Discussion
Really enjoy reading the S forum! Thought it was time to share some of my recent "joy" with the S ...
My S2 died last weekend, just as the GF and I are about to go about for a celebratory anniversary blast. She was not happy ...
RAC got it going by bypassing the ignition circuit and connecting the coil directly to the battery, but even after that things did not sound great ... more like a tractor than a tiv.
The RAC guy recommended a local electrical specialist who could take a look at the original problem, so this week the S has been down there getting the once over ...
Now I have learned that one of the benefits of driving an S is that you tend to get good service from the people who are prepared to work on them. You might spend a fortune in terms of time, but you tend to get something good for your money. And everyone I have used so far is around half the price of any main euro-box dealers ...
But this guy has just flown past my already high expectations! He found three small (but significant) problems with the wiring setup over the course of two days, has fixed them up and now the car runs like a dream, particularly at low revs. No more wobbly volt meters when the lights and fan are on! And this is after mechanical work by David Batty who says it is one of the best runners he has seen!
Thanks to PH too for providing some good insight into the subject of dodgy immobilisers, and melted ford electrical parts. Always makes you feel better to see that someone else has seen the problems, and got through them ...
Now it's running again I wonder how I ever thought it might be time to get rid of it.
Anyway, enough of this. Have also been meaning to post a couple of recommendations on this and other things for a while. All South London area, apart from Quickfit:
Electrical: Colin at Metrolec in Beckenham.
Chassis work: Woods Restoration at Brands Hatch - stripped, primed and stonecoated the chassis. Also specialises in rebuilds, particularly vintage motors and any Ferrari.
Servicing: David Batty (who else?)
Breakdown: RAC - I know others will probably disagree, but 12 times (not just the S!) they have got me running again without fail.
Seatbelts/harnesses: Quickfit Safety Belt Service. Not cheap on labour, but a great end result.
If anyone needs contact numbers, etc. Feel free to email me.
My S2 died last weekend, just as the GF and I are about to go about for a celebratory anniversary blast. She was not happy ...
RAC got it going by bypassing the ignition circuit and connecting the coil directly to the battery, but even after that things did not sound great ... more like a tractor than a tiv.
The RAC guy recommended a local electrical specialist who could take a look at the original problem, so this week the S has been down there getting the once over ...
Now I have learned that one of the benefits of driving an S is that you tend to get good service from the people who are prepared to work on them. You might spend a fortune in terms of time, but you tend to get something good for your money. And everyone I have used so far is around half the price of any main euro-box dealers ...
But this guy has just flown past my already high expectations! He found three small (but significant) problems with the wiring setup over the course of two days, has fixed them up and now the car runs like a dream, particularly at low revs. No more wobbly volt meters when the lights and fan are on! And this is after mechanical work by David Batty who says it is one of the best runners he has seen!
Thanks to PH too for providing some good insight into the subject of dodgy immobilisers, and melted ford electrical parts. Always makes you feel better to see that someone else has seen the problems, and got through them ...
Now it's running again I wonder how I ever thought it might be time to get rid of it.
Anyway, enough of this. Have also been meaning to post a couple of recommendations on this and other things for a while. All South London area, apart from Quickfit:
Electrical: Colin at Metrolec in Beckenham.
Chassis work: Woods Restoration at Brands Hatch - stripped, primed and stonecoated the chassis. Also specialises in rebuilds, particularly vintage motors and any Ferrari.
Servicing: David Batty (who else?)
Breakdown: RAC - I know others will probably disagree, but 12 times (not just the S!) they have got me running again without fail.
Seatbelts/harnesses: Quickfit Safety Belt Service. Not cheap on labour, but a great end result.
If anyone needs contact numbers, etc. Feel free to email me.
Not a complete body off job. When I had this done I was just at the stage where things start to get vulnerable - the original coating was in pretty bad shape, and had not been attended to since the car was built.
I had a couple of small welds done by David Batty, but other than that the chassis (luckily) seems to be quite solid.
The process was as follows:
1. Remove all old/loose material. The chap had some type of blasting kit for doing this, as well as the usual array of hand tools.
2. Apply rust inhibitor.
3. Paint with red oxide primer
4. Paint with stonecoat - as I understand it, this is a thick protective paint that is slightly flexible, and hence less liable to flaking/cracking than other options.
5. Waxoil the whole lot.
I think he also had some stuff to get inside the tubes to help protect them on both sides, but can't remember the details on this.
That's about it. Not a complex piece of work, but done very diligently - the results are great.
I had a couple of small welds done by David Batty, but other than that the chassis (luckily) seems to be quite solid.
The process was as follows:
1. Remove all old/loose material. The chap had some type of blasting kit for doing this, as well as the usual array of hand tools.
2. Apply rust inhibitor.
3. Paint with red oxide primer
4. Paint with stonecoat - as I understand it, this is a thick protective paint that is slightly flexible, and hence less liable to flaking/cracking than other options.
5. Waxoil the whole lot.
I think he also had some stuff to get inside the tubes to help protect them on both sides, but can't remember the details on this.
That's about it. Not a complex piece of work, but done very diligently - the results are great.
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