Grogee's spannering (Maestro, Avensis & Favorit). FAVORIT FLEET INSPECTION

[grogee]

5 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

@AnnoyingPentium did those radio station stickers, maybe he could knock up a replica of your dealer sticker?

That would be superb if he can. Huge tracts of land* will be offered in return. Or cold, hard cash. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

5 minutes ago, grogee said:

That would be superb if he can. Huge tracts of land* will be offered in return. Or cold, hard cash. 

If you can get me dimensions @grogee then I'll see what I can do, even send me a PM with the details. I've messaged an man who can do design work, and I'll sort it getting the physical product done.

[grogee]

2 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

If you can get me dimensions @grogee then I'll see what I can do, even send me a PM with the details. I've messaged an man who can do design work, and I'll sort it getting the physical product done.

Wow thanks man, I'll PM you

[Matty]

2 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

If you can get me dimensions @grogee then I'll see what I can do, even send me a PM with the details. I've messaged an man who can do design work, and I'll sort it getting the physical product done.

This place etc etc 👍

[EyesWeldedShut]

[grogee]

Summer plumage (alloys back on it) 

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Summer plumage (alloys back on it) 

Looking sharp. Enjoy it.

[grogee]

Just did my periodical ebay trawl for parts, and spotted this press pic. 

@HMC is this The Pimple or possibly Kitt Hill? 

[grogee]

Yesterday @Cluffy very kindly paid me a visit in my new home. I was glad to see him for two reasons: firstly I haven't seen him for ages and secondly I could cadge a lift back to Southam and collect the Maestro. 

All went swimmingly, we had a good yarn, then sampled the fine* dining at my local Popeyes chicken outlet. 

But remember, I'm trying to start an old British car and by the time we got to my lockup it was dark. 

Could I get the isolator screw back into the isolator strap? Could I fuck. 

Spent a good half an hour fucking about and cross threading it, eventually Cluffy saved me from myself by suggesting we get some tools. Got the terminal off, then I was able to thread the isolator screw correctly, completely negating the benefit of an isolator screw. 

So that'll be coming off pronto. Does anyone make a decent one that isn't made out of Chinese metal? 

Once I'd finally sorted it the car started fine and I had a fun blast back to Northampton. I've very rarely used the car in the dark, and I was pleasantly surprised by how effective the headlights are. 

I also took it to work at Nissan this morning, and received lots of love for the old British car. Amazing how small it seems next to everything else in the car park. 

It's a bit grubby so hopefully I will be able to give it a sponge bath tomorrow before a trip up to Lincs to see family at the weekend. 

[grogee]

Also - NOS BITS. 

Documented earlier in this thread is the unfortunate failure of the Maestro's rear wiper. 

I am not 100% certain it's the motor itself at fault, but I'm suspicious because when I tested it the wiper moved about an inch then failed. 

Could be a fuse BUT LOOK AT THE SHINY NOS PARTS!!! 

Another reason for wanting to change is the comedy wipe action I had with the existing motor, which did half a wipe, stopped for a few seconds, then repeated that cycle which isn't very effective at cleaning the rear window. 

[Matty]

Love this car

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, grogee said:

Could I fuck. 

Uh, is that a serious question? How many will answer? 🤣

[grogee]

Lincolnshire: ACHIEVED.

In truth quite a boring journey but to be expected on a Friday afternoon.

At one point I was being tailed by a lady in a Yaris who could barely see over the steering wheel, yet seemed happy driving so close to my bumper that she could taste what I had for breakfast. 

I catastrophised about her rear ending me and ruining my fresh un-rusty tailgate.

Luckily she didn't. Really lovely weather, great to have the sunroof open and cruise with master Grogee as co-pilot.

[grogee]

Quite literally battened down the hatches here. The fine weather has finally broken and we're due some rain. 

A while back I inherited @Cluffy's Corrado car cover, for reasons that escape me now.

Luckily the Corrado is more or less the same dimensions as the Maestro, so the cover fits on nicely. It even has straps that pass underneath and attach to the sides to stop it blowing away. 

Bottom left of the picture is my front bottom garden. It has annoying plants and stuff in it which are currently preventing me from parking another heap there. I will be cutting that awful nature back to make room for some more shite. 

Let's just say I'm "expecting" (#incoming). 

[EyesWeldedShut]

Didn't take the guys opposite long to move out once they spotted the ShiteMobiles turning up - did you see a Hyacinth Bucket type twitching the net curtains when you were unpacking ......
"Look Fred, he's got an old Toyota. Tsk"
"What now? Is that a Leyland Maestro thing?"
"Hello, is that Taylors The Estate agents? ......."

[grogee]

1 hour ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Didn't take the guys opposite long to move out once they spotted the ShiteMobiles turning up - did you see a Hyacinth Bucket type twitching the net curtains when you were unpacking ......
"Look Fred, he's got an old Toyota. Tsk"
"What now? Is that a Leyland Maestro thing?"
"Hello, is that Taylors The Estate agents? ......."

Ha ha yeah, I'm sure the neighbours were delighted when the Maestro arrived. 

It's marked as sold, but I haven't seen anyone go in or out yet. 

Do squatters rights apply to cars? 

[grogee]

Today I tackled the borked rear wiper on the Maestro. I've had the wiper motor on and off a few times now so it's mainly in my muscle memory. 

I was pleased to find I've got power to the motor and when I pulled out the washer hose, the water squirted out fine. 

Bolted on the new motor and wired it in, gave it a test and we've got full functionality as Leyland intended. I need to adjust the washer jet as it's not aimed properly. But I couldn't find a pin to tweak the jet angle. 

Pleased with my progress, I then gave it a wash - two bucket wrong'un. It's just airing out now but I'll put its little coat on in a few minutes - rain forecast soon. 

[DVee8]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/182897091180137

 Just spotted this on FB,  but it has a brown tint 

[grogee]

12 minutes ago, DVee8 said:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/182897091180137

 Just spotted this on FB,  but it has a brown tint 

Thanks, I don't think I need a window at the moment though. 

I do actually have a driver's door which I have had sprayed but I've not fitted it yet. And I'll need to transpose the rubbing strip from the old door. 

Pretty sure my glass has a brown tint as well, that's so BL. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

rear wiper one spline too low!

with wiper set a spline higher it will wipe almost to rh edge of glass

[grogee]

On 21/04/2025 at 14:03, Noel Tidybeard said:

rear wiper one spline too low!

with wiper set a spline higher it will wipe almost to rh edge of glass

You're probably right, as usual. It looked straight until I tested it then it settled into that crooked position

[Noel Tidybeard]

some were like that back in the day- it does rather make ones teeth itch a little 😬

[grogee]

I added one of the new MG octagons to the tailgate. It's actually too big, something I wasn't expecting - I'm basically going on Google searches of 'MG Maestro rear'. 

I've also added the 'MAESTRO' badge on the right hand side; that looks OK. 

Finally - I've tweaked the rear wiper to satisfy @Noel Tidybeard's OCD (and mine). 

[Noel Tidybeard]

i'm guessing that's an mg metroid octagon

[666jjp]

https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/228974/austin-rover-maestro-clubman-1994?page=1&scrollTo=2844412

 A partner perhaps!!

[grogee]

As covered in excruciatingly boring detail in the thread linked at the bottom, I have welcomed the ex- @Yoss

performance Favorit into the GMT fleet. 

I've yet to make a definitive job list but I'll be giving it a service, because why not? 

Sun is shining today so I washed it. Plenty of filth on the windows so I polished them as well, inside and out. Then some tyre shine because I'm a tart. And some boiled linseed oil on the front bumper to attempt to black it up a bit.

In addition to the service I'll fit a DAB splitter to the antenna so I can lose the mag-mount antenna which worked well but was flapping about inside the car. 

A pleasant surprise to find the radio correctly tuned to 6music.

I think at least one of the speakers is blown so I'll see what's in Stores for a replacement and I may rig up a new rear shelf made of ply to support some 6x9s or similar. 

It'll need a serious system to drown out the squeaks and rattles. 

It looks like there are two front door speakers and two speakers buried in the centre console. Not sure whether I'll keep both or jettison one set in favour of rears. 

Checked all the fluid levels yesterday and it's all good as you'd expect from an ex- @Yoss car. 

 

 

[JMotor]

Small turquoise cars with daft engine swaps for the win! 

Probably look at changing the springs to soften it up a tad? Maybe a softer spring rate one can be found if it's a common spring diameter. 

[Yoss]

A couple of points there that I should have probably mentioned but I can't remember everything! 

Of course it's tuned to 6 Music, I didn't know there were any other radio stations! The drivers side speaker vibrates. It's not that old so if you can stop it reverberating you probably don't need new ones. The originals, which were shagged, were attached to the door trim. The new ones were a different shape so at first I attached them to the door trim with just two screws but it vibrated so I took it back off and attached both to the doors themselves. Still vibrated so I took the door trim off again and added copious amounts of duct tape to any parts of the door/trim/fixings that might look like they would rattle. It still vibrated so I gave up and just turned the bass down a bit. It's over to you now! 

There are holes in the centre console that look like they might have speakers behind them but they don't. Also there's no real space for speakers in the rear unless you cut holes in the parcel shelf but I hate that. Unless you have an estate which had rear speakers from new as there was just that little bit more room. 

The magnetic ariel I attach to the rear seat belt attachment bolt so it sits just above the rear seat. Seems to work quite well there but as I took the seat out to get the spare bumper in it may have fallen off.

I had one of these boosted ariels in my car with a little stick on patch in the top of the windscreen but it was draining power. If I didn't use the car for a few days I'd get a flat battery and I know it was this because when I came out on a frosty morning there would always be a clear patch around the ariel. So I have reverted to the same setup in mine as in yours. You could probably rewire it on to a switched live but Škoda have always had their radios permanent live which I like because you can have the radio on without the key in. So you can have it on in the drive when you're working on the car. 

Interestingly* the brake lights are also permanent live so they also work without the ignition. They are the only cars I know that do that. All my Favs and Felicias have done it. 

I'm sorry about the state of the windows inside, most of this is down to Chieveley. 

Spot the little face. 

 

I also washed mine today. Its good to know there are two clean Favorits out there. 

 

And one last picture of the two together just before you left yesterday. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

I'm rather jealous.

[Matty]

Ditto. I'd love to see it back on those Ronal Turbos as well!!