1972 Granada Mk1 coupe build - Still going... 14-10-2024

Are the handbrake cables running freely? if not may be 'holding' the shoe(s) against the drum ...

Have you refitted the brake shoe return springs properly ?

The cables move freely, but they are not as slack as the manual says they should be when not applied. But there's no more length, it's adjusted to be as long as it can be.

The shoes also move as they should and the springs are both new and correctly placed.

This is why I need to make sure that it's not the handbrake mechanism again by just relaxing the pull of the cables on the brakes by undoing it from the hand brake lever. If it's gone, then I know it's just a matter of fixing a way to create more adjustment and I have an idea about that.

If with the handbrake cable slack, the noise is still there, then I think a good check would be to see if the drum inside is slightly out of round, just enough to catch one of the shoes. Or we're heading towards a wheel bearing again.

Problem so far was that the noise only comes when the car is warm/hot from driving. That makes trouble shooting it a lot more difficult than if the noise was just always there.

Didn't use the car very much the past weeks. Bad weather and some head scratching on the boises it presents itself with meant I didn't really feel it.

But last weekend we had not only a beautiful after summer day (as fall had just started the day before), but also a very local oldtimer event. So without any prep other than a spare can of fuel in the boot I set off to this event. I figured that the noises weren't of the type that announce critical failure anytime soon as they'd been present on and off for such a long time I just chanced it.

So after I got home from visiting our horsey that is currently on a retraining bootcamp, I set off on about a 20-25 minute drive. I went to this event a year ago and bach then was car number three on the terrain, this time as it was almost noon, the terrain had filled up rather nicely and I was already quite a way at the back. I parked my large european ford next to a lincoln continental mark something and was so dwarfed... It just so happened that that car left so I could move over one spot and not be so dwarfed next to a ford capri with custom 80ies spoilers. Somehow a fitting setting to show not only the difference in models, but also in what can be achieved with a car. Mine was the better looking/condition one, with a fantastic colour (most heard comment) but his was more the little boy's dream car what with the added plastic. Kids don't see rust, they see cool and übercool and though in the adult market my car was favorite, the kiddies went for the capri. Except those who noticed cookiemonster on my passenger seat, lol. Always a nice gimmick (I still want to find a decent, not pyama like, cookiemonster suit, put it on and head towards the motorway with a friend filming, lol).

I had the sun burn my scalp for about 3+ hours after which I felt it had been a good time and I packed up! Seeing lovely cars of all sorts and styles, talking about my personal creation, taking in many many compliments yet again! Always nice as well.






Came home to get back into the normality of life. Updating my resume and sending out an application. Although I still have a job, it's unsure for how long as our company needs to slim down...

On the noises... Well, I think I want a hand in investigating them. It's hard to diagnose something that isn't always there or that presents differently at times. On the one hand I cant imagine beefy rear wheel bearings being bad already after so little miles (yet 9 years on the car). But in the other hand there isn't very much else that can create some of the noise. Brakes being the other one. So I might call upon SamJ again soon. But ideally I'd like to do one final season organised tour/drive.

Oh and it needs a new fuel pump. The injection pump has a plastic snout which seems to have a pinhole. When pressuring the system it often sprays fuel. With the engine running it seems to stop, probably because the fuel is actually flowing then and partially being used. A quick job, but a 100 euro outlay as far as my research has shown...

I'm looking forward to cleaning the engine bay better and making some covers and the cubbies in 3d Printed designs...

So we're a couple of weeks on from my latest post so what news is there?

Well, theres really not too much to tell. I was distracted by some home improvement interior paintwork that came out well but took a bit of time. So when we had a good weather day after a few lesser days I had taken up the plan to take the car out for a little drive early evening. Keep things moving, lol. It's really quite amazing how quickly time goes and how much of the time this car just stands around looking pretty so I felt it was well deserved.

The idea was taking in the sunset from behind the wheel and possibly take some pictures. But by the time we had had dinner, walked the dogs and I was ready to pull out of the garage dusk had well an dtruly set in. Well, the car has lights so off I went regardless, although I did feel my picture window was now gone...

As usual I didn't really have much of an idea as to where to go so I just took the easy option of going to the local airfield spotters place. It's just far enough away for the car to have to do some warmup, takes slow and fast roads to get there and there's always a view. The car drove fine. I didn't hear much of any noises but must admit that after a bit I also turned the stereo on, which overpowers most noises apart from the engine roar upon acceleration.

I parked the car at the spotter's point and took a quick couple of shots. I really was too quick cause later on the bigger screen of a computer I was really not very happy with them at all.

Anyway I drove back home and put the car away. The next day weather would be good all day, at least that was predicted, so I thought why not take it to work a final time either. So I did just that. Tried to be a bit quiet leaving the neighbourhood but after that I did obviously have to use the throttle to get up to speed... An uneventful run apart from fearing running out of fuel as I had been running the car for a while now with the gauge not registering fuel any more (a spare can was in the boot obviously). The nice weather never materialised and it was a pretty cold and dreary yet dry day with cold winds. Ok, I was sitting pretty in my lovely car warm and dry, but I always enjoy it just that bit more when the sun is out.

I got home and parked it up, still runing on empty, lol. I didn't check for noises as i didn't have time to do much about them anyway...














So yeah, what now...

I really need to address those noises (there's the recurring ploinking on the passenger rear and the groan under changing load on the driver side). I feel like I have sort of a plan, but I kind of lack the motivation to carry it out. And the times getting colder and wetter isn't helping those feelings any. So i really should be getting a move on.

Plan is to get the car up to temp and driving it a bit. Checking it for noises . Then attacking the e-brake by temporarily disconnecting it from the lever so there's no tension on any of those bits. See if the noises are still there. If they are, seeing if there are any suspension bushes that could be making or adding to these noises. If still persistent, I guess the only thing left to do is change out the rear wheel bearings. But how bad can they be after about 9 years with only a few thousand km's on them...??

Then there are some other jobs to do:
- I really need to swap out the fuel pump so the leak is gone
- I really should investigate a slight wobble in the front wheels that seems to be more pronounced ever since one front wheel was taken of the car and put back on. It's prominent at 80-90km/h which are often used speeds here. Step one for this I feel is borrowing another set of wheels for the front.
- I should really try and get the fuel gauge more accurate (not much of an idea how to achieve this really)
- I should investigate further the high signal on the bank 2 sensor 2 O2 sensor
- I should reset the audio configuration (amplifier gains etc) so I can setup the sound more to my liking (contemplating updating my much beloved old pioneer head unit)
- I want to design the interior lower rear seat side cubbies for 3d printing
- I want to design a mount/cover plate for the fuse boxes I added as they are functional but look messy also a 3d printer job
- I want to design 3d printed adaptors for the wheel center caps so I can actually mount center caps.

So you see, even a good looking car can still hide some work.

In the bigger picture I'd still like to do a fresh engine build, but it's going to be costly so will have to wait. same with a possible LPG conversion. Would be great cost wise, but also require a substantial investment.

Goal is to have the car ready from day one for the next season. I have really experienced this year that going out to meetings and or classic car tours is where much of me enjoying the car comes from. Taking a friend and looking around, talking about my car, other peoples' cars and just driving it. Following tour routes that take you places you'd never come by yourself, which is one thing to enjoy, but also even more enjoyable when with a group of likeminded classic cars/car lovers.

And if there's one conclusion to be drawn from 2023 as a year, it's that I need to start enjoying life more.

Zet 'm op!

And yeah, I need to do more next year, too.

condolensces, a good innings and he didn't suffer but it's never easy.

Condolences from me as well, and thank you for letting us know on Retro Rides about your furry family member.

Its never easy when they have to go, but you have good memories to keep with you

Sorry for your loss Alex. Hope you are all doing ok.

James

Sorry to hear about your mate.
They really are part of the family, I dread to think how well we will cope when ours goes.