:: Diary - August 2005 ::

:: Tuesday August 2 2005 ::

Got the repair estimate today. It was a lot... most of it towards labour involved in repairing the fibreglass. It seems it would be cheaper to fit a new bonnet. I order a pattern one, after reading that they fit as well as the original.

It's still going to cost me a lot of spondoolicks though...

:: Thursday August 4 2005 ::

I remembered today about my brake hoses. Regular visitors may remember that at the end of June (26 June in the diary page) I fitted stainless steel brake hoses, but 2 of them had the wrong ends on. I wrote to the supplier and they were going to send them back to the manufacturer to get the correct ends put on. Well I've heard nothing since so I emailed the supplier.

:: Monday August 8 2005 ::

Got the reply from the brake hose supplier. Oh dear. The manufacturer apparently says that "the hoses and fittings that you received are the correct parts they have listed for your vehicle. They are a bit bemused by what you have on the vehicle as they say that they don't normally use concave fittings & are normally all convex fittings. As far as they are saying is that these are the correct hoses for your vehicle & the only thing they can do is to re-manufacture some lines to your exact specification but that there would be a £16.50 charge to you for these lines to be re-made. Alternatively they can return the lines to you in their existing condition. they have supplied the correct parts that they have listed for the car."

Well that's me told then eh?

Em, not quite.

I sent them this the same day: "I will visit a motor factor (or preferably a Ford Dealer if I can get to one) and have a look at a hose for a Ford Sierra (that is what the TVR calipers are). There are then two possibilities:

1. If that hose has a concave end, then G'rudge's listings are wrong and I will expect the two hoses to be changed to the correct fitting free of charge.

2. If that hose has a convex fitting, then it is me (or, rather, whoever fitted the old hoses) who is wrong and I will fit the two hoses as they are, with apologies for any confusion.

Either way, paying G'rudge to fit the correct end fittings (if that proves to be necessary) is most definitely not an option.

I will be in touch later this week when I have verified the correct end fitting."

I am positive that I am right because I can remember that previous Fords I have owned (an Escort and a Granada) had concave end fittings. But we shall see, eh?

:: Thursday August 11 2005 ::

Having been to a couple of motor factors this week, I now know that the listed hose for a Sierra has a male concave end fitting. This a Lucas one as an example.

Well I'm convinced!

So this afternoon I sent them this: "I have now had the chance to ask around various places, and all of the Ford Sierra brake hoses that I have been offered have a male concave end for the caliper. I attach a photo of the Lucas part, as an example.

Now then, this confirms to me that the male concave end is the correct fitting for my car. I bought a kit to fit a specific car. That specific car has Ford Sierra front calipers - they all do, there is no confusion about that. It is therefore reasonable for me to expect that the kit as supplied will have the correct ends fitted for the specific car I ordered it for.

It is not my fault that G'rudge have the wrong end fitting listed - that is entirely a matter between you and your supplier. I ordered a kit to fit my car, at a specific price, and that is what I want.

I do not doubt that the "wrong" fitting will possibly appear to fit if you tighten it up hard enough. I am not prepared to botch or take chances with vehicle brakes, with a risk of failure at the time they are most needed.

I started a thread on this on a motoring forum at Pistonheads , which I am about to update later this evening. You will see on there that the advice of one of the most experienced owners (he hillclimbs his) is that it is the wrong part. That site operates a "no name and shame" policy though so I cannot be specific.

I have also mentioned it on my own web site at http://www.tvrgit.com (look at the "diary" page, which I am also about to update). This site is occasionally used as a reference by other owners. I do not have to operate a "no name and shame" policy - I have no advertisers and merely offer advice to other owners.

In conclusion, then, I am not prepared the bodge the wrong end fitting on. I would therefore request that the parts are adapted, free of charge, to fit correctly as advertised, and at the advertised price, so that they are "fit for purpose".

I trust that this is acceptable and look forward to hearing from you.

So we shall see...

I feel quite sorry for the retailer here - he is selling what G'rudge supply, it's not his fault if they're wrong - nevertheless, my "contract" is with the retailer and I'm not giving up!

Oh and I just realised - I paid by credit card too! Now that could be interesting eh?

:: Friday August 12 2005 ::

Dropped into the bodyshop that's repairing the...em... well the body I suppose! The new bonnet was delivered this morning and it looks prety good - seems to be better finished (especially on the inside) than the old one anyhow... just have to see if it fits (the old one didn't fit that well anyway so I'm not overly bothered yet).

The bad news is that they can't start the repair until the end of next week or probably into the week after - so the Callander show on 28 August is a no-no. It's going to be mid-September by the time I get it back. It'll be winter by then!

I offered to help with dismantling and reassembly (to save time and also as a therapeutic exercise) but the man he say "no". Ah well...

I think I might get new front headlights and fog lights put in while it's in bits - the headlamps are Mini firment but the foglamps are abit more vague - I have a lucas part number but I understand they are discontinued - Ring apparently make a replacement but I don't know what they are - I need to do some research.

:: Monday August 15, 2005 ::

Received the final written quote from the garage today. Good job I had braced myself. The bill is now sphincter-loosening, and would have resulted in insurance write-off.

Still, you have to look at what it's worth to you, eh, and not just a value in a book, so I sign the approval slip and post it back.

I also start to investigate what foglights fit - mine are mingin' and emit less light than a glow worm through thick Oakleys. The quoted Lucas part is discontinued, as are most of the Lucas agencies in my part of the world. I need to find a suitable alternative that fits.

:: Tuesday August 23, 2005 ::

Another phone call from the garage. As I kind of anticipated, the foglights were so rusty that they fell to bits as they removed them. I have to get new ones.

I go into the garage to collect one to see how they fit - and it's a standard 5 inch diameter bolt-mounted lamp, available from all good motor stores and Halfords.

He says he needs all the bits by Saturday - the two new lamps, the gas strut (which I removed to get the bonnet shut), and the inner wheel arches (which I removed to get some hammer-swinging space when readjusting the bent hinges).

He also shows me that the new bonnet is fitted and shaped, and it already fits better than the old one ever did (or ever could have). I am a happy scone.

A trip to Halfords, pair of Ring foglights bought, £20 the pair. Hope they fit!

While in Halfords, I saw this sign. They have hundreds of them. In every branch, no doubt. Signs, that is, not theif's, obviously.

:: Thursday August 25, 2005 ::

Another email about those brake hoses. The manufacturer is apparently still adamant that their hose ends are correct. It must be Ford that's been wrong all this time then, eh? The supplier is sending me a brochure to explain.

We shall see.

:: Saturday August 27, 2005 ::

Took the foglamps, inner wheel arches and bonnet strut into the repairer today. The bonnet is back off and being prepared.

They still hope to have it finished in a couple of weeks.

:: Sunday August 28, 2005 ::

The Callendar Classis. No car. And it's pissing rain. I go anyway.

Over the course of the day, the rain did not stop for one second. Sometimes it was heavier than at other times, true, but never dry.

After a few hours of standing in a (not-very-waterproof) gazebo with the rest of the club, and a quick look around, I decided I'd had enough.

Here are a few photos taken on the day. I particularly like the sensible headgear...