New shite! - 1985 Suzuki Alto FX

[RobT]

Well saved Trig, I bet that'll be a hoot to zip around town in. Loving the beige interior too, almost Pony Tropicana levels of plastickyness!

[trigger]

Just a small update to those interested, I've still not fixed the head gasket, my dad's got that job but isn't overly keen on it, The plan is to get it back to his on his trailer so we can tackle it properly plus his mechanic lives a few doors away from him and can help with the timing as that's the part he's not happy about fixing.

 

So far I've got a new cambelt on order (£6.50), and complete headset on order (£31) and fitted a new battery (£39) so it still only owes me £206.50 which isn't bad, I'm guessing £55 for a head skim and £30 for service parts so that's still under £300, just as long as some Wynns stop leak or a dog turd can fix the leak in the rad, if not a new rads another £50, I can't even see where it's leaking from so I'm hoping it's only a tiny leak, It doesn't seem to have lost any water since I've had it anyway.

 

I've been busy running my polishing mop over the body and genuinely just cleaning it up, I'm mega happy with the results, It looks great for a 28 year old Japanese car.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

My Cortina watches from a distance, I do like those little bumper fitted sidelights you find on this era of car.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

As you can see it does smoke a little.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

A hoover and wipe over really cleaned the interior, I removed all the dead speaker wiring and instill a old shelf speaker that was fitted to my old BMW 1602, the MW radio works well.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

This is the worse of the rust that i can find.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

Hard to tell from this photo but the roof does have quite a few dents sadly, It looks as if something heavy as fell on it but the metal is a bit flimsy so it could just be from a fat seagull walking on the roof.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

Now to fix this bad boy!

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[Cavcraft]

Shitting hell, Trig, that looks brilliant!

[HillmanImp]

That does look lovely. I tell thee what though, if you are a little worried about getting those dents in the roof done I have heard that Dent Devils are pretty cheap and very good. Only what I have been told like but might be worth looking into as it looks a corker. Other people might have used them and have different results etc.

[trigger]

I have heard that Dent Devils are pretty cheap and very good.

 

I used one a few years back on my old Pug 306 which had a dent on the bonnet behind the double skin which they fixed well, I'm might try the cub hammer and lump of wood trick first, when I bought it the N/S/R door was stuffed in which i had a go at with my hammer and wood, that's came out remarkably well considering.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto 800 FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[Cavcraft]

Should put this in the 'stupid question' thread really, but bear with me:

 

I have had thoughts about thick (i.e dumper truck/tractor front) inner tubes and the possibility of shoving them in between inner/outer wings and inflating them to try and get large dents out. Obv. they might be too big for this so maybe motorbike tubes would work, anyone tried this or is just so stupid I should go out and get as pissed as possible tonight?

[AnthonyG]

Don't know how I missed this - what a great little car - amazingly rust free for a Jap of its era. All together a superb save!

 

Are those Dunlops the originals?

[trigger]

Are those Dunlops the originals?

 

Yep!, only 22000 miles on them. The spares a Falken though, still a 145/70/12.

 

No idea Billy, wouldn't it just pull out a panel both ways and end up doing more harm then good if you used a tyre?

[freebird]

Should put this in the 'stupid question' thread really, but bear with me:

 

I have had thoughts about thick (i.e dumper truck/tractor front) inner tubes and the possibility of shoving them in between inner/outer wings and inflating them to try and get large dents out. Obv. they might be too big for this so maybe motorbike tubes would work, anyone tried this or is just so stupid I should go out and get as pissed as possible tonight?

Nope not stupid at all, mind you that doesnt mean that you shouldnt go out to enjoy yourself and get rat faced, does it?

The car is an absolute honey, the caramel interior is ace and Id be amazed if you didnt get back what you have paid for it and spent on it with a shit load of interest a year or two from now.

That is one seriously good find, fair play to you Trig.

[Ben_L]

The car is an absolute honey, the caramel interior is ace and Id be amazed if you didnt get back what you have paid for it and spent on it with a shit load of interest a year or two from now.

 

 

Don't speak too loudly or The Doctor and Purple Nag will be staking his house out fighting over the TWOC'ing of this thing before putting it on eBay with some story about how a strike across Japan resulted in dented panels being fitted in 1985...

[oldford]

It's looking good, timing it shouldn't be a problem, get the crank and cam marks lined up with the rotor arm pointing at number 1, it should be fine. We used Dykes just up the road from you to machine/check a cylinder head, I can recommend them.

 

I've got some smart repair dent tools if you want to borrow them and have a play.

[Mr Lobster]

That looks rather impressive. The metal is incredibly thin on these so you might have some success with Dent Devils on the roof.

 

Incidentally, what sort of polishing mop have you got? I remember you posted that you were buying one a while back, I could do with a new one myself y'see.

[trigger]

It's looking good, timing it shouldn't be a problem, get the crank and cam marks lined up with the rotor arm pointing at number 1, it should be fine. We used Dykes just up the road from you to machine/check a cylinder head, I can recommend them.

 

I've got some smart repair dent tools if you want to borrow them and have a play.

 

Thanks for the offer John, I must catch up, I haven't seen you for a while, thanks for the recommendion on Dykes, I don't know anywhere in Ipswich that does head skimming, I was going to try J.D Robertsons in Colchester as they are the only ones I know off.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002 ... 06_s00_i00

 

Incidentally, what sort of polishing mop have you got? I remember you posted that you were buying one a while back, I could do with a new one myself y'see.

 

I bought this one here http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002 ... 06_s00_i00, I honestly can't recommend it enough, invest in a decent mop head and polish though, I use http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FARECLA-G-MOP ... 1c1b8283db and http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FARECLA-G3-1K ... 4ab50096cb.

 

It cost a bit of outlay but last a long while and is well worth the investment, you could even earn a bit of money back cleaning your neighbours cars with it, that's what i do.

[Mr Lobster]

Ace, thanks!

 

I shall most probably get on that tomorrow.

[Richard]

These are good http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_pa ... ucts_id=15

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I've got the same mop as Trig and cannot reccomend it enough, its flippin brilliant for £40 or whatever.

[oldford]

The details for them are:

 

D and G Engineering (Ipswich) Ltd t/a Dykes

Phone: 01473 214 908

Unit 15 altitude business park, the drift, nacton road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9QN

 

Can't really get anywhere closer to you.

[trigger]

They are only on the other end of my road!, I'll give them a bell and get a quote on the skim next week. Cheers!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Go to dykes for a skim

[pandarus]

Looking great Trigg, what a find mate. Superb.

 

Would love to have a look when she's finished.

[greengartside]

I'll have to come over to Steve Wrightville and give this ho(ney) a ride when she's all done

[trigger]

I just thought I'd update this, It's been on the road a few months now and is being happily enjoyed as my wife's daily driver who has taken to using it remarkably well for a 29 year old, It's now covered 900 miles since the head gasket rebuild and touch wood other than it dieing one day at a junction then luckily restarting again (I think it was crap in the fuel working it's way through the carb) it's performed faultlessly.

 

It's now done 23000 mile which is nothing, it breezed the mot with the tester remarking on how mint the floor was, how it had been ziebarted from new and asking if I'd sell it to him! I've also fitted a new set of 145/13's which cost £140, more than the car cost me!

 

Anyway here's some new photos from this afternoon.

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[240gl]

Some really nice photos here for the calender thread Trigger. I like the one with your Cortina hiding in the corner, and the mk3 Astra is probably another good calender picture too.

[Junkman]

Nice!

[brickwall]

Damn, so jealous

[garethj]

I just thought I'd update this, It's been on the road a few months now and is being happily enjoyed as my wife's daily driver who has taken to using it remarkably well for a 29 year old

But your wife doesn't look a day over 24, Trig!

 

Love the new photos, that car just glows with old Japanese pride

[trigger]

But your wife doesn't look a day over 24, Trig!

 

Love the new photos, that car just glows with old Japanese pride

 

I'll tell her you said that, she's 30 next month! Glad you like the photos, I'm pretty chuffed with them myself, It still has a number of dents, especially on the roof that I need to remove, not sure how to go about that yet.

[retrogeezer]

top little motor, another jealous viewer here..

[Hertz]

Nice car, nice Pics. Very Doctor-esque What camera have you got Trigger?

[retrogeezer]

p.s - mops are for wimps!