:: Diary - May 2003 ::

:: Friday, May 2, 2003 ::

You would not believe that it could rain so persistently for so many days. The cover stays on!

I received a sample on Wednesday from the carpet company - seems to be good quality but they don't have patterns for my car so I either have to send them my carpets or paper patterns. Or I could buy the carpet and cut and fit them myself. No problems except for fitting the binding tapes. Further local inquiries necessary...

:: Saturday, May 3, 2003 ::

The day dawns dry and bright! I decided to do a few wee engine fixing type jobs, mainly to try to cure the lumpy idling when stationary. First I took off the air filters and air intake ducts, and the idle speed control valve. I took the valve to bits and blasted the inside clean with carburettor cleaner. I also cleaned out the casting for the air bypass vent, and the throttle butterflies and airways.

Checked the spark plug gaps which were fine.

Checked the antifreeze strength with a hydrometer - this was ok too.

Despite my cleaning last week, I noticed that both rocker covers are pee-ing out oil (the right hand one especially)- make note that two new rocker gaskets are needed - plus I'll paint the covers while they are off - the standard Ford Granada Puke Green does little to inspire an impressive underbonnet appearance!

Then of course I have to have a test drive! And it's brilliant again! Tickover is really smooth, and low torque pick-up is a lot smoother too. The idle speed seems to vary a bit, and generally seems to be a little bit high so I think I have a tiny air leak in the valve when I put it together. I need to make a new paper gasket.

Of course it takes me an hour and a half of driving to be absolutely sure, you understand...

I get home just in time before the rain returns. I put the car up on ramps before putting the cover on, to encourage me to do the other side of the chassis tomorrow, even if it's raining. Might not work though, I know what I'm like...

:: Sunday, May 4, 2003 ::

Every day a new learning experience. Last night I learned that it's not a good idea to put the car up on ramps before putting the cover on, because then the wind gets under the car, billows the cover upwards till the elastic stretches, taking the cover right off over the car. Oh, not forgetting catching and breaking the door mirror on the way. Lovely.

After using about a mile of rope to refix the cover I have converted the car into a 3 masted schooner. Good for the fuel consumption but a swine to park at Safeways.

I also manage to screw the mirror all back together again, with no visible sign of repair. Sorted!

Bleeding cover blew off again! Top Haggis Tip - don't park your car on ramps with its bum in the air, facing into the prevailing typhoon, and expect a car cover to stay on.

Top Haggis Tip 2 - when you take the loose cover off the car, be prepared that when you unclip it from the back of the car you're going to go paragliding down the street with your legs pummelling the pavement like demented pistons.

Having deflated the zeppelin when it hit a wall, I returned home on the bus and then scraped and wire brushed the outriggers on the other side of the chassis, and also the rear chassis extensions that the fuel tank sits on. These are visible from behind on either side of the exhaust and are battered by spray from the rear wheels, so there was very little plastic coating left. There's even less left now - but the metal underneath is still sound.

Too late to start Hammeriting - lock the car up. Leave the cover off.

:: Monday, May 5, 2003 ::

This morning the boot (or emergency desert rations reservoir as it is now known) was somewhat soggy. A few minutes investigation found the cause - the drain hole in the lip around the lid is blocked so the water backs up and piddles over the lip into the boot. I cleared out the drainage pipe with an old bicycle outer brake cable and hope this does not recur.

I am still mystified by the scratches that seem to be getting worse on the bonnet.

Painted the offside outriggers and the rear chassis extensions with 2 coats of hammerite. Looks really good.

Once the paint is dry I decide to have just a tiny drive. 50 miles later I decide to stop for lunch. By this time the car has dried off and as I stand eating my high-protein low-calorie vitamin-rich pie, I notice something interesting on the bonnet. Ickle puddy-tat-size paw prints from the front bumper up to the nice warm intake hump in the centre. That'll explain the scratches then. Next door's cat...

:: Saturday, May 10, 2003 ::

I decided to check the oil and other typical Saturday-morning-type jobs. I noticed that the car has another amusing characteristic. Once you get the bonnet open and prop it up with the silly metal rod, it catches the wind and blows up slightly. Then the silly metal rod falls out. Then the bonnet comes back down again and eats you as you are leaning in to do whatever you are doing. After the second time I decide that I'd better do something about it. This remedial action consists of stuffing a plastic tie into the wee hole to wedge the rod in place. Not brilliant but effective. Another item to be added to my list of fixes.

Then have a blatt. Phwooarrrh!

:: Sunday, May 11, 2003 ::

More blatting. I should be sorting or fixing or cleaning but the need for wind in my bald bits is too alluring.

:: Saturday, May 24, 2003 ::

Woke up this morning in a fit of enthusiasm... I decided that with the MOT test looming on Tuesday, it had no chance of passing with the front brakes as they are - every stop vibrates your eyeballs out of their sockets.

After a great deal of spannering and hammering I managed to get the old brakes off and remove the disks. I then decided, for some reason known only to someone else but not me, to clean and paint the front suspension, an exercise in intricacy and contorted painting positions that made me wish i had a tame decorating gnome...

Just I was finishing one side, the rain came on... creating a lovely cratered gloss effect which at least looks ok from 25 feet away... and at least it looks better than the other side which I haven't done yet...

Off to the motor factors, 2 standard Ford Sierra disks and a set of pads... back home, fit them on, wheels back on, no bother...

Then clearing up my tools I find the inevitable - a left over part, a wee clip. Jack car up, take wheel off again, fit clip...

The car now stops smoothly, and in a straight line. Result!

My knees are killing me though - kneeling on a concrete drive for hours on end is not to be recommended. I also know now why cows lie down when it rains - to keep a dry bit...

I have learned today that if the front of the car is on stands, I can get the bonnet almost vertical and can reach the hinge adjusters - I need to realign the bonnet slightly sideways (to the right) some day.

:: Sunday, May 25, 2003 ::

Best intentions to remove rocker covers (which are still in standard Ford "puke green" and also rusty), repaint them, and fit new gaskets to prevent to current oil leaks. Take one look at the mass of hoses, pipes and connections and decide it's not that bad...

Decide instead to fix the fuel gauge. Back wheel off, gunk the sender unit (because it's covered in grease off a driveshaft probably, another point to be checked), clean up the connectors, put it all back together again and... it makes absolutely no difference at all. Sigh...

While I have the wheel off I jet wash the chassis and rear suspension, It's not as bad as the front but still needs to be painted over the bits where the plastic coating is coming off.

Give the whole car a quick once-over just in case there's anything glaring that might fail an MOT test on Tuesday - nothing too obvious except maybe a steering column bush at the bulkhead. Leave it just now.

:: Monday, May 26, 2003 ::

Spend most of the day blatting.

Check oil & water - ok. Adjust tyre pressures (found that the fronts especially were far too low)

Also visited the TVR dealers again - possibility of ordering carpets there at only a slight cost premium over ordering direct - but at least that way I get somebody to blame if they don't fit.

I am starting to get thoroughly annoyed by people looking at my car as I drive along, or admiring it as they walk past when it is parked. Sometimes I stop and complete strangers come over and tell me they love it. My milkman, postman, 2 neighbours and even a furniture delivery driver to 3 doors up, have all professed their undying admiration. It's really irritating, frankly, and I wish they would stop.

Naaah I'll be brave and put up with it...

:: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 ::

First step, take car for MOT test. After a fraught hour watching the test, and also every other mechanic in the place coming over to take a look.... it passed!! This may or may not have been precipitated by my protestations of undying admiration for the proprietor's E-Type Jaguar (which was, in truth, very nice!)

So... went for a blatt!!

I discovered an interesting thing about low bridges today...

we all know that rumbling under bridges especially with the roof off is nice... nice echo of that engine and exhaust note...

But... did you know that if that bridge also happens to be a wood pigeon refugee camp, a million of the feathery b£$%^&*£s will simultaneously and instantaneously s**t themselves violently?

Well they do. (doo-dooh)

Those ones today must have been raised on a diet of battery acid and nitromors, with a vegetarian vindaloo and sandpaper bhaji thrown in, because even though i washed the car an hour later, i can't polish the marks out of the paint!

:: Saturday, May 31, 2003 ::

I bought a wee brass handle and fixed it onto the glove box today. I also bought a catch to keep the glove box closed but when I try it with tape I realise that it won't fit. 69p wasted...