A common feature of Mercedes cars from the mid 70s through the mid 2000s is the self-leveling rear suspension. This system is standard on the wagons, but was commonly specified on the higher end sedans too. Mercedes-Benz Australia was particularly keen on the system fitting it to coupes and even mid size saloons. The system ensures that even with a heavy load in the...
A few months ago I replaced the under bonnet insulation pad on my 560SEC. This job also needed doing on the 300SE. I purchased both pads at the same time, and finally got a chance to do the second one today. Note, if you’re looking for more information on forums, American sites will refer to this as a hood pad. There are youtube...
The rental car I had for my recent trip to Texas was a 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Like with my recent Challenger rental, I had the opportunity to choose any car in a certain section. Unlike the last choice, the choices were not nearly as appetizing. I had only rented an intermediate class car, so most of what was available was particularly unpleasant looking...
The final stop for my North Texas car museum road trip was the Clifton Classic Chassis Auto Museum. I managed to get to the Museum at just after 4PM, giving me just under an hour to check it out. You wouldn’t want any less time – there are about 30 cars as well as an interesting art collection. The art collection has objects...
Second stop on my North Texas car museum road trip was the Weatherford Vintage car museum, event center and grill. The museum is right down from the rather impressive town hall in Weatherford. It is housed in a rather impressive looking restored building. As well as the museum, there is an event center, and a diner style restaurant. There are about 15...
The first stop on my North Texas car museum road trip was the Horton classic car museum in Norcona. Nocona is about 90 minutes Northwest of Dallas. The museum is located in a restored Oldsmobile dealership. It’s not far from the rather nice looking main street of Norcona. The museum also had a lot of period memorabilia on the walls which give...
I have been in the Dallas, Texas area over the last few days for work. A free Saturday with the use of a rental car meant looking for an interesting way to fill it. I came across the a web page for The Ultimate North Texas Car Museum Road trip Guide. This piqued my interest – being the middle of Summer in...
I was in Madison, Wisconsin last weekend and had a few hours to spare. I also had use of a rental car, which gave me the opportunity to travel further afield. Back when I lived in America, there were interesting car shows all through summer I used to attend. About an hour away was the Cars that time forgot car show, in Delavan...
Driving should be fun, despite what the proponents of the nanny state might say. No car is perfect, but a car that has character, and a sense of fun will make the little annoyances seem insignificant. This is what is missing in many current cars – no character, no fun, just like an appliance. The 2018 Dodge Challenger R/T has loads of character...
My E-Type has a habit of eating batteries. I seem to get about 2-3 years out of them before they struggle to start the car when cold. You might be thinking that these batteries are left discharged all the time – but not so! The E-Type is connected to a trickle charger when not in use and is parked indoors in a moderate climate....
At least in Australia, by far the best month of the year to buy tyres is June. Both the tyre retailers and manufacturers offer attractive end of financial year sales. Most people don’t realize, but tread wear is not the only reason to replace tyres. As the rubber ages, it hardens. Once the tyres harden the handling, particularly in the wet is compromised....
Auto Brunch is a monthly cars and coffee event only 10 minutes from where I live. I stopped by the June event today. This is an interesting event in that while there appear to be some regulars there is also a lot of variety in the cars you see each time. As you would expect given the production volume, the MGB was the most...
All W126 models have an insulation pad under the bonnet to protect the paintwork and reduce engine noise. Over time, the W126 bonnet insulation degrades and starts crumbling down onto the engine. At this point most owners simply remove it. I own two W126 models with the remnants of their insulation pads. A few months ago, I purchased W126 bonnet insulation to...
The second Shannons auction of 2019 for Sydney is just around the corner. As usual, I stopped by on my lunch break to view the lots. There were a few cars that caught my eye: Gold Medal: Lot 59: 1953 Jaguar XK120 Drophead This was the standout for me at the Auction. The XK120 was one of Sir William Lyons best creations and...
Last September, the electric fan on the E-Type stopped working. This is a particular problem in the E-Type as there is no mechanical fan. At the time I assumed the coolant temperature sensor had failed. It would seem that many people have trouble with these sensors. I knew the coolcat fan was fine, as it roared into life when I applied 12v directly to...
My Traction Avant is now sold and is migrating north. Like many before it, it is crossing the tweed for a new life in Queensland. My experience selling the car wasn’t too bad. I advertised the car on carsales.com.au and in ‘The Chevrons’. ‘The Chevrons’ is the magazine of the Citroen Club of NSW. In the end I had four interested parties and...
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