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Dollywobbler's Consolidated Tat Thread


dollywobbler

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1 hour ago, dollywobbler said:

Further to the above, I've since discovered a load of rot in the back of the nearside sill on the 2CV, so that's really helping with my low mood at the moment. Multipla is for sale for cheaps,

Strip and flog the multipla for all its usable parts and then use its body shell for metal sections @Saabnut style, to fix up the 2CV in a hubnut Learns how to weld series? :) 

(you could even practice just by hacking bits out the multipla and then welding them back incase your worried about messing something up? or maybe take sections from the multipla and try and weld them to crusty bits on the fire damaged oltcit as further practice before tackling the 2CV?)

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12 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

 fix up the 2CV in a hubnut Learns how to weld series? :) 

 

That sounds like the most painful way to learn how to weld. Cold, wet barn, thin steel and potentially complex places. Trying to weld pieces to the broken Oltcit probably wouldn't be much better.

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1 hour ago, Fumbler said:

That sounds like the most painful way to learn how to weld. Cold, wet barn, thin steel and potentially complex places. Trying to weld pieces to the broken Oltcit probably wouldn't be much better.

You're better off practicing on sheet metal off cuts, starting off with thick stuff and then going thinner. At the end of the day, as long as you don't start a fire, there are few ways welding can go wrong that can't be later rectified. You can always fill in holes with more wire.

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14 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Possibly, and it was worse before we recently topped up the level, but I remember it doing it after we checked the level in NZ as well. It is still leaking slightly, but I'm not sure it's really losing that much. Mind you, she's clocking up the miles still - up to 6000kms since July now.

My incredibly limited knowledge of automatic transmissions is that these things are full of clutches, which are just essentially paper discs. Low levels of ATF, or old old old fluid, degrade the paper. Continual use of the tranny with said fluid issues ends up tearing/ripping/burning the paper and leads to it being a boat anchor.

Identify the location of the leak, fix it, change the oil properly. 

As for the Multipla, you'd be as well to ask a farmer for a field for a day and see how battered and knackered it can get before it stops driving, then bridge it.

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Just watched the 2cv episode. I feel for you Ian. I used to despair at rust before I got my own welder so I can relate.

Sorry to see its getting you down.

You'll probably disagree but when you car gets you down or you feel overwhelmed sometimes it's worth thinking about clearing your feet?

I know the 2cv means a lot to you so that's obviously safe, the GSA looks like a good investment and the Invacar has been a lot of fun.

The others...not so sure? 

 

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Seems to be the in thing on Car Blogger YouTube to sell (almost) all your cars and start again. While it's easy to get attached to cars (I certainly do), yours are props to your business. If they ain't making you money, then time to change?

Just watched the Charade video. Did you leave the handbrake on when parked up? If so, I wouldn't if leaving cars for any length. All mine in storage are left handbrake off and in gear. 

Also, is there not a second hand engine you can lob in? Ideally one you can test run first. 

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On 12/1/2021 at 6:53 PM, dollywobbler said:

Too many cars, not enough enjoyment

I just watched the 2cv video and was thinking this.

Entirely not my place to be casting a vote but I think the 2cv and the Invacar should stay as they look to have have given you the greatest pleasure although you were probably thinking this anyway.

 

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23 minutes ago, SiC said:

Also, is there not a second hand engine you can lob in

Exactly what I was thinking. I did this with my Corsa when the old engine was knocking and it really wasn't that bad a job. I did get some help with the final removal of the old engine and bolting in of the new one but other than that only about an hour a week was necessary for disconnecting and labelling wires, fixings and so on.

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On 12/1/2021 at 10:11 PM, dollywobbler said:

My car fettling mojo is low enough already, without adding 'failed welder' to the list.

I really don't know how you manage to keep positive. I only have two cars. A daily and a classic. The latter is just not giving me the love I give it. Would hate to have  8 (ish) cars that do not give me much.

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13 hours ago, Remspoor said:

 Would hate to have  8 (ish) cars that do not give me much.

So would I. I was up to twelve at one point which was beyond ridiculous. I think if your cars are getting you down, it's time for a clear out. I know we all get attached to our cars but there are always other, better cars to get attached to when the time is right. 

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Time for a clearout methinks.

Multiple big projects, several that need welding which you'll have to farm out for £££, daily runners deteriorating faster than they can be maintained and one of which needs bits flying in from Oz.

Elly, the Falcon and TWC are all obvious keepers. Foxanne has served her time I recon, she hardly ever gets used and other cars are always a priority in the fix list. The long term projects (Yugo and the Olcit bros) hiding at the back of the barn are never going to get a look in. The Multipla needs some horrible incident resulting in an insurance payout. Matiz is a potential keeper but I think you'd need to big the Charade to justify it. GSA is mega cool but also another vehicle who's sole purpose is to frequently kick you in the wallet with specialist repair bills.

Selling a few motors would free up money and space and allow the rest of the fleet some breathing room.

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Multipla is sold, so that's already helping. Yugo will be going next year, I hope. Burnt Oltcit will need to go, but is a good mobile-ish parts repository at the moment - I have no better way of storing those parts right now. Good Oltcit will hopefully hit the road in the spring - just needs a steering inner track rod fitting and lights sorting before its MOT ready. Probably should change the cambelts too.

Fox is a tricky one. It's done nothing for a year, but remains popular for reasons I don't entirely understand. There's outrage whenever I talk about parting with it. Matiz needs sorting, but it isn't a Charade competitor, regardless of how that looks on paper. The Charade is a far better daily driver car, and also the only one insured for a certain learner driver. GSA I adore, but may consider selling. Needs paintwork sorting though. Yes, it's had some expensive work done this year, but it's a much better car as a result and the expenditure isn't so bad given I've probably covered about 10,000 miles in it since purchase.

2CV and Invacar are 100% never sellers. They're fundamental both to me and the channel.

Fairmont is a tricky one. I don't buy cars to sit around (in theory...) and I love using it regularly, though you're always aware that even a fairly minor failure could leave it off the road for ages while parts are sorted. It'll also inevitably deteriorate in regular use, regardless of waxing and servicing - it's knocking on the door of 190,000 miles after all. I'm also aware that it could soon be seen as deeply unfashionable due to its thirst. So I'm just going to use it while I can. It's a top family motor in pretty much every way bar economy and, ultimately because it's a saloon, space. 

There may possibly be a loaner joining the fleet over winter, just to take the strain off the Fairmont a bit. 

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2 hours ago, captain_70s said:

Sage advice

Put much better than the random thoughts that I was trying to join together.

I know the Charade is very much loved my Ms Hubnut but completely rebuilding the engine is the most ardous route. I honestly reckon that  with an engine change,  between you, Ms Hubnut and the gent who sometimes features, you'd have that car back on the road in a week.

I agree with you about the burnt Oltcit and the Yugo, they've definitely to go.

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25 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Put much better than the random thoughts that I was trying to join together.

I know the Charade is very much loved my Ms Hubnut but completely rebuilding the engine is the most ardous route. I honestly reckon that  with an engine change,  between you, Ms Hubnut and the gent who sometimes features, you'd have that car back on the road in a week.

I agree with you about the burnt Oltcit and the Yugo, they've definitely to go.

I am feeling a bit like we've bitten off more than we can chew, but oil burning is such a weakness of these engines that I'd be loathe to just chuck another engine in and hope it fixes the problem. It'd be very annoying if it did not. Hoping to get back on it next week, head off, pistons out and see what the oil control rings look like. We have new rings, new gaskets and even some crank bearings. I have no idea how to fit them. Guess it'll be fun finding out, though I suspect weather is going to delay us again - yellow warnings for wind on Tuesday and that hampers tinkering. I need a proper commercial unit I think...

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3 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

I am feeling a bit like we've bitten off more than we can chew, but oil burning is such a weakness of these engines that I'd be loathe to just chuck another engine in and hope it fixes the problem. It'd be very annoying if it did not. Hoping to get back on it next week, head off, pistons out and see what the oil control rings look like. We have new rings, new gaskets and even some crank bearings. I have no idea how to fit them. Guess it'll be fun finding out, though I suspect weather is going to delay us again - yellow warnings for wind on Tuesday and that hampers tinkering. I need a proper commercial unit I think...

Don't take it personally, but I'd get a good garage or engine builder to do this.

As you should really correctly gap the new rings, and check the crank bearings 'squish' / tolerances by using the likes of plastiGauge and a DTI or similar for crank float.

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Normally there is nothing speaking against leaving the crank bearings alone, I'd feel like the risk/cost would far outweigh the benefit as they really dont wear out with normal oil pressure. At the same time, if the pistons are coming out you might as well, you can at least check their condition, just make sure each part is going back in exactly the position it came out of.

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Can see both sides of it with the Charade, I think for me it's better the devil you know blah blah,  you're both learning alot about it and with you both fiddling it equals more fun and just being together is the best bit? As the advert says "what's the worse that can happen?" 😂 It's an easier engine to work on surely as it's 3 cylinders and small, I've found that with my Charade, one less cylinder is a godsend lol. Just an arse doing it in winter, I pack everything away at this time of year and sit indoors doing plastic models lol.

I'm firmly in the camp of the whole point of any car is to use it and with mine many parts are next to impossible to find and I often resort to cross matching with other manufacturers and it nearly always takes longer to source the parts than actually fitting them  but sticking to servicing scheduling and going over the car listening for and looking for bits that don't sound or look right is half the battle,  the other half is having another car ready to use whilst I take parts off to measure up and check against (cv boots a prime example!!) Better to have fewer cars that are ready to use than many that aren't in a fit shape? (Says he whose half of his are no where near roadworthy!)

I like Fox, I was viewing when you were pulling the engine in and out in freezing conditions so there's alot of you in that, plus it has character and it least half of it can't rust, but I'm tending to agree with others on here about the rest of the flotilla

 

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7 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Fox is a tricky one. It's done nothing for a year, but remains popular for reasons I don't entirely understand. There's outrage whenever I talk about parting with it

So what?, It's your car. Your storage, your channel, your choice. If you listened to what the internet had to say, you'd probably never sell a car, ever.

Easy for people to say when it's not their space, their time and their money.

You never use it, let's be honest.

If there's no plan to do something that makes you use it more, then it's a pretty easy decision to let go as far as i can see.

And i've said it many times before, you need a hack. Something you don't care about but is dependable. It doesn't need to be interesting at all, or a content car, just a car you can use outwith filming and getting you to and from the unit for the interesting stuff and can jump in and go home when things are getting frustrating.

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