1986 Vauxhall Carlton CDi, Daily use of a 38yr old car. Made it to yootoob

[tooSavvy]

Would there not be an alternative fitting...?

Something that fits over the stat (std dia?) but 'clamp/bodgable' to fit tight....

🔨👌

[sutty2006]

10 minutes ago, MJK 24 said:

What’s all the crap that’s congealed inside the alloy castings?  Anti freeze beyond its sell by date?

I take the path of least resistance with old VW’s.  You can get all this sort of stuff delivered next day.  I used to have to hunt around for Alfasud stuff.  It was always hard work finding parts and that was a decade ago.

More than likely. Or possibly mixed antifreeze as they congeal up when mixed. Odd how it’s all collected at the top of the thermostat (post thermostat) heading back into the radiator prior to cooling it down. It’s possibly been like that a while, as there’s a small hole through it where coolant has been passing. 
 

There’s a new one on eBay listed for a lotus Carlton. It’s the same apart from no bleed screw hole. This could potentially be drilled out and threaded. But £9.50 postage? Fuck me, That’s expensive. But it guess it’ll have to be purchased! 

[MJK 24]

The £42 would irritate more more than the £9.50 I think!

[sutty2006]

32 minutes ago, MJK 24 said:

The £42 would irritate more more than the £9.50 I think!

Yeah the price is high, but for a parts that’s pretty much unobtainable now, I’ve no choice, but postage on that should be a fiver max. It cost me £9.05 to send 4 pistons and a clutch cable to Northern Ireland last week first class signed for. 

[sutty2006]

Fuck sake I could kick myself sometimes. 
 

new stat housing arrive yesterday. Could have sworn I’d seen a new stat somewhere in the box of spares. Nothing in the box, looking through the car I found a bag, in the boot, with this inside 

 

 

52 quid lighter and I’d already got one in the boot! Need to give my head a shake. 

[stuboy]

13 minutes ago, sutty2006 said:

52 quid lighter and I’d already got one in the boot! Need to give my head a shake.

put the expensive one on the mantlepiece with the other ornaments

[Matty]

On 8/7/2022 at 11:15 AM, sutty2006 said:

Aaaaannnnnnnd it’s broken. 
 

the corrosion must have been keeping this together. It’s also gone thin in places and weak. Now the hunt begins for a replacement. That’s gonna set me back I recon. 
 

 

thought I’d clean it anyway just incase I end up having it ally welded back into place. 
 

 

this is some of the gunk that came out of it. 
 

 

finding parts for these cars proves difficult due to its undesirable status and because no one really restores them apart from a couple of us 🤣

One for the alloys don't corrode brigade 🙂

[camryv6]

23 hours ago, stuboy said:

put the expensive one on the mantlepiece with the other ornaments

Ebay it, there might be a Carlton owner looking for one............................oh that was you 😆

[sutty2006]

Well it’s nearly built up now. Had to remove the radiator then loosen the crank pulley to allow me to get my fingers in to put the bottom bolt in. Which I lost somewhere, luckily I have a box full of CIH nuts n bolts so a spare was easily found. 
 

the radiator is drained and flushed with a hose pipe, a little orange gunk came out but not too much. 
 

all I’m waiting for now is the thermostat housing to be drilled and tapped for the bleed screw and fingers crossed the cooling system should be good to go. 
 

 

[sutty2006]

Today, the drilled and tapped thermostat housing arrived. (Mate bought special tool to taper thread it). 
 

 

and while I spied a chance it was fitted with stainless bolts. Obviously. 
 

 

the coolant system filled with a slightly weaker mix of antifreeze as it’ll only be a flush. Then ran the engine. 
 

allowing coolant to bleed up through the grub screw is paramount. However I cannot really turn the blowers on to see if warm air is coming through as the motor is seized solid. (Typical Carlton trait)

reporting no leaks!

 

 

and the end result, she got up to just under 3/4 then the stat opened and she came back down to just under. Happy result. No apparent leaks YET. I’m expecting either heater matrix to shit itself or the hot/cold valve to do the same. But I’ll cross those bridges later. 
 

 

I can now run it up to temp and do another transmission flush. 

[sutty2006]

Not much going on lately, been busy with work, being ill, the in-laws 5 series, but today I’ve managed to get the tranny warm, drop the fluid again and refill with fresh. Gearbox now less clunky, more smoothy. 
 

 

we will see how she moves when cold, if it needs one more flush then so be it! 

[andy18s]

[sutty2006]

I had a half day to book at work and with work drying up because of a parts shortage I came home and started to make use of an afternoon spare. Taking the left wing off to check what welding it needs. Ouch, this wing is crispy. Hidden by the plastic sill covers 

 

 

[sutty2006]

Oh dear. 
 

This inner wing section has been repaired before (badly, very badly) but it’s a very difficult section to repair because of the wing rail. Can’t get a grinder in to clean it up. Ideally need a die grinder to clean it out but my compressor hasn’t got the capacity to keep one running long enough to make a difference.

 

I’ve considered cutting the rail off completely, but it’s double skinned half way level with the strut top, so again I’d only be able to do a decent job half way up. 
 

 

this could be interesting. Any tips welcomed. 

[sutty2006]

Found this on eBay. Correct part by the looks of it. But that also brings a question. Do I buy this, and cut out what I need? Or cut the whole thing out and replace the lot. I aimed to get this on the road in the next couple of weeks. Which won’t happen if I’m doing full on body repairs. 
 

 

anyone in Bradford? 

[sutty2006]

Then it hit me…..

 

 

[sierraman]

I’d say cut as little as possible out and use sections of it? 

[Shite Ron]

I would buy the new part to keep for the future and use it as a reference to make a repair using  sheet steel  as it looks quite easy from the picture.

[Bren]

You look to have done what I would - cut it and fold it back.

Your issue is the lower of the double skinned panels - you cannot see how far the corrosion goes.

[Popsicle]

Looks the best way round rolling the rail top over, should give enough space and the metal looks solid enough to get the turret welding done. Well done fathoming out that workaround.

I have a real soft spot for these old Vauxhalls and its great to see the progress you are making.

[sutty2006]

It’s a very difficult area to weld indeed. I’m going to do it in sections. Then attempt to double skin it again. If not tripple skin it in places. The more I put in, the stronger it’ll be. 
 

100% buying that inner wing anyway. 

[Ian_Fearn]

I’m not working professionally at the moment but happy to help if you need it with the welding.

[sierraman]

Worth doing properly I reckon, when they were bangers they’d have been just plated to get through the test. Grinding it flush might be a challenge, but I think a good job would really pay off when it’s done.

[sutty2006]

Well, I CANT WAIT to get this on the road!!!!

 

 

[DeanH]

20 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

Found this on eBay. Correct part by the looks of it. But that also brings a question. Do I buy this, and cut out what I need? Or cut the whole thing out and replace the lot. I aimed to get this on the road in the next couple of weeks. Which won’t happen if I’m doing full on body repairs. 
 

 

anyone in Bradford? 

Nearby..

[sutty2006]

On 9/2/2022 at 2:33 PM, sutty2006 said:

Found this on eBay. Correct part by the looks of it. But that also brings a question. Do I buy this, and cut out what I need? Or cut the whole thing out and replace the lot. I aimed to get this on the road in the next couple of weeks. Which won’t happen if I’m doing full on body repairs. 
 

 

anyone in Bradford? 

Well, it’s a weird one this is. I recognised the username and turns out the seller also in the manta club. I thought great! A fellow manta owner who might be willing to help a lad out. I sent a message asking if he’d hold onto it for me until I can get up there or get it brought down…… 

 

 

but the price went up x10. 
 

so I launched the welder into service again. 
 

it’s not pretty by any means…. But neither was the job before. I’ve used 2mm thick steal. Then I ran out of gas and swapped canisters but it’s an argon mix not near Carbon Dioxide. Which I’m not happy with, but hay ho. 
 

and double skinned it underneath. 
 

 

[JMotor]

It maybe not pretty. 

However it's way better than rot. 

To be honest it doesn't look that bad at all. A finger file would smooth it down a treat if you're bothered? 

Sucks about that panel though! Could of put the actual price on. 

Patching it was probably the best action to take, instead of picking the old panel out. 

[New POD]

I was going to ask, if you wanted me to bid on it. It's not got any bids yet. 5 days to go. 

How many people need an inner wing, and how many have the balls to actually fit one ? Zero. I reckon.  

Right now, Autoshite....can everyone place a best offer. 

Shall I start at £15. 

[sutty2006]

27 minutes ago, New POD said:

I was going to ask, if you wanted me to bid on it. It's not got any bids yet. 5 days to go. 

How many people need an inner wing, and how many have the balls to actually fit one ? Zero. I reckon.  

Right now, Autoshite....can everyone place a best offer. 

Shall I start at £15. 

My thoughts exactly. I think I’m the only one even intending on buying one. Lol

[sutty2006]

 

he can keep it…….