The "Oh Fuck! 2 weeks til holidays and the car ain't ready" thread..

[320touring]

This thread is for all of us who have been fitting fuel tanks at 3 am, still 12 hrs driving to do the next day etc.

 

 

We're taking the 320 as transport for a hodilay adventure..We leave on the 23rd Aug.

 

 

Back in mid July I bought a wheen o parts and resolved to get it sorted with a couple of weeks to spare. As it turns out, I'm only just starting.

 

It also needs an mot before departing.

 

Couple of weeks back it got all new suspension-a complete damper and spring swap. Now I have the 735 I can use it as a runner and leave the 320 in bits

 

Today was the turn of the timing belt and tensioner (necessitating a full coolant change) plus new oil, filters and sparks.

 

Thankfully it all went well and car is running fine;) best day I've had working on it in a while.

 

Still to do:

 

Fit new calipers if they turn up

Bleed brakes

Fit toyos to the front

Sort all interior rattles

Fit the mp3/bluetooth radio out the 7th

Clean inside

Clean outside.

Get MOT

 

I have 2 days left (next weekend) as off to a christening tomorrow.

 

Wish me luck!

[dollywobbler]

Ah yes. I remember stripping a spark plug thread on the 2CV two days before driving it to Switzerland. Some sodding gorilla had fitted the plugs. The same gorilla that left me needing a breaker bar to get the bleedin' wings off. Me and a friend had to change the cylinder head. Never did quite get the manifold fitting properly in our haste.

[garethj]

The only bad thing about this, is if external factors chime in to spoil stuff.  Then you feel like you've been cheated through no fault of your own.

 

If you're working outdoors and it rains for a week, the spare parts you order arrive late and wrong, that kind of thing.  Good luck with it, I guess you've got the 7 series as a backup?

[Skizzer]

Good luck!

 

Otherwise, just do what Bucketeer did - set off on foot then buy a €200 Mk2 Golf off a bloke you meet in the woods in France.  Problem solved, the AS way.

[Cavcraft]

Holidays are a jinx: We went to the Astra the day we were going away, two flat tyres, only one spare, no local garage open. Had to take a truly horrible Focus with a flat spare wheel instead.

 

The following year (same week, same day of departure, same destination) same Astra another flat tyre.

[brickwall]

Acht!! Holidays.

 

Having a Supra with half the front body-work lying on the garage floor, seats stacked up and a belt change  a day before a fishing holiday in Dornoch.

 

Fitted belt, driver and passenger seat and off I went with the front wings tacked on.

[Junkman]

 

The "Oh Fuck! 2 days til holidays and the car ain't bought yet" thread..

 

There. I fixed it for you.

[daveb47]

My car is working fine but whats a holiday???

[Tetleysmooth]

I'm away with the V70 on September 15th.

Still got front discs to fit (tomorrow morning hopefully), oil change to do and wouldn't mind fitting a new serpentine belt as well, but need a three quarter breaker bar first.

If I can sort those jobs, I'll be happy.

[twosmoke300]

Off to france in the 9-5 in sept . List to do

 

Fit upgraded discs , pads and calipers

Full service

4 tyres (new goodyear f1's - gulp)

Various bits of trim etc to swap from the spares car

Findout why its not adapting the fuelling correctly / hitting full boost

Mot

 

 

 

That will do for now

[daverapid]

_{There's no way that anything could possibly go wrong!}

[320touring]

Ah yes. I remember stripping a spark plug thread on the 2CV two days before driving it to Switzerland. Some sodding gorilla had fitted the plugs. The same gorilla that left me needing a breaker bar to get the bleedin' wings off. Me and a friend had to change the cylinder head. Never did quite get the manifold fitting properly in our haste.

I remember having to swap a fuel tank on the 320i - finishing at 3am to catch the 9am ferry..

 

The only bad thing about this, is if external factors chime in to spoil stuff.  Then you feel like you've been cheated through no fault of your own.

 

If you're working outdoors and it rains for a week, the spare parts you order arrive late and wrong, that kind of thing.  Good luck with it, I guess you've got the 7 series as a backup?

I've got most of the bits in stock already and verified as correct- after 10 years of owning it, ya get to know what parts you need-one of the advantages of no changing car every 3 months;)

 

The 7 would bankrupt  me going on holiday!

 

Good luck!

 

Otherwise, just do what Bucketeer did - set off on foot then buy a €200 Mk2 Golf off a bloke you meet in the woods in France.  Problem solved, the AS way.

Cheers!

 

I dont think the bucketeer method would win favour with the good lady..

 

Holidays are a jinx: We went to the Astra the day we were going away, two flat tyres, only one spare, no local garage open. Had to take a truly horrible Focus with a flat spare wheel instead.

 

The following year (same week, same day of departure, same destination) same Astra another flat tyre.

 

Spare is in good condition and fully prepped. going to buy a couple of skooshy cans too

 

Acht!! Holidays.

 

Having a Supra with half the front body-work lying on the garage floor, seats stacked up and a belt change  a day before a fishing holiday in Dornoch.

 

Fitted belt, driver and passenger seat and off I went with the front wings tacked on.

 

Good effort!

 

Off to france in the 9-5 in sept . List to do

 

Fit upgraded discs , pads and calipers

Full service

4 tyres (new goodyear f1's - gulp)

Various bits of trim etc to swap from the spares car

Findout why its not adapting the fuelling correctly / hitting full boost

Mot

 

 

 

That will do for now

Bonne Chance!

[catsinthewelder]

I had this last year with the BX,  changing the timing belt and water pump at the side of the road just before driving up to Northumberland.  Glad I took tools as a horrible noise started just before Berwick and the steering started to get strange.  I was crapping myself that it was fucked but it was just a loose belt to the HP pump.

 

Best of luck with sorting the Bimmer out in time.

[320touring]

In an astonishing event of good fortune*

 

The feckin calipers have turned up:)

 

So I have the following to do:

 

Fit bonnet

Fit front calipers/flexis and bleed

Fit slave cylinder and bleed

Fit toyos to front

Pre load propshaft

Check coolant is bled properly

Full interior clean

Full exterior clean

Sort all the trim rattles

MOTOROLA

 

Nae borrer

[twosmoke300]

I haven't even looked at the Saab yet

[320touring]

I haven't even looked at the Saab yet

I may end up just looking at the 320 tomorrow if it all goes pete tong

[320touring]

Good news! The 320i got new brake calipers fitted no problem, and the slave cyl sorted..

 

Plus a good tidy out and clean up. All set for mot on Thursday.

 

Fingers crossed;)

[twosmoke300]

Saab decided that yesterday would be a good day to break down. Right outside the local motor factors. Only a crank sensor and I had one in stock . Glad it happened when it did not in France, although I would have taken a sensor and an ignition pack with me. Standard Saab rescue pack.

[320touring]

Check it out! A full 24 hrs before I need it...

 

Bosht

[stuboy]

Well done

[320touring]

Cheers chap;)

[John F]

I've set myself the goal of getting my Disco 300 TDi finished before heading north for a mate's birthday piss-up next weekend.

 

Already accomplished:

 

Gearbox removed & reconditioned

Rear body crossmember fabricated and welded on

Rear body mounts fabricated & welded on

Rear door trial-fitted (successfully)

Boot centre floor panel sourced

Boot side panels fabricated (some friggery still to do)

 

 

Still to do:

Fit boot side panels to floor & rear inner wings

Fit boot centre floor panel

Refit rear door (& electrics)

Refit fuel tank, replacing fuel sender

Refit boot carpet, rear seat bench, boot dicky seats

Weld up sills and centre body mounts

Weld up front body mount (not even looked at this yet)

Fit clutch

Fit clutch slave cylinder

Refit gearbox

Bleed clutch
Refit interior

Get MoT

 

But I'm off at an event from this evening until Monday, giving me a total of 4 days next week to finish the work.

 

Chances of completing it on time? Slim to nil, lol.

[twosmoke300]

The saab now has its brakes done , new tyres and a full service. Still not boosting correctly but its getting there.

[inconsistant]

Pleased that I got the car serviced 3 weeks before we drove to Switzerland but did find myself calling Direct Line to arrange temp european cover on my mobile with bad reception from the car deck of the ferry.