N19's fleet - dashing

[Spottedlaurel]

45 minutes ago, N19 said:

I'm not sure - I think he had the doors from it if I remember correctly.  I can find out.  Most of them were pretty rotten.

Would be interesting to know. I believe it was last on the road in 2002.

In its prime.

And when I saw it in 1999/2000.

[N19]

Insurance quotes fun today. £300/yr for the Mondeo on an ordinary policy SDP+C and including DOC. After quite a bit of fannying around, looking at different options etc. Just last month gave £190/yr or thereabouts for the Bluebird - on a classic policy but including SDP+c so can use for work. Capri should be around £80 when that's due next month. Not too bad for that there London.

[N19]

Took the Capri into the local garage for an eye up regarding the welding work that needs done. Two sills, scuttle, inner wings, headlamp bowl inner.... and that's just for starters. Fudge. But it's not going to get any better by leaving it...

Plan is to get it in in early October, I will strip the interior out and remove the underseal.

Better get in to the overtime...

[N19]

Discs and pads on the rear of the Mondeo today. There's something cathartic about fitting shiny new parts. Left the other side for tomorrow, I know otherwise I'd have rushed and messed something up being tired/hangry etc.

 

 

[N19]

As in my other thread, the N/S caliper bracket wasn't for coming off... this infernal bolt, a torx head inset into a section, grr!

Persuasive techniques had to be deployed.

I've ordered a new caliper carrier from a seller on ebay which I hope is the right one - it looks it - but we shall see, cheap enough and should be here Monday. In the meantime, I've taken advantage of enforced layup to replace the bolts on the towbar (I put it on with M10s as the original M12s were a bit knackered, new M12s on now). I should really wire it up too - it shouldn't be too difficult, I don't think there's any need for extra relays etc, although I've read that it's advisable to add a buzzer to the indicators. May be a solder-athon ahead then! I still have no specific need to tow anything, just a silly desire to have it there In Case It Ever Comes In Handy.

The local garage is having all their ramps re-fitted and the staff are on holiday, so the owner rang me to ask if I wanted him to look at the air con compressor. Typical! Need to undo an undertray to get the part number of the existing one as there are apparently two listed for the vehicle.

Unfortunate that the Mondeo should be out of commission when I need to do a tip run, as it's the most competent vehicle for things like that - especially when it's an old oven we're talking about. The Bluebird will cope though.

 

[N19]

Scrap caliper arrived today. Initially I thought it was the wrong part, but once I'd had a proper look I realised it was ok. The carrier, discs, pads, caliper went back on all good. Nice little 12-mile test run seems fine. Old oven loaded ready for tip run tomorrow.

[N19]

I'm trying to work out for myself what the next jobs will be on the Mondeo. Or whether I should just leave stuff alone until it starts causing problems. And then what of its long term future given the ulez and given its age/mileage? Although I bought it as a stop-gap, it's definitely a keeper now - I've got most things the way I like them and sorted out many of the 'niggles', and have confidence in it to do absolutely anything I ask of it. I suppose that answers the question. Where's my chequebook?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

21 minutes ago, N19 said:

... what of its long term future given the ulez and given its age/mileage? Although I bought it as a stop-gap, it's definitely a keeper now...

I take the view that if you live outside the expanded ULEZ, now is the time to buy and run shite whilst you still can. After all, the emissions will still be carried back into the zone, so the whole thing's a touch meaningless. 

[N19]

3 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

I take the view that if you live outside the expanded ULEZ, now is the time to buy and run shite whilst you still can. After all, the emissions will still be carried back into the zone, so the whole thing's a touch meaningless. 

True. Will they expand the ULEZ to the whole of the M25 area at some point... who knows, maybe. Hopefully that'll be a few years down the line, the Capri is fine anyway, but fleet replacement may then need to happen.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

2 hours ago, N19 said:

True. Will they expand the ULEZ to the whole of the M25 area at some point... who knows, maybe. ....

Hopefully Khan will be voted out of office before that happens

[N19]

14 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Hopefully Khan will be voted out of office before that happens

As a lifelong left winger, I see him as the least-worst option. Doesn't endear me with some policies though.

 

Thing about ULEZ, is that it seems to be a bit perverse in what it aims to do. Well, rather, how much effect it'll have.

So on day 1, there will be a number of old vehicles which are either scrapped or sold, ok fine emissions reduced. And another number will be driven into the zone daily, bringing in revenue of £x per day. As all these vehicles are over 15 years old, they will be reducing in number through natural replacement cycles, so your £x per day will gradually reduce to the point that it will after a few years be minimal. Then what?

Does that sound like the rant of a petrolhead or shiter? It was actually the view of the situation from a staunchly green walking representative on a discussion about LTNs recently.

(And there's a certain irony that if I drive towards London after October, in the Mondeo (fuel injected, catalyst, ECU etc) I need to turn back at Colney Hatch to avoid a ticket. If I am in the Capri (carb, points and condenser) I can sail straight through Central. Which I may do on day 1 of the rules, just to Make A Point).

The pollution aspect is a function of traffic volume and, yes, getting vehicles to be less polluting is a part of that, but the volume will not significantly change. For that, you need to look at the number of delivery vehicles (and their grossly inefficient routing), minicabs (circling around empty) etc.

[N19]

As the weather is getting colder, I actually got the air con pump in. £78 delivered from Spain - others all £130+ and this one the finis number was correctly stated on the ad - did not want to take a chance on a maybe. I ordered it Monday morning I think,and the UPS guy delivered it this lunchtime.

I suppose I could try to do this on axle stands, but stuff that. When the local garage is in less disarray (summer refit) I'll get it on and re gassed.

[N19]

A fill up today with full-fat. Expensive, but the old girl deserves a treat.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

15 hours ago, N19 said:

A fill up today with full-fat. Expensive, but the old girl deserves a treat.

How much are they charging nowadays? Trying to work out whether it's more expensive than adding Tetraboost to super unleaded....

[N19]

43 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

How much are they charging nowadays? Trying to work out whether it's more expensive than adding Tetraboost to super unleaded....

This was Platt's of Marlow (the place you mentioned in Ashwell doesn't do it anymore sadly). Are you sitting down.... 188p/litre! Rather more than the 133p that seems to be the going rate at the moment for UL95. But then, the posh fuel (Esso Supreme etc) is around 155p at the moment so that makes it less bad. Maybe. A rare treat, either way you look at it. Tetraboost I have never tried, primarily because they only seem to sell it in huge cartons, so no way of buying an individual can to see what it's like.

[N19]

I spent a bit of time pottering around down the lockup this morning, not doing very much productive, just a few odd jobs here and there. Got the exhaust rubbers replaced on the Mondeo, which had been on the to-do list for a bit. Put together a pile of bits to take to the tip and metal for the scrappy.

Back at home I thought I'd move the Bluebird somewhere more convenient. Uh-oh, clutch pedal drops right to the floor, and it's in possibly the worst parking spot. I wonder what's going on. Oh, we seem to have no hydraulic fluid... ah, the slave cylinder is buggered.

I found both a rebuild kit and a whole new unit for sale online, so bought both, as you do. Will probably stick the new one on, then rebuild the old one at my leisure*. Hopefully I can shove the car round the corner to a slightly less awkward place to work on it.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

37 minutes ago, N19 said:

..... Tetraboost I have never tried, primarily because they only seem to sell it in huge cartons....

You can get individual cans from Demon Tweeks. About £37 for 945ml.

[N19]

On disassembly, it looks like the clutch fork isn't returning properly either. Spring? Whether that would have caused the slave cylinder to go I don't know, but odd that it should happen at home parked up.

The solution to such a puzzle? Go and drive down some country lanes in the Capri.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

On 8/28/2021 at 12:22 PM, N19 said:

This was Platt's of Marlow (the place you mentioned in Ashwell doesn't do it anymore sadly). Are you sitting down.... 188p/litre! ....

Haven't quite got over the HFM????

Then again, a litre of pastis is at least ten times as much, so maybe leaded is relatively cheap.

[N19]

14 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Haven't quite got over the HFM????

Then again, a litre of pastis is at least ten times as much, so maybe leaded is relatively cheap.

Quite.

Last went there about 3 years ago - I think I can justify it on the incredibly rare occasion!

[N19]

The new slave cylinder turned up today. The attachments are for a later bluebird - mine has a banjo style connection. Nevertheless, it provided a replacement for the perished seal which was the killer. Assembled, bled, perfect.

Test drive round the block with appropriate cassette background for the fault...

 

[N19]

A few scratches tidied up on the Mondeo bodywork yesterday - it's never going to be perfect, with dinks and scratches everywhere, but they now at least blend in and look less awful. In anticipation of winter, I've got some hose on order that's the right size to fit the Bluebird heat shield for the hot-warm-up air intake. 

Also need to get the Mondeo and Capri MoTs shortly and the garages ramp is still in pieces. Ah.

Time to enjoy the Capri this month before the strip-out begins in the autumn. 

[N19]

Being busy and having no tinkering time of late, I decided to do a quick job that would actually be completed. Proper aluminium/paper ducting ordered and fitted on the Bluebird. Nice.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

6 minutes ago, N19 said:

Being busy and having no tinkering time of late, I decided to do a quick job that would actually be completed. Proper aluminium/paper ducting ordered and fitted on the Bluebird. Nice.

I remember doing a foil-coated tubing job on the family Jetta many years ago. Wonderfully flimsy, but it did the job for a while.

[N19]

4 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

I remember doing a foil-coated tubing job on the family Jetta many years ago. Wonderfully flimsy, but it did the job for a while.

That was the problem, especially since there was a bit of forceful manipulation needed to get it on, the foil stuff came apart too easily, the proper composite stuff was ok.

[N19]

Time flies! It's been five years since I bought the Capri today, so that meant a run out was in order.

Then back to the lockup, as my paranoid self wanted to check the torque on the rear calipers on the Mondeo. Then it started raining. I miss having reasonable undercover workspace. The lifty is very very useful for brake jobs, mind.

[N19]

Anyone know what the proper name for these trim clips is? Need a couple for the Mondeo boot...

[N19]

The terrifying moment :-

Phew. Emissions ok, handbrake could be better but passed fine. Advisory on corrosion to sills, and some brake hoses which are being done anyway. In the meantime, the air con compressor has been fitted... Just not charged as the garages machine is on the blink. Hopefully will have nice chilled air just in time for winter.

The rad is starting to collapse from underneath by the looks of it. New ones listed at 45 quid so not too bad and may be worth it.

5k miles in the year, although in fairness it hasn't done any long long trips in the last MOT year.

[N19]

Radiator excitement.

See, I'm my own worst enemy. The radiator could wait a bit, for sure the original one in there is falling apart, but me being me I'm suddenly up for replacing it in the next couple of days despite being busy with work. Looks reasonably simple if cramped, drain coolant, remove electric fan, tie a/c condenser out the way, drop rad, clean up, offer up new rad, reattach everything and refill. Going to pick up the tools and bits required from the lockup tomorrow and do it before work on Friday.

This is one thing where the lack of parking down at the lockup is a ballache. The Mondeo doesn't fit inside the lockup, which is also the Capri's insurance storage place anyway. I can't get started on any job down there on another car unless I'm 110% sure it'll be finished in one visit, any delay for parts etc leaves me a bit snookered. So jobs like that end up being done at the back of my flats, but that then means I don't have all my tools etc to hand. 

[N19]

Lower hose clip is a pain to get off. Hate those bloody things. I've ordered up one of those contraptions which has the grips on the end of a bauden cable. Meanwhile, fan off and half coolant drained...