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I approve of red carpetting! Nice score on the load liner too, I've never seen one of those and it really smartens the back of the van up. If that gearbox really is a 5 speed Ledbury box it could be a big regret. I had a 5 speed Ledbury and it was the slowest car I have ever driven as a result, it really held the engine back massively and was monumentally frustrating. The Ledbury box is a van gearbox anyway, the ratios are the same as what's in it, just with a fith gear, So I guess I'm used to the speed! Edit: I just remembered I raced a dolomite sprint off the lights the other day and won! I mean the dolly was trying a bit cause I saw the front lift up etc but the driver was about 70, a small victory but I'll take it! |
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Was the gearbox not from a VW Golf? Yeah but the maestro had different ratios so the a series could cope, normal golf had a 3.8 ish diff, maestro car had 4.25 and van/Ledbury had 4.6, the casing etc and the actual gear ratios are very similar though. |
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Jul 25, 2016 10:27:27 GMT
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Can you take a pic of how those arches mount on?
I'm trying to decide what style/mounting system to use on mine...
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hamps
Posted a lot
www.medwayrscentre.co.uk
Posts: 2,077
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Jul 25, 2016 19:37:53 GMT
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I love this thread  |
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Jul 25, 2016 19:44:25 GMT
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Agreed, very cool van. My parents had montegos with that Perkins turbo diesel in. As a kid I remember my dad driving them 'spiritedly' away from traffic lights. Pretty nippy for the day! Lots of lovely derv smoke too.
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,285
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Jul 25, 2016 19:48:43 GMT
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Perhaps the five speed will suit the van better. In mine it was a chore on the motorway, fine once you got up to speed, but getting there took far longer than you'd expect from a car of its age and it didn't matter if you held the gears, there was just nothing there at all. I'm no speed demon either. The most frustrating thing was joining motorways, sometimes it didn't even feel that safe because you just couldn't build up enough speed. I had two people - one in an MX-5 and one in a Saxo - ask me why I was going so slowly when I was following them at normal road speeds and the answer was simply that the acceleration was so poor I couldn't catch up. Worst of all, there was nothing actually wrong with the car, that's just how it was. I've driven 4 speed A and A+ engined cars and they were quicker, that fifth gear and the ratio of the previous four just seemed to be the worst match and it didn't make motorway cruising any more enjoyable.
Of all the cars I've driven, I'd say the Ledbury was the most frustrating and it was down to the gearbox and the seats specifically. In fact, I'm struggling to think of a car I've driven that I've liked less and I've driven some pretty horrible cars.
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Jul 25, 2016 20:48:02 GMT
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Can you take a pic of how those arches mount on? I'm trying to decide what style/mounting system to use on mine... They are literally just drilled up through the lip and then used a domed black self tapper, what you got? |
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Jul 25, 2016 20:53:13 GMT
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Vulgalour - are you sure there wasn't something wrong?!  the gear ratio is the same in all Maestro gearboxes, it's just the diff that differs. I hope I don't have this issue! Did you have extra big wheels or something? Haha |
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Jul 25, 2016 21:49:00 GMT
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Oh ok. So they're not pinned to the body on the outside at all?
Interesting.
I'm trying to work out my options for the Cressida in my sig.
But I think I want some that are bolted on through the side.
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,285
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Jul 25, 2016 23:04:01 GMT
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This was the car, completely stock too, even still had the original wheel trims that I took off because I didn't like them. I doubt different sized wheels would help matters.  I'd like another Maestro one day, but not another Ledbury. Perhaps that was just a bad example, but everything on it checked out as being fine and in pretty good health even with second and third opinions. Just one of those cars. Anyway, enough of my thread derailing, back to the van  |
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Oh ok. So they're not pinned to the body on the outside at all? Interesting. I'm trying to work out my options for the Cressida in my sig. But I think I want some that are bolted on through the side. Nah just screwed up through the lip, were very easy to fit, just need a bit of trimming around the ends |
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Jul 26, 2016 19:07:13 GMT
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A small update, since I should be getting my refurbed engine and new gearbox (if he replies to my message!) pretty soon I decided to clean up the spare exhaust. I sanded it off and am going to paint it. I know, a bit weird but they are hard to come by so want to preserve it. In the process I cut off the back box and replaced it with some straight pipe, just need to line it up on the van, tack it then weld it.  |
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Jul 28, 2016 17:02:51 GMT
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Got the engine back from the builders today I asked for it bare so I could paint it myself (I've seen their painting and they should just stick to building them!) Have gone for the OE black block and red head, although I might paint the rocker cover red too and see what it looks like, if not I've got the other one I painted before. The paint finish wasn't bad considering its 1k enamel. Going to do the red tomorrow evening then start taking the old one out the van on Wednesday.    In other news annoyingly I've got no further with the new gearbox guy as he doesn't want to reply to my messages. The last message I left was my number so here's to hoping... |
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Got the van in the workshop tonight but only managed to get the exhaust off tonight before painting the rest of the engine. It is very red, you might need sunglasses! Should look okay with the ancillary's on, otherwise I'll go with the other rocker cover I think, what do you guys reckon..?   |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,285
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Needs to be bright red like that. It'll dull down with a bit of heat and won't look as bright with all the bits and bobs on. Carry on, this is fine. Matches the carpet anyway |
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Needs to be bright red like that. It'll dull down with a bit of heat and won't look as bright with all the bits and bobs on. Carry on, this is fine. Matches the carpet anyway Yeah, I de masked the bolts and cap and even that looks better. Cant wait to drop it in! |
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,951
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I like it. Please continue.... P. |
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Have been busy these past few days getting the old engine ut and started getting the new one in. Started by removing all the bits needed to get the old lump out which left the engine bay like this.  Then I thought id try out the new inlet manifold I bought. Initially I was worried about the distance between the engine and radiator and whether the manifold, carb and air filter would all fit. As I was putting it on I was thinking 'yeah that'll fit easy' but to my horror the manifold bottomed out on the exhaust manifold before it could sit flush against the head... bummer. There were only a few millimetres in it so after a few minutes of thinking about whether or not I decided to grind off the slightly pertuding bit of the inlet casting. After measuring the thickness of the aluminium its self I did a bit of 'grind a bit, test it , grind a bit more' etc. It was getting closer and closer but finally got to the point where it fit and still had a good amount of meat on the bone. Does mean the manifolds and very close to each other but I think its better than the silly long u turn one that was on it before!  Anyway kept removing things until eventually got the engine out and separated it from the box and striped off what I needed. Then I took to cleaning the so called white engine bay. Took me a few hours to get the crud off but then gave it a quick compound and it came up alright (I left the oil on the subframe to stop it rusting!)   Then I could clean up all the engine mounts and various other bits and give them a quick dusting of aerosol to smarten them up. Found a good use for a dishwasher too!   Then re assembled everything and dropped it back in this evening. Now I have to put the manifolds and ancillary's etc back on and should be good to go  |
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Very very nice this is really tidy. Lot of vans on here tonight loving it though
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the gear ratio is the same in all Maestro gearboxes, it's just the diff that differs. I hope I don't have this issue! Did you have extra big wheels or something? Haha
