Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[Michel]

“Really would be nice to get out somewhere to grab some more interesting photos one day...”

What sir needs is a towing setup, to tow the Invacar on a dolly with the motorhome. Then you can take it anywhere you like and experience it in places it wouldn’t normally get to.

[Zelandeth]

“Really would be nice to get out somewhere to grab some more interesting photos one day...”

What sir needs is a towing setup, to tow the Invacar on a dolly with the motorhome. Then you can take it anywhere you like and experience it in places it wouldn’t normally get to.

Sadly that would need a different tow vehicle and me to not be stuck with an annoying 3.5t post 97 license, as I doubt I'd be able to get a halfway decent camper, vehicle trailer and 410kg of Invacar under 3500kg.

To be honest the biggest barrier is just time these days to getting her out and about anywhere other than the oh-so-scenic Tesco car park.

I still want to do the round country tour one day, just obviously 2021 (which was my original half plan) never happened thanks to well...the current situation!

[Hell Razor5543]

What I think Michel means is NOT a trailer, but a towing hitch that somehow links into the steering of the towed vehicle. This shows what I mean (the towed vehicle is a Smart Car;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131849007290 ... NEEALw_wcB

[mickthemaverick]

That was a painful watch James The info was good but I don't think the chap will be winning presenter of the year!! However from my experience running Reliants, I had 4, I would be surprised if you can make an A frame hitch work with a 3 wheeler with one wheel at the front!

[myglaren]

That was a painful watch James The info was good but I don't think the chap will be winning presenter of the year!! However from my experience running Reliants, I had 4, I would be surprised if you can make an A frame hitch work with a 3 wheeler with one wheel at the front!

At least he is not as cringeworthy as American 'presenters' are. Pukeworthy in fact.

[Michel]

That was a painful watch James The info was good but I don't think the chap will be winning presenter of the year!! However from my experience running Reliants, I had 4, I would be surprised if you can make an A frame hitch work with a 3 wheeler with one wheel at the front!

My granddad ran them for years Mick, the local Reliant specialist (yes, we had one!) had a dolly he used to tow them around on that he’d adapted to make it possible, front wheel off the ground. The issue I’d see with an Invacar would be towing the CVT gearbox. I don’t know if you can.

[mickthemaverick]

The issue I’d see with an Invacar would be towing the CVT gearbox. I don’t know if you can.

Good point Michel, I don't know either but it conjures up images of 4 wheel dollys strapped under each rear wheel and a V lift under the front to raise the front chassis and lift the wheel clear. I envisage an issue with the front body apron where the hitch would have to pass under it!! All in all i have a feeling that this is a purely hypothetical discussion!

[Michel]

The issue I’d see with an Invacar would be towing the CVT gearbox. I don’t know if you can.

Good point Michel, I don't know either but it conjures up images of 4 wheel dollys strapped under each rear wheel and a V lift under the front to raise the front chassis and lift the wheel clear. I envisage an issue with the front body apron where the hitch would have to pass under it!! All in all i have a feeling that this is a purely hypothetical discussion!

As a slight aside, I don’t imagine Zel will be putting the miles on the Invacar my grandad did on his Robins. BTE 772V, bought new, had 182,000 on it when sold in 1992.. here it is on top of the Pass of the Cattle, near Applecross, parked next to my dad’s day-old company Escort, so this must be 2nd August 1985.

[mickthemaverick]

I missed out on the Robin, my Reliant ownership started with a Mk6 sidevalve, 205 PL which I sold for more than I paid for the car, which got brush painted lavender Ahem!! Then a 3/30 Supervan III, FXD 31J, in blue which I ran for 9 years, adding a second white 3/30 Supervan III for the last 18 months as a spares car. I then took the plunge and bought a brand new blue Rialto GLS Estate which was a great car although only really a facelifted Robin!! I had a great time on three wheels, not forgetting the Messerschmidt KR200 and my infamous Matchless 500 twin with sidecar!! I kept running the supervan because I was making a fortune on the BT mileage rate of 35 pence per mile which, after 9 years of saving, paid for the new Rialto!!

[Zelandeth]

Managed to actually catch the alternator on the Jag in its non charging state today which is brilliant as it let me check a couple of things.

Most notably that I have confirmed that when it's acting up I have no ignition light. So either the brushes are worn or sticking - or both. Whacking it with the handle from my trolly jack made it work again.

I *think* I can change the brush pack without having to remove the whole alternator from the car. Reckon with the offside air filter and backing plate off I should be just about able to get to it. This is great news as it suggests the alternator itself is sound.

With it having been an intermittent fault before it had always rectified itself before I got to a point I could stop so I wasn't sure what was going on, but the alternator has always been a bit weak - hopefully a new set of brushes will sort it.

[Zelandeth]

Having managed to fall off my bike in a moment of stupidity a couple of days ago, I'm becoming increasingly convinced that I've cracked rather than bruised at least one of my ribs. I am *really* sore.

Had quite a few errands to run today, injured or not.

Did a bit of experimentation and wound up figuring out pretty quickly which car was the least uncomfortable to drive (not going to say it was painless, but it was by far the least painful!).



TPA to the rescue. About 50 miles of driving today, bit around town, bit out in the dual carriageway, all taken in her stride.

The whole "it gets better with every mile" thing is a terrible cliche...but I'd be lying it that didn't seem to be the case with this little car. Not sure if some of that is just me getting more used to and comfortable with the car or if it's actually true.

Never fails to make me smile every time I drive her that's for sure.

She needs a wash now though, she's collecting quite the coating of bugs on the nose now.

[Michel]

She needs a wash now though, she's collecting quite the coating of bugs on the nose now.

Mr. Sheen (or Aldi's very cheap equivalent) is *excellent* at removing bugs and tar, for about 1/5th the price of anything labelled "Bug and tar remover".

[Zelandeth]

New oil pressure switch has been fitted to TPA.



Sadly this hasn't fixed the oil leak (well, it's helped) as precisely as I expected it seems to be coming from the crankshaft oil seal. It's not a major leak though so honestly I'm not worrying too much about it.

I had to run over to Northampton today to drop a couple of things off. That's about 25 miles each way from here...obvious choice of transportation.



This little car never fails to make me smile. Really does far better on the open road than she has any right to.

We did have the first failure of the year though - albeit a minor one. This happened when I pulled the door closed.



I think the solution to this is basically going to be to pull it out and smear a shedload of Sikaflex into the join between the inner and outer door skins where they overlap. This issue dates back to the stinking great hole in the inner door skin above the latch.

That panel takes quite a beating as it's the only thing the door pull is attached to and this door takes quite a slam to close.

Not going to complain really, as failures go this is a minor inconvenience. Held me up all of 30 seconds while I coerced the two bits of door back into their respective places.


There is definitely news on the fleet as a whole though... namely that someone has spoken up who wants the Jag. My former flatmate back up north who has long had a Jag obsession. Keeping the car "in the family" so to speak would make me exceedingly happy. This won't be happening immediately as they need to move a car on first, but it's the start of a plan.

If I can make this work...we might have some changes soon.

[NewcastleFalcon]

There is definitely news on the fleet as a whole though...
If I can make this work...we might have some changes soon.

Create a bit of space for the Tesla

Regards Neil

[Zelandeth]

There is definitely news on the fleet as a whole though...
If I can make this work...we might have some changes soon.

Create a bit of space for the Tesla

Regards Neil

Not yet... that's a few years down the line yet. Getting the garden sorted is a huge cash-sink which has to happen first!