Inspector Morose Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 When you find out how to do windscreen scratches, I'm on my way down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Look forward to seeing how it progresses. In my experience Blueprint stuff is Japanese-made and decent quality. I’ve got a load of their bits for the Camry on their way to me at the time of writing, and have had no issues with anything from them previously fitted. RichardK and Uncle Jimmy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LessThanEqual Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Glass scratches are enfuriating when they're caused by old wipers. My car has its rear window smashed at some point and replaced, but one of the previous owners didn't bother changing the original wiper blade which was hard as rock and covered in moss when I got it. Seriously ruined the read window. Much the same for the front. Why can't people replace wipers when they start getting smeary and squeaky? FFS it's not hard and helps you see when it rains! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Spotted about a year ago. Not seen it since. RichardK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Last one I saw (and the only one I have on Flickr) was down in London. A bit battered, but struck me as being quite early on the H-reg. 1991 Toyota Sera by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr RichardK and Uncle Jimmy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 I think the Mercedes would have the edge in actual scary handling moments, at least with 7-series rear suspension. I personally prefer the 700 to the W124 - a 700 loses grip at much lower speeds, but is really easy to control, like a massive Escort Mk.II. The Mercedes seems to be faster through corners but less predictable (or, perhaps, the examples I've driven were knackered - it wouldn't surprise me, knowing how many bushings their multi-link uses and how badly they can corrode around the rear subframe mounts). RichardK and cms206 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 I personally prefer the 700 to the W124 - a 700 loses grip at much lower speeds, but is really easy to control, like a massive Escort Mk.II. The Mercedes seems to be faster through corners but less predictable (or, perhaps, the examples I've driven were knackered - it wouldn't surprise me, knowing how many bushings their multi-link uses and how badly they can corrode around the rear subframe mounts). Yeah, the 740 lacks the finesse, but it's eager and simple, where the 200TE feels like it's overwhelmed by the body, the engine is outclassed by what it has to move. I can get the 740 through bends quickly - but you can feel lateral shift in the back and have to compensate (or rather, not compensate) for the body movement. I've driven W124s from when they were new, and they're utterly predictable when right. However, they don't encourage you at all - it's when you really press on, and there's no feedback, and you realise the car can actually corner at ridiculous speeds but you won't enjoy it at all - it's there to save you if you overcook it, not to enjoy. The 740 seems designed to make you like driving it so when you do lose it, you're feeling confident with it, even if it is sliding towards certain doom. Amusing Sera news - my first one, that I bought in September 2003 and sold in May 2004, is being restored by a new owner who got it from the guy I sold it to - he'd had it for 13 years, four of which it was sat on a drive neglected! cms206 and Sigmund Fraud 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 It's looking promising. Got a lot of secondhand bits lined up, some new headlights... it'll be smart in no time. And should run better. I put a new water pump on the engine. Vince70, Sigmund Fraud, The Moog and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2_craig Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 I like these things! A few of them over here, some since the very early 90s, though not seen one in a while like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 The new water pump will be wasted if I fit it now - head gasket has gone. I didn't cook it - the engine sounds and runs healthily - and have spotted it at the stage where the car steams a bit when cold but stops when everything is warmed through (i.e. expanding enough to close the join) but will pressuise/dump coolant if revved. Cooling fan works and the water pump, noisy bearing or not, is circulating coolant. So chances I can get away with just the gaskets? At least access is good on this engine, for the most part. Feeling very fed up though, all the bloody cars needing work. I wanted to get at least a couple of them completed before something else went wrong! Have flushed the cooling system out with clean water and will put some proper flushing stuff in to clean it before doing the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KruJoe Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 Two Japs put the Merc in the shade with their funky doors: But the German pulls it back with a nifty roof. Jim Bell 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 Apathy got the better of me, to the extent that I was even prepared to swap this for something else (as long as I didn't have to do ANYTHING to the car); apathy continued, and now I've just got rid of the 500 SEC (which was too big for me to work on - no fear of the complexity per se, but if I can't even safely lift the thing to fix bits or service it, and get frustrated with the length/weight of the doors in the space I'm working in, it's not the car I need). Having also decided that £50/month insurance and £50/month tax is too much for me to want to pay to run the RX8 - which has been putting me off fixing the brakes; seriously, what the hell did they make the calipers from, pure rust?! - I swapped the insurance to the Sera. I now have an MoTd and insured small automatic car with a blown headgasket which SHOULD be easy to fix. So I've ordered a blueprint headgasket kit. I already have a new waterpump for it. Access doesn't look horrific. Dollywobbler's Bluebird headgasket and overall productivity makes me question what the hell I'm doing with my life. SPANNERING WILL HAPPEN. I think the RX8 will be broken for parts, it's worth more that way than as a whole and the MoT expired. Frustrating; I can cope with the road tax, but wasn't expecting the insurance to be so insane - it wasn't when I had a new one. stillOrange, Sigmund Fraud, They_all_do_that_sir and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Sure you won't have much trouble with the HG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schaefft Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Someday I need to have a Sera in my life. The perfect example of Japanese over-engineering during the early 90s. I hope you'll have that headgasket swapped soon, would love to see more about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 Life has overtaken this one (like, rollercoaster/move house/buy property/don't buy property etc), and with an utter lack of interest from the Classic Car Press about this thing, I can't justify adding it to the fleet anyway. Even more life happened and I just put a deposit down on a new car. As such, this needs to go. It does drive short distances. There's steam and pressurising. I didn't let it overheat. It comes with a new waterpump and a new head gasket kit (includes valve stem seals). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Jimmy Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 an utter lack of interest from the Classic Car Press about this thing,Interesting, innovative and very well put together cars, no wonder. GLWTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 Interesting, innovative and very well put together cars, no wonder. GLWTS I think the problem is that I want to write articles that might contain something useful, like hints & tips, or neat tools, and that is not as interesting as I think it is and readers really want to know that a car got a scratch while being driven to the pub. Uncle Jimmy, holbeck, alcyonecorporation and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holbeck Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I think the problem is that I want to write articles that might contain something useful, like hints & tips, or neat tools, and that is not as interesting as I think it is and readers really want to know that a car got a scratch while being driven to the pub. MGB's sell magazines don't ya know! alcyonecorporation 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcyonecorporation Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Er, would dollywobbler not want content from this? RichardK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 I've considered defecting teams, but I'd need regular work to want to keep running these things. For my own sanity, keeping too many cars for personal addiction is getting impossible so I'm sticking to SLKs. If I can write/photograph/earn something from the extra cars, fine. If not, I need to get a grip on this because I don't earn enough to feed multiple vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holbeck Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 <<off topic - sorry>> What happened to your twingo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 <<off topic - sorry>> What happened to your twingo? Same problems - life shite, desperate urge to get away from this place, dropped engine disappointment, losing half the work I do, zero interest in features in mag seemingly (I would love to be proved wrong on this and for them all to finally get used), no pressing need to have it as transport. However, it's not going anywhere, because I am hoping that with 2 SLKs and 1 brand new car plus the Twingo, the stress loading will be much reduced. When I bought this I wanted a simple, tatty but fun runner, and didn't care what the RX8 was - as it was I added two high-pressure/irritating projects at a time when I needed less stress. The Twingo is - if things happen right - destined for the Mongol Rally. Whether I am driving or not is another matter, but I want to do it, have friends who are forming teams, and they'll get to take it if I can't. If they all drop out then at least I'll have fixed the car with that motivation. I do really want it working! holbeck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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