My new BMW 520 is utter crap when oping the doors in wet weather, the rear doors allow a huge amount of water to drop all over the seats, My kids love that element of its design!
Great work, really interesting little car
Kev
Vulgalour's Vehicles - 10/03 Ignition Switch Woe
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 17/04 Renault
There's the other factor of this car being highly unlikely to be used that often, much less in wet weather. So it's doubtful the lack of gutters will ever really be an issue. I almost always wear a hat with a brim and the seats are plastic so I can't see there being any problems. If there are, it's my own stupid fault. 
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 17/04 Renault
Sensible motoring headwear, are you Johnny Depp?vulgalour wrote:.. I almost always wear a hat with a brim
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true..
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true..
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 17/04 Renault
or more worryingly, are you Walter White?
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 17/04 Renault
who? 
any relation to walter gabriel??
any relation to walter gabriel??
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 17/04 Renault
It's okay, I used the Google to find out he was making a popular culture reference. Walter White is from the show Breaking Bad, which I have never watched.
---
Mike and I hauled the engine and gearbox out of the engine bay again so we could fit those stiffener brackets that go from the engine mounts to the bellhousing. This was a chore and I wish I'd known what they were before the engine went in the car. What's more, with brackets fitted it's nearly impossible to put the nut on the bottom of the driver's side engine mount because access is something that happens to other cars. Had to remove the bonnet, gear lever brace and steering column to get the engine and gearbox out as well as putting the lifting straps on in such a way that they cleared the locations we needed to fit the stiffener brackets. This was not a particularly fun job.
That done, a bit of info on the headlights. They are handed and have very specific fittings, not at all what I'm used to seeing.
On the outer side at the top there's a spring that the tab that makes the lights handed sits in.
On the inner side at the bottom is a clip of sorts that holds the bracket that doesn't have an adjuster in it.
Frustratingly, the two headlight mounting brackets are mirrored, which is why I can't use the spare headlights I've got in this hole.
So, I decided that I'd take the wire wheel to the passenger side bowl to see if it could be cleaned up to be repaired. Results were less than satisfactory and I stopped almost as soon as I'd started.
What I did notice is that the brackets that make these lights handed are just spot welded on. With care I can very likely remove them from the above bowl as they're in much better shape than the rest of the unit. I can them convert one of my spare drivers side headlights to a passenger side one. Since the brackets aren't fixed to the actual reflector bowl but the decorative surround I don't need to worry about damaging the silvering either as it shan't matter.
With that out the way I turned my attention to the ball joints. This was to be another horrible job. Started on the driver's side and learned by trial and error how best to remove the two rivets holding the ball joint in place. The third fastener was a captive bolt, the nut for which came undone surprisingly easily. After some effort with spinny tools and hammers, the old ball joint was off.
On fitting the new one, before I'd even finished tightening it, one of the bolts sheared.
Never mind, I found another suitable bolt and nut and had the lower ball joint all buttoned up and ready to go.
The upper ball joint put up more of a fight, this one has three rivets holding it in. I was thwarted in my attempt to fit the new ball joint because the upper collar I need to remove is also spot welded to the upper arm and to be honest I just hadn't the patience to deal with that. I had been at the unit at this point for six hours, much longer than intended, most of which was faffing about getting the engine in and out again. Here's one dead old upper ball joint.
In other news, I found and reinstated the factory jack. I'd hidden it under the back seat.
Got the gear linkage properly secured and fitted the throttle return spring. I think the throttle cable needs replacing, it's not only frayed but has a habit of sticking when you've pressed the pedal down because the cable doesn't move smoothly in the sheath. I also fitted the two tiny pieces of new fuel hose needed, I just haven't put clamps on yet as I couldn't find them.
Can anyone tell me what this is and where it goes? With it sat on top of the air filter the wire is pretty much at maximum extension so I assume it must go on or near the carburettor, I just can't find anywhere it looks to fit. Seems to be some sort of sensor.
Tried out the seating position properly today and the gear change. I like the latter but not so much the former, the pedals and steering wheel are very offset which has caused me problems with cars in the past. I might get on with it, I might not, I shan't be driving the car enough for it to cause me the problems the Maestro did.
The only thing that's jammed on the dashboard is what I assume is the heater control which is stuck on RED. I haven't attempted to force it for fear of breaking it, it's jammed so firmly it's like it's been bolted down. The choke pull works, it could just do with a little fresh grease to make it smoother to operate.
---
Mike and I hauled the engine and gearbox out of the engine bay again so we could fit those stiffener brackets that go from the engine mounts to the bellhousing. This was a chore and I wish I'd known what they were before the engine went in the car. What's more, with brackets fitted it's nearly impossible to put the nut on the bottom of the driver's side engine mount because access is something that happens to other cars. Had to remove the bonnet, gear lever brace and steering column to get the engine and gearbox out as well as putting the lifting straps on in such a way that they cleared the locations we needed to fit the stiffener brackets. This was not a particularly fun job.
That done, a bit of info on the headlights. They are handed and have very specific fittings, not at all what I'm used to seeing.
On the outer side at the top there's a spring that the tab that makes the lights handed sits in.
On the inner side at the bottom is a clip of sorts that holds the bracket that doesn't have an adjuster in it.
Frustratingly, the two headlight mounting brackets are mirrored, which is why I can't use the spare headlights I've got in this hole.
So, I decided that I'd take the wire wheel to the passenger side bowl to see if it could be cleaned up to be repaired. Results were less than satisfactory and I stopped almost as soon as I'd started.
What I did notice is that the brackets that make these lights handed are just spot welded on. With care I can very likely remove them from the above bowl as they're in much better shape than the rest of the unit. I can them convert one of my spare drivers side headlights to a passenger side one. Since the brackets aren't fixed to the actual reflector bowl but the decorative surround I don't need to worry about damaging the silvering either as it shan't matter.
With that out the way I turned my attention to the ball joints. This was to be another horrible job. Started on the driver's side and learned by trial and error how best to remove the two rivets holding the ball joint in place. The third fastener was a captive bolt, the nut for which came undone surprisingly easily. After some effort with spinny tools and hammers, the old ball joint was off.
On fitting the new one, before I'd even finished tightening it, one of the bolts sheared.
Never mind, I found another suitable bolt and nut and had the lower ball joint all buttoned up and ready to go.
The upper ball joint put up more of a fight, this one has three rivets holding it in. I was thwarted in my attempt to fit the new ball joint because the upper collar I need to remove is also spot welded to the upper arm and to be honest I just hadn't the patience to deal with that. I had been at the unit at this point for six hours, much longer than intended, most of which was faffing about getting the engine in and out again. Here's one dead old upper ball joint.
In other news, I found and reinstated the factory jack. I'd hidden it under the back seat.
Got the gear linkage properly secured and fitted the throttle return spring. I think the throttle cable needs replacing, it's not only frayed but has a habit of sticking when you've pressed the pedal down because the cable doesn't move smoothly in the sheath. I also fitted the two tiny pieces of new fuel hose needed, I just haven't put clamps on yet as I couldn't find them.
Can anyone tell me what this is and where it goes? With it sat on top of the air filter the wire is pretty much at maximum extension so I assume it must go on or near the carburettor, I just can't find anywhere it looks to fit. Seems to be some sort of sensor.
Tried out the seating position properly today and the gear change. I like the latter but not so much the former, the pedals and steering wheel are very offset which has caused me problems with cars in the past. I might get on with it, I might not, I shan't be driving the car enough for it to cause me the problems the Maestro did.
The only thing that's jammed on the dashboard is what I assume is the heater control which is stuck on RED. I haven't attempted to force it for fear of breaking it, it's jammed so firmly it's like it's been bolted down. The choke pull works, it could just do with a little fresh grease to make it smoother to operate.
-
3xpendable
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:03 am
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 19/04 Renault
If you think they are bad Vulgalour, try fitting the engine mounts on an MGB V8..the entire steering rack and colum has to come out 
As for that sensor, looks like a temperature sensor of some sort to me.
As for that sensor, looks like a temperature sensor of some sort to me.
2013 Dodge Durango R/T
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt.
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (Wagon). LHD.
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt.
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (Wagon). LHD.
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 19/04 Renault
The less I have to do with V8 Muguhbus the better, interesting proposition though they be. That item is indeed the temperature sender, I've since found it bolts to the back of the head where you can't see and can barely get to. It's the sensor for the "you've cooked it, mate" red light of doom that Renault fitted instead of a temperature gauge.
---
Made a bit more progress on the Renault today and intended to have all the front suspension rebuilt, mainly because recently the new shocks arrived.
For two reasons, the upper wishbone was removed from the car. The first was that it should make getting the spot welds drilled out easier, the second that I thought it might make getting the shock out easier too.
With both upper wishbones on the bench drilling out the spot welds for one side was fairly easy and it was ready for the new ball joint in no time. The other one, however, was the most difficult set of spotwelds and rivets I've ever had to remove. It didn't matter how you went about it, it just didn't want to let go. You can also see the lower passenger ball joint just to the left which was just a case of unbolting it, someone had replaced this many, many years ago and made my life a lot easier.
Strange heads though. Rather than a hex bolt or, as in the case of all the new ball joints, screw-headed bolts (both flat and cross type) they were a smooth D shape which meant making use of some mole grips.
I'm going to replace all the 'bolts' that came with the new ball joints, I don't trust that they're up to the job in all honesty. Threads pointing down because that matches what was on the car and seemed to fit better. Upper wishbones refitted for now to make sure I don't lose any fixings, they're very easy to fit and remove really.
Mike managed to get the top nut off the shock on the passenger side but we couldn't get the bottom bolt out, there just seems to be too much tension on everything. We'll figure it out. On the driver's side I could get a spanner on the top nut of the shock but couldn't figure out how on earth Mike managed to move it on the passenger side, there seems to be just enough space to get the spanner in and nothing else. I do hope I don't have to remove the inner wings to replace them.
Finally, one of the old brake pads was removed and tried against the new ones I'd bought. Previous owner certainly got as much use as he possibly good out of the old pads. As you can see I've managed, yet again, to buy the wrong part even with cross-referencing of brake type, car year and all the rest. Trouble was, there were two brake pads listed wherever I looked for my car and nobody knew exactly which I needed so I took a gamble on the ones that looked right from memory... and got it wrong. No great loss, it was only £8 delivered for a full set of pads and I'm sure I can rehome them along with all the other wrong bits I've bought.
I've since tracked down a correct set of brake pads for the car that have cost me £8.50 delivered now I know which type I really need.
---
Made a bit more progress on the Renault today and intended to have all the front suspension rebuilt, mainly because recently the new shocks arrived.
For two reasons, the upper wishbone was removed from the car. The first was that it should make getting the spot welds drilled out easier, the second that I thought it might make getting the shock out easier too.
With both upper wishbones on the bench drilling out the spot welds for one side was fairly easy and it was ready for the new ball joint in no time. The other one, however, was the most difficult set of spotwelds and rivets I've ever had to remove. It didn't matter how you went about it, it just didn't want to let go. You can also see the lower passenger ball joint just to the left which was just a case of unbolting it, someone had replaced this many, many years ago and made my life a lot easier.
Strange heads though. Rather than a hex bolt or, as in the case of all the new ball joints, screw-headed bolts (both flat and cross type) they were a smooth D shape which meant making use of some mole grips.
I'm going to replace all the 'bolts' that came with the new ball joints, I don't trust that they're up to the job in all honesty. Threads pointing down because that matches what was on the car and seemed to fit better. Upper wishbones refitted for now to make sure I don't lose any fixings, they're very easy to fit and remove really.
Mike managed to get the top nut off the shock on the passenger side but we couldn't get the bottom bolt out, there just seems to be too much tension on everything. We'll figure it out. On the driver's side I could get a spanner on the top nut of the shock but couldn't figure out how on earth Mike managed to move it on the passenger side, there seems to be just enough space to get the spanner in and nothing else. I do hope I don't have to remove the inner wings to replace them.
Finally, one of the old brake pads was removed and tried against the new ones I'd bought. Previous owner certainly got as much use as he possibly good out of the old pads. As you can see I've managed, yet again, to buy the wrong part even with cross-referencing of brake type, car year and all the rest. Trouble was, there were two brake pads listed wherever I looked for my car and nobody knew exactly which I needed so I took a gamble on the ones that looked right from memory... and got it wrong. No great loss, it was only £8 delivered for a full set of pads and I'm sure I can rehome them along with all the other wrong bits I've bought.
I've since tracked down a correct set of brake pads for the car that have cost me £8.50 delivered now I know which type I really need.
Re: Austin, Renault, Rover and more - 19/04 Renault
In Rover news, at the start of April the key fob died leaving me with a car I couldn't disarm the immobiliser on. Many, many workarounds were suggested and in the end it had to go away to a garage to be fixed. The car was booked in with Rovetec to get the fob and immobiliser sorted out, booked on the Thursday, delivered to them on the Monday. I couldn't get a reasonable price on transporting the car 5 miles from home to Rovetec so splashed out £25 on a towing pole and my brother dragged us over there in his Picasso. Dropped the car off and toddled off home, expecting a call in about an hour to tell me the job was done.
As soon as we get out of the car the phone rings to say they can't do my car would I come and pick it up? Trundled back over and got the car picked up. Rovetec thought I had a newer system on it than it does, three pin rather than twelve pin. They could do the car in a week when the kit would be repaired/replaced but they couldn't store the car for me in the meantime.
My brother found another garage around the corner, North Eastern 4x4, so we took it there last thing on Monday. Late on Friday it was done, new fob, reprogrammed, lovely job. The bill was considerably more than I wanted to pay but I can't deny they did a good job as the car now works fine, half the bill was the labour which is always very expensive with garages. That said, NE4x4 had to get someone else in as though they had a fob in stock they didn't have the kit old enough to talk to the car which, as it happens, is the same as early Freelanders and them being a Land Rover specialist meant they knew what they were dealing with.
What is annoying is that one I got the car home and put some stuff in the boot I noticed the outer shell of the spoiler bouncing freely, which it wasn't doing when it went in to be fixed. One or the other of the two garages must have pushed against it to move the car and that means I have to reglue it. Not thrilled, but I'm not going to kick up a fuss about it because it's something I can fix for nothing.
Today, with it being glorious weather, I gave the car a thorough wash and wax. Looked great.
Just as I was finishing off a fellow Rover enthusiast appeared, stopping off for a brew on his way up further North delivering Peugeot. He was dropping off a full set of OEM Rover floor mats, something that I got on eBay for 99p.
Very nice to have a full set of proper mats in the car. I've never seen a set in another R8. The last thing to tell you all is my little light-up bat keyring fell off so it now hangs from the rear view mirror. A fitting counterpoint the spider on the parcel shelf. Oh, and you can see the glorious day turned into rain and hail just as I was taking these pictures.
Today, the Rover got a Vax to the interior which highlighted that the the front seats were worse than I thought they were. It got dark before I could get any good pictures so you'll have to wait on those. Here's what came out though.
The last bit of news is that I finally, after four years of hunting, managed to get myself a Hydragas dalek which will make sorting the Princess' suspension out a whole world easier. I know that it pumps fine and doesn't leak and it was bought on good faith that it works. I have no reason to disbelieve this so far and look forward to giving it a test run on the Princess when the pipe and displacer are finally refitted.
Fleet as it stands:
1994 Rover 414SLi - back in daily use. I'll be using it this week to regain confidence before undertaking any major missions.
1994 Vauxhall Corsa Swing - in the garage, not because it's broken but because it's earned a break in a comfortable space for a bit.
1975 Renault 6TL - The centre of attention. Every part I know I need is now bought (exception being headlights, though it looks like I've got a pair of those now too, just to pay for them) and it's progressing very nicely. Once I know it all works we'll get it in for an MoT, hopefully before the year is out
1980 Austin Princess - Waiting. Once the work the Renault needs is done I can turn my attention again to the Princess and finish off the welding, get her running again and get her in for an MoT. It won't take much to get her back on the road but it also won't hurt for her to wait a bit longer. I'd like to have this car MoT'd before the year is out and back in use again.
As soon as we get out of the car the phone rings to say they can't do my car would I come and pick it up? Trundled back over and got the car picked up. Rovetec thought I had a newer system on it than it does, three pin rather than twelve pin. They could do the car in a week when the kit would be repaired/replaced but they couldn't store the car for me in the meantime.
My brother found another garage around the corner, North Eastern 4x4, so we took it there last thing on Monday. Late on Friday it was done, new fob, reprogrammed, lovely job. The bill was considerably more than I wanted to pay but I can't deny they did a good job as the car now works fine, half the bill was the labour which is always very expensive with garages. That said, NE4x4 had to get someone else in as though they had a fob in stock they didn't have the kit old enough to talk to the car which, as it happens, is the same as early Freelanders and them being a Land Rover specialist meant they knew what they were dealing with.
What is annoying is that one I got the car home and put some stuff in the boot I noticed the outer shell of the spoiler bouncing freely, which it wasn't doing when it went in to be fixed. One or the other of the two garages must have pushed against it to move the car and that means I have to reglue it. Not thrilled, but I'm not going to kick up a fuss about it because it's something I can fix for nothing.
Today, with it being glorious weather, I gave the car a thorough wash and wax. Looked great.
Just as I was finishing off a fellow Rover enthusiast appeared, stopping off for a brew on his way up further North delivering Peugeot. He was dropping off a full set of OEM Rover floor mats, something that I got on eBay for 99p.
Very nice to have a full set of proper mats in the car. I've never seen a set in another R8. The last thing to tell you all is my little light-up bat keyring fell off so it now hangs from the rear view mirror. A fitting counterpoint the spider on the parcel shelf. Oh, and you can see the glorious day turned into rain and hail just as I was taking these pictures.
Today, the Rover got a Vax to the interior which highlighted that the the front seats were worse than I thought they were. It got dark before I could get any good pictures so you'll have to wait on those. Here's what came out though.
The last bit of news is that I finally, after four years of hunting, managed to get myself a Hydragas dalek which will make sorting the Princess' suspension out a whole world easier. I know that it pumps fine and doesn't leak and it was bought on good faith that it works. I have no reason to disbelieve this so far and look forward to giving it a test run on the Princess when the pipe and displacer are finally refitted.
Fleet as it stands:
1994 Rover 414SLi - back in daily use. I'll be using it this week to regain confidence before undertaking any major missions.
1994 Vauxhall Corsa Swing - in the garage, not because it's broken but because it's earned a break in a comfortable space for a bit.
1975 Renault 6TL - The centre of attention. Every part I know I need is now bought (exception being headlights, though it looks like I've got a pair of those now too, just to pay for them) and it's progressing very nicely. Once I know it all works we'll get it in for an MoT, hopefully before the year is out
1980 Austin Princess - Waiting. Once the work the Renault needs is done I can turn my attention again to the Princess and finish off the welding, get her running again and get her in for an MoT. It won't take much to get her back on the road but it also won't hurt for her to wait a bit longer. I'd like to have this car MoT'd before the year is out and back in use again.
Re: Princess, 414, Corsa, 6TL, etc. - 01/05 Update
Sort of a big update today because things are going quite well. Over the hump of everything being in bits it's now the more pleasant task of putting the car back together again. First job was to get the shocks swapped over, I was struggling to get tools and hands into the gap so Mike kindly got the old ones off and the new ones on. The old ones were deader than a dead thing, all the rubber parts were just flat and deformed.
New ones fitted and everything went together fairly easily. I couldn't get the bolts I wanted for the ball joints today because it's bank holiday Monday, but when I do get chance to get them I'll go round the car and replace the ten that I need to so that the ball joints are held in with proper bolts and not the rubbish that was supplied.
Of note is the outer driveshaft boot on this side. The old spring wire clip thing had lost its spring and we didn't have a suitable clip in to replace it so I used a tie wrap instead. As far as I know this is perfectly fine as a solution, it holds the boot in place and keeps dirt and oil on the correct sides of the rubber. I'm going to order some new CV/driveshaft boot clips anyway but again, Bank Holiday Monday put paid to getting any today.
The temperature sender was reconnected, the bolt for it was even still in the head. Bit of a bugger to do as access isn't great, but it's done.
Alternator fitted and new drive belts on too. Couldn't fit the tensioner because I dropped the nut and it vanished, you wouldn't think it could, but it did. I'll get a new nut, I didn't have any in stock.
Just plonked the radiator in the hole to keep it out of the way for now. I've got some wires to connect, the radiator to flush and connect, and a new clutch cable to fit under the bonnet. Once that's done I can actually test fire the engine, which I still haven't done. I want everything to be right first and with the engine having lots of lovely oil in it I'm not worrying about it seizing or anything in the meantime.
Took the spotlights I was given apart to check them out. They're past the first flush of youth but serviceable. Used the Rover to provide power and they work perfectly fine, don't even need bulbs.
While the Renault has been in the unit drying out and being bashed about there's a lot of dirt appearing on the floor. Quite a lot of it is in the rear of the bodywork so all of this will need a really good clean out. I need to clean up and refit the mud flaps too, they're both fine it's just that one fell off and one has nearly fallen off.
Since I'm down to much smaller jobs now I started checking various little things. I noticed the rear lights didn't look quite right, look at where the screw holes are in the passenger side lens.
That would be because it's a small back and the lens doesn't fit it. I reckon this is an earlier style light cluster with a later lens bodged on top. I'm seriously tempted to fit an early light lens this side just because.
The other side hasn't got extra holes, but it looked like there might not be reflector fitted.
Nope, no reflector! I can cut a new one from a spare Princess lens I've got, seems like a sensible solution to that problem. I don't know where the old reflector has gone and this is the first time I've had the rear lights apart so I suspect it's not had one on this side for quite some time.
Because I had so few things left to put on the car now I cleared it out, put the rear seat back where it should be and put the mat back down.
Persuaded the driver's door card to sort of go back on. I've got a better card on my spare door that I'll fit because it's the same colour and nicely aged.
What's left of the front mats were plonked in too. I need to buy a scrap of carpet to redo the carpet bits, that shan't cost me much.
Loosely put the lower cowling back under the steering column, all the screws for it have gone missing. I'm still trying to figure out what the neat rectangular hole in the side of the dashboard is for where those wires are coming out. I haven't found any likely spare parts or switches for it, my suspicion is that someone had a fan over ride switch installed and have since removed it.
This is all that's left to go on the car now.
Loosely put the sill trims back on. They really need a clean and some of the wire clips replacing. I've got all the end caps too, they're in the boot.
The front end sits higher than it did, I'm sure of it, and is much firmer than it was since fitting the new suspension parts. I didn't disturb the torsion bars so I hope it's just that it now sits at the normal height rather than it's sitting too high.
The wiper arms were removed - the easiest I've ever removed on any car - for when I test the electrics. I don't want the wiper arms accidentally mangling things or themselves if there's anything wrong with the wiper motor.
Next big mechanical job is the exhaust and front brakes. I have no idea if the master cylinder is any good and won't find out until the new brake pads arrive. The discs I bought do appear to be the correct ones, we compared old and new before refitting the driveshafts. I've brought the old headlining back to see if I've got enough fabric in stock to redo it and, since I want to take the windscreen out to cure the leak it strikes me as sensible to do the headlining at the same time if I can.
To my knowledge, for the MoT I only need the following, providing everything else I've fixed is good:
Headlight (sourced)
Throttle cable
Battery
Brake fluid (in stock)
Gearbox oil
Tyres
New ones fitted and everything went together fairly easily. I couldn't get the bolts I wanted for the ball joints today because it's bank holiday Monday, but when I do get chance to get them I'll go round the car and replace the ten that I need to so that the ball joints are held in with proper bolts and not the rubbish that was supplied.
Of note is the outer driveshaft boot on this side. The old spring wire clip thing had lost its spring and we didn't have a suitable clip in to replace it so I used a tie wrap instead. As far as I know this is perfectly fine as a solution, it holds the boot in place and keeps dirt and oil on the correct sides of the rubber. I'm going to order some new CV/driveshaft boot clips anyway but again, Bank Holiday Monday put paid to getting any today.
The temperature sender was reconnected, the bolt for it was even still in the head. Bit of a bugger to do as access isn't great, but it's done.
Alternator fitted and new drive belts on too. Couldn't fit the tensioner because I dropped the nut and it vanished, you wouldn't think it could, but it did. I'll get a new nut, I didn't have any in stock.
Just plonked the radiator in the hole to keep it out of the way for now. I've got some wires to connect, the radiator to flush and connect, and a new clutch cable to fit under the bonnet. Once that's done I can actually test fire the engine, which I still haven't done. I want everything to be right first and with the engine having lots of lovely oil in it I'm not worrying about it seizing or anything in the meantime.
Took the spotlights I was given apart to check them out. They're past the first flush of youth but serviceable. Used the Rover to provide power and they work perfectly fine, don't even need bulbs.
While the Renault has been in the unit drying out and being bashed about there's a lot of dirt appearing on the floor. Quite a lot of it is in the rear of the bodywork so all of this will need a really good clean out. I need to clean up and refit the mud flaps too, they're both fine it's just that one fell off and one has nearly fallen off.
Since I'm down to much smaller jobs now I started checking various little things. I noticed the rear lights didn't look quite right, look at where the screw holes are in the passenger side lens.
That would be because it's a small back and the lens doesn't fit it. I reckon this is an earlier style light cluster with a later lens bodged on top. I'm seriously tempted to fit an early light lens this side just because.
The other side hasn't got extra holes, but it looked like there might not be reflector fitted.
Nope, no reflector! I can cut a new one from a spare Princess lens I've got, seems like a sensible solution to that problem. I don't know where the old reflector has gone and this is the first time I've had the rear lights apart so I suspect it's not had one on this side for quite some time.
Because I had so few things left to put on the car now I cleared it out, put the rear seat back where it should be and put the mat back down.
Persuaded the driver's door card to sort of go back on. I've got a better card on my spare door that I'll fit because it's the same colour and nicely aged.
What's left of the front mats were plonked in too. I need to buy a scrap of carpet to redo the carpet bits, that shan't cost me much.
Loosely put the lower cowling back under the steering column, all the screws for it have gone missing. I'm still trying to figure out what the neat rectangular hole in the side of the dashboard is for where those wires are coming out. I haven't found any likely spare parts or switches for it, my suspicion is that someone had a fan over ride switch installed and have since removed it.
This is all that's left to go on the car now.
Loosely put the sill trims back on. They really need a clean and some of the wire clips replacing. I've got all the end caps too, they're in the boot.
The front end sits higher than it did, I'm sure of it, and is much firmer than it was since fitting the new suspension parts. I didn't disturb the torsion bars so I hope it's just that it now sits at the normal height rather than it's sitting too high.
The wiper arms were removed - the easiest I've ever removed on any car - for when I test the electrics. I don't want the wiper arms accidentally mangling things or themselves if there's anything wrong with the wiper motor.
Next big mechanical job is the exhaust and front brakes. I have no idea if the master cylinder is any good and won't find out until the new brake pads arrive. The discs I bought do appear to be the correct ones, we compared old and new before refitting the driveshafts. I've brought the old headlining back to see if I've got enough fabric in stock to redo it and, since I want to take the windscreen out to cure the leak it strikes me as sensible to do the headlining at the same time if I can.
To my knowledge, for the MoT I only need the following, providing everything else I've fixed is good:
Headlight (sourced)
Throttle cable
Battery
Brake fluid (in stock)
Gearbox oil
Tyres