1990 Aston Martin Virage
Discussion
Good afternoon from Sydney, Australia (more specifically Sydney Airport Terminal 3). I’m currently waiting for my flight to Adelaide.
The purpose of this trip is to buy a thirty year old Aston Martin purely on the basis of an online advertisement from someone I don’t know. Oh, and then drive it almost 1,000 miles back home.
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/kHgNbQd4[/url]
I am collecting the car tomorrow morning…
The purpose of this trip is to buy a thirty year old Aston Martin purely on the basis of an online advertisement from someone I don’t know. Oh, and then drive it almost 1,000 miles back home.
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/kHgNbQd4[/url]I am collecting the car tomorrow morning…
So… I have the car.
Slightly exhausted as I didn’t sleep well in my hotel room last night. I will just post my initial impressions. The car has done 62,000 miles and was UK delivered. It has been in Australia since 2014 and owned by the seller since it arrived here.
POSITIVE:
The seller seemed a pretty honest bloke. The car is as the seller described (certainly not perfect but seems very good).
It drives better than I was expecting. Way more modern and refined than the previous Aston V8. It rides well, handles well, and the steering is great. It tends to shrink around you the way a good GT should.
Surprisingly refined. Very little wind noise.
Air conditioning has been serviced and works well. Nearly all of the electrics seem to work (see below).
NEGATIVE:
Not too much so far. No books and limited history. Needs a good detail and the front bumper repainted. Interior is a little grubby.
Due for a service and some tlc.
The tyres are Indonesian made ditch finders that are the wrong size. This would be due to the fact that the correct Avon tyres are extortionately expensive.
The period Alpine stereo works only on the rear speakers. It also provides some extra excitement by emitting a deafening screeching noise at random intervals.
Tomorrow I start my long drive back to Sydney… Photos soon
Slightly exhausted as I didn’t sleep well in my hotel room last night. I will just post my initial impressions. The car has done 62,000 miles and was UK delivered. It has been in Australia since 2014 and owned by the seller since it arrived here.
POSITIVE:
The seller seemed a pretty honest bloke. The car is as the seller described (certainly not perfect but seems very good).
It drives better than I was expecting. Way more modern and refined than the previous Aston V8. It rides well, handles well, and the steering is great. It tends to shrink around you the way a good GT should.
Surprisingly refined. Very little wind noise.
Air conditioning has been serviced and works well. Nearly all of the electrics seem to work (see below).
NEGATIVE:
Not too much so far. No books and limited history. Needs a good detail and the front bumper repainted. Interior is a little grubby.
Due for a service and some tlc.
The tyres are Indonesian made ditch finders that are the wrong size. This would be due to the fact that the correct Avon tyres are extortionately expensive.
The period Alpine stereo works only on the rear speakers. It also provides some extra excitement by emitting a deafening screeching noise at random intervals.
Tomorrow I start my long drive back to Sydney… Photos soon
(I've no idea!)So, the Virage and I arrived home safely last night after an eventful couple of days.
My previous update was just after I had collected the car from the seller. I decided to spend that night about an hour outside of Adelaide (in the Barossa Valley) so I would have plenty of time that afternoon to familiarise myself with the car and check the fluids and tyre pressures etc. I found a local auto parts store and bought a new pair of wiper blades, some washer fluid additive, and a fire extinguisher (just to be on the safe side). About ten years I owned a Jensen-Healey for the grand total of two days before it went up in flames while I was driving it. By the time the fire brigade put out the blaze the car was a write-off.
The next morning I set-off in a slightly anxious mood for two reasons. Firstly, was the Aston going to break down? It had been driven only a few thousand km in the last eight years (as part of a large collection) and I was about to ask it cover 1,500 km in two days! Secondly, the state of Victoria had just begun another COVID lockdown and I needed to drive 130 km through the north-western corner of that state to get back to New South Wales. After trawling though the various rules on the government website I realised that as long as I stayed on the Sturt Highway and didn’t get out of the car while in Victoria I was legally good to go. That is after I had submitted three separate travel declarations online (one each for South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales). Such is the bureaucratic nightmare that COVID has wrought.
South Australia had just introduced a hard border with Victoria in response to the COVID outbreak, so as I crossed into Victoria I passed the point of no return. After about ninety minutes of driving through some pretty remote country I arrived in the town of Mildura and a few minutes later I crossed the border into NSW. This was a complete anticlimax with no queue of cars or police checks. Apart from the “Welcome to New South Wales” sign you wouldn’t even know you were out of lockdown once again. Feeling much more relaxed I pressed on for a few more hours and stopped overnight in the town of Hay.
The Virage had handled the day’s drive mostly without complaint. Apart from the occasional terrifyingly loud outbursts from the rear speakers and a faulty fuel gauge all was well.
My previous update was just after I had collected the car from the seller. I decided to spend that night about an hour outside of Adelaide (in the Barossa Valley) so I would have plenty of time that afternoon to familiarise myself with the car and check the fluids and tyre pressures etc. I found a local auto parts store and bought a new pair of wiper blades, some washer fluid additive, and a fire extinguisher (just to be on the safe side). About ten years I owned a Jensen-Healey for the grand total of two days before it went up in flames while I was driving it. By the time the fire brigade put out the blaze the car was a write-off.
The next morning I set-off in a slightly anxious mood for two reasons. Firstly, was the Aston going to break down? It had been driven only a few thousand km in the last eight years (as part of a large collection) and I was about to ask it cover 1,500 km in two days! Secondly, the state of Victoria had just begun another COVID lockdown and I needed to drive 130 km through the north-western corner of that state to get back to New South Wales. After trawling though the various rules on the government website I realised that as long as I stayed on the Sturt Highway and didn’t get out of the car while in Victoria I was legally good to go. That is after I had submitted three separate travel declarations online (one each for South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales). Such is the bureaucratic nightmare that COVID has wrought.
South Australia had just introduced a hard border with Victoria in response to the COVID outbreak, so as I crossed into Victoria I passed the point of no return. After about ninety minutes of driving through some pretty remote country I arrived in the town of Mildura and a few minutes later I crossed the border into NSW. This was a complete anticlimax with no queue of cars or police checks. Apart from the “Welcome to New South Wales” sign you wouldn’t even know you were out of lockdown once again. Feeling much more relaxed I pressed on for a few more hours and stopped overnight in the town of Hay.
The Virage had handled the day’s drive mostly without complaint. Apart from the occasional terrifyingly loud outbursts from the rear speakers and a faulty fuel gauge all was well.
Edited by Panord on Sunday 30th May 07:26
Edited by Panord on Sunday 30th May 08:53
I’ve had a few questions about the number plate. It is a personal plate that belongs to the seller. Because the car is registered in South Australia and I live in NSW I will have to get an MOT type inspection in NSW and register the car here in my name with new plates. In Australia each state and territory run their own separate vehicle licensing regimes.
To be honest, a bright red number plate containing the word RAGE is not really my style anyway…
To be honest, a bright red number plate containing the word RAGE is not really my style anyway…
It was a cold night in Hay (-5C) with a heavy frost. While I had been tucked-up in a warm motel room my poor Aston had obviously been suffering. The driver’s door was a struggle to open and the gas struts on the boot lid had given-up. Fortunately it started with the first turn of the key, although much of the electrical system had gone AWOL during the night. I now had no working instruments at all and the deafening noise from the rear speakers was now a constant companion.
I decided that I could rely on my TomTom unit for a speedometer, but the terrible screeching noise made it impossible to drive the car without earplugs. Luckily the Alpine stereo wasn’t properly secured in the dash so I pulled it out and ripped out some dodgy looking scotch lock connectors. With the stereo dumped in the boot I could now enjoy blissful silence. Looking more closely at the head unit revealed it to be a Japanese domestic market unit (I was wondering why I could only tune into part of the wave band). Logically this means that Aston must have spent at least some of its life in Japan before coming to Australia, and could also explain the missing books.
I drove into town in search of a cafe to get some breakfast. As the engine began to warm up I could hear a furiously clicking relay under the dash and the gauge needles started stuttering. After stopping for coffee and toast the sun was rising in the sky and the outside temperature was rising. This obviously pleased the Aston and I was rewarded with a fully functional dashboard once again.
I decided that I could rely on my TomTom unit for a speedometer, but the terrible screeching noise made it impossible to drive the car without earplugs. Luckily the Alpine stereo wasn’t properly secured in the dash so I pulled it out and ripped out some dodgy looking scotch lock connectors. With the stereo dumped in the boot I could now enjoy blissful silence. Looking more closely at the head unit revealed it to be a Japanese domestic market unit (I was wondering why I could only tune into part of the wave band). Logically this means that Aston must have spent at least some of its life in Japan before coming to Australia, and could also explain the missing books.
I drove into town in search of a cafe to get some breakfast. As the engine began to warm up I could hear a furiously clicking relay under the dash and the gauge needles started stuttering. After stopping for coffee and toast the sun was rising in the sky and the outside temperature was rising. This obviously pleased the Aston and I was rewarded with a fully functional dashboard once again.
Edited by Panord on Sunday 30th May 09:04
Edited by Panord on Sunday 30th May 12:00
The rest of the day passed without incident. It was an easy drive with dual carriageway motorway most of the way. With the Victorian lockdown in force there was only a fraction of the usual Melbourne to Sydney traffic on the road. The lack of a working fuel gauge meant regular stops for fuel. Fortunately I had my Bluetooth earbuds with me so I still had some entertainment to pass the time on a pretty boring drive. Back into the aggressive stop start Sydney traffic made me realise the gearbox is a bit of lottery at times (especially second and third) although the clutch is good and recently been replaced.
The next chapter will involve a full service and registration inspection in the next couple of weeks. For now it is safely tucked away in the garage.
The next chapter will involve a full service and registration inspection in the next couple of weeks. For now it is safely tucked away in the garage.
|https://thumbsnap.com/PUEVouGP[/url]Austin_Metro said:
Great further pics. Does anyone know If the trip computer is bespoke Aston or borrowed from another manufacturer?
OP. What’s your thinking on new head unit. Classic look or something more modern? I loved my dad’s alpine - until it was nicked …
I think the trip computer was a bespoke item for the Virage. Unfortunately the display is so dim it is impossible to read in most conditions.OP. What’s your thinking on new head unit. Classic look or something more modern? I loved my dad’s alpine - until it was nicked …
ndtman said:
23 mpg is pretty good or is the display wildly optimistic?
Cracking looking car, looking forward to updates.
Wildly optimistic I think. Because the fuel gauge isn't working properly I assume the computer isn't getting the correct data. I suspect the sender unit in the tank is faulty. Cracking looking car, looking forward to updates.
On the subject of fuel, there are two fillers (like on a Jaguar XJ). Does any one know if the car has two separate tanks? I can't find a switch for swapping tanks like my old XJ12 had. Also I have been only able to open the left side fuel flap. The right side refuses to open. The left tank refuses to accept more than 20L or so at a time. On the way home I stopped every 200-300 km for fuel just to be safe.
Stick Legs said:
This should fix your radio woes.
Classic look.
You can set green illumination.
iPod, Bluetooth and DAB capable.
https://www.blaupunkt.com/en/nc/products/car-multi...
Great minds think alike. I ordered one yesterday.Classic look.
You can set green illumination.
iPod, Bluetooth and DAB capable.
https://www.blaupunkt.com/en/nc/products/car-multi...
A Quick Update:
I dropped the Virage in to my (classic friendly) mechanic on Friday morning for a service and inspection. As usual he is running behind schedule so it won’t be ready until next next week. I did however get a quick call from him on Friday evening to say that the car seems basically sound. So far the worst he has found is an oil leak from the rocker cover and that the exhaust is slightly damaged and fouling the chassis.
So far, so good…
I dropped the Virage in to my (classic friendly) mechanic on Friday morning for a service and inspection. As usual he is running behind schedule so it won’t be ready until next next week. I did however get a quick call from him on Friday evening to say that the car seems basically sound. So far the worst he has found is an oil leak from the rocker cover and that the exhaust is slightly damaged and fouling the chassis.
So far, so good…
Time for an update on the Virage. It has now had a full service with all the fluids changed and it passed our version of the MOT. The report from my mechanic was pretty positive apart from:
Torn rear exhaust mounts (there has been a loud banging noise from the rear which was getting worse).
Worn water pump bearing (it is now making one hell of a racket).
Unfortunately these two issues mean it is a bit too risky for me to drive the car until they are fixed. I have ordered the exhaust mounts and a water pump rebuild kit from the UK and are waiting for them to arrive, along with a fuel sender and a set of belts.
In the meantime I have been thinking about new wheels… I would like to replace the factory 16” with 18”. I’m considering Fiske wheels and Pirelli P Zero tyres.
I’m keen to know people’s thoughts and if you have any other suggestions.
Torn rear exhaust mounts (there has been a loud banging noise from the rear which was getting worse).
Worn water pump bearing (it is now making one hell of a racket).
Unfortunately these two issues mean it is a bit too risky for me to drive the car until they are fixed. I have ordered the exhaust mounts and a water pump rebuild kit from the UK and are waiting for them to arrive, along with a fuel sender and a set of belts.
In the meantime I have been thinking about new wheels… I would like to replace the factory 16” with 18”. I’m considering Fiske wheels and Pirelli P Zero tyres.
I’m keen to know people’s thoughts and if you have any other suggestions.
Unfortunately there has been almost no progress of late. We have been in lockdown for the last two months and there seems little hope of it ending anytime before October. Because the car is currently stored two hours drive from where we are living I have been unable to get near it.
So the Virage remains stored away awaiting its resurrection. I did receive a delivery from the UK last week though. I’m now in possession of a new set of drive belts and exhaust mounts, a fuel sender, and a water pump rebuild kit. Hopefully in a couple of months I’ll be able to get cracking on it.
So the Virage remains stored away awaiting its resurrection. I did receive a delivery from the UK last week though. I’m now in possession of a new set of drive belts and exhaust mounts, a fuel sender, and a water pump rebuild kit. Hopefully in a couple of months I’ll be able to get cracking on it.
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