2015 in the Cerbera
Discussion
2015 was perhaps the most frustrating year of ownership so far. I managed to use the car just seven times, virtually none without a hitch.
The year started well in March with the Northloop Season Opener at Rockingham with CicuitDays. Great weather, and everything seemed to go to plan.
However the next time I used the car was to go to The Ring for DN11 three weeks later for the Easter Weekend. Sadly the car only made it 50 miles around the M25 before blowing up 5th gear.
Next was the race to get the car ready, with a replacement gearbox, for CircuitDays at the Ring at the end of April. Amazingly it was all back together again and working, despite my crude attempt at fitting the 5th Gear Stabilizer on the replacement box. However the trackday itself was cancelled due to fog. Worse still, on the way home stopping in Luxembourg to see a friend the car overheated and dumped it's coolant in a 90 minute traffic jam. That was a portent of things to come.
Next up I decided to replace the front wishbones, supposedly in time for Zolder with TVR NLCC. However after fitting the new upper wishbones that I'd bought years ago they proved to be for a late Cerb or T car, I found myself with no front suspension with just 48 hours before departure. My GF did an emergency dash on the train to Richard at RT Racing, who was able to supply new wishbones with bushes pre-fitted, at just three hours notice.
The trip to Zolder in June was no less eventful. I managed to get as far as the horrible Brussels Ring Road traffic jam (due to long term roadworks), before the car started overheating again, and then very dramatically the clutch hydraulics failed. I promise that pushing a Cerb off a motorway across three lanes in near 30C heat is no fun at all. It was here that a random Good Samaritan stopped and offered help, and it was only ten minutes later that I found out that this was BossCerbera (in a classic Merc) on his was to compete at Spa.
The only good news here was that it wasn't the slave that had failed, but just the braided hydraulic hose where it had been rubbing on the sump. Fortunately my GF (on the other end of the phone) found a nearby motel that I could limp to, and BossCerbera recommended Passion Engineering about 50 miles away for the hose repair.
It's no fun driving a Cerb with no clutch, but it is possible. So I got myself to Passion for 8am the next morning. Unlike many garages they didn't open until quite late, but I was on my way again just after 11am with a new hose fitted. This meant I missed most of the Zolder event, but still got to do a few laps, and didn't even get blackflagged for noise.
Sadly the trip home again proved a little problematic, as the coolant level started dropping, with the only way to tell being that the temp moved a little up from 85C while cruising. Now it became clear that the cooling system was compromised, but the exact cause was unclear.
I tried changing expansion tank caps, which definitely seemed to help on a trip to Brighton for a stag do. So time for the next trip, back to the Ring for DN12 in July. By the time I got there the car was using about a litre per hundred miles, but by the end it was using 2 litres per lap. However it was a great couple of days on track with my track day buddy Mark, and also my parents who drove down to joins us and get some PAX laps. On the way home I found the final nail in the coffin - foaming coolant in the expansion tank.
Now the race starts to get the headgaskets replaced in time for DN13 two months later. The first time I did this job immediately after buying the car it took me about fours months. I really put in the hours every evening after work and every weekend, only to fail to get the car to start the day before leaving for DN13 because I'd swapped the coil pack control cables. So for a second time that year I ended up going in the 29 year old backup car which behaved impeccably.
So the final time I used the car was going to TVR Beds meet at Shuttleworth in November, as a shake down after the rebuild. This served its purpose a little too well when the intake manifolds managed to come loose because I'd failed to torque the bolts correctly.
However, I have high hopes for 2016 now the faulty fuel injector has been identified and replaced, almost completely banishing the pinking that was no doubt a major cause of HGF.
Yes I bought a basket case, but it is getting better to drive all the time, despite last years mishaps. Now looking forward to the Season Opener at Donington next month.
The year started well in March with the Northloop Season Opener at Rockingham with CicuitDays. Great weather, and everything seemed to go to plan.
However the next time I used the car was to go to The Ring for DN11 three weeks later for the Easter Weekend. Sadly the car only made it 50 miles around the M25 before blowing up 5th gear.
Next was the race to get the car ready, with a replacement gearbox, for CircuitDays at the Ring at the end of April. Amazingly it was all back together again and working, despite my crude attempt at fitting the 5th Gear Stabilizer on the replacement box. However the trackday itself was cancelled due to fog. Worse still, on the way home stopping in Luxembourg to see a friend the car overheated and dumped it's coolant in a 90 minute traffic jam. That was a portent of things to come.
Next up I decided to replace the front wishbones, supposedly in time for Zolder with TVR NLCC. However after fitting the new upper wishbones that I'd bought years ago they proved to be for a late Cerb or T car, I found myself with no front suspension with just 48 hours before departure. My GF did an emergency dash on the train to Richard at RT Racing, who was able to supply new wishbones with bushes pre-fitted, at just three hours notice.
The trip to Zolder in June was no less eventful. I managed to get as far as the horrible Brussels Ring Road traffic jam (due to long term roadworks), before the car started overheating again, and then very dramatically the clutch hydraulics failed. I promise that pushing a Cerb off a motorway across three lanes in near 30C heat is no fun at all. It was here that a random Good Samaritan stopped and offered help, and it was only ten minutes later that I found out that this was BossCerbera (in a classic Merc) on his was to compete at Spa.
The only good news here was that it wasn't the slave that had failed, but just the braided hydraulic hose where it had been rubbing on the sump. Fortunately my GF (on the other end of the phone) found a nearby motel that I could limp to, and BossCerbera recommended Passion Engineering about 50 miles away for the hose repair.
It's no fun driving a Cerb with no clutch, but it is possible. So I got myself to Passion for 8am the next morning. Unlike many garages they didn't open until quite late, but I was on my way again just after 11am with a new hose fitted. This meant I missed most of the Zolder event, but still got to do a few laps, and didn't even get blackflagged for noise.
Sadly the trip home again proved a little problematic, as the coolant level started dropping, with the only way to tell being that the temp moved a little up from 85C while cruising. Now it became clear that the cooling system was compromised, but the exact cause was unclear.
I tried changing expansion tank caps, which definitely seemed to help on a trip to Brighton for a stag do. So time for the next trip, back to the Ring for DN12 in July. By the time I got there the car was using about a litre per hundred miles, but by the end it was using 2 litres per lap. However it was a great couple of days on track with my track day buddy Mark, and also my parents who drove down to joins us and get some PAX laps. On the way home I found the final nail in the coffin - foaming coolant in the expansion tank.
Now the race starts to get the headgaskets replaced in time for DN13 two months later. The first time I did this job immediately after buying the car it took me about fours months. I really put in the hours every evening after work and every weekend, only to fail to get the car to start the day before leaving for DN13 because I'd swapped the coil pack control cables. So for a second time that year I ended up going in the 29 year old backup car which behaved impeccably.
So the final time I used the car was going to TVR Beds meet at Shuttleworth in November, as a shake down after the rebuild. This served its purpose a little too well when the intake manifolds managed to come loose because I'd failed to torque the bolts correctly.
However, I have high hopes for 2016 now the faulty fuel injector has been identified and replaced, almost completely banishing the pinking that was no doubt a major cause of HGF.
Yes I bought a basket case, but it is getting better to drive all the time, despite last years mishaps. Now looking forward to the Season Opener at Donington next month.
I had a similar bad year in 2014.
Two attempts with the racer to reach the Dolomites but no joy.
The fault was very bad work of one of the recommended specialsts each time actually.
But then 2015 came and with it a faultless great time in the Dolomites.
In the evenings many of the other joining sports cars, some of them packed up with spare parts,
had to do lots of repairs. The car park was extremely busy with
all different kinds of repairs on many of the different cars.
It was quite embarrassing for me.
Just to fit in all the fuss I went to the car as well,
opend the bonnet and checked oil and coolent levels.
When soon finished with it, it was even more busy around me.
So I checked levels again just pretending being as busy as everyone!
Then I decided enough done and headed for the pool.
Two attempts with the racer to reach the Dolomites but no joy.
The fault was very bad work of one of the recommended specialsts each time actually.
But then 2015 came and with it a faultless great time in the Dolomites.
In the evenings many of the other joining sports cars, some of them packed up with spare parts,
had to do lots of repairs. The car park was extremely busy with
all different kinds of repairs on many of the different cars.
It was quite embarrassing for me.
Just to fit in all the fuss I went to the car as well,
opend the bonnet and checked oil and coolent levels.
When soon finished with it, it was even more busy around me.
So I checked levels again just pretending being as busy as everyone!
Then I decided enough done and headed for the pool.
Hi Paul
How many other "Basket Case" makes and models of car could you own, go through so much hardship with and yet still "look forward" to the 2016 Season?
It's nice to see a 2CV within your "Fantasy Garage"
Chris Harris shares your passion too, he is my favorite car reviewer and this is a great video he has recently made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKp7BrfOpEU
Regards
Simon
How many other "Basket Case" makes and models of car could you own, go through so much hardship with and yet still "look forward" to the 2016 Season?
It's nice to see a 2CV within your "Fantasy Garage"
Chris Harris shares your passion too, he is my favorite car reviewer and this is a great video he has recently made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKp7BrfOpEU
Regards
Simon
SimonKD said:
It's nice to see a 2CV within your "Fantasy Garage"
Chris Harris shares your passion too, he is my favorite car reviewer and this is a great video he has recently made:
Thank you for sharing - I haven't even go to the end and I have to remark how similar the HVAC system is Cerb vs C2V.Chris Harris shares your passion too, he is my favorite car reviewer and this is a great video he has recently made:
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