Jump to content

Tommy's A-series Misery - Collection caper!


Tommyboy12

Recommended Posts

On 20/04/2022 at 14:03, Tommyboy12 said:

It's a disaster! The Volvo's first mechanical failure! I've clearly bought a lemon... The tape player has stopped working...

The culprit:

PXL_20220415_183657596.thumb.jpg.ed3a7e6434077353a536c6c9a6a6b90f.jpg

I split the radio open and one of the gears has stripped on the motor mechanism. While it's potentially repairable if I could find the parts I'm going to fit something else instead purely because the radio element isn't working properly either. It gets horrendous loud static feedback despite being locked into a solid radio signal and makes it unbearable to listen to. That and a broken tape player means it's basically scrap. Unfortunately being a 'top mount' radio (as in its mounted high on the dash rather than low down by the gear lever) and the car being 30 years old it's difficult to find a radio surround. The surround for the standard radio is not a standard DIN size either. However! I have found a 3D CAD model of a facia plate for a standard DIN unit. So I've paid a company a whole £12 to 3D print me one in black while I source a harness adapter and a 'modern' radio unit.

Also, someone took some cracking shots at the Hubnut social on Saturday

FB_IMG_1650210290230.thumb.jpg.9be1196eff85603b7d27c7914c1092ea.jpg

FB_IMG_1650210455370.thumb.jpg.20d38daec98a31e1b909e6e2f385707f.jpg

FB_IMG_1650210460604.thumb.jpg.9f743c76fdb1919ad4f9049d6109a9b0.jpg

the radio might have a amp wired to it that is mounted behind the "glove box " in front of the gear stick .

if you get stuck , I buzzed the wiring out on mine out years ago when I changed the radio and did a wiring diagram that I can post on here if you need it .

I see you have the volvo arm outa the window :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The radio did indeed have a separate amp which I have left in situ with the new radio. I unplugged the loom for it all and shoved it in the under boot storage along with the old radio if in the future anyone can/wants to repair it. I think its scrap personally but some people like originality

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

It's been a little while so update time! The Volvo remains a venerable and reliable daily. It recently was on wardrobe transport duty. It swalloeed up the furniture up no problem. Not a surprise with this boot. It's proving a good car. No issues at all. It's comfortable to drive and cavernous. It's returning about 30mpg which is tolerable given my limited mileage nowadays.

PXL_20220517_181208252.TS_exported_4622_1652993624240.thumb.jpg.02b55eb6b4253f91b756cafe68a71f6e.jpg

The 998 mini finally ran this week! Until the fuel pump shat itself after about 2 minutes... A new fuel pump adorns my kitchen table awaiting fitment.

PXL_20220515_130224522.thumb.jpg.69a840679bdfddb0e1489caa3839ec4f.jpg

 

In other news. The new owner painted the Montego with a roller and brush... 🤦

FB_IMG_1652993141717.thumb.jpg.5957c2c8884ed86f0f78cd5db13f57d0.jpg

FB_IMG_1652993250187.thumb.jpg.dd9d8562e4d81df80fe052a86dce8354.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I was just about to share this.  It looks bloody awful. I see it's now known as 'The tiktok Montego'. Grrreat. 

The beginning of the end I'd have thought. 

Screenshot_20220519-220702_Facebook.jpg

Screenshot_20220519-220721_Facebook.jpg

I was the one posting the tiktok videos 😅 I did pick up a bit of a following with it. Not sure if this guy is doing anything on tiktok with it.

But yeah I agree. It's not the best paint job. Lost a lot of character.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

It's been a little while so update time! The Volvo remains a venerable and reliable daily. It recently was on wardrobe transport duty. It swalloeed up the furniture up no problem. Not a surprise with this boot. It's proving a good car. No issues at all. It's comfortable to drive and cavernous. It's returning about 30mpg which is tolerable given my limited mileage nowadays.

PXL_20220517_181208252.TS_exported_4622_1652993624240.thumb.jpg.02b55eb6b4253f91b756cafe68a71f6e.jpg

The 998 mini finally ran this week! Until the fuel pump shat itself after about 2 minutes... A new fuel pump adorns my kitchen table awaiting fitment.

PXL_20220515_130224522.thumb.jpg.69a840679bdfddb0e1489caa3839ec4f.jpg

 

In other news. The new owner painted the Montego with a roller and brush... 🤦

FB_IMG_1652993141717.thumb.jpg.5957c2c8884ed86f0f78cd5db13f57d0.jpg

FB_IMG_1652993250187.thumb.jpg.dd9d8562e4d81df80fe052a86dce8354.jpg

I’m probably not breaking any news here , but every subsequent Volvo estate has got smaller inside. Even the 740 and the latest massive V90, which probably has less space than a Montego.

Talking of which , to misquote The Boss; “ It ain’t a beauty, but hey it’s alright”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Matty said:

Oy, my car resembles that remark 😆

 

 

 

 

(Just to be crystal clear, it wasn't me!)

Theres nothing wrong with painting a car with a roller. But I can see the diffraction of light in the images from a rushed job with minimal prep. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Tommyboy12 changed the title to Tommy's A-series Misery - Mid-May Update - Montego makes a cameo apperance
  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/19/2022 at 10:17 PM, Tommyboy12 said:

I was the one posting the tiktok videos 😅 I did pick up a bit of a following with it. Not sure if this guy is doing anything on tiktok with it.

But yeah I agree. It's not the best paint job. Lost a lot of character.

Having spent a lot of time round that Montego i honestly didn't think you could ruin it more....any then he goes an does that. It was awful before now its just an insult to montegos.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Tommyboy12 changed the title to Tommy's A-series Misery - Camping a-la Volvo
13 hours ago, KitKat said:

Love seeing this get used!! Elan Valley is a wonderful place too. Has that intermittent start issue caused it to fail to proceed yet @Tommyboy12?

Nope. Always starts fine. It stumbles and doesn't always idle smoothly on hot restart but I gather that's fairly common with these.

In fact I've only lifted the bonnet to check the oil!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Tommyboy12 changed the title to Tommy's A-series Misery - New Arrival

It's been a while. About time I did an update!

Firstly the Scooby has gone! I never really bonded with it and I wasn't enjoying the welding work. Gone to someone big into their Subaru's so will probably see the road again at some point.

PXL_20220703_185215603.thumb.jpg.1a30ec344be7e422b2e0cba60ef3078c.jpg

The Volvo continues to be the venerable daily. Although my version of daily post-covid is only needing to drive maybe 3-4 days a week and I travel abroad regularly too so it can sit for a week or two sometimes. To be honest it will be going soon. I'm enjoying owning it but I have two new cars incoming and not enough space.

PXL_20220707_151315430.thumb.jpg.f922e128d83fa49b8affc6fef346f542.jpg

The white Mini has had lots of new parts while I continue to run in the engine. After I replaced the fuel pump the camshaft got bedded in with a 20 minute thrashing then the starter promptly packed up. Then the starter solenoid packed up. So far it's still only managed about 30 minutes of running. MOT is on Friday. Should pass ok.

PXL_20220708_170656236.thumb.jpg.e98a70c91967679b935ccb8261e7d19a.jpg

The turbo Mini (not photographed for some time unfortunately) continues to run fine. The oil still gets too hot for my liking but the oil pressure remains fine at speed. I continue to work on trying to bring the oil temps down.

Lastly, new additions! I bought my first Renault. A Mégane 225 to be precise. It has been in a front end crash and has been painted by Stevie Wonder but it was really cheap and will make an ideal track car which is my intentions with it. It's completely standard and has stacks of receipts so should make a good base.

Screenshot_20220721-195239.thumb.png.f98c05827b731b032868b79e5c89df64.png

The second new addition is incoming but won't arrive for a few weeks. An MGF. It's actually my mother's old car but she's too old to get in and out of it now so it becomes my problem instead. Should arrive in a few weeks. Depends when I can get up to collect it.

Screenshot_20220725-102448.thumb.png.59e560ec3d9ed369e14c3b78f2fd640e.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Does washing cars class as an update? The weather was good the other night so seemed rude not to.

Its all very boring apart from that. Everything is working as it should which is most unlike me! The White Mini was treated to a new MOT the other day. Needed a few shims taking out of a ball joint, the handbrake adjusting, and I had to rewire the numberplate light. Other than that it was a pretty easy pass.

 

PXL_20220804_160320514.jpg

PXL_20220804_162410903.jpg

PXL_20220804_170927311.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Tommyboy12 changed the title to Tommy's A-series Misery - Fleet Update

Well I suppose it's time for an update! Since last time I have spent a lot of time on my Minis which are my truest passion to be honest.

The turbo went on a road trip round the peaks with some friends. I absolutely love the power but it's hard to use when everyone else is running a third the power output! 😅

PXL_20220827_130519085.thumb.jpg.4efa6494ce820dc205a65dbf09b09d60.jpg

The white Mini went for a Dyno session a few weeks ago. It was tuned by a chap called Peter Baldwin. He is apparently very well respected amongst the old school tuners and I would say he was a very knowledgeable bloke. He managed to squeeze just short of 60hp out of my little 998 and over 60lbft of torque. Standard it was 34hp so a sizeable improvement! I built the engine knowing it was primarily for hooning about at low speeds so the camshaft, distributor, exhaust and carb are all appropriate for solid mid-range. I'm really chuffed about. It pulls really nicely for a small bore A-series and is really nice to drive now. It stacks up well against stock 1275s now.

PXL_20220912_162505765.thumb.jpg.a7c0f18e4267a5da580b7029d1953e75.jpg

I treated it to Stanford Hall Mini show with some friends too. We put on our best effort and just abandoned the cars when we arrived.

247034967_PXL_20220911_1031367462.thumb.jpg.13f222a67eef2e4289b9571040d0776d.jpg

In other news the Mégane is fine. It gets used so rarely that I am only course to put 6,000 miles on it in a year.

Also the Volvo went... Great car but I couldn't justify it sitting there doing nothing 😢

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I treated my Mégane to a pair of new rear lights. Its a bit chavvy and the murder spec lights it came with are absolutely horrible. It looks so much better on standard lights.

PXL_20220930_120407525.thumb.jpg.3239526930da9069fba379e2e045fbb1.jpg

PXL_20220930_122536166.thumb.jpg.83828b425daa71a995d628b3f64314ff.jpg

As the purpose of this car is to hoon round the track I'm not too worried about looks but the lights really were horrible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...