Sold Dollywobbler's RAV4 - Force Ale - £SOLD

[dollywobbler]

Stupid question time: Doesn't coasting downhill in neutral use more fuel just keeping the engine running than you would leaving it in top and not touching the throttle?

 

Not when drivetrain drag is such that you actually end up slowing down on zero throttle. Coasting keeps you rolling. I did leave it in gear where I could as I assumed it'd shut fuel off entirely on the overrun. Mind you, I'm not sure that was actually standard behaviour in the 1990s.

 

Anyway, how ace does the original RAV FOUR prototype look? From 1989.

[dollywobbler]

Beauty salon hair dryer 1950 _ © Pleasurephoto Room.jpg

 

How are you finding luggage space for these???

 

The rear seats are currently folded forward. There's loads of room!

 

Compared to the Nippa.

[HMC]

Top purchasing DW! These were definitely ahead of their time from a product planning perspective, and have a well earnt reputation for mechanical robustness. How it it holding up corrosion wise?

[dollywobbler]

Top purchasing DW! These were definitely ahead of their time from a product planning perspective, and have a well earnt reputation for mechanical robustness. How it it holding up corrosion wise?

 

There is some light corrosion around the rear suspension mounts - the amazing KruJoe's experience paid off here as I gave the area a very, very good prodding. Sills are pretty much perfect. It's at the stage where you can see lots of seams starting to go at the edges, so it's time to stop that developing. I've been out with the Vactan today, with more to do before getting heavy with the wax. It's in better shape than the Nippa though I reckon. That's starting to blow all over the place! Front wings are bubbling up now...

[Lacquer Peel]

Great stuff, I like these, you don't see many mk1 RAV4s any more. There's a good blog about Toyota's restoration of a mk1 RAV4 here, it was pretty rusty behind the cladding.

 

 

Love the Rav Four concept

[dollywobbler]

Aye. I had that Blog in mind while I was poking around too! I think removing the cladding would not be a good idea...

[richardmorris]

Personally I think it's a step down from an xm. Styling is rather mr blobby than signor bertone.

[Lukas]

Personally I think it's a step down from an xm. Styling is rather mr blobby than signor bertone.

 

Are you selling the XM and replacing it with the RAV4? I thought it might be additional. 

[dollywobbler]

Yup. XM is going tomorrow. Dyane goes on Monday. Change of focus on the fleet.

[Inspector Morose]

I'm inregeagued. Awaiting updates with mild interest.

[Honey Badger]

A chap i used to work with brought a new one right at the start of them going on sale in the mid 90s, talked to him the other dya and hes still got it and its mint, they seem to last forever, well brought.

[dollywobbler]

I gave it a wash. In the rain. It's far, far easier to wash than the XM!

 

Note that as well as the single wiper conversion, it has marking to show where the tow point is. PROPA RAYCE KAR. 

 

I do wonder what previous owners got up to with this thing. Why would the tow point need to be indicated? I wonder if it has been used for trialling or something. Might explain why the tyres are so shit - perhaps it was running on beefier rubber that got sold separately.

[dollywobbler]

It stopped raining quite so much, so I went for a quick drive around the village. Found a spot to test the diff lock. It definitely works. It then bleeps when you disconnect, presumably until the diff is fully open again. Didn't go far due to lack of tread, but the single wiper works surprisingly well, and makes it feel like an enlarged Fiat Panda.

 

I then had a play around inside. The roof panels are very easily removed! Very nice engineering on the catches. I pulled a stupid face for reasons unknown.

 

The front seats are annoying, as there's no clever release to enter the rear. You have to tilt the seat forward and slide it forward manually. RUBBISH. Once I got myself into the rear, I found this. I've no idea what it is.

[KruJoe]

That is one of the two (or three?) brackets that go inside the back door. They hold the two sunroofs if you lift them out. Assuming this is the GX with twin roofs.

But the boot is full when you employ that function (keeping back seats in place), and it's much reduced just by the brackets, so on my Pop's three door, we ditched the brackets and fitted the interior door panel from the more-door breaker to tidy it up. You can still tilt the roof panels up and keep them in place. 

[dollywobbler]

It is a GX and I have already had one panel out. The rear panel doesn't seem to want to pop up annoyingly. There is only this one bracket, or do you mean the two at the bottom of the door? They're still in place. Now it's brightening up, perhaps I'll have a play. There seems to be two mounting positions for this bracket. Is that to allow both panels to be fitted there?

 

Another oddity is that only one of the rear pop out windows will actually pop out! The catch on the other one seems deliberately designed not to open. Wonder why that is.

[dollywobbler]

I couldn't resist any longer. I strapped the roof panels to the boot and headed off for a drive.

 

Then I thought I might as well explore a greenlane. There were some scary moments going down (non-grippy tyres, no low box, no ABS) and the odd scrape, but it was ace! Definitely needed the difflock. (and also had to refit the roof panels due to rain).

 

This section really required me to know where the wheels were!

 

What jolly fun. It IS a proper little off-roader. Ride isn't too bad, though the air intake is right next to the headlamp. Wading needs to be approached carefully.

 

Of course, once you're back on actual tarmac, it becomes an enjoyable little hatchback again. Lovely!

[KruJoe]

Great, aren't they?

I remember reading in some motoring publication at the time that on tarmac, the RAV out-performed the Golf GTI of the time in every test they did (though I suppose that wasn't saying much really).

 

Can't remember the brackets 100%, but maybe two at the bottom and one at the top? 

They have two notches, to fit one roof behind the other inside the back door. The panels are different sizes, so choose the right slot!

 

Your back number plate looks almost white to me...

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, the rear plate does seem to have lost its colour. Not sure I fancy getting DMB on the job just yet though. I'll wait to see if I really do like it!

 

Got both panels stashed in the rear door, but couldn't see a way to secure the smaller, rear panel to stop it wobbling back and forth. It had seat covers on it when I got it, so I just wanged one between the two panels. Job jobbed.

[mouseflakes]

Big diameter on those wheels - they look huge relative to the car. Nice.

[KruJoe]

Aye, early RAVs all have 16's as standard, they won't take anything less over the front brakes. Plus balloon-like tyres. They ride and handle quite well, with all-round independent springs, not like a Landy, Vitara, etc., though the short ones do feel a bit bouncy. 

 

About the rear side windows, I can't think why you're having bother Ian. My old man's 3-dr GX pops out at both sides as you'd expect, I checked this evening. The Pleasure Wagon however... one side only - the NS is fixed to stay clear of the sliding door.

[Timewaster]

You need the strength of 15 gorillas to re attach wiper arm springs so a replacement arm would be a good idea and much less likely to end up in a&e.

 

Hard to think of two vehicles more diverse than an XM and a RAV4 but that's AS for ya.

[Lacquer Peel]

Does it have a switchable centre diff lock like a Land Rover instead of a fancy viscous coupling?

[KruJoe]

As well as.

Normal running is AWD with open diffs and (a fairly robust) viscous coupling, the button locks the centre diff.

[Lacquer Peel]

Why bother with both?

[dollywobbler]

That's a good question. The viscous diff on my Rangie was bloody awesome. I'd assumed it was an open diff, so hit the lock when I anticipated bother. There were a couple of times when I heard one wheel scuffle a bit, but the lock kept me moving.

[KruJoe]

Actually, I was probably wrong there.

I believe it's an open centre diff for sure-footed normal driving, lockable on the button when you start to get stuck.

 

(A viscous coupling in the drive to the back axle is effectively a limited slip centre diff, isn't it?)

[dollywobbler]

Actually, I was probably wrong there.

I believe it's an open centre diff for sure-footed normal driving, lockable on the button when you start to get stuck.

 

(A viscous coupling in the drive to the back axle is effectively a limited slip centre diff, isn't it?)

 

That would sound more sensible. Yes, a viscous is effectively an LSD, though I don't think they allow enough freedom to be used across an axle - ie, they'd always want to lock up. There's less difference in speed between front and rear axle I guess than across axles.

 

They did fit some RAVs with LSDs at the back too apparently, though only after mine was built I think. Interestingly, the automatics didn't get the diff lock. 

[twosmoke300]

That's handy - so the automatics are effectively one wheel drive !

[dollywobbler]

Ordered up air and oil filters for cheap on t'interwebz. Not exactly a full service, but good stuff to do. Dipstick had some nasty varnish on it and the oil filter was rusty, so I think it was due!

 

Is there a knack to getting oil filters off without getting oil everywhere? I seem to lack this knack. Also had to buy a new chain wrench because, unsurprisingly, the old filer wasn't keen on coming off. 

 

Had a look at the plugs. They seem quite grotty, but I don't have any replacements to hand. Have also had a good look all over the underside. The odd seam is a little crispy, but she'll do. Gave everything a good soaking in wax.

[dollywobbler]

Once again, the KruJoe Old Parts Stash system has worked. I now have a driver's wiper arm. Thanks Joe! It and the passenger arm are currently basking in the sun, under a coat of fresh(ie knackered) Rustoleum black. I look forward to having TWO wiper arms again later today.