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

Very faintly similar yes... I've got it's owner on facebook. The colour is much darker than mine, it doesn't have a black interior, and the wheels are solid black also no accents like my black stripings. This car is indeed, as you say, nowhere near the condition mine is in. It's got a (currently) non runner BOA engine, needs body work, got damaged between sale and delivery so relisted I believe...

But the price is also a lot lower than mine would command. And the owner was at least just as fond of the car as I am of mine...and that I always hold in high regard.

If you can reach easily I would start by shorting between the main power feed on the starter to the solenoid connection (a screwdriver with an insulated handle works well. If the starter spins and engages it tells you the starter and battery is fine and the problem is the feed to the solenoid. If it doesn't spin then its the starter or main feed to the starter. A nice quick test that can tell you a lot. Obv just make sure its not in gear / parking brake is on etc.

I discounted that by putting it in several positions, but no dice. It's always the first thing I check when not starting. In theory it could possibly have become misadjusted from the bolt undoing itself a bit but it's not my most likely explanation.

Good to hear you are getting there to solve the problem

Well the weather has kept me from doing any further research on the starting issue. Also last time I started it with the screwdriver, it smoked from under the hood. A little alarming at first but it came from down low, not from where the wiring sits. I guess I'm burning off the gearbox oil that has clung and burned to the exhaust...

So I've decided what needs doing pretty urgently is draining some of the box fluid by means of a vacuum pump. I'll try and borrow one for the weekend or next week from a mate who onws one. Next I'll have to drive it home and douse the engine, box and exhaust system in degreaser before washing it off with a pressure washer.

I kinda hate to do that because of the electronics on the engine, but the engine bay is diiiiiiirty from all the months of work and the accidents like the gearbox oil cooler hose splitting etc. and the exhaust well it feels sort of like its wrapped in cotton candy that got too hot...

With the car out in the light I will once again try and diagnose the starting issue. I'm going to see if I can swap out the different relays before doing anything else as I should have spares from my donor car. I'm having a hard time grasping how one can start a car with the key, put it away after a drive and not being able to start it with the key right after... My mind won't let me believe that this is a loose wire in the dash area. Possibly more feasable in my mind is a broken ignition switch, but that should be testable by bridging the responsible wires right behind the switch. If the thing turns over it must be the switch.

I'm currently trying to avoid the dreaded dash removal again...

Although next on the list has to be the fuel sender/gauge reading and the temp reading. I hate not having those. Got to be simple yet I haven't gotten them to work. I might ask SamJ once more if I can't get them to work. It's the last of the technical issues.

After this there is only the issue of the cubbies to be made, but I'll hold off on that till I've moved house.

The frustrating thing is the cold keeping me from doing anything....

I guess a good few hours would at least solve the overfilled box, and the cleaning of the mess that left as well as basic troubleshooting on the starting issue (swapping relays). But I need a bit of a nicer day to do this.

And time is pressing as I am about to be forced into overtime at work to keep my agenda going and to spend a huge amount of time on all the moving related stuff and I also just want to be able to enjoy the car this year. A lot more than last year. Also because this tends to balance out some of the harder stuff in life.

My sentiments exactly...add to that that I have no power at the box garage, so I need to bring the car home to do this stuff. Home currently still means working out in the open so again, cold!

Thanks, I'll see what I can get done myself before taking up your equally valuable time. But rest assured, I won't hesitate to ask if (or when) I get stuck!

Currently on the hunt for a pump to suck some gearbox oil from the box...

I don't think you missed anything. I think there was little to tell after the initial contracts were signed and the waiting periods started on all the different clauses that were in the contracts.

As of last Thursday though, all clauses have been met and therefore both deals are final: our new house has finally got the official "sold" stamp and our current home received the same a day later.

Now it's a final wait of another 40 or so days until we get the key of the new place and 65 days until we have to hand over the keys to our current home. In the mean time we've now got permission from the current owners of our new house to come over and measure each room and inspect the house with our contractor to see what needs doing and when. That took some doing though... We thought we had a decent size budget, but we're easily 8k light so.... we'll have to see what needs doing and what wants doing...

Things like a 10k kitchen, a 3.5K garden house (shed with extended roof to sit under), new sectional garage door, exterior painting, interior foors, walls that need the builder's equivalent of "a skim of filler", a wall to wall closet system (as the new place lacks one room compared to the current house).... etc. etc.

It's in my nature I know, but I have to admit I'm a bit scared of the month of may. Double living costs, expenses to get the renovation going that I need to front before getting it back out of the build budget and before getting the compensation that we're due after our house is transferred to the new owner.

It'll all work out in the end, but I'll be happy when July comes along and all our monthly payments have settled to their definitive levels.

And I've not even gone into the details of organising the actual move and reno...



Anyway, this means that I'd like to get the Granada issues mostly solved in the coming month...before all of the above starts. The goal is to keep the Granada's rented home on till July. It means I can move stuff in and out of my new home garage during the move/reno. Worst case, the Granada issues will have to wait till after the move, but that to me would mean that the best time of year is again lost as far as enjoyment goes...

Well, with only a minute here, a minute there and for the moment no budget, I’m frustrated with the Granada!

I have a beautiful, fun to drive car in the garage yet I can’t actually drive it.

I’ve been able to swap out the relays, working in a cramped area in the near dark and off course they were not the problem...

I know it’s just a little thing, but I'm frustrated that without doing one job I can’t get the car moved to a location where there is light and room to actually do proper diagnosing. And then the needed under car cleaning.

Sorry to moan a bit but this is just how I feel right now. Working overtime at work, fixing a leaky toilet drain at home (required full floor removal) and prepping for a house move that knew it’s own complications as the current owner does not share our sense of honesty...and it’s hard to feel positive...