difflock

I prefer automatics, because for towing work, there is no clutch to abuse, clutch abuse by others that is. But also even for someone as adept with a clutch as myself, a proper TQ Automatic is simply SO much better than a manual/clutch. And it should be entirely possible to build an unburstable/unbrakeable TQ automatic, with suitable periodic filter/fluid changes every 50 thou miles or so. I.e. stuff the "sealed for life" shite.

It seems "they" are looking at a soon to be redundant MB factory in France, adjacent or near to the Saarland, I cannot but wonder that if they perhaps switched to buying MB engines/transmissions, that MB might adjust the selling price accordingly. We could end up with another other "G" Wagen clone begod! see linky; Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos mulls making Land Rover rival in France UK.FINANCE.YAHOO.COM Sir Jim Ratcliffe could ditch plans to build a new off-road vehicle in the UK after beginning talks over a factory in France. His company, Ineos Automotive, is in discussions with...

I attempted to book a car, that I bought in England and drove back late last year, in for MOT here in NI. Bollocks to that, per the NI website, you get an automatic years free MOT, but NO written notification. Except I am reasonable sure, from past experience, that because this car is still on English plates(though taxed here in NI on my return) that my car will not be known to the NI MOT system. So I wont be getting the automatic 12 month extension. And the ph number provided on their Covid update page rings and rings and rings and rings, and rings unanswered. Not that it bothers me, but still.

Practise obviously helps perfect execution. Impressive work that is.

I, at 60+ have ruefully learned to digest the proclamations of "professionals" with a very large pinch of salt. Especially if they are driven by publicity and glory. My intuitive take on it back about Christmas time was that the first action should have been to suspend international air travel and all large venue public events. First. Then shut down other non essential gatherings like pubs and hair salons. And "social distancing" in other respects. And get on with life. Btw, our daughter working in a hospital with Covid paitents, including 12 hr shifts in IC, has recently tested clear.

Fyuck! Wish I could have attended. Sigh.

Is Ikea going to be selling them . . .

Ah found out, a bit late in the day mind, that wor pubs was open today. Sigh.

We got a lift in a rather nice MB Vario based people carrier. The driver was driving well sharpish. I asked him about the lower van speed limit. He said the cameras only triggered at car limit speeds. Ergo he was all right. But a driver in work got done in a van, by a camera van

I could be offended on their behalf if you like Gary, such irrational behavouir being all the rage at the mo.

Tis only a "wee" tractor, guessing 4 tonne ish?, and the rotovator/stone burier somewhere between 500kg and another tonne(guessing again), plus the trailer itself, the whole lot 5 to 6 tonne? But I am perplexed as to why not drive the yoke down the road, which implies it was a longer run, which makes it way worse. Nicely balanced and well strapped down mind!

The previously thriving Peach tree died this spring, it looked like some sort of club root disease when I oh so easily and effortlessly finally pulled it out of the ground, very dissapointed seeing as this past 2 years it had been doing so well. But da da, wor first grapes, near ripe too, since I tried one yesterday. I confess that I am too lazy or disorganised to garden or grow vegetables, some day perhaps . . .

Ah fink ye meant tay say "Topless Tranny", since cabriolet is much too posh a wurd to be associated wit owt like a Transit van. I would like to post a pic of a topless tranny, but the internet might well misunderstand my intent.

Ah! indeed, re the weight/tyres/price Btw, see link G-Wagen Register - Login GWAGENREGISTER.COM Gavin knows EVERYBODY with a G Wagen.

My 461 is 3500Kg and some of the fleet Sussex FB bought at the same time were, I believe rated higher. That Singapore import is an extra long wheelbase too(or so I imagine from the image) and likely as part of a larger fleet, possibly all with the same basic spec. Possibly/probably to allow for the correctly destributed heavy fire-fighting equipment et al on the chassis? Gibber mutter 'n twitch

Poverty! 'ee lad when ah were a lad Proper Luxury that be.

A wile lot depends on what engine is fitted, if a 461(and most probably) it could be no wile ball o fire, even my 1997 is only 120HP, and the earlier ones were less(no intercooler etc etc) IF it is even a 5 pot, the various militaries being fond of the rather weedy 4 pots. But BF Goodrich AT tyres should only be £150.00 per corner. But a corking looking truck. mth Get it from the horses mouth, see link below. G-Wagen Register - Index page GWAGENREGISTER.COM

The daughter took this, this morning.

Excellent! Send it straight to the BBC/Guardian for their onward propogation.

An Aeriel Atom or sommat similar would be my dream toy, cept we got nowhere to use it safely(i.e. track days) and I never was much good at spotting hairdrying plod on the public highway.

Mind you from a quick inspection(like the base with the notches for a suspended on a chain support=clever) the one at £420.00 has loads of well engineered features built in, but the price is ripping the arse out of it considering the power tools one can buy for the same money, with loads more engineering involved in their manufacture. And****** What selection of "bits" are included in the asking price, like for instance the chain being used in the illustration.

I guess it may be back as much as 18", which considering our freakily dry late March, April, May and most of June, is acceptable considering it lost about 12 of those 18" before I found and fixed a leak( and as far as I can establish the only leak) in early April. And it has risen a little, perhaps going on 3-4" with the recent patchy rainfall, each 1" of rainfall giving 2" of rise in the pond, with the area of roof being more than equal to the surface area of the pond. And the 40 rainbow trout are still doing OK, i.e. still feeding strongly and no casualties that I have seen. I had a notion there was a leak since despite the heavy rain in early March, the water stopped rising, or did not rise as much as I imagined it should. I.e. the leak was relatively high up the bank when I found it. I hope the water will eventually rise to near the top of the banks, fingers crossed. Cheers, Marcus P.S. I really really MUST install a depth gauge.

A few fresh images; The latest recruit is a juvenile waterhen/moorhen who is rather camera shy, despite my repeated efforts, unlike Mr.Pheasent, who remains unpreturbed by the dogs, despite their continued harrasment. Mr. Pheasent has a couple of lady friends with chicks about but they are a little more secretive. A pair of woodpigeons(and the nest is in a nearby hedge) fly in for an evening drink, plus a pair of doves. There is also a hawk of some sort about local, and needless to say numerous buzzards and heron(again the heron nest in a bit of our woodland). Plus cheeky jackdaws and plenty of swallows and a few bats. There was a family group of Goldfinch feeding on a thristle about 6m from our noses the other evening. Only ever saw an Owl once though. Suppose I really need a better camera with a decent telephoto lens and a BIG injection of paitence. Life is good. Edit: I intended to mention the inordinate amount of time the swallows spend feeding over and moreso in the water, really really splashing in to nab whatever they are hunting, presumably just sub-surface. I nearly wonder how they managed before the pond was there.

The perfect away day for the Millwall Lads.