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Jan 27, 2018 16:00:17 GMT
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It's got me today, there were a bucket of bodges on my Alfa Spider, I worked them all out and made everything good over the last 12 months.
Friday gone I was just finishing a preventative session on the sills, meaning covers and wheelarch liners and wheels off, remove any surface rust, treat, paint and replace all the little plastic bits the holding screws go into.
Came to put the back wheel on and bolt 5 stripped the thread in the hub, fair enough, £10 for a like new used from local breaker, fitted it this morning and the wheel and all the plastics despite a fight are back on.
As I had also done an oil and filter change I started her up to send the oil round and recheck level, all good, apart from no heater blower.
Common issue on these is the fan seizes, didn't work with the kick up behind the dash, 1 screw and it's all out, spins freely, to the fuse board under the steering wheel, somon my back over the door sill and head buried in the footwell upside down.
All relays are in, started at the bottom and pulled the fuses one at a time, 4th fuse is blown, changed it, new fuse in, car made the sort of sound it does when the key is turned (keys are on the passenger seat) had a look up and dash lights are on, pulled and repeated, started the car, still has lights on and now won't turn off even with the keys out.
Pulled the fuse and engine off, I leave it out, onto the next fuse, remove it and it's fine, put it back and it's that noise again, lights on dash with no keys.
So currently I still have no heater blower and a very live car.
I have to say it's got to me, maybe I'm tired of cars as I'm also working and being fought every inch of the way on my old 155 when I'm not working on the spider. #efincars
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Bicycle x1
Alfa Giulietta (now wife's)
Alfa 156
BMW 630i
Honda rc36
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Jan 27, 2018 16:14:46 GMT
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I sympathise. I have put a lot of money into older cars and just when I think nothing can go wrong it does.
I have turned my attention to a modern car just recently and am enjoying it (although this now part of a recall for a headgasket issue!) I was using a Porsche 924 daily previously. I still own an old car, an MG Midget but it isn’t a daily and in fact I have SORNed it for now whilst I work out want I want to do with it. I also just got rid of my 72 beetle before Christmas, I sank £2k into it to get an mot in the summer.
This isn’t the end of old cars for me, but I need a break.
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Last Edit: Jan 27, 2018 16:17:07 GMT by garrett
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b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886 
Club RR Member Number: 22
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Car induced depression b3nson
@b3nson
Club Retro Rides Member 22
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Jan 27, 2018 16:26:58 GMT
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For me it’s important to have a modern, comfortable, reliable daily that i’m not too precious about, this means when stuff goes wrong with the fun car it’s less stressful
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'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo
'08 Panda 100HP
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Jan 27, 2018 16:29:45 GMT
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I do have a modern fiat bravo which just does everything 😁
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Bicycle x1
Alfa Giulietta (now wife's)
Alfa 156
BMW 630i
Honda rc36
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60six
Posted a lot
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Posts: 1,658
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Jan 27, 2018 16:49:49 GMT
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IT's definitely a 'Time of the year' thing for me.
6 months ago I restored my old SAAB 900 in a month. Booked the time off work, learnt to weld, all manner of problems and issues dealt with, even removed an alarm!
Today? Totally cannot be arsed to change a radiator in a Saab 9000.
Hope I am not a 'fair weather enthusiast'!
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Some 9000's, a 900, an RX8 & a beetle
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,714
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Car induced depression Dez
@dez
Club Retro Rides Member 34
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Jan 27, 2018 17:20:50 GMT
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I thought experiences like the OP was the reason people bought alfas now BL doesn't exist anymore.
I thought it was just a very niche form of sadomasochism.
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Last Edit: Jan 27, 2018 17:21:19 GMT by Dez
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ChrisT
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,637
Club RR Member Number: 225
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Car induced depression ChrisT
@christ
Club Retro Rides Member 225
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Jan 27, 2018 17:39:43 GMT
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Think this happens to all of us at some point, car/work on car goes well we love it, things go wrong we want to give it all up, especially this time of year when it's not very warm being in a garage.
I had to walk away from my Manta a few years ago, cold, bent over the engine bay fixing something, just started wondering why I was wasting all my time working on it.
Just shut the garage door and left it there, that was over 6 years ago, did find inspiration last year and have started working on it again.....
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brachunky
Scotland
Posts: 1,320
Club RR Member Number: 72
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Car induced depression brachunky
@brachunky
Club Retro Rides Member 72
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Jan 27, 2018 18:13:18 GMT
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Tis true that you can get so beat up by old car problems that you ask "wtf" am I doing this but........we carry on because its in our veins!On the other hand, whilst having a few periods of depression along the years, cars and all their challenges have kept me sane. I have tried to have a break from them but its not long before there's some other 4 wheels on the drive!!
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Car induced depression Mercdan68
@forddan68
Club Retro Rides Member 68
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Jan 27, 2018 18:40:00 GMT
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Set the scene today
Very cold, wind blowing madly, me underneath my 190E
Changing the exhaust system with a a bad cough I’ve had for the last week or so, but I’ve gotta get this job done
Wind keeps blowing every peice of dirt it can under the
car
Then it starts to rain.....skinned knuckles dirt in my eyes
Then I find I have totally the wrong shape centre box
Bloody cold and wet I get the car down of the ramps and put it back in the garage, until next week when I’ll start all over again!!
Come indoors curse a few times have a good hot bath
Have a couple of beers and get on eBay for the right part!!!
It’s a great hobby ain’t it??!!!!
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Last Edit: Jan 27, 2018 18:40:35 GMT by Mercdan68
Fraud owners club member
1999 Jaguar s type
1993 ford escort
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brachunky
Scotland
Posts: 1,320
Club RR Member Number: 72
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Car induced depression brachunky
@brachunky
Club Retro Rides Member 72
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Jan 27, 2018 18:57:13 GMT
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Set the scene today Very cold, wind blowing madly, me underneath my 190E Changing the exhaust system with a a bad cough I’ve had for the last week or so, but I’ve gotta get this job done Wind keeps blowing every peice of dirt it can under the car Then it starts to rain.....skinned knuckles dirt in my eyes Then I find I have totally the wrong shape centre box Bloody cold and wet I get the car down of the ramps and put it back in the garage, until next week when I’ll start all over again!! Come indoors curse a few times have a good hot bath Have a couple of beers and get on eBay for the right part!!! It’s a great hobby ain’t it??!!!! Yes, we do need to assess our mental health sometimes!!! |
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Jan 27, 2018 19:14:05 GMT
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Tis true that you can get so beat up by old car problems that you ask "wtf" am I doing this but........we carry on because its in our veins!On the other hand, whilst having a few periods of depression along the years, cars and all their challenges have kept me sane. I have tried to have a break from them but its not long before there's some other 4 wheels on the drive!! That's a very good point, had a few issues myself over the years and it can be hard to get out of them, cars, bikes, fishing all work for me. |
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Bicycle x1
Alfa Giulietta (now wife's)
Alfa 156
BMW 630i
Honda rc36
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Jan 27, 2018 19:17:42 GMT
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I usually find there comes a time when you just have to walk away for the sake of your sanity.
I have been known to throw a timing chain tensioner through the (closed) window of a sierra when I reached the point of no return a few years ago, and a mate drove a montego repeatedly into a wall until it didn't run any more.
This is often followed by a moment of enlightenment when you suddenly realise what the fault was in the first place!
However said sierra, once fixed, did provide a eureka moment. when on asking the local dealer whether it was me, and whether I was doing something stupid, told me that their mechanics often reached the same point
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Jan 27, 2018 19:48:18 GMT
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"The more you get into VWs, the more you hate them." That was part of a conversation with a mate many years ago, having just put ourselves through more financial and time pressures trying to get race cars ready for a show, just to break them again. Sometimes you do need to just walk away for a spell, but you need someone else to prod you back into action. I spent weeks with my dad getting my Beetle ready for the last event at Shakespeare County Raceway in October and broke it on the way home (truth be told, it was probably a bit broke before I set off!). I've not touched it since, but my wife has made me promise to get it fixed over Feb half term. I'd just let it sit!
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1968 Cal Look Beetle - 2007cc motor - 14.45@93mph in full street trim
1970-ish Karmann Beetle cabriolet - project soon to be re-started.
1986 Scirocco - big plans, one day!
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Jan 27, 2018 20:10:22 GMT
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Like when i gave up on the carib with its 'broken gearbox' after talking over with a mechanic mate discovered the inner c.v. fell apart.
After all the dramas that p.o.s. given has given its only redeeming feature is that its cheap to run. Still want to burn it to the ground!!!!
If/when it dies again, if its not a quick/ cheap fix then its fate is sealed!
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Jan 27, 2018 20:22:55 GMT
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My wife and I both daily what might be considered retros as, although unmodified, they were both made in 1990. Anything that wears out / breaks on these gets fixed cos we need to use them. I also have a number of projects that I haven't worked on in years. Motivation, or the lack of it, has been a big problem for me too in recent times. Got a boost yesterday though as I went to a show that included a number of tractors like mine, learnt some things relevant to getting mine going again, and even got to drive someone's spare tractor in the grand parade. Made my day that.
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Jan 27, 2018 20:36:19 GMT
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I can totally sympathise! My all time time & money pit was a Mk II Stag, there was always an expensive job in progress but the car was always planning 2 steps ahead on what expensive items were going to fail next.
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Jan 27, 2018 20:59:25 GMT
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Just part of owning old cars mate, they all break and go wrong at some point and we've all been there. It's easy to give up on a car and want to get rid, you just got to crack on with it.
But trust me, when summer comes and you're driving back home after a show one sunny Sunday it makes it so worth it.
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2001 vauxhall corsa 1972 VW Beetle 1986 Ford Capri Laser1999 BMW E36 323i Touring 1991 Volvo 940 estate 2002 Mazda 323f 2.0 sport 2016 Mercedes Sprinter 1999 nissan almera 1.4 1995 lexus gs300 1995 lexus ls400 1975 bmw 1602 fiat punto 2003 ford fiesta something else... |
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qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,410
Club RR Member Number: 52
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Car induced depression qwerty
@qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member 52
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Jan 27, 2018 22:13:08 GMT
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I was hit with the same thing last year. Just could not muster any enthusiasm or motivation to do any work. I let the car sit for a year.
Recently through this forum and YouTube I have re found my Mojo. Done more work on the car in the past 6 weeks than the previous 12 months! Now its insured getting MOTd next week and I can't wait to start using it!
Sometimes you just need to walk away and give it a break.
Tom
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Jan 27, 2018 22:30:53 GMT
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I seem to get 2 kinds of cars - customers, my own or mates - one kind will give me no trouble and everything works out the way it’s supposed to. The other kind are the ones that fight you no matter what. Like the god awful Micra on my drive tonight for a clutch change. Gearbox is quite light. Still took me 2 hours to put the box back on the engine, whoever designed the subframe and shape of front lower crossmember shout be shot!
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Jan 27, 2018 23:08:08 GMT
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I sympathise waynedear. I've been there a fair few times with every non-boring car I've ever had. I do have to say as well though... you are kind of asking for it with Alfas. I found my way back into hobby cars via Alfa Romeo and the electrics were a constant nightmare. What I personally found was that at any given point Alfas seem to insist on having something electrical not working. If you fixe the not working thing, the fault merely relocates to something else. At one point I had a 147GTA where I had managed to chase the fault into the glove nox and the glove box light didn't work.
I was fine with that. If that's where the fault was, it could stay there. Drove it for a few months and everything else worked. I said to my missus as long as the glovebox light didn't work we were okay (it was our only car at the time). Then it went for its annual service and when I picked it up the service bloke said "oh and by the way we fixed your glovebox light".
Drove it home and had no indicators, then no lights, then no ignition, then no air con... around and around.
But anyway... Sometimes you do just have to walk away. Sometimes it's the best decision.
I actually find those periods between owning old cars very important. You can look at all the cars for sale and know that if you wanted to you could buy one. But you don't, and you consider all the hassle you're avoiding by not owning one. Then eventually something will seduce you and off you go again.
Also, winter is really not good for old cars. It's no fun working on them, and it's also when - in my experience at least - everything goes wrong with them.
My current old clunker is the first car I've had where I've actually made a conscious decision to not bother doing anything at all to it over winter, and I haven't bothered trying to drive very much either. I've semi-abandoned it until the first glimpse of Spring and then I'll crack on with a few planned jobs, like a top end rebuild and tackling the interior.
Despite deciding not to bother with it very much it has still managed to throw me a few curve balls this winter and we haven't even reached the worst part of the year for car trouble yet. February and March is when everything generally goes absolutely t*ts up in my experience. I'm not going to bother with mine until March is out of the way.
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Last Edit: Jan 28, 2018 16:11:41 GMT by Deleted
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