Topic: Look what I just bought! (Read 15374 times)

TheShadow · « **Reply #60 on:** May 21, 2004, 08:22:43 pm »

That wagon is probably older than you are. Remember most 83's were made in 82. Throw some padding in the back and...

James_Smith · « **Reply #61 on:** May 22, 2004, 09:01:19 am »

Quote:

That wagon is probably older than you are. Remember most 83's were made in 82. Throw some padding in the back and...

LOL!

Went to Halfords today to try and find a belt that I need to get the car moving. Any of my fellow Brits here on the forum realise that Halfords don't know what size belts they stock? And that the sizes aren't quoted on the packaging?

It took me an HOUR to find two that may or may not work. I know US and Euro teeth on v-belts are different, so there's a good chance the belt will come off at moderate revs. May end up going the old fashioned route here - a pair of tights/stockings ought to hold for 120 miles....either way, I know that I'm now going to have to go to US Autos in Bedford to get parts for it - nowhere else in Blighty will stock parts that will work.

On the plus side, I now know for definite that the engine is a 307ci/5 litre one (can't be anything else according to US Auto). I have a plan for the future involving a 455ci motor, a pair of 4-bbl Holleys and 600 horsepower - but that may have to wait a while

When all's said and done, I want this car to be faster than my mate's '73 Aussie Charger. Now, if I can just find an insurer who will even give me a quote...

IndyShark · « **Reply #63 on:** May 22, 2004, 10:55:33 am »

Yeah, I thought the price was high until I realized the price was for a LITER of petrol, not a gallon!

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #65 on:** May 22, 2004, 11:17:24 am »

Ahhh the days of my youth..when I was first married ('75), my wife and I would joke on how you could say " put $5.00 in" when we were driving a Beetle (gas was under $.45 a gallon then)..10 gallon tank..you do the math..

Mike

P.S. when I as in the UK in 85-88..petrol averaged 3.25 quid to the Imperial gallon...quite a shock if I ran out of gas rations for the BX..

IndyShark · « **Reply #66 on:** May 22, 2004, 11:56:20 am »

While I really like England, I can't figure out how people live there! I know petrol is expensive, but have you ever ordered a pint of beer in a bar? It is good stuff, but ouch!

How do English soccer fans buy enough beer to get drunk anyway? A home equity loan perhaps?

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #67 on:** May 22, 2004, 12:02:12 pm »

The Dole set's out how much per week is for "Pub Entertainment"...pull down the form UB42 (yes, it's the name of a rock band..named after the form)...the biggest problems American's have, is what it generally costs in dollars (not across the board), costs the same in pounds...but then add in the exchange rate.. a $20 toy @ WalMart will cost 20 quid in Oxford. then there is the VAT (Value Added Tax)..I don't want to go there...

Mike

IndyShark · « **Reply #68 on:** May 22, 2004, 12:14:37 pm »

How much does a pint of the good stuff cost over there now? I seem to remember 5 to 6 pounds and that does not include a tip!

Stormbringer · « **Reply #69 on:** May 22, 2004, 12:22:39 pm »

Geez! and to think I was thinking of catching a MAC flight to England to goof around for a bit!

IndyShark · « **Reply #70 on:** May 22, 2004, 12:28:53 pm »

I suggest you carry a lot of beer in your carry on luggage!

Stormbringer · « **Reply #71 on:** May 22, 2004, 12:43:28 pm »

I mean if bear is that much then the other necessities will be more expensive still ; things like hotel rooms and food. I think England is off my list for now.

James_Smith · « **Reply #72 on:** May 22, 2004, 01:03:09 pm »

Heh.

A pint of Marston's Pedigree in my local is £2.05, Fosters and Carlsberg £2.10, £2.30 for Strongbow, Stella, Kronenburg and Guiness. Thanks to the US laws on buying alcohol (Pussy Law # 216

) I've not bought a pint in the States, how do the prices compare?

J. Carney · « **Reply #73 on:** May 22, 2004, 02:22:33 pm »

Ok, when I exchanged the last of the Pounds that I used to aquire 'beverages' from our wonderful, thoughtful, NON-DRY cousins in the Royal Navy the going rate was about $1.50 per £1.00. So...

Over here you can buy FOUR pints of Guiness for $6.50, which will come out to roughly £4.50, in a beer store- it's about $3.00 a pint in the local bar, so that's about £2.00 even. Fosters is about $5.00 a sixpack (6x12 oz.) so that would be 4.5 pints for £3.35 in the beer store and about $2.50 or £1.60 in the bar.

I don't know of any bars around here that do any of the others on your list.

P.S.- Thanks for your support in Iraq- Her Majesty's Armed Forces have saved the sanity of many a thirsty G.I.!

digi · « **Reply #74 on:** May 22, 2004, 05:11:12 pm »

Iam bound to see you driving round this area in that automobile. Nice buy JS!!

ferretlxix · « **Reply #75 on:** May 22, 2004, 05:57:48 pm »

Aloha and poing James form a mustalid in Hawaii!
Being the friendly Yank I am.
If you need help with looking for parts on your mobile landship,
I'll be more than happy to help.
Do you have any Literature (Like a Chiltons) on your vehicle?
Contact me via PM or e mail and I'll see if I can hook you up.

James_Smith · « **Reply #77 on:** May 23, 2004, 07:05:14 am »

Right, off to pick the car up. Hope we can get her home under her own power!

James_Smith · « **Reply #78 on:** May 23, 2004, 06:50:20 pm »

Well, she made it home, over 120 miles from where she set off, under her own power.

She's beautiful.

She's also suffering from pretty bad tin worm in a few spots (hey, it's Britain), the alternator is shot, she overheats quickly when standing but not at all when moving (fan might be having some issues, or the water pump, or both), the electrics in time-honoured old car tradition are going to require surgery, and she's chewing through fuel because the emissions control setup isn't working right. Bought 30 litres of fuel on the way home for nearly £25....the tank fitted holds much more.

Good points - steering is nicely weighted with plenty of feel for an assisted setup, gears change smoothly, engine also runs smoothly. And she's beautiful.

I'm now hunting for a workshop manual so I can find what connects to where. Oh, and if anyone's ever tried changing the drive belts on an Olds Custom Cruiser or Delta 88 of 1983 vintage - how the hell do you do it properly? There's nothing to adjust or slack off, no tensioners, you have to take components off to get the belts onto them, then re-attach the components! Which moron came up with that stroke of brilliance?! If any Olds designer wants to admit they were responsible for that, I would really like to meet them...

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Topic: Look what I just bought! (Read 15374 times) var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};

TheShadow

James_Smith

James_Smith

IndyShark

James_Smith

Capt. Mike

IndyShark

Capt. Mike

IndyShark

Stormbringer

IndyShark

Stormbringer

James_Smith

J. Carney

digi

ferretlxix

James_Smith

James_Smith

James_Smith

CaptStumpy

Topic: Look what I just bought! (Read 15374 times)