SKcats fleet. No more chrome trims!

[Skcat]

Another wash! Yet more crap just falls out from behind the trim. 

I got around to fitting the rear plate. Fitted a new drivers mirror from rimmers as the current one was all cracked... But this unit has holes in it as its meant to have a body coloured insert on it! 

Fitted the new vacuum elbows from rimmers with the original vacuum line. Pretty happy with it so far! 

[Skcat]

For some reason when I pushed the brake lights came on the sidelight would just turn off on the offside rear. The bulb was just poorly fitted, the front nearside sidelight also had a badly fitted bulb which was poorly fitted. All seems to work now. 

The last door lock motor thing arrived and I had it fitted very quickly. Central locking all works now. 

The correct nee front indicator turned up and replaced the kind of grotty one.

I've ordered a rover 213 base mirror cap as I think it should work on mine. 

I've just got to fix the rear wiper motor, boot area light (need to diagnose if it's the motor or the loom which looks like It's the issue). Maybe figure out why the clock does not light up too. And sort the blower motor out. Then electrically the car is all working perfect, just need to sort out all the bodywork then! 

[Skcat]

The new and old mirror, you can see the damaged housing on the right one. Was £18 from rimmers! 

Sadly its for a car with colour coded mirrors and I'm missing the insert.

My car however had the non body coloured mirrors and all the maestro and montego caps I found were coloured ones. 

Another £13 later and I found a rover 213 cap which seems like it should fit! 

Looks like the part I should have bought in the first place now. 

I went to a small car meet on Wednesday saw this little MOVE;

A very smart car actually a lot better then I ever thought, and yes that's a Talbot alpine in the backround.

Also saw this tidy little minor traveller but the only good photo I took was of the engine bay;

Looked very tidy! The owner told me it ran better with points rather then the accuspark he fitted, it ran extremely quietly and well by my opinion. @Scrubworks will probably chime in about it! 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

  On 08/07/2022 at 22:50, Skcat said:

The new and old mirror, you can see the damaged housing on the right one. Was £18 from rimmers! 

Sadly its for a car with colour coded mirrors and I'm missing the insert.

My car however had the non body coloured mirrors and all the maestro and montego caps I found were coloured ones. 

Another £13 later and I found a rover 213 cap which seems like it should fit! 

Looks like the part I should have bought in the first place now. 

I went to a small car meet on Wednesday saw this little MOVE;

A very smart car actually a lot better then I ever thought, and yes that's a Talbot alpine in the backround.

Also saw this tidy little minor traveller but the only good photo I took was of the engine bay;

Looked very tidy! The owner told me it ran better with points rather then the accuspark he fitted, it ran extremely quietly and well by my opinion. @Scrubworks will probably chime in about it! 

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Great solution for the door mirror! 

The Alpine looks like the one on here, owned by @Grey the Floydian Sergal

[Skcat]

  On 08/07/2022 at 22:52, Dick Longbridge said:

Great solution for the door mirror! 

The Alpine looks like the one on here, owned by @Grey the Floydian Sergal

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That's because it is! 👍

[Skcat]

Went to look at a dodge dynasty, always fancied one and this one seems great for the money, Do I? I will need more storage for the extra car but I can sort it out. 

Seems to be a good example with good part support! 

[AnnoyingPentium]

  On 09/07/2022 at 14:48, Skcat said:

Do I?

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Aye, either that or the white Legacy that's in the second picture...

[Zelandeth]

Not one I'd heard of before!  Probably a supremely comfy way to waft around though.

I tend to gravitate more towards the generations prior to this for US motors, but I'd definitely consider that one if I was in the market and the price was right.

Surprised it doesn't have an 85mph speedometer though at that age, was it originally an export car?

[horriblemercedes]

  On 09/07/2022 at 15:45, Zelandeth said:

Not one I'd heard of before!  Probably a supremely comfy way to waft around though.

I tend to gravitate more towards the generations prior to this for US motors, but I'd definitely consider that one if I was in the market and the price was right.

Surprised it doesn't have an 85mph speedometer though at that age, was it originally an export car?

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The 85mph speedometer law stopped in 1982. I think most cars by this point had gone back to full range speedometers

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I used to hate this era of Yanks, but now their chintzy interiors and no doubt terrible road manners would be part of the appeal, especially since 1990 Senators, Scorpios and 800s have become so scarce and expensive.

https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic/results/sat-6th-sun-7th-november/1990-dodge-dynasty-33l-v6-auto-lhd/

[Skcat]

  On 09/07/2022 at 15:45, Zelandeth said:

Not one I'd heard of before!  Probably a supremely comfy way to waft around though.

I tend to gravitate more towards the generations prior to this for US motors, but I'd definitely consider that one if I was in the market and the price was right.

Surprised it doesn't have an 85mph speedometer though at that age, was it originally an export car?

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I believe it is a US spec car! 

 

  On 09/07/2022 at 17:05, NorfolkNWeigh said:

I used to hate this era of Yanks, but now their chintzy interiors and no doubt terrible road manners would be part of the appeal, especially since 1990 Senators, Scorpios and 800s have become so scarce and expensive.

https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic/results/sat-6th-sun-7th-november/1990-dodge-dynasty-33l-v6-auto-lhd/

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This one has the 3.3 which appears to be the pick of the bunch! I quite like it as you get a very body on frame feel even though the car is smaller and efficient. Basically I miss the road master and fancy something that feels similar! 

[Zelandeth]

  On 09/07/2022 at 15:56, horriblemercedes said:

The 85mph speedometer law stopped in 1982. I think most cars by this point had gone back to full range speedometers

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I did not know that, thought it had run far later than that.  Makes way more sense than the nonsense you see these days - see also the Golf we had a while back which went to 200!

  On 09/07/2022 at 17:05, NorfolkNWeigh said:

I used to hate this era of Yanks, but now their chintzy interiors and no doubt terrible road manners would be part of the appeal, especially since 1990 Senators, Scorpios and 800s have become so scarce and expensive.

https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic/results/sat-6th-sun-7th-november/1990-dodge-dynasty-33l-v6-auto-lhd/

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Wow if I'd picked that up for that auction price I'd have been feeling I'd bagged quite the bargain in the current market.

[Bren]

Dodge looks miserable.

When do you collect?

[D.E]

  On 09/07/2022 at 17:46, Zelandeth said:

Wow if I'd picked that up for that auction price I'd have been feeling I'd bagged quite the bargain in the current market.

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And it's even cheaper now:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207027393253?radius=1501&make=Dodge&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&price-to=1000&sort=relevance&postcode=cb12az&advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&page=1

[horriblemercedes]

  On 09/07/2022 at 17:50, D.E said:

And it's even cheaper now:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207027393253?radius=1501&make=Dodge&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&price-to=1000&sort=relevance&postcode=cb12az&advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&page=1

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I feel like that's a real bargain. As long as the gearbox isn't slipping, I can imagine that being a pleasant and quirky thing for a low price

[Skcat]

  On 09/07/2022 at 17:50, D.E said:

And it's even cheaper now:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207027393253?radius=1501&make=Dodge&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&price-to=1000&sort=relevance&postcode=cb12az&advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&page=1

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Yep I contacted them, I could not drive it at speed but the gearbox seems fine to me! I drove it around the estate! 

[eddyramrod]

Not out of order at that price!  If you can get it for a bid, you're well away.

[wuvvum]

  On 09/07/2022 at 17:46, Zelandeth said:

I did not know that, thought it had run far later than that.

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I think that's when it stopped being mandatory, but a lot of cars had them fitted later than that - my '86 Mustang certainly did.  By the early '90s they'd largely disappeared though.

[Zelandeth]

Yeah, at that price you can't go wrong really unless there's something drastically wrong with it.  Or major rust.

[Skcat]

  On 10/07/2022 at 00:04, Zelandeth said:

Yeah, at that price you can't go wrong really unless there's something drastically wrong with it.  Or major rust.

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My huge worry about these oddball American cars is if you have major engine or transmission issues. And sourcing a transmission in the case that it does fail... But it appears Chrysler Voyagers run the same or at least very similar engines/ transmission. So at least spares are around here! 

[Schaefft]

You can't really go wrong for the price and finding parts for it won't be impossible either, although there definitely will be parts that will be hard to come by. Doubt you'll have to worry about that during your ownership though.

[Zelandeth]

While I'm sure there will be some tricky parts, GM's tendency to reuse the same stuff across-the-board where they can get away with it to save $0.00000002 means that I'd expect 95% of what you're likely to need to be simple enough to get.  You just might have to wait for it to arrive.

Though heck, it's taken the best part of a month for my last two orders to arrive from Autodoc so no difference there really!

[Schaefft]

Rockauto is consistently faster than autodoc which always needs 2 weeks to deliver an order. Sometimes things arrive within 2 days, so quick that you wonder how this is physically possible.

And yeah, it's a K-car with Mitsubishi drivetrain. I remember at least all service items to be readily available.

[D.E]

  On 10/07/2022 at 09:59, Zelandeth said:

GM's tendency to reuse the same stuff across-the-board where they can get away with it to save $0.00000002 means that I'd expect 95% of what you're likely to need to be simple enough to get. 

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This is a Mopar product though😉

Which, to be fair, doesn't make much of a difference I think, Mopar did the same thing. The drivetrain is shared with other models from that era. 

[Skcat]

  On 10/07/2022 at 10:12, Schaefft said:

Rockauto is consistently faster than autodoc which always needs 2 weeks to deliver an order. Sometimes things arrive within 2 days, so quick that you wonder how this is physically possible.

And yeah, it's a K-car with Mitsubishi drivetrain. I remember at least all service items to be readily available

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The 3.0 is mitsubishi the 3.3 is chrysler! People seem to think its GM but it does look like a GM car! 

I've checks rockauto already and parts support Is great, even better then the montego. The import fees are the only issue! 

I think I've made up my mind and I'm going to have to give the dealer a call tomorrow. 

[Zelandeth]

  On 10/07/2022 at 10:18, D.E said:

This is a Mopar product though😉

Which, to be fair, doesn't make much of a difference I think, Mopar did the same thing. The drivetrain is shared with other models from that era. 

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Why do I ALWAYS do that?  I even stop and think before speaking...

[yes oui si]

Buy the dodge, give me the montego 😂

[Zelandeth]

  On 10/07/2022 at 10:12, Schaefft said:

Rockauto is consistently faster than autodoc which always needs 2 weeks to deliver an order. Sometimes things arrive within 2 days, so quick that you wonder how this is physically possible.

And yeah, it's a K-car with Mitsubishi drivetrain. I remember at least all service items to be readily available.

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I really have no idea how they do it.  I got a lot of parts back when I had the XJ-S from there as they were half the price as from UK sellers even factoring in shipping.  I remember one occasion I ordered something Saturday evening and it was on my doorstep by Monday lunchtime.

[Skcat]

 

  On 10/07/2022 at 17:40, Zelandeth said:

I really have no idea how they do it.  I got a lot of parts back when I had the XJ-S from there as they were half the price as from UK sellers even factoring in shipping.  I remember one occasion I ordered something Saturday evening and it was on my doorstep by Monday lunchtime.

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I think they just order in absolutely huge bulk amounts and can store it in vast warehouses that are cheap! 

I went to a BMC show at gaydon today was fun. 

And mine with a diesel on the right, the diesel has over a million miles! The guy bought my gearbox too, So it won't be wasted. 

A little embarrassing but my car broke down when it came time to leave. Luckily I was surrounded by about 15 maestro / montego owners and before I could look to far myself they were half way through diagnosing it. 

Turns out there is a resistor that goes in line with the fuel pump, the circuit goes across the resistor once the car is started so the fuel pressure is a little lower when the car is running. The unit is somehow faulty so we bypassed it and off I went

Great luck from a group of epic people. Very helpful!

One of my favourite cars though! 

I also got to try the reclining rear seats in a Mk1 827 saloon, a bit sad but I've always wanted to see them in action. 

[wuvvum]

  On 10/07/2022 at 10:12, Schaefft said:

And yeah, it's a K-car with Mitsubishi drivetrain. I remember at least all service items to be readily available.

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Is the Dynasty a K-car?  I always thought they were bigger than that.