DOC AND CHRIS'S CABBY ADVENTURE

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

As some of you already know, Chris came down to Catterick last week to help with the engine change on the white hatch and to give me some company on the long trip to Brighton to collect my new Cabby.

We start this story at the beginning of our road trip to Brighton. We collected the van and trailer and loaded up the Audi 80 that I was given as a part ex for my Blue P2 hatch.

I drove for the first 2 hours or so before pulling into a service station for the mandatory bathroom stop. Chris fancied a turn driving the van and being the nice chap that I am I let him hop in the drivers seat. Chris started off well and having negotiated 2 turns well he headed for the exit of the services. A sharp turn to the right soon followed by a bang! Alerted us to the fact that Chris had stacked the trailer on the high curbing! (this all within 60 seconds of driving the van!

We left the services and got about 10 minutes further down the M1 and were held in traffic. We noticed that there was a clonking from the back of the van, at that point a friendly truck driver opened his window and shouted â€œyour straps are hanging off you numpty! They wonâ€™t be doing anythingâ€ Chris wanted to pull in at the next services but I felt it better to pull over there and then and inspect the damage and sort out the straps.
Having found that Chris had buckled a wheel and knocked all but 1 strap off the car we started to adjust the straps n the trailer. We sorted out 1 strap before MEEMAWMEEMAW WOOWOOWOO! FFS!! We were only blocking the HGV recovery truck that was on itâ€™s way to clear the accident that had caused the back up. LOL. Chris said â€œyou drive Docâ€ so we hopped into the van and headed off down the hard shoulder untilâ€¦.. we got stuck behind a broken down car. (not having the best of days are we, LOL)

Broken trailers and lost straps aside we managed to get to Brighton at 6PM and after half an hour of trying to find the guys house we arrived. We did a quick swap of cars and hammered it at 70mph to South Mimms services to meet Neal, Wkd Neo and Roger.

We had a KFC introduced ourselves and went to the lorry park to look at the cabby ect.

Here we are posing for Chris.

from left to right we have Neal, Neo, Me and then Roger (sam) hiding behind the trailer.

We had a play with the hood to see how it went down and TBH we were pathetic! It took all 4 of us almost 20 minutes to figure out how to get the hood down. LOL
Just for good measure Neal decided to drop the hood on the aerial as we were putting it back up. (so a big thanks for that Neal)

Chris also collected his leather from Neal and had a play with the heating system on Neoâ€™s car.

We stopped off on the way home to fill up and take some more pics.

pics ainâ€™t the best but we had been travelling over 12 hours by this point.

We got home and unloaded the trailer at about 4AM and got our heads down for 3 hours before getting up at 7 to take the trailer and van back.

Hereâ€™s the bill for the damage to the trailer wheel. LOL. Â£35 for a wheel WTF!

We popped off to Halfords to swap the battery that was in the cabby as it had a 4 year warranty. LoL. Surprisingly they not only gave me a new battery but another 4 year warranty with it. (saving Â£60)

Got back to mine and had a play with the cabby. Got it running and drove it to Tescoâ€™s to pump the tyres up and put petrol in it. It needs a new lump, column and possibly a rack but not bad for an almost free car.

Hereâ€™s some more pics of the cabby.

we did actually get the engine into the white hatch but Iâ€™ll post them pics in that members project.

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

mmm starting your own plantation there Doc with all that stuff growing on the inside of your cabby ?

hehe

was cool thou meeting yourself, Chris H and that fooking huge dog of yours lol

Site Subscriber Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 4722

lol at the last pic

mr cool.

i enjoyed southmimms.

even tho i took about 3,000 miles worth of life out of my tyers Razz

and yes that dog was bloody massive.

nearly as big as me..so they decided to give me they dog whilst then went for a kfc Rolling Eyes

the dog could of quite happly pulled me over if he decided to run off.

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

LOL he's not that big.

Was good meeting you all too. I'll be down your way again in april.

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

excellent stuff...now i am getting awfully tempted by a cabby Confused

i do like the way the roof is hidden away under that panel, very neat...as opposed to my mates escort cabby which just falls back and thats it.

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

well I'm getting another one at the start of april so this on will be getting sold once the new engine goes in.

Site Subscriber Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 1141

Glad I didn't lend you my mates trailer now!

So you partex'd your 25quid valver for an audi which you partex'd for a cabby which your going to sell to buy another cabby? Very Happy

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

almost.

I sold my Â£25 valver for Â£600 and an Audi.
I swapped the audi for the Cabby and I just paid Â£250 for another Cabby in better condition and with only 85K on the clock.

This cabby is getting a new engine (thanks to Neal) is going through an MOT and is then being sold.

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Sorry about the aerial Embarassed

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

the engine makes up for it mate. lol

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

funny how none of the "renault experts" spotted the non 16v front bumper. Eh?

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

it was dark, like really dark when we saw it at south mimms and tbh i only skimmed thru the pics you posted and i was laughing over neal breaking your aerial hehe

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

not much of an excuse there Neo. LOL

It took me and chris a couple of days to spot it too.

We turned round when putting the white ones engine in and noticed that there was no fog lights or splitter.

It was an odd moment.

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

do u want a 449 blue 16v front bumper for it?

i got one spare with foglights and the splitter still attached, it does have a couple of scrapes but nothing too bad

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

yes please mate.

do you think I'll fit both that and an engine into the white valver?

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

i dont see why not, engine in the boot, back seats down and the bumper will fit in, in fact i have a 3rd front bumper, brand new which resides in the back of my laguna at the mo lol

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

cool.

I'm off home now mate.
We'll continue this tomorrow.