Mechanic's dream car
Discussion
So worked on cars for a fair few years and I've often thought. If I could take the best bits from different cars to build the most reliable and easiest car to work on what bits would I use?
It's only for giggles, so don't need to be to serious how all the bits will bolt together.
My idea of the best NORMAL family 5dr car.
E39 BMW Body- Awesome looks and big boot, just get Volvo to rust proof it.
K20 Honda Engine- Plenty of power,built proof and no cambelt.
MK1 Focus front subframe- Easiest clutch change
Pug 106 Rear Axle- Brilliant strong design and easy to drop out if needed.
MK1 Focus front brakes- don't even need to take off pad carrier to change discs.
Late 90's Honda rear drum brakes- yes not discs. Prefer drums to work on. Easy to adjust up and never have to hit drums to get off.
Saab interior - thinking like a 95, never sat in a uncomfortable Saab and always loved the "night mode" dash
Electrics- get the Japanese to sow in all the electrics.
That's my cocktail for my perfect normal family car!
Love to hear from other mechanics and their cocktails
It's only for giggles, so don't need to be to serious how all the bits will bolt together.
My idea of the best NORMAL family 5dr car.
E39 BMW Body- Awesome looks and big boot, just get Volvo to rust proof it.
K20 Honda Engine- Plenty of power,built proof and no cambelt.
MK1 Focus front subframe- Easiest clutch change
Pug 106 Rear Axle- Brilliant strong design and easy to drop out if needed.
MK1 Focus front brakes- don't even need to take off pad carrier to change discs.
Late 90's Honda rear drum brakes- yes not discs. Prefer drums to work on. Easy to adjust up and never have to hit drums to get off.
Saab interior - thinking like a 95, never sat in a uncomfortable Saab and always loved the "night mode" dash
Electrics- get the Japanese to sow in all the electrics.
That's my cocktail for my perfect normal family car!
Love to hear from other mechanics and their cocktails
rigga said:
Easiest clutch change.
Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
That clutch change idea deserve a Nobel prize, at the very least!Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
I’d add, get Lexus to build the thing.
Three brilliant pieces of mechanical design from my own cars as follows.
999cc Fiat FIRE unit in my Uno had a non-interference design, so when the cam belt snapped, there was no contact between the valves and the pistons. It just coasted to a halt. Why aren’t they all like this?
MG Midget fuel pump - two bolts into the cylinder block - total cost to change, less than a tenner in less than 10 minutes.
Lotus Eclat windscreen washer bottle - designed to lift out to refill, so no perilous over spill on the dodgy electrics.
999cc Fiat FIRE unit in my Uno had a non-interference design, so when the cam belt snapped, there was no contact between the valves and the pistons. It just coasted to a halt. Why aren’t they all like this?
MG Midget fuel pump - two bolts into the cylinder block - total cost to change, less than a tenner in less than 10 minutes.
Lotus Eclat windscreen washer bottle - designed to lift out to refill, so no perilous over spill on the dodgy electrics.
rigga said:
Easiest clutch change.
Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
We ran a taxi fleet almost entirely on the basis of this design feature.Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
rigga said:
Easiest clutch change.
Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
Did one of those for a mate many years ago, he had been quoted 3hours labour, I told him we could do it an hour or so. He was shocked how easy it was and much a local clutch changing outfit were willing to rip him off for.Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
MickyveloceClassic said:
999cc Fiat FIRE unit in my Uno had a non-interference design, so when the cam belt snapped, there was no contact between the valves and the pistons. It just coasted to a halt. Why aren’t they all like this?
Cavalier’s were the same - I had a new one one that broke its belt 3 times. MickyveloceClassic said:
Three brilliant pieces of mechanical design from my own cars as follows.
999cc Fiat FIRE unit in my Uno had a non-interference design, so when the cam belt snapped, there was no contact between the valves and the pistons. It just coasted to a halt. Why aren’t they all like this?
MG Midget fuel pump - two bolts into the cylinder block - total cost to change, less than a tenner in less than 10 minutes.
Lotus Eclat windscreen washer bottle - designed to lift out to refill, so no perilous over spill on the dodgy electrics.
Non interference engines by their nature tend to run lower compression ratios so not really compatible with increasing specific output/economy999cc Fiat FIRE unit in my Uno had a non-interference design, so when the cam belt snapped, there was no contact between the valves and the pistons. It just coasted to a halt. Why aren’t they all like this?
MG Midget fuel pump - two bolts into the cylinder block - total cost to change, less than a tenner in less than 10 minutes.
Lotus Eclat windscreen washer bottle - designed to lift out to refill, so no perilous over spill on the dodgy electrics.
ARHarh said:
Did one of those for a mate many years ago, he had been quoted 3hours labour, I told him we could do it an hour or so. He was shocked how easy it was and much a local clutch changing outfit were willing to rip him off for.
Book time was 1.2 hours as I recall, so yea quoting 3 was over the top, unless they didn't realise the correct way and were going to haul the gearbox out to do it.Original Fiat Panda heater cores - in a plastic airbox held together with clips in the engine bay, probably the easiest ones to change of any car.
VAG cars and some others with the "service position" easily removeable front clip/crossmember for engine bay access.
Mercedes and some others where the bonnet can be opened to a second position even further up so you get much better access.
VAG cars and some others with the "service position" easily removeable front clip/crossmember for engine bay access.
Mercedes and some others where the bonnet can be opened to a second position even further up so you get much better access.
MickyveloceClassic said:
Three brilliant pieces of mechanical design from my own cars as follows.
999cc Fiat FIRE unit in my Uno had a non-interference design, so when the cam belt snapped, there was no contact between the valves and the pistons. It just coasted to a halt. Why aren’t they all like this?
MG Midget fuel pump - two bolts into the cylinder block - total cost to change, less than a tenner in less than 10 minutes.
Lotus Eclat windscreen washer bottle - designed to lift out to refill, so no perilous over spill on the dodgy electrics.
Whereas the Lotus Eclat wiper motor replacement is a complete dash removal 999cc Fiat FIRE unit in my Uno had a non-interference design, so when the cam belt snapped, there was no contact between the valves and the pistons. It just coasted to a halt. Why aren’t they all like this?
MG Midget fuel pump - two bolts into the cylinder block - total cost to change, less than a tenner in less than 10 minutes.
Lotus Eclat windscreen washer bottle - designed to lift out to refill, so no perilous over spill on the dodgy electrics.
rigga said:
Easiest clutch change.
Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
Unless you get a phone call, get distracted and forget to take the clips off......Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
Don't ask how I know.
Tabs said:
rigga said:
Easiest clutch change.
Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
Unless you get a phone call, get distracted and forget to take the clips off......Early vauxhall astra Cav, Nova
Drop the clutch out the bottom cover without removing the gearbox, start to finish, no more than 15 mins.
Gutted when they changed the design to omit the access cover.
Don't ask how I know.
OverSteery said:
Whereas the Lotus Eclat wiper motor replacement is a complete dash removal
Indeed!Everything else was questionable- such as the load-bearing UJs on the rear suspension and the foam insert between the body and chassis which soaked up moisture and caused the chassis to rust. And the instruments lit by a teeny tiny light built into the roof….
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