19 Years of Tin Snail - Back to normality

[forddeliveryboy]

*whispers* heater dump tubes - they make more difference than you'd think.

 

What was the outcome of your niggles over the resto, or were things reckoned to be on in the end? Good to hear of Porsche-hassling, it's always fun bothering anything supposedly fast and German in a tin snail.

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, you say that, but it has survived 17 years without them (mind you, it's not had an under-engine tray fitted, which undoubtedly helps the hots escape).

 

It's pencilled in for a little rectification work at some point. Problem is, I haven't had chance to take it back to Bradford since it got back on the road. Hopefully I can manage it before Christmas...

[dollywobbler]

Videos!

Throttle cable shenanigans.

 

At the Retro-Rides Gathering

[dollywobbler]

Latest video may see a return to comedy gold from the subtitles...

[dollywobbler]

Finally got the throttle cable changed today. Most of the delay was because I couldn't bloody find it in my tip of a garage. Being a man, looking with my eyes just wasn't working, so I gave up and went to Sussex for a few days instead. Then, today, I did 'searching in a male style,' which involves stepping back through time to work out where I would have out it. I reckon I emptied it out of the car back in March, ahead of the NEC resto show. Found other stuff associated with that weekend and sure enough, there was the cable.

 

Fitted it, and the throttle seems a lot lighter now, which  I don't fully understand. The sheaf for it wasn't very tight on the old cable anyway. 

 

Test drive hasn't gone ahead, thanks to an entirely flat battery and hideous bloody weather. I have a fancy lightweight li-ion battery to fit, but that's no easy feat as it needs new cables and a new mounting bracket. However, the car will then be at least eleventy times faster.

[dollywobbler]

Another year, another MOT.

 

Pass! Advisories for a minor exhaust leak that I'd been meaning to sort out for a while, and a crusty rear brake pipe.

 

JOY.

[Sigmund Fraud]

"MoT exempt in May, innit ?" *

[dollywobbler]

Er, no...

 

It is, however, staring into the face of a 400-mile weekend, which includes an Autosolo in Blackburn. Should be entertaining! No-one else in my class by the look of it. Shame.

[dollywobbler]

Went for the first fill of the year. So bloody cold here that the fuel cap had frozen up.

 

Thankfully, Ivor at the garage clearly has a lot of this, and was out with a kettle of warm water almost before I'd finished swearing.

 

Roads were tricky, so I've had my second skiddy moment in a week - first time was in the Lexus on Friday night. Same issue, different bend. Huge run-off from the fields, frozen solid. Thankfully, the resultant patch of ice is only about 20cm long, so the car has a wobble (at each end) but grip is soon restored as long as you don't panic. 2CV rather less terrifying than the Lexus in such circumstances, mostly due to the weight difference.

 

I'm now reminded of the long list of problems I'd built up with this car last year, that I've utterly failed to do anything about. The wipers don't park, the exhaust is leaking, the heater STINKS (possibly because of leaky exhaust), it still seems to be struggling to hold charge (which makes me wonder if it's charging properly), the driver's door catch needs adjusting, the hatchback conversion needs fitting and the rear wings and bootlid need painting. 

 

I'm rubbish.

[dollywobbler]

I always leave the boot handle jaunty. It tells me it's locked (ie the handle can spin freely).

 

That's another job though, as it seems to be hovering between locked and unlocked, so that's nice and secure then.

[Felly Magic]

I do look forward to the footage of you making a right berk of yourself (in a good way) this weekend

[MorrisItalSLX]

Hatchback conversion? How does that work?

[dollywobbler]

A frame that ties the bootlid and rear window together, so it pivots above the rear window. Makes them a lot more practical.

[chaseracer]

It is, however, staring into the face of a 400-mile weekend, which includes an Autosolo in Blackburn. Should be entertaining! No-one else in my class by the look of it. Shame.

 

The Dyane's taxed, insured and MOTd - but it's running so well* you'd still be guaranteed a class win!

[dollywobbler]

So, as reported elsewhere, had many funs.

 

Sadly, the 2CV lost idle after the second round of runs, and I'd got a horrible, horrible knocking noise from the front end. Decided to quit.

 

Today, investigated the knock. The idle cured itself after a long run. Turns out the front suspension arm end plate, which holds the front end of the shock absorber, had come loose! One bolt was entirely missing, and the straight had left the remaining two feeling very loose. Therefore, the first bit of wheel lift was spent wobbling this (thankfully very thick) end plate, making the front end feel horribly loose. I think I may have failed to fit a shake-proof washer, which caused the problem, but it's entirely possible I never actually fitted the bolts properly over 5000 miles ago...

[dollywobbler]

Also, new video!

 

Autotest one to follow. Once I've edited it...

[dollywobbler]

I think I'm going to have to give up with this li-ion battery. Many sub-zeros of temperature last night, and the 2CV had barely enough juice to illuminate the oil pressure light. I was forced to deploy my three-wheeled jump pack.

 

Invacar started beautifully, aided by one of a pair of batteries I collected from Cobblers last weekend. Thanks Cobblers! The other battery was earmarked for the Honda, but I think it'll be going in the 2CV instead...

[Skizzer]

We’re going to need more than one AS calendar next year, I think.

 

Edit to add: just watched the autosolo video - love it

[loserone]

I think I'm going to have to give up with this li-ion battery. 

 

Would you fancy posting it or shitely? I reckon it'd be perfect for the Leaf.

 

(Or, you could, you know, buy an electric car)

[dollywobbler]

Maybe. We'll see. I still have half a suspicion that there's a drain, but my multimeter doesn't seem to want to work to show me.

[Squire_Dawson]

Whenever I see these contraptions I think of Belleville Rendez-vous.

[dollywobbler]

The circle of life continued earlier, in farcical circumstances, as the Honda refused to come out of the garage until I'd jump started it with the 2CV. I need a new jump pack. I now have two that no longer work.

[dollywobbler]

Today, I drove to Moreton-in-Marsh and met other 2CVers.

 

Even more arrived.

 

So we formed up.

 

Then we convoyed to Leamington Spa, found even more 2CVs and annoyed some Volvos.

 

77 cars in all, lots of sunshine, lots of fun, lots of cold.

 

Then I went back to the early 1990s in Welshpool.

 

From the other angle, some time later.

 

Home

 

That's about 800 miles covered since the MOT, most on them on two consecutive Sundays. I reckon 250-260 today. 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Greetings from Australia!

 

Wink, Wink...   

[dollywobbler]

As seen elsewhere, I dug Elly out of the garage again for a wash.

 

She'd been sitting in the garage for about a week. I left the battery disconnected. Rolled her out, connected it up and she started on the first rotation of the starter motor! That's in stark contrast to recent behaviour. So, I think I must have a drain going on. Sadly, I can't get my multimeter to show me what's going on, which is annoying. I'm guessing it's something I've added. 

[Zelandeth]

Not many cars you can park up next to a 2CV which make the 2CV look positively huge!

[dollywobbler]

Not many cars you can park up next to a 2CV which make the 2CV look positively huge!

 

Oh I don't know. I once took her to a Microcar rally. Technically, she qualifies in terms of engine size. 

[Felly Magic]

As stated on facebook, calendar shot there Ian

[dollywobbler]

Nipped into town for errands, including meeting National Windscreens who repaired a rather nasty chip in the windscreen. On the way home, I stopped at the railway, because why wouldn't you? Then the li-ion battery I fitted just died completely. It began to stink and get really hot. I disconnected it and ran home for spares, returning in the Nippa and hoping I wouldn't return to an inferno. I didn't.

 

Got the battery out, fitted one I got from Cobblers which doesn't actually fit, so held it in with a bungee chord. All sorted. Got back home. Battery now sitting somewhere safe while I wait for it to cool down.

 

I don't think I can recommend anyone replace their lead acid battery with a lithium-ion one. They're stroppy, you can't charge them with a mains charger, and apparently they don't last long either. Glad it wasn't my £400...

[Felly Magic]

I think you may have got it in time Ian, lots of heat in a lithium cell isn't good at all, something inside has clearly gone short circuit, not fit for purpose by the sounds. £400 takes the piss somewhat too