Hi
What a glorious evening here in Warrington, north Cheshire. Just covered a pleasant 25 miles, mostly on country lanes and hardly another car about.
Regards
Colin

I took the new Nippy ( ARO398 ) for a run to Aspet in the Pyrenees mountains after lunch today. It's been a scortching day with not a cloud in the sky. I only got the car on the road two days ago, so it was it's first long run. Nothing too epic, but a round trip of maybe 80 miles. The reason for the trip was to visit Baz Ferris, a long time Nippy owner who also owns two Nippys. He took my car for a spin and commented on how good the brakes are. He's got all enthused and hopefully will get one of his own cars back on the road soon.A brilliant fun afternoon.

Location: South West France

Drove over to Litton in Derbyshire for a VSCC lunchtime meeting, and then back via the pretty route to a local enthusiasts' car gathering this evening; maybe 80 miles in total.

Did about 150 miles in the box yesterday to and around Denbighshire and home. Been using the special today. Around town this morning, fetched some waxoil then home perhaps 25 miles or so.

The back lights dont work on the box now, and the special is leaking water out of a manifold stud. Cars!

I've done 4 miles today, 2 out and 2 back.
I was supposed to go to the Ashover show in Derbyshire but at 2 miles there was a very load bang from the gearbox, the speedo flirted round and stuck at 60mph and I cannot get 2nd or third without much grinding of teeth (from the car, not me)
So tonights job is to have a look for anything obvious.

Location: Near M1 Juncn 28

Regarding the above message about driving 2 miles out and 2 miles back, here is the reason!

Location: Near M1 Juncn 28

WOW ! What on earth caused that ? You have my sympathy.

Location: South West France

Drove a magnificent seven kilometres in my 1932 Box this evening, with my neighbour's two grand children(M11,F8)on board. They were squealing with laughter throughout - especially when we sounded the horn (not Wrist sadly) when we passed the local bar where half the village were enjoying an apéritif (or three).
Great fun,
Anthony

Location: Central France

Brian Hutchings

Regarding the above message about driving 2 miles out and 2 miles back, here is the reason!

Location: Sunny Cotswolds

Was there any in it?. Id have expected there to be oil all over the crossmember and radius arms with an expiry like that.

Brian,
Please let us know what caused this disaster. My sympathies.
Dave.

Location: Sheffield

Ruairidh Dunford

Oxford Jack

Brian Hutchings

Regarding the above message about driving 2 miles out and 2 miles back, here is the reason!

Well easy to see the oil level now, have you thought about replacing the missing bit with perspex?

I like that idea Jack.

Brian - do you have replacement? Happy to give you one if not.

Location: NZ

Location: Near M1 Juncn 28

Location: Near M1 Juncn 28

I think that this should be transferred to a new post with a different title; what do others think?

Location: Near M1 Juncn 28

My vote- yes, new topic please.

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Australia.

The earlier posts have been transferred to

'Hole in 3sp Gearbox'

Location: Near M1 Juncn 28

50 miles round trip through the New Forest, got lost once, to a BBQ. Car went well, still need to fix the Dynamo so running on battery.

Location: Dorset

well I only did 48 miles up ythe A30 and around the Farnham area also taking in a late lunch making 249miles on the new engine in the Rosengart, running in is so laborious but a nescessary evil.

Location: Oakley, Hants

Saturday evening I went on a run in the Nippy to a "Duck & Chips " bash with other old car enthusiasts at a town called Castelnau Magnoac here in France. Got completely lost on my way home. Ended up on my own in the middle of nowhere, only the 6volt glow of the lamps to guide me. Got home in the end with no problems. A good fun evening and the Nippy got a lot of compliments. Some were confused though, as they thought my Nippy was maroon, not red. They didn't know I'd bought a second one.

Location: South West France

Not sure of actual miles as the odometer drive gear in the speedo has even less teeth than me. Probably about 40/45 overall. Trip down to Bridport to take a tour around "The Alleys" antique shops, a short hop to Symondsbury Kitchen for lunch,back on the road to Abbotsbury Tropical Gardens for coffee. Car going like a rocket since a few hours of TLC.

Location: Piddle valley, Dorchester.

Did 90 miles in the maroon Nippy CUF229 today. I headed in the direction of the Spanish border. Stopped for a coffee in Arreau, then a beer in Aragnouet. I'm trying to put miles on it to run it in. Done about 400 to date. I'm sticking to between 35 to 40, trying to keep it humming along and not under any strain. It smokes a bit when I pull off and I had to top the oil up when I got home. Hopefully it's ok.
The first shot shows the stunning scenery here. Second shot taken in Arreau and third shot in Aragnouet. You can see where they are if you type these place names into Google Maps. Out to the mountains again tomorrow, up the Col de Aspin, but that will be on an old motorbike.

Location: South West France

Nick, find some hills it will help to load the rings so that they bite and bed into the bores.

Location: NZ

My experiences back up your comments Ian, the best and most successful engines I have in my cars were all run in on hills.

Ulster: Bristol - Brittany - Strasbourg - Col du Schlucht - Berchtesgaden - Salzburg - Grosslockner - Cortina d' Ampezzo - Genova - Grd St Bernard Pass - Megeve - Le harve - Bristol (around 4000 miles).

Pearl: Glasgow - Nevers - Bort Les Orgues - Gorges Du Tarn - Mont Aigoual - Cirque du Navacelle - Mont Ventoux - Col du Bonnette (Europe's highest pass) - Col du Vars - Col du Lautarret - Col du Galibier (one of my favourites) - Simplon Pass - Lugano - Como - Stelvio ( :) ) - Tubingen - Luxembourg - Belgium - Glasgow (3385 miles)

Chummy: Glasgow - Newscastle - Bergan - Stryn - Molde - Kristiansund - Trondheim - Namso - Bodo - Lofoton - Bergan - Nescastle - Perth - Glasgow (this was around 4000 miles again).

I have found over the years that it takes quite varied driving (loading the engine as you say) to bed the rings in well (I almost always use SW pistons and rings). Initially they burn oil but but after a variety of revs and daily use they bed in properly and the engines mentioned above burn about a pint of oil every 2000 miles.

I have also noticed that, following full rebuild and after 2-3K miles, engines get noticeably stronger and smoother, the more they are then used the sweeter they run.

Are you suggesting revving them in a lower gear on hills or labouring them a bit ?

Location: South West France