April 2022

 

April 2022

 

I almost did not do a post this month not because there was nothing to write about but I have a number of ongoing projects and the decision when to document them is the real problem in that when  is the time to do it as mostly they are parts of a complete whole but still unfinished. As usual there are some jobs around the house that have to be done. This month the cold side of a mixer tap in the bathroom had no cold water coming out of it. I had to make a castellated nut spanner to dismantle the tap, which was fine so the problem was in the supply. The problem was in the pipe between the isolation valve and the tap. To get to it I had to remove all the panels surrounding the sink to gat at the pipe with the blockage being a disintegrating fibre washer in the coupling. The washer had migrated into the pipe and took a bit of poking to get it out. Have you ever tried to get a specific sized fibre washer? I can assure you it is not easy. The solution was from an unusual source. Lidl has boxes of fibre and rubber washers and one, although not the correct size, did fit and is still doing the job. 

Next was the boiler service. I was told that it was kettling and would need a new heat exchange or a flush out. Neither would be done at the service. I was not impressed by what they covered in the service and told the engineer so. I decided that a flush would be done and got the flushing agent and inhibitor from Screwfix. I drained the system down as much as I could and put the cleaning agent in and left it for a week. This stopped the kittling noise straight away. The system needed to be drained and flushed three times with the fourth fill the inhibitor was added. What a palaver and it took all day to do it. At this time I was doing other things like working on an aluminium cover to fit below the spare wheel and when I finished that one a cover to hide the filler neck, sender unit and fuel pipe over the petrol tank.

In between was Easter and a visit from my brother Adrian. He arrived Good Friday and left on the next Wednesday. It was action packed. Saturday we went to Brooklands for the day. As we were approaching the car park we were flagged down by a steward and asked if we had booked. For what? A Classic Car day. They let me in on my BCMT card, British Motorcycle Trust, and were directed to a parking area along with lots of other classic cars near the bus museum. There were so many cars there I just had to take a picture from high up on the banking. I was promptly told off for doing that! 

Sunday we were off to the Citroen 2CVB national meeting near Ely in Cambridgeshire. At registration we were asked to join the line up of different models of 2CVs in the arena. I didn’t win any prizes but did get a few spares including a big spanner to tighten the drive shaft nuts. I was also introduced to people who could help me with my hood replacement on the El Cid. Another good day out. The front tyres were squealing on roundabouts and there were allot of them on the trip. The kingpins had just been replaced and things disturbed. Another job to do. 

Monday the relatives arrive from Assam with six large suitcases. Lots of presents and gifts for everyone.

Tuesday was our trip to Whitewebbs Transport Museum and another full on day out in the El Cid. After Adrian went home on the Wednesday I was trying to find someone to check the tracking and get it adjusted. I think everyone was on holiday that week. I was out of luck. How easy is it to do the tracking on a 2CV? Have a look on UTube. A vernier and a piece of string wrapped around all four wheels. I tried it and it does work. The most difficult problem was one rusted adjuster that took a bit of freeing up. It took a few hours of repeated tweaking and measuring that got the toe in of slightly negative to over doing it and then back to within range of zero to 3mm toe out. I set it at 1.7mm.

The next drive out was for Drive It Day on Sunday April 24^th. Again with the 2CV club on a country route criss crossing the Thames from Henley to Chertsey. Nice to see everyone again after Covid. Good day out and no squealy tyres.

 

March 2022

 

March 2022

 

It is now April and March is receding fast in my memory with a few notable things that went on that included a trip to Whitewebbs Museum of Transport on the Buell. I took my old friend George on the back for this little trip, some 80 miles in total. Bear in mind that George is a fit octogenarian but he did require a bit of assistance getting on and off the Buell.  Velocette man through and through he had a pleasant ride with me and is game for doing it again.

Talking of Velocettes we eventually had the LE Club Christmas Curry at my place with Gita providing a range of curries that everyone enjoyed. It was warm and sunny that day and we spent most of the time in the garden. We postponed it from just before Christmas because of Covid and so many people being unwell. The next week was so different as I ventured out in the El Cid to Staines and Citroen Classics to get the kingpins replaced. Snow flurries added to the chilling cold. Gita was ill and not well enough to be my lift home so it was public transport for me. I was going to hang around in Staines until the car was ready. I had not planned to travel home but the job was going to take longer than anticipated. What did not help was that the access to the bus station in Staines one of the exit routes was blocked so the pickup points were relocated to the other side of the town and I had no idea where they were. I had a choice of a bus to Heathrow or one to Hounslow. As there was no bus at the time to Heathrow and I had found the bus stop for the one to Hounslow and one was due I took that one so as not to freeze. I had already been walking around Staines for an hour searching for a bus. I’ll not bore with more details other than it took nearly three more hours to get home. I could have walked it faster it was only twelve miles away. No wonder why a car is so important. I picked up the EL cid the next day and the TfL route took two hours. The day after I was not well. Having spent almost five hours on the buses it is not surprising I caught something.

March was not a good month for things. The Buell battery died and had to be replaced and a light switch in the study jettisoned its lever. I have never seen that before. In the breakage department the twist grip on the Valiant failed to twist anymore because the casting had cracked so a bit of metal and some araldite fixed it.

A more constructive side of the month kept me busy with making another treasure chest for the grandson. He is a bit young but I have to get on with things while I have materials and how I did it. When I had finished I started on a fibre glass cover for a space below the spare on the van. I started with a plywood former and built up layers to get a reasonable strength. It looks fine but so heavy. 

I then  I made an aluminium one around a pattern, something I had never done before and this will lead me on to another project. Playing with glass fibre I had to reposition the bolt that holds the spare wheel in place. This was necessary as the bolt had been positioned for a 125x15 and I am to use 135x15 wheels. I ordered a new rim from ECAS for the El Cid and that needed painting as I have to change all the tyre sizes to 135X15 and I still have two wheels shod with 125 tyres. I can still get 125 tyres but they are twice the price of 135 tyres and I use these tyres on the Burton. A note for the van is 135 cross country/winter tyres are easily available and a better choice over a 125 tyre.