JPB wrote: ↑Tue Jul 25, 2017 7:30 pm
No, not that one. It's 700 miles away and it's a manual, but you have the general idea, GHT.
I expect some of your finest quality abuse about this, so don't you dare hold back now!
Back in the 80's we had a Talbot Rancho,
our new neighbours were an amazing crowd. He was an ophthalmologist, who had worked all over Europe. His wife was a Dutch national. His work had taken him and his family to Germany, Italy, Spain and France. The parents and all four kids spoke fluent English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish and Italian. The car that they had was a Prairie, LHD, having previously lived in France.
The kids loved the Rancho, calling it a jsheep. You have to try and say sh & j at the same time to get the accent. The one thing that the Rancho was good for, was a donor battery to start the Prairie. The Rancho had starting problems of it's own. 99 times out of a 100 it started, but when you needed it most it wouldn't budge. Out of frustration, I tried hot wiring it, and what do you know, away it went. I showed my wife how to do it. Collecting the car from service, she had complained and complained about the Rancho's dead spot, explaining to them what I had done. Instead of fixing the problem, in truth, they didn't know why, they fixed a terminal for easy access for my wife to just hot wire it.
Our new neighbour knocked on the door. "The Prairie won't start." My missus went out and The Rancho wouldn't start. She lifted the bonnet, turned on the ignition and touched the new terminal. The engine coughed into life. "Oh wow," exclaimed our neighbour, can I come stealing cars with you. My missus explained how I had taught her and how the garage made it easy, so my neighbour, tried the trick on the Prairie. There was one almighty bang and that was the end of the Prairie. (serves it right,) what a bland, boring and banal car that was. But they were the best neighbours that we've ever had. The kids were just amazing and great fun for a childless couple like us.