The Racetractor. The End.

[Piggy]

Something was off...as its been fine for last 400miles.

Spot on.

Bit worried its lying as I may not know whats going on.

Guna do a flush and see what happens.

[kentiiboii]

Try bypassing thermostat see if its that? If not it'll help till you find the problem.
I hope you do before something major happens as I remember trouble with hg when you first put the car on road.

[Piggy]

I LOVE my car.

Wife is ill so I took the girlfriend for a blast to Haynes of Challow...not been there before...about 45min of great B roads away...
Was a cracking drive....she was a dream, lots of boost, no issues and loads of sweet corners!
Good to find lots of 306, 106, 205s and a couple of 2.1s aswell. Decent priced too.
So got me a new aerial as mine snapped....and...


[attachment=16457]

Nice new undamaged sump! Note the baffle in it


Got some bits ordered too...oil and coolant flushes. A different, better quality thermostat, and some fresh coolant.

[Niall]

I wouldn't bother with oil flush mate. If you want to flush it, run it for 20-50 miles with cheap oil then get something decent in there

[Chris_90]

Wife is ill so I took the girlfriend for a blast to Haynes of Challow

So you have a wife and a girlfriend how's that working guessing they don't no about each other?

[Piggy]

Girlfriend is the car...I try and keep the affair quiet!!

I'm trying a new product for the oil flush...bit of a tester

[Piggy]

Hmmmm...interesting evening so far...

[attachment=16479]

[Frosty]

That's a bit extreme for just an oil change

[Dum-Dum]

And what is so interesting?

[Piggy]

Was a bit...

[attachment=16486]
[attachment=16487]

All coz I didnt spot this when rebuilding it...

[attachment=16488]

So Im doing the DRL fogs, resealing the headlights, replacing wing and try n get all the panel lines to match next. And give it all a good clean!

New shorter aerial too as the original snapped

Made my own pipe up for crank breather too, it been leaking and they go so brittle

---

Thats a replacement sump by the way!!

---

Also did a temp gauge test, works spot on, also the sensor seems to be reading right, guna do a bench test on a spare and see what I get

[Dum-Dum]

Oh you remind me I need to order a crank breather as mine leaks too.

[Piggy]

Yeah they suck...go sooo brittle its mad.

Absolute pig to get to aswell

[Dum-Dum]

Yeah tell me about that. 1192K8 and about £23 before discount

[Piggy]

Tiz why I heated up some hose and made me own

[Piggy]

So went about putting panels back on today.

Did a few things in process:
Rewired the rad fans...best not admit why
Resealed headlights due to fogging
Painted and repaired fogs, modded for DRLs
Painted n trimmed grill
Wired in DRL/foglight system
Repaired washer bottle leak
Fitted less dented drivers wing
Spent what like felt forever trying to get all
panel gaps evenish!

Result:

[attachment=16532]
[attachment=16533]

Much more of a white light in the flesh.

Most happy

---

Im in two minds about this bodywork.

A lot of panels dont quite match.

Both bumpers need replacing/repainting.

A number of dents need PDR

One on the offside rear quarter needs filling and painting.

I dont know wether to just not care, clean and polish it and live with it
OR
Find mint panels where I can, bumper, bonnet, wings that match, doors etc and do the PDR meself as best I can and repair
OR
Get it all repaired and a blow over top coat done
OR
Get dents removed and get it vinyl wrapped


....or find a mint shell at some point :S

[Kwik]

That looks mint tbh. Mad question though did the bumper have to be off to do fogs?

[Piggy]

Yeah I took it off as I had to anyhow...

I think the fogs could be removed without it...but proper fiddly

[Kwik]

Thanks for that I have to either redo mine or get new ones but if I have to take of bumper they can wait lol

[Piggy]

Theres three bolts, if its all in tact.

Top two are on slots, so they only need to be undone by a turn or two. Bottom one needs to be completely removed. Then it wiggles out.
8mm head for them all

[Dum-Dum]

Getting matching panels will be a PITA as there was a few shades of moonstone and they'll all of faded differently due to where they are parked or how they are looked after.

I'd be looking for a mint shell or saving for a respray. Gotta say I'd love to reshell mine into something else at some point as my shell is tatty as f*ck

[Piggy]

When I swapped my aerials I found my issue....

[attachment=16538]

Very much faded...

So any panels I put on I have found to be a much deeper, nicer colour. V annoying

[Jimbo]

I have a similar issue with some of my panels I've fitted, looks fine in some light and crap in others!
I try not to care but it does bug me

[puglove]

needs a good deep machine polish James !!

[Piggy]

needs a good deep machine polish James !!

Yeah it does for sure...you offering???

I have been considering buying some kit though

[Curt]

Give it a proper detail and get a mop on it.

[Piggy]

Started to do a major clean....done all the door shurs, taking all the rubbers off.
Cleaned and hoovered and wet vac'd the interior and mats.
Cleaned intercooler and radiator and engine bay, underbonnet etc...

---

[attachment=16562]
[attachment=16563]

And a before and after of the worst mat...drivers obviously...
[attachment=16564]
[attachment=16565]

[Paul_13]

That's a cracking scrap yard.
You don't find them like that any more

[procta]

piggy the car looks proper mustard! love the after market gauge setup in the dash, you have gave me a few ideas about a rework of my console in the new metro, I may ask if you flock that for me if I do the tweaking.
keep at it pal and it will really pull further on, like it has!

[Piggy]

Im in. And knackered. Too dark n too tired to polish n wax.

But its had full de-tar, wash (megs, micromit with double bucket), rinse, megs claybar, rinse, wash again. Chamois.

Not cleaned a car so thoroughly for YEARS!!

Its made my mind up.

Save me money on respray/wrap...may look out for better bonnet n bumpers, but I think the paint will come up real nice with a polish. Cleaned under arches, under boot and brake calipers too

Gave the exhaust a quick polish though...forgot it was shiney!!

[attachment=16566]
[attachment=16567]

[Dum-Dum]

That really is stunning mate. I wish I could get myself to that stage with my car.