Discussion
Currently I live down in Bergerac France, due to an imminent divorce (no sympathy please, its what I want) I'm moving back to the UK in November, and due to my dislike of spending money will be driving my '79 GTV and '94 155 Q4 back.
Not too much of a gamble I hear you say, except that the GTV was bought last year after being sat in a shed for 16 years. Rust free and pretty solid, I've worked solidly over the past week - 10 days to get it back on the road. Got its CT (French MOT ) today, and had a blast out in the countryside. No major issues, apart from the oil pressure gauge. Reads about 30psi hot at 2500rpm and 0 at hot idle. Given the way the engine runs, I'd say the sender unit is knackered, but its still a worry.
Anyway, on Wednesday, I'll be loading the car up, sticking my co-pilot on the front seat (Weshie dog) and heading for the coast. It will be about 6 1/2 hrs this side of the channel, and 3 on the UK side.
So given that the engine has only really been checked over, the carbs rebuilt, new brakes and propshaft donuts, and the electrics cleaned up. What do you think the chances of me reaching South wales in one piece are?
I'll be taking pics and updating along the way, wi-fi dependant.
Wish me luck chaps.
Not too much of a gamble I hear you say, except that the GTV was bought last year after being sat in a shed for 16 years. Rust free and pretty solid, I've worked solidly over the past week - 10 days to get it back on the road. Got its CT (French MOT ) today, and had a blast out in the countryside. No major issues, apart from the oil pressure gauge. Reads about 30psi hot at 2500rpm and 0 at hot idle. Given the way the engine runs, I'd say the sender unit is knackered, but its still a worry.
Anyway, on Wednesday, I'll be loading the car up, sticking my co-pilot on the front seat (Weshie dog) and heading for the coast. It will be about 6 1/2 hrs this side of the channel, and 3 on the UK side.
So given that the engine has only really been checked over, the carbs rebuilt, new brakes and propshaft donuts, and the electrics cleaned up. What do you think the chances of me reaching South wales in one piece are?
I'll be taking pics and updating along the way, wi-fi dependant.
Wish me luck chaps.
Final jobs done this morning, one of which was to fix the cigarette lighter so i could plug the satnav in as the speedo didn't seem to work. However after trying unsuccessfully to fix a couple of niggles on the dash lighting, i seem to have fixed the speedo as well.
So all the instruments work bar the fuel gauge, but as I know the sender unit is shot so no worries there.
One of my major concerns for the trip is the oil pressure, I'm running 20/50w oil (couldn't find the recommended 10/50w)now and the readings seem little different to when I flushed it through with 10/40w. Given that most of the electrical connectors on the car had corrosion on, and the sender unit it notoriously dodgy, I think I'll just assume its reading low. The motor doesn't smoke, makes plenty of power and otherwise seems fine.
So now as far as I'm concerned, everything is ready for a Wednesday morning run to the channel. Tools and spares being packed in the boot of course.
So all the instruments work bar the fuel gauge, but as I know the sender unit is shot so no worries there.
One of my major concerns for the trip is the oil pressure, I'm running 20/50w oil (couldn't find the recommended 10/50w)now and the readings seem little different to when I flushed it through with 10/40w. Given that most of the electrical connectors on the car had corrosion on, and the sender unit it notoriously dodgy, I think I'll just assume its reading low. The motor doesn't smoke, makes plenty of power and otherwise seems fine.
So now as far as I'm concerned, everything is ready for a Wednesday morning run to the channel. Tools and spares being packed in the boot of course.
waynedear said:
Have faith in the car and she will get you here. Do you want me to bring the Q4 over for you..
Sounds like it will be a fun trip..
The Q4 will be coming back in November, not the best roads for the car to be honest, too many straight bits and Gendarmes hiding behind trees.Sounds like it will be a fun trip..
I'm sure the GTV will make it back ok, I've done about 100km in it over the last couple of days, it hasn't missed a beat. Co-pilot for the trip is going to be a 2 year old Weshie, which should make things fun. No radio in the car, so I'm going to be relying on the ipod for entertainment.
I've got a couple of spare coolant hoses that will be slung in the boot, along with some hose repair tape.
Roadside assistance on this side of the channel is well upto date, just need to check on the UK side.
Oh and I've got a 75 Turbo engine and transaxle, ECU etc sat in the garage at the moment. Given my change in circumstances I don't think I'll be using them for the foreseeable future. Can't see it fitting in the boot on this trip, but if you wanna make me an offer, and can arrange transport, I'm sure we can work something out.
Roadside assistance on this side of the channel is well upto date, just need to check on the UK side.
Oh and I've got a 75 Turbo engine and transaxle, ECU etc sat in the garage at the moment. Given my change in circumstances I don't think I'll be using them for the foreseeable future. Can't see it fitting in the boot on this trip, but if you wanna make me an offer, and can arrange transport, I'm sure we can work something out.
Hi Stephen, dug through the box of spares that came with the car tonight, found a spare top and bottom hose, not new, but they don't look/feel to bad. So should the worst happen, I'll at least have a spare hose to slap on. Also cut a few lengths of various diameter copper pipe to use as joiners on some of the smaller hoses, along with hose clips of course.
Spare alternator belt is sorted , along with condenser and points and coil, and extra fluids I think I should be ok for most eventualities. (Haynes manual, roadside recovery card and mobile phone go without saying of course)
6 am start on Wednesday should be fun, but at least I'll do the majority of the trip in daylight.
Spare alternator belt is sorted , along with condenser and points and coil, and extra fluids I think I should be ok for most eventualities. (Haynes manual, roadside recovery card and mobile phone go without saying of course)
6 am start on Wednesday should be fun, but at least I'll do the majority of the trip in daylight.
Right, thought I had better let you all know how the trip went.
6:30am : Load the final bits and pieces into the car, grab the dog (small and black), who promptly disappears down the drive into the darkness. Grab the torch from the car and hunt for the dog who is actually hidden behind a tree relieving itself. Stick dog on passenger seat, cross fingers and start the car. So far so good.
6:35am : Starts raining, doesn't stop all trip.
6:37am : Dog throws up next to the handbrake.
7:00am : Obsessive oil pressure gauge watching to make sure it stays stable.
7:59am : Finally start to feel confident about the oil pressure as its been stable since leaving.
8:00am : Stop at petrol station to fill car to the brim. Didn't manage to fix the fuel level gauge so more frequent fuel stops will be the order of the day. 10L can in the boot is a safety net.
10:00am : First stop on the motorway, fluids out and coffee in. Dog walked and stuffed back in the car.
10 - 1:30pm : Final leg up to Caen, fuel stop where I work out I'm getting 35mpg, no problems to report apart from arriving 3hrs before the ferry is due to depart. Walk the dog again, back in the car and instant fogged up windows.
3:30pm : Car loaded on the ferry, dog settled down with water and biscuits, I head off to the restaurant for steak and chips, check in with the destination to give them the good news that the car is actually going to make it to the UK. Coffee, chocolate and crash out in one of the lounges.
9:30pm : Disembark and expect to get pulled to one side so the dog can be checked, waft out of the port with no checks whatsoever. Set the final destination into the satnav and head off into the night.
9:35pm : Change the settings on the satnav so it will take me on the motorway, instantly take an hour off the journey time.
11:00pm : Coffee and final fuel stop.
11:45pm : Over the Severn bridge and into Wales, final country of the day.
12:15am : Temperature gauge which has been rock steady all day is starting to rise.
12:16am : Motorway diversion due to flooding. Great.
12:20am : Temp gauge high enough to make me pull over into a layby and pop the bonnet. Steam coming from behind the pulley of the water-pump. Quick waggle of the pulley, far too much play there, definitely pumping its last. Give it 10 mins to cool off, top up the water, about 2 -3 liters, cross fingers and get back in. Starts fine and the gauge goes back to where it should be. Drive like there are eggs on the pedals and am immensely relieved that the last 30 mins of the journey all appear to be downhill.
12:50am : Pull onto the drive and fall out of the car.
Amazingly after 18 years off the road, 2 weeks spannering time and a few replacement parts I've just completed a 530 mile trip in a 34 year old car with only a carsick dog as companion.
Next on the calendar, doing the same trip again in a 20 year old Alfa 155 Q4 with a Labrador and talkative Westie. (No joke) in about 12 days time.
Apologies for the lack of pics, I do have a few but it felt like most of the trip was in the dark and rain.
6:30am : Load the final bits and pieces into the car, grab the dog (small and black), who promptly disappears down the drive into the darkness. Grab the torch from the car and hunt for the dog who is actually hidden behind a tree relieving itself. Stick dog on passenger seat, cross fingers and start the car. So far so good.
6:35am : Starts raining, doesn't stop all trip.
6:37am : Dog throws up next to the handbrake.
7:00am : Obsessive oil pressure gauge watching to make sure it stays stable.
7:59am : Finally start to feel confident about the oil pressure as its been stable since leaving.
8:00am : Stop at petrol station to fill car to the brim. Didn't manage to fix the fuel level gauge so more frequent fuel stops will be the order of the day. 10L can in the boot is a safety net.
10:00am : First stop on the motorway, fluids out and coffee in. Dog walked and stuffed back in the car.
10 - 1:30pm : Final leg up to Caen, fuel stop where I work out I'm getting 35mpg, no problems to report apart from arriving 3hrs before the ferry is due to depart. Walk the dog again, back in the car and instant fogged up windows.
3:30pm : Car loaded on the ferry, dog settled down with water and biscuits, I head off to the restaurant for steak and chips, check in with the destination to give them the good news that the car is actually going to make it to the UK. Coffee, chocolate and crash out in one of the lounges.
9:30pm : Disembark and expect to get pulled to one side so the dog can be checked, waft out of the port with no checks whatsoever. Set the final destination into the satnav and head off into the night.
9:35pm : Change the settings on the satnav so it will take me on the motorway, instantly take an hour off the journey time.
11:00pm : Coffee and final fuel stop.
11:45pm : Over the Severn bridge and into Wales, final country of the day.
12:15am : Temperature gauge which has been rock steady all day is starting to rise.
12:16am : Motorway diversion due to flooding. Great.
12:20am : Temp gauge high enough to make me pull over into a layby and pop the bonnet. Steam coming from behind the pulley of the water-pump. Quick waggle of the pulley, far too much play there, definitely pumping its last. Give it 10 mins to cool off, top up the water, about 2 -3 liters, cross fingers and get back in. Starts fine and the gauge goes back to where it should be. Drive like there are eggs on the pedals and am immensely relieved that the last 30 mins of the journey all appear to be downhill.
12:50am : Pull onto the drive and fall out of the car.
Amazingly after 18 years off the road, 2 weeks spannering time and a few replacement parts I've just completed a 530 mile trip in a 34 year old car with only a carsick dog as companion.
Next on the calendar, doing the same trip again in a 20 year old Alfa 155 Q4 with a Labrador and talkative Westie. (No joke) in about 12 days time.
Apologies for the lack of pics, I do have a few but it felt like most of the trip was in the dark and rain.
Jacobyte said:
Splendid effort! I look forward to seeing the Q4 again after all these years.
Blimey! Blast from the past or what. Those Lancia track days and Saturday mornings with Bazza down at EvoCars seems a lifetime ago now.Quite looking forward to getting back to the UK with the Q4, I seem to have an aversion to driving cars with the steering wheel on the correct side. RHD Discovery in France, back to the LHD Q4 back in the UK ! Explain that one.
magooagain said:
Well done Steve. I totally know how you have been feeling mate. Hope everything works out.
Cheers chap, I must have passed by quite close to you on the way up, I skirted Angouleme on the ring road. I can safely say that the life I am going to in Wales will bear no resemblance at all to what I've had to put up with down here.The Q4 should have its CT at the end of the week (fingers crossed) then is time to leave for good on Thursday if everything pans out.
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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