One car to replace my current fleet?
Discussion
Even thought my Punto didn't make reserve and technically I can't afford this...
...cycling to work for the rest of the month and eating instant noodles...
...I've bought this...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301050748212?_trksid=p20...
...if it doesn't solve the clutch issue then I'll have to cycle another month I guess.
...cycling to work for the rest of the month and eating instant noodles...
...I've bought this...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301050748212?_trksid=p20...
...if it doesn't solve the clutch issue then I'll have to cycle another month I guess.
So the flexihose still wouldn't come off the copper pipe so I cut it, put the old slave in a vice to remove the 19mm end. the new hose is fitted to the new slave ready to go with the old bolt because for some reason they don't come with new ones.
Now I have a battle on my hands to get the end of the flexihose off the copper pipe. My pipe spanner, 13mm and stilsons slip the new plan was to grind to the end so some heat gets transferred to the 13mm end, put a 19mm socket on the end of the flaxipipe and draw it off slowly.
But as soon as I took the old slave off this...
...happened.
Where a steel sleeve was "protecting" the copper pipe the end had corroded and the rust somehow either made the copper brittle or a sharp edge had cut into it during normal use.
So a bodger would cut the pipe flare both ends and use a pipe nut and bolt to repair this but I'll rather wait and get a full length pipe made up from front to back so I know it won't fail again.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-X1-9-13-1500-Front-...
Not bad; but some of the brake pipes look a little bit off as well...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-X1-9-X19-1300-1500-...
...so a whole set pre-M.O.T could be a good idea.
Now I have a battle on my hands to get the end of the flexihose off the copper pipe. My pipe spanner, 13mm and stilsons slip the new plan was to grind to the end so some heat gets transferred to the 13mm end, put a 19mm socket on the end of the flaxipipe and draw it off slowly.
But as soon as I took the old slave off this...
...happened.
Where a steel sleeve was "protecting" the copper pipe the end had corroded and the rust somehow either made the copper brittle or a sharp edge had cut into it during normal use.
So a bodger would cut the pipe flare both ends and use a pipe nut and bolt to repair this but I'll rather wait and get a full length pipe made up from front to back so I know it won't fail again.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-X1-9-13-1500-Front-...
Not bad; but some of the brake pipes look a little bit off as well...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-X1-9-X19-1300-1500-...
...so a whole set pre-M.O.T could be a good idea.
Unless my Punto not selling is a good thing. GT brakes on an X1/9?
The rears would be a straight fit and mild improvement over the standard calipers. Similar to the Uno turbo swaps of old.
The vented bigger rotor fronts would be as much of a transformation as when I fitted the Punto brakes to my Guff Cinquecento.
Hmmmmmmmmm
Very, very tempting.
Would 14 inch wheels ruin the car though?
Back to the Strada wheels I guess.
The rears would be a straight fit and mild improvement over the standard calipers. Similar to the Uno turbo swaps of old.
The vented bigger rotor fronts would be as much of a transformation as when I fitted the Punto brakes to my Guff Cinquecento.
Hmmmmmmmmm
Very, very tempting.
Would 14 inch wheels ruin the car though?
Back to the Strada wheels I guess.
I had a few other jobs I wanted to do today but...
...the wind changed direction and rain stopped play.
So time for a little investigatory work.
Th freshly cut off end of my copper clutch pipe has the 19mm end in a vice and with a 13mm hexagonal (nonslip) socket and torque ratchet on the retainer.
I'm pleased to report for a change there is no silicone or Tiger Seal holding the ends together just good old fashioned rust.
The first person to correctly guess the amount of torque it took to turn the 13mm pipe end wins a prize.
...the wind changed direction and rain stopped play.
So time for a little investigatory work.
Th freshly cut off end of my copper clutch pipe has the 19mm end in a vice and with a 13mm hexagonal (nonslip) socket and torque ratchet on the retainer.
I'm pleased to report for a change there is no silicone or Tiger Seal holding the ends together just good old fashioned rust.
The first person to correctly guess the amount of torque it took to turn the 13mm pipe end wins a prize.
So the last six weeks have been a bit of an effort.
I bought a VW Golf Cabriolet that needed a gearbox mount for £207. £5 mount, wash and sold for £450.
Bought this...
...for a bargain £570
Nice winter runner eh?
The original head finally returned.
Studs extracted and replaced with helicoils.
The ports are pretty clean already so polishing will be fairly straight forward.
As the head gasket hadn't failed the surface shouldn't need skimming either.
I maybe too optimistic though. The ninety degree knuckle the other end of the head (that also sheered off) was held in with Tiger Seal (surprise, surprise) and by the time I pulled it out and cleaned it there is absolutely no thread whatsoever.
I bought a VW Golf Cabriolet that needed a gearbox mount for £207. £5 mount, wash and sold for £450.
Bought this...
...for a bargain £570
Nice winter runner eh?
The original head finally returned.
Studs extracted and replaced with helicoils.
The ports are pretty clean already so polishing will be fairly straight forward.
As the head gasket hadn't failed the surface shouldn't need skimming either.
I maybe too optimistic though. The ninety degree knuckle the other end of the head (that also sheered off) was held in with Tiger Seal (surprise, surprise) and by the time I pulled it out and cleaned it there is absolutely no thread whatsoever.
I was under the car today to see about fitting the new clutch pipe and discovered almost the entire drivers side floor is held on with underseal.
That's it she's a write off.
I haven't got the time, space or budget to strip the car to bare metal, fabricate panels that do not exist and spend the next two years welding.
Time, space and budget count out the possibility of reshelling my running gear into a motorsport shell I was offered before.
The most expensive car I have ever bought has turned out to be the worst car I have owned and probably and most sadly one of the most fun cars I have driven. I would love to be able to put everything right but even concourse X1/9's are only making £4,000-£5,000 and she owes me over £2,000 now.
That's it she's a write off.
I haven't got the time, space or budget to strip the car to bare metal, fabricate panels that do not exist and spend the next two years welding.
Time, space and budget count out the possibility of reshelling my running gear into a motorsport shell I was offered before.
The most expensive car I have ever bought has turned out to be the worst car I have owned and probably and most sadly one of the most fun cars I have driven. I would love to be able to put everything right but even concourse X1/9's are only making £4,000-£5,000 and she owes me over £2,000 now.
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