davidfowler2000

In starting this thread I am in no way accepting responsibility for the production of next year's calendar. I'm just doing it 'cos it's not there yet and I want to put forward one of my photos from Chumly 2018 which, I think under the circumstances, would make a great tribute to the late @Richard

Quick update since the above video. The mad revving was caused by a broken injector clamp so that got replaced and it got another new injector. It shat it's exhaust manifold gaskets which necessitated an 18 month layoff waiting for parts. Finally an MoT was put on it on 20th December 2019 Then this (for those who don't already know) on the 29th of December Arsonist bastards! Insurance paid out a decent amount so that's something. More for the 205 fund. This is the last I will talk of this matter. ---ENDS---

Dates: Various Some time off work and some decent-ish weather after the MoT allowed for some investigation of parts to see what the setup of the various bits on the 205 were... As with most cars, it's basically just trying to find out what the brake setup is. Seeing as my main personal experience doing brakes on older cars is Volvos usually with Girling fronts, TRW rears and ATE hydraulics, it's nice to have a car that's all the one system - Bendix. autodoc.co.uk would be the main target for finding parts. Euro Car Parts could get... some bits. GSF could get other some bits however the Glasgow branch of GSF closed recently so if I'm going to have to do it mail order, might as well get it all from one place. Also between ECP and GSF, I couldn't get everything I wanted. One week after ordering, two large boxes turned up... Contained in the autodoc order: Front Calipers x 2 Front Discs x 2 Front Pads Front Accessory Kit Front Bearings x 2 Rear Drums x 2 Rear Shoes Rear Fitting Kit Rear Shoes Adjuster Set Rear Wheel Cylinders x 2 Rear Bearings x 2 Master Cylinder Timing Belt / Water Pump Kit Brake Cleaner Tin x 3 1L Brake Fluid Air Filter Oil Filter Circlip Pliers Also from another source, - Driveshafts x 2 In Other News... Drum brakes can get fucked! I mean having to assemble bits of them OFF THE CAR FFS!

Diesel does go nasty eventually but not to the same degree as petrol. The car did run on the stale stuff quite happily but it smelled like paint. The cold idle wasn't great but the new fuel helped solve that,

Really should have been in the February thread as that's when it happened but never mind...

The vast majority of the muck was from it's trailering from EK to Cumbernauld in the snow. Wet roads and lots of salt. Yay*.

Wednesday 04/03/2020 Other than a new battery, somewhere to live and the moving thereof, nothing has been spent on the 205. This was, of course, the intention until a Viability Study™ could be carried out. Namely finding a MoT tester mental enough to put a car through a test that has sat in a lockup for 15 years. Mr 320touring of this parish suggested his tester in Cumbernauld is a safe bet so a test was booked for this afternoon and the trailer was once again booked for hire. First order of business was to collect the trailer, collect Mr 320touring and have lunch somewhere. Once this was accomplished, the car was liberated from it's hidey-hole and loaded on to the trailer. But not without having a quick blast to blow the cobwebs out... The noise off the CV joints was horrendous. Even managed to get a wee bit of turbo spool and blast all the smoke out. A gallon of fresh diesel the last time I saw the car probably helped a lot there. Then off to the test station up in Wardpark. Only 10 mins drive or so away, we get there, drop it off then head for tea... Tea was had and we came back. Test were running a bit behind but it eventually went in and shuftys were had Having two of the doors tied together inside the car to keep them shut didn't bode well. Presenting a car for test by driving it there on a trailer didn't garner much enthusiasm either. The tester was not impressed. Once under the car, comments were made alongs the lines of "solid" and "those brake lines are brand new". After the test was concluded it got a general "It's not that bad. It really just needs what you said it would need". So how not bad was it. Well then... To summarise, in order to pass a test it needs - Door catches all round Brakes all round Wheel bearings all round An ARB drop link Battery clamp installed in correct position not simply sitting on top so I know where it is A couple of electrical bits Show the tester how to work the screenwash. Maybe fix the leak in the pipe on the rear wash. In addition - Timing belt and water pump Thermostat General service Check rear suspension to see why it's a bit low on one side 4 x tyres Wipers

Right I've checked with crewplan and it seems I'm pretty much certain for this. Time to start making plans.

Thon was quick

I have a pair of boots which I think has thicker laces than that collar.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Ta.

Wednesday 12/02/2020 So 7 days on the trot at work finishing with two backshifts. What's the best thing to do when you come home absolutely humped? That's right straight to bed, up earlier than normal and go get a trailer to move a car. Trailer booked, as mentioned previously, for hire. £47 a day with insurance from Stirling Trailer Centre is pretty decent. The SVM Industries Eco* Friendly* turbo staff car will be doing the work today. It has a detachable towbar from the factory which is pretty nifty. The V5 states the max braked towing weight of the car is 2000KG but I've read somewhere the detachable towbar is only rated at 1800KG. Still, a ~600KG trailer with a (maximum) 980KG car should not pose any issues. Time to head to East Kilbride where the car is located. First stop is MAW_df2k to pick up the car key for the 205 and the lockup key. Also have lunch of some sort 'cos I've had bugger all to eat and it's currently snowing. The 205's not far away. Other side of the street in fact in a lockup round the back of some houses, down a lane. There was more parked cars than I would have ideally liked but I did manage to get it turned in the space available. Right time to dig out the 205 and load it up... Load complete. Next stop is my new lockup in Cumbernauld about a 30 min drive away at sensible speeds given the weights involved and the weather. Estimated weight of the trailer and the 205 is about 1600KG and the car is about 2050KG with a driver so estimated train weight is 3650KG so that definitely requires a B+E license. 300bhp on tap and all wheel drive should keep things safe in the snow too. A trip down the A725 towards the motorway is the first order of business and even driving at 50mph until I get the feel for the trailer, I was still being held up but idiots driving at 45mph on a 60mph dual carriageway. Anyways I pull off at the last slip before the motorway to do a strap check. Everything's fine so it's onwards to Cumbernauld with my new rear outlook. I decide to forego the M74 / M73 route just for something different so it's further up the A725 / A8 / M73. The highlight of the journey definitely being hearing the prolonged T6 roar going uphill on the slip from Baillieston Interchange to the M73. Cumbernauld achieved. Time to get everything unloaded again... All done. Time to put it away until the weather gets better and I can do something about it. First course of action will be to sling it in for an MoT so I can get a fail sheet to work from but that can all be dealt with another day so time to button up, take the trailer back and head home. Home achieved. Time for a well deserved tea and Kit Kat. Oh aye... mind how I said 2 of the doors wouldn't close, that issue was resolved* before transit.

Aye 55mph is grim. 62 is a bit better but still slower than most. That time I went to Portsmouth and back on one tank in the Golf it was done at 62mph. I reckon it added 90 minutes each direction.

Ah yes. I sees it now. Even specifically looking for it I scrolled past about 3 times.

That's what the computer says. What is it when you actually work it out from amount bought at the pump vs miles covered?