Skizzer’s thread: Honda Aerodeck repairs

[Skizzer]

I’ve decided to pull my various occasional shite exploits together in one thread, so that they are easier either to find or to avoid depending on your preference.

This is that thread.

Edit: Now also available on YouTube:

 

By way of introduction, I have a dozen or so old cars in varying states of functionality, legality and obscurity.   Most are from the 1970s and 1980s, which is definitely my era.  Eight of them (and a Lancia that belongs to someone else) live in two sheds I rent near my home in South Wales.

I am not a competent mechanic.  That said, I’ll have a go, and I’ve learned a lot over the years (much of it from people on here).  I also have a reasonable and growing collection of tools, some of which I have no idea how to use.

I will post about how I get on with keeping the fleet alive.

[Skizzer]

The cars (with links to their own threads):

1975N Vauxhall 2300S (Victor FE): road legal, works

1976P Renault 16: in dry storage, ran when parked, needs putting back into use

1976P Lotus Elite: road legal, mostly works

1979T Rover 3500: just gone MOT exempt so a tax class form away from road legal, works

1979V Vauxhall Royale Coupe: new purchase (on page 3), road legal, works

1982X Lancia Gamma Coupe: SORN, won’t start

1982Y Jaguar XJ-S HE: just run out of MOT, works

1983A BMW 320i: I have lost the only key, since when it’s run out of MOT; otherwise works

1984B Talbot Matra Rancho: needs a lot of welding

1985C Ford Granada estate: just recovered, needs engine work and recommissioning

1989G Honda Accord Aerodeck: road legal, works

1991H Audi 80: SORN, needs fuel pump / brakes / windscreen

2006 Alfa Romeo Brera: loaned out, out of MOT, who knows what it needs.

[Split_Pin]

Look forward to reading more about your fleet. I especially like the Victor as my late Uncle had a white estate example up until 1987.

[320touring]

This will be grand:) having seen much of this fleet in the flesh, I know it's quite the collection!

He is a man of impeccable taste.

[Tickman]

Always good to have a thread full of win.

[Skizzer]

As requested by @artdjones in the news 24 thread, here’s some thoughts on my new mobile car lift.

It’s one of these, a 2 tonne lift bought (new) from CJAutos on eBay.

I looked at stronger hydraulic lifts, but they weigh about half a tonne and delivery to my sheds by truck is problematic.  Most of the mobile scissor lifts are rated to 1.5t - pretty marginal on a couple of my cars - and look kinda scary.  This one seemed a good compromise.

It cost £480 plus £60 delivery. The hydraulic ones are about two or three times that. The delivery charge didn’t seem outrageous since it came in a wooden crate on a big truck with a tail lift (to my house, not the inaccessible shed).

It only weighs about 40-odd kilos and has castors on one end, so it’s not hard for one person to move around.

It comes with a range of crossbars so you can vary the width to suit different vehicles.  This just involves bolts, and only a tiny bit of swearing while you get everything (four crossbars and a drive shaft) lined up at the same time.

You drive it up and down with a drill or with a hand crank supplied.  The hand crank was very badly finished and wouldn’t go in the socket.

My 700w drill isn’t powerful enough to drive it with the weight of half an Audi on it.  But a socket, extension bar and ratchet handle worked fine.

Once up in the air it’s rock solid. I still put a couple of axle stands under the car, as recommended by both CJAutos and what my common sense was screaming at me, but I have no qualms about being under the car.

The rubber load plates spread the weight along the sills; I also have a set of four slotted rubber blocks to take the load off the sill seams, but didn’t need them on the Audi.

It’ll go higher than the picture shows, but didn’t need to.  If you balance it right (how?) it will lift the whole car rather than act as a tilter...but I’m not sure how useful that is. Maybe for changing all four wheels at once, but a floor jack on each corner in turn would be a lot less faff.

For: Neat and readily portable, strong enough, feels safe, cheaper than hydraulics

Against: Niggles about finish of non-critical parts (the load bearing stuff seems well made), needs a BFO drill or gives you a decent upper body workout

Verdict: 8/10.  Minor irritants aside, it does what I wanted well.

[Cavcraft]

They look really useful, Martin. Do you happen to know how high they will go? Cheers.

[Skizzer]

7 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

They look really useful, Martin. Do you happen to know how high they will go? Cheers.

The ad says max 585mm when level. If you’re tilting the car, the actual height at the axle or whatever would obviously depend on the geometry; this photo (from the eBay listing) suggests decent access.

[Skizzer]

One other thought on it:  it’s MUCH easier if you have room to slide it under the car from the side fully assembled. (I didn’t, as there was a Rancho in the way — will make room next time).

It is possible to assemble it while it’s in place, but lining everything up is a right pain.  So not ideal for using in a tight single garage.

[sdkrc]

Love the collection and you've got my dream shed. Looking forward to reading this.

Costco do a similar jack which I've been ogling but it's double the price of yours. Think I'd be picking the one you went for

 

 

[Shirley Knott]

Impressive fleet, I'd imagine it must be difficult to keep track of everything though?

The lift looks impressive for the amount you paid. I absolutely hate being under stuff on stands and would love one of those!

[Jim Bell]

It's a Skizzer-lift. 

[Skizzer]

5 minutes ago, Shirley Knott said:

I'd imagine it must be difficult to keep track of everything though?

Very. Any impression that I’m managing to keep track of everything is entirely unintentional.

[artdjones]

Can it go wider than your Audi?

[Skizzer]

2 hours ago, artdjones said:

Can it go wider than your Audi?

From memory the Audi is on the middle set of crossbars (but I can double check later).  

The ad says:

WITH 3 WIDTH ADJUSTMENTS

410mm to 750mm eg Morris Minors MG

770mm to 1000mm eg Triumphs

1180mm to 1530mm 

Edited February 9, 2020 by Skizzer
I was wrong. The Audi is on the widest set, though there is some further adjustment to be had. 1530mm is the widest touchpoint it’ll do.

[barrett]

Nice sheds. Are they open fronted? How are they for condensation etc? Our big shed is appalling really, if you put a car with good paint in there it really suffers when the outside temperature changes.

How's the auto box on the R16? 

[Skizzer]

9 minutes ago, barrett said:

Nice sheds. Are they open fronted? How are they for condensation etc? Our big shed is appalling really, if you put a car with good paint in there it really suffers when the outside temperature changes.

How's the auto box on the R16? 

The sheds are fully enclosed but have big double doors at one end (and an alternative exit at the back).

Condensation is ok as they’re well ventilated. One of them gets water seeping in under the doors; even so, a damp car will still dry out quite quickly.

 

The automatic is pleasant enough to use on the R16, but sloooowwww.  Still column shift, obvs.

[Six-cylinder]

9 minutes ago, Skizzer said:

The sheds are fully enclosed but have big double doors at one end (and an alternative exit at the back).

Condensation is ok as they’re well ventilated. One of them gets water seeping in under the doors; even so, a damp car will still dry out quite quickly.

I find while the shed I keep mine in is dry and has a good roller shutter door somehow dust still settles so I have to cover each car to keep it dust free.

[Skizzer]

Oh there’s dust alright. Doesn’t help that I’ve got a woodworking shop at the back of one of them, plus grass cuttings and hay dust creep in from the surrounding farm in the summer.

[Six-cylinder]

It does not look as pretty as your shed, just cheap grey covers!

[Snipes]

Still a dream for most of us!

[Skizzer]

Wow, THAT’s a shed.

@Dermist’s Lancia Beta at the back of mine lives under a good quality dust cover and is all the better for it.

My own cars are all naked, because I am a lazy mingebag who doesn’t deserve nice things.  They do get washed very occasionally though.

[Six-cylinder]

I beged all the free bed sheets I could find and have been paying about £12 each for the cheap covers that seem fine indoors.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Great to see info on your growing fleet again. Where's the Granny been hiding for the last three years? Had completely forgotten about its existence. 

[Amishtat]

I used to use charity shop bedsheets, pretty good value all things considered. Now I just don't bother. This says more about me than you. 

[Blake's Den]

5 hours ago, Skizzer said:

As requested by @artdjones in the news 24 thread, here’s some thoughts on my new mobile scissor lift.

It’s one of these, a 2 tonne lift bought (new) from CJAutos on eBay.

I looked at stronger hydraulic lifts, but they weigh about half a tonne and delivery to my sheds by truck is problematic.  Most of the mobile scissor lifts are rated to 1.5t - pretty marginal on a couple of my cars - and look kinda scary.  This one seemed a good compromise.

It cost £480 plus £60 delivery. The hydraulic ones are about two or three times that. The delivery charge didn’t seem outrageous since it came in a wooden crate on a big truck with a tail lift (to my house, not the inaccessible shed).

It only weighs about 40-odd kilos and has castors on one end, so it’s not hard for one person to move around.

It comes with a range of crossbars so you can vary the width to suit different vehicles.  This just involves bolts, and only a tiny bit of swearing while you get everything (four crossbars and a drive shaft) lined up at the same time.

You drive it up and down with a drill or with a hand crank supplied.  The hand crank was very badly finished and wouldn’t go in the socket.

My 700w drill isn’t powerful enough to drive it with the weight of half an Audi on it.  But a socket, extension bar and ratchet handle worked fine.

Once up in the air it’s rock solid. I still put a couple of axle stands under the car, as recommended by both CJAutos and what my common sense was screaming at me, but I have no qualms about being under the car.

The rubber load plates spread the weight along the sills; I also have a set of four slotted rubber blocks to take the load off the sill seams, but didn’t need them on the Audi.

It’ll go higher than the picture shows, but didn’t need to.  If you balance it right (how?) it will lift the whole car rather than act as a tilter...but I’m not sure how useful that is. Maybe for changing all four wheels at once, but a floor jack on each corner in turn would be a lot less faff.

For: Neat and readily portable, strong enough, feels safe, cheaper than hydraulics

Against: Niggles about finish of non-critical parts (the load bearing stuff seems well made), needs a BFO drill or gives you a decent upper body workout

Verdict: 8/10.  Minor irritants aside, it does what I wanted well.

I've recently bought one of these too and I agree with your review. I'm currently using it on my classic mini and it gives great access but it's difficult to find the balance point if you want to swap between working on the front and back.

[Skizzer]

41 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

I beged all the free bed sheets I could find and have been paying about £12 each for the cheap covers that seem fine indoors.

That’s good to know, I assumed (on no evidence) that nun/kitten death would flow from cheap covers.  

34 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Great to see info on your growing fleet again. Where's the Granny been hiding for the last three years? Had completely forgotten about its existence. 

Junkman bought us out and dailied it for a while, then it turned up on eBay so I bought it again.  It turned out to have shat its water pump though, so it’s been laid up at Breadvan’s house.

I brought it home about a month ago — it’s in a different storage place where I keep my trailer.

[cort16]

Looks like you're somewhere in the hinterland between dreams and nightmares with all those cars. The lift should make it easier I hate knobbing around with jacks and limited access under cars.

Did the granada not have some kind of no fix fault with the injection setup? 

[Skizzer]

48 minutes ago, cort16 said:

Looks like you're somewhere in the hinterland between dreams and nightmares with all those cars.

This sums it up perfectly.  That’s exactly where I am.

May I use this as a strapline please?

 

48 minutes ago, cort16 said:

Did the granada not have some kind of no fix fault with the injection setup? 

I think they are prone to injection problems, but thankfully not this one — it’s a 2.8 carb.

[mk2_craig]

3 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

It does not look as pretty as your shed, just cheap grey covers!

That’s just crying out for a mezzanine level!