I was looking through a pile of old "Car Mechanics" magazines in the loft the other day and came across a story from the 70's about a garage where a non runner was bought in on a trailer to be sorted. It seemed that the owner had bought it in a pub car park cheaply as it wouldn't start but that there "couldn't be that much wrong with it". The story went on that the garage couldn't get it started. They checked everything, fuel, ignition etc they even turned the engine over with a spanner on the crankshaft pulley and could feel compression. Then they checked with a compression tester and got virtually a nil reading.
They eventually took the head off to check that the valves were OK and discovered four squash balls, one in each cylinder! Hence the feeling of compression. The engine was absolutely shot. Ingenious at least! 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Came across an Escort gearbox years ago with what looked like 'sawdust' in the oil to keep it quiet.

So is that the secret of how they fix the FL2 rear diff problem? 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

the secret it to squish a banana into the gearbox, apparently  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I used to use mustard powder and a raw egg as a coolant stop leak. Oh, and if your wipers pack up you can cut a potato in half, smear it on the screen and it works as good as Rain-X.

And here's to all the ladies who donated a stocking when the fan belt snapped,now that's going back a bit.

Years ago some friends were touring in the Alps when the wiper motor packed up completely. They bought a ball of string and the rear passengers had the job of working the wipers via the string through partly opened rear windows. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

A colleague and I were driving a 3.5t 'Snatch' land rover through a mountain route in Bosnia when the accelerator cable snapped (it had snapped before and the workshop had replaced it with a standard cable which was too short).

It was getting dark, in winter and the area was littered with things that went bang. We drove the remaining 30 miles of woodland tracks with him pulling the accelerator cable using my leatherman tool and operating the pedals and me steering and changing gear. He couldn't see as he was reaching down so it was a proper team effort.

we got a bit of an interview without coffee the next morning for doing it, and then a pat on the back for ingenuity.
Workship were totally amazed we hadn't crashed

ronp bodywork tips:

Use old newspaper and cardboard with a covering of cataloy to repair rusted outriggers.
And an old "baked beans" can & filler for a rusty, holed floor.


My old days in the bodyshop eh


[kidding] FL2 now gone and have a couple of items left for sale:-

Brodit active iPhone holder + Brodit dash clip,
Bluetooth Music Streaming Module.

mini with rotten rear subframes? easy fix , cut rear of car off , fit castors, rig up a new front mounted fuel tank.
result = hours of death defying fun.
you do need a lot of space less steerable than the average hovercraft. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Seems you old dudes can certainly teach us young ones a few tricks

 MY14 Kahn Converted Dynamic - Fuji White Ebony/Pimento Interior
MY15 Xenon Headlight Conversion

MY17 RRS SVR - Estoril Blue Cirrus/Ebony 🪣💺’s