HMC- Return of the Cheeky 500

[hairnet]

52 minutes ago, Mrs6C said:

Sadly not, I'd thought about the ZX for a minute.............

 

[Surface Rust]

8 hours ago, HMC said:

Ah right, yes the wipers and fan are working. I’ll get a multimeter and test that power is getting to the fuel pump later, thanks.

I have come across a kill switch for the electric pump on old cars before. Just an unmarked toggle switch, sometimes hidden under the dash.  

Was a guaranteed* anti theft precaution, 'back in the day'.

[PhilA]

I would say keep the Crown Vic.

It's got the later lights which makes it look more modern (yet still retaining the American melted-candy look).

It'll go on and on and on with only the most basic maintenance too. Police Interceptor model gets you all the performance upgrades too. Needs the small chrome hub caps though, to finish the package off.

[AnthonyG]

On 3/11/2023 at 8:09 PM, jon.k said:

I was reading a CAR magazine from 2000 yesterday, and there was an article on the state of the american car industry. I think it said that in the US the "sub-sub-compact" Focus cost the same as a Crown Vic, so everyone bought a Crown Vic.

That was the Contour (US Mondeo) and the Taurus (nearest European equivalent would be the Scorpio, although the Taurus was FWD). The Contour didn’t sell that well in the US, as it was considered too small, the Ford fans just bought Tauruses, the import buyers stuck to Accords and Camrys and those into new fangled ‘cab-forward’ styling bought the Dodge Stratus. Even in 2000, the Crown Vic was for fleets or grandparents, who tended to buy the posher Mercury version, or even better - the positively sybaritic Lincoln Town Car. 

The Focus in the US was dirt cheap, and the 3 door hatches were mainly designed for college students. The 4 door saloon was a much bigger seller there than anywhere else. As usual Ford US lost interest in it after about two years, particularly as the first year or so of their versions suffered from major quality problems unrelated to anything built in Saarlouis, and Yanks got a shite really cheap facelift of the original in 2007 instead of the European Mk2. They did get the Mk3 on time but as usual it was semi game over by then. Why buy from a company who doesn’t really give a shit, and would rather their dealer talked you into an Escape SUV, when you can be treated like an adult by Toyota or Hyundai? 

Now, if you want a Ford ‘car’ over there, you can buy the Mustang or just FRO, frankly.

Sometimes I wonder why Alan Mullally bothered, the family should just have kept the rights to the brand and the F-150 and flogged/licenced the rest to VW when it was worth something. 

[HMC]

Thanks for all the go to advice on the non start VDP1300. 

I broke out the multimeter and found I’ve got power to the pump, and a pulled off the feed to the carb and it’s delivering fuel to the carb like a champ. There’s power to the coil, and I pulled a spark plug and found no spark. The plugs are all ancient so I will change those tomorrow. So it’s narrowed down to ignition but unsure if plugs or distributor- surely if it was dodgy plugs it would cough a bit at least? I also wondered if the carb float could be stuck and shutting off the fuel feed. The plugs didn’t look particularly “wet” 🧐

 

[Rocket88]

Any spark at the points?

[wesacosa]

sounds to me like something between (but including) the coil and the rotor arm. As you say you would expect a cough if it were just plug.  Sounds like either nothing going down the leads

How does the rotor arm contact and contacts on the dizzy cap look?

[bigstraight6]

2 minutes ago, Rocket88 said:

Any spark at the points?

That’s what I was thinking, I had a similar problem on my Zodiac a few years back and I found a break in a wire between the ignition and coil. Electronic ignition is also a must do…

[NorfolkNWeigh]

8 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

That’s what I was thinking, I had a similar problem on my Zodiac a few years back and I found a break in a wire between the ignition and coil. Electronic ignition is also a must do…

What he said.

Had a broken “low tension” wire to distributor once on a Renault 16, even the RAC couldn’t find it, got a 200 mile petrol saving recovery home out of it though! Bonus as a teenager.

[RobT]

I had similar on my 1300 once.  A new condenser sorted it, but i also put a new coil on for good measure.

NOS condenser if you can find one as the modern stuff is shit.  I initially put a new Intermotor one on, but it didn't last long.

[HMC]

Well, I charged the battery, changed the plugs first thing. I was suspecting as per @RobT that it might be the condenser but as I don’t have a replacement, and I’m a wishful optimist I decided to fire it up - 

And it started and runs perfectly.

 

Not sure what the diagnosis was to be honest and Hence I’m a bit wary of it doing it again- but it’s a runner!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Great news.

I love the way the VDP looks almost space-age in its design compared to the Austin. You just need the 'Murican squeezed in front for the ultimate eclectic car ownership shot. 

[RobT]

That's a result, hopefully it was just the battery then.  I had similar with the Skizzer Espace recently, although that involved cutting out rather than non-starting.  Charged up the battery and it was fine.

[Missy Charm]

Could it have been as simple as the battery not having enough juice to spin the starter and spark the plugs at the same time?  Glad the car is fixed.  

[High Jetter]

Bonnet not shutting quite right tho?

[warch]

1 hour ago, Missy Charm said:

Could it have been as simple as the battery not having enough juice to spin the starter and spark the plugs at the same time?  Glad the car is fixed.  

My old Mini 1275 was dreadful for that. I got round it by connecting a second battery to the coil when starting from cold.

[grogee]

@HMC you have brightened up West Street no end. I lived at no.29 for a bit, handy for the Chinese.

[HMC]

19 minutes ago, grogee said:

@HMC you have brightened up West Street no end. I lived at no.29 for a bit, handy for the Chinese.

Thanks! Yes the Chinese and thariks are very handy!

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

Bonnet not shutting quite right tho?

Yes, good point needed a slam.

This thing has truely dreadful paint. It was originally a sort or dark royal blue, visible in the shut lines but has had a blow over in a mid blue that has a satin finish. I love it; it seems to be what an early 80s banger would be like. 
 

 

[HMC]

Peeling wood, worn carpets, degrading headlining and a picnic table. 

[Matty]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Thanks! Yes the Chinese and thariks are very handy!

Yes, good point needed a slam.

This thing has truely dreadful paint. It was originally a sort or dark royal blue, visible in the shut lines but has had a blow over in a mid blue that has a satin finish. I love it; it seems to be what an early 80s banger would be like. 
 

 

Reminds me of @Fabergé Greggs1100. That looked wonderfully lived in as well.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Automatic too, how opulent! That's really lovely, I can smell it all the way from Teignmouth. Major want.

[schonker]

Do not paint or polish!

[HMC]

Fleet news- Crown vic sold, loved it , fantastic for tyre squealing getaways, but a box ticked.

Ive bought something else, which also has a bench seat (clue). I’m collecting it in a bit of a Dartmoor/ Devon road trip, tomorrow. Any guesses?

[andyberg]

Ford zodiac 🤣

[LightBulbFun]

19 minutes ago, HMC said:

Ive bought something else, which also has a bench seat (clue). I’m collecting it in a bit of a Dartmoor/ Devon road trip, tomorrow. Any guesses?

AEC Routemaster? they have quite literally a bench seat, 2 of em in-fact LOL

[catsinthewelder]

Austin Cambridge?

[Rocket88]

[gadgetgricey]

Multipla

 

[Soundwave]

Checker Marathon cab, continuing the Yank theme?

[timolloyd]

Series Land Rover