spenaroo

yeah, I think its at a point now where I can drive it for a while, enjoy it and then when she starts smoking or the oil turns to milkshake ill get the head rebuilt. still not sure whether or not to use lead additive. I throw it in anyway just to be safe. but have been told that it should be fine without if running on 98. still need to figure out what to do about the front end. originally was going to de-bumper it. but now I've found the "custom" valance I'm thinking fiberglass Sebring style front end

your right it does have a chain. just remember him telling me it had a broken tooth. its also had the mechanical fuel pump taken off and a block-off plate fitted - so could have a different cam in it (one reason to do that) idling hot oil pressure is 40psi, which seems normal on the midget 1500 Facebook page. cold start the oil level is 60-80psi. it does burn oil. normally top it up 250-500ml every half tank or so. using the Penrite classic light oil (20w60)- as it has the zinc additives, little thicker then the 20w50 originally spec'd

had a leaakdown test done last week as part of the carby drama, the rear cylinder is lower then the rest, I suspect its valves. story is the pitons and rings were done with the bottom end. but he just slapped the head on to sell it. (I found the owner previous to the guy who I got it from, and he sold it with the engine not running with a broken timing gear) hopefully the crud is from the radiator... which opens up more questions. there is one place this car has rust. the front valance and bumper mounts. but here is where it gets interesting. normally they look like this: mine has been changer to this:

so a bit of work has been done. for some reason the coolant temperature gauge stopped working. its a combination gauge with the oil pressure and about $500 to replace. its also a gas filled sensor that is attached to the gauge in one piece so my solution was to by another mechanical gauge and put it where the clock was. leaving the original to keep reading the oil pressure. the mechanic had advised a coolant flush was needed... and the coolant that flowed out when I swapped the sensors was a concerning dirty water look. so that was the next job. figured I would do thermostat too as it was taking a bit of time to warm up and was sitting around 70 degrees - thought it may have had the thermostat removed off to supercheap and grabbed the cheapest $20 coolant - 1st time the clerk had actually had a customer, where that was the correct coolant for the car. well ill let the picture do the talking. much worse then expected, glad I did it now instead of waiting till winter. hopefully prevents further corrosion all running nice now, warms up a little quicker and is now sitting in the 75-80 degree mark. (turned out it had the same 77 degree thermostat in it, but replaced it with the new one anyway)

WW2 started with bi-planes and ended with jets, war certainly speeds up innovation and progress

I agree, accept the current mortgage rate is about 7%

interest rates, were a huge factor in my loan application difficulty, as was the increased cost of living expenses, had to re-do all my workings out and budgets rates doubled compared to when I got a loan 18 months ago, which has to be stress tested at a few percent over, plus the banks are getting out of owner occupier loans... CBA chief financial officer Alan Docherty said during a market briefing webcast (14 February) that the major bank has made a choice to “not participate in unprofitable mortgage lending” which shows up in the “divergence between balance share and revenue share over the past year”. After the release of the financial results, the Commonwealth Bank chief executive, Matt Comyn, said the lender was not leading pricing activity in the sector. “We have made very deliberate choices about where to compete and how best to,” Comyn told analysts. The bank revealed its home loan book balance shrunk by $2bn in the most recent six-month reporting period because it was taking a “disciplined approach to managing margins to deliver sustainable returns”. This occurred in the months after CBA wound back programs designed to entice customers, a posture that many of its peers then copied, leading to tepid competition in the mortgage market and a willingness by lenders to let customers go they deem higher risk or less profitable. “We’ve sought to particularly compete in some areas, obviously retention of our customer base and probably investor over owner-occupier – there are higher margins there,”

the street I lived on: our water supply for the week, delivered on the back of a ute: view from the hill: the market:

I agree, but bit different sending money from a wealthy country, compared to one that really needs outside support.

poverty and war will do that. they still don't have running water and power to most of Freetown (the capital) (I don't think much would have changed since i lived there in 2012?) there just isn't any money for infrastructure - to replace what was lost in the civil wars its changed my views on Immigration. Everyone seeks to move to a 1st world nation and then bring the family over. I cant blame them... but at the same time they have this recurring generational poverty because of it. as unfortunately anyone who is educated and in a position to make a difference - moves out the country. and then there is the Indians - coming over with the ability to create businesses, which sounds like it would be beneficial. but they send the money earnt back to India ripping it our of the country for further investment. and don't employ locals

Im buying because I need a place to live and its easier to get a loan then a rental (still not easy, I have a 40% deposit - and was almost knocked back) do I think the market is way over inflated - yes, definitely. do I see it as correcting any time soon - not a hope. which is why I bought knowing its likely 100k more then it should be reality is people are paying the prices because its what's needed to get a roof over head. and while there is vacancy rates of less them 1% and people lined up around the block at every open inspection - nothing will change. supply and demand Negative gearing isn't entirely my concern. the bigger thing is pension and means testing. so many retirees I know would like to downsize. but doing so puts them in a worse financial position. kids moved out, would rather an apartment or unit in walking distance to everything then a 4 bedroom house in the outer suburbs - but while the primary residence isn't means tested - the profit from sale would be. Surely the government should do what it can to assist the redistribution of existing homes, to help line up with the changing generations

Now, if only there was a way to use the "dead" pistons as an air pump to supercharge the other still running cylinders...

Yeah, at this time the priority is moving house next month. then building the shed. for about $500 I can get new drums rear and discs front. which is likely the option ill take. with it being bolt on and off. probably should do braided lines at the same time. the original lines need replacing too

Yeah, I believe the issue is with the adjustment screws. the whole brake system should be replaced, its on the list of future repairs.

My handbrake in the midget doesnt work. and the Amarok's I dont trust. have to yank it all the way up. but both are manual so I just part them in gear and heel toe on hill starts.

Going to make for an interesting MASH reboot "attention all, drones incoming" - cue theme music

I call BS on the engines, and being a dumping ground. the engines are the same regardless of the market. Australia is such a tiny market, its not worth a production line dedicated to our market. we just have different tuning in the ECU and maybe a different exhaust. believe it or not the power figures for the vehicles in Australia are higher then then those of Europe - because we don't have to lean out the mixtures to meet emissions. Ducati for the last 10 years has been constantly improving the engines in there bikes.... to keep the same power figures as the previous generation, as they have to continually choke them with emissions. so much improvement, but on the specs sheets its not shown. oh yeah, the improvement in engines is amazing. especially with the electronics and direct injection. however the turn-off cylinders, and start and stop devices kill engines. horrible for oil lubrication systems.

Walmart is similar, as is Masters most of the big retail chains are "family owned" in the USA as they go for greater qty sold at bottom dollar pricing

yeah, Africa was an experience that has helped me with my perspective immensely, been able to live comfortably and now buy a house where others immediately walk out as it doesn't have their "basics" Personally I would jump on this, happily take cheaper power to shed the air-con in high peak times. I've lived without one for a long time. and try to use it sparingly or at 24-25 degrees

Yeah, whenever I have looked into it, there has always been mention of the special blue grease that must be applied. quick google shows the same

Ill take it for a drive later and see how it feels. $500 for a set of brakes all around (disc and pads front, drums and shoes rear). ill replace them in a month or two once I've moved and got a shed. needed replacing anyway - had them adjusted when it was last in, and the mechanic reported glazing and adjuster screws faulty

I hope so, part of the reason I forgot the park brake is because it was rolling back when I got in it. it needs the rear brakes replaced anyway (faulty adjuster and glazed) was just trying to get a bit of use before I did it. left the brake off last night - I know applying the handbrake on hot discs while they cool can warp them. wasn't sure if it was the same with drums

well that turned expensive.... was meant to go in, get the carbys rebuilt. and come out the same day... stayed for almost two weeks. turned out that the carbys weren't getting enough fuel, despite flooding at idle. so new fuel pump (where it was discovered the old one was wired into the the coil) then the new pump wasn't sucking - so new fuel lines. still not running right, further inspection found the new distributor had play - so another new one put in. new choke cable and she is back in my hands, was running okay last night so took her to a meeting..... that unfortunately dragged on for much, much longer then expected. .... was Dark when I left, and trying to find all the switches and choke with no light - completely forgot about the handbrake and drove home with it on, could smell the rear drums burning when I parked. and also burning hot to touch. so upset with myself - worrying I've damaged something

boxing may well be the movements undoing - there is a lot of pushback for safety reasons. the physical difference is really highlighted and of course the general idea of men beating women to death is universally despised. problem with transgender - is you have the same issues with body difference, and I guarantee they will be asking for two categories...

Sierra Leone, Liberia off the top of my head. not sure if Ghana and Nigeria are 3rd world.