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Oct 21, 2012 16:24:21 GMT
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+1, autoglass are absolute flipping sheisters for this kind of thing.
When my mum needed a windscreen in her Ka, I got a few local quotes of £75, £85 ish. I rang autoglass up and they quoted £460 and were coming hard at me with pressure sales, telling them I could get it done for £75 didn't stop them, they harped on about how the £75 windscreen is "not the same as original equipment" as if it was going to be opaque and made of plywood or something.
They've got a good screw with the insurance companies and advertise plenty on the telly to get business from people who need chips doing, and I think they offer normal paid work just in the hope they find someone who's been dropped on their head.
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Last Edit: Oct 21, 2012 16:25:48 GMT by cobblers
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Oct 21, 2012 13:58:28 GMT
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Oct 21, 2012 12:23:14 GMT
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Personally, I reckon if you've got windscreen cover you might as well just leave it til it cracks and get a lovely new windscreen. There's nothing better than driving with a new windscreen.
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IIRC they charge it to your insurer.
If the chip has been there more than a month or so I've been told by a few places it's not worth bothering trying to get it repaired, Gavin's special resin doesn't adhere properly once water and general muck has made it's way in.
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Oct 20, 2012 10:39:37 GMT
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Sliding door CF with a big engine in, and an ex electric one to boot! Lovely stuff! I bet it's got a bit more get up and go with the 383 in rather than a washing machine motor or whatever they put in them. Was there anything left of the electric stuff when you got it?
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Oct 19, 2012 21:51:25 GMT
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Looks a lovely old thing, I'm just lately starting to covet these a bit, so be kind to it!
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Oct 19, 2012 20:46:31 GMT
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It's definitely doable, If I remember right these are developed from the pinto, but there are better engines that are cheaper and have more parts and tuning support with regards to sticking in a Mk2 escort. The usual route is a 2.0 zetec which seems to work well.
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Oct 19, 2012 16:39:53 GMT
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Yeah, if the camber isn't the same on both wheels the vehicle will pull to one side.
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Oct 19, 2012 16:14:00 GMT
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Sounds like you need to set the camber up properly, quite easily done - loosen the two bolts that hold the hub to the strut and you can adjust the camber, then tighten them back up to lock it. Might take a few attempts of trial and error to get it right, but it's not hard.
You can do a reasonably good job with a spirit level if you've got a flat driveway, set them with a little bit of negative camber (5mm or so at the top of the wheel). Once you get the camber sorted you'll need to get the tracking redone.
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Last Edit: Oct 19, 2012 16:15:03 GMT by cobblers
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Oct 19, 2012 15:45:37 GMT
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The best you can really do at a breakers is just spin the thing by hand and make sure the bearings aren't grumbly. Anything from a breakers yard should be guaranteed anyway. As for cleaning it, just wipe it down with degreaser or whatever, try not to soak it through if you can avoid it but they don't generally mind water too much. Make sure it's dried off before using it.
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Oct 17, 2012 20:06:48 GMT
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Depending on the type of paint, between one and three normal sized cans. If the paint on the door at the moment is OK you don't neccesarily need a primer, just go over it with 800 grit until it's perfect, degrease and whack your top coat on.
Halfords off the shelf cans are absolute dogshit, go for the custom mixed ones from halfords (or a proper refinishing suppliers.) With those cans (about £11 each) you might do the door in one, but I'd buy two just in case.
If you have to use off the shelf acrylic cans, definitely get two, they don't cover that well - the reds are especially terrible.
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Last Edit: Oct 17, 2012 20:08:51 GMT by cobblers
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Oct 16, 2012 12:23:03 GMT
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Never seem pics of a bare MGF bodyshell before, the inner wings and bulkhead etc really are straight from a metro! I read that the rear subframes still have a tow hook on the front (what with them just being a lightly fettled metro front one? Look at the front hubs and stuff - they don't look a lot different to what you'll find on a 70s mini. I wonder if the ball joints need shimming like they do on a mini?
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Last Edit: Oct 16, 2012 12:24:29 GMT by cobblers
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Oct 16, 2012 12:02:23 GMT
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Just watch the diameter of those aerosports, I had a pair for my Lupo and they wouldn't fit in the front shock towers which was a pisser.
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Oct 16, 2012 11:43:17 GMT
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Most people just have a gauge for each corner and a pump/dump valve for each corner. dump them all out for low, pump them up a bit for "driving".
As for plumbing, you have a pipe from each bag which goes to a T piece. One side of the T is the "pump" valve, which is connected to the air tank. The other side of the T is the "dump" valve, which just vents to air. Overall you'll have 8 valves, each bag is completely independent.
Don't connect the bags together or the vehicle will drive terrible and you'll have one end high in the air before the other lifts off the ground, and it'll roll all over.
E.G on my pal's van we've got 4 leccy window switches and four cheap 0-100 psi gauges. A reasonable ride height equals 60psi front, 35psi rear.
The "procedure" for pumping them up is just pump both the fronts up to 60, then rears to 35 and drive off.
If you pump them up when the van isn't parked on the flat ground it ends up a bit wonky, but it's no problem to adjust it a bit once moving. The pressure shown on the guages changes by anything like 25% in response to braking/cornering loads, and bumps make the needles shoot all over the place, it's quite interesting to watch.
The guages were about £3 each, switches £10 for the lot and valves were £7 each, all off eBay.
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Last Edit: Oct 16, 2012 11:46:00 GMT by cobblers
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Oct 15, 2012 22:23:55 GMT
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Blimey, missed these replies - PM's on the way!
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Oct 15, 2012 18:46:02 GMT
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Bump!
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Oct 13, 2012 14:34:42 GMT
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Anyone got one kicking about? I could do with one for my MIG welder, I've got a few cars to patch up but really can't afford to rent a bottle. Nearish to Rotherham ideally! Doesn't have to be full, but it would be nice.
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Last Edit: Oct 13, 2012 14:34:56 GMT by cobblers
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Oct 13, 2012 14:25:00 GMT
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SOLD ;D ;D
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Last Edit: Oct 14, 2012 19:26:07 GMT by cobblers
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Oct 12, 2012 13:32:41 GMT
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What kind of a knob welds seats in? My mate bought a van with some like that, and they were so high that even with a little steering wheel off a golf your knees hit the steering wheel.
I know a cheap upholster if you fancy getting the brown seats trimmed.
They all have the vents in the steel pressings in the roof, yours was probably just a normal panel van to start with.
Check the switch for the heater blower, they are often curse word, but it's equally likely to be the motor tbh. You do need the dash out, but honestly it's not that bad of a job, just the bolts holding the steering column are "security" ones so you usually need to chisel them off if you're the first one to do the job. You'll easily have it out in an hour.
Motors are about £35 - you need to get the heater box out of the van and on the deck, then split the box open along the seam to get at it.
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Oct 11, 2012 21:08:13 GMT
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I'm with optimusprime on this - hitting hammers together doesn't make them explode - It's a myth - they're not like chisels with mushroomed heads, and the metal just isn't hard enough to explode
Every taper wheel bearing I've ever fitted (that would be specced up to not a lot more than finger tight) has been nipped up quite a lot tighter to make sure the whole thing is settled, then backed off. From memory a lot of manuals specify finger tight, plus a turn, then back it off. In use the bearing will feel a hell of a lot more force over potholes etc etc, it's really not an issue. I know a few time served mechanics who've each changed a dozen wheelbearings a week for the last 25 years and both of them tighten them up a lot harder than I do and have never had an issue.
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Last Edit: Oct 11, 2012 21:11:37 GMT by cobblers
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