A returning owner - well hopefully....

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A returning owner - well hopefully....

Postby Crowmann » Sat Apr 28, 2018 5:24 pm

Hello all

Some time in 2008 I bought a Gold convertible from a fellow in Oxford who had grown tired of the little ruffians charms - it was a white car with hard top and black hood in need of fettling but MOT'd.

I fettled it - indeed I bought a crashed coupe from some one in Cambridgeshire and towed it home to scavenge it for parts like the stainless exhaust, rear undertray, spax adustable suspension, mint dash board - you name it.

Sadly in 2009 after a lot of time and some expense a mad idea seized me - having completed the car including new bucket seats and racing harnesses plus all the swapped stuff and a rear wing spoiler from a Mk1 Tigra the car was put up for sale. Total driving pleasure virtually nil. The drive home when collected being easily the longest followed by the three miles to the garage to MOT it for its new owner.

I have missed that car on and off ever since.

I want it back! or one as good. So if anyone knows of its where abouts - It was a D reg IIRC, white with white alloys, racing seats and at the time bespoke 'Lombard Rally 64' door stickers among many other unique items and they want to sell it back to me - assuming it still exists then please get in touch. I sold it from my old home in Warwickshire.

Failing that a sorted Midas Gold convertible with the bits that matter in place will get a loving home in exchange for a easy sale.

Call me if you can help.

Michael

07515 693463
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Crowmann
 
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Re: A returning owner - well hopefully....

Postby Crowmann » Wed May 30, 2018 8:02 am

Here she is …..

Just got to get her going again.

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IMG_6400.JPG (2.62 MiB) Viewed 9722 times
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IMG_6398.JPG (2.98 MiB) Viewed 9722 times
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Crowmann
 
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Re: A returning owner - well hopefully....

Postby Hans Efde » Wed May 30, 2018 9:25 pm

Awesome buy, what an amazing color. Shouldn't be too difficult to get her going again. Alistair did a writeup on this forum how to revive a car that has been garaged for a few years.
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Hans Efde
 
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Re: A returning owner - well hopefully....

Postby Crowmann » Thu May 31, 2018 6:31 am

Thanks Hans.

It is a good build with lots of nice detailing - especially under the bonnet and below.

The seller beleives the head gasket has gone between two cylinders - so getting her going might be very simple. Or not.

The improvement areas are just detailing the dash and small areas of the cabin.
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Crowmann
 
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Re: A returning owner - well hopefully....

Postby Crowmann » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:51 pm

An update...
Been a tad busy so whipping the head off to see what was the issue has been delayed but after a very short amount of spanner time the ruffians head was on the bench and sure enough number 2 and 3 piston was conjoined by a 3mm gapp in both firing rings. Shheeesh that gap is small.

Some light fettling with the gasket cleaning tool and the verdict was both head and block will live without more specialist help.

Payen gasket at the ready and before I could decide I had done enough it was all back together. Perhaps three hours work and no more. These little lumps sure are easy to work on - well the top bits are.

Fitted some new stainless hose clips every where I could see and popped some anti freeze back in and gave her a go.

After no more than ten seconds on the starter she crackled into life sounding as healthy as a tuned A does.

So big shout to Mike Arnold who let me have the car at a very modest price - I had bought her on the basis it needed potentially a new lump, he sold it to me in the belief it needed a head gasket. He was right and tonight she has seen a bit of tarmac for the first time in a couple of years. If you are reading Thank you.

She is pretty nippy.

Just going to re torque the head (50 lb foot seems the consensus on a 1380 with fast cam etc) set the roller rocker valve train, double check the timing and put the sniffer up her tail to see where the carb is at.

Then I will set about the interior which needs a detail - and some new guages that work.
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Crowmann
 
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