What have you done today

[Chuffer]

What’s happened to the trans?

It has been playing up for a while with not shifting up from first or second especially from a cold start . It changed down smoothly enough from top ( third gear ) but wouldn`t change up again smoothly with power on once warmed up . Once I hit 4000 rpm it would change up to top but with a huge thump and a surge . The fluid level was good but I had it flushed and changed with new filter pan . There was crap in the pan and torque converter . Being a 1980 MY it is electronic lock up . There was still no improvement in the way it drove so a rebuild is lined up .

 

[Mad4slalom]

It has been playing up for a while with not shifting up from first or second especially from a cold start . It changed down smoothly enough from top ( third gear ) but wouldn`t change up again smoothly with power on once warmed up . Once I hit 4000 rpm it would change up to top but with a huge thump and a surge . The fluid level was good but I had it flushed and changed with new filter pan . There was crap in the pan and torque converter . Being a 1980 MY it is electronic lock up . There was still no improvement in the way it drove so a rebuild is lined up .

I had a merc sprinter with auto box that eventually was slipping , a bew filter and trans fluid got me. Couple more months but it then lost reverse gear. 1700 quid for a rebuild back in about 2012

 

[CaptainK]

Looking at Mad's photos - good to see that someone else's "Battery" gauge shows bugger all like mine

Friday was Vette to the Vets day to pick up stuff.


Saturday I went to the SW Corvette Club meet at Strawberry Fields. First time going to the meet, and nice to meet everyone. About 160 odd miles round trip, Corvette didn't miss a beat. First time I've done long distance in ages, and forgotten how much it likes to drink fuel - full tank down to an indicated 1/4 tank left (I should look inside the tank to check properly).




Sunday I went off to Watchet, to errr... Watch It..... namely the Flying Scotsman passing through. No photos as I did a video. Which I can't be bothered to upload and link to here, so you'll just have to make choo choo noises and imagine the Flying Scotsman in your head

And that weekend of awesomeness was sponsored by my wife going away for the weekend and taking the child with her. Fun stuff gets done then!

 

[Chuffer]

I had a merc sprinter with auto box that eventually was slipping , a bew filter and trans fluid got me. Couple more months but it then lost reverse gear. 1700 quid for a rebuild back in about 2012

I am bracing myself for a bill knocking on the door of £4K !!

 

[johng]

Wow, I was gutted to have to pay £1450 to have my TH350 rebuilt (that was 4 years ago though)

 

[Nassau65]

I am bracing myself for a bill knocking on the door of £4K !!

Wow, that’s a big chunk of change, sorry it happened to you
Showing my age now, I remember when you could buy a 1980 for £4k.

 

[Mad4slalom]

I am bracing myself for a bill knocking on the door of £4K !!

Really!!? Blimey I was thinking half of that with a few years inflation 🫣

 

[Chuffer]

Really!!? Blimey I was thinking half of that with a few years inflation 🫣

Rising labour costs plus the dreaded VAT really bump things up unfortunately .

 

[Mad4slalom]

Looking at Mad's photos - good to see that someone else's "Battery" gauge shows bugger all like mine

Friday was Vette to the Vets day to pick up stuff.
View attachment 30770

Saturday I went to the SW Corvette Club meet at Strawberry Fields. First time going to the meet, and nice to meet everyone. About 160 odd miles round trip, Corvette didn't miss a beat. First time I've done long distance in ages, and forgotten how much it likes to drink fuel - full tank down to an indicated 1/4 tank left (I should look inside the tank to check properly).
View attachment 30771
View attachment 30772
View attachment 30773

Sunday I went off to Watchet, to errr... Watch It..... namely the Flying Scotsman passing through. No photos as I did a video. Which I can't be bothered to upload and link to here, so you'll just have to make choo choo noises and imagine the Flying Scotsman in your head

And that weekend of awesomeness was sponsored by my wife going away for the weekend and taking the child with her. Fun stuff gets done then!

Awwe! I nearly went but was drizzly down here so didnt bother! I often eonder if my gauge works as it hardly moves either. But I notice after winding motor over pre starting to build oil pressure that once i pump the gas pedal and she starts, then the gauge needle moves a fair bit to show it is charging.

 

[CaptainK]

Awwe! I nearly went but was drizzly down here so didnt bother! I often eonder if my gauge works as it hardly moves either. But I notice after winding motor over pre starting to build oil pressure that once i pump the gas pedal and she starts, then the gauge needle moves a fair bit to show it is charging.

I was hoping you'd come along so I could meet you. Hey hum. It takes around 1 hour 30 to get there from where I live. I left my place and it was a reasonable day, sun out etc. About 20 mins before I get to Strawberry Fields it absolutely chucks it down - queue first proper test of wipers since I installed electric wiper doors and had issues with my wiper override. Handily, it seems my wipers now work better than before - they actually have two speeds now (normal and fast) instead of the previous "slow". I suspect it was a bad earth that now has been fixed.

I suspect that chucking it down put a few people off. Even Rob, the SW meet organiser, decided to come in his Mustang instead because of the rain. After that little downpour it was all fine, and driving home it was really hot.

 

[Mad4slalom]

I was hoping you'd come along so I could meet you. Hey hum. It takes around 1 hour 30 to get there from where I live. I left my place and it was a reasonable day, sun out etc. About 20 mins before I get to Strawberry Fields it absolutely chucks it down - queue first proper test of wipers since I installed electric wiper doors and had issues with my wiper override. Handily, it seems my wipers now work better than before - they actually have two speeds now (normal and fast) instead of the previous "slow". I suspect it was a bad earth that now has been fixed.

I suspect that chucking it down put a few people off. Even Rob, the SW meet organiser, decided to come in his Mustang instead because of the rain. After that little downpour it was all fine, and driving home it was really hot.

Will try to make it next time if you are down. Your fuel figure sounded quite good compared to mine, never worked it out properly but gauge drops pretty quick , I am thinking 12 ish mpg cruising locally with a bit of mildly spirited thrown in the mix but never ragged , probably never revved it over 3250 to 3500.

 

[CaptainK]

Will try to make it next time if you are down. Your fuel figure sounded quite good compared to mine, never worked it out properly but gauge drops pretty quick , I am thinking 12 ish mpg cruising locally with a bit of mildly spirited thrown in the mix but never ragged , probably never revved it over 3250 to 3500.

As Rob will attest to, I can't make it most times. Hence my first time ever going to it, despite owning the Corvette for 9 years

I estimate my mpg on that run was about 16mpg. Its just a guess as I've not put fuel back in to see how much I've used. For my usual "bomb up and down the roads to give it an airing", I suspect its much lower. I'm not bothered, don't really use it enough to worry about fuel consumption. Does slightly put me off going long distance in it, that and the sidpipes are loud. I love them for my usual short range journeys, but long distance can get tedious.

 

[Chuffer]

I know what I won`t be doing today or tomorrow either , and that is venturing out of our village due to the close proximity of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone . The locals are well used to the whole of South Northamptonshire being a` No Go` area during Grand Prix weekend but this year has hit a new high has they have made it a 4 day event celebrating 75 years of the British Grand Prix with nearly half a million people expected . That`s equivalent to the entire population of the city of Coventry moving in for the weekend ! The two main supermarkets in the nearby market town of Towcester get stripped bare every year as if a swarm of locusts have passed through .
When we first moved to the village 26 years , helicopters were in action more than in the Vietnam War with anyone with peace of flat land larger than a handkerchief renting it out for flightsto the circuit . The authorities clamped down on that and now anyone with a spare car park or field is operating Park & Ride to the circuit and camping or glamping sites popping up all over the place . As early as 8.00 am on Wednesday morning it took me 40 minutes to make the normal 10 minute drive as the A43 was jammed up solid necessitating a lengthy detour through narrow country lanes to get back home . At least it brings £ millions into the local economy every year . Really can`t get excited about F1 though ! GT and Corvette racing is a different thing entirely .

 

[CaptainK]

Over the long weekend I had family down for the child's christening.

On Tuesday a bunch of us also went on the Flying Scotsman on the West Somerset Railway. You've all seen the Flying Scotsman before, so I won't bother uploading photos. Good fun day out and also the child's first time on a full sized train..... and he was asleep most of the time on it . When awake, he enjoyed looking out the windows.

 

[Chuffer]

Over the long weekend I had family down for the child's christening.

On Tuesday a bunch of us also went on the Flying Scotsman on the West Somerset Railway. You've all seen the Flying Scotsman before, so I won't bother uploading photos. Good fun day out and also the child's first time on a full sized train..... and he was asleep most of the time on it . When awake, he enjoyed looking out the windows.

`Little Man` must have been the only one asleep as the whole world seems to go mad at the mere mention of the much hyped `Flying Scotsman ` as the " worlds most famous steam locomotive " !! It nearly bankrupted its three previous owners and the National Railway Museum who now owns it went vastly over budget by several £ Millions with its last major overhaul so the publicity machine really needs to keep promoting it and generating lots of operating and hire fees fees both on Heritage Railways and on main line charter trains . Good to hear you had a great time , some piccies would be great .

 

[CaptainK]

Good to hear you had a great time , some piccies would be great .

Oh ok, as its you. I'll poorly edit some photos so the child isn't in them . All taken at Minehead as there was a rush on at Bishops Lydeard for some reason, so couldn't take photos.

My mum bought the wooden "Flying Scotsman" at the event for her other grandson (my nephew, obviously), so it seemed fair to take photos of it with the real one:



My mug ruining a good photo:


Mum and I with Odney Manor and 9351 and diesel photobombing in the window:


Mum and my wife with the aptly named "Lady of Legend", which of course both of them are:

 

[antijam]

Saw this at a local car show today......

'50's Chevy Bel Air, Old Glory up the flagpole, laden car hop tray on the window (when did you last see one of those?).....Fabulous!!

 

[teamzr1]

Uggh,

Just reminds me in the late 1960s I had a 1957 with the vertical wings and I hated it in the Chicago winters
as designed, engine would freeze up and would not even turn over
Had to install a heater into the lower radiator hose and have a very long electrical cord to plug into :-(

I did drag race it a lot but had to rid that 3 on the tree on column and installed a Hurst manual shifter on the center hump

 

[Chevrolet]

Skimmed thru 3 videos on YouTube of days 1-3 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (30 hours worth) in about 30 minutes:

Damon Hill going "up the hill" at Goodwood in his Dads 62 BRM:

Damon Hill on Instagram

36K likes, 271 comments - 96f1champ on July 10, 2025

www.instagram.com

 

[Nassau65]

A friends dad who still alive and still into cars bought one brand new in 1957. A black convertible with red interior. Kept it for a couple of years then traded it for a 1959 impala convertible.
Still likes his rag tops he’s got a Cadillac XLR.