I'll get round to it at some point - Bratislava and Back: Things not to do in a mk2 Clio

[Stinkwheel]

2 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

I’m a cunt.

OFFSIDE

I’m going to go curl up into a ball and die.

 

I think I’ve got a new Moog branded offside rack boot for an XM - want me to bung it in the post? (I will also double check i do actually have it to hand) 

[Rust Collector]

1 minute ago, Stinkwheel said:

I think I’ve got a new Moog branded offside rack boot for an XM - want me to bung it in the post? (I will also double check i do actually have it to hand) 

It’s ok, I have a Febi one that I ordered by mistake*.

Fuck knows how I’ve got myself tied up in knots over that, although in my defence the nearside gaiter was torn up anyway and needed replacing.

[wesacosa]

aaaahhhh man. This car really owes you one big time 

[Rust Collector]

1 minute ago, wesacosa said:

aaaahhhh man. This car really owes you one big time 

This one is on me, to be fair.

[wesacosa]

2 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

This one is on me, to be fair.

aye but you were provoked 😂

[Rust Collector]

This can fuck off:

This can fuck on:

Job done, I’m off to go buy some gin.

[RoverFolkUs]

Nice of them not to actually log the test on and fail it, and then charge you for a full test again the 3rd time around! 

[Rust Collector]

6 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Nice of them not to actually log the test on and fail it, and then charge you for a full test again the 3rd time around! 

Yeah, I did say I thought it was one and done, but they said get it back by the 27th and it’s sound.

Im a bit embarrassed at how much of their time I’ve taken up now as they’re nice chaps there.

[RoverFolkUs]

7 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

Yeah, I did say I thought it was one and done, but they said get it back by the 27th and it’s sound.

Im a bit embarrassed at how much of their time I’ve taken up now as they’re nice chaps there.

I'm sure they are already used to the vagaries of 30 year old shitheaps motor cars! 😅

[High Jetter]

Bugger, that was close! Frustrating, but both gaiters did need doing, by the sounds of it. Enjoy your drink

[N Dentressangle]

Nice work just cracking on and fixing it. Let's hope that's the lot.

[Rust Collector]

Gin collected, and seeing as it’s a nice evening I’m just getting a breath of fresh air before I go home and have a drink.

It’s hard to stay fucked off on an evening like this.

[Matty]

Credit where its due this fucker keeps knocking you down but it ain't beating you 👍

[Noel Tidybeard]

21 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

Yeah, I did say I thought it was one and done, but they said get it back by the 27th and it’s sound.

Im a bit embarrassed at how much of their time I’ve taken up now as they’re nice chaps there.

they've prolly got a thread on a forum somewhere having a laff at what the punters did today😂

[Rust Collector]

Thanks chaps, your support as I’ve worked through all this has been one of the things keeping me going - I think we all want to see this finished.

If there’s one upshot to all this, it’s that I don’t think I’ve ever been this productive and focussed before. Even if I am fixing the wrong things 🤣

I’m really hoping I can keep this ‘let’s just get it done’ mindset rolling and then get through some more projects after the XM has a ticket. It would be good to get the proton and ZX sorted and done, they’re next on the hit list and both are cars that deserve to see the road again.

[Rust Collector]

Plus, you can’t stay mad at this face…

[brownnova]

3 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

It would be good to get the proton and ZX PONTIAC sorted and done

FTFY

 

Hope the XM has done fighting you. Your work on it is sterling, and puts many of us lesser fettlers to shame! 

[2flags]

You deserve a pass on this one. It has fought you every inch of the way. Hopefully, it will be party poppers and champers next time. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

there's something quite addictive about a 2.1td going whooooooosh when you hit boooooost

[Rust Collector]

[beko1987]

Congratulations! 

Gonna sell the twat now? Or is all suddenly forgiven? 😂

[High Jetter]

25 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

Get in! Enjoy the waftage!

[wesacosa]

brilliant work mate.  Well done.. Hope you can enjoy some cruising in it now. they really are a lovely car

[Split_Pin]

Grand work 😀

[Datsuncog]

Bingo bango - finally, you've won!

Nice to finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief here. Enjoy the taste of victory!

[Tickman]

Excellent news
What's next on the list for MOTing?

 

[Stinkwheel]

As an aside/memory I drove this thing to Doncaster (and back) when i visited the Vulcan XH558 in the hangar during winter servicing before its final flying season. Good memories and it always was a good car

[2flags]

Congratulations!! Well done! Finally, you have finally got it through.  Up for sale now, is it? Show then this thread to let them know just how much work has gone into it.

[Rust Collector]

Thanks for all the kind words chaps, sorry it’s taken me a while to reply!

On 26/06/2024 at 08:55, beko1987 said:

Congratulations! 

Gonna sell the twat now? Or is all suddenly forgiven? 😂

 

On 26/06/2024 at 21:37, 2flags said:

Congratulations!! Well done! Finally, you have finally got it through.  Up for sale now, is it? Show then this thread to let them know just how much work has gone into it.

So yes, this will be up for sale shortly and also potentially roffle although I suspect the price may be a bit much to get 59 tickets sold. 

I’ll be taxing it on Monday and running it whilst I sort out the last few niggles, but I’ll get it advertised at some point shortly. Initially it’ll be up on here only, as fuck dealing with the great unwashed.

On 26/06/2024 at 10:52, Tickman said:

Excellent news
What's next on the list for MOTing?

 

The Proton is next on the hit list. I can’t remember if I have updated on it lately but I have been picking at the welding in between the bulk of the work on the XM.

On 26/06/2024 at 11:14, Stinkwheel said:

As an aside/memory I drove this thing to Doncaster (and back) when i visited the Vulcan XH558 in the hangar during winter servicing before its final flying season. Good memories and it always was a good car

I’m fairly certain that I’ve got through the bulk of the shit stuff on this car, and I’d like to think that whoever ends up with it will have an XM that has a lot of the fiddly stuff sorted.

[Rust Collector]

So one of the things that was letting the XM down was the state of the paint. Whilst I can’t do anything about the bubbling clear coat in places, q the majority of the ‘good’ clear coat was oxidised. There was also a lot of contamination, and it looks like over the years it picked up some overspray in places too.

Today I’ve spent too much time and money on having a bash at sorting this. I’ve clay barred the entire car, then gone over it with compound, then polished it. It’s not perfect, but I think it looks a million times better than it did and I’m very pleased with it.

This is what the paint was like before, this is after washing but you can see it’s very hazy.

This is a couple of the worst spots part way through going over them with compound.

Then this is the first panel I polished as a test. I was struggling with residue from the compound but luckily the polish pissed through it.

Then i just slogged my way round the rest of the car. I’m sure someone who knows what they’re doing would have made it look even better, but I’m really pleased with how it has come up.

I’m blown away by that colour, it’s stunning when the sun hits it.