My TX4 London Black Taxi Project

Gregg in the boot could have been a customs problem, probably would have made a killing with some shellfish though, to fill those empty Carrefour rayons.

From 1 January 2021, it is prohibited to introduce certain products of animal origin such as meat and milk (including, for example, ham and cheese), into the EU from GB. This prohibition includes carrying them for personal consumption in your luggage. These rules will also apply for movements between GB and NI.
 
The question on everyone's lips is obviously...

Not picked up any new parts for this yet. My wife ain't too pleased I bought it after christmas (no idea why, she's a funny one and doesn't see why I wanted it lol I can't see why!) so I'll be grabbing some new headlights and a couple of other key little bits next month and will get it nice and sorted.

I can't help but think an LS swap would be a great idea though. It has the space for it and it's RWD. I think you could easily mate the LS to ford gearbox and as such rear axle.

Had a nightmare tonight. Took the car out to pick up my 6yr old from childcare and it got there fine. No issues, started first time, was perfect. Then trying to come home it was dead. Battery was fine and just wouldn't turn over. I found a thread online about it and a transponder issue and removing the plug and resetting it and putting it back works... and it did! Phew. Thank god for the interwebs!
 
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e; Oh its some Italian diesel. TXI had a Nissan TD27, TXII had a Ford Duratorq, TXIV has a VM Motori R425 (never heard of it) :p
Yea, some awful 2.5L Diesel in there at the moment. It has no rev counter lol so you never know how close to exploding you are but now I've met a few cabbies, or people who also own these (thanks youtube comments) it would appear that no one has got near 90mph in these because it'll likely explode. Probably shouldnt have done that but hey, Terry survived!

I took him out at the weekend, he was great for taking things to the tip :P but then investigated the suspension as it's sagging like your nans... They have a crazy weird setup on the shocks and springs at the front, it's really weird but either way, I'd like to uprate it in some way for future plans. It's shot at the moment, but instead of just standard stuff I'd love to see if I could get something adjustable in some way. Obviously off the shelf is out of the question (I can't find a thing!) but does anyone know companies who do custom shocks I could try?

Also, anyone want to photoshop some nice bronze 17s on it? I think bronze is a good colour... maybe gold? Either way, suspension and wheels will be first. So much body roll on the spec of the tyres (175/80/16s) I'd like to sort that out, then I think I'll keep my eye out for a 13B...

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Anyone care to photoshop some wheels on that badboy? I'm totally open to all ideas :P
 
Fast forward and my RR Sport imploded and is stuck in the mountains. My C1 is operational, but has a nail in the new tyre and needs a new steering rack (it's OK, but MOT says so) so that left me driving the Taxi about!

I have replaced the top light on the roof and gave it some Cheezus branding:



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It then sat for a bit before my RR died, so needed a new battery and a clean out to be used more daily...



Then just really drove the damn thing! It was just doing hauling about of furniture and my daughter to school and back.

Today I started the service... air filter was done and wiper blades. I am waiting on the oil so I can do the filter change and I have a new diesel filter to go on, too.

Then I got carried away. The dash is out... oops! The whole front was so minging, I wanted to clean it all up and the more I started taking things apart to clean, I figured I'd plan a proper tart up of the front space.

Plans:

- recovering the dash with a nice black faux suede material
- Redo headlining
- cover A pillars
- fit new black carpet
- fit new 40 euro chinese single din headunit (I just wanted bloody bluetooth and the other one didn't have it)
- spray the plastic trim
- spray the big plastic partition in that raptor bed liner stuff

I also need to sort out the seat and centre console, but seat I am looking at options for a new one and I'll see how the material/ spraying options come out and what the plan for the console will be. Same for the door cards tbh.


Overall plans are to, other than a refurb of the inside, and making it more as it should be, to keep it as original as kinda possible. From a layout point of view anyway. I'm looking into a roof tent option and I'd love to make the most of not having the kids one out of 2 weeks, so would like to just work from anywhere in Europe over the summer. See if I can patch this thing up first mind :D

Anyway, more to come over the coming weeks on it's mini refurb!
 
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You can also see the headlights are ******. They are totally ******. There are a number of tabs destroyed on them and they're just shot. I have a new set coming at the moment, which should help me actually see at night. Right now I may as well use a candle.

Oh, and there is a hole in the driver's side sill the size of my hand :D luckily they sell new ones for 80quid, so that'll be coming soon to be replaced...
 
I'm supposed to be resting as I'm unwell, but I can't sit still, it drives me mental and is such a waste of the day. I took apart some more of the interior in the front, so that's nearly all out. I just need to take the seat belt bolts and the seat out and I'll be able to easily remove the rest of the old carpet, the rear plastic panel, the centre console and the B pillars.

I covered the A pillars with this adhesive suede that came and it's bloody great stuff I have to say. Easy to work with, mold and get around parts and I think it looks great.

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- recovering the dash with a nice black faux suede material
- Redo headlining
- cover A pillars
- cover B pillars
- cover C pillars (back of cab)
- fit new black carpet
- fit new 40 euro chinese single din headunit (I just wanted bloody bluetooth and the other one didn't have it)
- spray the plastic trim
- spray the big plastic partition in that raptor bed liner stuff

Tomorrow morning I think I'll get the hoover out, clean it right out and get the last bits out! Then this week I will try and start to actually get some bit back in it, so it's not completely in bits :cry::cry:
 
Shouldn't you have had to register it by now? In Austria you only get a month if you live there!

When I lived in France, virtually nobody would do that, you’d take it back to England occasionally for an MOT and keep it taxed and insured. Some people would even get a French MOT on a UK registered car (god knows how) but I never bothered doing that.

If the police stop you, they only really care about seeing your V5, licence and insurance - they can’t be bothered trying to prove when you last entered the country.
 
When I lived in France, virtually nobody would do that, you’d take it back to England occasionally for an MOT and keep it taxed and insured. Some people would even get a French MOT on a UK registered car (god knows how) but I never bothered doing that.

If the police stop you, they only really care about seeing your V5, licence and insurance - they can’t be bothered trying to prove when you last entered the country.
Reminds of an Italian chap I had on my project a year or so back. He had a 3 series on Italian plates. I asked how long he had been in the UK (thinking he was fresh off of the ferry from Dover) and he said 9 years :cry:

I very much call into question the legality of his stay but imagine he did much like what you've outlined there.
 
Shouldn't you have had to register it by now? In Austria you only get a month if you live there!


When I lived in France, virtually nobody would do that, you’d take it back to England occasionally for an MOT and keep it taxed and insured. Some people would even get a French MOT on a UK registered car (god knows how) but I never bothered doing that.

If the police stop you, they only really care about seeing your V5, licence and insurance - they can’t be bothered trying to prove when you last entered the country.
Ha yes this basically.

I think it's like 6 months here, technically... but they're not massively fussed on it as geekman says. When I got stopped in my S4 on UK plates for speeding they contacted the UK to make sure I had everything in order and all that, too.
 
Ha yes this basically.

I think it's like 6 months here, technically... but they're not massively fussed on it as geekman says. When I got stopped in my S4 on UK plates for speeding they contacted the UK to make sure I had everything in order and all that, too.
Where do you keep the car insured and registered? Keep a house in the UK or family house i guess?

One thing which springs to mind is that the insurance probably wouldnt stand up too well in the event of a proper accident, you'd need to lie and say resident at that address wouldnt you?

(Not preaching! Curious :))

Edit: BTW enjoying the taxi updates!
 
Did the front headlining in this suede material and **** me it's not got any play in it... I might end up redoing it, I'm not massively happy with the finish but will see. The rear section I've asked a friend of ours to do as she's going to trim out the seats too. Front I figure is less important, but still, if I have the material spare, I'll redo the front.

I had planned on using it for the dash but it's too thick and the zero give will make it impossible around the curves, so think I'll use the bed liner spray on the dash. Hopefully that arrives tomorrow or weds so I can get that, the centre console and rear partition all done and back in.

I have now covered the sun visors too, and painted the plastic sun visor bits with plasticoat black too.
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Carpet on the passenger side done too. It doesn't look as good in pics as it does in real life, but it's ace. I'm dead happy with it. I cant get the last friggin' bolt out on the driver's seat, so WD soaking until tomorrow so I can do that side too.

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I hope I can get this bolt out without angle grinder use :D It'll be nice to start getting it back together.
 
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