Engine overhaul.

Yeah, whilst the Kent lump fit's in the engine bay with plenty of space to spare, it wouldn't really lend itself so something much wider (taller is ok, as is longer at a pinch).

I do like the sound of Boxer engines though (as much as I'm interested in the sound of any of them), and partly why I have two old 'Airhead' BMW's. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

I'm not sure I'd call them ambitions quite just I'm a sucker for a project and like taking unloved things and making them useable again. And that's the thing, not really interested in concourse or performance, just tidy and serviceable. ;-)

You trumped me, we only have 2 (if you count the Schmitt and the Enfield 8000) a van and the kitcar. ;-)

And again, only 9 here. ;-(

We probably make up for that with 9 boats of various types. ;-)

I'm also doing bits on / at Mums house ... bit's I still haven't done on ours!

Today, along with repairing a laptop for a friend (JB Welding some reinforcement on the hinge mounts), I was trying to design a 3D printable corner bracket to allow a straight wall light fit on a corner in Mums garden. I needn't have bothered do that of course but I wanted to. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Thanks. So, I wonder, assuming both heads are the same design (flat with combustion chamber in piston crown) I wonder what the difference is (if any) between a 1300GT head and a straight 1600, as I thought the only difference (other than the cam profile etc) was the valve head sizes?

Cheers, T i m

Very hard to drive an Alfa boxer engine without a huge grin and driving it like you stole it. ;-)

Tim

But being serious for a second, when and where can you do that these days (especially anywhere near a big city in the UK)?

When we were touring the UK or our motorcycles (both capable of breaking the speed limit by a fair margin) there weren't many (nice / interesting) roads you could risk driving / riding 'spiritedly without fear or running though a speed camera of some kind or past a patrol (especially unmarked). ;-(

Plus, once you are out of the towns there is a fairly good chance you will come across some knob backing out onto the highroad or a sheep or other wildlife wandering about.

So, we generally just got on with it the best we could and enjoyed the ride / scenery. ;-)

Outside of that we are generally just following the queue of vehicles ahead (in the car or on the bikes), except when it all comes to a halt and we can often still pootle on on the bikes.

Cheers, T i m

yep, the joys of driving and riding have largely been sucked away.

Obvious answer is a Rover V8. Probably lighter than a Pinto, and easy enough to keep the power down to sensible limits. ;-)

Not near a city, but IME scottish highlands main roads are pretty good on summer evenings.

Round and about Sheffield certainly, the Peak District. One of the reasons I moved here (from London). And I doubt I'd get the sort of cars I tend to buy (sporty hatchbacks) if it wasn't for the opportunity to drive them on decent roads.

Not that I actually go that fast because I'm not an especially good driver - good fun in the snow last weekend though but :-)

Lovely sound. Hearing SWMBO caning the 'Sud up the road home after dropping me at the station.

Well, times change and I'm not the loony that I once was. ;-). These days I like having a clean licence and now no longer believe that "it couldn't happen to me". There are some roads where you can still have a bit of fun without grossly exceeding the speed limits but as you say, unmarked patrols, speed cameras etc have sucked a lot of fun out of it all.

That said, if I still had my old Alfa, I think I'd still be redlining it in every gear just for the hell of it. Of course it rotted away years ago.

Tim

A year or so ago I had the XR4x4 flat out in third on a long gentle uphill right hander at around 90 on a back road. What do I find but a panda car in a farmer's field entrance on the right, doing paperwork, by the time he looked up it was too late and I was long gone, took me right back to my yoof.

Yes, we found those roads were probably the best in the country, but whilst they were nice to ride (that was mostly down to the emptiness, surface and the scenery) the obstacles were still sufficiently present to ensure we proceeded at a 'reasonable (rather than exciting) pace (and we were loaded and on holiday as such).

The only place I can really see going fast any real fun is round a racetrack, mostly because any mistake is less likely to land you in a box.

Daughter has bought me an 'Extended rally experience' at Brands for my

60th and I'm looking forward to (hopefully) chucking the car about, not any speed as such. ;-) [1]

If I wanted to take up a motorsport ... I think it would be grasstrack, trials or green-laning.

Cheers, T i m

[1] For the same reason I've never really being interested in RC aircraft, only RC cars and boats. IMO, you can't really 'enjoy' the model when it's just a spec in the sky you are trying to bring back. That said, most of my RC modeling has been competitive where speed is generally part of the point. ;-)

I had a Ford V6 (Essex) in my Bedford CF campervan and I had made two straight-though exhaust systems for it and the burble at tickover was lovely. It still wasn't loud at more throttle but because the gearing was very low, it made it tedious on anything like a run.

Because I've been into doing my own stuff since a kid, what generally helps best with that is a van or utility vehicle. The best of those were the MM Van and the Sierra Estate and I wouldn't think twice about going anywhere in either (at the time) and the 'enjoyment' was in getting back safe_and_sound and the job done. ;-

Cheers, T i m

In article , T i m scribeth thus

60th eh?, my daughters bought me a ride on this lady:))

And she goes, well not quite like the clappers, but you get the idea!

[...]

Grasstrack is one sport I consider too dangerous to get involved in, and I'm speaking as an ex-road racer of the early Seventies.

Trials is a great sport; cheap, friendly, and you get to ride all day for a few quid.

Chris

and you get to take a passenger/movable balance weight.

I think we have mentioned such elsewhere (possibly) Tony ... but yes, that is a beast indeed. ;-)

I think I mentioned that an Ex's Dad was a driver out of Crewe and one Xmas day he took me down to the yard and it was filled with just Locos. He walked be though a few and I knew from just doing that I wouldn't like to try to work on one when it was doing 70 mph! ;-)

Whilst I'm not into trains railways as such, I do generally watch the TV shows that are based around them and sometimes it can come to some use.

Whilst talking to some customer service lady the other day I asked where she was based and she said Mumbai and during further conversation mentioned she was going to Shimla for a break. I said I'd seen a TV program that featured Shimla and that I think it was one of the station masters had been building a fairly fancy 3 / 4 story home right near the station. ;-)

I didn't realise the loop (deviation) we went round on the Ffestiniog Railway was only added after the track was flooded for the reservoir and that The Festiniog Railway Company is the oldest surviving railway company in the world (older than Kalka Shimla Railway of course but not as steep). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Oh?

What makes it particularly dangerous may I ask Chris?

Are you talking car or bike there Chris? I could entertain both, as with bike I think they have a class for the 'oldies' but I'm not sure quite what I was thinking re trials with cars? I think I was considering a mix of driving from point A to point B in a set time and driving round an off road course (fiddle brakes etc) and trying not to get penalties? I think one of the Rickman Ranger Club lads does the former in his Ranger and mostly just for the fun.

Other than that just some Green Laning although I have no idea what rage of roads are available and therefore what sort of (if talking car) vehicle you could get away with?

Did you see the TGT coverage of the loons who take their 4x4's round a very muddy course, just for the fun of winching themselves out again. I though JM referred to them as 'Winchers'? ;-)

I have a lot of respect for those who turn up at such events in their daily driver and not with it on a trailer. ;-)

Cheers, T i m