Jim Christie

I thought swallows carried coconuts... 🤔

Third.

It kicked ass on the diesel 159 Sportwagon, and continues to do so on the straight six Triumph 👍

Had it got stuck? The fuel cap release in Mrs C's TT was always sticking and needed a new solenoid in the end...

I think now the go-to for fans is Revotec

[ ...confidently says the man who still has the power-sapping mechanical fan on his Triumph ]

Goodbye, old friend. It's been a blast... 😢

#weirdcarbs #alfaromeo #sportwagon

I had a lecturor at university who would do something similar - only it was "Mmmn? Ok?" on the end of every sentence.

We did, inevitably as late teen boys, take the piss.

Picture shows an Alpine 290 electric vehicle, in Martini livery with matching wheels.

Seen while registering mum's death today. Someone is doing EV-ing right by not buying a breeze block on wheels 👍

#weirdcarbs #carbluesky #alpine #renault

I'm just waiting for Brave Sir Robin to make an appearance.

a group of knights are standing next to each other with the words we have the holy hand grenade Alt: Taken from Monty Python's Holy Grail film, shows a group of knights are standing next to each other with the words we have the holy hand grenade

Its like they pulled a pin on a grenade, then dropped it right at their own feet...

🤔 Or me...

Range based on average economy, most likely. As you've driven, your average economy has improved, so its revised the likely range you could get if you continue driving that way 👍

Or... it's messing with you and will plummet like a stone the moment your back is turned 🤣

I was quite surprised to see it, to be fair.

What is not surprising, perhaps, is that it was blocking traffic at a junction.

There's a Waymo car already in London - seen it out and about in the (relatively) narrow streets of Acton on sunday while visiting The Son.

For the first time in a while, I'm selling some stuff on eBay.

What the chuff is this simple delivery bullshit being forced on me?

Why can't I choose my own shipping options and not have eBay foist their rubbish on me, essentially making me pay twice if I want my own, better, choice?! 🤯

When I posted this, some 7 months ago, I was - sort of - joking about the 159's clearcoat, which was in early stages of failure.

Not any more. It's actively abandoning ship every time the car gets wet.

This was earlier, as I was rinsing winter dirt off in advance of a proper clean 😬

Our local Ikea and its associated car park is the sort of place I either go to first thing on a Sunday morning, last thing in the evening before they shut or simply not at all.

It is some sort of strange hell. Thoughts and prayers!

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There are more pics of the build on my Instagram if you wanted to use them as a reference : www.instagram.com/the.crust?ig...

Scrap intake, with throttle spindle removed and blanked with short M10 bolt.

58mm Lotus / MG TF throttle body mounted to 6mm steel plate welded to an adapter made to fit to the PI air trunk. The air temp sensor can be seen let into the trunk behind it.

Scrap intake mechanical injector ports drilled out to 14mm to take Bosch EV6 injectors from a Ford Focus (210cc / min flow rate). They are fed by a Fred Millturn custom fuel rail.

Detail of adapter for the throttle body to fit it to the original PI air trunk.

I used a scrap set of intakes and removed the throttle spindles and butterflies from them, blanked off the holes left behind and used a single throttle body mounted on an adapter plate.

Fuel setup was Bosch EV6 injectors and custom fuel rail in place of Lucas mechanical injectors.

Megasquirt on the PI ["Periodically Immobile" 🤣 Can I steal that...? ] is a really nice modification.

It has started on the button every time so far, drives really nicely and *doesn't* foul its own sparkplugs anymore 👍

Ah... the CVH.

The CVH used to eat valve stem oil seals for fun and, if not serviced religiously, I seem to remember they suffered oil pump problems and used to block their own tappets up with gunge 🤔

Don't get too comfortable - there's a grey and wet summer ahead of us to prevent us getting our fragile, easy-to-rust playthings out of their respective garages... 🤣

Who knows? The FB owners groups I on seem to think a late-model sportwagon is ITRO £2500 but I think that's... optimistic... given its mileage and overall condition, even with near-full MOT.

WBAC suggested a down-to-earth £800 which felt vaguely insulting despite the gearbox whines 🤣

🤔 "Joy" is possibly doing some very heavy lifting there - they're just nice leather seats - but I appreciate the sentiment! 😊👍

I'm more exchanging mine for another 🤣

As said, Dort's moving - and not taking her 2018 1.3 JTDm Mito because nobody who lives in London seems to want to drive there.

I've done the dad thing and offered to look after it while she's scratching her London itch - but can't keep and run all 3 cars.

Fraid so 🙁

Am at risk of losing the garage the PI is in, so I need the space.

if I sold Dort's Mito, given I'm only a temporary(-permanent) custodian and she's just paid the finance off on it, she would have... opinions.

The 159 has served its purpose well, time to let it go on a high 👍

Photo shows my 2011/61 Alfa 159 Sportwagon, freshly cleaned, sometime in 2025. It's not this clean now due to winter crud and another year's use has taken its toll on the paintwork. But it's still a stunning car from 20 feet. In the dark.

Photo shows my 2011/61 Alfa 159 Sportwagon from the rear. It's not perfect by any means, but I've loved owning it for the last 11 years or so.

The good:
'11/61 2.0 JTDm Lusso sportwagon
165,000 miles
White with tan leather
MOT till 14th Feb 2027
FSH, stamped book, lots of receipts.

The bad:
Slight oil leak
Gearbox whine in 3rd & 4th
Lacquer coat failed in places
Scratches
OSR sill welded Jan25 due to stonechip rusting through
Not ULEZ.

So, #WeirdCarBS, I think its time to move the #AlfaRomeo 159 Sportwagon on.

Dort is moving to london in weeks and leaving me her 2018 Mito to use.

I can't store both and given the 159 is older and rougher around the edges, it makes more sense to pass it on.

Any interest here before I eBay it?

Kittens snoozing in 4 pictures

#caturday
#CatsofBlueSky

Picture shows a small bottle of Dowr whisky from the Rosemullion Distillery.

Tonight's tipple is a malt whisky called Dowr from the Rosemullion Distillery in Cornwall - picked this little gem up from the British Shooting Show at the NEC earlier today.

It's very nice.

And mine 👍 Got a few little jobs to do on the Triumph first though...