Cret

Couldn't say for sure but something tells me they might have been driving it maybe?

Nah, quiet one in tonight with a few brewskis. Have a top one if you're out mate! Sweet.

DUUUUUUUUDE!!!!

<< then the beast wakes and she cries, needs feeding all the time, paps her nappy (dont ask, give me a boy to change any day) pisses on my hand whilst I am changing her, pooh up the fingernails. I am sure you get my drift. >> Dude, no! Far too much detail. Some of us would rather just remain blissfully ignorant until we get to that stage ourselves! Not sweet! Still, rather you than me. Hee hee!

Good god they must be competing as there's already at least one MX5 with one of those gruesome Fisher-Price/Meccano spoilers. It also has neons beneath it, a big tailpipe, and I'm sorry to tell you all but in addition it's got those grim 'tyreflies' valve caps that flash. I'd rather sit inside my dead subaru making pretend engine noises than actually go in one of those and risk being seen!

One rather suspects it's what's known as an 'April fool' Jon.

No that was me with a high power rifle on top of one of the offices, picking off seagulls.

Nice to meet you (and everyone else) as well. Hope I didn't appear to be too unsociable or quiet, just I was pretty exhausted I'm afraid! Maybe that's where the exhaust flames come from on the type 57 - beanz power!

Maybe that's what Frankie means when she says 'giving it beans'!

Just the delivery of some peoples' meals was somewhat tardy shall we say. A most enjoyable trip out though. Interesting to see some of the quality mods on display too...... Type 57

Not entirely sure about the food as I think half of it never actually turned up!

A pleasant day for sure - thanks for organising it Richard, and cheers for the lift too! Nice to meet everyone else and put some faces to names at last.

Well, I'm going to be the one at lunchtime later today, with my thumb hanging out looking for a lift! Probably with a headache too!

Ha ha! I think the rally is on today as well isn't it?

High noon it is then! (Is that some connection with the cowboy boots?). I'll be the one emerging from the cow fur interior, scruffy looking V8 scoob (range rover).

Diamond geezer - cheers Nick! Can you either post on here when you know or possibly text/call me on 463787? Muchos gratias! Richard very kindly offered if I'm stuck but I'm not sure how many people are already going with him. And 70mph is fine mate, it'll just be nice to be in a scoob that runs!

Hmmm, it's looking like I'm in the market for scrounging a lift again on Sunday if anyone is able to help?

<< Still dont know if I will be there yet as you may have read just had a new delivery today But, Sunday is my 32nd so I reckon I am entitled to get lashed. We will see in the next day or two. Would be a shame to miss it as there seems to be a good few attending. >> Congratulations dude! Hope all is well with all concerned. And if it's your birthday of course you have to come out & join the merry throng!

Much obliged for the offers chaps - ta very much indeedy! I'm more than happy to go with anyone so whoever I'm imposing on the least really?! Can at least get my sorry backside to & from the grandstand so I don't have to be collected/dropped off anywhere!

Right, I'm going to do what work I can on engine removing on Saturday so that I can actually enjoy Sunday and come out with you guys for once! Provisionally you can count me in although I've a general scrounge to attempt first: Is there some kind soul who'd be able to scoobify me from the Grandstand up to Ramsey & back again? I'd be dead grateful if anyone is able to? Thanks!

Well it was a good distance from the 'Eagle's nest' up here but one of the characters that got out did look a bit shifty.....

Cheers guys. I'm sort of looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. I like doing my own repairs but I don't like the bloodied knuckles, frozen hands, dirt in the eyes, backache malarky that goes with it all! I was planning on getting started yesterday and went down to my mum's to get cracking but she had a list of things she wanted a hand with and it was mothers day after all! I expect I'll just go down there when I get the chance and do as much as I can whilst I'm there. After reading that guide I'm no longer scared anyway and at least I can see how far I'm progressing at each step. Hopefully the downpipe should be not too bad to remove from the turbo as well seeing as it hasn't been on for more than a couple months or so. Nick I reckon when it comes to engine/gearbox separation I'll get my lil brother to lend a hand. He's quite a big galoot and used to doing that sort of thing for a living but with trucks! Cheers for the offer Jon - much obliged mate! If you happen to be over whilst I'm in the middle of the job then I might take you up on that if you're not otherwise engaged.

Well, it's time to get my rotund backside into gear and whip the engine out of the rover so I can get it sorted and back in action as soon as I can. I've been told by someone I know that they're not too bad engines to remove even though they look a bit daunting, and I've had engines out of cars before so I'm not a complete moron when it comes to the spanners. Have managed to find the following explanation of what stuff needs undoing in order to remove EJ20 and it seems fairly reasonable to me but just wanted to see if anyone who's had to endure the process can add anything obvious not mentioned here, or any tips that can prevent any unnecessary blood, sweat & tears as I'm sure there'll be enough of those anyway!! See what you think anyway - all comments appreciated! << It's very straight-forward. Get under there and remove the exhaust headers, the lower transmission bolts, before you have to roll around in coolant/oil (I've never had a clean pull before... whoever designed the spigot for radiator draining should be shot). Also back the transmission mount nuts off the mount studs to the ends. You don't need a lot of room, but you don't want to just flex it either. Drain the coolant. I like pulling the lower radiator hose off the thermostat until thats done, then pull the thermostat off as well to get the remainder out. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. Disconnect and relocate the electrical harness from the battery to the alternator out of the way (leave it on the battery, just tuck the loose end somewhere). Disconnect the engine harness from the rear pass. corner of the motor. Remove the intake tract and pitch stop mount. Note, this is all assuming you're bright enough to realize what you need to remove from the turbo setup first. Disconnect the starter wires. Disconnect the vacuum lines for the brake booster and the cruise control. Disconnect the throttle cable and cruise control cable from the throttle body. Coolant should be completely empty by now, so remove the top radiator hose. Remove the coolant overflow tank, the radiator fans (plugs on the bottom, don't forget to reconnect them when reinstalled!), and I like removing the radiator for even that much more room. Remove the 2 engine belts, and proceed to remove the power steering and AC bolts (some are tough to get to, but they should all be accessible). Flop the PS and AC to the sides and out of the way, maybe hold them with a bungee cord. Remove the rest of the trans bolts. NOTE: Automatic transmissions will require the removal of the flex plate bolts before pulling the motor. I don't know a whole lot about them, but I know there is an extra step or two in there for the torque converter. Everything should be free at this point. Hook the hoist up to the motor and start lifting the engine a bit. When you see the motor actually lifting off the crossmember, you will need to get a floor jack under the transmission and support it as well. You do NOT want to bend the studs or pins on the back of the block. Slowly lift both until the engine mounts are clear the crossmember and make sure there isn't a whole lot of tension between the motor and trans by keeping them even in the lifting process. At this point you just need to slide the motor forward until it seperates from the trans. You may get some binding and need to argue with it a bit (wiggle the motor, I have seen people use a screwdriver between engine and trans, but I cringe every time. Should be fine, but I just don't like forcing some things). Eventually you will seperate them enough and be able to lift the motor fully out of the engine compartment and over the radiator support & front end. Congrats, reverse the process to reinstall, and double-check all fluid line connections before filling, and that everything is filled before starting. >> Only thing I could see missing from here was mention of undoing the actual engine mounts but apart from that can anyone suggest any other things I ought to do? Ta very much.

Strange Rover is what it says across the back of the V8 tank. Buggerlugs there spotted me t'other night in it! At least with new members on here it'll lessen the damage slightly of all these deserters!

<< As Strange Rover said "The more the merrier". >>