Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Need to get some decent photos of the LSE sorted to post soon, but anyway drove her down to Spain with Sins, Gotti and Samson for a week, got back on Sat late.

After a 621quid bill pre-trip for new Alt (reconditioned one was shocking), new coil (it had a ballast pout in by some fecking idiot), can belt and fuel pipes (rotten ALL THE WAY through, I mean gaping massive rot holes through them) I left for Spain the next day with an air of trepidation.

As it was she was great all the way down, all the time there even using the low-range lots as it was insanely hill. It was just the trip back that any probs occurred. About 100K south of Paris the exhaust split in half. My manifold it straight to a cherry bomb half way back (no cats), then straight back to back box.

The exhaust had failed on the weld at the front to the cherry bomb. So basically we drove all the way back to London running a race-rodded, race-cammed, race-induction and filtered Rover 4.2V8 lump with a straight through exhaust!!!

Try and imagine the sound. Everyone was looking on the motorway, motorcyclists litterally shat themselves as we over took. Traffic jam through Paris was interesting and uncomfortably load for anyone near us. The ferry was the funniest tho!

I'll try and get hold of a camera to video the noise, will post if I manage.

Have camera - will travel ;)

YouTube - Gymkhana THREE, Part 2; Ultimate Playground; l'Autodrome, France

Pig farmer, i can only think that it sounded lovely.

Fulvia - currently getting an engine rebuilt altering the v angle with a piston rebore and new pistons lower deck hieght and hopfully will be reliable with modern materials.

XKR - Sounds muted for 500bhp too many electronics to make it driveable. Power of an 80's supercar but does have that thrill of owning an amazing car.

They are freaking excellent! Well, my opinion anyway. Mate of mine had a 944 S2 turbo and it went, well, scary fast. It did handle beautifully too. Had it out on the track a few times were it excels although was twitchy in high speed long corners. Might have just been his stiff set up. As an every day car it was also very easy to drive and maintain. The only thing that broke was er.... well the turbo spat some innards into the engine many $$$$$$ (AUD) but the car had been well used.

I mostly like the fact that they are so under appreciated.

Cheers. I have read that they are some of the finest handling sports cars ever made and seeing as you can get a nice one for <£5000, I am thinking why not? I need a car that I can fit my bike into the back of and the thought of driving something dull and mundane does not appeal to me. Been reading about what to look out for and stuff so I may take the plunge in the New Year. I wouldn't be going for the turbo version though just the standard 3000cc 4 cylinder. I don't think I will tell the wife, I will just turn up with it one day
:)

Cheers. I have read that they are some of the finest handling sports cars ever made and seeing as you can get a nice one for <£5000, I am thinking why not? I need a car that I can fit my bike into the back of and the thought of driving something dull and mundane does not appeal to me. Been reading about what to look out for and stuff so I may take the plunge in the New Year. I wouldn't be going for the turbo version though just the standard 3000cc 4 cylinder. I don't think I will tell the wife, I will just turn up with it one day
:)

Yeah, don't need the turbo. As an everyday package they are very practical. My mate used to carry diffs, and engine blocks in the back (for his HQ ute build). Just be aware that the rear glass is one of the most expensive bits if broken. Careful with protruding handlebars etc. Prob don't need to tell you but just make sure all the suspension, ball joints & bushes and exhaust manifold are all ok and been reg. maintained as these are the parts that get the abuse. Have fun!

Fulvia - currently getting an engine rebuilt altering the v angle with a piston rebore and new pistons lower deck hieght and hopfully will be reliable with modern materials.

You have a fulvia?
Ahhh such good cars. mind me asking how much you paid for it originally?

The glass hatch on a 944 is the same as a Renault Fuego, apparently - just the other way up.

The glass hatch on a 944 is the same as a Renault Fuego, apparently - just the other way up.

Ha! Could be, certainly looks that way. I bet the little etched porsche part code adds all the ££s to price then

they sold about 4 fuegos in total, and those 944s get crushed when they are due for a service nowadays, so i think it would be easier to get a porsche one than a renault.

:)

You have a fulvia?
Ahhh such good cars. mind me asking how much you paid for it originally?

The last one cost £1000 but that was in 2000. But all the cars I have need work, hence why buying them.

they sold about 4 fuegos in total, and those 944s get crushed when they are due for a service nowadays, so i think it would be easier to get a porsche one than a renault.

:)

true that, although I do know a few aficionados of the fuego and other frenchies back in Aus (peugeots were my particular disease) that stockpile every fuego they can get. Usually just costs them a beer to tow out of someones backyard. sickos

The last one cost £1000 but that was in 2000. But all the cars I have need work, hence why buying them

that is cheap.
one day i will own a lancia fulvia!

I finally got around to whipping the head off the B today, after an aborted start a few weeks ago. 2 and a half hours, with no pain, apart from having to cut the (perished) brake servo advance hose.

It all looks reasonably good. Strangely, there was the emulsion goop only above 3 and 4 (?) on the rocker arm. The pistons, bores and valves all look remarkably good, apart from some rusty coloured staining in the bore of number 4.

There were a couple of indicators on the gasket of cracks (maybe?).

I will be sending the head to get tested during the week - hopefully no cracks. Probably need a skim.

Anyone used anywhere good around around SE?

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^ looks familiar.

I had a Midget and a B, as well as a slew of other crap 70s cars. The Midget was more fun but the B was actually a proper car which you could drive every day without getting headache/backache/earache/foot-ache. And also it didn't automatically go sideways at the merest hint of a wet road.

The Midget engine was so small I did the head gasket by just uncoupling the exhaust at the downpipe and removing the throttle cable, then lifting the whole head/carbs/exhaust manifold off in one piece. Did the whole head gasket in about 30 minutes . I never got the chance to try it on the MGB but I imagine you'd need two people to manoeuvre it back into the bay.

Big Red, I will ask my Mini dude if he can recommend anywhere. At the same time I'll show him a pic of the head.

frink - it was heavy, but i lifted the head off the studs with nothing but my raw, australian power. :)

sam - muchos gracias. i'll pm you a link to all of the photos. the gasket is still on in these ones, but i'll tak a couple with the gasket peeled off.

Gasket failure. Good news, I guess. I just hope it didn't warp when it boiled.

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^ it's all iron (and very agricultural) so unless you drove it and it overheated to the point of seizing, I very much doubt anything's gone wrong.

Water pump and temp gauge both broke on my Midget, I drove it home 20 miles. Only noticed because when I stopped a huge cloud of steam came out. It was fine.

Gasket failure. Good news, I guess. I just hope it didn't warp when it boiled.

You'll be fine. Bomb proof those.

Yeah, I hope so.

Yeah, I hope so.

Don't ask me how I know. (A '76 B Roadster owner speaks.)

Sweet!

The internet seems to suggest that B series heads are notorious for cracking. It only boiled once (the last time I drove it), but has started twice since. That and the fact that there wasn't a lot of goop in the rocker cover suggests that I mave have got there i time.

BRM drop me a pm and I'll give you the number of a place in charlton.

Sweet!

The internet seems to suggest that B series heads are notorious for cracking. It only boiled once (the last time I drove it), but has started twice since. That and the fact that there wasn't a lot of goop in the rocker cover suggests that I mave have got there i time.

Naaah, not that I know of. Like most things on t'internet, you only hear about the suff that goes pear-shaped. I went through a spell with a faulty thermostat value where I must've seized it 1/2 a doz times - right as rain every time after cooling.

Give the symptoms you describe, I'd be amazed if you've done anything serious.

God the smell of doing that though!

do any of you bogans have a stud extractor i can borrow (about 1/2" - the socket type)?