I have summer MOT's on the Leaf and the Micra having turned into very much a fair weather car fixer wherever possible. The Clio in the maintenance fleet still has a February MOT, and I have been wrestling with it in the workshop. At least it hasn't been wet...windy/cold yes, and darkness falls soon in the winter to stop play and bash your head on the sticky out jack as you struggle to get in position to line up the lower ball joint through bolt.

Back in 2011, the year of the muddy puddle post, the double double chevrons bonnet job after the famous speared suspension strut on the Xantia wrecked the bonnet of the lighter blue car, the easiest thing to do was take the bonnet of the "spares" dark blue car with its bonus of the double chevrons on the bonnet.

REgards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

I have been fortunate to have had at least a concrete drive to work on all my motoring life. From 16 -23 I had the drive at my parents house and 24 - 42 the same drive when I bought the house from them!! I completed all sorts of jobs, from servicing to replacing rear diff and gearbox on one of the Reliants, using ramps, trolley jack and three bottle jacks according to the job. If it was raining I used to rig a tarpaulin over the whole area and work away as I didn't really worry about the weather. When you have had to crawl through the mud under an RS2000 in the middle of the night in Kielder Forest to reattach the exhaust, a few rain drops don't really bother you!

However as my personal income grew I was able to afford to rent various garages and then workshops to allow me to work in relative comfort with a pretty decent set of equipment and tools. Having done that for the last 30ish years of my life I have worked out where I went wrong!! Something to do with getting married and breeding!!

[civvie]

Many year ago, and I mean many years. My first car a ford zephyr mark 1 with a 6 cylinder engine. It blew a con rod through the block, my father and I removed the engine in the road outside the house. The awkward thing we had no hoist or anything like that, we managed it by sliding the engine on a scaffold board and pulling it out the front after removing the radiator etc. Just as we got it out we had a visit from the local plod, someone had complained about us.

[bobins]

I had a similar one where I was helping a mate restore his Midget on the roadside after it got hit by a hit and run. We were getting on OK until he received a letter from the council requesting him to stop - and that was the end of that escapade

[NewcastleFalcon]

Many year ago, and I mean many years. My first car a ford zephyr mark 1 with a 6 cylinder engine. It blew a con rod through the block, my father and I removed the engine in the road outside the house. The awkward thing we had no hoist or anything like that, we managed it by sliding the engine on a scaffold board and pulling it out the front after removing the radiator etc. Just as we got it out we had a visit from the local plod, someone had complained about us.

Pleased to see your post Steve (Civvie) You are an early joiner to the FCF 2002, and a contributor to this thread in 2011 and 2023. I'm claiming a bit of reflected glory again for that...pleased the FCF Archives February Ferret indirectly resulted in today's post from you.

Neil

[CitroJim]

I've done a Xantia 1.9TD cylinder head swap on the side of the road many years ago... Helping an erstwhile member of this very forum, Xac, outside his house... It was not possible to remove the car to more suitable premises...

In fact Xac and I did loads to his fleet right outside his house on the road... Nobody seemed to mind...

[civvie]

Many year ago, and I mean many years. My first car a ford zephyr mark 1 with a 6 cylinder engine. It blew a con rod through the block, my father and I removed the engine in the road outside the house. The awkward thing we had no hoist or anything like that, we managed it by sliding the engine on a scaffold board and pulling it out the front after removing the radiator etc. Just as we got it out we had a visit from the local plod, someone had complained about us.

Pleased to see your post Steve (Civvie) You are an early joiner to the FCF 2002, and a contributor to this thread in 2011 and 2023. I'm claiming a bit of reflected glory again for that...pleased the FCF Archives February Ferret indirectly resulted in today's post from you.

Neil

Neil, Thanks for the response must admit since age and health has made me stop doing my own repairs and left the PSA group cars I feel I have lost the ability to help members. Don't want to send anyone in the wrong direction. But still look in often.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Neil, Thanks for the response must admit since age and health has made me stop doing my own repairs and left the PSA group cars I feel I have lost the ability to help members. Don't want to send anyone in the wrong direction. But still look in often.

Many of us who still enjoy this particular forum have the flimsiest connections with French cars with mine being a Renault Clio in the maintenance fleet. Plenty of interest and enjoyment in the over 4,000 topics in the off topic section of the Forum to continue a presence and make a contribution to Steve. Join-in where you can

Meanwhile my FCF Archives February Ferret 2023 moves on to today's selection shortly to be posted by yours truly! Hope you find something in that to contribute.

Neil

[CitroJim]

A picture that regularly does the rounds on Facebook...

Snowflakes love it for countless reasons...

Often used to illustrate rose-tinted 'good old days...' Those of us around at the time knew the truth...

[mickthemaverick]

If it weren't for the obvious fact that that picture was taken post 72, I would have placed the reat of the view as early 60s!! Is that a black and white influence, a personal quirk or a general feeling?
PS it amused me that they were repairing a Marina!!

[Paul-R]

And no sign of axle stands!

[CitroJim]

If it weren't for the obvious fact that that picture was taken post 72, I would have placed the reat of the view as early 60s!! Is that a black and white influence, a personal quirk or a general feeling?
PS it amused me that they were repairing a Marina!!

The provenance of that picture and much of the contents within have been endlessly debated on Facebook many times Mick

Many believe it's a photoshop. I agree, car post '72 and quite care-worn so late 70s or early 80s. Maybe even later...

Then the background and fashions being worn by the girls and the toys they are playing with don't quite fit... And the general absence of other parked cars. Much more 60s and quite early 60s at that...

Then there's those that worry about the person working underneath with no visible means of additional support and a further group who wring their hands in horror over all the spilt oil on the road and pavement... If they think that's bad, I've seen much worse and a lot more recently!

I never remember the Marina as being terribly unreliable compared to its peers - after a few years they all needed a good weekend of work to keep them going for another week!

And no sign of axle stands!

And that causes more angst than anything else in Facebook comments Paul...

[Paul-R]

It was a Christmas tradition for many years that I would be taking the engine out of my MG Midget for one reason or another. And all back in for the New Year.

Ah, hair. I remember you.