Project Korean Cortina - MOT day

[mat_the_cat]

On 9/12/2022 at 12:27 PM, LightBulbFun said:

(or really mess with someone at a track day LOL) although at this point id start to wonder if the body shell could take the forces involved?

also to make good of a bad situation, surely this would be a great time to drop in a 4.6 Rover V8 surely?  or is that getting a bit too powerful for everything?

(im  just thinking back to when you got the Holly carb and IIRC said it was a bit big for the 3.5, so why not get a bigger engine for the carb?  ) 

It would need substantial re-engineering to fit McPherson strut front suspension, but providing this was done adequately see no reason why the shell wouldn't be up to it. But no! It wouldn't be what it is IMO - it'd be an Activa with a V8 which looks like an old Hyundai. Not an entirely unappealing vehicle, but something I want to create.

I've not ruled out more power, but don't think I would go down the 4.6 route TBH. I've kind of left the door open for head work on the existing engine, as the ports could be opened up further, and although the heads have been skimmed and the block decked, I could go further and fit the early tin head gaskets to increase the compression ratio more. Plus the planned distributor upgrade to 123 mappable ignition - when it was on the rolling road the biggest gains were to be had with the ignition, and mechanical advance is a crude compromise at best.
It's an Edelbrock carb I have on at the moment, not a Holley (as that would have been too big for the 3.5), but it's fuelling very nicely with plenty of potential for further tweaks if needed. That carb has to be the single most effective change I've made (aside from the engine), as I can get enough performance to be fun, yet a genuine 30mpg on a motorway run. Well worth the money.

[AnnoyingPentium]

24 minutes ago, mat_the_cat said:

Edelbrock carb

I only know this brand due to a Simpsons reference... I'm sorry.

[mat_the_cat]

Nothing much to report - this will be going into hibernation in a few weeks most likely. But it's just ticked over another mini milestone:

Which means I've averaged just over 3k miles a year since the engine swap. That seemed fairly low mileage to me, even if it is over 9 rather than 12 months. But I was chatting to the bloke who does my MOTs, and he was surprised at how many miles I do! Is this considered a lot for a 'classic' car then? I tend to think of anything less than 10k miles a year as low mileage.

[somewhatfoolish]

On 9/12/2022 at 8:07 AM, loserone said:

Do you want a skid plate? I have one lying around from my M59 partner which could surely be adapted.

Skid plate is the easiest solution.

[dollywobbler]

7 hours ago, mat_the_cat said:

Nothing much to report - this will be going into hibernation in a few weeks most likely. But it's just ticked over another mini milestone:

Which means I've averaged just over 3k miles a year since the engine swap. That seemed fairly low mileage to me, even if it is over 9 rather than 12 months. But I was chatting to the bloke who does my MOTs, and he was surprised at how many miles I do! Is this considered a lot for a 'classic' car then? I tend to think of anything less than 10k miles a year as low mileage.

An FBHVC study found that the average classic covers 900 miles a year... So you're doing it right. Several of mine are below average this year. ☹️

[mat_the_cat]

On 9/12/2022 at 8:07 AM, loserone said:

Do you want a skid plate? I have one lying around from my M59 partner which could surely be adapted.

Sorry, I missed this until @somewhatfoolish quoted you. Thanks for the offer, but it does have one originally from the factory. However it doesn't quite cover the rear bowl of the sump, but it shouldn't be a problem to extend it.

1 hour ago, dollywobbler said:

An FBHVC study found that the average classic covers 900 miles a year... So you're doing it right. Several of mine are below average this year. ☹️

In that case the Landy is just over average (a shade over 1k miles a year), and the LT is well over average at 5600 miles. Even though I work mainly from home now, living in a rural area means I still clock up the miles!

[mat_the_cat]

As winter comes to an end my thoughts turn to getting this back into regular use. MOT is due shortly, and I know that the front upper wishbone bushes are past their best. I have a spare offside wishbone (for reasons which will become apparent later), so the first task, before any dismantling, was to fit a set of new bushes to this. They're fairly easy to fit with a couple of sockets and a length of threaded rod.

I then set about removing the wishbones from the car. I had forgotten that annoyingly there is not enough clearance to slide out the pivot bolt without dropping the complete front clip, so have called it a day for now.

The worrying thing though, was that the suspension looseness is not from the rubber deterioration as I'd expected, but from movement between the steel outer of the bush, and the wishbone. They just fell out, and there is perceptible play when pushed back in. It remains to be seen whether this is still the case with new bushes (on the NS at least, as I have another wishbone for the OS). If the NS wishbone is worn then replacements are thinner on the ground than 20 years ago, and probably subject to old Ford tax!

[mat_the_cat]

I didn't take many photos, but I lowered the front clip last weekend, and replaced the wishbone bushes. This is the new wishbone on the offside, together with a new bump stop as these had both gone missing.

To do this I had to disconnect the steering column at the lower coupling, and I noticed it was looking rather the worse for wear.

To be fair, it is original to the car, so almost 40 years old and subject to slightly more heat than Hyundai intended!

The replacement arrived this week and was a little bit tricky to fit. I had to compress the rubber with a jubilee clip until the holes lined up, then it was possible to bolt it all together. 

I'm going to protect the brake hoses from the exhaust heat a little while I've got the wheels off, as I've always thought they're slightly on the close side.

[uk_senator]

Has anyone ever Cozzied one of these?

[mat_the_cat]

Not that I've seen, although there is a MX-5 engined one around, and various Mitsubishi turbo swaps.

[mat_the_cat]

MOT day today, and not a success. Front brake binding was the main one, and I'd noticed as such when putting the wheels on last night. I had hoped a drive would loosen things off but no joy. Second fail was odd. The handbrake lever was not ratcheting whatsoever! I'm not for a moment suggesting they damaged it, but something has failed during the test, as it was fine when I dropped it off in their sloping car park  Just unfortunate timing I guess.

The best bit was listening to it while they drove it off the ramp...I only ever get to hear it from inside, and it does sound fabulous from behind!

[High Jetter]

Not major issues tho. Pass in no time.

[mat_the_cat]

Yeah, neither should be a huge problem and possibly both caused by insufficient use. The handbrake button feels like it's stuck down so a strip and lube should sort that. I'd have had a go at the front caliper too if I hadn't been putting the wheels on last thing at night!

[mat_the_cat]

This is now ready for a retest - no photos, but I stripped both front brakes down and cleaned off the rust from the pad backing, so they should move a lot more freely now.

The handbrake lever was slightly odder. It's always sat slightly closer to the driver's seat, and looking at it closely the pressed steel arm has distorted a little over the years. There's a minor kink in the (thin) steel, which is sometimes not allowing the button to release.

I straightened it out, and was quite a satisfying job to grease it up and reassemble. Felt so much smoother afterwards! 

[Talbot]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:38 PM, mat_the_cat said:

If the NS wishbone is worn then replacements are thinner on the ground than 20 years ago, and probably subject to old Ford tax!

If that is the case, I wonder if it would be possible to cut the tube section out of the wishbone and weld in a new piece.  Since they are a welded component in the first place, it would seem reasonable that it would be a good repair method.  I suspect you'd find that the tube is standard stuff available from a stockist.

[mat_the_cat]

The tubular part is actually pressed into the arm, and hence only extends a shott way along the bush. The fact it's a relatively small contact area obviously doesn't help it to be held securely! 

So I've locked the bushes in position with a couple of spots of weld. It sounds a daft idea but is the correct method on the LT wishbones, which are a very similar design. In practice there's such a small weld zone the rubber doesn't seem to be affected.

I only got chance to take it for a retest today, which it passed so I had the pleasure of a fun drive on a sunny evening

Last year's mileage was a little down on average, but I've needed a practical vehicle quite a bit, which the rest of the fleet do a better job of.

[Back_For_More]

If the handbrake lever distorted - was that a mishap or is it fatigued in any way? 

You haven't been playing Tokyo drift or anything? 

[Talbot]

RWD car drift = mash the accelerator, not pull up the handbrake...

[mat_the_cat]

14 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

If the handbrake lever distorted - was that a mishap or is it fatigued in any way? 

I think it's just 40 years of use, being pulled upwards and slightly towards the driver each time. I had noticed the lever sitting off-centre, but had ignored the fact as it meant I could conveniently secure a can of Pepsi in the wider gap to the left of it

[Rocket88]

9 hours ago, mat_the_cat said:

I think it's just 40 years of use, being pulled upwards and slightly towards the driver each time. I had noticed the lever sitting off-centre, but had ignored the fact as it meant I could conveniently secure a can of Pepsi in the wider gap to the left of it

Find any 20p coins?😂. As ever , sterling work Mr C

[mat_the_cat]

With a very heavy heart I've decided to put this up for sale. It pains me to say this, but I'm just not enjoying it as I used to. And no point just letting it sit around, deteriorating.

Is there anyone here who would like to take it on? If you can drop me a message before lunchtime we can discuss. 

[Dick Longbridge]

[mat_the_cat]

That was too obvious an April fool joke!

[Rocket88]

I bloody fell for it…😱

[Matty]

15 minutes ago, Rocket88 said:

I bloody fell for it…😱

Yeah me too. Every fuckin year and all. Better get onto the Halifax and cancel that personal loan 😄

[mat_the_cat]

As (most) people realised, there's little chance of me selling this. Especially as I've just taxed it and I've already done 150 miles since the MOT! Feels like spring is on the way, so have a (not for sale) photo in the late afternoon sunshine.

[mat_the_cat]

I've done 1100 miles in the last couple of months, and it's been running nicely. It's taken me to some scenic places...

...and pulled a few trailer-loads of firewood around.

But that running well came to an abrupt end yesterday evening. I was driving down to the FoD, around 150 miles from home, when I turned the radio off and noticed a faint squeaking from the gearbox, like a dry bearing. It went away under load, so I wasn't hugely concerned. 

Until the rear wheels suddenly locked up at 65mph on the M40! I quickly dumped the clutch and coasted onto the hard shoulder, feeling slightly sick. This feeling grew when I tried to restart the stalled engine, and it didn't even turn over despite being in neutral. If I started it with my foot on the clutch though, it did run, although the gearbox input shaft was locked solid.

I was quoted a maximum of 90 minutes wait for recovery, but 3.5 hours later I was getting rather hungry after not having eaten for 10 hours. So I decided to rustle some burgers up.

Unfortunately, someone reported a 'car on fire', seeing smoke apparently coming from a stranded vehicle, so the Highways Agency paid me a visit. After a bit of reasoning with them they left me to it, and recovery arrived just as I was tucking into my cheeseburgers.

There was nobody available to take me home, so was relayed to the field where I set about drawing my sorrows. I was picked up this lunchtime by a different company, who could only take me within a 60 mile radius.

So they took me to their yard, where I dropped the Stellar in the compound...

...and drove home in a loan Fiat 500.

Question is, what's wrong? I had a long-standing leak which I thought I'd cured last Spring, 3000 miles ago.  Certainly it went from visibly leaking all over the propshaft and flung onto the exhaust (and noticable drips underneath), to no obvious sign of a leak. I was going to check the level during the September service, but now wonder whether it has lost oil slowly without me noticing. 

Or damage was done during previous low oil levels? Either way, although once cool it un-seized enough to noisily trundle along, it sounds fairly terminal. Gear changes are more difficult, and there's a fair amount of transmission drag.

Feeling pretty fucked off with things at the moment, although hopefully I'll be able to think more positively in due course.

[Tickman]

Not great news, just remember that the conversion you have done to this car has the attention to detail of someone that notices the little drips and does something about it.

Yes shit happens and it has at least ruined your weekend but you know you have the skill to get it sorted when you can face it again.

What gearbox is it and is it worth looking for another so you can swap it out?

[Back_For_More]

I know you were in a seriously bad mood with it last night.... But just look at it! Look at the faces of any of us and nearby petrol head kids  when you start it up..... 

It is a thing of wonder. 

Onwards and upwards. (tomorrow maybe) 

[mat_the_cat]

1 hour ago, Tickman said:

Not great news, just remember that the conversion you have done to this car has the attention to detail of someone that notices the little drips and does something about it.

Hmmm, noticed the drips but was enjoying driving it too much to fix, and just kept topping it up!

It's the R380 gearbox, but the rare 2wd version. Bits are available though, as most/all the internals are shared with the 4wd version fitted to many years of Discovery and Defender production. There may be a bonus however, as despite me fitting a higher ratio diff, the rpm is still on the high side for motorway cruising at 3k rpm @ 70mph. This appears to be a van variant of the 'box, with very low ratios. So, this may be a chance to rectify with more appropriate gearing.

Dare I say that it may even save me money on fuel?