Jimblob's Cambridgeshire Autoshite Adventures

[Jimblob]

Spurred on by the recent bargain sale of my Smart Roadster I thought it was time to write about my collection. Currently there are 4 Citroen Visas:

GTi (nice one)

GTi (project one) 

Visa Special 

Visa Club 

 

and the most recent addition,  a Peugeot 504 estate 

There are going to be two more added to the collection imminently (not Visas. No more bloody Visas) 

 

[Mrs6C]

5 minutes ago, Jimblob said:

not Visas. No more bloody Visas

One can never have too many Visas...

[Mac69400]

I saw some of these yesterday, when I collected the Roadster. The 504 brought back happy memories of journeys to school in the 504 of a friend's mum. 

The Special was lovely, too. It looked like a nicely maintained, but slightly careworn, 10 year old car. Lovely patina. 

[Bear]

There's no Visa Decap in there.

[High Jetter]

40 minutes ago, Jimblob said:

and the most recent addition,  a Peugeot 504 estate 

Familiaire?

[Jimblob]

7 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Familiaire?

It's not that one,  it's the GR so no 3rd row of seats (unlike the one my father had in the 80s)

[ruffgeezer]

That's a lot of lovely Visas - did they used to live in Duxford by any chance?  I remember delivering there aeons ago and seeing a brace of GTis on a driveway there.

[Jimblob]

12 hours ago, ruffgeezer said:

That's a lot of lovely Visas - did they used to live in Duxford by any chance?  I remember delivering there aeons ago and seeing a brace of GTis on a driveway there.

Nothing to do with me but I think I might know who that was, possibly a former owner of my on-the-road GTi

[Jimblob]

This lovely 1986 Skoda Estelle 120L joined my fleet today. Love it!

 

[wesacosa]

28 minutes ago, Jimblob said:

This lovely 1986 Skoda Estelle 120L joined my fleet today. Love it!

 

I thought I recognised the Visas in your Facebook pics on the Skoda forums 

I've seen this car a couple of times and spoke a bit with the previous owner. its absolutely stunning.. Congratulations 

[Jimblob]

6 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

I thought I recognised the Visas in your Facebook pics on the Skoda forums 

I've seen this car a couple of times and spoke a bit with the previous owner. its absolutely stunning.. Congratulations 

Thanks! I think I tried to contact you about a mk1 Estelle that you might have had for sale. This one came up for what was not much more than I would expect to pay for a slightly rough one so I feel lucky to have the opportunity to own it. 

[wesacosa]

4 minutes ago, Jimblob said:

Thanks! I think I tried to contact you about a mk1 Estelle that you might have had for sale. This one came up for what was not much more than I would expect to pay for a slightly rough one so I feel lucky to have the opportunity to own it. 

Ah no that's a guy with the same name as me (but spelt with a Z not an S) I've got a mk2 Estelle project but not a mk1

yeah it was a bargain as I think the PO needed a quick sale

[Jimblob]

So... collection of the Estelle today was an interesting process. The previous owner had posted me the keys to his lock up (as he's moved away) and told me the storage was paid up for the next couple of months. Handy I thought as I was a bit full and needed to get a couple of cars moved on. I'd decided though that having paid for it in full I'd rather have it on my drive than in a lock up in Bedford. So today I got to the lock up and saw this on the door . . . 

Of course the keys I'd been sent were of no use, and luckily those doors were totally knackered so the right hand one just lifted off and I was in. It looked like I had got there just in time, this could have ended in a very sorry tale.

The previous owner had lost all the keys so I needed to cut off the steering wheel Stop Lock thing, cut off the steering lock from the column and drill out the petrol cap. 

I then A framed it back home - was a bit worried it would fishtail being rear heavy but there's quite a bit of weight added to the frunk and it towed incredibly smoothly and easily.  

I spent an hour or so reassembling bits of dashboard and although I have to start it with a screwdriver at the moment,  it all looks tidy. I then took it to my local car meet this evening where it attracted car enthusiasts like wasps to a jam jar.  Drives really well. Not much go, but sounds good and handling is sure footed (swing axle rear suspension had me a little concerned but it's really quite ok, for my fairly mild driving style at least) 

[loserone]

Fucking hell, that was a close call!

[davehedgehog31]

15 hours ago, Jimblob said:

So... collection of the Estelle today was an interesting process. The previous owner had posted me the keys to his lock up (as he's moved away) and told me the storage was paid up for the next couple of months. Handy I thought as I was a bit full and needed to get a couple of cars moved on. I'd decided though that having paid for it in full I'd rather have it on my drive than in a lock up in Bedford. So today I got to the lock up and saw this on the door . . . 

Of course the keys I'd been sent were of no use, and luckily those doors were totally knackered so the right hand one just lifted off and I was in. It looked like I had got there just in time, this could have ended in a very sorry tale.

The previous owner had lost all the keys so I needed to cut off the steering wheel Stop Lock thing, cut off the steering lock from the column and drill out the petrol cap. 

I then A framed it back home - was a bit worried it would fishtail being rear heavy but there's quite a bit of weight added to the frunk and it towed incredibly smoothly and easily.  

I spent an hour or so reassembling bits of dashboard and although I have to start it with a screwdriver at the moment,  it all looks tidy. I then took it to my local car meet this evening where it attracted car enthusiasts like wasps to a jam jar.  Drives really well. Not much go, but sounds good and handling is sure footed (swing axle rear suspension had me a little concerned but it's really quite ok, for my fairly mild driving style at least) 

Hello Estelle friend, good effort on the repatriation, that sounds like a close one!

[sdkrc]

 

[Zelandeth]

Oh that's alarmingly close to me if you ever decide to sell it...I do have a penchant for these things and have owned three.

Those Jupiter wheels were probably on a late model Rapid originally, I don't *think* they came on the basic Estelles - though the importers were something of a law unto themselves so anything was possible.  

Looks like a really tidy car!

[Jimblob]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Oh that's alarmingly close to me if you ever decide to sell it...I do have a penchant for these things and have owned three.

Those Jupiter wheels were probably on a late model Rapid originally, I don't *think* they came on the basic Estelles - though the importers were something of a law unto themselves so anything was possible.  

Looks like a really tidy car!

Thanks, it is very tidy, a few little bits to do but generally sound. The wheels and autoplas louvers were added on by the previous owner, I quite like them even though not stock. It feels like it could do with a few more bhp to match the looks 😀

[Zelandeth]

23 minutes ago, Jimblob said:

Thanks, it is very tidy, a few little bits to do but generally sound. The wheels and autoplas louvers were added on by the previous owner, I quite like them even though not stock. It feels like it could do with a few more bhp to match the looks 😀

Honestly they go pretty well if healthy given they don't really weigh much.  Not a massive amount of horsepower (54 from memory but don't quote me on that) but they are very rev happy engines for an old pushrod OHV unit.  Definitely shouldn't feel sluggish (well, for a car of the era anyway!) and should absolutely be able to keep up with modern traffic day to day without breaking a sweat.

On a D plate you're right on the edge of when they switched over to the sealed clutch release bearing vs the ones with a little cup in to be oiled periodically.  Worth getting an eyeball on that sooner than later as while it's a fairly cheap part to change (though I doubt they're £5 any more!) the engine and gearbox need splitting to change it.

I keep saying I'm never changing another bloody Estelle release bearing, but think I'm up to six now.

There's an access panel in the floor of the compartment behind the rear seats, and a little black plastic cover over the clutch slave cylinder below that (assuming the cover hasn't vanished already as they often do).  With that removed you can look down straight at the release bearing.  It'll be pretty obvious which version you have as the sealed one is just a smooth cylinder like so...

The older one has a little rectangular cutout in the outer shell which you're meant to put some oil in periodically.  Can't remember what sort or how much as it's been forever.

It's worth checking that there is some free play while you're there as the bearings aren't exactly the most durable things in the world at the best of times - as evidenced by how many of them I've changed.

[Jimblob]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Honestly they go pretty well if healthy given they don't really weigh much.  Not a massive amount of horsepower (54 from memory but don't quote me on that) but they are very rev happy engines for an old pushrod OHV unit.  Definitely shouldn't feel sluggish (well, for a car of the era anyway!) and should absolutely be able to keep up with modern traffic day to day without breaking a sweat.

On a D plate you're right on the edge of when they switched over to the sealed clutch release bearing vs the ones with a little cup in to be oiled periodically.  Worth getting an eyeball on that sooner than later as while it's a fairly cheap part to change (though I doubt they're £5 any more!) the engine and gearbox need splitting to change it.

I keep saying I'm never changing another bloody Estelle release bearing, but think I'm up to six now.

There's an access panel in the floor of the compartment behind the rear seats, and a little black plastic cover over the clutch slave cylinder below that (assuming the cover hasn't vanished already as they often do).  With that removed you can look down straight at the release bearing.  It'll be pretty obvious which version you have as the sealed one is just a smooth cylinder like so...

The older one has a little rectangular cutout in the outer shell which you're meant to put some oil in periodically.  Can't remember what sort or how much as it's been forever.

It's worth checking that there is some free play while you're there as the bearings aren't exactly the most durable things in the world at the best of times - as evidenced by how many of them I've changed.

Thanks for the tip, I'll have a look at that asap!

[Bear]

Those are the same wheels my 1990 Rabid Coupe had - back then they were worth more than the car when it was jacked up to remove them and the entire sill peeled away on the factory jacking point.

It also blew a hose and dumped scalding coolant down the tester's back during the MOT.

But it was such a beast to drive. Any attempt at subtle felt a bit grim, but if you drove it like you hated it, slammed it through gears, belted it into and out of bends, it dug in and cornered and just flew along like the rally cars looked like they did.

Shame it was rotten really (and at 10 years old...).

I think the wheels ended up on a Nova despite not fitting properly.

[Angrydicky]

Great work, you were really lucky to save that in time before the garage vultures got to it!

[tooSavvy]

My 130LSE was quick enough...

*Ate 3 starter motors [warranty] >> screeching like a cat, not failed!

4 pot calipers/t link [as Rapid]

Rubber = liquorice >> ESPECIALLY the green cloth coated heater bleed pipe (with brass cock 😮)

Fitted fan override+ lamp = good mod in summer traffic >> hot engine at the back + fan switch in rad front 🙄...

Put alloy spare up/into boot = wood rot lyke fu#k!! 😉

🚙💨

[Jimblob]

12 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

Great work, you were really lucky to save that in time before the garage vultures got to it!

It was a bloody close call. I am lucky and genuinely feel like I rescued this car now 

[Zelandeth]

Other random memories - if it's windy and you're putting stuff in the boot, be careful.  A gust in the right direction can lift the bonnet off the support and drop it on your head.  The secondary latch drew (quite a bit of) blood from the back of my head when that happened to me.  It took three occurrences before I learned to just stand to the side rather than front of the car.

Kingpins very rarely got maintained, but do have grease points on them.  Steering should be finger light when moving but still have great road feel if it's set up right and healthy.

At this age it's worth having a careful look at the trailing arm bushes (not sure if they're different on this as all of the ones I had had semi trailing arm suspension rather than the older setup) as age was definitely catching up with the rubber of the last one I had.

If it's still got the original water pump on there's a grease cap you need to refill periodically to grease the bearings.  I've never actually seen an original pump fail unless that's clearly been forgotten.

Valve clearances often seem to get ignored - these should be quiet engines rather than clattering away like a Ford Valencia.

If you have the air cleaner off, don't forget to reattach the throttle return spring to it.  Otherwise you'll get a surprise when the engine revs to the moon as soon as you start it.

Be careful not to over tighten the main air cleaner mounting bolt - if you do it warps the top plate of the carb.

[tooSavvy]

@Zelandeth.. aye, all comes flooding back 🙂

Mine stopped/cut out.... Ded as a Ded Thing ☹️

On a main road, fuzz stopped and pushed me onto grass YaY✔️

Green flag sent a bod, young guy.... Tried all the usual suspects = NADA..

Young guy 'phones a friend' >> old guy >> "the anti-run on solenoid, side of carb .... whack it smartly with a spanner!"  ..... Brummm ♥️

Replaced - Warranty 👍

Absolute Hoot [as a confirmed IMPnutter, you see]

🚙💨

[Jimblob]

On 06/06/2026 at 12:58, Zelandeth said:

Other random memories - if it's windy and you're putting stuff in the boot, be careful.  A gust in the right direction can lift the bonnet off the support and drop it on your head.  The secondary latch drew (quite a bit of) blood from the back of my head when that happened to me.  It took three occurrences before I learned to just stand to the side rather than front of the car.

Kingpins very rarely got maintained, but do have grease points on them.  Steering should be finger light when moving but still have great road feel if it's set up right and healthy.

At this age it's worth having a careful look at the trailing arm bushes (not sure if they're different on this as all of the ones I had had semi trailing arm suspension rather than the older setup) as age was definitely catching up with the rubber of the last one I had.

If it's still got the original water pump on there's a grease cap you need to refill periodically to grease the bearings.  I've never actually seen an original pump fail unless that's clearly been forgotten.

Valve clearances often seem to get ignored - these should be quiet engines rather than clattering away like a Ford Valencia.

If you have the air cleaner off, don't forget to reattach the throttle return spring to it.  Otherwise you'll get a surprise when the engine revs to the moon as soon as you start it.

Be careful not to over tighten the main air cleaner mounting bolt - if you do it warps the top plate of the carb.

Thanks for the tips. The engine has been rebuilt in the last couple of years and runs sweetly. There isn't much power though, it might just need a bit more Italian style driving. I think the steering feels a bit vague so might look at the front suspension components and consider getting an alignment done. It does have slabs and a 6lb weight under the bonnet

[Zelandeth]

Alignment would be my first port of call.  Shouldn't need any additional weight to make it track securely.

Ignition timing would be my first port of call for missing go.  No idea what the settings should be - though think everything you need should be on a sticker on the air cleaner (assuming it's still there).

You're not a million miles away if you ever want a second opinion on anything.

[Jimblob]

504 update

I've had issues with fuel supply, which I've put down to crud in the tank and/or weak fuel pump. Adding an electric pump in line didn't fix it.

I gotmyself an Amazon endoscope to have a look inside the fuel tank and it didn't look too awful, was expecting lots of rust. I poked the outlet of the fuel tank and something was obstructing it but its clear now... hoping I didn't damage it but if there was a pickup pipe inside the tank then it was definitely full of crud. Put a load of fresh petrol in the tank and it seemed to be running out a lot clearer. Going round to the front of the car my electric pump didn't seem to be able to pull the fuel through. In combination with the mechanical pump it is now getting through but I'm still not 100% sure the lines are completely unobstructed.

Anyway it is running and I picked my son up from school in it today. It stalls unless fully warmed up and the manual choke is fully out, but pulling the choke doesn't noticeably increase revs. I think a carb rebuild is on the cards.

What I can say though is the engine is very smooth and purrs along. I'd accidentally left a bolt inside the cap off a milk bottle on one of the wings when I drove off a couple of miles later at my son's school, it was still there. That's how smooth it is!

[tooSavvy]

Skoda.... Timing 😮??

The advance mech is 'peened' onto the end of the dizzy shaft.... It's a simple U formed piece of steel, the bob weights pivot [Adv/Ret] on these wings.

Ahem.. 🙄.. the strength of the peening seems to be *variable .... fatigue over years might allow some radial jittering at the fused point.  Mine came away completely >> sad journey home on Low Loader of Shame >> a mate shot me along to a breakers and a 105 dizzy was secured (all the same style) and fully rebuilt with my 130 innards ✔️.

This was my Rapid, not a new warranty car, as Estelle 130LS.

🚙💨