No longer updating here for now. Take a look at my current travel blog at http://www.passthericeandbeans.blogspot.com

Yo,

Recently put my new Welder to use. When I was jacking up my Lancia, the Jacking point folded in to the car due to corrosion. The solution was to cut all the bad metal out and weld in new metal.





You can see that I cut it all the way back to the floor. This means I can weld to the floor in a similar way as the original metal was attached. To cut it out I did what I could with my angle grider, putting slices in the metal and pulling off the spot welded bits with plyers.

Next was to clean up the surrounding metal so it was easy to weld to.



I fabricated a new section from a bit new bit of steel. It was cut to size, and then the two edges were bent to 90 degrees with a length of about 7mm.

I didn't have a vice, so to bent the metal I clamped it between to other bits of steel and a bit of wood, then hammered it around the corner.





The section once it has been shaped.



I then placed the section where it would be welded to check the fit.



A wee bit more grinding to fit it in snuggly.



I then sprayed in some Zinc Weld Through Primer over the steel and onto the hole.



The section to be welded was clamped in place.



The welding was then done. This was my first time welding on a car, until now it was just scrap steel in the shed. Welding upside down was very difficult as the weld kept dripping onto the ground.

It's not pretty, but its solid.



I then ground the most blobby bits of the weld off and gave it all a coat of Zinc Primer.



And finally a coat of Hammerite, followed by some underseal.



This should now be good for the MOT. When I get a chance I will also pump some waxoyl in behind my new section for some extra protection.

So its done. It took me a long time, mostly in preperation but next time I have to do it, it should be easier with my experience. :)

Yo!

As Sarah is down staying with me at the moment we have been doing lots of fun things. Last week was Get Loaded in the Park.



This weekend we took my new Lancia on the London to Brighton run with the Lancia club.

There were about 125 other Lancias on the run. Most of the were much newer than mine, but we found a few other Betas.



The route started in Battersea Park, and took a nice scenic route through the South Downs and Devils Dyke to Brighton.

Yo,

Quick Update:


Recently went to Global Gathering with Sarah and Charles:



My Capri's water pump went, so I had to leave it in Scotland. I'll fix it when I'm up next. Needed a car in the mean time so I picked up a Lancia Beta HPE 2000IE for £230. Starting to get to like it too. Its the most modern car I've ever owned, even though its older than the Capri!



Me and Sarah are going to take it on the Lancia London to Brighton Run on Saturday the 2nd of September.

Yo,

Went to a Capri camping weekend a few weeks back. Gave me some ideas for what I need to do with my car:





So made a start by buying a welder:




And on a slightly sad note, i got my first UK speeding ticket for doing 53mph in a 30mph zone.

Yo,

Got my car running sweet now. Went to a show the other week with a bunch of other Capri's.



Been working in Manchester a bit recently, which is nice cos they put me up in the Radisson.

I've made a list of thinks which need doing to my Capri now, so here it is:

Mechanical
Prop Shaft
Wheel Bearings
Leaking Diff and Gear Box


Cosmetic
New bonnet (fibre glass)
Front wings (x-pack)
Rear Arches (?)
New Windscreen
New Drivers Door
Restore Pepper pots
New bumpers
Parcel Shelf
Foot well mats
Rear drivers side seat fold down switch
Seatbelt roll covers
New Gear Stick
Under bonnet sound proofing
White Dials
Blue Dash Lights
Recaro Seat Badges
Clean Engine Bay


Electrical
Rear Windscreen Wiper
Heater motor
Brighter headlights
Klaxon Horn

Yo,

Back in Reading now. Here's some fantastic pictures from Cafe del Mar in Ibiza:

Yo,

In Ibiza now. So far done Es Paradis twice, once for the Fiesta del Agua. Thinking about heading to Pacha tonight but not deicded yet.

Had some good beach time, some very nice dinners and driven all over the island. So far haven´t seen a fantastic sunset as it always seems to be cloudy at Cafe del Mar when the sun is setting. On the bright side, Sarah has relearnt to swim and drive on the right hand side of the road (although she just about smashed off the wing mirror).

Yo,

Leaving the hostel today, and going to stay in a hotel for our last night in Barcelona. Then its off to Ibiza tomorrow. This the highlite of today will be a visit to the museum of erotica. Yesterday we took a cable car ride and did a bit of shopping. Not looking forward to my Diners Club bill arrving.

Yo,

Had another exciting day in barcelona today. Went on the tour bus to the olympic stadium.





Went out last night to a club called Razzmataz and saw Josk Wink. Lots of mad dancing was had and lots of falling over too. When we got back to the hostel some jakie scumbags came up while we were opening the door, offering to sell us drugs. The got way to close and then an american guy who was in the street said "Hey man, he just took your wallet or something". I didn´t even notice but the guy had taken my camera. I started going through his pockets but he didnt have it. Sarah was trying to tell me that he had passed it to his affiliate scumbag, but i was too busy trying to push her back inside the hostel and holding the guy who had taken the camera to take notice.

When I realised the guy didnt have the camera I held him against the wall and shouted "Policia Policia" the american guy joined in too and this seemed to unnerve them. The camera got handed back to me and I hurled abuse at them as they walked away up the alley.

Tomorrow we are going to go to the aquarium, and then maybe climb the mountain in the city and take a cable car ride.

Adios