Look what the cat dragged in - Dacia Shifterossa!!!!

[trigger]

That's coming on a treat now. I wonder if it's worth speaking to DMB (http://www.dmb.uk.com/) and getting them to make up a set of pre 2001 plates for it with a Dacia dealer logo.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yeah or even a set of those eBay pressed ally plates with the old wider font on em, I love those. The truck looks ace!!! I even like the grille.

[vulgalour]

I'm struggling to believe this is the same truck.

[Rusty Pelican]

Im stunned at the transformation , truly gobsmacked .

You win we can all go home now , must be far better than new IMHO 

[Rmx]

Not all is well I'm afraid, numb nuts here decided to have a 5 speed box fitted thinking it will obviously allow the car to travel faster, smoother and the engine to not Rev as much.........Danut was adamant he does not want to modify, he wants to restore so here's what happend:

1) the 5 speed box is longer than the 4 speed box

2) the prop shaft had to be cut, aligned and balanced (by a competent engineering firm of course)

3) the truck runs beautifully I have been told, pulls well, smooth and seems to enjoy the 5 speed box

 

HOWEVER,

 

The speedo is no longer accurate, it registered absurd speeds because of the new box and the speedo being in MPH not KPH.

 

I've asked Danut to get a sat nav unit and do a few trial test and measure the speed indicated By the speedo in MPH at 50kph, 80kph and 100kph. He's only taken it out for a few spins and he's adamant there was no way he could be travelling that fast around some bends his driven for years and years now.

 

It's easter in Romania now so everything has stopped for a few days.

 

 

We are royally screwed if this is really a problem.........time will tell.

[vulgalour]

There are three solutions:

 

> keep a sat nav in the car to tell you accurate speed

> get the speedo recalibrated for the new gearbox

> return everything to stock and put up with a four speed gearbox

[Louise2cv]

Is gluing the end back on the prop shaft the biggest problem for option 3?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Doesn't sound like a massive problem surely. I suspect you will be able to get the speedo recalibrated if you know how far out it is. I think 'speedy' cables used to do this and probably still do if they still exist

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I just checked their webshite, they charge £65 for a speedo recalibration.

[nigel bickle]

Yup, done several for me. Turn around in less than a week. Recommended

[Rmx]

Right I have ZERO experience with these kind of things, are you guys saying that the speedo itself can be re calibrated? Or does that entail work on the gearbox too?

 

I'm very confused until I speak to Danut again. What makes me confused is that the dials have both MPHD and KPH on them, so whether the gearbox its for a kph or mph country it shouldn't make any difference however I have been told it does.......this is way over my head, homework time for sure however due to easter holidays back there I can't do a thing. He has said not to worry, everything in life has a solution.......so we will see.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Don't fret RMx, the speedo can be calibrated to whatever, it just needs setting to give the right speed taking into account whatever drive input you've got. You'll just need to tell em how far out it is now based on a satnav, or how many turns of the drive cable you get over 500yds or something.

[Timewaster]

http://www.speedograph-richfield.com/html/speedometer.html

[trigger]

It doesn't sound like the end of the word, you could always use a speed app on your mobile phone if your not using a sat nav.

[mat_the_cat]

Speedograph Richfield were a LOT better than Speedy Cables for getting back to me last year - i.e. SC didn't even reply to my several emails Not all speedos can be recalibrated apparently, but even so you can get miniature gearboxes for changing the cable speed.

http://www.speedograph-richfield.com/html/minature_gearbox.html

 

Or even what I did, which was a motor driven by pulses from a sensor, triggered by a magnet on the propshaft.

[Rmx]

I know the front end isn't to everyone's liking, but it's come out exactly the way I imagined it.....I love it.

 

I wonder if Sam is happy with the work put in? I shall pay him a visit once it's back.

[KruJoe]

I know the front end isn't to everyone's liking, but....I love it.

 

So you should; it looks fab.

I agree that some pre-2001 plates would improve it further. Otherwise, it's a bloody excellent job.

[panhard65]

I know the owner before Sam has seen the pictures of the re-build and is very impressed. It does look lovely now so well done for investing in the poor old thing.

[SambaS]

Well done, looks amaze

[Rmx]

Just passed its mechanical tests with flying colours )))

[vulgalour]

I think the front end is your reward for doing what none of the rest of us could/would.  I'm not at all surprised it passed the tests given the effort put in, that little truck is probably better than some new ones.

[Rmx]

There u go, it's about 80% done.......work left to be done but even like this, it won a number of things today )))

[Rmx]

[Rmx]

And so it has become an international VIP ))