Discussion
Always the same isn't it. Last nights 'easy' job was to fix the headlight leveler, it looked like I had forgotten to plug in a lead the last time I put the front of the car back together. Easy enough to fix, apart from the fact the plug was trapped down behind the intercooler hose. 2 hours later after stripping the front of the car again, I go to plug in the lead and what do you know, one of the 3 wires snaps.
Soldering iron out and one bodge later, the headlight leveler is working again, a further hour putting the car back together and the 5 minute job only took a whole evening.
Tonights job, which I wasn't looking forward to, was to replace the track rod ends. This is always a bit of a gamble with the Q4 as there are a few versions of the TRE and it doesn't matter how much information you give the supplier you always seem to get the wrong type. So with an air of dread in the garage, massive amounts of releasing fluid (Facom stuff seems the best over here) a splitter, pry bars and a blow torch I set about shifting what will no doubt be the most rusted and seized nuts etc known to man.
What happened next was nothing short of astounding, nothing seized, nothing broke, not a single thing was rounded off, and everything came apart with relative ease.
It even all went back together ok. Tomorrow is a trip to the local Control Technique garage, then on to get the tracking sorted.
Still have a bit much belt whine for my liking, but that may be because the cambelt cover is still off, or it might be the new waterpump whining a little while it beds in. Most worrying on the test drive was what sounded like wheel bearing grumble from all 4 corners of the car. But luckily that was just the rust on the brake disks.
Few small cosmetic jobs to do, oh and need to sort out the sticking door handle, and I'm ready for the off next Thursday.
Soldering iron out and one bodge later, the headlight leveler is working again, a further hour putting the car back together and the 5 minute job only took a whole evening.
Tonights job, which I wasn't looking forward to, was to replace the track rod ends. This is always a bit of a gamble with the Q4 as there are a few versions of the TRE and it doesn't matter how much information you give the supplier you always seem to get the wrong type. So with an air of dread in the garage, massive amounts of releasing fluid (Facom stuff seems the best over here) a splitter, pry bars and a blow torch I set about shifting what will no doubt be the most rusted and seized nuts etc known to man.
What happened next was nothing short of astounding, nothing seized, nothing broke, not a single thing was rounded off, and everything came apart with relative ease.
It even all went back together ok. Tomorrow is a trip to the local Control Technique garage, then on to get the tracking sorted.
Still have a bit much belt whine for my liking, but that may be because the cambelt cover is still off, or it might be the new waterpump whining a little while it beds in. Most worrying on the test drive was what sounded like wheel bearing grumble from all 4 corners of the car. But luckily that was just the rust on the brake disks.
Few small cosmetic jobs to do, oh and need to sort out the sticking door handle, and I'm ready for the off next Thursday.
Just a small update, tracking is all done, it wasn't too bad considering I've replaced the suspension, added adjustable camber mounts at the front, and changed the TREs.
Took it down to the local CT place, where amazingly the owner knew what the car was. Helped him out on a couple of bits of the CT, chatted about the car for a while and then got to see his Simca 1000 that he uses for hill climbs, and his early Morris Mini Cooper that he is restoring.
So the car is all sorted, just needs a bit of a clean, then its time to load up and go.
Took it down to the local CT place, where amazingly the owner knew what the car was. Helped him out on a couple of bits of the CT, chatted about the car for a while and then got to see his Simca 1000 that he uses for hill climbs, and his early Morris Mini Cooper that he is restoring.
So the car is all sorted, just needs a bit of a clean, then its time to load up and go.
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