robroy:
I used to have one just like this one in 1984.
Nice car in it’s day.
Did it share a body with the early 80’s BMW 5 series Rob? Looks very similar to the 5 series my old man had years back.
No I don’t think so bud, but yeh, they looked similar.
both styled from the same pen ? both companys used styling houses at that time to design latest models
from wiki
Fiat 132 (1974–77) Edit
A major update to the front suspension was implemented for January 1974 in response to criticism of the handling and very low geared steering.[2] Press reports of the time commend the improved handling which was also supported by the fitting of wider tires, although poor fuel consumption at high speed continued to draw adverse comment, even where the (unusual for the time) five speed transmission option was specified.[4] In the same year an external redesign[4] gave the impression of a lowered waistline resulting from larger side windows. It included a reshaped C-pillar[5] which had a semblance of BMW’s “Hofmeister kink” and reminded some of the recently introduced BMW 5 Series.
My old works foreman had a 124 sports coupe, they had a perfectly square 1608cc twin cam engine. I bought a 131 Mirafiori Sport with a 2.0 twin cam, the engine outlived the bodywork and went into an ■■■■■■ Van, plain white and no bling, it put the boy racers to shame [emoji23]
I always thought the 132 was more of an elderly uncles car but it seems not and had its own followers.
I had to look twice today as I saw a red and white Renault Magnum pulling a red trailer, the company was Eccles Van Lines or EVL and in the windscreen was the name plate of Harry Monk but being old and incontinent with blurry vision ( Dominic ■■■■■■■■ ) the name plate was in fact Harry Mark and he stopped to let a lady and her canine cross the road .
Harry Monk:
I have a permanent offside mooring on a farm about halfway between Rugby and Coventry,
Are those types of moorings fairly easy to find? I was unaware of these types of moorings. Is it more or less expensive than marina fees? I’m guessing less expensive?
I ask because I’m working towards moving off dry land and into a narrowboat so I can drastically cut down on working and live a bit more of this short life.
Bigtruck3:
Living the dream
Is the boat your home all year round
Yes, I have a permanent offside mooring on a farm about halfway between Rugby and Coventry, I use that as my base when I’m working but still live aboard. I haven’t spent a night in a house for four years now.
Hey Harry, any chance you can do a blog of your journey this year? I love reading peoples alternative lifestyle and travelling.
Harry Monk:
I have a permanent offside mooring on a farm about halfway between Rugby and Coventry,
Are those types of moorings fairly easy to find? I was unaware of these types of moorings. Is it more or less expensive than marina fees? I’m guessing less expensive?
I ask because I’m working towards moving off dry land and into a narrowboat so I can drastically cut down on working and live a bit more of this short life.
Farm moorings are far less expensive than a marina although they aren’t easy to find, I got this in a “right place, right time” scenario. I pay around £800 a year in total, with what I pay the farmer and what I pay CRT for the mooring permit. I spent my first year in a marina and it was about double that. I prefer it here too, it’s a nice little community whereas a marina is just like a car park for boats.
However, if you don’t need a fixed base (which I do because of working half the year) then you can make a “Continuous Cruiser Declaration” and as long as you move a reasonable distance every two weeks then you don’t need a mooring at all.
Here’s where I am right now, the boat is in for blacking (the area below the waterline blasting off and painted with bitumen) which I have done every three years. Narrowboats do need a lot of maintenance, most of which I can do myself but not this.
Harry Monk:
Farm moorings are far less expensive than a marina although they aren’t easy to find, I got this in a “right place, right time” scenario. I pay around £800 a year in total, with what I pay the farmer and what I pay CRT for the mooring permit. I spent my first year in a marina and it was about double that. I prefer it here too, it’s a nice little community whereas a marina is just like a car park for boats.
Thanks for the info. £800 per year certainly is cheap compared with mooring fees I’ve seen elsewhere.
Narrowboats do need a lot of maintenance, most of which I can do myself but not this.
This seems the most daunting aspect of narrowboating, but I’m sure the positives of living that way far outweigh this.
Bigtruck3:
Living the dream
Is the boat your home all year round
Yes, I have a permanent offside mooring on a farm about halfway between Rugby and Coventry, I use that as my base when I’m working but still live aboard. I haven’t spent a night in a house for four years now.
Looks good, Harry. Sorta what I’m doing but without the tyre wear. I’m converting a 40’, 3 axle coach. Summers to spent down south, reserving winters for Cairns, Darwin and Kimberley/ Pilbara regions. I’ll be towing my Discovery.
Harry Monk:
Farm moorings are far less expensive than a marina although they aren’t easy to find, I got this in a “right place, right time” scenario. I pay around £800 a year in total, with what I pay the farmer and what I pay CRT for the mooring permit. I spent my first year in a marina and it was about double that. I prefer it here too, it’s a nice little community whereas a marina is just like a car park for boats.
Thanks for the info. £800 per year certainly is cheap compared with mooring fees I’ve seen elsewhere.
Narrowboats do need a lot of maintenance, most of which I can do myself but not this.
This seems the most daunting aspect of narrowboating, but I’m sure the positives of living that way far outweigh this.
Can you live aboard while it’s in the dry dock?
With mooring fees, the further south you go, the more expensive they are. London is ludicrous, the Midlands far more reasonable and Yorks/ Lancs etc dirt cheap.
Most of the maintenance is fairly simple, servicing the engine and gearbox etc. It’s a very simple BMC B Series engine and I grew up on those in Austin Cambridges etc. Mine is a diesellised version but it’s pretty much the same.
Last time I got the boat blacked they wouldn’t let me stay on the boat (elf 'n safety) so I went to stay at my ex-girlfriends house (which is officially still my home address) but now she is living with a fella so it would be a bit awkward. The boater on the next mooring to mine tipped me off about this different boatyard where the owner doesn’t mind boaters staying aboard, at their own risk obviously. So yes, that’s where I will be for the next 3-4 days.
EDIT This is where I am (start at 1:50) and Pete is the guy doing the work for me…
Harry Monk:
With mooring fees, the further south you go, the more expensive they are. London is ludicrous, the Midlands far more reasonable and Yorks/ Lancs etc dirt cheap.
I’ve only seen the fee for one London mooring, and it was £18k per year!
Bigtruck3:
Living the dream
Is the boat your home all year round
Yes, I have a permanent offside mooring on a farm about halfway between Rugby and Coventry, I use that as my base when I’m working but still live aboard. I haven’t spent a night in a house for four years now.
When you’re away from the moorings at the farm do you pay yourself £26 tax free?
As I mentioned a while ago I restore and exhibit vintage farm machinery and engines, not been doing any events for the past twelve months but hopefully next year will be better.
windrush:
As I mentioned a while ago I restore and exhibit vintage farm machinery and engines, not been doing any events for the past twelve months but hopefully next year will be better.
I have guns Do quite a bit of shooting. Also got a boat, little bit smaller than Harry’s at 16ft but nice to potter up the Thames and dump in the salt around Portsmouth when we get decent weather.
(dont know why picture is sideways, it is right way up when opened )
Fuzrat:
0I have guns Do quite a bit of shooting. Also got a boat, little bit smaller than Harry’s at 16ft but nice to potter up the Thames and dump in the salt around Portsmouth when we get decent weather.
(dont know why picture is sideways, it is right way up when opened )
It’s right way on Tappa talk
Is the Lab a food monster [emoji6][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
Blue, Yep, he would eat his body weight if I let him
Janos, Lottery win and its a Nordhavn 55 for me, off we go around the world. Sailing is too much like hard work for my liking, I like turning a key and being off
Do quite a bit of shooting. Also got a boat, little bit smaller than Harry’s at 16ft but nice to potter up the Thames and dump in the salt around Portsmouth when we get decent weather.
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