How much shite is too much shite? Or How Many Miles is Too Many Miles?

[Saabnut]

Not a huge amount achieved today, though I did tidy* up a bit of the shed (I moved shite around) and changed the order the cars are parked. Today was that rarest of rare days, warm and sunny in the North East of Scotland and despite having loads to do, nothing with a pressing deadline. Decided to take the Cobra to fetch milk from my local shop 4 miles away. Thought I would take the scenic route over the hills, and arrived home about 3 and a half hours later with my milk, having covered 147 miles.

Must resist a repeat tomorrow as I have a lot to do, but a test run in the Sonett is looking more appealing.....

[Zelandeth]

5 hours ago, Saabnut said:

Not a huge amount achieved today, though I did tidy* up a bit of the shed (I moved shite around) and changed the order the cars are parked. Today was that rarest of rare days, warm and sunny in the North East of Scotland and despite having loads to do, nothing with a pressing deadline. Decided to take the Cobra to fetch milk from my local shop 4 miles away. Thought I would take the scenic route over the hills, and arrived home about 3 and a half hours later with my milk, having covered 147 miles.

Must resist a repeat tomorrow as I have a lot to do, but a test run in the Sonett is looking more appealing.....

Christ I miss being able to do that..."scenic route" around here will still be packed with traffic, suicidal Audi drivers and endless pointless 50mph speed limits.

One of my favourite motoring memories is playing with someone I randomly came across in a Lamborghini Aventador when I was in the Cappuccino on Slug Road.  Obviously he vanished into the distance every time there was a straight, but I gained far more ground than you'd have thought every time we got to the twisty bits.  Still reckon it was the absolutely perfect car for that road.  The absolute perfect balance and fact you were basically sitting between the rear wheels meant you always knew exactly what it was doing...the only car I have ever deliberately made slide around.  The steering feel in that car is definitely one of the very specific details I'll always miss.  Especially with the lovely wood rimmed wheel it had fitted.

[Saabnut]

Yesterday was a day of domestic duties, with a short break to go to the hardware shop for some glue to re-attach the velcro to the backing pad on my machine polisher. Today I started to make the Saab convertible look a bit more loved and a bit less "just dug out of a barn after being left for two years" with the hope of impressing the MOT tester shortly.

Started off with 3M Ultra Fine Plus cutting compound. This is the middle coarse stuff of the three I have, as whilst the Saab was a bit pink in places, it was not bad considering it is about 7 years since it was last polished. This took an age but got it back to red. Next was a machine polish with 3M Rosa polish, which got it shiny, if a bit streaky, and added some basic protection.

Finally, a hand polish with what is my favourite polish, and in my opinion, the best car wax in the world, Collinite 476S. I have been using this stuff since about 1999 when it was recommended to me. I have nearly finished the tin (which I opened about 8 years ago) so have just ordered some more. At just over £20 for a tin this size, it is not cheap but a little goes a long way and is the reason the red had not faded badly on the car,

No photos of the car yet as the light had gone when I finished, and I want to do the trim bits as well and I had had enough for today. I did give the windscreen to remove the splatter and checked the wiper blades and found a split in one so off to get some new ones in the morning. The car looks superb, especially for 30+ year old red paint so I have a nice happy glow this evening!

[Saabnut]

I have now officially had enough of polishing! This morning whilst my power was off (a new customer being connected) I visited my motor factor and picked up a pair of new wiper blades, and fitted them on my return. A wipe down with panel wipe of all the plastic trim  and an application of Chemical Boys New Look Trim Gel had it looking better. The wheel bolts were torqued and tyre pressures checked, so it is now ready for a visit to the man from the ministry.

Have to say I think it looks a bit* better.

Before:

And after:

[big_al_granvia]

looking great mate

[cort1977]

1 hour ago, Saabnut said:

I have now officially had enough of polishing!

Just the other one left to do now...

[Zelandeth]

Given what a pig that colour is for fading (had two that colour) that's come up well.

Might need to investigate that wax, seems to be getting a lot harder to find some that lasts these days.

[Saabnut]

Today wasthe day to see if all the effort was worthwhile, and after 2 years off the road the Saab was taken to meet the man from the ministry at 10am. Sadly, he said no as there was zero effort on the nearside handbrake, annoyingly the very thing that took the car off the road. Back home, up on the ramp and a check, and it was as I thought, the brake pads had settled on the run down and the calliper just needed adjusting. A couple of minutes with the allen key and it seemed to be fine. A quick call to the tester, and an appointment at 1415 resulted in a clean pass!

I said to the tester that I was heading home for a few days off before starting on the next one. Arrived home to find my friend Gary had just arrived and that plan went out of the window! Time to start the suspension swap on the Disco, with Donald keeping an eye on us

|The old rear suspension put up a bit of a fight, but Mr Angry Grinder won the argument

By the time we had had enough, the rear suspension is done and most of the front suspension is off. Hopefully finish it tomorrow

[Saabnut]

No photos, but the rest of the suspension swap on the Disco went smoothly. I decided to replace the front turrets as the originals were showing a bit of delamination as I had bought new ones, although the old ones would have been fine for a few more years. The reason for buying them was I wanted to have new turret retainer rings on hand and every source said they invariably shear when being undone. Mine of course came off with no  brakeage and the quality was so much better than the replacements, I decided to give them a clean, a coat of paint and reuse them. The replacements can stay on the shelf "just in case".

Replacing the original EDC injection pump for a manual pump (the EDC is only fitted to the automatic 300TDi) hand fixed the lack of power at the cost of losing the kick down facility on the auto box. A bit of googling (OK a lot, there is not much info on these out there) suggested Armstrong Transmissions offered a set of brackets to get around this at a cost of around £60. Took a chance and ordered a set and two small metal brackets (admittedly of what looked high quality) arrived, and as my knowledge of diseasals is zero, my friend Gary fitted them, although neither of us had high hopes, and no instructions were provided. A short test run showed we were wrong, kickdown restored and £60 well spent.

Today, I moved the Sonett out of the shed, planning on giving it a clean as it has 3 years worth of dust on it. The reason for the sudden flurry of activity on both the Sonett and the c900 is they are due at Prescott Hillclimb next weekend. The Sonett is going up the hill at Saabfest and the c900 is towing it down. Happy I was ahead of schedule, this morning was spent putting a new exhaust on one of the fleet for its new owner, a fellow Shiter, so will let them introduce it if they so wish.

When I moved the Sonett out I noticed that the brakes appeared to be binding, so thought I would give them a strip and clean. Onto the ramp with it

Straight away it was obvious that the fronts and offside rear were turning freely but the nearside rear was really binding badly. Pulled off the wheel and drum and sure enough the wheel cylinder is seized solid. Pulled off the offside rear to check that and again one of the two pistons was seized. Great. It was now 4:45 on Friday evening, and I have to leave home early next Friday morning. Shot inside but none of the usual suppliers were showing any in stock and the only ebay sellers advertising them are in Germany so no chance of getting them in time. Tried to ring Bill at Saabits to see if he had any suggestions but they had finished for the weekend as it was now after 5pm but left him a message.

Gave up on that and resigned myself into spending the weekend contacting any Saab people I could think of to see if I could even get a secondhand set, so put the kettle on. Whilst drinking my tea, the phone rang and it was Bill returning my call - at 6pm on a Friday, that is what I call service. After explaining my needs, he went off and came back a couple of minutes later to say he had a couple on the shelf, but without boxes, hence not listed on his website. He said he will send them by Special Delivery for me and at a very reasonable price. If anyone wants anything for a Saab, I cannot recommend Bill at Saabits too highly.

As the Sonett is in bits blocking the ramp for the weekend, just got to decide what to start on tomorrow....

 

[Saabnut]

Thanks to Bill at Saabits and Royal Mail, the new cylinders arrived on Tuesday afternoon and were the correct parts. New wheel cylinders fitted, bled through and handbrake adjusted. Bleeding was fun as the bleed nipple is below the pipe on these, so pipe was pushed through the back plate, cylinder connected upside down, bled then carefully turned and attached. All sorted and out of the shed last night, just in time for a downpour of biblical proportions that washed some of the dust off nicely.

Today I bailed out the back of the 900 (the roof leaks below the rear window and it gathers in where the parcel shelf should be and makes an annoying sloshing on corners if you leave it) and the boot loaded with trolley jack, trailer spare, dugga gun, tent, air bed etc ready to go. Then the small trailer was hitched on and the Sonett loaded and strapped down. The 900 was then parked in to the barn as it was looking like another storm was on its way and I can't be bothered bailing it out again. Of course it was just a few spots....

The 900 has done 40 miles since its MOT after spending the last 2 years parked up waiting its turn. The Sonett has driven about 20 yards since a new ignition system and brakes after 3 years of sitting in the shed. Tomorrow I will leave home about 6am and head to Prescott, a mere 444 miles away. WCPGW?  

[Cookiesouwest]

Good luck.

Heavy rain forecast down here in SW, so bring duct tape for the rear window.

[Saabnut]

Made it down to Cheltenham but that is a journey I don't want to repeat! Got up at 0500, packed the last few bits, checked emails and left the house dead on 0600 as planned. Not often that happens, and there was a price to pay! Pulled out of my drive, covered about 50m (remember my drive is a mile long) and heard a bang. Stopped to check and this happened:

Good job I had packed the spare! The spare is of course the wrong size, but it goes round! Now, I have no spare and I have the best part of 1000 miles to cover before getting home. Considered returning home and swapping the Sonett onto my other trailer, but that would have meant leaving yhe 900 and taking the Disco, and as I had polished the 900, I used the logic of lightning never strikes twice and continued on with a flat spare!

Must have been easy to park in any city today as every car in the UK was on the M6. My average speed between Carlisle and Cannok was 38mph. At J12 Cannock my satnav wanted to take me off, so switched on the radio to hear the M5 was closed and the M42 gridlocked. Followed my satnav which took me through the centre of Wolverhampton and Dudley which was fun with the trailer on. Worked though, as vehicles that had passed me way up the M6 were still passing me as I turned off.

Overall 12 hours to cover 444 miles plus an hour swapping the wheel Knackered now though!

[Cookiesouwest]

Enjoy the event. You have earned it

[catsinthewelder]

Liked that you made it despite tyres and Wolverhampton, you did well to make it through there with a trailer.  It was bad enough yesterday afternoon in the Focus, picking my lad up from the station 😳

[jon.k]

I just cycled past Prescott and stopped to admire the all the Saabs. Your car was about to go up the hill ... I hadn’t seen this thread recently so I was amazed the car was all the way this far down south. Now I’ve just seen it pulled a trailer too! Good work.

[Saabnut]

Been too long without an update, but I have good* excuses! After an OK night in an expensive Premier Inn, off to Prescott we went for the static show day. Met up with Alex and his family and a good day was spent dodging showers, apart from the realisation that I had left my tent poles at home! Fairly comfortable night in the 900 'vert followed  having partaken of too many beers.

Sunday started very wet, but it dried up in time for the hill climb session. Apparently 330 runs were made on the hill with two mechanical failures and a minor off into the gravel. Prescott were happy! Sadly the lack of time to test the Sonett bit me as the timing is still miles out with it bogging down badly. The very slippery track meant two wheels slid into the gravel at the hairpin despite low speeds.

 

I am also finding it more and more difficult to get in and out of, and with the Cobra being back sorted, I think I will sort the timing, fit a new set of tyres and prepare it for sale. I have had it nearly 10 years so will be sad to see it go, but I am not into keeping ornaments. I decided that I did not want to risk holing a piston with more runs in it, so for the next run I decided a slow run up with the convertible was in order

It did so well, I used it again (not filmed - typical as it was by far my best and only decent run) and my cameraman also used it for his 3 runs as his 9-5 estate had FTPed the day before. This car I have had for about 12 years and I am so pleased with it and being such a good all-rounder I have started the procedure to get a new hood fitted.

Left Prescott Sunday evening and stopped in a super cheap travelodge half way to Sheffield, where I spent the next few days as my 60th was on the Wednesday where more beer was consumed. Also borrowed my friends tyre machine and took advantage of his trade status and bought and fitted 4 new tyres to the trailer so I once again had a spare which of course I did not need and had a nice run home Thursday. I had been home about 20 minutes when the phone rang. It was a friend I had seen at Prescott, and after a bit of negotiation, this one departed the fleet

It has been away in storage for the last 7 years as it was too much welding for me and indeed for the specialist I took it to hence storage. I was never going to get around to it, so that is one less project on the books.

However, there is now another POS parked outside. This

No, I have not bought it! A friend of mine is going to re-engine his coachbuilt Mk2 Transit Camper and is going to use a BMW 2litre diesel as it is such a compact engine and a standalone ECU is available giving it 211bhp. This engine means the transplant will be fully reversible should it be wanted.

It is a 318 or 320D with 127k miles on it. Everything works on it, bit of surface rust and a crack in the windscreen being the only faults so far. He wants me to put some miles on it (it has 9 months MOT) to make sure the engine is good. Of course he phoned me to say he has bought another engine/box/etc on a pallet today, so this one may or may not be needed. I will run it for a while (after all it has a BMW "M" on the steering wheel) and if anyone offers the £850 he paid for it, it will go, otherwise it will be broken when the MOT expires and the engine will go on the shelf as a spare.

Basically, that is me back up to date for now.....

[Asimo]

Sonnet sounds sweet!

[Saabnut]

Yesterday was a day away from fettling, and no driving, for me, to boot!

Filled my flask and dug out my posh* hi-viz vest

We headed off into the forest and spent the day marshalling the Grampian Forest Rally, which this year was part of the BRDC as well. Sadly due to COVID it was non spectator but a few turned up of course, but all were sensible and stood behind trees as we asked.

I did not take many photos as I was supposed to be working but grabbed a couple of a Mk2 but sadly missed my favourite, a '71 Hillman Avenger. Think the Hillman finished as it was still going well when it passed me on the final stage.

Great to see some live motorsport up close again

[hairnet]

hooliganz

ps the saab you sold hnnnng

 

[Saabnut]

After nearly 2 years away, it looks like I will be going to my French pad at the start of next month, as I think* the grass needs a light trim! I had originally booked a Tunnel trip in December last year, when I had planned on taking the Komatsu mini digger down. Since then, things have changed, but I have been moving my trip forward, but leaving the details the same, so the Disco and trailer are booked. Decided that instead of the digger I would take the Kubota as an extra very heavy duty lawnmower would be useful. I have tried in vain to contact UK and France customs to find out how to take something out and back without paying duty. This culminated with a friend who returned to the UK on Saturday tying to ask at the sharp end. Despite driving around Calais port, asking security there, and asking again at Calais, he found it impossible to find, let alone ask, a customs officer!

As I dont want to risk big bills, I have decided the Kubota can stay here until I can get a definitive answer. As I have a trailer booked, I have changed my plans and have decided to take a heating oil tank and a couple of IBCs which I need down there. Rather than take my plant trailer, I have decided to take a car transporter trailer down, one which was specifically built for my Sonett. This trailer is too narrow for cars wider than a Saab 96, is too long and badly designed so it has a bow to it. As a result I only used it once and has spent the last 10 years slowly being overgrown with weeds, brambles and wild raspberry canes. This will be perfectly fine with bulky but light loads, and has the bonus it can remain in France for when I need a trailer there (No, Mr Customs man, it has been in France since I bought the house 6 years ago so there is no duty to pay on it!  )

So, at the weekend out came the strimmer and the trailer was released. Of course, all the brakes were seized solid and 3 of the tyres had cried "enough" and whilst still being black(ish) and round(ish) no longer held air. First thing was to order 4 new ones (Toyos for £117 delivered for 4) and then to look at the rest. Now, there are two thing I hate, working on brakes and working on trailers, or at least there used to be. The 2 post lift has changed all that

First job was to remove the drums/hubs

Which put up a fight. The hubnut covers took ages to get off (the trailer has not been touched and only a used a couple of times since it was built over 20 years ago and then the nut needed a 36mm socket which I do not have. Managed to borrow a 3/4" drive set but even with that I could not release the nuts, which according to stickers inside the nut covers should have been 280nm. Found a 1/2" to 3/4" adaptor and the Ryobi dugga gun made short work of 3, but the 4th would not budge. Eventually I got my big air dugga gun (680Nm) and that struggled but eventually it came off.

Next the cables came off, but I could only get 3 to move, and 2 of them were not great. I was plesantly surprised to find 4 new, genuine Knott cables, 2 x 930mm and 2 x 1630mm delivered was only £56. I have ordered those, freed off and lubricated all the brake mechanisms and got the handbrake lever moving freely again. Now, waiting on parts.

I wish I had bought a lift many years ago!

[big_al_granvia]

no envy for your workshop..... aye right.... at least with trailer brakes there is no leaky fluids

[hairnet]

I lol

 

 

[hairnet]

Didn't know they made civilian planes

[Supernaut]

Ooh, a cheap diesel... WCPGW?

Which rusts more; mk8 civic or E46?

[Crackers]

On 23/08/2021 at 21:08, Saabnut said:

I have tried in vain to contact UK and France customs to find out how to take something out and back without paying duty

You may have already explored the option but have you considered an ATA Carnet? I'm not sure if they're available to non-business goods movements but I am currently using one to send some goods abroad for work. The goods must return to the country of origin within a specified time frame up to 1 Year. Might be worth a look if you've not tried it. 

[hairnet]

if youre taking it out via tunnel or ferry itll be listed on the ticket

both ways

dont see a problem

take a photo of it at home with location enabled on ya phone

then at the port then in france

they can see its going out and coming back

pas de probleme? if it was a vehicle then into carnet but if its not going out for long (less than 6 months isnt it)

you should be ok?

 

[Saabnut]

7 hours ago, Crackers said:

You may have already explored the option but have you considered an ATA Carnet? I'm not sure if they're available to non-business goods movements but I am currently using one to send some goods abroad for work. The goods must return to the country of origin within a specified time frame up to 1 Year. Might be worth a look if you've not tried it. 

Looked into a carnet - £300 for a year  

Yesterday the tyres arrived, fitted them this morning and was delighted when I found the spare was where it should have been! The new brake cables arrived this evening, now also fitted, and hubs/drums installed. Tomorrow I will torque up the hub nuts, refit the wheels, adjust the brakes and call it done for now.

[Saabnut]

I am claiming two have left the fleet as it makes me feel as though I am actually getting somewhere in the fleet reduction  Truth is, one was only a temporary resident! This had been left with me to put a few miles on to check the engine was good before it is fitted to a Mk2 Transit motorhome. 850 miles without a problem had completed the task so yesterday the owner collected it back.

Just after that had gone, another one was collected. This has been my shopping trolley for the last year, but I have never jelled with it. Reliable, economical and boring. A friend borrowed it for a few weeks, did a trip to France in it and declared he really liked it. A deal was done and farewell....

After that had gone, I started to load my trailer that I had been working on this week ready to head to France. Rudely interupted by @hairnetwork stopped whilst tea was drunk. Good to catch up again, hopefully he has made it back home safely.

This morning, loading was completed and many straps appled to secure the load. Tomorrow I will collect a number plate for the trailer and attach the lights ready for heading to Gatwick Tuesday and France on Thursday. I have soom grass to cut.....

[Saabnut]

A distinct lack of decent internet connection means no updates on the grass cutting! Suffice to say that a lawn that reached my chin gave the Kubota 2850 c/w 1.75m flail mower a decent work out. Many cuts later plus cutting up the large tree that was victim of winter 2019/20 winter storms kept me busy, along with drinking red wine whilst sat in the shade of my linden tree! The old Disco performed perfectly apart from one wheel having the nuts slacken off a bit (common problem on LR alloys) and developing a small oil leak. Not bad for 3000 miles at an average of 28mpg, half towing.

Now back home, and first cure the oil leak. This was easy, the newly fitted oil filter had worked itself loose. This is the second time I have had a filter back off this year, after 40 years of never having a problem. IMy thory is the sealing gaskets are now made of a different material meaning they require more than hand tight, so from here I will tweak them up with the strap tool.

Next job was to get the Toyota Emina ready for an MOT as it had expired whilst I was away. I made the fateful comment "should be easy enough" and it has all gone down hill since then. First was to change the headlamp bulb that failed last time I was out. An easy job, but whilst I was under the bonnet I noticed something that looked suspiciously like rust. Oh dear.

The other side in the same area looks to be not far behind

[Saabnut]

Now. I have no intention of restoring this, rather I would like to get another year or two's use out of it. To that end, I have decided now might be a good time to get back into welding. I used to be fairly proficient with oxy/acetelene but that was 40 years ago. In the late 90s I borrowed a MIG welder and taught myself how to stick a couple  of bits of metal together, but good I was not. In 1998 I started my classic car business and employed a guy who was a brilliant welder, so I stopped gobbing bits together and let him do that. I sold the business in 2011 and since then on the occasions I needed welding done I got a friend to do it. A couple of years ago, I bought a decent MIG welder with good intentions,  but have never used it. Now would be a good time......

First, get the Enima on the ramp and remove the front wheel

Quick look around to see what is what. Behind the wheel I spotted another bit that will need a repair, but should be a simple* patch

A closer look

Back to the task in hand, at least access is good

A tap with the hammer, and it gets bigger

Remove the uderseal to see what we have got

then out with the grinder to get back to solid metal

At this point I remembered I had not bought any sheet steel, despite planning on doing do. Now, where to get some steel......

Always new that Iveco would come in useful!

Next it was to the crunchy nut cornflake box to make a template

which was then transferred to the removed section of Iveco. I dug out my guillotine last used in 2011, oiled it up 

and cut out the first patch

As it was getting late and I have not yet upgraded my shed lighting, I decided to call it a day. I don't like welding/grinding late on as I like to remain near for an hour or so after completing work in case of smouldering leading to fire. Also, I have not swiched the welder on for 2 years so I am sure I will need to fiddle with it for a while before I can see how much of a mess I make.