Yesterday I actually managed to make a decent bit of headway through the to do list on the Trevi.
Initially it was refusing to idle again. Though I've definitely pinned down where it's getting clogged up, and it's in between the solenoid and the idle screw...so took them both out and blasted that through yet again...and so far it's behaved since so I might have got rid of the crud this time. Hopefully. Maybe.
On to the tail lights.
Getting into the nearside one was slightly awkward on account of the antenna being in the way, especially as the ground wire from it was strung right over the tail light lamp holder assembly so I had to disconnect that first.
Once we got the lamp holder assembly out...it was obvious it was a miracle the lights were working to start with.
That's just nasty...Though given that we knew that there had been a pretty major water ingress issue into the boot for goodness only knows how long not terribly surprising.
I could have spent half an afternoon messing with sandpaper etc...Or I could actually just use the power tools I bought for exactly this sort of job.
Not perfect, but an awful lot better than they were, and I reckon the should be fine, the lamp holders are a reasonably snug fit.
A full new set of GE lamps went in (what came out was as as rusty as the lamp holders, getting the indicator lamp out required pliers).
Despite the rusty lamp holders there was nothing wrong with the ground connections, I gave them a quick clean anyway but everything tested fine.
Now the offside was rather more of a headache to get in to...which was annoying as that's the side we had strangeness reported by the lamp failure display. Problem was that this thumbscrew that holds the trim that holds the carpet over the lamp holder assembly was stuck.
It's sufficiently stuck that the plastic top wound up spinning on the metal inner. So I had to spend a bit of time trying to detach the carpet up under the trim as carefully as I could...Which someone had already done on the *other* side where the trim came off perfectly fine! Ah the joys of working Lancias I guess.
This side wasn't quite as bad but was given the same treatment. This has sorted the problem with the interaction between the separate lamps...but hasn't had any effect on the report of a faulty lamp on this corner.
I have a sneaking feeling that this may be down to an issue with the module in the dash, especially as the LED for that lamp glows dimly as soon as the ignition is turned on. Taking the bulb out of the other tail light puts out the warning on the offside rear corner...but puts one shown on the nearside headlight. It seems to have some issues.
There is a spare (no idea of the condition) one in the boot. Annoyingly I didn't spot that until this afternoon or I'd have tried it out *before* I put the dash back together.
That's a job for another day I think...I get the impression that I might see this car again and don't mind that at all. She's going to want a radiator fitted soon at the very least...
Also found a bit of ducting that I know is meant to live in the engine bay based on some photos I've seen of these cars, I assume to help to direct cool air to where it's more useful. Figured it wasn't doing any good in the boot so put it back where it lives.
Aside from properly itemising what I've done and what's still to be done I think I'm pretty much at s point where she can return to her owner so the usefulness of my work can be assessed!
One very important job was still pending though! Cleaning! I'm not too worried about disturbing well earned patina here as I know from the auction photos from back in 2017 that she was valeted before that sale...so is just grubby! The outside I'm leaving be (not least because of not wanting to accidentally remove any of the structural duct tape) for now, but I'd like to spruce up the interior a bit. That's the bit you spend the most time with after all.
Firstly I went through the car with a fine tooth comb, gathering all the parts, nuts, bolts, screws, washers...and a tiny stubby ratcheting spanner...into a box in the boot so I didn't end up accidentally vacuuming up something important. Especially given how many of the interior fittings and bits of trim on these cars are made of purest unobtanium. Then we got to work.
Starting point in the rear:
After a vacuuming (carefully as I had no idea how fragile the seat cloth was - turned out to be fine in general) it looked a bit better.
The amount of spiders evicted was biblical. Plastics still need gone over back here.
Up front was even grubbier. Sadly there's a little bit of water staining on the passenger seat presumably due to a leak from the sunroof somewhere in the distant past.
Another half hour made quite the difference.
While the rear still was waiting for the plastics to be wiped down when we called it a day yesterday, she was looking like quite a different car!
That's where we left things yesterday...Fast forward to this morning...
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Yesterday the Trevi was started up four times and driven three. It behaved on all of them. This morning, as I was planning to head back to its home with it...refused to idle again. Bother.
I've now established that the issue is definitely in the drilling between the solenoid and the idle screw. So they were both removed and large quantities of carb cleaner were sprayed through. If my compressor wasn't currently dead I'd have blasted the hell of of it with compressed air.
After a clean out again today it returned to being willing to idle. Still not running quite as well as yesterday it feels like, but perfectly drivable.
I went around the car to attack a few key areas with Vactan, and to apply a temporary patch to the rust spot on the roof.
I noted when applying the Vactan that this had made a couple of pin holes into the roof space and figured as this is definitely right up there in the list of places you don't want the rain getting into that a patch was needed.
Then we finished off the basic clean of the cabin...I could have spent days on it to be honest, but it's looking a LOT better I think.
I really like how they've made the dash moulding wrap so cleanly round onto the doors on this, it really helps make the design look clean.
After that she was returned to her owner. Reckon she'll make another appearance on here once we've got hold of a carb overhaul kit and a new radiator for her.
Also realised when I got home that my camera mount is still stuck in the rear window. Oops. Will grab that next time I'm over that way.
Realising when I'd got there that I really hadn't thought about how I'd get home, we arranged for me to take another motor back home. While we're not aware of any immediately required mechanical work, she is in need of some cosmetic TLC as she's turned rather completely matt as light coloured cars tend to.
I don't usually and really don't like doing the whole blanking number plate thing out, but given that I'm well aware that these cars are being targeted a bit more these days I felt it was a reasonable precaution as this isn't my car. Was a bit pointless on the Trevi given there are only two of them on the road!
An interior which despite being as basic as they come, is surprisingly comfortable.
The windows desperately need cleaning...discovered that the first time I tried to turn out of a junction with the sun in my face.
I've heard a lot of people say that driving a 2CV is like riding a bike in terms of you remembering things quickly, and once the one inevitable "Is that 2nd?...No, that's 4th..." Moment had passed the rest of the trip passed uneventfully with me wearing s huge grin. I'd forgotten what fun cars these are. This is dangerous has it's definitely got me pondering one again!... Exactly as I feared!
No issues with the dashboard illumination in this car at least!
So we'll see how I get along with it for the next couple of days...Am I going to end up with a 2CV on my shopping list? I am aren't I...
