CeDriC the numberless Celebration

[dcwalker]

Jeff - perhaps a nice red Celebration then to make up the numbers...

Sylvia - I think obsessed is the word, although knowing how some 480s can be perhaps it's "possessed"??

Seriously, though, how do you all manage to keep that number of cars going without some ending up sitting there for months unused?

David

[jifflemon]

well, the changes to tax make it SO much easy to drop them in and out of Tax.

Insurance? Classic cover is peanuts, mirrors your no-claims (but never technically accrues any).

MOT's are always the fun part; Last year I'd got them staggered so they were every 2 months, but I've messed up and some are now going to roll very close!

[dragonflyjewels]

Being a retired accountant I have a spreadsheet....... However, instead of boring numbers, it contains the plan for the year - which 2 480s are on the road when, all worked out by looking at when servicing / mots are due and which cars are going to meets. It's another year when the GT isn't on the road very much, simply because the French club meet is right down in the south again where it's HOT so we'll need the aircon - too far to take 2 cars, especially as we deviate off to Germany to visit my daughter afterwards. All that mileage means very little UK driving. My ES is STILL in the bodyshop so not going anywhere yet (it worked well over the winter, having her stored on a ramp with all that hot air rising up around her, must try to do the same again next winter with the GT, then perhaps the turbos in 2021 and 2022). No prizes for guessing it'll be the turbos for the Derbyshire meet, always assuming it's third time lucky for Lily. Having blown her cat on the Scotland run last August, then killed her alternator just after we set off for Hampshire in October I'm a little bit nervous.

[dcwalker]

Thanks both

Hmmm...interesting food for thought as to fleet management...

See you on Saturday: Sylvia, I am sure Lily will play ball properly this time!

All the best

David

[dcwalker]

And so things move on...

Nora will be off to her new home "North of the Border" once Alan and I can sort out the logistics.

Mixed feelings really; on the one hand the amount I have put into her means I have become quite attached and will miss her, but on the other hand I cannot see me having time to drive two 480s enough during a summer season to keep both smoothly running, I'd like my C70 back in action for top down motoring now the sun is shining, and Nora is off to another enthusiast who will hopefully finish off the remaining things that she might need. On balance, a good outcome I think...

David

[Norm57]

Well done on rescuing her David, when we spoke about her on Sat I think you will have a tear in your eye when you say goodbye.As you say she will be looked after and anything is better than the 480 graveyard

[dcwalker]

Well done on rescuing her David, when we spoke about her on Sat I think you will have a tear in your eye when you say goodbye.As you say she will be looked after and anything is better than the 480 graveyard

Thanks Norman - you are quite right in all respects.

And she's staying within the club and forum, so I can keep an eye on her progress...

[jifflemon]

So when’s the “big reveal” ??

[dcwalker]

A morning of mixed emotions as my phase of owning 2 480s at the same time came to an end...in, of all places, the car-park of the Darlington Travelodge!

Nora is now off to her new home with Alan in Aberdeen

I hope she sees him home alright; it's a long way to go and will certainly get her properly up and running again. Good to see you again, Alan - enjoy the car and do let me know if you are ever thinking of selling her on...

David

[Norm57]

A lot of love affairs have probably ended at the Darlington travel lodge !

[dcwalker]

A lot of love affairs have probably ended at the Darlington travel lodge !

Thanks Norm - that's brightened me up enormously!!

Hopefully as mine came to an end a new one was just starting for Alan!

David

[Alan 480]

Well I can confirm I got back home just before 1700, took it steady over the 275 miles from Darlo to home, sat about 60 after the first half hour, well it took me that long to find 'NORTH'

it claimed to be averaging 46mpg although I reckon it used 31litres so that is nearer 40mpg, not sure how accurate the fuel gauge is , usually they do agree exactly with the number of litres added.

even 40mpg is not bad considering the straightness of the A68, when it straight it is up and down, when its not up and down it ruddy twisty, so overall OK. but MUCH nicer scenic road than the A1 .. ..

importantly the better half seems to approve, even though it now needs some juggling to get it into the space where previous car was sold from!

what car gets driven has still to be figured out, you can't run too many

[dcwalker]

Hope it was an enjoyable drive Alan - it sounds like it! We like the A68...

Fuel gauge perhaps needs recalibrating - never got round to checking that.

Glad Amanda approves

David

[jamescarruthers]

Excellent news Alan‎. Hope you enjoy it, it sounds like a good'un. 

That is great MPG too!‎

[Alan 480]

yes a very nice shiney example, next door guy commented on it as well

so I've shoehorned the 480 into the space that was occupied by the 330, just a touch bigger!!! need to move it across somehow about four inches nearer the wall /shelving

I'll post a photo of the gap (lack) between front number plate on the 480 and rear number plate recess on the SS1, they match nearly perfectly so allowing the garage door to close and still have some space to work at workshop area. But still need to find a home for the 'rubbish' that was stored in/on the 330

can this image be seen, one was done from chrome book and one from a PC . ..

you wouldn't think that such a small car could hold so much gear, and I've stashed lots of what came out onto new shelves, given away a load of spares including an engine/gearbox, front suspension x 2, starters/dynamos etc . . . . .

a bit tight in here





couple of old dust sheets thrown over the car to keep worst of mess off in meantime!

[dcwalker]

Well, whatever else may be right or wrong with her, I will at least claim credit for the fact that yes, she is a nice shiney example!!

A garage, eh? And dust-sheets?? Pleased to here you are keeping her pampered...or is it just that she now needs a long sleep after her tiring drive back up to the Granite City?

David

[Alan 480]

Small updates, slow progress as no real rush as this is to be the 'replacement / back-up' as SWAMBO deems 'fit'


slowly getting around to tidying various bits and pieces on NORA.

all suspension parts and brakes have been removed & rebuilt with grease/copper-slip etc on bolts/fixings so that when time comes to change then not faced with 20+ years of corrosion, although most bolts still seem to be factory fresh on the main section of bolts, just threads a bit rusty, except the one at N/S rear under boot floor , as it will not budge although nut removed eventually found a 16mm cranked ring spanner would just fit onto the remains of the nut

Front strut pans also removed and buffed off with angle grinder and wire wheel on same, rust attacked and re-painted , hopefully to last another ten or so years?

found that O/S strap on door had been broken and I wonder if door is a bit skewed as VERY springy to close, almost too tight/hinge bound?, but eased top hinge out a bit and closed a few times and this has let top of door out a bit at front, although still 'in line' I might have another go when can get door fully open to adjust a bit more, and maybe also ease bottom hinge out, so top section of trim left off in the mean-time.

all this is just a wee bit at a time as and when.

have removed headlining and glued the flappy bits back on, which seems to have stuck fairly well, (used spray adhesive from Screwfix) got to be canny about not applying enough as it won't stick , and putting too much glue on as it leaves a 'dirty mark' but I reckon it will do.

whilst headlining was out cleared the washer tube, needed a bicycle pump at washer jet end (pulled tube from nozzle and caught the cr*p in a milk bottle,) david had cleared previously but more of teh foam from teh engine bay had found its way into tubes.

Front end of sills seems to be fine as I've had both wings off and at bottom edge of wing AND sill all seems fine, ditto the front cross member and even the area where some eejit has jacked the car up on the edge of sill rather than the jacking point. inner edges of the sills and floor pan are just 'surface rust' underneath the factory applied waxy/sticky/body protection stuff. so rust remover used and back to 'bright metal' boot floor was thin in usual place so it was repaired ages back whilst fitting the tow-bar and will maybe get reinforced now other tasks are complete.

what a PITA to fit the 'demountable' tow bar!!! I have also made a small stainless cover for the wedge to keep the 'sticky grease' on and weather out.
(I think it was designed for FLT slides?)

I replaced the captive bolt plates for the rear flaps with plastic 'fir-trees' that are meant to be used on Renault Clio inner wing linings as they had a 4mm hole which was tapped to 5mm and used SS button heads through copper 'penny washers'. Just opened up the holes in the bumper to about 10mm with rat tail file , and did the same with the plastic 'spats' which just pushed over once assembled, maybe not perfect but means they can by removed the drop sections repalced with galvanised 'tie straps', (https://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix-rol ... pack/96232) only as I had some left over from a previous building project

managed to fit NOS handbrake cables I had in stock , N/S without removal of rear wheel, I'll have to take wheel off to get the anti rattle spring back on but saves taking car out. I only have room to work at one side at a time (just now access to O/S) and only under one half at a time, front or rear (this week) .. . .

[Alan 480]

I wee update, nowt impressive

Gear Box info
Gear oil level is probably 'low' as it has a previous comment about 'oil' on drive shaft and some is evident on N/S at seal, and I can only just get my finger 'wet', filler plug wasn't too tight either

Bought some of correct specification form local motor factors for £5 but still to figure out how to pour it in!!! the old Hypoid bottles came with a nice long tube and could be adapted so that the tube was fed from the base of the bottle, so might decant from new bottle to old bottle as can't see how you'd fill it from above with the Air Con tank in place.

Suspension
some of the front suspension nuts needed the LONG extending breaker bar usually reserved for the wheel nuts .. . . and the breaker bar was already adjusted (with set) so that the end is at right angles to get a direct pull on it, rather than the offset you'd have when removing wheel nuts.

the front nut under the gear-box needed a two foot long steel tube slipped over 19mm spanner and the serious shove, (no room for the breaker bar) goodness knows what they tightened them up with after they swapped the front bushes which according to the receipts had been done 'not long ago' (if they actually did swap them ???, can't see how / why you'd bother? unless saw the price of the lower arms and decide 'bushes are cheaper' ?

Exhaust
got the cat off & on again whilst easier access, as it needed the front securing bolts cut apart with angle grinder, but at least easier when come to MoT time to check emissions etc, exhaust clamps were fairly easy as it had been treated to a new middle section. the springs on the front are 'fair' and i guess should be replaced with heavier duty versions?

the lambda sensor turned fairly easily about 1/4 turn so if it is goosed then it can get fully unscrewed, most difficult part is taking all the wiring out to get it unscrewed the five or six revolutions!!!! at least the DELPHI ones come with short pig tails and connectors that are made off 'locally' with 'screw together' crimps

[Alan 480]

been running the cr since 1st Feb with plan to get MoT this month.

set off today and washed back screen only to see the wiper come half way up then return to the vertical postion DOWN.

I'd had the wiper off when laid up and with me testing/clearing the washer nozzles the park position wasn't where it should have been, seems to park in random places!

In a NORMAL use wiper when the power is cut to the motor the secondary line keeps it running to 'park', and if the park switch is toast it will stop 'instantly' this seems to do neither!!! when on either rate it might only do half a sweep or a sweep and a half.

does this seem like the return wire is damaged and so it IS stopping the second the power is lost?

I could pull the rear wiper motor from EVA but any clues first? the spare in loft was actually a roof motor, got it ages back with a pile of parts from Glagsow Jim

lamda sensor seems to vary from 0.2Volts to about 0.8Volts, a bit slow maybe but deffo varying, so just hope all is OK for MoT, smells cleaner than EVA but it does have drink problem, mostly via the breather

[dcwalker]

Are the rear wiper issues not the usual frayed wires where they enter the boot-lid?

Emissions were fine at the last MOT...fingers crossed!

David