What to do, what to do....dum de dum

[Allen Walker]

Got a number of jobs to do on the car if I'm to make it out this summer:

• Windscreen taken out and resealed (got new seal)
• Hole in sill at jacking point (yes it's still there!)
• Offside engine mount replacement
• Steering rack replacement (currently being rebuilt)
• Proper engine tune perhaps beginning with having head skimmed to PI CR to match the cam that's been in it since before I got it.
• Full tune-up including valve clearances
• Oil change
• Brake check over
• Hand brake adjustment
• Numerous rub-down and touch-up jobs
• MoT (eek)

I've got a day(ish) free this week - what should I do first?

[Brian]

Hi Allen
A few jobs to keep you busy there! Personally I would view the hole in the sill as most serious so I would tackle this first and then concentrate on getting the car MOTd. I would leave the head skim until next Winter and just enjoy the car over the Summer. I am assured it will be a hot one!

Good luck!
Brian

[Alan Chatterton]

I've got a day(ish) free this week - what should I do first?

I'd polish it, then sit down and have a beer or 7.

It'll look much better and you won't care about the rest!!

[Allen Walker]

I'd polish it, then sit down and have a beer or 7.!

Great advice, thanks Alan!

[kevinw]

Make sure you polish the underneath first, though

Kevin

[ken]

come on just do it the more you think the worse it gets. just finished painting mine from front to back under neath even re painted the exhaust. just the rear seat belts to do. but i would get the mot before doing engine mods. easy bits


good luck ken

[Mike Stevens]

Hi Allen,

Your list -

[*]Windscreen taken out and resealed (got new seal) - Not easy, especially the trim, but easy if you get someone else to do it!
[*]Hole in sill at jacking point (yes it's still there!) - Depending how big a hole, could be important
[*]Offside engine mount replacement - Easy
[*]Steering rack replacement (currently being rebuilt) - Easyish, but getting the UJ off the rack can be 'fun'
[*]Proper engine tune perhaps beginning with having head skimmed to PI CR to match the cam that's been in it since before I got it. - Leave until the winter?
[*]Full tune-up including valve clearances - Easy
[*]Oil change - Easy (and filter too I hope?)
[*]Brake check over - Easy
[*]Hand brake adjustment - Easy - don't forget to disconnect the handbrake cable to get the rears to adjust first
[*]Numerous rub-down and touch-up jobs - Whenever
[*]MoT (eek) - Ah.....

I often allocate a day for these 'simple' jobs that aren't simple in the end. You'll have to end up doing what you feel like doing. If it isn't raining that is, in which case follow Alan's suggestion and just have a drink!

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Mike.

[Allen Walker]

Yay! Got to the car yesterday and managed to do one job: replacing the offside engine mount. One of those jobs, when I eventually got the mount off, it didn't look like it needed replacing. Oh well, car has a full set of new mounts now, let's hope we don't have any of the mount problems that have been talked about on this site.
Tip for those trying to replace mounts: I had a block under the sump with a trolley jack underneath and a scissor jack between the engine block and the battery tray. Gently lowering the trolley jack and simultaneously opening the scissor jack to push the engine to one side allowed the bracket to lower onto the mount with a fair amount of precision.
It is an awkward job though, especially as the offside mount is behind/below all the PAS gubbins.
Car started okay, first time since about 6 months ago, but was running badly until very warmed up. Needs a damn good tune.
Oh, also replaced the air filter to air box ducting, which had split.
Couple of bad phone photos attached, one showing the nearside sill which is looking a bit tatty.

[Mike Stevens]

Tip for those trying to replace mounts: I had a block under the sump with a trolley jack underneath and a scissor jack between the engine block and the battery tray. Gently lowering the trolley jack and simultaneously opening the scissor jack to push the engine to one side allowed the bracket to lower onto the mount with a fair amount of precision.

Couple of bad phone photos attached, one showing the nearside sill which is looking a bit tatty.

Hi Allen,

Neat trick. i shall (try to) remember that one.

If that sill photo is the worst rust you have, then that's pretty good. I have seen much worse before! Is that the hole you've mentioned before, or is it elsewhere?

That lower rusty lip you can see is the bottom of the inner bit of the sill (where the carpet is glued) spot welded to the bottom part of the sill (and the outrigger on the other side). That rust WILL have gone up into the inside sill, but I don't think too badly. Looks pretty good apart from that!

Cheers,
Mike.

[Allen Walker]

Is that the hole you've mentioned before, or is it elsewhere?

No, I actually didn't manage to capture the holes, which are just rearward from that shot. The large square hole you see there is the fabricated repair that was done at the behest of a previous owner. They seem to have deliberately left a large hole at the front of the sill. I don't know why or whether it's good or bad.
The other dodgy bits are the front wheel arches, the front valance, and the bottom left hand corner of the windscreen frame (plus of course any hidden nasties which I am sure exist )