Genuine Granada Greenhouse Gassing Granadaland - The Beast Estate leaves the GGG - Caution: No P6 Content!

[JeeExEll]

Ignoring tyres for a moment Mr J, -

 

Have just read that there are door window gremlins with the Junkmann Nadda.

 

Please be aware that there are differences between early and later Granny series-2 door electric window mechanisms. In late 90s I had a spare pair of front doors from a Y-reg 82/83 2.8i "now-called-sport" which had NON-INTERCHANGEABLE mechanism/motors from my non-working 1984/5 Granny set up.

 

My last Granny was a blue 1985-registered 2.3 LX 5-speed previously owned by a retired old giffer and used as a towing car for his caravan. When I bought it around 1995 it was a minter but it had had a replacement clutch which was juddery. Right at the time a nicely-loose standard 83 2.8 engine from a wrecked XR4i became available to me. I ended up with a 2.8 litre manual 5 speed with a refurbed 38 DGAS 3 litre Cappa carb and the 3.6 diff fitted as standard with the 2.3LX rather than the 3.4ish diff.

 

Quite an enjoyable surprisingly quick car with new gas shocks. Being quite basic LX spec it was not weighed down with un-necessary stuff. Even more unweighed down after I junked the driver's door window mechanism completely and just slid the window up and down by hand and jammed it in place with a clothes-peg. Stopped the window dropping too far by placing a log inside the door frame. Such was mature student life in Aberdeen in the 90s. Central locking was fucked too so usually the car wasn't locked if you wanted in through the back doors. Central unlocking worked fine everytime on all doors.

 

Just saying in case you buy some doors for the window mechanisms . . .

[Junkman]

Thanks for the tip and yes, the 82/83 window lifters do indeed look different from the 84/85 ones.

They have no Torx bolts to hold the motors on for one thing.

[JeeExEll]

FFS I just remembered, Mr. J you must check this -

 

I also had a towbar removed from my Mk2 by a local garage. My towbar had a bracket which extended to the main central fixing which holds the diff in place. When the towbar was removed the garage should have fitted a re-inforcing plate or large thick washer to stop the main diff-securing bolt pulling through the diff housing, it was previously strengthened by the thickness of the towbar bracket. They didn't and a few days later during a bit of a high speed thrash on a country road the fixing bolt pulled through and the rear suspension collapsed and my Nadda slithered up onto a grassy verge at rather high speed. Fkn just about sht myself as I was doing performance runs to try out a spare drilled airbox. No damage or injury but it could have failed in busy traffic!!

 

Yours may have been a different set up but definitely worth checking out.

[danthecapriman]

FFS I just remembered, Mr. J you must check this -

I also had my a towbar removed from my Mk2 by a local garage. My towbar had a bracket which extended to the main central fixing which holds the diff in place. When the towbar was removed the garage should have fitted a re-inforcing plate to stop the main diff-securing bolt pulling through the car metalwork, it was previously strengthened by the thickness of the towbar bracket. They didn't and a few days later during a bit of a high speed thrash on a country road the fixing pulled through the body metalwork and the rear suspension collapsed and my Nadda slithered up onto a grassy verge at rather high speed. Fkn just about sht myself as I was doing performance runs to try out a drilled airbox. No damage or injury but it could have failed in busy traffic!!

Yours may have been a different set up but definitely worth checking out.

From memory this car did indeed have that type tow bar. It had a metal box section type thing run from the ball hitch area straight back under the floor to a big bolt/nut the held the back end of the diff. Well worth checking indeed!

[richardthestag]

Similarz problems on tyres with the stag. Longstone tyres says

 

The Triumph Stag initially came fitted with 185R14 tyres. Presently the best tyre for a pre-1976 Triumph Stag is the 185HR14 Michelin MXV-P. In 1976 Triumph found that their Stag had improved handling when fitted with 175HR14 Michelin XAS, so they changed the standard fitment of the Stag to 175HR14 making this the best tyre for a Triumph Stag today.

 

 

Usefully they also quote the  diameter and cross section

 

175HR14 (diameter 634mm width 178mm)

185HR14 (diameter 645mm width 171mm)

 

Interestingly there is no 1976 speedo seperate part number!

 

When I fitted tyres 14 years ago 185HR14 were unobtainium, the best in the price range were Dunlop SP200 185/80/14H and these are still on the car and getting a little bit slippery. And they look tiny

 

I cannot justify £800 on tyres right now so the 185 and 175HR options are oot. sorry Dougal

 

SoC popular choice (after the Vredestein Sprint Classic) is 195/70/14 (diameter 629mm width 195mm) lots of options but still a bit smol

 

195/75/14 diameter 648mm width 195mm is a better match but with no options unless I want van tyres!

 

So I guess in a nutshell I will be looking for 195/70/14 H, then at least I can retain full lock on the steering

 

Probably what you will end up with also on beastestate

[danthecapriman]

Similarz problems on tyres with the stag. Longstone tyres says

 

 

Usefully they also quote the  diameter and cross section

 

175HR14 (diameter 634mm width 178mm)

185HR14 (diameter 645mm width 171mm)

 

Interestingly there is no 1976 speedo seperate part number!

 

When I fitted tyres 14 years ago 185HR14 were unobtainium, the best in the price range were Dunlop SP200 185/80/14H and these are still on the car and getting a little bit slippery. And they look tiny

 

I cannot justify £800 on tyres right now so the 185 and 175HR options are oot. sorry Dougal

 

SoC popular choice (after the Vredestein Sprint Classic) is 195/70/14 (diameter 629mm width 195mm) lots of options but still a bit smol

 

195/75/14 diameter 648mm width 195mm is a better match but with no options unless I want van tyres!

 

So I guess in a nutshell I will be looking for 195/70/14 H, then at least I can retain full lock on the steering

 

Probably what you will end up with also on beastestate

It's possible that's why this Granny has these tyres.

It had the same size tyres already fitted when I bought it, so when I decided to get new I simply bought new of was already on it.

Maybe getting that correct size became difficult at some point so something 'as near as dam it' went on instead way back whenever it was?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

It's possible that's why this Granny has these tyres.

It had the same size tyres already fitted when I bought it, so when I decided to get new I simply bought new of was already on it.

Maybe getting that correct size became difficult at some point so something 'as near as dam it' went on instead way back whenever it was?

As long ago as 1985 I had to put 'van' tyres on a 2.8 GL estate , as they were the only 185s I could find that weren't 70s. Although it was always loaded to the roof and/or towing a 4 wheel trailer, so it was probably as well.

That particular car ended up with the wheels and 195/70 tyres off a W108 300SEL I scrapped, what a fucking savage I was.

[Junkman]

185HR14 were indeed unobtainium for a good few years. Due to it having been a very popular size, it led to a plethora of 70s - 80s chod

being wrongly tyred. Now the size is available again, but only as relatively expensive 'classic' options from Michelin, Dunlop and Vredestein.

However, experience thaught me, that in the dark ages when the size was not available, the best replacement was 205/70R14, not the 195s.

 

Today you can always opt for a 185/80R14 91T (190kph), if the look of the 'classic' 185HR14 is too vintage for your liking,

which it IMO is in this case. Them Vredesteins would deffo look too antiquated on The Beast Estate, despite they actually are period correct,

believe it or not.

[Junkman]

FFS I just remembered, Mr. J you must check this -

 

I also had a towbar removed from my Mk2 by a local garage. My towbar had a bracket which extended to the main central fixing which holds the diff in place. When the towbar was removed the garage should have fitted a re-inforcing plate or large thick washer to stop the main diff-securing bolt pulling through the diff housing, it was previously strengthened by the thickness of the towbar bracket. They didn't and a few days later during a bit of a high speed thrash on a country road the fixing bolt pulled through and the rear suspension collapsed and my Nadda slithered up onto a grassy verge at rather high speed. Fkn just about sht myself as I was doing performance runs to try out a spare drilled airbox. No damage or injury but it could have failed in busy traffic!!

 

Yours may have been a different set up but definitely worth checking out.

 

 

From memory this car did indeed have that type tow bar. It had a metal box section type thing run from the ball hitch area straight back under the floor to a big bolt/nut the held the back end of the diff. Well worth checking indeed!

 

 

Good point, all my Grannies with towbars had the towbars mounted that way.

It would also have been worthwhile to replace the permaperished rubber bush while one was at it,

but I guess that's vastly exceeding the allowance of wishful thinking come true.

[JeeExEll]

 

A very poor quality pic of my best Mk2 Granny, a 2.8LX carbd 5 speed manual (see above). B713PSH. Had 2 other Mk2s around the same time, maybe 1995 to 98. Note wheeltrims had been frizbee'd and standard steelies coated with real silver. 185/70 14s if anyone interested. Slip slidey but plenty of feel.

 

1984 E28 528i A660ESS henna red in the background was a car I had for several years early 90s, manual with yuck (to me) cream cloth interior. Fast and silky-smooth-revvy and handled well but had been abused before I got it. Trubbl. Took many a merciless damm good thrashing all the same, often from cold. For some reason it had been specced from new with a lsd which had been expensively refurbed shortly before I bought it. Which was nice.

528i would sit at a steady 130mph all day if necessary. No fuss, felt right.

The price of metric TRX tyres at the time was a bastard.

[danthecapriman]

185HR14 were indeed unobtainium for a good few years. Due to it having been a very popular size, it led to a plethora of 70s - 80s chod

being wrongly tyred. Now the size is available again, but only as relatively expensice 'classic' options from Michelin, Dunlop and Vredestein.

However, experience thaught me, that in the dark ages when the size was not available, the best replacement was 205/70R14, not the 195s.

 

Today you can always opt for a 185/80R14 91T (190kph), if the look of the 'classic' 185HR14 is too vintage for your liking,

which it IMO is in this case. Them Vredesteins would deffo look too antiquated on The Best Estate, despite they actually are period correct,

believe it or not.

I've just had a quick look at the Vredesteins. They aren't cheap are they! I agree, they do look a bit old fashioned for the beast estate.

[richardthestag]

185HR14 were indeed unobtainium for a good few years. Due to it having been a very popular size, it led to a plethora of 70s - 80s chod

being wrongly tyred. Now the size is available again, but only as relatively expensice 'classic' options from Michelin, Dunlop and Vredestein.

However, experience thaught me, that in the dark ages when the size was not available, the best replacement was 205/70R14, not the 195s.

 

Today you can always opt for a 185/80R14 91T (190kph), if the look of the 'classic' 185HR14 is too vintage for your liking,

which it IMO is in this case. Them Vredesteins would deffo look too antiquated on The Best Estate, despite they actually are period correct,

believe it or not.

 

where are you finding 205/70./14s and 185/80/14s that are not van tyres?

 

If I do find a car tyre in any of those sizes they are comparable with classic tyres and i know what I would rather go for.

 

Hence the slightly under tyred 195/70/14 option for which the market is flooded.

 

 I need to get my speedo recalbrated anyway

 

Stag needs H rating insurers accept the newer T rating also

[richardthestag]

longstone have a 195/75/14 that is NOT a van tyre - trouble is my car looks like a ghost already without white walls

 

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/195-75r14-hankook-whitewall.html

[Junkman]

Those TRX tyres always were prohibitively expensive.

Also, you must have driven a car with them mounted in order to appreciate how shit they are.

 

 

longstone have a 195/75/14 that is NOT a van tyre - trouble is my car looks like a ghost already without white walls

 

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/195-75r14-hankook-whitewall.html

 

You can always mount the whitewall to the inside.

[Junkman]

where are you finding 205/70./14s and 185/80/14s that are not van tyres?

 

 

Here: https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres-205-70-14-0-H/

and here: https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres-185-80-14-0-T/

respectively.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

FFS I just remembered, Mr. J you must check this -

 

I also had a towbar removed from my Mk2 by a local garage. My towbar had a bracket which extended to the main central fixing which holds the diff in place. When the towbar was removed the garage should have fitted a re-inforcing plate or large thick washer to stop the main diff-securing bolt pulling through the diff housing, it was previously strengthened by the thickness of the towbar bracket. They didn't and a few days later during a bit of a high speed thrash on a country road the fixing bolt pulled through and the rear suspension collapsed and my Nadda slithered up onto a grassy verge at rather high speed. Fkn just about sht myself as I was doing performance runs to try out a spare drilled airbox. No damage or injury but it could have failed in busy traffic!!

 

Yours may have been a different set up but definitely worth checking out.

 

Good tip, thanks. This was discussed with the garage. They simply cut the towbar at this point rather than disturb the diff mounting arrangement at all. 

 

[Junkman]

Plus, the original washer is still in place.

 

Are those new rear springs?

Is that why the car has such a rakish rake?

[danthecapriman]

Plus, the original washer is still in place.

 

Are those new rear springs?

Is that why the car has such a rakish rake?

I never changed the rear springs but they could have been done not long before I bought the car. They looked pretty good on the back along with the rear shocks so I left them alone.

The fronts however were a bit 'well used' in appearance and the shocks were fucked. I changed the front shocks and attempted to do the front springs too but the new springs wouldn't fit so I had to re use the old ones. This I suspect is where the rake issue comes from! Very tired front springs sagging.

 

At the same time I replaced the two TCA stabiliser bar bushes. The two (1 per side) that bolt through the subframe at the very front lower of the car below the radiator area.

The original Ford items are a weird orange foam type bush and one of them ripped apart while braking allowing lots of movement on one wheel!

I took it all out, cleaned it up and installed a pair of polyurethane replacements which will never rip apart!

I don't like going mad with poly bushes btw, but with these ones I thought given the minimal movement in the joint anyway they'd be a longer lasting better replacement.

 

That towbar removal method looks about the best way to me. Saves disturbing the rusty diff nut and washer!

[Junkman]

I quite like the rake, let's see how long I can get away with it.

Polybush replacement in that area is likely an advantage, the original ones are indeed a bit shit.

Disturbing the rusty diff nut and washer is unavoidable in the long run.

The rubber doughnut has to be replaced sooner or later on all of them.

 

However, I hitherto always used the Messer Griesheim universal spanner for this job

and a new bolt/washer/nut combo afterwards.

 

MGUS set:

 

[danthecapriman]

I quite like the rake, let's see how long I can get away with it.

Polybush replacement in that area is likely an advantage, the original ones are indeed a bit shit.

Disturbing the rusty diff nut and washer is unavoidable in the long run.

The rubber doughnut has to be replaced sooner or later on all of them.

I guess you can still get that rubber doughnut? I'll stick my neck out on this and suggest this ones likely not had that done in a very very long time.

 

Another little thing for you to look at JM, and I'm sure you'll approve!

Have a look at the older front wing (passenger side front). Notice there's signs of something having been attached to its arch area, namely old rivets...

That's right! This car did have chrome arch trims on it when I got it! I took them straight off as I hate them!

[JeeExEll]

Good tip, thanks. This was discussed with the garage. They simply cut the towbar at this point rather than disturb the diff mounting arrangement at all.

 

bolt.jpg

Tank looking a bit crusty there. Keep an eye open for a replacement tank and new straps. Liquid metal 2 pack glue stuff can help seal pinholes as a temporary fix.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

A very poor quality pic of my best Mk2 Granny, a 2.8LX carbd 5 speed manual (see above). B713PSH. Had 2 other Mk2s around the same time, maybe 1995 to 98. Note wheeltrims had been frizbee'd and standard steelies coated with real silver. 185/70 14s if anyone interested. Slip slidey but plenty of feel.

1984 E28 528i A660ESS henna red in the background was a car I had for several years early 90s, manual with yuck cream cloth interior. Fast and silky smooth revvy and handled well but had been abused before I got it. Trubbl. Took a merciless damm good thrashing all the same. For some reason had been specced from new with a lsd which had been refurbed shortly before I bought it. Which was nice.

Would sit at a steady 130mph all day if necessary.

The price of metric TRX tyres at the time was a bastard.

Sounds like you created your own version of the ex-(Bristol?) Police Granny I had , it was a 5 speed manual 2.8 carb with no power steering and even more basic than LX trim - went like fook. It was a very late one , on a C and had the same wheels as your one but with little plastic cover over the nuts. predictably I sold it to a lorry driver to tow his caravan.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Fruits of today's labour laying underneath this car: broken and shit driving lamps removed. Front end looks much cleaner.

 

Headlamp washers examined. There aren't any blockages, except the spring valve in the L shaped pipe which seems to operate correctly when I prod it with a screwdriver. So maybe the pump isn't generating the pressure it needs to. 

 

Belt squeal investigated. The belts are in decent condition, but while examining them I noticed the alternator belt was rather slack. The only way to tension it properly is to remove THE UNDERTRAY and go in from the bottom. I don't want to be so arrogant as to say I've fixed it, but I just took it for a long drive and it didn't squeal even a little. In addition, the ammeter is no longer like a metronome - it doesn't dive into 'discharge' at idle anymore, and remains steady even with the lights on etc. 

 

The car goes back to Junkman tomorrow. 

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

It isn't fuel injected.

A 2.8 requires H no matter what. S is deffo not sufficient and how it could end up on a new car is beyond me.

Besides, it's difficult enough to get 185 HRs. 185SRs today are predominantly C4 or C6 PR for vans,

hence totally unsuitable for The Beast Estate, which is decidedly a passenger car.

 

 

It is rather incredible that Ford fitted the wrong tyres - especially as my father personally imported the car from West Germany. It definitely did have SR rated tyres on it though.

 

I guess the best compromise has to be reached when the original tyre size is no longer available or when the correct size is prohibitively expensive. The reason I switched to 16" wheels on my XJ40 is that the correct 225/65 ZR 15 tyres fitted to the 15" wheels are now no longer available. People generally get round this by fitting 225/60 15 tyres which are close enough for most, but I wasn't prepared to do this.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I've been a bit puzzled by the tyre speed rating of the 2.8 Granada Ghia/Ghia X since I do clearly recall my late father's having 185SR14 from the factory. It seems that I am right - or at least the brochure agrees with my recollection. Maybe they were fitted with HR tyres in other markets? I would certainly fit HR tyres, SR isn't enough in my view.

 

 

[Junkman]

I got mail.

 

 

Skizzer and Breadvan, you are the greatest.

I have no idea how to tell you how much I appreciate this.

[Junkman]

I might add, if I ever was so inclined, that Tom of Lake View Garage himself didn't dismiss this car as a total heap.

In fact, he was quite favourable of it.

Hence he is going to be entrusted to do a full whack restoration on this car, which, if nothing goes wrong, shall commence in July.

 

Being the Junkman that I am, I will have to find me some alternative shite for the duration of this project.

I wouldn't be the Junkman, if this didn't mean, that some interim shite needs to do duty while this is happening.

 

All that I can say at this moment, is that the GGG is not going to disappoint you.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 "fun fun fun on de awtowbahhhhnnn"

 

 

NEIN!!

 

'Fahren Fahren Fahren auf der autobahn'!

 

FFS  

 

 

 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

If it's not yet had the fibre timing gear replaced, do it before it shits its teeth off and you have to remove the sump to recover bits. Actually a nice easy job to do. The Solex carbertooter used to be a bastard to blocked idle jets on these and a good fuel filter is essential. Start stocking up on used electronic ignition boxes as well because they were another fairly common issue.....20/30 years ago.

 

We had a 2.3GL Estate back in the late eighties, DUD2V that's a solar gold manual. Really nice old bus.

[Junkman]

I don't think these late engines had the fibre gears, but I stand corrected if they did.

The ignition box was already a thing 25 years ago and I used to carry one in the glove boxes of the first five or so I had.

I didn't bother to put it in the remaining ones, because it never ever fails.

 

There is at least one issue with the carb in this car. I will need to investigate, but not before I saw to the valve clearances.

Without them being set properly, these cars can do all kinds of weird nonsense.