Mayfair Lady

[Craig the Princess]

Some friends of ours have planned a road trip round Ireland starting next week.A few months ago we decied it would be a good idea to take a yellow allegro estate that had been off the road 20 years, 7 years in our ownershipe without driving a yard, that had rust issues. The news thread detailed the welding, but to tell the short story our neighbour farmer recommended a local welded to came over and charged so little we needed to haggle him up (I love Norfolk).

 

 

We also had to replace clutch slave and master cylinders, rebuild the breaks with new pads and discs (and needed to borrow a hub removal tool to do this)

 

After this a Mot was passed and we went for a test drive, all was well until the day before BL Day when we noticed a water leak, that radiator looks awful and the water pump is peeing out to.

 

New pump and radiator filled and we went to BL day in it and the green allegro.

 

 

The weekend a friend came over to collect his ex-banger rally Volvo, we go to move the allegro and zero compression. 3 out of four inlet valves stuck. Remove the head, what is this black sticky gunge? Head taken apart and cleaned up, it looks like something has got past the fuel filler (which also had a wierd black rubber type think in it) and put back on, running well.

 

We go for a weekend away going to Stamford then Shackerstone, en route we break down due to crap in the fuel blocking the carb. After cleaning it out twice we managed to get home, but needed to swap tanks to stop it keep happening so last week I tried to remove the tank from another allegro and put it on this one. All going well until the yellow tank starts coming down and somehow starts gusing out liquid at pressure, How is it doing this? Why does this petrol smell of Hydragas fluid? Oh shit.

I have managed to knock a hole in the (rusty) Hydragas pipe.

 

 

Due to the location underneath the clip the normal bodge, sorry fix, of a 10 mm compression joint isn't going to work. After the fluid has dried go back and cut the pipe of, will need to extend the pipe to underneath the floor pan and link to the exising pipe here as it isn't too rusty further forward.

 

Manage to get a local factor who can find a 5/8 UNF female union for 3/8 tube (that we apparently need) and 3/8 pipe. However after bending the pipe we try the union and it doesn't feel at all good, going on 3 turns then going tight. We tighten it up and the 10mm compressing fitting isn't goof on the 9.52 mm pipe. That said it did stay pumped up overnight.

Go back next morning and use the original connector (well one of two, the other wouldn'r release the pipe as I cut it too close to the union so we took another of a scrap car) and 10 mm pipe. This works better but as the pipe bended only goes up to 3/8 so one of the pipes sits quite low.

 

 

 

 

 

Looks good, stayed up for two nights, Mrs the Princess put the fuel tank back in yesterday morning and the test runs went well with a 10 mile trip to Wisbech over bumpy roads didn't cause a problem.

 

Start up this morning?

 

Where did this come from? Was quite smoky for about 10 minutes with blue smoke and then black smoke on the overrun. Went for a drive with the 1100 behind but no obvious clould just the odd small puff. Will need to check again in the morning but I think leaving alone is the best option. Espically as packing the car has started.

 

[vulgalour]

Clouds of smoke on start up and the occasional puff while driving... I bet those puffs happen every time you change gear and the stem seals are borked.

[Craig the Princess]

I have a feeling you are right despite them being changed about 300 miles ago

[Anglevan]

Loving the allegro estate, pure class. What happened to the marina ? Very similar to mine (t reg)

[Craig the Princess]

The piston rings weren't correctly gapped so the engine is tight. It is waiting for the winter for me to have another go. I really want it running to take it and the applejack allegro out together.

 

Have their been pictures of your Marina? Would like to hear more as I have never driven one off the driveway.

[Anglevan]

No I've not posted pics of mine yet. It's a one owner low mileage 1.7 been off the road for 11 years. I have so many cars I have trouble keeping up to date but must start a thread at some point.

[Lankytim]

I'd have ANY BL motor in Applejack, it's a fanstastic colour!

[Pillock]

I must apologise for papping you at Shackerstone without realising it was you, I would have said hello!

 

[purplebargeken]

Just having read through the thread.

 

Your Mrs loves old cars, getting her hands dirty, you also had her friend living with you and a colleague (whom we shall presume is female and rather hot) plus you live, eat and breathe old BL chod. 

 

All hail the King/Emperor/God of AS for he is truly amongst us!!!!

[Craig the Princess]

Sadly while Peter is a top bloke he is a Peter not a Peta 23 from Essex.

[JohnDeere]

Was it you I spotted this morning on the Sixteen Foot Bank driving the Allegro estate, followed by a beige 1100?

[Uncle Jimmy]

Good to see Metros getting some attention. As they age they're becoming disturbingly attractive to me.

[Craig the Princess]

Was it you I spotted this morning on the Sixteen Foot Bank driving the Allegro estate, followed by a beige 1100?

It was JohnDeere, both heading up to Holyhead for a weeks holiday in Ireland.

Only hiccup has been me locking the keys in the running car at the Travelodge.

[JohnDeere]

It was JohnDeere, both heading up to Holyhead for a weeks holiday in Ireland.

Only hiccup has been me locking the keys in the running car at the Travelodge.

Excellent. I just happened to notice your enormous grin as you came towards me!

[Craig the Princess]

So the Brown Metro has been receiving Mrs the Princess' attention over her Christmas break. She took the car off the road in April because it drove in wavy lines. After the red metro’s tyres were swapped onto it to eliminate tyres as the cause the subframe was suspected.

 

 

EBay supplied a new old but non-rusty rear subframe complete with displacers and (knackered) backplates and drums.

 

 

When the subframe was removed quite a lot of rust was found. Fortunately our neighbour farmer has introduced us to the local tame welder, prices low enough that we could push on with it.

 

 

 

(Willy the Welder welding Beige1100's ex Sri Lankan Allegro)

 

With various patches in the massive hole in the front passenger wing  was looked at. Wing removed and the hole problem assessed.

 

 

Mesh and filler jobbed, paint to follow.

 

Subframe reinstalled, however both radius arms had play. Nipples were greased, while the passenger side pushed through clean grease and seems to have less play the arm the driver’s side pushed through a substance that looked unmentionable and didn’t improve matters. A new arm has been found on eBay and is in transit.

 

 

 

 

In red Metro news the fuel tank leak is still present, when the brown car is ready and re MoTed it will come off for a replacement. Also the resprayed bonnet Christmas present will be added.

[Craig the Princess]

Mrs the Princess hard at work again today despite the freezing temperature. The driver's side radius arm has been changed, but it seems that the "new" subframe was from a mark 1 not a mark 2, this means they look identical but have some very slight differences.

 

One of which being the size of the hole that the pin through the radius arm fits through on the subframe. This meant that when the new radius arm was fitted it wouldn't go through the subframe :: After much swearing the pin from the old arm was cleaned up and reused despite a little wear. If there is still play a new pin will be needed but it shouldn't seize in the next month or so. Mrs the Princess then removed the backplate from the original subframe to transfer across.

 

 

 

Once done the Hydragas displacers were refitted, the brake pipes and handbrake cables were reattached. Then the Hydragas pipes were reconnected and wheels put back on. Back on it's wheels for the first time in 4 months OMGSTANCELOL!

 

Just need to now bleed the brakes, refit the front wing (after the specially made up spray paint was the worst match in history I need to get another can made up), radiator and altenator then ready for MoT.

 

The red Metro still hasn't had the chrome strip removed to fit to the new bonnet, more WD40 has been applied

 

 

 

So if Mrs the Princess (and Beige1100) have been fixing the Metro what have I been doing. Well, stung by the critism of the 100 club Princess in this month's PC (serious bodywork issues my arse) I have refound some enthusam.

 

Last time I got stuck trying to refit the centre console after the interior had been taken out to do the (small amount) of welding. After another hour of truing I decided longer screws were the answer. 5 minutes later it was in and sorted.

 

 

after this sucess the rest of the sill kick covers and carper securing panels were also quickly added.

 

Next job was to refit the front seats. However the runner for the passenger seat had moved while off the car so none of the bolts could be accessed. This took a bit of effort to straighten and when it went back in the seat now lists to the left. The height adjuster is belived to be at fault so the seat will have to come out again to sort it.

 

 

So comfortable but bloody heavy

 

 

 

 

So after the seats are back in the new steering column needs to be fitted (to repair the previous damage meaning it has no ignition barrel) before engine recomission which hopefully won't be too bad as all new parts were fitted to get it running at BL Day 2009. I also need to fix the damage caused getting it on to the trailer at BL day which tore the exhaust off. Of and a Hydragas top up.

 

MoT for June hopefully.

 

[Craig the Princess]

I wonder if any of the rover R8 bothers can help me with a slightly off problem with the coupé. A while ago the abs light would randomly come on but reset when the ignition was switched off and on. Then it fixed itself except when selecting reverse. Then it dropped doing that too but now if you make a quick getaway from a start the brake light on the dash shows while accelerating (no brakes applied). Is this this related to the abs? It is a bit modern for me this.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Could it be something really simple, like a low brake fluid level ?

[Craig the Princess]

Could it be something really simple, like a low brake fluid level ?

 

Could be. it was about halfway between min and max but now topped up so fingers crossed. Many thanks.

[Bobthebeard]

Great thread! If Mrs Beard could weld, repair cars or even take a slight interest in cars my happiness would be complete. Sadly she has zero interest in any of the above! Bah.

 

Edit... Mrs B has also started hinting about going on a cruise ship type of holiday! Not on my watch. Ever!

[Jim Bell]

Top threadding.  Thats one Metro I wouldnt mind being transported in!

[Craig the Princess]

Dropped the doors off today to be sprayed.

 

 

This will mean the car is done from the front to the B post. After that I fear it gets expensive.

 

In Coupe news it failed to start for the second time recently this afternoon. It turned over well for about 4 minutes on and off, then just about chugged a little before eventually starting. It felt like it was building itself up to start. It then sounded low on oil (oil lever 7/8th between min and max) so I took it very steady (under 2000 rpm). On the way home it started fine and sounded normal from the start.

[Jim Bell]

Moisture in the electrics? The 323f had similar symptoms due to cracked ht leads. Started up smart with a blast of wd40 over everything.

 

Just guessing mind.

[dollywobbler]

I've missed what engine the Rover has, but the K Series has a reputation for sticky hydraulic tappets, which effectively renders the engine inoperable in some circumstances. A fresh oil change and a tappet treatment may help.

[Craig the Princess]

Moisture in the electrics? The 323f had similar symptoms due to cracked ht leads. Started up smart with a blast of wd40 over everything.

 

Just guessing mind.

 

Will try this the next time it does it, it hasen't been a problem when warmed up so it's possible.

 

I've missed what engine the Rover has, but the K Series has a reputation for sticky hydraulic tappets, which effectively renders the engine inoperable in some circumstances. A fresh oil change and a tappet treatment may help.

 

T-series non-turbo DW, does this have hydraulic tappets? I does feel like it is starting on fewer than the maximum avilable cylinders so if the WD40 doesn't fix it that is next on the list. Never done a treatment on it and the oil is about 5k old so could do with a change.

 

 

Also the bonnet badge seems to have fallen off its backing plate which is still on the car. It now looks like a haunted Rover bagde.

[cros]

Will try this the next time it does it, it hasen't been a problem when warmed up so it's possible.

 

 

T-series non-turbo DW, does this have hydraulic tappets? I does feel like it is starting on fewer than the maximum avilable cylinders so if the WD40 doesn't fix it that is next on the list. Never done a treatment on it and the oil is about 5k old so could do with a change.

 

 

Also the bonnet badge seems to have fallen off its backing plate which is still on the car. It now looks like a haunted Rover bagde.

[saucedoctor]

T Series is hydraulic tappets, too.

 

Have you checked the crank sensor?

 

[Craig the Princess]

The Rover is in the garage refusing to show its starting problem, they are leaving it over the weekend to try and replicate the problem.

 

The bodyshop called this afternoon, bonnet and doors painted and attached, front wings reattached and coachline added. Photos to filler when picked up tomorrow.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I have never heard of a K series (or any other engine) being scuppered by hydraulic tappet problems, surely the worst that can happen is they don't pump up properly and clatter like a bastard

[Craig the Princess]

Fleet update (more for my record than anything else)

 

Rover 220 - Still in the garage, started first time thorughout Friday. They were going to try again having left it over the weekend but no news as yet.

What it needs? Starting problem solved, repainted bonnet, paint repairs to peeling lacquer on the roof and under the rear driver's side window.

 

 

Saab 900 - Now in everyday use, top down when dry. Very good heater. After 3 weeks off it needed a jump start and it took fecking ages to work out how to input the radio code after this (it took 2 minutes when I picked the car up), why do you need to hold down the Band button for 20 seconds before putting the code in? After the Brian Harvey style leaving the car in reverse when jumping out (idiot). Saab lost against the LDV 400. Need to undent the door and fix the check strap. Really nice to drive, and is showing over 32 mpgs which is pretty good.

 

 

 

 

Mrs the Princess' Metro Mayair

 

Bodyshop finished with the Metro. Can't get teh driver's side wing to fit as a badly fitted cover sill gets in the way. However front wings, bonnet and doors are painted and fitted and the coach line and rubbing strips fitted. Will need to save up for new sill and rear quarters to make it as good as it can be. Likely to come off the road fairly soon to sort out a few engine niggles and to give the brown Metro

 

 

 

 

Brown Metro

 

After a whole host of welding to the rear (mainly where the subframe bolts on) it is now MoTed. Will need to check this has cured it's wandering habit. This should become Mrs the Princess station duties car for the next few months. Clove Brown - yum!

 

 

Two Allegros - All roadworthy and ready for Summer