I've had this car for a few days now and thought I'd start a thread on it. I'm not doing anything major to it but it's got plenty of little problems that need sorting out. I'm getting through the list slowly but surely!
For those who don't know the story of this car, Dollywobbler saved it from the jaws of the crusher after it was traded in for a new Kia Picanto (agh!). He has a lot of projects on the go, so I've now took this one under my wing!
^ We went to see it knowing it was a non-starter with the starter motor not engaging. After a few attempts at tow-starting it, with a little success, as soon as we got it back off the road it died again.
^ So me, my bro and Dollywobbler set about taking the starter off to give it a bit of oil. Sure enough it fired up!
^...and we drove it 90 miles home without too much trouble. OK, we caused a bit of a hold-up when the car flooded and died 5 minutes into the journey, but it started again once the plugs had dried out and we were away!
Seeing as it's Christmas and the roads have been like sheet ice, I figured I'd spend some time sorting through the long list of things to fix.
So far, I've managed to:
Fit a new choke cable.
Fit new starter solenoid - one of the contacts on the old one was poor, making the starter turn slowly.
Fix passenger side door lock - my bro had to hold it shut the entire journey!
Fix driver's side door lock. It's now secure!
Replace vacuum pipe to the dizzy - I noticed this morning the old steel one had snapped. Luckily Mercs use vac pipe for everything so I have plenty!
Fitted longer battery earth lead so the battery could sit in its tray.
Removed broken speedo cable - I have to wait until normality resumes before getting a new one.
Filled up one carb dashpot as it was empty.
Fixed the throttle cable linkage as it was really wobbly giving a very vague pedal. Not helped by the pedal also being very loose. I haven't fixed that bit yet!
I've also peeled off the Triumph stickers (cos it ain't really a Triumph) and the Allegro Equipe stickers (cos it definitely ain't an Allegro! ;D)
^ After just getting in from a Boxing Day blat! I love this car! ;D
Still have lots to do on it. I gingerly pulled back all the carpet and sound deadening in the footwells but fortunately nothing horrific was revealed! I'll need to de-rust and paint in places, and I'll have to redo a patch which was welded over the grot, but hopefully that can wait til the better weather. I'll have to ask my MOT guy.
Cosmetically it's going to get a broad black stripe over the middle of it. This is for two reasons: 1) the stickers have been painted around and I'd never match whatever yellow paint has been used, and 2) I think it will look awesome.
The paint isn't the best - it's hand-painted, and when removing the stickers it was flaking off right down to bare gelcoat in places. I'll probably go for a full respray at some point in the future but I can live with it like this.
I still have plenty to do, but it's in a useable (if pretty shabby!) condition, so I'll just do things as and when I can, and enjoy it in the mean time!
For those who don't know the story of this car, Dollywobbler saved it from the jaws of the crusher after it was traded in for a new Kia Picanto (agh!). He has a lot of projects on the go, so I've now took this one under my wing!
^ We went to see it knowing it was a non-starter with the starter motor not engaging. After a few attempts at tow-starting it, with a little success, as soon as we got it back off the road it died again.
^ So me, my bro and Dollywobbler set about taking the starter off to give it a bit of oil. Sure enough it fired up!
^...and we drove it 90 miles home without too much trouble. OK, we caused a bit of a hold-up when the car flooded and died 5 minutes into the journey, but it started again once the plugs had dried out and we were away!
Seeing as it's Christmas and the roads have been like sheet ice, I figured I'd spend some time sorting through the long list of things to fix.
So far, I've managed to:
Fit a new choke cable.
Fit new starter solenoid - one of the contacts on the old one was poor, making the starter turn slowly.
Fix passenger side door lock - my bro had to hold it shut the entire journey!
Fix driver's side door lock. It's now secure!
Replace vacuum pipe to the dizzy - I noticed this morning the old steel one had snapped. Luckily Mercs use vac pipe for everything so I have plenty!
Fitted longer battery earth lead so the battery could sit in its tray.
Removed broken speedo cable - I have to wait until normality resumes before getting a new one.
Filled up one carb dashpot as it was empty.
Fixed the throttle cable linkage as it was really wobbly giving a very vague pedal. Not helped by the pedal also being very loose. I haven't fixed that bit yet!
I've also peeled off the Triumph stickers (cos it ain't really a Triumph) and the Allegro Equipe stickers (cos it definitely ain't an Allegro! ;D)
^ After just getting in from a Boxing Day blat! I love this car! ;D
Still have lots to do on it. I gingerly pulled back all the carpet and sound deadening in the footwells but fortunately nothing horrific was revealed! I'll need to de-rust and paint in places, and I'll have to redo a patch which was welded over the grot, but hopefully that can wait til the better weather. I'll have to ask my MOT guy.
Cosmetically it's going to get a broad black stripe over the middle of it. This is for two reasons: 1) the stickers have been painted around and I'd never match whatever yellow paint has been used, and 2) I think it will look awesome.
The paint isn't the best - it's hand-painted, and when removing the stickers it was flaking off right down to bare gelcoat in places. I'll probably go for a full respray at some point in the future but I can live with it like this.
I still have plenty to do, but it's in a useable (if pretty shabby!) condition, so I'll just do things as and when I can, and enjoy it in the mean time!