Weird Car’s weird cars! ‘VDP GEARBOX AND BRAKE WOES’

[Carl1981]

4 hours ago, vulgalour said:

If you've the budget for it, get it done via the link @SiC posted, they've got a pretty solid reputation for good work.

I used them (H&H) to sort the spheres on the Metro, when they had fitted the refurbed units the difference was huge. Cost about £500 iirc, well worth it as a hydragas car on knackered spheres is pretty awful.

[High Jetter]

Yup, specialists

[barefoot]

As a curious off topic, Mr & Mrs H&H both showed a couple of interesting Volkswagens at Camper Jam, a couple of weeks ago.

[Weird Car]

1 minute ago, barefoot said:

As a curious off topic, Mr & Mrs H&H both showed a couple of interesting Volkswagens at Camper Jam, a couple of weeks ago.

Sounds interesting, I didn't go, what are these interesting VW's you speak of? 

[barefoot]

15 hours ago, Weird Car said:

Sounds interesting, I didn't go, what are these interesting VW's you speak of? 

[Weird Car]

2 minutes ago, barefoot said:

Big fan of that beetle 🙂

[Weird Car]

Drove the old VDP to my friends house in Bishops Waltham today so we could have a tinker, aux belt replaced with a shiny new one 'though i actually did that yesterday', points were essentially touching so widened the gap a smidge, also got the rear lights working, turned out to be a split right in the middle of the loom, filled the dash pot as it was bone dry and adjusted the little carb so its idling in gear now and actually quite happily goes in reverse, well you have to wait about 3 seconds after selecting reverse and then you'll feel it start to move back which is still a vast improvement over before as it used to only go in reverse on a completely flat level at extremely low revs and even then it was hit or miss , though on the drive back the indicators packed up, hazards still work though so probably knocked a fuse loose when we were messing with them? 

I may have been a little harsh about this car, whist I'm still not madly in love with it, I certainly appreciate it a little more than I did 

[Weird Car]

So after removing and cleaning all the fuses I now have indicators back, and as a bonus it also fixed the 12v socket and horn! 

[SilverMachine]

On 15/08/2025 at 21:58, Weird Car said:

So after removing and cleaning all the fuses I now have indicators back, and as a bonus it also fixed the 12v socket and horn! 

tinkering win! dose the vp have any in car entertainment or do you get to sing along with the gears? (not sure what noises the autos make, but the manuals whine like something supercharged!)

[Weird Car]

1 hour ago, SilverMachine said:

dose the vp have any in car entertainment

It does have a long wave radio that unfortunately only picks up Radio 4 

 

 

 

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Weird Car said:

It does have a long wave radio that unfortunately only picks up Radio 4 

 

 

 

LW only? Unusual

[Weird Car]

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

LW only? Unusual

Well LW & MW technically 

[High Jetter]

2 minutes ago, Weird Car said:

Well LW & MW technically 

Shipping forecast too, then😀

[N Dentressangle]

7 hours ago, Weird Car said:

Well LW & MW technically 

275 285 The Happy Sound

[Sir Chocolate Teapot]

17 hours ago, Weird Car said:

It does have a long wave radio that unfortunately only picks up Radio 4 

 

 

 

Steady on there. Nothing wrong with radio 4. 

Also where is the work and pics of repairing the mx5 rusty sills .

[Weird Car]

36 minutes ago, Sir Chocolate Teapot said:

Steady on there. Nothing wrong with radio 4

I must admit the soothing readings of various old worldly stories do fit the vibe of the VDP some what

 

36 minutes ago, Sir Chocolate Teapot said:

Also where is the work and pics of repairing the mx5 rusty sills

Like most things it’s on the back burner, it just got through this years MOT so will definitely require it before next, though what with the international move in the not too distant future and time very limited it’ll probably be a job I’ll end up farming out to be honest, we’ll see though 

[SilverMachine]

i think radio 4 is the only uk station remaining - unless theres still talk sport but i think they too along with virgin (now absolute) have migrated to dab

if r4 gets too much im sure theres a lw convertor transmitter thingy similar to the fm ones available for the vintage radio enthusiasts some a line in some even with blue teeth! 

my mx5 had rusty sills in front of the rear arches. it received an mot repair and some smooth silver hammerite style paint  that didnt really hide the repair very well. i do miss that car.

 

[Weird Car]

Out and about today doing daily driver stuff and I have a few updates, in heavy start stop traffic the gearbox has a tendency to intermittently make an absolutely horrific metal grinding/screeching noise, not a clue what it could be and it’ll go away after like 2 minutes, we also have a front brake disc that feels very warped, I’ve heard that discs and pads for these are really difficult to come by, does anyone know where I could track some down? 
overall though it’s fitting the job of An Car fine  and it’s actually a pretty nice place to be when it’s behaving 

[N Dentressangle]

Pads are available on Ebay.

If there's enough meat left on the disc, you might be able to get it skimmed. I had both mine on the P6 done on the car for about £90. Check out https://skimmydiscs.co.uk/

Earlpart list discs and pads for £99 https://www.longbridgemotorspares.co.uk/catalogue_Allegro.htm

[Andyrew]

5 hours ago, Weird Car said:

brake disc that feels very warped, 

If the discs dont have large rust chunks that its catching on then a good clean up may bring the back around. Alot of "warping" can be a build up material over a high spot in so in This case as the car sat for a long time  probably a build up of pad over the area it was sat. Cleaning them up won't make them any worse and skimming or replacing them is still an option if unsuccessful.

A good deglaze with rough emery paper or DA sander and a couple of 80 grit discs is my go to if you have or can borrow one.

I'm not saying it's right , but it's worked in the past.

[bangernomics]

It does have a long wave radio that unfortunately only picks up Radio 4 
 
 
 

Sold

[bangernomics]

Out and about today doing daily driver stuff and I have a few updates, in heavy start stop traffic the gearbox has a tendency to intermittently make an absolutely horrific metal grinding/screeching noise, not a clue what it could be and it’ll go away after like 2 minutes, we also have a front brake disc that feels very warped, I’ve heard that discs and pads for these are really difficult to come by, does anyone know where I could track some down? 
overall though it’s fitting the job of An Car fine  and it’s actually a pretty nice place to be when it’s behaving 

Try the guys in rochdale, brakes international usually have shelves of random.

I did dev testing on their website years ago and the catalogue cross refs we created by Bert from stores originally so a lot of old knowledge is in there.

[bangernomics]

Out and about today doing daily driver stuff and I have a few updates, in heavy start stop traffic the gearbox has a tendency to intermittently make an absolutely horrific metal grinding/screeching noise, not a clue what it could be and it’ll go away after like 2 minutes, we also have a front brake disc that feels very warped, I’ve heard that discs and pads for these are really difficult to come by, does anyone know where I could track some down? 
overall though it’s fitting the job of An Car fine  and it’s actually a pretty nice place to be when it’s behaving 

Try the guys in rochdale, brakes international usually have shelves of random.

I did dev testing on their website years ago and the catalogue cross refs we created by Bert from stores originally so a lot of old knowledge is in there.

[Weird Car]

42 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

If the discs dont have large rust chunks that its catching on then a good clean up may bring the back around. Alot of "warping" can be a build up material over a high spot in so in This case as the car sat for a long time  probably a build up of pad over the area it was sat. Cleaning them up won't make them any worse and skimming or replacing them is still an option if unsuccessful.

A good deglaze with rough emery paper or DA sander and a couple of 80 grit discs is my go to if you have or can borrow one.

I'm not saying it's right , but it's worked in the past.

That’s not a bad plan honestly I’ll definitely give it a go

 

35 minutes ago, bangernomics said:

Try the guys in rochdale, brakes international usually have shelves of random.

I did dev testing on their website years ago and the catalogue cross refs we created by Bert from stores originally so a lot of old knowledge is in there.

 

35 minutes ago, bangernomics said:

Try the guys in rochdale, brakes international usually have shelves of random.

I did dev testing on their website years ago and the catalogue cross refs we created by Bert from stores originally so a lot of old knowledge is in there.

You can say that again 

 

but in all seriousness thank you for the advice 

[Mally]

Brakes International  are showing pads but not discs. I go in now and then.

[bangernomics]

Double posts is a tapatalk app feature for me. It doesn’t let me delete them either which is a pain. Sorry for the drift.

[SiC]

2 minutes ago, bangernomics said:

Double posts is a tapatalk app feature for me. It doesn’t let me delete them either which is a pain. Sorry for the drift.

There should be an option under your post when using Tapatalk for "Moderate". In that there is an option to delete. 

I have never got double posts in Tapatalk but it might be if your phone signal is a bit flaky at times?