Bear's bangers: IT'S ALIVE! The RX-7 stops wetting the bed...

[Bear]

Tinkering begins!

Wonky coin thingy and cubbyhole was trying to retreat into the dash.

Couple of broken tabs

It looks nicer now! The red and aluminium is really quite good looking IMO.

[Shandylegs]

I may be biased, but fully agree with you.

There isn't another car out there offering the same levels of performance / value as the R170 and 171.

[Bear]

I don't even care about the performance - nice build, comfy seats and pedals, generally reliable. It could be a Ford hatchback and still be awesome if it had the same values for the same price.

But they are fun and quick too. And cheap to insure.

Best car ever.

[Bear]

The sun came out!

Had messages to do so the cheap small car that works was super useful by being cheap and small and working. Love it. All the tyres round, no error messages, no worrying about rarity or the fact I haven't sorted the timing or radiator yet...

Is this the best interior on a cheap banger ever, or what?

The Sony MEX-4100 radio is bluetooth and has hands free, it also has an App mode and you can do things like selecting the phone's Spotify from the head unit. Neat! I was going to change it for single-DIN carplay but I won't yet.

And some love for the Audi too!

Maybe auction that random odd wheeltrim it was wearing.

[Bear]

RX-7:

This, is a little bastard. It has defeated every bolt extraction technique I know and am happy to use near a leaking fuel line and plastic part I want to remove without breaking.

Including "broken bolt extractor number 3" and "angry chisel".

Going to grind the bolt head off to save the plastic part, then remove the bracket to get the thread bit out on the bench.

What a pain, though, the other bolts came out easy and this plastic shield is preventing me getting to the fuel pipes to replace the group over the subframe and fix the leak.

Meanwhile the SLK has shown that when the fuse is in, the heater works perfectly.

Unlike the dash bulbs. Don't think I've ever had an SLK with fully lit instruments 😂

Nice weather for it.

New boot struts fitted (Stabilus ones were cheap on eBay - it had Meyle ones on, not sure how old but have been replaced once at least) and compressor for the space-saver spare acquired - just need a first aid kit now to fill the spaces in the boot.

Interestingly, before driving it with the heater on and playing with the controls a lot, I was able to switch "Rest" mode on whenever - this time, it worked when I just parked, but after I got home and switched the car off once the interior light was out and usual accessories delay was over, no rest mode. It was too wet and windy to tell if the fan was still powering on in little bursts, though,  so I took the fuse out again. I think if there is a fault it may lie in the heating control panel itself, and that piece contains the ECU for tempmatic.

I wonder if there's a relay for ignition circuits that is sticking/arcing and enabling the branch of fuses that includes the heater.

Next job is changing supercharger oil, then hopefully the RX-7 fuel pipes will be sorted and I can put the SLK on the lift for some waxoyl action.

Despite factory locations, the plate holder slides down on one side so I'll add a grippy washer when I refit it, need to rust-treat below the handle as per usual.

[Bear]

Failed at removing the bolt head. The opposite side undertray bolt at least had the decency to shear off.

So then the nerve-testing task of four 12mm bolts going into the car floor.

Then try and wrangle the weird bar thing though a hole in the power frame thingy to the diff, past the prop and floor.

And the reward? Still can't reach the fuel filter, and damn, I need to replace front to back as well.

[Wibble]

Just spotted your Audi whilst watching Bangers & Cash.

[Bear]

4 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Just spotted your Audi whilst watching Bangers & Cash.

What? That must have been filmed when it was offered at Matthewson's I guess almost a year ago.

[High Jetter]

15 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Just spotted your Audi whilst watching Bangers & Cash.

Which ep was it?

[High Jetter]

Just now, High Jetter said:

Which ep was it?

*slaps wrist*

Which episode was it?

[Wibble]

Series 12, episode 7, right near the start.

[Bear]

Will polish help?

Not unless it has structural qualities.

Actually it's not bad at all but need to tidy the bumper/wing mount.

[beko1987]

The key with polish is to do the driver's side REALLY well, and the bonnet then you'll look at those as you walk past the car to get into it, the not see any of it from inside 👌 Bar the bonnet, that wants to be shiny and beading as you see it when driving but the rest, fuck it

Sheet of cheap vinyl wrap for the roof? Or blackboard paint 🤔

[Bear]

Blackboard paint is tempting. I'm thinking "just looks like a targa panel" if it's not glossy. Crackle paint like an X1/9 crossed my mind!

[mat777]

6 hours ago, Bear said:

Blackboard paint is tempting. I'm thinking "just looks like a targa panel" if it's not glossy. Crackle paint like an X1/9 crossed my mind!

Vinyl covering for the ultimate (wrong) period look? 

Or more sensibly, some of that carbon fibre wrap that's so naff when applied to dashboards, would look suitably unobtrusive given the colour match 

[Bear]

Pulling the underbonnet fuse to stop the fan running was getting annoying.

Much better. Just plug in the controls when I need to demist.

(Ordered a secondhand heater panel as everything I can see on the wiring and diagnostic manuals says this is the most likely culprit - particularly as the fan and the duovalve are waking up, and the rest mode can be activated when the car hasn't been touched or running when it should be disabled after 30 minutes).

[Bear]

I have defeated the bolt holding part of the RX-7 undertray

Sort of.

It's still in there but the end finally succumbed to the fourth drill and extract attempt.

One of these without broken bolt ends stuck in it is £30 so bugger fighting it, I'll get a replacement - I think my drilling attempts hit the thread part anyway.

Managed to undo the fuel pipe bolt above the subframe as well, but the more I look the more little bits of rust-in-waiting I find and think the subframe needs to come off to properly treat the RX-7 shell.

Ugh.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Bear said:

undertray

Y Tho?

[Bear]

So much style for pennies

Roof down can't see the worst bit

And sitting in it, can see the best

V5 arrived so number is done, and a box with a £20 heater control panel.

So far I think the climate control fan issue has not happened since I fitted it and went for a drive... fingers crossed.

(Fongers still crossed - cold duovalve, no ticking, no fan sound... several hours later)

Also have some supercharger oil and should try an A/C regas. But cosmetics next...

[r.welfare]

I seem to recall mine did funny things with the interior fan which was cured by replacing the fan control module under the bonnet, it sits on the nearside inner wing and was cheap (£20 secondhand).  But hopefully your new interior panel solves your issue.

[Bear]

19 minutes ago, r.welfare said:

I seem to recall mine did funny things with the interior fan which was cured by replacing the fan control module under the bonnet, it sits on the nearside inner wing and was cheap (£20 secondhand).  But hopefully your new interior panel solves your issue.

That can also be to blame, but most of the things often blamed have been explored - and what was interesting here was that the tempmatic duovalve was also being lively. If it does it again I might actually have managed to install WIS on my Toughbook and have access to wiring diagrams by then.

[Volksy]

I actually quite fancy one of these as a Rail Station Bike. The S Class is sometimes difficult to find a space for at my local station. Plus it's battered enough without picking up loads more door dings. 

Can you put these on classic insurance yet?

[Bear]

1 hour ago, Volksy said:

I actually quite fancy one of these as a Rail Station Bike. The S Class is sometimes difficult to find a space for at my local station. Plus it's battered enough without picking up loads more door dings. 

Can you put these on classic insurance yet?

Probably, they're 30 years old next year....

[Bear]

I do love the way the back window and roof fold into the boot. So clever.

[Bear]

SLK just hoofed up to North Berwick and back, roof down through the Lammemuirs, steady cruise all the way down A1 - M1.

What a brilliant little beast.

[Bear]

How it started:

How it's going:

How it got there:

Nearly done, I think I could do it in an hour if I had tea made and behaving ADHD.

[Schaefft]

Big improvement!

[Bear]

Adjustment and leak check

[Bear]

So, for anyone thinking of doing this:

Stage 1: Remove the headlining and side trims.

1. Open the roof half way
2. Undo the three screws per side that hold the side trims on
3. Yes, there are three
4. The other one is near the hinge
5. Yes. That one. Don't break it like the person I got my roof from did
6. They are held by a grabby metal clip as well, but it's not fierce
7. Remove the three screws at the front of the roof headlining. Don't lose the cup washers
8. Unclip five spring clips at the back inside the plastic edge trim
9. Notice four have unclipped and the other fell off
10. That's the rattling sound traced then

This is a metal guide for the bowden cables

Stage 2: Remove the roof panel

1. Close the roof
2. Yes, close it
3. You need two torx bits, the smaller one does the fittings, the bigger one holds the roof to the arms
4. Unclip the bowden cables from the roof latches
5. Note the number of threads they are secured at on each metal bracket
6. Release the clip and withdraw them, detaching the metal spring clips from the roof and then removing the bowden cable from the clips
7. Remove the metal guides (black metal bracket with eye for the bowden cable)
8. Feed the bowden cables past the latches and out of the roof skin
9. Disconnect the guides from the roof mounted clips that hold them near the hinges
10. Get the bigger torx bit
11. Undo the four bolts per side holding the roof to the arms
12. Look out for the shim plates that adjust clearance
13. Detach the spring clips and cable guides holding the wires and hydraulic lines to the roof skin
14. Undo the three torx bits holding the hydraulic cylinder and latch mechanism in the centre of the roof
15. It won't fall or move
16. Undo three screws per latch. A couple are captive, the ones near the switches have metal shields on
17. Assuming all 9 front components screws, all 8 roof to arm screws, and any associated clips have been detached and you fed the bowden cables out, the roof skin should just lift up and off the car
18. Admire the targa-top SLK with roof latches, pipes and wires hanging in mid-air from the header rail
19. Take the rubber buffers and any stray metal clips off the old roof and transfer them to the new roof
20. Those metal clips halfway up the frame at the back of the roof hold the cant rail trims, you want them

Stage 3: Fit the new roof panel

1. Sneak up on the car in case it tries running away
2. Drop the new roof panel over the gap between the front and back windows
3. Ideally with the shiny side up
4. And really, with the bolt holes for the roof arms at the back
5. That's it. Now loosely fit the 8 screws holding the roof to the arms
6. Don't forget about those shim plates
7. Put the bowden cables back through the roof skin, clip then in as before, refit the brackets and make sure the bowden cable adjustment is the same as it was before
8. Yes, the bowden cables go to the opposite side latches
9. Wiggle the roof panel if needed to line up the latch screws
10. Refit the latch screws loosely
11. Secure the mechanism in the middle, securely
12. Clip the metal carriers for the switch wires and hydraulic lines back on the roof
13. Does the roof look like it is sitting right? Chances are it is
14. Tighten the rear screws up
15. Did you remember the shim plates?
16. Double check the sensors, wires and bowden cables are routed correctly and clipped correctly.
17. Tighten the latch screws a bit then open the roof
18. Nothing went bang? Excellent
19. Start closing it, stop before it fully shuts
20. Tighten the latch screws
21. Fully close the roof
22. Nothing went bang? How does it look?
23. At the back of the roof does the rear side window engage with the cant rail seal on the roof panel?
24. Does the front edge look snug?
25. Does the back end look like the gap is even?
26. Everything tight?
27. Too tight? Did you remember the shims?
28. Operate the roof fully listening for snags, horrid noises or other worrying things
29. Switch off Radio 4 News
30. Still hearing worrying things? Check you did everything up
31. Roof not moving? Did you reattach the bowden cables properly?
32. All working? Tighten things properly (ideally should have loctite), I don't have torque specs but common sense applies
33. Try it again, if it all opens and closes as it should it's time to run a tap
34. Yes. A cup of tea is a good idea
35. Afterwards, spray a hose and look to see if water gets in
36. More than usual
37. Stop powerwashing the A-pillars
38. Okay, it's dry. Open the roof half way again
39. Refit the centre screw of the headlining, then clip the five clips (four and broken bit of trim) in to hold it
40. Now refit the side trims. Start by carefully lining up and sliding the tab for the rear bow into the edge
41. Now align the headliner edge with the guides
42. Fit the plastic trim fully, remembering to feed the seal
43. Once the aquatic mammal is fed, also put the cant rail seal over the plastic
44. If there's a gap make sure the rear floating piece goes between the roof and the hinge, not in the middle of the hinge
45. If there's a bulge make sure the floating guide is in the metal clip that holds it against the roof edge
46. You did remember to swap the clip, right?
47. Now do up the screws holding the side trim
48. Now do the last two screws on the headlining front edge
49. What's that on the passenger seat?
50. Is it a roof shim?

Congratulations, you have swapped an SLK roof.

There are some adjustment points and on mine the roof is now a snug fit with better alignment of the window surround trim, but the passenger window looks like it might need tilting in slightly to seal properly.

[robt100]

Looks very good!

What is the plan for the old panel, paint it up as a spare, or just leave it to consider its own poor cosmetic condition in the corner?