Project Collectioneering - Moogs Mootahs

[strangeangel]

On 6/13/2020 at 4:28 PM, big_al_granvia said:

dont bother with sola panels or inverters as both i find useless

 

 

Inverters are wasteful, but a decent solar charging system is well worth having if you plan on venturing further than the nearest electric hook up. My 200W system will easily recharge our van's 110Ah leisure battery fully during the course of a bright-ish day.

 

*posted merely as a general observation, I realise battery charging  is not currently at the top of snagglepuss' list of priorities 

 

[Skizzer]

4 hours ago, snagglepuss said:

Today gets even better.

We got the van on the ramp to see how many plates would be needed to sort the rusty bits.



The answer is a a whole new van!






It is a bit of a horror show really. The van has been undersealed which has held the rust in. Bear in mind that is just the showing rust ... Once the underseal is removed I can imagine it will be much much worse.


Its a shame as I was hoping it was a gamble that would come off.

Going to stick it on eBay at 99p no reserve and see if I can get some money back.


If anyone fancied a welding challenge then drop me a line!

Bugger. Sympathy.

I had a Jeep Wrangler that had underseal like that, with much the same result.

[stripped fred]

That's a shame. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses...

[mitsisigma01]

With the height of that roof it would make a great mobile observatory for the Field of Dreams ??

[HMC]

That’s a shame- but it does have extreme rarity value going for it so probably a shrewd move to do as you say, and see what happens.

 

I must admit I tended to think it would be pretty solid as it’s a camper and not used and abused like a van version may have been. Shows what I know!

[Broadsword]

Been here before with rust. When you see corruption like that you can only cut your losses, and get rid ASAP to stop it causing further upset. Shame. Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you!

[mitsisigma01]

Did anyone have a good look under before exchanging pound notes ????

[The Moog]

Did anyone have a good look under before exchanging pound notes

Course not

It was a gamble that hasn't come off . Oh well.

If someone needed a cheap place to sleep on land it would be ideal.

[The Moog]

A little bit deflated by the camper shenanigans I thought I would cheer myself up by fitting shocks to the SMART.

Missus Puss is the main driver and has been complaining how shit the ride it. I took it out last week and it was awful crashing everywhere.

Assuming the shocks were past their best a front pair were ordered and duly arrived.

Ripped the face off the smart


Noting it has had a little love tap before now


Took photos to try and remember where bolts go


I needed to get at these

I have soaked them in plusgas to give them a fighting chance of coming undone


I thought I would just check the state of the springs...



Oh bugger. Both have broken. No doubt that the shit handling is down to no front suspension.

It means the bottom hub is rubbing on the brake discs as well


Brilliant.
It is now going to be parked in the naughty corner till the end of the month when I get paid.

[mitsisigma01]

[big_al_granvia]

bookies odds on bolts shearing????

to quote @captain_70s of this parish on the frog... its fucking totally fucked mate

[The Moog]

9 minutes ago, big_al_granvia said:

bookies odds on bolts shearing????

to quote @captain_70s of this parish on the frog... its fucking totally fucked mate

Top bolt is utterly shagged.  There is a special tool to remove the shock because of this (common issue) . Obviously I havent bought this but got the cheaper laser tool to try

[big_al_granvia]

laser tools are good, okay not snap on but better than a lot. plus they sponsor a mate of mine in btcc

[The Moog]

Sad face



Slammed to the floor

[big_al_granvia]

they are just so cute, did a autotest in one at knockie as part o a pro-am challenge, we wore the front tyres down to the chords in a hour

[The Moog]

My cap is truly doffed to Northern Monkey for fixing the suspension today.

I think he described it as the worst suspension job he has ever done.

The top nut for these is a bit under the scuttle panel so you can't get an impact wrench on it.

Up on the ramp


Double check it's fucked



Yes still fucked

An expert in action


Then hit first wall. The top nut wouldn't come undone.

We tried the special tool but that was no good. The piston would just spin.

In the end out came the grinder


This enabled a pair of stilsons with a scaffold tube to hold it still before I had the pleasure of almost bending a massive breaker bar to get the nut off.

It was insanely tight. Finally it cracked off.

You can see the difference in old and new


Then the fun began trying to compress the springs. The spring compressors kept slipping round causing Mr Monkey to almost ban me from bringing anything motor vehicle shaped near him.

The final go before reaching for the matches, got the spring compressed. Then it was sitting straight on the bottom spring perch so the expert banged it against some brickwork to fix it.

All back together and it is like a new car!



I haven't told Mr Monkey that I want to change the rear shocks at some point

[NorthernMonkey]

In a way, it has some slightly unorthodox but clever design touches.

That strut top nut though...bugger was a bit tight, wasn’t it? ?

[MrsNorthernMonkey]

I learnt lots of new swear words whilst watching this take place ?

[The Moog]

I learnt lots of new swear words whilst watching this take place

As you were reclining in luxury ..

[MrsNorthernMonkey]

Why sit on a chair when you have the comfort of a Merc CLK to sit in and observe, whilst catching some rays with the roof down ???

[1duck]

On 6/19/2020 at 1:02 PM, snagglepuss said:

I have soaked them in plusgas to give them a fighting chance of coming undon

 

They do plusgas in a 3 in 1 style oil bottle?! This is a game changer, I often thought, I wish this was in one of those bottles rather than a spraycan.

[The Moog]

Smart tinkering today

I do like the fact that the front comes off so easily



First up was something to avoid the previous suspension battles


The top mounts are quite exposed, but for not many pennies you can get covers for them to keep all the muck out


Next was to fix the washers. They kept being empty but when I tried to put water in, it wouldn't fill. With the front off it obvious that the filler hose is too low and you must unclip it to fill it.

Fixing cost - Free


The indicator bulbs had lost their orangey


I lobbed a set of smoked led ones on to avoid having to change them again


Not totally sold on them but hey ho.

One of the rears of a front fog light had snapped so time to swap that out


Jobs a good un



To celebrates the brakes went a little odd on the way back. Suddenly got loads of travel, will have to have an investigate

[The Moog]

Testing .. 1.2.3....is this still on .. .

Cant believe it is late September already. 

 

After having the pleasure of a hairnet encounter (is that the right phrase) at the weekend I decided I need to update this a bit. 

Current roll call is 

Saab 9-5 Aero Estate - Ex Northen Monkey, Ex ohdear etc.  Provides sterling work with power and comfort.  Had some issues when I first got it with cutting out but then it was fine. On way back from Scotland it chucked itself into limp home mode.  Codes were for throttle body, so replaced that making no difference. After a good googling (Is there any other type?) I thought back to the first issues - ordered a new DIC and sparkplugs. All swapped over and throttle body reset and some difference.  Had a hunt around the engine bay and found one vac line off and a couple perished - all replaced with full boost back on the agenda 

 

SMART - Needs an MOT, servicing, the new aerial base fitting and the brakes looking at.  Otherwise just keeps on keeping on.  Took us up to Capernwray to go diving with all our kit - the drop down tail gate is really a useful idea 

 

MX5 - Been sitting in the naughty corner for a bit. I ordered a replacement Speedunio Ecu as I thought it would be a quick fix. It wasn't, there was a lack of support for it and my mind got melted quite quickly. Instead I upgraded the ECU to MS3 and got it tested at the same time.  Plugged ECU back in and still no start. Then the battery died. So I flicked it the V's and stormed off to order a new 063 and battery tray.  I need to get a cranking log to send to the ECU upgrade guy as he will check all the settings.  The challenge is it could be the a mechanical, electrical or user issue! 

 

A.N.O.T.H.E.R - Got something else showing up friday which I am excited for. It has just flown through the MOT so it should be good to go. 

 

Also at Moog Towers has been the Fluffy Balls AX. It was used to return from the south when NM's Mx5 spring broke. It is out of MOT and needs at least a new windscreen.  Mr Monkey has kindly taken it over to his cave of mechanical stuff to see what else it is likely to need MOT wise. If it isnt a lot then it will be tested and driven down to Fluffyballs. There a new front strut is going to be fitted to the MX5 and driven back up north.  All in theory of course - lockdowns and life dependant. 

 

 

[The Moog]

Today I picked up my new steed.

Northern Monkey provided a wafty lift over

Taking the decision that foreign diving holidays are unlikely in near future we have splashed out to pick up this Talbot Autosleeper.



It's been well looked after with a huge history file. They put a new MOT on it, with a service and habitation check over.

It's got an earthing issue with the rear lights, as the indicators won't work when brake is pushed.

MIss Moog is over the moon with it.

Plan is to make sure it it all works and start getting away at the weekends. We have purchased scuba tanks so are likely to do a bit more UK underwater action.

[dome]

2 hours ago, The Moog said:

 We have purchased scuba tanks so are likely to do a bit more UK underwater action.

Errm, I don't know how to break this to you but you're not Roger Moore and that's not a Lotus Esprit...

[hairnet]

soooo...….……………..

there was an avantime parked there...….._????

ps german keyboards suck

[spartacus]

Nice one, I don't think you'll regret buying that Auto Sleeper, I looked at a couple before buying my van based camper. Loads of room and the best thought out layout possible given the dimensional constraints.

 

[The Moog]

soooo...….……………..
there was an avantime parked there...….._????
ps german keyboards suck

Oh yes... Also had these in.


Being 1989 model it is in pretty good nick. Drives well enough. I may have been looking at how to fit airbags as they aren't expensive

[The Moog]

Been off up to the lakes in the new* camper.


Certainly was an enjoyable jaunt away. Although taking two doggies meant it was a bit of a challenge.

Also managed to fit in a couple of dips in the lake - 10degree in there!


Whilst I was away, I got notification I was a winner of a smoll blu Ka.

A flurry of PMs means that tonight with Northern Monkey help I collected a smoll grey Ka..... Tbc

[The Moog]

This morning, I strutted out with the Fatboy slim song - weapon of choice ringing in my head.

Behold a french fancy ....

Couple of flicks of the glow plugs led to the close being woken to the sound of an xud.

Driving to work - left me grinning like a champ. Looking forward to piloting it north this evening.

Next to some modernz