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Trust me, we've tried everything with that bonnet and the whole thing is about as straight as it'll go. Whenever you try to get the corners to come down, there's that much spring in the panel that it just boings back to where it is. I think that sharp dent is pulling it into this shape more than anything, there's very little I can do about it.
The important thing is that the bonnet shuts safely. I might put some straps or pins in just for added security, but I'm not sure it's needed.
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Colin
Part of things
Posts: 239
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Fair enough! Just thought I would share the info incase you didn't know. The old man is a panel beater and iv picked affew things up over the years  |
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Ah yes, she's starting to look a bit happier now.
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Currently: 1974 Beetle - Golf -
Previously: e38 735i, e34 525iSE, 1972 Beetle, 1991 Scirocco Scala, Morris Minor, 1983 Polo Breadvan, 1991 Mazda MX6
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Anglia68
Posted a lot
Powered By Boredom.
Posts: 2,050
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^I know who's selling that, he's providing a bonnet that I'm picking up from Brooklands in March, all being well.
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More MoT stuff. I've had a look underneath and I can't find anything that needs addressing (there might be something I can't see, obviously) bar the front wing that needs a little bit of remedial fibreglassing or gaffer tape or similar MoT bodge for the very short term. Gave both sills a good thump down their entire length, particularly where crusty, and they're perfectly fine and sound. Checked the inner arch rust too and that looks superficial enough not to be a concern, I'll probably just clean up any flakes and give it a quick tidy to get me on my way. Wheel bearings - no horrible noises or play. Brakes - clean, plenty of life, good and sharp. Handbrake is also much better than when I got the car. Tyres - MoT worthy if I don't get the Lotus ones on before booking her in. That done, I needed to check my lights. Everything but the passenger side repeater and driver's sidelight are working as they ought. So we pulled the side repeaters and the passenger side emptied a bunch of water out of the plastic shroud that's supposed to keep water out.  Dried things out, ran a few checks and found that the bullet connectors under the bonnet needed a jiggle to get the earth connected again.  After checking the brakes and whatnot, the wheels went back on with their trims to make things look more presentable and to prevent me accidentally damaging the trims while I'm sorting out storage for excess car things all over the house. This is actually much the stance I'd like for the Princess, only slightly lower. It's a great shape for a bit of rake.  After much multi-metering and fiddling I found that the sidelight bulb I replaced wasn't working because there's another temperamental earth connection on the replacement unit. After a while everything lined up, just a case of jiggling things about until whatever is slightly amiss connects. I think the earth is a bit dodgy in the replacement unit as that seems to be the root of the problem here, but it's cured with a quick jiggle.  I also bought a new number plate and one of those magnetic tax disc holders I'm fond of because of how tidy they look. I'll fit those tomorrow if this weather holds for me. Checklist is now: > Resolve oil leak - would've done this today, but there wasn't enough light to work by > Align headlights - Quick job, just needs to be dark. Cba to do it right now, it can wait. > Bodge rust hole and split seam on front wing for the MoT, probably with fibreglass. It's coming off anyway so it'll be a very short term measure just for the MoT. > Check running. There's a bit of condensation coming out of the exhaust rather than any real emissions, probably from the car being stood for a while. Regular running of the engine seems to be resolving this. Nearly there, then. |
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mk14dr
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 4,472
Club RR Member Number: 85
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Grand! It'll be great to see this fixed and back on the road.
As 'lovely' as your Maestro is, it's not quite this is it?
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The phrase "country mile" comes to mind when comparing the two.
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Amazing how much the little bit of paint improves the look of this.
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14 Audi A3 Sportback - Easy driver
05 Audi TT MK1 3.2 DSG - Damn quick
73 Triumph 2000 - Needs work
03 Range Rover 4.4 V8 petrol. Had to get it out of my system.
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orangecords
Part of things
yawner extraordinaire
Posts: 892
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This thread makes me happy... couldnt agree more! |
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I then wanted to start cleaning the interior as it stinks of wood (the material not the smell of a boner) best quote ever! |
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79cord
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,616
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A lower sidewall height @ front should look great & give subtle rake!
Glad too see it looking better & preparing for action once again, even if it might be a while 'till it's up to its old standard.
Cheering to see it saved & wanting to start a 'saved' thread for encouragement after I just smacked the front of Fathers 64k km '82 Subaru as the search for replacement parts begins & hopes it too won't suffer the pain/rape of the risk of insurance 'write-off'.
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 It's pretty good reading the positive vibes. Not long got back from walking the dog, but I'm hoping to get the last few jobs done today and get on the phone to the MoT place tomorrow. In other news, the Maestro is for sale: retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=FSW&action=display&thread=144761 Because it has served its purpose and there's a shabby Citroen BX that I need to raise the funds to purchase. |
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Today, I've got all bar two of my pre-MoT jobs done. The first of those jobs is waiting for darkness to fall because it's headlight alignment. The second is waiting for it not to be so dark, because that's a good clean of the car so she doesn't look like a complete shed when I take her for the MoT. Here's what I got up to. First job was getting the mechanical fuel pump off to resolve the oil leak. While this is a really good upgrade over the electric pump that was fitted when I got the car, I've had trouble getting one spot on the spacer gasket to seal properly. I think I've cracked it today, but I'll only find out after a few miles. Had to disconnect and remove the pump, clean off the rocker cover face and the spacer face so there wasn't any of the old sealant on there and then apply the new, higher quality and far more expensive, sealant. Hopefully this will work better. The other side of the spacer seals perfectly to the pump with no leak issues whatsoever.  After a while of running the car at idle not even a smidge of fresh oil leak was visible and there's no smell of burning oil either from any residuals so I think we've got it. I hope so, because otherwise I'm going to have to look into yet another solution to this.  Then it was time to make sure that the wing was secured to the car. It doesn't flap around, but because the seam between the wing and valance had burst, I was concerned it might be seen as being insecure. I drilled some holes and found a little bit of drilled aluminium in the bits box along with some suitable screws. It's not pretty and it is a bodge but it is only for the MoT and not long term.  Also put some gaffer tape over it, just to prevent there being any sharp edges and to tidy it up a bit.  I then went around the car putting little pieces of gaffer tape over bumper holes and the trim fixings on the damaged wing that I can't figure out how to remove so there were no sharp edges or places for exhaust gasses to get into the car. I had to do the same thing with the Polo when it had extraneous holes and it got through the MoT no bother.  Next we wired in the new (rubbish) LED number plate lights. I put them through the original number plate wiring holes and found we then had to relocate the number plate to the factory location rather than where a previous owner had moved it as it wasn't being illuminated properly. There were no fitting instructions on these LED lights but I guess they're supposed to replace the number plate bolts/screws rather than the way I've fitted them.  Eyeballing or measuring resulted in a wonky number plate because it is a rubbish number plate. We fitted it as best we could and as near to centre as it would look. It is now illuminated enough to be legal and that's all I can ask. Because of the hassle of getting the rear bumper on and off, I've kept it off for now. The car looks odd, but it doesn't look terrible. I'll be refitting them once I've got a better number plate light.  Finally, after much deliberation, I fitted the new front number plate. There's not really a great deal of choice for location so I just put it where it is, that being the most vertical location on the front of the car. When the front bumper goes back on I'll relocate it in a better place but as with the rear, it'll do for now.  If I can, I'll get her booked in for an MoT this coming week. I don't have the tax money saved up yet, but I realised that if she fails it's best to do so early so I can fix stuff than closer to my deadline when I can't. I'll just have to sit on my hands if she passes. |
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Tim
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,340
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Great rescue - I love that beige colour as well :-)
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tofufi
South West
Posts: 1,458
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Great stuff, glad you're not giving up! Now, take up Bruce's offer and get it down to Area:52  |
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One thing at a time  MoT, Brooklands, Area:52 is the current status. |
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The road beckons for the plucky Princess and its ever resourceful owner... |
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***GARAGE CURRENTLY EMPTY***
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You'll all have to wait just a little longer. Plans to put the Princess through an MoT are on hold while I get the cash together as quickly as possible to purchase a diesel BX estate to replace the Maestro. I can do one or the other and right now, the BX is the more sensible course of action.
Ha, I just said I was going to do something sensible.
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What colour is the BX at the moment?
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Currently: 1974 Beetle - Golf -
Previously: e38 735i, e34 525iSE, 1972 Beetle, 1991 Scirocco Scala, Morris Minor, 1983 Polo Breadvan, 1991 Mazda MX6
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It's pretty good reading the positive vibes. Not long got back from walking the dog, but I'm hoping to get the last few jobs done today and get on the phone to the MoT place tomorrow.
MoT, Brooklands, Area:52 is the current status.