07.01.24 - It's cold, we had snow, anyone with any sense would not be working on their car until the weather gets warmer, however; I have done just that on previous years, (must be getting older) will need to get the Z3 ready for it's annual MOT for early February, and I will need to possibly drag it out of the garage in the next few days, making sure the tyres are still inflated, check the engine block hasn't frozen, (I Did put anti-freeze in it, so it should be alright, it's unlucky for humans, namely pensioners, as they will be facing the cold, even though it was avoidable this year! This of course is down to a certain 'dictator' that can only be deemed as an 'idiot'...), however; I digress and I will need to run some errands within the next few days. The snow is currently clear for now, let's hope it stays like that...and the weather gets warmer quickly.
07.02.25 - Another cold day, no snow yet...It is that time of year, the dreaded MOT. Why it couldn't be a summer MOT? I have been trying to book one for the past couple of days and this is no different to the previous years at the same garage. I will have to drop in unannounced as previously done in the past, left recorded messages, so they should be expecting me, hopefully. Does anyone else have this problem?
08.02.25 - I decided to travel to the MOT garage today, just to see if they were still there, since I couldn't get anyone to answer their telephone, low and behold they were there and it seemed a little busy. They told me they would have to call me later in the afternoon to try and squeeze me in, this meant another return journey and it wasn't that local, (bearing in-mind the price of fuel now-a-days). They did contact me a few hours later and I did manage to get the car booked in and tested. (another reason for using this particular garage). They did eventually PASS the Z3 with one proviso, and that was to do with the offside, (driver) side-marker light was not working. I could only put that down to the journey there and falling down a large pothole in the road on the way to the garage and this had knocked it out either via the bulb or a loose wire, I was surprised that the suspension hadn't gone through the roof at the time. Fortunately, the side-marker can be easily corrected. It Passed, passed, passed, passed, passed! Clear for another 12 months.
Looking at the sills during the inspection, I did notice some surface rust on the ends at the rear of the sills, this is common for the age of these vehicle and these may need some attention when the days get a little warmer and dry. I had previously listed this on my jobs to do list last year and hadn't got around to it. I may have to get the welder out to weld on a couple of plates after cutting some rust out...I will see....? Prices of sills, like most spares and replacements are proving expensive nowadays; to the point of pricing many people out of motoring. Many of the classics are slowly disappearing to be replaced by the so-called 'green' vehicles. I had noticed catalytical converters on older vehicles are also priced out and some difficult to get hold of. This is, in my opinion, to price out owners with older vehicles. It is all down to legislation, politics and more money into government coffers and not forgetting, greed!
11.04.25 - Note: For communication via eMail has changed to: ngwilcox@GMX.co.uk
29.04.25 - Today; I received a new wall sign, I thought it appropriate as occasionally I
get the odd comment from a local neighbour and end up never being able to finish the
task I started, it has already paid for itself.
12.05.25 - OK, I have a weakness for vintage metal signs, even though they may not
be the originals and are a Chinese rip-off. This is the way of the world today, unfortunately.
Here is another one for the collection:
Some may recognise this one from my
'Tools introduction', one or two have asked
me where they can get one. Click on the
image and this will lead to the purchase
page. Mmmm! Not sure what has happen to
my original sign? Perhaps one day I may
catch the son of a....@!
I am currently waiting for consumables for
the small service maintenance I have had
scheduled, that is; changing oil, filter,
replace the oil bolt crush nut, (currently out of them), also; specific direction indicator bulbs. I also have the radio signal booster for the radio, this has now arrived, I am still waiting on the air horn, (being delivered over land. I believe it has something to do with Panama Canal, whoops!) And so on, hence the delays in the write-up.
Costs have obviously risen, very much due to stupid and incompetent politicians, so one needs to currently tighten one's belt..., (that's a luxury, if anyone can afford one nowadays with the price of food and heating...), but I digress. (I am sure the rant will continue in some form).
21.05.25 - Now some of you have asked me, 'why have I bought a new horn when I had installed new ones a while ago? Good question! Even though the installed ones boast 130db volume, they seem to come across as average or low volume and just, conventional. Remember where I got them from, (China), sellers are not exactly renowned for their honesty in their advertising and there is the practical application of product effectiveness. Horns should be loud by nature most of the time, I didn't think they are loud enough, installed within the engine compartment. Therefore why not add a air-horn into the equation. I have had air horns in my earlier cars and they proved very effective, especially linked up to the early type of alarm systems of the day. It even woke up residents in a multi-story complex at 3am, during my Cortina MkIII being broken into, they were not very happy, however; I was; as it prevented my car from being stolen. I did tell the one resident shouting out of the window who told me to turn it off and using a few other chosen words... I told them to check their car as someone had broken into mine. Low and behold resident room lights flickered on across the buildings and neighbouring ones.. with individuals slipping on outside attire, to go and check on their vehicles, this was amusing to watch.
