EddScott

I went to Glasgow and bought this beast




Left home at 7am yesterday morning for the train to Cardiff airport. While waiting for the connecting train my daughter was spinning her beanie hat around her finger and managed to launch it onto the tracks. So the doting father has to jump down off the platform and retrieve the hat - with an audience of rather alarmed looks from fellow passengers (there wasn't a train in sight btw)

Airport food prices - OMG! £4 for a limp chicken sarnie. My daughter did her usual thing when we get on a plane and fell asleep. Flight was just over an hour and the chap pretty much arrived as we walked out. Cup of coffee and the deal done we left about 4pm.

I'd decided I'd stop around 9pm but didn't know how far I would get in those 5 hours or so but as travel lodges are at most services I thought there would be plenty of "room at the inn" - er, no. Even more alarming was when we went to get back on the motorway, the workmen had closed the on road. One of them started waving and let us onto the motorway. At this point I wasn't overly sure whether he'd mistaken me for part of the workforce because we were the only vehicle on the motorway. Alarm levels go up a notch when theres maintenance traffic coming the other way. I think they were setting up some kind of crane and closed the motorway and still not sure if were were supposed to be there as some of the crane crew gave us some bemused looks.

After 3 more full hotels I'd pretty much resigned myself to doing the whole thing in one go. At the end of the M50 there is a Premier Inn and fortunately they had a room. It was 11pm by this time and I wasn't in prime mental health and only barely registered the inane picture of Lenny Henry telling me the room would only be £29. I had expected about £50 and when the lady at the desk said its £55 and not the advertised £29 I didn't really know what she was talking about or have the mental capacity to ask why. I did however know that I would need the all you can eat full english in the morning.

A frosty morning greeted us and with the all you can eat properly abused it was time to fire up the beast and get on with the home run. Fired up as you would expect and they seem to get warm in a few minutes so no bother with the windscreen. However when I rolled the drivers window up and down when it came back up to top it slid down into the door - not good. It was freezing and would be even worse if I have to drive the last 4 hours of the journey with the window down. Fortunately there was a Focus DIY down the road so went there for some tools. It was 9.30 and they opened the doors but couldn't serve until 10am. I asked one the staff if I could take some tools and explained my problem and I'll come back in at 10 to pay. They were sceptical but agreed.

Couldn't sort the mechanism there and then but I know how to fix it. Bought some string and did an excellent bodge job to hold the window up. Well, its old and american and quite clearly these things are what give old american cars "character"

Rest of the journey was trouble free and to be fair none of it was what I would call trouble. Really was enjoyable and I would recommend a decent road trip to anyone. My 8 year old daughter is used to travelling and did very well too. No moans or complains or asking "are we there yet". I only managed a few pictures because my thorough preperations completely omitted charging the camera.

The Jeep computer thingy says I averaged 26mpg. The light came on as we first got on the motorway in Glasgow and we filled up next stop. It did from Glasgow to the end of the M50 and still had one segment before the light comes on. It had done 346 miles so I think light on to light on it managed 350 miles. The total journey was 460 and it still as more than half a tank on the 2nd fill up so I'd say £105 (1.5 tanks @ £70 a tank). I was hoping it would do it on 2 tanks so I'm happy with that.

First and only thing required is to sort the window which is no great shakes. The rear springs are in good condition and I probably won't bother with lifting it - its too good to go green laning in. Quite fancy some KC Daylighters for it though.

All in all, a 100% successful trip

Lee247

Entertaining tale there, Ed. And that is one big brute

The Dogs B******s

I thought you were Bear Grylls with that journey
Nice motor

The Dogs B******s

A bit of T-Cut and it was sorted

G00ner

rofl, brilliant

what would scooby do

Lot of effort for a £500 junk jeep

pandyman

+1 with what he says

But great reading

All the best with the Yankee Beast

DYK

M444GY

iTrader: (72)

did you buy shares with shell and bp to

EddScott

Fortunately, its not junk.

And even if it was I'd do it again.

M444GY

iTrader: (72)

or dress up as the fratellis from the goonies

EddScott

I might put it on gas. Its not worth much more than the conversion but the mechanically these things will last forever and at only 54K its still very fresh.

I haven't worked out how long it will take to make the saving but I suspect I might have to be buried in it

Couldn't care less though, it puts the smile on my face my first Impreza did - just in a different way.

I want to take some pics with it so I'm going to borrow a shopping trolley, an old mattress, a few old tyres and I know a girl who has a staffie.



This is one reason for wanting a Cherokee - you ALWAYS see a Cherokee in US films from the 80s until now.



I'll pass on the bars because the later style ones look too bling but I want some KCs

M444GY

iTrader: (72)

RV ...... BULLET HOLES

thesyn

Sounds like a weekend well spent and a memory you can share with your daughter.
I've always liked jeeps

The Dogs B******s

Best film of all time(imo)

jonny_693

iTrader: (5)

Sweet, allways fancied one of those.

GC8

You certainly made a meal out of it Edd. I bought this old Porsche from an acquaintance in Edinburgh in the Summer. This involved a train to Newcastle where I had lunch with an old friend, then on to Edinburgh. Tickets cost £20 and the fellow picked me up at the station. I drove back to Sheffield stopping once for petrol in Wakefield.

SJ_Skyline

Great read Ed



Dieseldog....

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

One way to spend a weekend, certainly better than my hungover Sunday