collectioning later

[phil_lihp]

Earlier ones have turbine alloys which I do prefer but later models have air conditioning.  I can always change the wheels if I feel the need.

 

Looking forward to next weekend now....

[messerschmitt owner]

the air con works! It's not a heavy paperweight like it is in my Dispatch!

[phil_lihp]

That is excellent news, I'd more or less assumed it wouldn't after 15 years but it may well have been regassed at some point.  I'll enjoy having a leaf through the history (I'm sad like that) to see what sort of life it's had.  

 

I'll change the oil and filters soon, I've got the sister's i10 to do in the next few weeks so will get them both done together.  Those engines are fussy about oil so if there's any doubt on how old it is then it'd be well worth it.

 

Once I've had a chance to see how much of a keeper it is, I'll possibly get a local bodyshop to sort those arches out before they get any worse.

[beko1987]

Was going to say you need to be picky about oil, nikasil etc

 

I used Asda oil once, and I could feel a difference, which is odd as I never usually subscribe to that school of though it was also about thst time mine all fell apart (coil pack, exhaust, Mag all went, as did the battery) but that's probably not related...

[beko1987]

Peugeot 206 rear arches are the common replacement with some light fettling, puma repair panels don't exist sadly

[messerschmitt owner]

Was going to say you need to be picky about oil, nikasil etc

 

I used Asda oil once, and I could feel a difference, which is odd as I never usually subscribe to that school of though it was also about thst time mine all fell apart (coil pack, exhaust, Mag all went, as did the battery) but that's probably not related...

I have some ford spec fully synth - well, it was cheap in Halfords... and will pop some in.

[AMC Rebel]

First thing I did on mine was change oil and filter for correct spec stuff as the last recorded change was several years ago.  Now there's a big rattle every time I start it up - but it seems to settle down.  I am seeing mine as bangernomics more than a keeper, but I like it much more than I expected to and the combination of cheapness, driving fun and (so far) pretty good behaviour is winning me over - I am wary of shelling out too much on it and it becoming a rusty money pit though.

 

I think they are a bargain due to the combination of large (for the car) pez engine and small car which not everyone wants.

 

The thing about the water pissing into the boot if you open it too quickly is something I've also noticed.

[cort16]

Someone should press out some arch repair sections and clean up $$ as if you attempt to fix it properly you need to make something up yourself.

I recon these will be a big thing in about 10 years as neglected engines and galloping rot is killing them off pretty effectively. 

 

Things I learned on mine are, they use oil and you need to check it regularly, that net curtain they used as a mud guard on the rear arches causes more harm than good, the bottom of the front wings fill up with dirt and rot out (worth check) and finally, never attempt to change a door.

 

puma door by cort16, on Flickr

[messerschmitt owner]

I haven't been using it much. Honest!!

[beko1987]

 

Someone should press out some arch repair sections and clean up $$ as if you attempt to fix it properly you need to make something up yourself.

I recon these will be a big thing in about 10 years as neglected engines and galloping rot is killing them off pretty effectively. 

 

Things I learned on mine are, they use oil and you need to check it regularly, that net curtain they used as a mud guard on the rear arches causes more harm than good, the bottom of the front wings fill up with dirt and rot out (worth check) and finally, never attempt to change a door.

 

puma door by cort16, on Flickr

 

I sold my drivers door when I broke it for spares, fuck me what a carry on! Some bloke drove 120 miles to me one saturday morning, to help me get it off (only charged him a tenner for it, wanted it to go to good use more than anything tbh), and the hinge pins would not budge. Took him and my stepdad bouncing the door up and down whilst I whacked the pin with a massive long phillips screwdriver (as it fitted the hole for the pin) for 45 minutes, until eventually it came off.

 

He said he couldnt wait to do his to change them over...

[phil_lihp]

Good man, make the most of it!

[phil_lihp]

Right, let's go and get this thing. Currently on the rattling, swaying Barnstaple to Exeter train, just as well I haven't had breakfast yet.

 

Fingers crossed MO will let me have the keys!

[messerschmitt owner]

MO will let you have them - it's not as if he's made a copy and knows where you live ....

 

Just going to go round it and check tyre pressures, oil, water, etc., once SWMBO has left and I can get it on the driveway.

[phil_lihp]

Now that's service!

 

Barnstaple to Exeter even slower than normal so I've missed my connection to Bristol. On the next one now so hoping to make the Gloucester one on time.

[messerschmitt owner]

Well, it's gone. I've enjoyed having it for a week. Even if it is a ford. .

[phil_lihp]

It arrived safely! Unfortunately I got called into work halfway home which rather spoiled the mood.

 

On the plus side, it meant I got in about 30 miles of windy B roads and hairpins on the edge of Exmoor and gave the Puma a thoroughly good workout.

 

It's fantastic, drives brilliantly and I'm very pleased with it.

 

Massive thanks to MO for being an excellent custodian and test pilot, yet another great shiter met!

[messerschmitt owner]

told you it was good! Thanks for the opportunity of an extended test drive! I was getting worried that it had broken down. It scratched an itch and I genuinely liked it. Would!!

[phil_lihp]

Mostly I've just been driving this and loving it, after the big wafty Jag this is a complete change in tempo and it's great fun.  It feels very solid and has huge amounts of grip, there's no rattles or clunks (other than a mildly annoying buzz from some trim behind the glovebox at certain rev ranges) and all in all, I'm delighted with it.

 

 

 

 

MO did say the oil looked grim and he wasn't wrong, it was thick, black and nasty.  Time to get rid of it.

 

The oil filter looked ancient but I'm not sure how long it's been on there, it's exposed to all the dirt thrown up from the road after all and the car's wearing 4 nearly new matching Toyo tyres so I can't see the owner who did that missing services.  There's no history past 2012 though so it's anyone's guess.

 

The plugs were all soaked in oil and looked well past their best, 4 new ones in and a little topup of the coolant, bonnet closed.

 

It also got a new fuel filter, the old one looked like the original and at 102,000 miles has probably earned its retirement.  To finish off, I greased the bone-dry door hinges and catches which fixed the reluctant boot release plus the passenger door's unwillingness to participate in the central locking system - I do like a free fix.  Last job was a spray of WD40 on the creaky, slightly stiff throttle pedal pivot to loosen it up and that's all that done for another year.

 

I took the opportunity to give the faded, hazy headlights a good scrubbing with T-Cut which made a big difference, they're not perfect but they're a huge improvement and I did the same with the faded numberplates which came up pretty well too.

 

 

No idea when the timing belt was last done, so that'll probably have to be added to the list - it can go at the top because mechanically, there's nothing else to do to it right now.

 

I had a good poke around underneath and things range from Surprisingly Good to Oh Dear - no surprises there.  Rear arch on the driver's side is quite crispy and missing bits where it joins the sill, there's a patch on the sill here which looks fairly neat and matches up with this year's MOT fail.  Passenger side is better but does need attention before it gets any worse, then I need to contemplate soaking the entire underside in something protective, a nasty job but will be beneficial in the long run.

 

 

[messerschmitt owner]

well done - the oil was below the minimum when I checked - topped it up straight after buying it with the remains of a bottle (about 250ml) and just before it went to you, it got topped up properly with some 5W30 fully synth I had lying about. I'd recommend a little bit of body fettling. I think you're on to a winner with it, and you'll see a good few thou miles before a big bill hits.

[phil_lihp]

Cheers, these do use a bit of oil apparently so I'll keep a close eye on it, there appears to be a small leak from somewhere at the back of the engine but that might be power steering fluid as the level's a little off the Max mark and one hose underneath looks a little damp.  I'll monitor it but I'm not going to go mad on it.  I'll see about getting a local bodyshop to look at the arches, at least to find out how much it's going to cost.  

[AMC Rebel]

Mine, oddly doesn't seem to use any oil.  More worryingly, there's an oil leak, which means it's coming from somewhere else.

 

Not sure if my arches are better or worse - it's had a patch on the sill for the MOT this year.