Time to have a clear out and concentrate on my RS2.

[K Simmonds]

I originally posted this on another thread of mine which upon thinking about probably wasn't the best place to put this info as not everybody wants to read about my crazy behaviour and trips to hospital etc. And this is a project in itself and certainly a precursor to a much larger proper project, namely my RS2 and it's restoration which I want to be able to spend whatever is required to do the job right.

Been having a really good think as my workshop is now finished (apart from the lift) and Bowie was right, I have too much baggage car wise, not to mention the parts mountain! It's actually getting me down a bit as I simply want to work on my RS2 and C4 Avant and lead a simple clean life and when one has five cars and is recovering from serious mental health issues simplification is what is required. Tristan has said the same thing and I know he's had mad clear outs in the past and felt better for it.

Would still kinda like to build a high power I5 down the line but even this is extravagant and fairly pointless when one owns a 380 BHP RS2 in need of love, the money would be better invested into that. So my 30 valve quattro C4 saloon could go as could the Tornado pink Corrado G60 as both still run and drive despite needing bodywork. Neither are recorded but would need trailering away, I have a lot of the parts required to fix them in stock and these would of course be included. Don't want to turn this into a covert advert but please feel free to PM me for more details on either.

I also have a nice job I could go back to once I get enough use my hands/arms, am considering going in and just doing what I'm capable of as I need the human contact and it'll help me get me truly get my strength back.

I have have literally tons of parts for B3/4 cars as well C4's, everything I don't need must go this year one way or another, I don't expect to suddenly be able to freely list stuff for sale on here after my spaz out in 2019/20 and the ensuing chaos it caused everybody involved! However one has to start somewhere and I hate selling on eBay these day's. It's not seller friendly at all any longer, plus the fee's are just ridiculous making items needlessly expensive for buyers.

Don't want to break any rule's so not going list anything officially until I've consulted with a Admin, due to my arms I can't be dealing with packaging heavy stuff and would in fact prefer collection on everything as I don't have a really local post office any longer. I know there's couriers but Royal Mail have seriously upped their game and from my recent dealing's with them I'd rather use their services. They needed to get competitive otherwise they'd have totally lost the parcel side of business.

That said I'd happily send stuff like switches etc anything up to say 5KG, that I can walk the mile or so too the poxy post van I can use a couple of time a week.

But I would like to be able to list a couple of items a month, never going to try selling hundred's of expensive items at the same time again as that's a large part of what got me into a mess.

I'd even consider shifting stuff in job lots as I want all the space in my workshop for my RS2 and C4 and stuff I want to keep for them.

Don't worry I haven't gone nuts again been mulling this over for sometime, I reckon a nice RS2 is enough for anybody to look after, the C4 Avant would make a great daily and my Golf doesn't currently run so I'd be crazy to consider flogging this.

Have listed a couple sets of wheels on Classic Audi and some C4 parts as like I said I have to start somewhere and the rims are more suited to B3/4 cars with 4 X 108 hubs.

[s2driveruk]

Decluttering physically and mentally is a great step forward to be honest. I may have to point the car in your direction once back from holiday!

[B5NUT]

100% agree, you have to declutter and get rid of stuff from time to time. I always find having a good clear-out helps with my mental state, the place looks tidier, and I just feel a bit happier. I can understand what you have been through a little. Had a breakdown myself when I almost lost my daughter 7 years ago, that was a bad year.. Glad your on the mend.

Hope the sales go well, and if you dig out any ABY aircon parts please let me know.

[K Simmonds]

Cheers guys, as I always say means a lot to me. Really sorry to hear about your daughter B5NUT, I do hope she okay now. When I finally find my air-con spares I'll give you shout mate, they are in there somewhere!

I actually got outside and did numerous constructive things this afternoon now I have plan.

I even managed to take some pics (I think), just getting my breath back and having some grub before I even think about dealing with editing and uploading them, remember IT is not my thing at all. There's probably senior members of the Amish community with more idea of how to operate a smartphone than me... I didn't have all that long to give the RS2 a blow off with the air line (dam pine needles) then followed this with a cursory wash and get it in the workshop, given what this entailed!!! I'll have to move it again it to fit the lift but I'm much happier now the cars in the dry with the doors open to air her out.

As I mentioned this was something of a mission given that my RS2 currently has a knackered clutch that won't disengage. Also had one flat tyre, the drivers door currently only opens from the inside due to a rod that's popped off the mech for the exterior handle and for added peril the window control relay has died (I have spares somewhere) meaning I can't open the drivers side one to adjust the steering. I to had remember to leave the drivers door open slightly at all time's then set the steering to where I thought it needed to be, remove the key to lock it on course and hope for the best before jumping in my Corrado to tow it uphill or on the flat, also remembering to leave the RS2's handbrake on one click to prevent unwanted contact upon stopping

My Corrado had two flat tyres and like a div I'd left the handbrake on, so I had to deal with all that before even thinking about moving my RS2, of course downhill gravity is your friend but I did a fair amount of exercise this afternoon!.

Or one can start it in gear, which I'm mental enough to do, and I have done so ONCE!, It's terrify when it fires up, really risky regardless of the value of the car unless your on an airfield. I guess you could remove the fuel pump relay and wind it on the starter but I can't see that doing the motors life span much good at all.

Anyway I need some grub, then I'll have a look at the pic's, which don't even begin to tell half the story as I didn't have time to stop during the relocation process, I had five mins of day light left once I'd got the cars in my workshop.

Hope your enjoying your holiday Dave, I could well be interested in your engine rebuild, that's my sort of job. But I'm sure you capable and it'll be so much more rewarding (and less money) to do it yourself.

[K Simmonds]

Some passable photo's.

Did take about 20 but most were way too dark or totally out of focus. However this gives you some idea of scale, the RS2 is right up to the workbench to fit the Corrado in to use the engine heat to dry things off, this would not be practical for working, but does show how long the building is.

My very dusty C4 Avant, will get the hoover out tomorrow on all surfaces and the inside of my RS2.

3B S2 engine with Andy 10V's fully rebuilt bottom end, with H beams and all new shells etc. My Brian Rickets gas flowed Nothelle cylinder head and some other stuff I was going to use to build it up. All now kinda surplus.

Damaged C4 30 valve quattro, that can go, will make a great car again.

Will make much more effort with the photos tomorrow when I'm not rushing around fighting the light.

Odd pit board arrangement isn't permanent and was for safety while the sparky was working in there!



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[Filip_FIN]

Looking good

[K Simmonds]

Cheer's,.

Currently drinking coffee in bed feeling a bit achy from yesterdays vehicular gymnastics', however my left elbow isn't bothering me much for the first time in probably 6 months so all the pushing and pulling must have done me some good physically, perhaps it was the swearing. After all, it was still broken at the end of November which wasn't all that long ago.

Today's plan is a bit less stressful, loads of hoovering (vacuuming for our US friends) unfortunately can't I levitate, even if maybe sometimes I've thought I could.

I will try and get better photo's along the way, particularly of the outside so you can see what yesterdays movements entailed, in hindsight it would have made sense to give Tristan or someone a shout and certainly would have safer with two people. I should also point out I was on private ground at all times so whist what I was up to wasn't the most sensible way of tackling the job, it was perfectly legal and no one apart from me was at any point in danger.

I have tons of shelf space but I also have a conservatory full of car parts to move, at least half of which can be sold as well as about 20 KKK turbo's in the house again in bit's these can all go in parts, there are a couple of decent Porsche 944 250 Turbo I could fire together and a couple of stock S2 turbos of un known heritage that I'll sell whole. I'll still make money on them and won't have the hassle of building them all up, not sure my hands will ever really be that dextrous again anyway.

[Tractor Dave]

Fantastic workshop Kit. Can't wait to see the RS2 thread.

[K Simmonds]

Cheers Dave.

Here's part of what I'm contending with, I have lot more stuff stashed away both inside and out! You can tell I'm currently single! But even I get sick of look at at car parts, I want the house to be car part free, apart from when packing etc.

I want to turn the conservatory into a second sitting room and have a small gym in there, exercise is really good for the body as well as the mind.

Seem to be getting better with this camera at last!

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[K Simmonds]

Was considering making a few of these with some of the scrap turbo components I've got knocking about. I do have the compressor wheel but it's a rare Lancia item and actually quite valuable in its own right so am go to use a worthless one instead.

It's surprising how much work went into that, apart from the base which was only ever meant to be temporary. Got the parts to make five or six more if anyone is interested?

Or I could make one with any turbo I'm supplied with, got a couple of S2 K24's that need rebuilds but their too good to cut up really.

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[K Simmonds]

To give folk some idea of the mission it was moving my RS2 yesterday here's a couple of pictures to try and put some perspective behind the logistics.

First pic is where both cars were parked up, second is my turning area and third the target. This will make perfect sense to Dave and Tristan who have both visited me but probably less so to anybody else.

And finally today's task so far, moving fire wood with what is possible the world's worst handling wheel barrow. In fact it may simply be the most annoying barrow on earth.

Still it's good exercise and I have to do this or be freezing given the forecast for the next week. Firewood had to be today's number one priority, done a dozen loads. Now I have to clean up all the detritus I dragged in the house, oh well, had to be done!

Seem to be getting better with this hell rectangle and it's camera. Work on cars to follow a cuppa.

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[newsh]

That’s probably just an ordinary wheelbarrow with way too much wood in it. Ones with two wheels at the front handle better

You live a in a beautiful part of the world and you have a wonderful garage to work in, lots to be grateful for!

I knocked the booze on the head 24 years ago, best thing I ever did, Dec 7th ‘97, Christmas was a struggle but got through it, the one before was carnage, never looked back.

[K Simmonds]

Heya John, you quite correct the barrow is a little overloaded and it would have been fine 30 years ago. However it's now genuinely awful, the handles have rusted though in a couple of spots so they wobble slightly as well as cut your hands unless one wears thick gloves, hence the tape on the handles. The front wheel is solid and move's 1/2 an inch side to side in either direction seemingly at random. Really it's scrap, I do have a better one but that's currently got a puncture, though a twin wheel would indeed be the way to go, luxury.

In my 20's, working in the building trade all being young men we had the most stupid contests like who could push a barrow with the most 25kg bag's of cement along the length of a single 13' scaffold plank, 10 feet off the ground. I could do nine which is 225kgs and was the record. So I can handle a top heavy barrow. Well, I could, given what I've done to my arms I doubt I could manage three bags now, still I'm getting better slowly and have to keep reminding myself that. I'm laughing now at some dumb stuff we used to try and do, thanks for helping dig out some latent memory's.

I have everything to be grateful for, it's lovely around here, I have good friends, I get on well with my folks and my new workshop is awesome, really nothing to worry about. However, still doesn't make my brain produce the right balance of chemical's by itself, though I'm doing pretty well and having a plan helps a lot.

Drink is terrible for me, yet I would still do it and once I've started there's no stopping me. Seriously well done on 24 years sober, hopefully I'll be able to say the same thing one day mate.

[Bowie69]

Another here, dry for nearly 10 years, one of the best decisions I ever made.

[Bowie69]

Also Kit, those speedlines.....?