Practically Classics Forum

Richard, you have done your fair share.
Being where you are means that you cannot do any more at this time.

Once (and if) you come back for good, you will need to re commission the C roadster first and the cabrio before anything else.

After that..............




(I'm sure I can help fill the void! LOL)

MG Mal wrote:(I'm sure I can help fill the void! LOL)

That's what worries me!

Phillippa's 216 cabrio will be pressed back into service over the summer because they will be back in the UK during the school summer holidays. I'm hoping to get back for a couple of weeks myself and plan to get some work done on the MGC.

At least, that's the plan.......

Thanks Kate.

Update:


Yesterday I collected the Estate from the Garage.

Huge Thanks go to Ricky and his team for getting the work done so quickly despite their busy schedules.

Work carried out.

Repairs to both rear sill ends and closing panels underneath.
Repairs to both Lower rear outer arch's where they join the sill's.
Nasty Locking wheel nuts removed and wheel studs replaced where needed.
Full New set of Handbrake cables fitted. ("Front to Back").
Brakes overhauled and cleaned, with replacement part's as needed.
4 New tyres fitted and Balanced with new valves etc
Very good part worn fitted to spare wheel.
NEW Old Stock Fuel ECU fitted.
MOT

Given a good scrub to get rid of the usual "Garage Grime" car's tend to pick up when being worked on.




Wheels have been decided on, it will have a full set of Cheese graters(or Toast racks if you prefer) with plain centre's.
IIRC these where an option on high spec Austins, but with the Austin logo Centre.

I have had my last set of "half decent" 14" rims fit with a set 4 new "Budget tyres" to keep the final cost down, but they will be more than adequate until a new owner has completed the restoration (should they wish to).
If the new owner decides to keep these rims fitted a light refurb is advised.

There is still lot's to do to tidy up the exterior paint, lot's of "paint cleaning" etc, and the sills will require a rub back, Zinc Prime and possible stone chip followed by top coat, if the local supplier can match the Targa red paint.

A light skim is still required on the rear arch repairs, and of course a darn good clean inside as well.

A new fuel ecu has been fitted due to the original failing while at the garage.

This failure gave the usual tell tale 'Instant High temp" when turning the ignition on from cold. So it now starts like she should.

A general service will be carried out, (oil filters etc) once the clean up has been completed.

Finally a New Austin grill in correct Silver will be fitted, as the old one is so faded and warped, it's not worth leaving on as I have a spare.

It will not be "pristine" once I have finished, nor will it be "Pretty", but it will be Solid and roadworthy.

Cost's so far: 690.00 (excluding collection)

I envisage another possible 100.00 or so to complete the clean up and servicing etc.

If anyone is seriously interested in this car once It's ready, please feel free to contact me, as It was never intended to be a "keeper".

It will have been given a "new lease on life" and hopefully will still be around for many more years.

A little update, progress has been a little slow due to other commitments, but some work has been done.

Starting to get there. Still arch's to Tidy, Hatch paint to deal with and screen seal to do. "Toast rack" Alloys seam to suit it.


Just the new ARG Badge to add here


Front end cleaned up well, Just hope the rest of the paint is as "Forgiving"


New grill, Bumper, Wing and Wheels are certainly a big improvement,


it also starts on the button since the new fuel ECU was fitted. smooth running too, so just a good service of the Auto box, should see a smooth gear change too.

id be interested to see your service of the autobox..

rich. wrote:id be interested to see your service of the autobox..

Me too. AL4** on these isn't it? I had a Montego 1600 Auto as an AA Relay Plus car once and it felt as though the box was slipping constantly as I really struggled to maintain progress on a straight run up the A68 in the car. It was a 1600cc one and I had assumed it should have felt quite perky as the manuals almost did but if anything, it was slower than the manual.
It was a late one and forgetting its sluggish nature the car was very, very comfortable so it worked for me on the whole.


**- Looked on various sites and couldn't find the definitive answer to that one, but Wikipedia did inform me that the Maestro had homophobic headlamps. I wonder whither they also came with racist carpets or was the car's bigotry limited to its electrics?

rich. wrote:id be interested to see your service of the autobox..

For a start it will be getting my usual "double flush" of the fluid, and then left till totally drained.
Then a good quality fluid will be used to correct levels.
After that, it will have a test run, to see if any "niggles" need dealing with, if there are, I shall consult the manual on any adjustments that can be done, or if there needs to be a new part of two fitted.

Mal.

MG Mal wrote:

rich. wrote:id be interested to see your service of the autobox..

For a start it will be getting my usual "double flush" of the fluid, and then left till totally drained.
Then a good quality fluid will be used to correct levels.
After that, it will have a test run, to see if any "niggles" need dealing with, if there are, I shall consult the manual on any adjustments that can be done, or if there needs to be a new part of two fitted.

Mal.

Whilst a lot newer than the Borg Warner fitted to my Singer, I wonder if the set up is similar, in that the majority of the fluid is in the torque converter, so you can actually only drain 1.5 litre or so. Took me 4 drain and refills (with a run in between each) to get the final drain a nice red colour.

Kev

Seems nobody knows whither it is an AL4 then. Harvey? If so, good luck with that. Peugeot and VW both offered sponsorship for people who had to do the course back then, they didn't half make them work for the certificates but Renault staff had to pay out of their own pockets and received a 12% bonus over the following two years instead!
It was the "sealed for life" part that put me off, or maybe I was away that week. Thank goodness.
Maybe someone will come along who knows something about these things?
Sadly, Kev, no. It's about as far from a reliable, long-lived and well-liked unit such as your BW35 as it would be possible to get, assuming the person who knows how to deal with it is lurking and can confirm that it is one of those mad things.
Either way, it's a shame that nobody knows these cars well enough when even the dealerships were using the wrong fluid in cars being topped up PDI style.

My first S series Auto, so give me a chance. LOL