Project Korean Cortina - going back in time!

[Danblez]

Great stuff, was feeling gutted for you after the oil pump issues. Glad all is well. V8 is where it's at, one day!

[mat_the_cat]

For every silver lining, there is a cloud - in this case more of a puddle than a cloud, right underneath the newly filled petrol tank I had a peer underneath and it was dripping out of the sender unit on the side of the tank near the top, which must have been 10+ years ago when it last had fuel right up to it. It did briefly cross my mind to go for a long run and burn off the excess fuel, but decided to try and fix it instead. It turned out that the stub that the return line pushed into had a pinhole on the bend. SO a quick and easy bodge solution was to slide a length of hose over it, and clamp it on the base past the leak.

 

 

It turned out the speedo needle seemed to have stuck, as I simply rotated the cable by hand in the reverse direction and it now works. Seems to be reasonably accurate even without fine tuning with a GPS unit, which I'll do once I have a willing assistant.

 

I REQUIRE VIDEO FOOTAGE

 

Just for you (not that I had any desire whatsoever to go for another drive in it...) here you go:

 

 

I strapped my phone to the rear view mirror and annoyingly the sound is a bit distorted, but you get the picture. A tunnel would be fun...

[KruJoe]

Proper jealous now.

Thank you for opening the windows for us, Mat!

[Noel Tidybeard]

that video is crap now go back out and do a better one

[fordperv]

Great stuff, I'm so glad that it's coming right for you

[mat_the_cat]

Thanks I said to myself earlier in the week that if it went OK on a test run (not really expecting it to), I'd take it down to Stratford this weekend. And seeing as nothing fell off, melted or leaked unacceptably, I think I'll give it a go! Loaded with tools, camping stuff, plenty of fluids (including alcohol ) it's almost ready for the 300 mile road trip.

 

The only thing which I noticed when giving it a check over is that both front wheel bearings were slightly loose. This worried me a little, as they were both new and to have failed in 25 miles would not have been good going. All I can say is that it's a good idea that I checked, as I hadn't put the split pin in! I must have been rushing to get the car loosely assembled and on the trailer when we moved house, and meant to 'do it later'. Here's hoping there's no other similar jobs which I've forgotten about...

[dollywobbler]

I look forward to seeing it again tomorrow!

[kinkersaab]

Well done! Have thoroughly enjoyed this thread, magic!

[mat_the_cat]

I'm happy to report that I've managed 310 miles this weekend Only minor issues were that there's a slight chuff from the offside exhaust manifold, and a tiny bit of hesitation when the throttles are just open. Oh, and I may need some heat insulation on the bulkhead as the amount of warmth coming through makes the heater almost superfluous! I was roasting on the way back, especially in slow tourist traffic. But at least the engine stayed at a constant temperature.

 

I filled up on the way down and worked out that I'd averaged 14.9 mpg, which worried me a little. That did include the fuel leak, so I was more hopeful on the way back but I did stick to 60 mph to try and help. I was amazed and pleased to get 28.9 mpg on the 180 miles between fills, so it's almost a practical car!

 

Another grin was seeing a Kia Sportage on the hard shoulder with its hazard lights on - a couple of minutes after he'd sped up while I was overtaking, then overtook me and cut me up.

[Skizzer]

28.9mpg is very good by the standards of the SD1 engine donor

 

That must have been mighty satisfying, blowing up the Kia.  Full marks.

[dollywobbler]

Ace. Here's photographic proof that it made it to Stratford.

[mat_the_cat]

28.9mpg is very good by the standards of the SD1 engine donor

 

Yeah, at first I thought there must be a mistake, but I brimmed the tank both times, and the odometer was within a mile of the GPS distance on the journey down. It must just have been down to keeping to 60 mph with no hills, or even any slowing down until the last couple of miles. It's all been better than I dared hope!

 

I do need to adjust the sensitivity on the cruise control though, as the new engine *may* have slightly more power and so the amount of throttle travel it thinks it needs to maintain the same speed is rather more than actually required. Hence the speed control is a little jerky.

[Skizzer]

cruise control

 

   

 

I'll bet it doesn't know what's hit it!

[skoda_norman]

I've just spent a non-inconsiderable amount of time reading up on this mythical Stellar. What a cracking read and a true credit to you for your ingenuity and perseverance. The finished car looks brilliant and by all accounts promises lots of potential. 

[mat_the_cat]

Thank you

It's probably never going to be truly 'finished' - but it's a great feeling to have it usable rather than simply a project car. This weekend should (hopefully) see another 400 miles or so in it as I head to Bristol down the A470, which is always an enjoyable road for me. Plus, I'll be meeting a few people who last saw it 12 years ago in its standard form, so their reactions should be amusing...

 

I'm glad I tried it on a decent run last weekend though, as this will likely be heading down through the night, with very patchy mobile coverage. WCPGW?

[mat_the_cat]

 

All packed and ready to go, at least now the BH holiday traffic will have died down. First night time drive though...

[HMC]

Hope it all goes well, just caught up with the thread, great work solving the final niggles and those original wheels back on it are perfect and make it a real sleeper!

[mat_the_cat]

Arrgh! Wet, greasy Welsh roads Made it to Llangurig do far in one piece though, and glad of the wall of heat coming through the bulkhead.

[Micrashed]

Well done Mat.

 

Brilliant achievement. Has Doc seen it / been near it with hammers/beer/fags yet?

[mat_the_cat]

Bedtime philibusmo style - quite cosy.

Not a bad spot!

 

 

 

Doc hasn't seen it yet...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I hateb sleeping in cars, its bloody awful!!!! Looks like a nice spot though.

[phil_lihp]

I dunno, I wasn't convinced it would work but folding the back seat down on the 220 made for a flat double bed-sized area which gave me a superb night's sleep at Welshfest. Not a solution in a saloon though admittedly.

[mat_the_cat]

Fuck. Currently stuck in south Wales with the water pump pulley spinning on its shaft. Engine overheated despite gauge reading normal (no circulation) and pissing water out of inlet manifold to head gasket. Not good.

[Six-cylinder]

Sorry to here that, I would have thought your trip to Stratford upon Avon would have found that sort of fault.

[cort1977]

Sorry to hear that.   It's  newish water pump as well isn't it?   Is it me or are Rover V8 and Land Rover parts often made to a poor standard these days?

[catsinthewelder]

Bollocks that's bad Mat.

 

Is BX Bandit able to be roused to help or is it a slow tow to Brizzle behind 10.5 tons of rust?

[Inspector Morose]

Balls. I'm at work all day or I'd throw the box of tools in the back and come on over. Drill shaft and peg it for a bodge to get you back?

[Skizzer]

Whereabouts?  Need help / tools?  

 

You could rob the water pump off my V8 if you want?  It doesn't need to go anywhere for a while.

 

Edit:  I'm near Swansea, by the way.

[fordperv]

That is a pants thing to happen, hope you get it sorted without too much bother

[mat_the_cat]

Thanks for the kind offers guys. I'm back home now, after a fairly efficient recovery. Slightly complicated by the fact the oil pump in the R380 gearbox is driven by the engine, so a had to be a flatbed otherwise the gearbox wouldn't be lubricated without the engine running.

 

Water pump has only done 500 miles, but the failure may be down to the fact t was shortened by a local engineering company where I used to live. Seems like there was not enough support and the shaft has gradually enlarged the hole in the soft pulley, allowing the pins to fall out. Did at least 3 miles with no pump, whether that's enough to cause engine damage remains to be seen but it certainly overheated.

 

Oh, well, the saving on fuel can be put towards a new pump and modifying that...