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Grand Thrift Auto

@grandthriftauto.bsky.social

190 followers 150 following 650 posts

My name’s Martin and I’ve got too many scabby old cars. YouTube: https://youtube.com/@grandthriftauto

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · Jan 31

Go on then, I’ma give Bluesky a go.

As a first post, here’s a photo of my first car.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 1d

You might do better if you dig in and escalate it — you certainly should, that’s very poor from them and the regulator/Ombudsman would be on your side. But life is short.

Tbh I’ve never heard anything good about Lancaster. Personally I won’t touch them.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 1d

Talk to your insurer — their supplier, their problem. The Consumer Duty regulations require them to deliver good outcomes for customers.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 2d

Quality. That’ll set you up.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 3d

Ritmo. Ronda didn’t have *those* door handles.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 4d

I do - this is mine. Currently it only starts when it hasn’t rained for a couple of days, so next week I’m dismantling it until I find the bad earth.

Great cars though. Handsome, madly practical, enjoyable to drive.

Side view of an early mk1 Renault Espace in Bleu Sideral

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 4d

Exactly like! Although with more hammers.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 4d

Back on the tools today.

Gradually knitting myself a new Rancho

A piece of hand-shaped sheet steel clamped in place over the lower corner of the windscreen of a rusty car.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 4d

It’s 100% an Isuzu Gemini.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 6d

Can you talk to the insurer? If their supplier can’t supply they may allow an exception. Mentioning their Consumer Duty obligations would likely help.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 6d

I’ve almost always found it impossible to get anyone to do metalwork, hence now doing my own. That looks pretty straightforward too, with simple shapes.

I would offer to do it but logistics would be tricky.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 7d

I had a brief drive in this Midas Gold Rover V8-S last week, gold wheels an’ all.

A rare privilege. I’m a big fan of SD1s.

A Rover SD1 V8-S in Midas Gold with gold alloy wheels.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 9d

I like that a lot, and applaud the thinking behind it.

It’s all anyone needs for local trips. I’d happily have one as a second car.

But all those people who ‘need’ a massive Defender for the school run ‘because it’s safe’ will hate it.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 10d

Me, I think.

👋

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 11d

Lovely colour. My first Metro was Moonraker Blue.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 11d

Oh yes!

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 11d

Goldie Lookin Chain have also observed this phenomenon.

youtu.be/YhXKF0ZI-k8?...

The Middle Of Lidl - GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN

YouTube video by Goldie Lookin Chain

youtu.be

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 12d

Sad times, though hopefully to a good home.

You’re having a bit of a rubbish week really. Sorry bud.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 12d

Oof, the Lancia Ardea is rare enough, but I’m pretty sure that’s an Ardea Furgoncino van behind it under the silver cover.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 13d

It’s a Cavalier Commander, a factory special edition from around 1985/6.

Reposted by Grand Thrift Auto

Siôn Hudson @sionhudson.bsky.social · 13d

My dad Alwyn suffered devastatingly from Alzheimer's for 10 years before he died this year. On Saturday, we are doing a Memory Walk in his honour. More challenging given the impending storm and 46mph winds forecast for the day 🤣!

Please donate if you can:
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...

Sion

Help Sion Hudson raise money to support Alzheimer's Society

www.justgiving.com

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 13d

This guy was way ahead of you.

I saw this in the metal in London back in 1999-ish. It was fabulous.

www.jalopnik.com/this-overlan...

This Overlanding Mercedes SLK Traveled 150,000 Miles Across 116 Countries - Jalopnik

If you were to design the ultimate overlander, a vehicle capable of covering more than 100,000 miles across countless countries, where would you start? Would you opt for something rugged, like a Toyot...

www.jalopnik.com

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 13d

Temporary loss, at that. The construction sites are vastly bigger than the finished railway line will be…if we ever get to that stage.

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 13d

Am I the only one reading this as

BLACK POWER! (Steering needs repairing)?

Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 13d

Accuracy is a big problem for generative AI but less so for agentic AI, which just automates repetitive tasks.

That said, it only scored 57% in the standard test. “It’s work a 1st year consultant does,” they say - but you wouldn’t make it to 2nd year consultant at that rate.

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Grand Thrift Auto @grandthriftauto.bsky.social · 14d

Can’t really disagree.

AGILE

but

FRAGILE