Katie B
@wrenching_wench
Followers
6,110
Following
521
Media
1,633
Statuses
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Van mechanic. Lover of old cars. Smaller in real life. 🏳️🌈 she/her #WeirdCarTwitter #KB43VER
West Yorkshire
Joined May 2018
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
If you ever wondered what it’s like to be five foot tall and have to change a turbo on a 2.2 Transit, it looks a bit like this.
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I honestly cannot believe it. I’ve peaked. Sylvester has never won an award before and then he goes and bags this. Those 8 hours cutting out tiny lines on the back lights paid off!
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2021 Citroen Berlingo, ~50k miles, cut out and won’t start. Suspect snapped timing belt as they’re sadly very common for it. Taken to the dealer under warranty. Workshop foreman sends us an email… “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
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Gotta love car guys that say girls are only into cars so they can shag all the blokes. Because yes, I am only in this so I can bang some dutty, greasy haired, vape smoking knob who’s been wearing the same oily hoodie and joggers for two weeks. I’d rather shit in my hands and clap
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I can only assume the driver of this van buys a coffee and then proceeds to compete in the Dakar rally every day.
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Remember those Speedline Maracana turbines I impulse bought way back in October last year? Well it’s only taken me this long to get them painted and on the car.
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Car guys love sticking ‘fuck you Greta’ on the back of their cars like she’s gonna give a shit about your 200,000 mile Mk4 Golf TDI with rotten arches
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Six years ago today I started as an apprentice mechanic. Here’s me at my first job posing next to a machine I wasn’t (and still not) qualified to use. I started out at a VAG specialist, hence the love for VWs. Before this I was actually a Ford nut.
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7,000 miles later and she’s back! Still working and fully charged too. 🥲
That horrible sinking feeling when you go to get your torch… and realise it’s still attached to a Ford Transit that’s currently on its way to Birmingham.
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Customer states handbrake not working, please check and advise.
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Yeah Facebook might be the devil, but where else would I find entertainment like this?
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Services Sierra (looked spotless, never seen those wheel trims before either!)
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One of our customers at work names all of their vans Eddie Stobart-esque, except they’re all just really normal names and it really cracks me up. For example, this is Chris the Berlingo.
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Oh god, I didn’t even know this was out yet! Uh, yeah, I’m in
@PracticalClass
this month as January’s Bright Young Spark winner. Thank you to
@sarahcrabtreee
for nominating me! 🥰
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Finally starting the process of a possible ADHD diagnosis. Not sure my doctor had to clock me this hard, however…
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Took a friend/work colleague with me yesterday to the NEC. He’s just as into old crap cars as I am, and out of all the cars we saw, this pristine, low mileage Corsa C is the one that stopped him in his tracks. Trying to recruit him for Weird Car Twitter as we speak…
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A Ford Focus and hanging door seals, name a more iconic duo
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No offence Dan but a diagnosis of syphilis sounds more enticing than owning a Tesla
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I think it’s safe to say this is the newest thing I’ve ever driven.
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Haha look at this fuckin dweeb- oh wait that’s me.
My certificate from the EV course finally came so I had to pose with it like a school photo. Yes I am that small.
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“Katie, what did it feel like when you found out you’d won?”
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Trip to Tesco in ol’ George now that he’s back on all fours. Now riding 40mm lower at the front and 30mm lower at the rear, and looking all the better for it! Also braking on four calipers now instead of two and a half. Really is a joy to drive, and doesn’t feel 31 years old!
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I’m so sad. Some of you who’ve known me for a long time will know, but for those who don’t, all through my teens I was a Ken Block super fan. The man was my idol. I’m so glad I got to meet him at Santa Pod in 2015. RIP to an absolute legend. 💔
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Out cleaning the Scirocco and a young girl, maybe 5 years old, walks past with her dad. She looks at me and goes, “Wow!” with a massive grin, and then gives me a thumbs up. Gonna be riding that high for a long time.
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We might be in the depths of winter, but some people still have their classics out. Spotted this lovely little Mk1 Golf whilst out on a breakdown earlier. 🥰
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Probably the worst kept secret of the weekend, but this is why I was invited to be on the Lancaster stand - I only went and bloody won it!
🙌 Congratulations to the winner of the Lancaster Insurance Bright Young Sparks initiative: Katie Bushell! 🎉
Thank you to all six superb finalists, and special thanks to Katie -
@wrenching_wench
- for taking part! ❤️
@PracticalClass
@NECRestoShow
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The amount of coolant hoses on the new Crafter stresses me the hell out
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Merry Christmas from my garage to yours! I hope you all have an enjoyable day however you spend it, and for those who find it difficult for whichever reason, I’m thinking of you too. ❤️
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I’ve never held a live grenade before but I imagine it’s a bit like holding this
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Quick public service announcement to say that PLEASE STOP USING THESE NAFF VALVE CAPS or if you do PUT GREASE ON THEM. They seize on and are a pain in the arse to get off. Thank you. xoxo
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Still can’t believe it.
(Chris, your cheque is in the post)
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@itsPaulana
I know this tweet is 2 days old so idk how lost this comment will be but I’m a qualified female mechanic and my whole life revolves around cars so ladies don’t be afraid to ask me anything you wanna know. No question is too dumb!!
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The downstairs parking at
@LateBrakeShow
live made for some great moody shots. May or may not have gotten lost trying to find my way out of it, however. More of my photos from the show coming soon!
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5 years ago today I brought this little yellow peril home from Arnold Clark in Salford. I don’t post about it much but I really love this car. People say they’re old and dated now, but I love the simplicity. Not a lot of modern cars are like this anymore. Cheers to you, Bart. 💛
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Second sentence is quite possibly the worst thing I’ve ever read about a car
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Car Twitter and Car Facebook are so different. For example, here I can make friends with someone who will share some quirky old French car they saw in a side street today, and on Car Facebook I can make friends with someone who will share racist and homophobic Impact font memes.
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Three months of pain trying to fix the fuel leak that caused the MOT failure, numerous pipes made, £100s spent on fancy flaring tools, and in the end all it took was the £20 Halfords tool I already had. Oh well, George is back on the road finally! Just in time for all the snow.
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Yesterday was Ken’s funeral, so I’m posting this video from Wales Rally GB 2011 when I saw him *in person* for the first time. I was so in awe at the mechanics I decided I wanted to do this for a living. I ended up working on hire vans, but still. It feels like this.
#KB43VER
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Learnt my lesson from the Abarth and will not be taking chances kerbing these wheels.
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Just been out to a breakdown, local NHS trust, van won’t start. Said they tried to jump it this morning but it wouldn’t go. I managed to jump it straight away. Guy says to me, “Do you always use two leads?” Turns out they’d tried jumping it with just the positive lead. 🤦🏼♀️
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If you’re not American/celebrating Thanksgiving today and feeling left out, then you could always celebrate the fact that 24 years ago today my mum thought she ate a dodgy pie from Asda, but it actually turned out she was in labour and I was born. Happy birthday Asda pie!
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@ListerLawrence
@Ford
Just to give you an idea of the current state of Ford reliability - we have a dedicated Ford mobile technician that visits us pretty much every week purely to do warranty/recall work on the fleet. We’ve got a 22 plate Transit that’s getting a new engine under warranty today.
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For almost 23 years I haven’t been able to see properly out of my bedroom window because the double glazing failed and went foggy and we could never afford new windows. Yesterday we finally got new ones and now I can SEE! It’s the little things etc
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I’m not normally one to focus on numbers, but I’ve just passed 5,000 followers on here. My mum loves telling people I’m ‘famous on Twitter’ and I always say I’m not, but 5,000 people in a room would be quite a lot. So thanks you lovely lot. Shame this site is a hellhole now.
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In the five years I’ve owned my Scirocco, this is the first time I’ve seen another out in the wild, and it was local too! I was waaaaay more excited than I should’ve been. In fact I’m still buzzing now about it.
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After stopping in a B&B for Radwood last year and not getting any sleep because of the walrus snoring in the room next door, I’m not taking any chances this year. A hut on a farm in the middle of nowhere should do it!
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I thought I was doing okay and now this has absolutely ruined me again. Apologies if I’m not very responsive on social media at the moment, this has properly taken the wind out of my sails. 😢
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After a week of particularly grotty vehicles I thought it’d only be fair if I cleaned my own car.
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“I love working on cars” I say to myself as I lay on my back, covered in dirt, my light hair now a dusty brown. “I just love the satisfaction of it” I manage to say before my ratchet slips and my knuckles are smashed, again. I lay there in silence. I do not know if I love this.
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The year is 1990, and the neighbours on the street are talking. “Have you seen them down the road? A new Audi *and* a new Scirocco?!”
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Everyone banging on about it being a month until Christmas is forgetting the most important thing about today - me, because it’s my birthday.
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Had a new starter yesterday, supposedly just finished his apprenticeship and was Level 3 qualified. As the day went on it became very clear that he wasn’t. When asked where he got his qualification from, he said, and I’m not joking, he ‘went on a 5-day course’. To be a mechanic.
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Feu Orange air freshener, original dealer plates, and a blazer hanging in the back - the ultimate 90s repmobile, coming to sell a fax machine near you. 📠
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If you no longer go for a gap that doesn’t exist you’re no longer a van driver or whatever it was Ayrton Senna said
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Since we’re on the topic of 2000s NASCAR merch, I’d like to take this opportunity to bring back this iconic beach towel I spotted in Tenerife circa 2011. Not a day goes by where I don’t regret not buying it, but I’m glad I took a photo at least.
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Turbines have landed. Also have the centre caps, just not pictured. I now own four sets of wheels. I suppose it’s like normal girls buying shit loads of shoes?
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Thank you to everyone who told me I’d be fine, I got 93% on the exam and am now EV/hybrid qualified. I will however continue to doubt my abilities for the rest of my life.
On an EV training course from tomorrow and to be honest I’m shitting it a bit because I’m hopeless in academic settings
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Stopped off for a Greggs bacon butty at Oswestry and this pulled in just as I came out. Probably one of many fuel stops for him, but who gives a shit when you look that cool?
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I’ve been debating whether or not to say anything, but I believe it’s important to be open and honest about these things and all that.
Lately I have been struggling a bit mentally. This is the first time I’ve been to the unit in two months. 🧵 (1/10)
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New rubber for the Abarth. Took me ages to decide which brand to go for, but everyone swears by Michelin Pilot Sport 5s in the owners groups, so Michelin it is. I’ll just be softly crying in a corner over the price.
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On this day in 1990, a white Volkswagen Scirocco GTII was first registered on the road. Happy 33rd birthday Sylvester!
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Today is this Berlingo’s lucky day - the timing belt isn’t even due to be changed yet!
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Found this funky little car for sale, anyone seen it before? Guy said something about ‘Twitter’ and ‘YouTube’.
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I’ve only driven this twice this year, so thought we’d take a trip out to Blackpool to stretch its legs.
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On today’s Shit Seen In The Trade via Facebook group:
Car failed MOT on brakes. Customer decided to ‘fix’ them himself. I don’t even have words.
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After four hours we were finally lifted from FOTU. Dropped at Blyth services just now, with a two hour wait until our next lift back to Huddersfield. First time using RAC and most likely my last.
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Ordering parts at work, parts advisor on the phone says to me,
“I’m not trying to be sexist, but do you actually know what you’re doing then?”
“Yes”
“So do you work on stuff then or do you just order parts?”
“I’m the mechanic, yes”
“Wow…”
Bless.
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Okay, I’m ready to admit winter tyres are actually good. Made it over Standedge on the A62 in the work van with winters on the front. If you know the area you’ll know how treacherous that road can get! Had to get out and push a Jag XF but the van never slipped once.
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Who knew posting a picture of a curbed wheel would bring out all the tossers who are trying to say my 17” wheels on a Fiat 500 in drag are too big and that’s why I curbed them for the first time in 3 years not because maybe I just fuckin misjudged how far away the curb was
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It’s D-Day for George the Audi. I’m not normally nervous when it comes to MOTs, but I’m not gonna lie, I’m shitting it for this one. Time to find out if all that hard work was worth it.
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I spotted this pond at the side of the road on the way to Radwood yesterday, so I made sure to make a quick detour on the way home this morning for some photos. A lovely round off to a fantastic weekend.
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Trapped in my house because the next door neighbour has recruited another neighbour who claims to be a mobile mechanic to have a go at his clunky ‘07 Kia Sportage and I’d rather not get roped in
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A year ago today we brought home this big barge. A lot of blood, sweat, and literal tears have gone into it since, but driving it makes it all worth it. Happy anniversary George. 😘
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To the surprise of absolutely no one, I’ve agreed to buy the Golf.
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Thought I’d take a lovely photo of the Scirocco outside a nice early 20th century building. Totally forgot it’s the local porno cinema.
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To contribute to the current Car Twitter Discourse:
I took a bank loan out to buy the Abarth. Shoot me.
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Something I’ve been quietly working on for the last two weeks - a rear heckblende! Bought as a rough cut from Dreadnought Customs and prepped, painted, and shaped to fit. Not a bad colour match for a Halfords tin of paint.
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I wonder what tune this disc would play if I put it on a record player
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The GT-Rs of the 90s were great and all, but there’s something about the R30 RS that just really does it for me.
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All parked up in the display car park at
@LateBrakeShow
Live. A lot of people struggling to comprehend the request of ‘straddle two bays’, the marshal told me I was one of very few who understood it first time…
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Remembering yesterday at the car show an old guy presumed the Scirocco belonged to my dad, then when I said it was mine he said, “Oh, you like to pretend that one’s yours?”, to which I iterated it is mine, to which he said, “Did you buy it with your pocket money?” 🙃 love that x
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I’m not a train buff by any means but if I get sent out on a job at the same time the Flying Scotsman is passing through the village, you bet I’m gonna pull over to get a video
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Well, they’re done. Certainly not perfect, and probably won’t last long, and I’m still not sure what possessed me to do it. You’ll have to wait until Radwood now to see them on the car (if the lines don’t all flail off on the M1)
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Friendly reminder that an MOT is testing what is good AT THE TIME OF THE TEST, not how the car will look in 5 months time.
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4 years ago today I bought my lil yellow guy. Still not bored of it. I’ve been thinking more and more lately about buying a house and how this will likely have to go to fund that, and then I stared at it parked outside the shop today and wondered how I ever considered it. 💛
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Double page spread! Form an orderly line for autographs etc
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In case you were wondering, yes you can fit the majority of a Mk2 Golf GTI in the back of a Transit.
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