The Dark Wob

Looking better without all that crap stuck to it. Just needs proper plates and some revolution four spokes.

Will it be ready in time for the next all cortina banger meeting?

A lot of that stick on shit is worth strong money, especially the rear spoiler if it’s a genuineRS one for a Cortina rather than a cut down Granada one.is that a genuine 4 spoke RS wheel too?
What did it start life as ? The 2.0 S badge, mk5Ghia seats and door tops are betrayed somewhat by the lack of a revcounter and sunroof.
I’m guessing 1.6 L or maybe 2.0 GL if it’s always had a two litre engine.
Whatever, that’s very well bought at £1500.

Not much car related stuff going on at the moment but in the last month I sold my Niva.

RJC_6610 by srblythe, on Flickr

It was in decent condition and drove well for a Niva but I just found it uncomfortable to drive most of the time so it had to go.

I also sold my Jetta.

Jetta by srblythe, on Flickr

Yesterday I sold one of by Subarus

IMG_20200721_103929277 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200721_103944544 by srblythe, on Flickr

I'd bought it last year with intentions of doing something with it but just never seemed to find the time or motivation to get on with it.

IMG_20200721_132241239 by srblythe, on Flickr

I've been driving the Cortina daily, it really is a pile of shit! It makes the 305 feel like a luxury car in comparison, it's smooth, fast and handles better than the Cortina...

DSC_0046 by srblythe, on Flickr

The mot is due to run out on the 305 shortly and may need some work to get it through the next one so I bought a modern diesel to use while that's being done...

117444809_1976493992484336_570602292400940686_o by srblythe, on Flickr

A mk3 Golf TDI estate with 11 months mot, it's a bit of a shed and isn't as nice to drive as a 305 but it still beats a Cortina!

Next on the chopping block is a pair of Lada Rivas, I had intended on building one decent car from the pair but again haven't managed to get around to doing much with them so will be letting them go.

RJC_6868 by srblythe, on Flickr

RJC_6870 by srblythe, on Flickr

RJC_6862 by srblythe, on Flickr

RJC_6856 by srblythe, on Flickr

RJC_6850 by srblythe, on Flickr


The Riva estate I sold a while ago has really started to rust, the current owner put it up for sale then decided to bring it here to have a new wing fitted which should have been done in a day but has ended up sat here for around a month.

IMG_20200719_143307990 by srblythe, on Flickr

Various bits under the wing needed repaired/rebuilt so what I thought was going to be a quick welding job has turned into a weldathon.

IMG_20200719_133048447 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200719_135146425 by srblythe, on Flickr

The other side was worse...

IMG_20200719_135047836 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200719_134703334 by srblythe, on Flickr

The sill, jacking point and chassis leg just kinda fell off and they had already been replaced a few years ago.

IMG_20200808_140304234 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200808_140604866 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200808_153831718 by srblythe, on Flickr

Luckily I had a repair panel already which saved a bit of time.

IMG_20200808_175939557 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200808_180413097 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200808_205042349 by srblythe, on Flickr

IMG_20200808_205809175 by srblythe, on Flickr

Not my best work but the owner is just wanting it done well enough to pass an mot and isn't really wanting to pay much for the work.

A coat of underseal will hide all of the pigeon shit nicely...

Volvo by srblythe, on Flickr

Volvo by srblythe, on Flickr

I should be away to look at this today, I've offered a swap for my Cortina and they seem interested...

That 144 looks lovely.

That does look a nice ovlov.

I'm confused by the idea of building a nice Lada though, they are shit in good condition.

I just meant building a decent running car but like you say they are fucking shit so there's probably not much point in wasting the time and effort in doing so just to have a crap car that I find awkward to drive at the end of it.

Looking at the cars I sold recently I didn't do too badly with regards to selling them for more than I paid, the Jetta I bought for £750 and sold for £1k, the Niva I bought for £1k and sold for £2250, the Subaru I bought for £400 and sold for £1300.
The Ladas owe me around £1300 for the pair which I'm expecting to take a hit on really, I had the enthusiasm for them when I bought them but have since lost any motivation to sort them out.

One of the benefits of ageing is that you no longer give two fucks what anybody else thinks. So with that in mind, if you can come out of that Dagenham Dustbin for what appears to be rather a lush looking proper-face Volvo I would consider that a major landmark victory.

It is nice to see old Concertinas being cherished and driven but my god they are fucking shit. How Ford managed to offload so many for so long will always puzzle me until I draw my last breath.

Perhaps the only period in my life - the late 70s/very early 80s - when I had access to a car park full of Peugeot 504s, Mk1/2 Cavaliers, FWD Chryslers, RWD Fiats and even Granadas and Montegos gave me the opportunity to drive pretty much all the available mid-range mid-price saloons of the time.

The Cortinas were beyond doubt inferior to them all. They just felt fucked even when brand new. MkIIIs as well. I once borrowed a cut and shut Avenger estate with more miles than that Yank's P1800 Volvo and that drove better than a Cortina......