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[2boxerdogs]

Subaru Forester delivered to my mechanic for new timing belt & water pump , last one fitted in 2011 only covered 8,000 miles since but I'm not chancing it.

[Nick W]

Dropped the BMW off at a garage because the front bushes have failed (again .. buy cheap, buy twice!) and I CBA to fix it myself.

They called me later to let me know my MOT expired on the 17th, as well. Oops. So hopefully it passes after they've done the arms!

£400 later, it passed. 

you do know that German model numbers are actually the factor required to pad the customer's bill? 

[aaronjb]

Dropped the BMW off at a garage because the front bushes have failed (again .. buy cheap, buy twice!) and I CBA to fix it myself.

They called me later to let me know my MOT expired on the 17th, as well. Oops. So hopefully it passes after they've done the arms!

£400 later, it passed. 

you do know that German model numbers are actually the factor required to pad the customer's bill? 

True!

Though in reality it's not too bad - two new Lemforder branded lower arms (complete); those are ~£80 a side from AGP to me so call it £100 each with some garage padding included. MOT at £50 (because I didn't shop around given it had run out, err.. 10 days ago ) and we're already at £250, so £150 labour probably covers the 'two hours' work (that was no doubt done in 30 minutes)

Had I got off my arse and fitted them myself I could have saved myself ~£200, I suppose.. but I'd have had to move the Cobra off this to do it (and move the lift forward a bit as the 645 is quite a bit longer):



   

[Doctor Gollum]

Any excuse is a good one

[Kevin Wood]

but I'd have had to move the Cobra off this to do it (and move the lift forward a bit as the 645 is quite a bit longer):

Oooh! New toy!

How do you find the lift? Which model is it?

[aaronjb]

It's fantastic, and frustrating, in not equal measures

It does make so many things much easier - not least getting into the engine bay/transmission tunnel to do things down the footboxes, because on my axle stands it was just too low to get under easily (without bits of chassis tearing my nipples off, anyway ).
Wheels on/off etc is a breeze, suspension work easy, brakes are easy to get to and beside the two 'floor bars' that join the two sides and the width of the lifting ramps themselves access to the underneath is unrestricted.

It's frustrating because an extra foot of lift would be so very welcome! It's just that bit too low to sit under the car on a stool, so you have to shuffle under on your arse unless you can stoop to ~1m (I can't, I topple over ).

Ironically the garage has the head hight for a two post lift or full height scissor lift, but those are non-mobile solutions and ultimately the lift will live in the detached garage, which lacks the head hight for a full lift. This one is mobile so I figured it would be easy to move it down there..


Until we came to drag it up the little slope into the garage, that is! It weighs >500Kg so moving it, even on it's built-in detachable dollies, is not exactly easy. Moving it to the other garage will require the engine crane and trailer.

It's this one: http://www.garageequipment.co.uk/Garage-Lifts/Mobile-Scissor-Lifts/Mid-Rise-Scissor-Lifts/E4G-MR10GR-Scissor-Lift-Mid-Rise-1-Metre-Lift-with (ordered it at the Classic & Restoration Show a few weeks ago) - it's the cheapest they do, but more than adequate for home use, all electric so no compressor required for the safety interlock unlike their more expensive version. Doesn't have make the lights dim when you fire it up but then I guess the ~80Kg electric motor will do that!

[Viral_Jim]

Have you thought about one of these? A friend has one (not same brand though) and its a handy piece of kit 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clarke-CMC50-2-1-Folding/dp/B006WMXYGC/ref=pd_sbs_60_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GX2DK45589G2MY9XV5HH

[aaronjb]

Probably a bit tall to sit on under the car but yeah, I have  .. how did SWMBO put it, "Jesus, you always want something don't you"

[Kevin Wood]

Would you rate it as a major PITA parking a car on it 90% of the time? Thinking it would have to live under Emma's MX5.

I probably have the space for a 2 poster, TBH, maybe I should look for a used light duty one of those?

[aaronjb]

You can probably definitely pick up a used two poster cheaper.. but it wouldn't be a pain to park over the top of this normally - it doesn't stick out particularly far either side of the Cobra (which is tiny by even modern MX-5 standards) so no problem to get out over unless you put the anti-crush toe guards on it, and it's only ~110mm tall when down so not a big lump to climb, either

[edit] If you're ever passing you're more than welcome to stop in for a cuppa and a look at it 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

It's fantastic, and frustrating, in not equal measures

It does make so many things much easier - not least getting into the engine bay/transmission tunnel to do things down the footboxes, because on my axle stands it was just too low to get under easily (without bits of chassis tearing my nipples off, anyway ).
Wheels on/off etc is a breeze, suspension work easy, brakes are easy to get to and beside the two 'floor bars' that join the two sides and the width of the lifting ramps themselves access to the underneath is unrestricted.

It's frustrating because an extra foot of lift would be so very welcome! It's just that bit too low to sit under the car on a stool, so you have to shuffle under on your arse unless you can stoop to ~1m (I can't, I topple over ).

Ironically the garage has the head hight for a two post lift or full height scissor lift, but those are non-mobile solutions and ultimately the lift will live in the detached garage, which lacks the head hight for a full lift. This one is mobile so I figured it would be easy to move it down there..


Until we came to drag it up the little slope into the garage, that is! It weighs >500Kg so moving it, even on it's built-in detachable dollies, is not exactly easy. Moving it to the other garage will require the engine crane and trailer.

It's this one: http://www.garageequipment.co.uk/Garage-Lifts/Mobile-Scissor-Lifts/Mid-Rise-Scissor-Lifts/E4G-MR10GR-Scissor-Lift-Mid-Rise-1-Metre-Lift-with (ordered it at the Classic & Restoration Show a few weeks ago) - it's the cheapest they do, but more than adequate for home use, all electric so no compressor required for the safety interlock unlike their more expensive version. Doesn't have make the lights dim when you fire it up but then I guess the ~80Kg electric motor will do that!

There are plenty of right wing Tory MP's would pay good money for this service if administered by a suitably strict  dominatrix.

Back to the Cobra.......is that the later 427 body shell?

What lump will you be using?

[aaronjb]

If folklore is to be believed then yes, most (if not all) of the kits available this side of the pond can trace their (body) roots back to a splash taken from an original 427 Roadster

The lump (when I buy a new rotating assembly, anyway) will be a Ford FE 428, or maybe rebuild the 390 10-over and stroke it to 427ci.. either way, somewhere around 7L in new money and the right number of pistons

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

If folklore is to be believed then yes, most (if not all) of the kits available this side of the pond can trace their (body) roots back to a splash taken from an original 427 Roadster

The lump (when I buy a new rotating assembly, anyway) will be a Ford FE 428, or maybe rebuild the 390 10-over and stroke it to 427ci.. either way, somewhere around 7L in new money and the right number of pistons

Any option should make for a rapid car. If memory serves the original 427 Cobra from the mid sixties tipped the scales at little more than one ton/tonne.

Will your car weigh significantly more due to modern safety requirements?

[aaronjb]

Not much - around 1200Kg all up, I think; the Jag components weigh quite a bit and there's a good chance the fibreglass body actually weighs more than the aluminium original, too..

..but I don't have £70k lying around for an authentic aluminium replica, otherwise I'd be beating Dave's door down for one of these: https://www.facebook.com/DB-Replicas-183387568406503/

[Sir Tigger KC]

This! 



Don't think she'll be doing many more though, as her next journey will probably be on the back of a truck.....