Taxi Driver Online

Greetings and salutations, from the American Colonies. I just wanted to introduce myself, though I shall probably be present in the Repair and maintenance forum mostly.
My name is Tim, and I'm a cab driver in Fort Myers, Florida (U.S.A.) Recently in a moment of weakness, I purchased an old London Black Cab (69 FX4D). Somehow the fact that it did not run escaped my KEEN sense of observation, and I am currently paying the price of said minor lack of attention to such details, and come here in search of your superior knowledge and resources (Notice just the right amount of sucking up there . . . No, please . .. .its a gift . ..really!) Anyhow howdy from across the pond and glad to be here! Cheers! Tim

Hello Tim from a wet Scotland good to see this bra forums reaching the big wide world.I am not sure if i will be of any help when it comes to any repairs but i am sure you will find someone on TDO who will.You could maybe tell us how the taxi trade is doing in the USA.

Thank you Stationtone, Starting with the financial fiasco a year ago business has been off about 60 percent in my demographic, but we are a huge tourist dependant area, so we cannot average with the rest of the US. I noticed we do have similar issues to you despite big differences, in Taxi Companies in the US. Makes me wonder if fare stealers and runners aren't the TRUE oldest professions . . . .I certainly seem to verbalize much more derogatory slang of such, than the traditional oldest profession .

Nice to hear Scotland survived, despite my great grandparent departure, a hundred years ago (well umm . ..actually survived BECAUSE of their departure some might say . . .but I digress). Typically alot of drivers are in and out alot these days . ...and alot of us have lowered our morales . . . . fare stealing probably the most obvious. I still ask if someone ordered service and refuse the fare, unless they cancel the first. Not sure how long I can hold on to that old dinosaur . . . BUT I'M STILL EATING, for the time being!!! Thanx agin for the Welcome

Hi Mr Yank,
One of my mates is visiting Florida at the moment. You must have seen him. He is an old guy from Aberdeen. He will be the one who is still spending, (unusual for a scotsman) but Aberdeen is perhaps the oil capital of Great Britain.

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Grandad,

Hi Tim welcome on board, it's nice to know someone has bought the iconic black cab and transported it all the way to the States. There's a few guys on here who know the FX4 inside and out, if I'm correct don't they have the Nissan Engine in those?

Gramdad. Now that you mention it . . .think I had him for a fare last nite . . .yeah . . .white haired bloke . ..wanted to go to all the strip joint . . . errrrr gentlemans clubs???? Tell em he needs to call me . . . can't make heads or tales of the stuff he paid me with . . .farthing halfpence, quid . . . .WTH!!! I don't get it . . .

Cheers, Tim

(Where the hecks that cute signature line I wrote?!?, ohh there tis)

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"Overpaid, oversexed, and over here!"

(Bloody Hell! . . . did'nt anyone close the door behind them Yanks!! . . .bloody hell)

"Watson . . . WATSON! . . . come quickly!!! . . .and bring your REVOLVER!!!

Sorry Nigel, Totally missed your post . . . ADD I'm afraid .. .. wait, what were we talking about???

Oh yeah, the engine,
Its actually a BMC(British Motor Company) 2.2 litre. If you listen to the folks at Wikipedia, they claim its a "very common engine in boats, taxis, and some cars . . . talk to people here in the states about it, and they look at you like your from Venus!!!
Its a gorgeous little engine . . .has all the neat little details that always made me smile with previous british cars I had as a kid . . . well when I was younger anyway. I had a stint as a mechanic again, when I was a kid, and had to endure a lot of prejudice, that I felt was analagous to the prejudice gays endure. What was hard was, this came from fellow mechanics, and I won't bore you with gearhead rap, but british engineers were so much more respectful of the mechanics' eventual labors . . . When my "mates" successfully got my goat, I would quip "yeah , lets be more like GM. When the prototype is finished, make sure we make everything impossible to get at . . ."

Anyway, I should stop blabbin and get over to "maintenence and repairs". Those posts are probably gonna be lengthy . . . .some things not clear from two different manuals I bought. Thanx for the response!

Tim

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"Overpaid, oversexed, and over here!"

(Bloody Hell! . . . did'nt anyone close the door behind them Yanks!! . . .bloody hell)

"Watson . . . WATSON! . . . come quickly!!! . . .and bring your REVOLVER!!!

The 2.2 BMC was a decent enough engine but underpowered, from memory it came with a huge radiator and had an awful habit of developing cracks in the engine block.

It was superseded by the 2.5 BMC.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Yeah . . ., funny you should mention that Captain . . . I'm well aware the novelty of a well built friendly little motor will wear off with the practicality of a business that you realsitically have to hurry in . . . OFTEN!
BUT!,
I've also noticed the current younger generation around here seems to be obcessed with turbocharging EVERYTHING, from their dads lexus, to their too loud Honda. Naturally, . . .it don't work . . . bearing failure, holes in pistons . . .not sure what leads the list of failures, but it happens soon after. Now,maybe 30, 40 years ago . . .before they started takin all the metal outta engines .. .
but MINE . . . that damn thing looks bulletproof . ..and turbo . . . thats like the easiest bolt on horsepower I've ever seen (oops sorry, slipped into gearhead mode, my bad . . .won't happen again . ..maybe . ..probably not).. . .ever hear if they did that? I mean regularly, with some success?

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"Overpaid, oversexed, and over here!"

(Bloody Hell! . . . did'nt anyone close the door behind them Yanks!! . . .bloody hell)

"Watson . . . WATSON! . . . come quickly!!! . . .and bring your REVOLVER!!!

Oh dear.

That said you are not the first to buy a LTI vehicle only to discover it's not worth it, nor will you be the last.

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IDFIMH

Hi and welcome to the world of TDO. I'd like to say I understand you're dilemma but unfortunately or more to the point fortunately I don't. From experience if you have a problem with a vehicle of any discription it usually requires a visit to the car doctor, where he will take a loud sudden and sharp intake of breath, shake his head and then proceed to empty your wallet on a regular basis. Good luck anyway with your new found and expensive hobby

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Thanx folks


Well, honestly I knew that when I bought it . .. .I can come up with a convincing argument about business supposedly being my main motivater, but I've always loved old british cars .. . .this one ain't my first . . . .its the first one I can justify with a bunch of bs about uniqueness, more leg room, better curb appeal, etc. . . . ugh I don't wanna go down that road, tellin my lies here . . .It wears on me and I might get good at it . .. .then I might have to become a DISPATCHER . . . .
Nope, had my eyes open from the beginning . . . my bad



Toots, Thanx for the welcome . . . No worries mate, Relax . .. .its much worse than that . . we're way beyond a local Dr. visit . . . more like the intensive care unit ....Dr. visit was like 15 twenty years ago . . .nope fraid its lifesaving heroic methods only for this old chariot . .. .but keep in mind its an old fool, tryin to do it . . . .right Karma there somewhere . . .

Cheers

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"Overpaid, oversexed, and over here!"

(Bloody Hell! . . . did'nt anyone close the door behind them Yanks!! . . .bloody hell)

"Watson . . . WATSON! . . . come quickly!!! . . .and bring your REVOLVER!!!

Im gonna be in Bonita Springs in two weeks, just south of Terry Street, maybe we can meet and have a cup of tea.

Ooh! A spying miision arranged already!!

Maybe he can give the fella a jump start.

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IDFIMH