Monday, 11 August 2008
GPS Tracking now Live
The link over on the right is now live for GPS tracking of the car. Just need to attach the device to the car and power it up.
Friday, 8 August 2008
Steering...
Just had word from home, Steering rack has LANDED!!! (many thanks to Ed, Nick and the people at 20CC) - which is good news as I had already booked it in to be swapped over on Tuesday next week. Just need to think of a devious way to get car to the garage that will do the work now.
The 3ARC Tiny Tracker is also on it's way.
Only 8 more days to go before we leave the UK!
The 3ARC Tiny Tracker is also on it's way.
Only 8 more days to go before we leave the UK!
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
MOT Update.
Getting somewhere finally. MOT resulted in a fail. Offside steering arm again so no surprise there and the nearside handbrake which was.
I haven't got time to fiddle with the car this week (or next) so have had a mad day of finding bits and people to fix them.
Team Saabotage have sourced us a replacement steering rack and I've booked the car into a local SAAB indie, nearby to have the swap done. Hopefully they will look at the handbrake and when both jobs are done I can drive the car straight back to the MOT garage and get the car passed. Which means I can get some road tax for it and the car is finally legal for the trip. It won't have a head unit for tunes though. I'll probably throw one in the car so we can fix it up on route - if someone brings some speakers with them.
I'm also in the middle of finalising the GPS tracking unit, need to fill in a few forms before getting hold of it and installing it. Hoping to have the live tracking page up mid next week.
More importantly in the way of progress, Cheq has booked the ferry so we have means out of the UK and on to mainland Europe so we can at least get to the start line.
My young son was ecstatic to see Daddy's Race Car back outside the house too. It's only been gone 2.5 days so I've no idea how he will react when both the car and myself have disappeared for over a week.
Oh and many thanks for those that have donated to the Noah's Ark Appeal today via our fund raising page and to those that have done so in the run up to this event.
I haven't got time to fiddle with the car this week (or next) so have had a mad day of finding bits and people to fix them.
Team Saabotage have sourced us a replacement steering rack and I've booked the car into a local SAAB indie, nearby to have the swap done. Hopefully they will look at the handbrake and when both jobs are done I can drive the car straight back to the MOT garage and get the car passed. Which means I can get some road tax for it and the car is finally legal for the trip. It won't have a head unit for tunes though. I'll probably throw one in the car so we can fix it up on route - if someone brings some speakers with them.
I'm also in the middle of finalising the GPS tracking unit, need to fill in a few forms before getting hold of it and installing it. Hoping to have the live tracking page up mid next week.
More importantly in the way of progress, Cheq has booked the ferry so we have means out of the UK and on to mainland Europe so we can at least get to the start line.
My young son was ecstatic to see Daddy's Race Car back outside the house too. It's only been gone 2.5 days so I've no idea how he will react when both the car and myself have disappeared for over a week.
Oh and many thanks for those that have donated to the Noah's Ark Appeal today via our fund raising page and to those that have done so in the run up to this event.
Monday, 4 August 2008
MOT results?
I really do hate waiting for MOT results. I usually drop the car off and then wait for a few hours before getting the Yes/No phone call from my local garage.
So last night I fitted a good battery that a friend donated for the use of the trip. Car started up fine, so turned it off and forgot about it. I didn't take his advice and put it on charge overnight, I should have done.
This morning, filled the power steering reservoir and set off the long way around to the MOT garage - so I could at least do some braking and clean up the discs a bit. I also stopped to fill up the car with some fuel. Bad idea, it would not start when I got back in so had to push the car out of the petrol station and bump start it. Joy!
9:15am Got the car to the garage and left it, had a word with one of the chaps there to say what has been done since last MOT test.
Got myself to work on time (just) and had a huge twinge in my back, just as I got out of the car so I'm slightly in pain now.
11.51am Get call from the garage, been expecting a call around this time as it's usually when I get the good or bad news, except I got asked the question "Is it ok form me to leave the car there?"
Yeah fine, I can't pick it up until tomorrow anyway as I'm in work today. Seems their printer has broke so can't print out. Not sure if its another fail or proper MOT certificate.
Will update further when I have info. (which I guess will be tomorow at the earliest as I'm pretty sure they shut up shop around this time of day)
Note:
Fuel gauge doesn’t work - could be an issue on such a long trip.
Need to get some of those headlight stickers to divert the beams the other way.
So last night I fitted a good battery that a friend donated for the use of the trip. Car started up fine, so turned it off and forgot about it. I didn't take his advice and put it on charge overnight, I should have done.
This morning, filled the power steering reservoir and set off the long way around to the MOT garage - so I could at least do some braking and clean up the discs a bit. I also stopped to fill up the car with some fuel. Bad idea, it would not start when I got back in so had to push the car out of the petrol station and bump start it. Joy!
9:15am Got the car to the garage and left it, had a word with one of the chaps there to say what has been done since last MOT test.
Got myself to work on time (just) and had a huge twinge in my back, just as I got out of the car so I'm slightly in pain now.
11.51am Get call from the garage, been expecting a call around this time as it's usually when I get the good or bad news, except I got asked the question "Is it ok form me to leave the car there?"
Yeah fine, I can't pick it up until tomorrow anyway as I'm in work today. Seems their printer has broke so can't print out. Not sure if its another fail or proper MOT certificate.
Will update further when I have info. (which I guess will be tomorow at the earliest as I'm pretty sure they shut up shop around this time of day)
Note:
Fuel gauge doesn’t work - could be an issue on such a long trip.
Need to get some of those headlight stickers to divert the beams the other way.
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Real MOT Tomorrow
We've decided to drive the car back home so some more money has been spent to repair certain things and a MOT booked in for tomorrow morning. Pretty much everything that was found faulty in Aprils MOT has been rectified, some not so. So it's hit & miss if it will pass first go.
I had already put new brake pads on the front last Tuesday, this morning I did the rears which kind of went ok -ish.
Found that the end pipe before the axle bend in the exhaust looks a bit dodgy so wasn't tempted to push a screwdriver in to it.
Old rear pads: (remember car has stood for a while so discs are a bit rusty)
Also paid a visit to the local Halfords today, went in for one thing came out without it and bought two other things instead.
An emergency light bulb kit which is needed to be carried in the car when traveling on mainland Europe and a 4 way power thing from the lighter socket.
Its 4 way and switched plus it has blue LEDs! Bargain at a fiver.
Last Tuesday the official event car stickers turned up, it was one of those odd sunny/raining days so couldn't really apply them. Plus family stuff and doing the front brake it was about midnight before I got the first set on.
First applied was on the bonnet, along with one of Graeme's huuuuge Griffin stickers. These went on easy even though it was around midnight and outside under the light of one of those inspection lamps Lidl have recently been selling.
Next day in the daylight put a few more on, the door stickers were a sod to do and hence why they are so creased. The rest were mostly sponsor stickers from companies that have donated to the Noah's Ark Appeal or have helped us out in some way with equipment or bits.
Oh yeah, repainted the inner grill "antique white" and replaced the broken N/S headlight unit as the glass lens had shattered for some unknown reason.
I had already put new brake pads on the front last Tuesday, this morning I did the rears which kind of went ok -ish.
Found that the end pipe before the axle bend in the exhaust looks a bit dodgy so wasn't tempted to push a screwdriver in to it.
Old rear pads: (remember car has stood for a while so discs are a bit rusty)
Also paid a visit to the local Halfords today, went in for one thing came out without it and bought two other things instead.
An emergency light bulb kit which is needed to be carried in the car when traveling on mainland Europe and a 4 way power thing from the lighter socket.
Its 4 way and switched plus it has blue LEDs! Bargain at a fiver.
Last Tuesday the official event car stickers turned up, it was one of those odd sunny/raining days so couldn't really apply them. Plus family stuff and doing the front brake it was about midnight before I got the first set on.
First applied was on the bonnet, along with one of Graeme's huuuuge Griffin stickers. These went on easy even though it was around midnight and outside under the light of one of those inspection lamps Lidl have recently been selling.
Next day in the daylight put a few more on, the door stickers were a sod to do and hence why they are so creased. The rest were mostly sponsor stickers from companies that have donated to the Noah's Ark Appeal or have helped us out in some way with equipment or bits.
Oh yeah, repainted the inner grill "antique white" and replaced the broken N/S headlight unit as the glass lens had shattered for some unknown reason.
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Friday, 27 June 2008
Re fitted what there is of the interior...
The rest of TEAM-PIPE will be glad to know I've dragged the car out from behind the fence of the back garden and started work on it again.
Re fitted what there is of the interior (still can't get the mud off it) that didn't get taken to the skip earlier on in the year.
Knee pad fitted and larger centre cubby hole created
Also added a bit of colour to the dull interior
Re fitted what there is of the interior (still can't get the mud off it) that didn't get taken to the skip earlier on in the year.
Knee pad fitted and larger centre cubby hole created
Also added a bit of colour to the dull interior
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Panic!
Beginning to have a mild panic develop now over all this. Lack of time and funds to sort the car out is the main issue. At the MOT a few months back it failed on a few brake issues which should be easily solved with some new pads all round and maybe a bleed of the system and some fresh fluid.
The other failure was on the O/S track rod arm, too much play. Never had that one before on a car so a little bit foxed by it. The MOT chap told me to take the gaiter off and check to see if there was a washer on the inner side, peen it over and that should fix it.
I'm thinking the fact there was very little PAS fluid in there didn't help either.
I'm slowly putting bits of the interior back in after stripping it all out. It won't be a complete interior but comfortable enough. I also have to wire in a head unit and some speakers of some sort. Oh and get the car out of the back garden (by removing the 6ft fence that is in the way) before I can work on the MOT stuff.
We have also decided not to bring the car back, it's either going to a "recycling" place in Helsinki or a chap from the Finnish Saab Club forums will hopefully be taking the car off us so it will live on in one piece.
We've also decided to drive up to Copenhagen, so we're doing the Dover to Dunkirk ferry to keep costs down.
The other failure was on the O/S track rod arm, too much play. Never had that one before on a car so a little bit foxed by it. The MOT chap told me to take the gaiter off and check to see if there was a washer on the inner side, peen it over and that should fix it.
I'm thinking the fact there was very little PAS fluid in there didn't help either.
I'm slowly putting bits of the interior back in after stripping it all out. It won't be a complete interior but comfortable enough. I also have to wire in a head unit and some speakers of some sort. Oh and get the car out of the back garden (by removing the 6ft fence that is in the way) before I can work on the MOT stuff.
We have also decided not to bring the car back, it's either going to a "recycling" place in Helsinki or a chap from the Finnish Saab Club forums will hopefully be taking the car off us so it will live on in one piece.
We've also decided to drive up to Copenhagen, so we're doing the Dover to Dunkirk ferry to keep costs down.
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Vacancy - Driver/Adventurer Required
Due to a team members work commitments we now have a space available within TEAM-PIPE.
Driver and all round good sport required to complete a team of four to compete in StreetSafari's Valhalla Run event this August.
You will need to have a good sense of humour and be a team player.
Valid passport and Driver licence essential.
Able to get time off from work between 17th (sign in night) - 22nd August. Add a few days either side of those dates for travelling time to and from the event start/finish. The Run is scheduled for August 18 to August 22, 2008.
Entrance fee has already been paid. You will just need to chip in with rest of the adventures costs.
See http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30596
Driver and all round good sport required to complete a team of four to compete in StreetSafari's Valhalla Run event this August.
You will need to have a good sense of humour and be a team player.
Valid passport and Driver licence essential.
Able to get time off from work between 17th (sign in night) - 22nd August. Add a few days either side of those dates for travelling time to and from the event start/finish. The Run is scheduled for August 18 to August 22, 2008.
Entrance fee has already been paid. You will just need to chip in with rest of the adventures costs.
See http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30596
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The Valhalla Run
In Norse mythology, those who fell gloriously in battle passed on to a magnificent place called Valhalla. In bangerese we call that a scrapyard. If Valhalla has a car park, we're sure to be adding to it before this route is run.
Valhalla Run is StreetSafari's 5th European Banger Rally.
We've gone in every other direction: East through Europe; South to Africa; West to America.
Nowhere to go now but North...
The event starts in Copenhagen on the 18th of August.
We cross into Sweden, and then on to Norway to do the impressive Trollstigen (Troll Ladder), before a night in Kristiansund.
For anyone dipping their toes in the various seas and oceans around the world, this is your chance to see the Arctic Ocean.
From Kristiansund we travel all the way to Umea on the Baltic Sea, cross by ferry to Korsholm and then head towards Helsinki for the final night, 22nd August.
The distance is around 1,700 miles, through terrain unlike most people have ever seen before.
This is more different than any other StreetSafari event to date. You can also bet it's more desolate than the other European countries we visit. Norway has less than 5m people in a country nearly 50% bigger than the UK!
Valhalla Run is StreetSafari's 5th European Banger Rally.
We've gone in every other direction: East through Europe; South to Africa; West to America.
Nowhere to go now but North...
The event starts in Copenhagen on the 18th of August.
We cross into Sweden, and then on to Norway to do the impressive Trollstigen (Troll Ladder), before a night in Kristiansund.
For anyone dipping their toes in the various seas and oceans around the world, this is your chance to see the Arctic Ocean.
From Kristiansund we travel all the way to Umea on the Baltic Sea, cross by ferry to Korsholm and then head towards Helsinki for the final night, 22nd August.
The distance is around 1,700 miles, through terrain unlike most people have ever seen before.
This is more different than any other StreetSafari event to date. You can also bet it's more desolate than the other European countries we visit. Norway has less than 5m people in a country nearly 50% bigger than the UK!
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