What have you done today
- Thread starter Mad4slalom
- Start date
Roscobbc
Moderator
I'm with on this Nassau - it helps perhaps to give one an 'appreciation' of other classic cars that perhaps you wouldn't otherwise give a second glance at.
And btw the most recent episode with the Citroen SM - did anyone else think the engine was overly 'noisy' - I thought it may have been down to the exhaust system blowing on the first fire-up......but the in-car footage seemed to sound very 'blowy'?
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
That`s why I gave up watching those types of programmes because the implausible and crass takes over to entertain the masses !! There have been occasional series purporting to be ` fly on the wall ` view on some of the UK`s heritage steam railways and I always end up cursing them for some of the inaccuracies and down right dumb things they come up with .
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
Haven’t seen the one with the SM. My friends mum had one new in the early 70’s. Jet black, looked so cool especially with that centring steering wheel. She had 2 x black Citroen’s and 2 Dalmatian dogs. She was also what’s now called a yummy mummy
Roscobbc
Moderator
Years ago my son ran a very scruffy diesel Xantia which was parked in the street due to all the derv etc that leaked out. He affectionately related to it as the Shitroen!Haven’t seen the one with the SM. My friends mum had one new in the early 70’s. Jet black, looked so cool especially with that centring steering wheel. She had 2 x black Citroen’s and 2 Dalmatian dogs. She was also what’s now called a yummy mummy
antijam
CCCUK Member
They've just done one on the Citroën DS.....and obviously for the benefit of watchers who might have missed the first programme, Fuzz was just as amazed at the complexity of the hydropneumatic system this time as he was with the SM. Actually almost everyone rabbits on about how 'alien' the Citroën system is - or rather was since it died with the C5 - but in reality it's no more difficult to work on than any other hydraulic system. Many years ago I had a GS Estate on which I ended up replacing most of the braking and suspension hydraulics myself. Interesting and educational.
At least with Car SOS they don't claim to have made a profit on the work - well they can't unless they charge for it, which we're led to believe they don't. That's a constant annoyance with Wheeler Dealers where at the end of the prog they itemise the spend in some detail before usually selling the car and 'making a profit'...ignoring the labour cost! OK, if you'd done the work they've shown you yourself you might have come to the same conclusion, but unless you put a value on your man-hours don't delude yourself that you're making money. Some years ago I restored a car at a cost of around £45k in parts and specialist services. All the disassembly overhaul and re-assembly was done by myself. I didn't keep a log of the hours I spent on the car over a period of 4 years, but they were considerable. On a good day with a following wind the market value of the car now might just match my spend. I don't begrudge my time or the cost, I enjoyed it. Some commercial enterprises may enjoy car restoration too, but they'll only stay in business if they charge their hours, at anything from around £50/hour to £150/hour and more depending on the complexity of the work.
One program where they can generally be guaranteed to make a thumping loss on car restoration is the spin-off from Bangers and Cash - Restoring Classics. The team buy the car at auction, pay to have the resto work done professionally and then auction it again to recoup the cost. Fat chance! At least it emphasises just how unlikely it is for anyone to recover their costs, never mind make money, by buying a banger and paying to have it restored.
At least with Car SOS they don't claim to have made a profit on the work - well they can't unless they charge for it, which we're led to believe they don't. That's a constant annoyance with Wheeler Dealers where at the end of the prog they itemise the spend in some detail before usually selling the car and 'making a profit'...ignoring the labour cost! OK, if you'd done the work they've shown you yourself you might have come to the same conclusion, but unless you put a value on your man-hours don't delude yourself that you're making money. Some years ago I restored a car at a cost of around £45k in parts and specialist services. All the disassembly overhaul and re-assembly was done by myself. I didn't keep a log of the hours I spent on the car over a period of 4 years, but they were considerable. On a good day with a following wind the market value of the car now might just match my spend. I don't begrudge my time or the cost, I enjoyed it. Some commercial enterprises may enjoy car restoration too, but they'll only stay in business if they charge their hours, at anything from around £50/hour to £150/hour and more depending on the complexity of the work.
One program where they can generally be guaranteed to make a thumping loss on car restoration is the spin-off from Bangers and Cash - Restoring Classics. The team buy the car at auction, pay to have the resto work done professionally and then auction it again to recoup the cost. Fat chance! At least it emphasises just how unlikely it is for anyone to recover their costs, never mind make money, by buying a banger and paying to have it restored.
CaptainK
CCCUK Member
Agreed. It'd be much better if they ditched that bit and did more on the resto.
Roscobbc
Moderator
People might mock the 'supposed' complexity of Citroen hydraulic suspension - I had new GS as a company car back in the day, a bright yellow thing. OHC Flat 4, only 1200 cc and you had to rev the nuts off it to get anywhere (with corresponding rubbish mpg) - that only had the 'pumped' disc brakes. 4 wheel discs in the 70's.almost unheard off on a family car. Brakes were the equal of any other car I've owned.......very sensitive and actually a button much like a old fashioned floor mounted dip switch.....so no pedal travel as such......as said above......very sensitive.
The point was was going to allude to it that Citroen's hydraulic was licensed by Rolls Royce and considered good enough to use on the Silver Shadows and later cars for the self levelling suspension (but not as a springing medium) and power assistance for the brakes. RR's of the day were unusual for having dual calipers on each front wheels and two back-up braking systems.
Citroen were way ahead of any other car manufacturer right up to the 90's.I recall driving their big saloon back then - soft enough springing to be a really nice ride - yet would 'sense' in microseconds a change of steering direction and stiffen-up one side of other of the suspension when going around bends/corners making them 'handling' cars too. A brand never really understood!
The point was was going to allude to it that Citroen's hydraulic was licensed by Rolls Royce and considered good enough to use on the Silver Shadows and later cars for the self levelling suspension (but not as a springing medium) and power assistance for the brakes. RR's of the day were unusual for having dual calipers on each front wheels and two back-up braking systems.
Citroen were way ahead of any other car manufacturer right up to the 90's.I recall driving their big saloon back then - soft enough springing to be a really nice ride - yet would 'sense' in microseconds a change of steering direction and stiffen-up one side of other of the suspension when going around bends/corners making them 'handling' cars too. A brand never really understood!
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Not with me reading the instructions it won`t !If you get your act together it could be the fastest resto ever!
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
It`s hardly likely to be perfect considering it`s made of plastic blocks !!!
Chevrolet
CCCUK Member
What's Gromit sayin' about it?
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
He thinks it`s a fine how do ya do Wallace !What's Gromit sayin' about it?
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
Didn’t realise it was a Lego model. I’ll have to get one for my niece’s boy, he’s absolutely Lego Mad.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
It would certainly keep him occupied with 1210 pieces and 1 foot long .But it is a bit complex for a child like all the large scale Lego kits are . The instructions are schematic only and require close scrutiny as the build progresses .
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
He’s well into his Lego, he’s just finished the Galaxy thingy that they do, so he should be OK.