Himanshu

I remember buying my first cab at 21 and it cost £300 to insure, however due to the joyriding phase this cost upto to £2200 at next renewal. Have you tried classic car insurance, however it will hit young people as it did me.

B hours, better book a Premier Inn!

Umm big brother watching me, not something I like. Should ask for my permission.

Thank you for write up. I have gone through so many electric aerials, as I always drive in our out of my garages, and find the top of the aerial to catch and bend, snap the aerial. In the end one of the best aerials I have found is replacing it with a Saab, 93 which fits perfectly, however being very pleased, with my self and having it work the 93 aerials are now nearly 18 y.o and the plastic leader in the mast wore out! Doh! Many of the Maystar, Hirschman, and AUtoleads, are so noisy. The Saab aerial when it works was superb quite and smooth, But as I say they too are getting long in the tooth like myself.

Ill see if I can open my door up and if I can take the pic, along with any part numbers to forward to you. At least you may be able to see what I am harping on about. If you know a good engineering firm try and get them to make the unit I hope to photo to you, in a Nylacast material, or brass, Please bear my with me, as I am currently on crutches, with a fractured pelvis, and broken wrist, but I am hoping to get Santa's, little helper to do it for me. A word to the wise, which I am sure you are, whilst the love of keeping your cabby on the road is superbly welcomed, the parts to keep the same on the road, or even a functional state can no longer be found. So whilst I am be able to give some indication to your problem that might just be the beginning of many problems, Engineering alas has been a dead duck since the Thatcherite era and her culling skills allied to the same. Do remember that good mechanic, when these car were made, would have been 30 to 40 years old in the mid 80s to 90s, and now would be 60 or 70s, Mechanics alas have a very short life span, as they love a drink after toiling away on old Fords. as my uncles were all Ford Mechanics, as I was, however they are now dead and I am informed due to a car accident and at that age where I stand at the express counter with a 12 pack of beer, and a packet of Pork scratchings.

I tried to get several so called engineering firms to fabricate me one up. I ended up having to scrap all of them as they just did not fit, this may be a sign that we do not have the skills left in a depleted engineering base anymore, just like the after market ones on ebay, they are really poor. I Spent a fortune, in the end, I just happened to be searching flea bay and found one, and you know it was going to hurt. just a tad under £300 and that was not new, but someone had got theirs off and powder coated it. It coming to an age and time where the price doesnt really reflect the time, and money you have to spend to keep a Ford on the road. Don't get me wrong I love it, but not being able to find parts is a really downer! I just saw that average 150 miles a year on mine. After road tax, insurance, service, and not including having to by parts this is coming up to nearly £3 per mile that's not including the price of the fuel tyre wear. Items like exhausts, steering racks, and even radiators are hard to source too. I do not use it at all between November- May, and still I get comments by people saying that's an Essex hairdresser's car! The only person who values it is the MOT station, where the guys are in there 50s and say this was the d/b back in the days, and its stunning today, but then say you need a new steering rack! Arrghhhh!

Have you seen the waterless coolant, Edd China was putting it I think if you search for it on youtube, it may come up. Costy but I think it is the way forward.

I have a All White i 85 Cabby which need a new roof. I want to get a Mohair one as the PVC ones are poor. It has a red pinstripe down the coach work and Red Escort 1.6i decal on the back. What colour would you go for. Choices Red/ Maroon Blue Black PS if anyone knows of a good roof fitting company please let me know and what they charge, roughly. Many thanks in advance to all!

It is a shame you cant utilise your car for the purposes of enjoyment, you become a slave to it, Some idiot will always see a way to make money, especially with prices so high on flea bay, or else jealous people vandalise them. I had a group of kids who because it had the roof down threw cola on the seats. This is the worst thing they could have done, The Phosphoric acid attack the foam. Obviously chemistry is being taught for destructive means. What I couldn't understand they attacked my Ford, when there are 4 cars on my road, worth £50K, all open top! The worst thing is the parts are no longer available.

Check the relay, and check all continuity is there, I.E a good ground, that a power supply shows, and the switched live is present.

There is a plastic cam on the back of the lock this usually wears, check this out,

I have done this job, and found that aluminium washers which the BMW used, to be better. make sure all faces are clean, do not let dirt or grit get on any surface, tighten by hand then nip it up about if you over tighten the damn things will leak. The copper washers I was forever getting leaks or a fuel smell.

Time to call it a day I can't find anyone locally to even refurbish a steering rack which fails, every 3 years. I only cover 500 miles a year.The original Ford made in Germany lasted 100K however the refurbed ones in England are poor! It's time to call time on an old skool Ford.

I have changed 5 racks in 10 years, the original Ford Rack lasted over 100K miles there furbished ones especially by XL racks last about 2000 miles. I cover about 500 miles a year, and unfortunately am at the end of my tether, it is one thing having an old car but when parts are no longer available, and if in the rare event they do come up on some auction internet bay. I am paying Ferrari prices for a Ford! Time to call it a day. It got to a point that even Ford havent got the technicians, to deal with it and parts are universally unavailable!

Could be a worn out barrel, mine did that, I could remove the key but the car was still on, a new barrel and key was the answer

This is not funny actually. But in 1990s I went in to replace my tyres on my Alloys with a firm Called Big City Tyres in Leicester. They damaged the alloys by not removing the old weights, so they just dragged and scratched the silver finish. I pointed this out to the fitters who basically gave me a take to the hand attitude. I took legal advice and they said I would need some sort of expert opinion, another tyre fitting firm. I approached several and all told me it was clear that they weights had not been removed and this is how the damage had occurred. SO I asked them could they put this in wiritng and I would be more than willing to pay for their report. All of them soon as they found out I was taking on another tyre fitter just refused to do so. So Big City Tyres went scott free. I then had a similar experience with Walkers Tyres Leicester (then located on Melton Rd, Leicester), where I was horrified an apprentice trainee placed the bolts inside the air gun and drove them home, not offering them up by hand to make sue he did not cross thread them, He stripped all of the hubs rear and front. Again I complained and you could see fresh metal had been stripped into ribbons. They took the same policy. This time I got an Engineers report, he because he had not witnessed the damage, said he could only say that the threads were freshly stripped. I took the matter to court and got a District Judge called Merriman in Leicester who's first question to me is how old is your car? I said 8 years old at that point. He did not want to know anything more. he just told me I had no case the car was too old for him to believe that no damage was on it. He let Walkers Tyres off the hook. I sat an looked at him and said you dint look at the Engineers report, do you have an engineering background or au-fait with metallurgy? By your premise, a vintage Buggati and Mercedes Gull wing have no value, simply because of their age. My car had only covered 30k at this stage. So let this be a warning to all that take picture before and after and record any procedures. He just looked at me and said he wasn't prepared dignify my question and the case had been resolved! It would be grate if people would share their stories of miscarriage of justice or rouge traders.

I think this issue may have been raised but remains a grey area, like my white vinyl roof. Could we get people who have new roofs done to place any pics, and provide feedback of companies, the type of Material they used, the cost, how happy they are with the fitment, water tightness and if any have had their roofs done in the last few years how well their roofs are doing, this would really help people. Thanks in advance peeps. Incidentally went to a car show where I was asking the Autoglym guy, how do I clean and get my white roof back to white or clean it. His helpful response, was what car is it. When I said Ford Escort he said I wouldn't bother throw some petrol on it and then a lit match! Very helpful!!! I think the club could do chart of companies who are good and rouges gallery. Like an OFSTEAD report

The boot on Escorts is way too heavy for such a short strut, I have bought several boot (Ford Struts for my car), in the end I just placed a strut at either end. This boot lids are damn dangerous. I nearly broke my wrist once because the wind blew it down as it was I had my head in the boot and so got nasty cut and lump to the head.

I found out that my postcode is the problem, I got quotes inputting them, in East London (not garaged but secure car park CCTV) £211 (classic car Insurance), and one in Mosside, (Garaged) with alarm. £274. Then with other postcodes, Norwich (Lowestoft £98) not in garage, in driveaway. Wiltshire £89 On street). Then I got one of where I live, wait for it..... Garaged, fully alarmed, and it was £309! It seems Leicester is rated higher than Toxteth, Mosside, East London. I cant believe it! They blamed it on.....well I cant say as I will get a violation notice....If you come to East Leicester you may know why.

Dreaded rust, I had the same issues with mine. Good to see your on the ball and sorting it out.

Lancaster or RAC Classic Car insurance. I am with LV and they insure me for £108, however it is only the market values, and not an agreed value. However with classic car insurance, you have to have a valuation, that costs, then restricted mileage, and then have to have it parked in a secure garage, and not outside after certain hours. Its a bit of a hassle. Also not with classic car insurance, you do not get or earn any no claims discount, and if you have earnt any and you do not use them on another vehicle you will loose that earnt bonus after 2 years, so bear that in mind. Also with classic car insurance, this can not be your main car you have to have two cars, that is my understanding. CHeck out the policy excesses too they are horrendous, and some offer no windscreen damage. In the case of convertibles you have to have the roof up and secured when you are parked up. But then with the British weather thats a given.

I also have seen in the movies, put rice in the cooling system! I think it was a Laurel and Hardy sketch.

turn the car over and check if the spark plugs are damp and smell of petrol. If so the check the spark is there. If the spark is not there, check for a spark at the coil. You will deduce if it a fuel starvation problem or electrical one. But before check the cambelt has not perished or broken. Just renew if you know how. then turn the engine over by hand.

Who did your hood?

To an addition I have on other forums, had responses, which would be hard to get hold of in England. these are Kroil, PB Blaster its what Eric the Car guy uses, Sea Foam Deep Creep, Liquid Wrench, and I've just found out that Maltby is purported be be the best in bizz, but that's the manufactures, claim, not mine. Other have told me that in the case of ceased fasteners, spray white vinegar daily to dissolve the rust, and then follow up by the penetrant of choice. I hope this helps people in the case of where they can't use good old Bluey, the (oxy acetylene) use in form of heat. Many of my rusty fasteners, are where heat would ruin rubber, paint, and near the petrol tank. There is a product called an induction heater, which uses Flemming's laws of Eddy currents, in heating up due to magnetic flux. These tolls are not readily available in the UK, and prohibitively expensive. But when you are faced with having to creep under the car every day and soaking in penetrant oils, it may be worth it. If anyone is working on their car, where practical use an anti seize compound on any nut an bolt you removed, where practical, and vibration is not an issue. If only I had done this as I have practically taken off every bolt and replaced them 20 years ago however the British climate, road salt and damp garages have played their part in rusting 1980's metal.