Garythesnail

Today is a perfect autumn day, so I took this for a good drive. And I don't know if I'm imagining this, but the brakes feel much better now with new brake fluid.
And the car ran perfectly.

Replaced the ball joint today, because I might need to be using the car again and the part has been sat in the boot since the MOT.
 
I neglected to take any photos as it was fairly easy, nothing broke and it took less than an hour to get the arm and offending ball joint swapped over, and I had golf stuff to try and sort.
 
Tomorrow I plan to sort out the exhaust valve and drier in the compressor.  I might remember to take some pictures, I might not.
Total cost of ownership has increased by £40 or so with the new part fitted.
What I did do, was modify the new part a bit, I should have taken some photos of this really.
So the ball joint is part of the front lower arm, it's got a tab where the height sensor bolts on with a 10mm bolt, a larger through bolt at the chassis side and then the ball joint where the arm meets the hub carrier.
 
On the ball joint for the new part, it's a single rubber boot with a single retaining clip on the boot at the base, the part I removed, which I suspect was original to the car, has a wire clip at the top of the boot as well to stop dirt ingress.
I also noticed that there's not a whole lot of grease in there.  So I resolved that and removed the clip from the old part and fitted it to the new one. 
With that done, it was just a case of refitting the part, dropping the car down before torquing up the chassis to arm bolt fully and taking it for a drive.  
And I can report, after driving it, I probably need to get the tracking looked at, because although it tracks straight and true, the wheel is a bit off and there's quite some toe out.  I suspect it's been adjusted to the play of the old ball joint by the previous owners friendly local. 
So tomorrow I'll spend some time under it trying to get all the bolts clean and free before I drop it to my friendly man with a hunter for alignment, as I don't fancy trying to do this one with string and chalk.

Where he has put used units in new packaging mark them as being used because when you find them again in 20 years time you will have forgotten that they are not new parts. Ask me how I know.

It is back!

I was lucky and got my favorite mechanic on this one and he did a great job from what I can see. He changed the wheel cylinders on both sides at the back and also had to replace the brake pipes on both sides. The brake shoes were in good condition so he did not change them. Fortunately, he also managed to loosen the stuck bleed nipples.
It pays to let the pros do some jobs, he spent under 3 hours I would probably have spent at least 3 days and had a miserable time while doing it. And this was not expensive either.
He cared so much that he not only put the old wheel cylinders in the car but also wrapped them in the wrapping paper the new ones came in and put them in the box the new ones came in.

So now this has also received new brake fluid and the only fluid in the car that has not been changed is the coolant and that is planned to be changed also.
They also got all defects from the MOT approved and removed the driving ban and I have only left to show it to the authorities for the seat situation and it is an MOT pass if it goes well. I have an appointment with them in 2 weeks.  So let's hope it goes well.
And it was fantastic to drive it again, this and everything positive that has happened today has done wonders for my mood and mind.
I also got the new brake connections covered in wax after I got it home, which should prevent them from rusting together.

 
So a good day this. And a big thank you to everyone here for help and encouragement I really appreciate it.

I doubt that anyone here would be willing to participate in such a thing and there is no need. But it would have been fun to see the winner drive to Norway for the pile of broken Volvo parts and half a milk chocolate that he has won.

i needed to nip out for a loaf - as the sun was shining, i took the green mazda with the roof down - just got home two hours later after a damn good hoon and realised i’d forgotten the loaf ! 
the roads were quiet and the car was driving so well, sweet child of mine blasting out and the wind in my hair sun on my dome  

also, the black mx5 on a tip run earlier in the week  

 

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1632084

No mot £1200 e class 
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/734795188457439/
 
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I finally got the last brake parts today. So then it is ready to go to the garage next week. They are doing me a big favor by taking on the brake job on this, few let the customers bring parts here and few want to work on cars like this. So I have done everything I can to make it as nice as possible for them. So have bought everything in the brake system apart from the drums and master  so they won't be missing parts and have labeled/marked and organized everything.

 
The only downside to this is the cost. Below is one of 4 front brake shoes, they cost 96 euros plus VAT per piece. This should give you an idea of how bad this is.

 
This has been a rough year financially thanks to this car and could probably done things a bit cheaper but will not cut corners on it as want everything done to it to be done right.
But it has affected my mood and made me consider why I'm doing this to myself if I'm honest, but most of us probably get to that point sooner or later. But next year will hopefully be better, just have to spend the winter to figure out how to pay for all this.

All of them.  Literally every car you can buy now is a mirthless, worthless parody of whatever the maker used to offer, even as recently as the 90s.  The only reason we have the 2021 Suzuki is that Motability doesn't offer classics.  I mean, look at this...

There was a time even an ordinary family-model Ford had style.  Now look at our Suzuki...

Same size family car, nominally; same angle more or less.  It's a blob.  One of the better-looking blobs, yes, but still a bloated lump.  Even the engine is roughly equivalent in size, although these days it's pointing the wrong way and driving the wrong wheels, but you know... that's progress.

Old Lamborghini Tractor

New Lamborghini Tractor

Mercedes.  When I was a kid (a little while ago admittedly), a Mercedes was an expensive, properly built thing that would give many years of sterling service.  Radios may have been optional but so were long range fuel tanks.  I remember looking in the windows at Reliance of Chingford and thinking what fine machines they were, things like the W126 S Class, W124 E-class and the R129 SL - all solid products well in to the 90s.  A W126 coupe with a V8 is one of my favourite cars to this day.
Then some idiot convinced them that getting in to bed with Chrylser and pursuing market share was a good idea and they really lost the plot.  These days every boring wanker has an 'AMG' A class with some dreary 4 pot engine and it's a tragic betrayal of what Mercedes used to be.

Hi guys, its me. I pressed the nuclear button a few days ago, Its got nothing to to with any posts on this thread, but for me its a place to share our love of chod, and its a hobby. I aim to have fun, and share in your enjoyment of your cars too. Lifes short, eh?
Whats been going on chez HMC?
The limo collection has been arranged by the buyer. I wont say any more but its going to be an epic road trip!
The mexican beetle. 

Its got actual patina (aka knackered paint, damage , etc) but i felt immediately that the sprayed up duotone steels were trying too hard; so i painted them silver.

After filling up it was smelling very fuelly. I found out the petrol rank sender wasnt sealed properly so i got out the blue hylomar and that sorted it.
And the front plate had to go….


 
To celebrate i went for a drive….


 

 
 

Works car park. 70 year old daimler photobomb 

I have a soft spot for hot/warm/lukewarm stuff from BL in the 80's.
My dad paid £1200 for a six (!) year old montego VDP EFi - it was on it's second coat of paint by then ( silk green). It was a nice place to be and went like fuck - it was quicker than my mk2 cav SRi that I had at the time and better on fuel.
The MG cars with their colour coded plastics and red / grey interiors made contemporary fords look very meh indeed.
I always wanted a montego turbo - in targa red. It never happened.
I console myself that I did own a rover SD1 vitesse and I still have a VDP EFi which is still a work in progress.

Another white Maestro owner here, I’ve had this one for about 7 years, sadly no digital dash in this one.

You called? 
My late Dad had a 1985 EFi in red, must've been quite an early one on a B plate. 
Been on the lookout for a project and found this last year, sadly not red. Got the heap delivered and started discovering how bad/good it was. 
Tbh I knew it needed arches. The sills could have been patched but I sourced a pair and got them done with the roof which had a mystery rust hole too. 
Mrs Grogee bought me a NOS head for my birthday and that is now with a porting company for some light breathing work and (if needed) some hardened exhaust inserts. It also has a rather fruity zorst but it's too loud so I think I will slice n dice in a centre silencer. 
I have Spax adjustable dampers on the back with standard springs & ride height. 
Next up is a front end refresh: Leda struts and all new rubber everything & new BJs plus a new clutch. 
PS I bought your book @motorpunk, it was adequately funny. 



 

If you keep having trouble Eddie I can take a look for you. I've got the software to read each module so would be able to have a look. Perhaps the sensor has gone bad from a rusted ring damaging it. Not a difficult or expensive job to do! I do really like these X350s, they really went all out to fix the issues of old and did their best to keep them similar to the traditional XJ style in the world of modern safety etc.
The big point for me is the aluminium, I don't think I'm brave enough for the potential rot of a X308!

still think these look fantastic, better proportioned than the hatch

Courtesy of @Rust Collectorin @cort16's rather excellent 320si / baby M3 thread.

I'm waiting for some wax to arrive so I can do the rust proofing that it's never apparently had and sort out any corrosion before it's a problem.
I've actually been using this thing daily now as it's cheaper to run (seriously) than my Mk5 GTi is in terms of fuel as the golf is mapped and needs expensive go go juice, whereas this runs on Morrisons finest own brand diesel without any drama, and since sorting the box out seems to do similar mpg as the box is shifting without any flares (thus increased revs).
If anyone reading this is thinking to themselves that they want to buy a certain car but the Internet is telling them not do because of all the issues reported, I just want to reiterate something.
When you enjoy your car, if cars are your thing at least, you won't care as much when stuff does break.
Don't let the horror stories put you off owning anything.
Buy the car you want, enjoy using it, fix it if and when it breaks, and keep enjoying it.

Courtesy of @Rust Collectorin @cort16's rather excellent 320si / baby M3 thread.