steering wheels and articles

[Roy of the Rovers]

Hi all, previously it was mentioned that an article had been submitted to the club regarding the new steering wheels. Where is it? Then we see in this edition of the mag that it is struggling for input from the members and we have to endure an article on an italian car show. (No disrespect meant to the writer as it was good but not about rovers!).

I would willingly submit articles but currently nothing is happening on my car. My opel manta is receiving the treatment at the moment and I can't afford to do work on both, it will have to wait until next year..

Mind you I had a go at louvering a spare bonnet from a P5 recently, I did it at the last day of my vehicle restoration course on this huge contraption. Is that of interest to members? Would probably take up about 5 lines of the magazine!

Someone must be doing something to their cars?!!!

[Deleted]

Polishing and driving it mainly...are you going to the pub next wednesday?

Ian

[Phil Nottingham]

I always doing something to my cars - the only problem is that others are or have done the same so its not really very exiting editorial.

For example this year on the 3 Litre Coupe I have swapped the very tired engine/autobox for a very good used one I have had for years on which I did a decoke and fitted lead free exhaust valves and rebuilt pump. I also tidied up the engine compartment and replaced a soggy subframe mounting and sheared engine mounts and rebushed the gear selector linkage and replaced leaking rear axle pinion seal. I got a brand new dizzy off Ebay at a bargin price to replace the badly worn one

I also made myself another job to replace the bonnet which the wind caught when it removed causing it to fall against the wall and dented it!!**** I also resealed some disk calipers (again) after the began to stick when hot.

On the P5B I have tidied this up so that Glens trim strips can be fitted - thsi entailed rebuliding the offside jacking point and sill + Wadhams bottom wing repair panel and serviced it. I also reset all the front steering linkages that the previous owners garage had messed up causing bad front tyre wear even though the tracking was spot on.


I still haer to get Di's Mini Traveller through its MOT although it looks OK this year, swap the corroded petrol tank on the Land Rover and service the P2.

In between this I am now at last doing the kitchen!

[dorsetflyer]

The problem writing any article is time. I'm out so much during the summer months just enjoying the cars, that sitting down to write an article is a no no, especially in this hot weather.
Winter time is for writing when there is nothing else to do.

You'll definitely be in Di's good books now if you have at last made a start on the kitchen Phil.

[Phil Nottingham]

I am past the point of no return as well so I have to finish it. Anyone want a retro 1970 kitchen in excellent condition? It will make me some good parts storage etc in the garage

[dorsetflyer]

Mine's also mid seventies style kitchen. However the cupboards are so much deeper than that available today and I intend to keep them. If I win some money (fat chance) I might get more modern doors made to fit. I've already replaced the worktops with a marbled effect (much lighter) so any knocks now fall on deaf ears. If it ain't broke I'm not going to fix it.

[Kev]

I too have written articles and never seen them in print, maybe just maybe because they were about modifications the "purist" police found them too offensive to publish.
Now ive just fitted a new set of rear shocks................but it's not exciting enough to write an article (or is it?)
I think we should adopt the COME ON ENGLAND slant and turn it into COME ON ROVER BOYS AND GIRLS GET WRITING
(hopefully with a much better result)
Big Kev.

[Phil Nottingham]

I suppose that's why the steering wheel article was never seen although I vaguley remember something if you mean Adrain Musto's conversion? It would really offend the purists! I would like to see all kinds of articles not just rally reports

[Roy of the Rovers]

Hopefully I'm wrong but if this kind of censorship is happening then that is reason enough to leave the club. I like rovers otherwise I wouldn't own one but for gods sake 100 identical p5s in a field is boring! Perhaps its time for a modifications section to the club magazine?

[Geoff Arthur]

I don't believe the editor is censoring anything. The club is not like that. If anyone writes a good article, I am sure it will be published. If it does not read well then hopefully it will not be forced upon us. Lets face it, they published one of my articles so there is hope for anyone! I have 2 P5Bs, one very original and nearly restored and one very heavily modified so I can use it all the time. Maybe 20 years ago the modified one would attract criticism but not now as it looks perfect and original externally and keeps the car out there in the public gaze. So no conspiracy theories please, just write some good articles that members will enjoy reading, submit them and they will get published. Geoff

[Phil Nottingham]

I doubt very much if the current editor would censor entire articles just because they show some mods as opposed keeping originality. After all unless the Editos has recently changed then he was "guilty" of modifying one of his cars quite drastically as were the last 2 editors

[Deleted]

I like all this stuff on steering wheels, I'm trying to remove one from a wreck (or is that wretch) I have, a MKIII, but can't find a suitable Allen key for those little screws. Any ideas anyone? thanks - roger

[RichardF]

I do believe that if you have done some work on your car it will be of interest to someone, particularly if it has not been covered in Take Five for some time. Additionally with these classics, a job never really goes to plan and the snags/problems encountered may help the next person when the solutions are quoted and described. Also, the manual can be confusing at times and so a personal description is best on many occasion.
I recently had my article published in Take Five relating to all the valve gear train; something that most owners will have already come across but, as said before, I came across innacurate diagnosis on my part, followed by "not the best" replacement parts and again followed by sod's law.
Prior to submitting my article for publication, I was acutely aware that the content may be boring to some but that if it helps just one P5 owner, job done!
So guys and gals, take the plunge, offer an article for publication - I feel sure that no matter what the topic - even changing shock absorbers, it will help someone.

Regards to all

Richard
Southampton

[Deleted]

The Allen key for mine came in a set of all sizes - IMPERIAL must be used though