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

[Dick Cheeseburger]

17 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

Well, one guess was close!

This may help, and maybe jog a few memories.

Is it Mav, the Fenlander?

 

[chaseracer]

nickisabloodytease.com 😄

[Saabnut]

44 minutes ago, JMotor said:

As a greenhorn to this place. 

I don't know. 

So I'm gonna guess. She's a 205? Wie a eicht teen hunner? But I could be talkin shite tho. 

The man talketh not shite!  

Two words that should give it away

Cherry Bomb!

 

[JMotor]

Well that's a surprise to get that richt! 😂 

Then again the seat trim and winda seal kinda suggested what it was to me. 

Anyway. Still be an grand wee chariot. 

I want to ask how you came upon it. But suspect you will tell the tale anyway? 

[Saabnut]

This was a well known POS car on Autoshite for a few years, owned by at least 4 shiters and it slowly made its way north, being run on a diet of veg for most of the time. Eventually it starred* in an AS calendar shot (alongside a nice example) but by the time the calendar came out the car was in Glasgow and the injection pump seals had gone and most of the dash was hanging out with the ignition lock homed on the parcel shelf. It was heading for the bridge but as it had a sound shell, the idiot that I am collected it from 120 miles away by trailer and my friend and serious 205 molester said he would fix it when he was not busy. That took 2 years......

Previous owners (that I know about but there could well be more) were @Microwave @Bucketeer and @davehedgehog31

[JMotor]

Change idiot to feckin Leg-end in my opinion. 

Taking one for the AS team. 

Seriously doe. It doesn't look too bad in the photos? 

[Microwave]

23 hours ago, JMotor said:

Seriously doe. It doesn't look too bad in the photos? 

lol

4 years since I first set eyes upon this magnificent beast, bloody hell

[Saabnut]

Having put some diesel in the Pug and used it for a bin run, it was put away until |Wednesday when it will get taxed, in the barn to keep the snow out of the sunroof.

Today I decided that I was going to have a day off from motors and do some domestic duties. This afternoon I got a phone call from a guy I sold a Saab to a couple of years ago saying the car has developed faults - reluctant to start, rattle from underneath - and he was going to scrap it, was I interested? Having decided I was not buying any more projects, I of course said yes and will be travelling to Edinberg on Wednesday with my trailer.......

[hairnet]

this is not insane this is normal

 

[Saabnut]

Travelled down to Edinburgh this morning with the trailer (had to leave the Disco at home* due to lack of MOT) and fought my way into the city. Garage were very helpful and provided a jump and eventually it was coaxed into life. DPF blocked warning on the dash, smoke everywhere and would not rev above a fast tickover. It took a couple of runs to get it on the trailer (saved me unwrapping the winch) and strapped it down before high-tailing it back to civilisation.

I am hopeful it is actually a blocked DPF and the car will survive, but need to get the Sonett off the ramp so I can have a look.

[hairnet]

never too many (even if theyre borked )

 

[grogee]

32 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

Travelled down to Edinburgh this morning with the trailer (had to leave the Disco at home* due to lack of MOT) and fought my way into the city. Garage were very helpful and provided a jump and eventually it was coaxed into life. DPF blocked warning on the dash, smoke everywhere and would not rev above a fast tickover. It took a couple of runs to get it on the trailer (saved me unwrapping the winch) and strapped it down before high-tailing it back to civilisation.

I am hopeful it is actually a blocked DPF and the car will survive, but need to get the Sonett off the ramp so I can have a look.

We have a similar vintage Alfa 159, same dizzle engine I think. I bought an old DPF and smashed the innards out with a core drill. Also got a cheap centre exhaust to throw on at the same time. It's been behaving recently so I've not meddled but will probably sort after next MoT. 

I would like a remap (delete EGR, delete DPF) but can't seem to find anything under £200.

[Saabnut]

1 hour ago, grogee said:

We have a similar vintage Alfa 159, same dizzle engine I think. I bought an old DPF and smashed the innards out with a core drill. Also got a cheap centre exhaust to throw on at the same time. It's been behaving recently so I've not meddled but will probably sort after next MoT. 

I would like a remap (delete EGR, delete DPF) but can't seem to find anything under £200.

My other 9-3 might* have had a DPF/broom handle interface but I found it definitely needed a remap as the sump oil was regularly deleted with diesel. As that was a few years ago, it was still legal to do it so was cheap(er)

[big_al_granvia]

jeezo, you still have jaggy mcjagface, 

[Saabnut]

13 hours ago, big_al_granvia said:

jeezo, you still have jaggy mcjagface, 

Only because I have not had time to scrap it.

Left home yesterday and they were talking about strong winds returning. It was a light breeze at worst.

The motorway signs on the way back had a yellow warning for ice. It was mild.

Nothing was said at all about this. The same car 16 hours later:

[cort1977]

Still snowing here as well.  At least we have power today...

[JMotor]

On 11/28/2021 at 9:38 PM, Microwave said:

lol

4 years since I first set eyes upon this magnificent beast, bloody hell

Tidy! A wee water feature and some greenery too. 

Bonus 😆.

[davehedgehog31]

Glad to see the 205 back on the road. What did it all need? 

[Saabnut]

5 hours ago, davehedgehog31 said:

Glad to see the 205 back on the road. What did it all need? 

The big one was a new fuel injection pump (new to me anyway) as the veg use had comprehensively killed the old one, every seal leaking and wear in the insides. Apart from that, a new wheel cylinder and shoes on the back, most of the dash components cleaning and refitting, headlight aim and a wiper blade. Oh, and straightening of the very bent rear brake plate. Will need a rear wheel bearing soon, but really nothing that was not known or expected.

Taxed it today and took it for a 60 mile run on icy roads. Great fun and nothing has broken yet.....

[Saabnut]

Today I remembered why I hate cleaning cars, I much prefer to use them than clean them, but it does not help when you are about to sell a car. The last couple of weeks I have been getting the Sonett ready for market, some what reluctantly as I still love it but my knees disagree everytime I get in or out. Of course, a lot of the minor jobs are ones I have been putting off since I bought the car 10 years ago!

I have derusted the underside of surface rust as documented previously, and applied Lanoguard to help keep it at bay, and that has turned out nicely

Next job was the bodywork. Considering this is the original 55 year old gelcoat, it is in remarkable condition. First was a coat of wax (whatever is lying around, this time it was some MER I have had for years)

After which a coat of my favourite product. This was recommended to me by a professional detailer many years ago and I have used it ever since. Easy on, easy off and a superb finish that lasts for ages.

That done, it was clean the glass, refit the boot floor, vacuum the interior and job done.

Of course, it is now better than it has ever been and I started to think about keeping it. I have to be sensible, so have listed it on C&C before I changed my mind. Mind, I really won't be upset if I end up keeping it.

[TheOtherStu]

I love your thread. I've read this a couple of times and it amuses the hell outa me.

The sheer value of some of those cars (the Shelby Cobra is probably worth more than many houses in Aberdeen), Bentleys, Rollers and all sorts yet you have them sat around in a barn.

Have you ever thought "hey, fuck it, I'll get rid of 40 odd of these motors and just keep the ones I really enjoy"?

I'd love to have the space and the time that you clearly do to tinker, but I think that many cars would be too many 😂

[beko1987]

If you look closely* at the posts though, the overall car count doesn't seem to be decreasing much 😂

[Saabnut]

Todays Top Tip.

When buying a 205 to stop it being bridged, and you are told the sunroof leaks and the interior is soaked, by all means apply cheap duct tape to help* stop the leaks. However, do not then leave it outside for 18 months, then put it in a nice dry shed for a further 6 months. If you do, you will discover the duct tape has degraded to the extent some fabric and lots of glue is left. You will also discover the bod between glue and lacquer is stronger than the bond between lacquer and paint, Once these discoveries are made, spend an hour trying to remove said glue before saying sod it and getting the mastic out to seal it properly.

It is this point you discover the clear mastic comes out white.. What is all over your hands because you forgot to put on your gloves will spend the next hour setting and turning clear so you spend the rest of the evening peeling it off. Hopefully that on the car will turn clear, but chucking it outside with the temperature at -4c may* slow it down, will find out tomorrow!

Still, at least I spent many hours minutes on doing a quality job so have ended up with an invisible repair!

[hairnet]

fahhhhkin ell nick

sheet of steel woulda been better

 

[beko1987]

I used black tigerseal to seal up the sunroof on my old xm, was a much more invisible repair! 

 

(annoyingly it didn't leak from the seals and worked OK but it leaked from the surround and through the roof motor and out through the interior light... So had to seal the lot up. Did try sealing the motor but it didn't work, probably because grease and bodge don't mix...) 

[Saabnut]

Cleared the Sonett off the ramp so time to investigate the recently (re)acquired Saab 9-3.

Collected by trailer from Edinburgh after being towed in to the garage |I collected it from as a "non runner" although technically it did tick over if in a haze of smoke, but would not rev. The dashboard showed "DPF Filter Blocked" and "Limited Performance". I was 99.9% sure it was the blocked DPF causing the problem but in a worst case scenario it would provide many spares for my other one.

Got it onto the lift 

Removed the downpipe and fired it up just in case. Took a lot of starting, no difference to the running and no noisier! Checked the value of a scrap CAT from a diesel Saab (Nah, we don't want that mate, nowt in 'em) so with nothing to lose decided to try a knock through to see if that is actually the only fault. My ex-MOT tester arrived and whilst here gave it the once over. All good except a leaking NSF strut, a bit of misting on the OSF strut (advisory) and some play within the steering rack (also advisory). The steering rack was fitted by the PO at the garage I collected it from, supplied by ECP. In May this year! Thanks ECP.

Much hammering with chisel, air chisel, drills etc and a mere 3 hours later the innerds were out

Flushed with success, even with aching arms and covered in shite, I lowered it down and started it. Took a bit of starting, was satisfyingly noisier, but still runs like crap, won't rev and smokes. Sounds like it is only on 3 cylinders. Bollox. That will be the 0.1% I wasn't sure about  

Tomorrow I will put it outside to save smoking the workshop out, connect up my Tech-II and see if it identifies a fault. If so and it is simple, the car may well live. If not, as I suspect, it will be parked in the naughty corner to become a spares car.

[Saabnut]

Today I got a chance to look at the 9-3. First job was to take it off the list and put it outside. This highlighted the first problem as despite fully charging the battery 3 days ago, it was lacking enough charge to start it! The battery was replaced with an expensive Yuasa a couple of weeks  ago so it appears there is a drain on the car somewhere, something to add to the list. the big starter/charger got it started, still running rough and smoky, but it dragged itself outside.

Connected up my Tech-II and spent the next couple of hours trying to find out what was going on. It became obvious that there are electrical problems, sometimes it would communicate fine, others it would not connect and most times it would go so far before dropping comms. Talked it over with a friend and we came to the conclusion that either one (or more) of the ECUs is faulty or more likely the wiring has been damaged,  and the most likely cause being rodent ingress!

Decision made. Started one last time and it dragged itself into its final resting place (well, until I get it inside to strip it), battery removed for charging and keys put safe. One project less, but not in the way I had hoped. I now just have to decide how far to strip it, guessing which bits will be required to keep the other one going always works out well*.

[Saabnut]

No access to my ramp today as my friend borrowed it yesterday to do a wheel bearing on a CashCow. Of course it didn't go to plan and it also needs an outer CV and no one local had one in stock, so it was left on the ramp until tomorrow.  The weather here was a bit dreich so enthusiasm for working outside was lacking, but went out to take the rubbish to the bins at the end of my drive. Got distracted and decided to see if the ex  @cpjitservices 9-5 would start as I had a charged battery of the correct size. This Saab has been sat for a year after the battery died shortly after my MOT tester retired. The tester was critical as he was the only tester I knew who did not see the welding on the cat!

Put the battery on, wasted a bit* of time trying to find the key and gave it a whirl. Only started first time. Of course, as it had been parked up overnight* I had left the handbrake on, so the OSR was locked up. One of the many advantages of living where I do was I had plenty of space to play and it soon broke free. Chucked the rubbish bags in the back and took them to the bin. By a lucky coincidence, I have a section of private test track that is tarred and maintained by the local authority right next to my bins so tried it out for half a mile to see if everything was OK. It was.

I had forgotten how good this car is, so as soon as the cashcow is off the ramp, I need to see what can be done about emissions for an MOT.

[Saabnut]

This not going to plan is becoming a habit!  

Christmas eve, I pressure washed the Disco under the wheel arches so I could investigate how big a patch was going to be needed to get it an MOT. Then drove it into the shed and positioned it on the ramp. Got the torch and had a look, the pressure washer had helped* and the small patch had become the bottom 8 inches or so were missing. Depressed, I left it and went to celebrate* Christmas.

Christmas day I forced myself to stay out of the shed and instead opened a bottle of red. It helped, but I was still bored....

Today, I decided that when I got the wing liner off it would all look better so out I went.

Firstly the bit missing at the front of the inner wing is quite large

and as a bonus, the battery box behind it needs a patch

Moving back, my hopes started to rise as the main innerwing looks good

But at the top in the centre a small patch is required

Sadly, the top of the footwell also needs a tickle

but, in true disco form, that was not all as the drivers floor is mostly missing after giving it a prod

To tackle the floor and footwell, the carpet has to come out which means the seats etc have to come out. The outcome is this is not going to be a quick fix so the Disco is going to be SORNed and moved down the list as a major project. This will leave me without a tow car/4x4 so it is a good job I have not completed the end of year tat accounts

Watch this space......

[Saabnut]

After the good* news with the Disco yesterday, last night I entertained myself with looking for a temporary replacement whilst I get around to the marathon weldage. With a budget of 2k, Evilbay, Autotrader and Faceache marketplace were perused, which produced the grand total of nothing within 150 miles. I had a fairly basic set of requirements, no projects though work not objected to, 4x4 and towbar essential, preferably diseasal and a long(ish) MOT. The only offerings were junk, faulty or no MOT. I realised buying in a pandemic where everything available is expensive and requiring 4x4 just as winter is about to hit was probably* not my brightest idea, but hey ho.

In desperation, I opened gumtree. Amongst all the similar and mostly the same dross was one that caught the eye, mainly because it was 1200 quid! Smaller than my usual choice of 4x4 it would be of no use for my biggest trailer, but I can always borrow a 110 TDi if needed. Tested to October, 122k miles, 55 plate, 4x4, 2 litre diseasal and tow bar. Located in Crail so only 80 miles away. Sellers phone was off, but message sent. Surprisingly got a reply and arranged to view today, but seller was only available after 1630, so it would be dark. Ideal*.

Took my MOT tester friend with me for a second opinion and off we went. Seller declared a couple of faults, cracked windscreen and ABS light on once you got over 40mph, and it would need a couple of tyres soon. My friend who has mostly retired but occasionally helps a friend in Anstruther recognised the car as he had tested it in October. Given a clean bill of health by him, I made an offer of £1k which the seller accepted as he had had many many calls but no viewers  . My friend drove it back for me, and on the way called at his house for his magic box of tricks and found it is a cracked relucter ring causing the ABS fault.

It has now done 140 miles and drives very well. I had never considered one of these before, but I actually quite like it. Never owned anything from the manufacturing country before either, so another first. No petrol station shot as it came with almost half a tank, and no photos as it is very dark outside tonight. I was going to use the advert photos but the advert has been pulled, so I am going to leave you to guess until the morning when photos will be taken.