On the ramp - off to the house

We were parked on the ramp and I noticed the SAAB handbrake is getting a bit weak as we moved down...

Then short trip to French house for New Year.

Ferry Dash - via the dump

Started the day full so unloaded the tools and then had an early run to the dump.

Then refilled the car and set off for Portsmouth. 

Wet evening waiting in the queue.

Another load back

After two more days of work we had re-filled the poor old SAAB with rubbish again - the rest of the floor, old wood etc.

Then we pilled in all the tools I had taken down four weeks before.

I could see out - honest.

The journey back at that late hour was fine, other than the tailback for a smashed up Audi at a roundabout. It seemed like me and all the white vans were heading home. A different commute than a few years ago.

Left unpacking for the morning.

Another Day Another Dump

Filled the car with old floors and then the sofa - and then the rest of the sofa on the roof and set off the the Wandsworth dump.

Just touched the height restriction as we went in, but it worked well.

Packed off

Filled the SAAB again in the morning and set off for London for some more work at James' flat.

Some tools etc. but mostly other stuff - still seemed to fill the car though ?

Journey down was fine - bridge basically clear and South Circular is well signposted. Back to draconian parking though.

Short hop

Aero to pick up large item.

Then planning London van jaunt tomorrow.

No need to drive

Christmas Day - so just sitting around. Not even visiting the garages.

Giving Rides

Aero to pub through the flat Suffolk countryside and down through deserted fields to the river Deben.

And back again.

Roads surprisingly busy all over.

Aero for lifts

Just a few quick journeys with a full SAAB.

Golf got used as well.

Negative Waves Man

So research uncovered the negative bolted to the underfloor of the car. It's officially Negative Earth after all that.

I also noticed the wires to the coil were not attached correctly - so why did it work at all ? Anyway we'll see. Perhaps try the old coil - or two as I found the old one and one that looked totally unused.

So just for the laugh I replaced the distributor and re-started the car. Started fine after the obligatory tweak. Did the timing to 12 deg and idled fine for ages too.

Drove ok in the drive too so I risked a short test drive. Not so good - missed a bit and seemed to be dying so I came home quickly.

Now it have to sit there for a while while I think about it.

Aero into town for jobs and that's about it.

A little learning

Wet and shitty day so pottered with jobs.

Put the Caterham in the outside bubble as I'm not going to use it for a few weeks.

It hardly fills it but it will keep it better than just sitting under its cover while I work on the Alpine. Went in quite easily, but takes a while to inflate.

Also started the Mk2 - after an hour with the blow heater it started first turn of the key.

Then moved the Aston onto the drive to get chairs down from the garage loft. Probably the furthest it's been this month. Put the trickle charger on it for good measure.

Quick Aero 1/2 mile for a photo then back to looking at the Alpine. I'm unsure that it really is still positive earth. How to check ? Looking at the existing wires to the coil they point to negative earth where the Accuspark unit fitted. Then talking to the Petronix supplier they did not think the unit would work on the wrong polarity and the Distributor Dr. was surprised it ran at all.

So I need to check the polarity again. Then work out WTF is going on.

Finally a Mk7 passenger ride to close off the evening.

​Own Goal

​
Well I went from Hero to Zero in 5 miles.

I finished the electrics on the distributor - and then noticed it said for negative earth systems only...

Having used all the tools I could, I impatiently decided to have a go anyway, suspecting a total failure.

To my surprise nay delight it worked ... and after some adjustment it even ran well.

It ran so well that after two short test drives I decided to risk putting more petrol in it and set off for the station.

It went well at slow speed but not so well under load. Anyway we made it to the petrol station but  lost power and stuttered just beforehand, which was a worry. I filled up with a few gallons and set off home.

It died 100 yards later.

So I suspect the electronic unit has broken down. The coil was very hot too.

I parked up in a lay-by and wondered what to do. I even got offered a coffee from a nice lady who said her husband heard me break down. I phoned home, got a lift, collected some tools and the old distributor and also called the Brakedown Service who had no record of the car. They found it and so eventually I was sitting in the SAAB, waiting by the car for a man to come and look at it. On balance I decided to leave it to him and not try anything myself.

Anyway - three hours later he arrived, checked the spark and it was ok so we started the car - it seemed to run ok again.

He followed me home luckily as I only just made it, as the car was loosing power all the way. Then he helpfully took me back to collect the SAAB.

So we live to fight another day.

Coward and Karting

I found an excuse not to tackle the Alpine today as we needed to stay alert for oil deliveries... etc.

So I pottered around and then became a Mk7 passenger to Karting with Abbotts team.

I managed to get into the Semi-finals for once, after improving my lap times by being more aggressive. I managed 20.58 seconds vs 23+ when I started.

It must be the light

Cold start but cleaned the E-type and over inflated the tyres for the Winter storage.

I'm sure you can spot which is the the 'before' and which the 'after' picture.

No me neither. But the bucket of water was dirty so I guess it needed it.

Funny thing was that when I looked at the repair, the bonnet seemed to shut better than before... It must be the light.

Then Aero run to lunch and back - into another traffic jamb as the bridge was blocked by an accident somewhere. Again.

Ride and Park

Picked up a Drive-Now car to test the system.

It was harder than I expected to get going as you had to work out how to access the information screens etc. But once that was done, the pin number entered and the questions answered (inc tire pressures) then you could set off like a normal car. Well a normal automatic anyway. Felt a bit plastic'y to be honest.

Opening and locking the car worked well and then at the end we just left it on the street.

Not sure I was impressed with the Mini itself but I liked the technology and it took the four of us about three miles for under £4.

Then late afternoon Aero back home - hard going in the dark and the rain with the wipers making a hell of a noise on the windscreen.

Dull run in

Aero to town packed the stuff and four people.

We tried new route to Crouch end - still hit 20 MPH and speed bumps.

Trailer Take Two

E-type dropped off in the morning - reversed it off the trailer again. Still a bit scary.

Checked the dent obviously and it is perfect - you would never know the car has been sprayed either - sunlight might reveal something but I hope not.

Also spoke to distributer man - he recons my unit has been a bit butchered. We'll see what he can do to get it working.

Then Aero to town and through the night.

It's not right

Tried to swap the Alpine distributor and found it did not fit.

Shaft too long and the lugs at the end too short.

Short period of despair followed. I then photographed and documented it - talked it through on the phone and they are both in the post back to be compared/re-engineered. Let's hope they don't get lost.

Caterham out and in the sun to celebrate. Putting the cover back on I spotted my error - how that stayed put who knows.

Yes - that's the petrol cap on the boot - all the way back too.

Finally got an email to say E-type is ready and they will be dropping it off in the morning, so swapped the Ferrari into the wooden garage/bubble as I know I'll have to clean the Jag when it's back - let's just hope it is perfect.

Dropped off

Put the E-type on the trailer (not as easy as it sounds as it slipped on wet metal) and was taken to the paint shop. Rain stayed away and the salt was washed away last night.

Standard picture taken of the car outside of the house in the cold.

Looked fine in there and they had a nice SAAB 900 in for work for Abbotts.

Not sure they had ever seen an E-type though, so we'll see how it goes.

Frozen out

Decided to move the Alpine and E-type around as I don't know how long it will take to sort the paintwork, so it might as well go into the bubble.

First problem was that the Alpine would not start - even after 2 hours of blow heater. Battery just too cold and might be too old too ?

So thought I'd bump start it with the SAAB.

Two problems. First the SAAB doors were frozen solid so had to defrost them. Then the bonnet was also frozen shut. Not had that one before.

So after an hour or trying it still did not start. I knew what I had to so but just did not want to do it. Took the plugs out and they were very wet, as I suspected. Clean and dried them and it started fine after that.

Then cars back into place.

Then Aero run to pick up a tree in the winter sun.

Oh and the garage phoned to say the E-type is being collected tomorrow morning...

In door pottering

Mostly working at home, although I did finish the Ferrari exhibition book which was better than the exhibition itself I thought.

Oh and flagged to Abbotts that the car is not 100%. Shame.

No Alpine due to Snow

Heavy snow had fallen most of the morning - well heavy for Suffolk so we all cancelled the Alpine meeting in the Fens.

Mind you by late afternoon most of it had melted - only to freeze up again.

Short trip in Aero was fine though.

An E between 2 S's

SAAB first thing to the dump.

The looked at the E-type damage again in the light. Not 100% so it needs sorting properly. Feels worse than it looks.

Alpine refused to start due to the cold.

The Aero to town again.

Back but battered

E-type arrive on the trailer to avoid the salty roads - they were dry but happy to get the car delivered.

Seemed to be running fine, if a little fast at tick-over.

However there was a large dent in the bonnet edge.

After a quick call I was told it would be fixed. - I do hate my cars being away.

Off the ramps under it's own steam

Alpine now off the ramps.

Finished refitting everything and then found the brakes were non existent. The new break pressure switch was not tightened enough so it was leaking out.

Tightened with a large 22mm socket. Why I could not do that before I don't know.

Started well but very lumpy - so now awaiting the distributor.

Final short Aero run.

Another Alpine Day

Shock absorbers on in the morning and then the petrol tank back too.

Another six hours under the car including cutting off the long bolts.

Should get petrol in and started ... then off the ramps tomorrow.

Then Aero dash to the shops.

Springs back

Alpine time - so put the springs back on. It took three and a half hours and was almost smooth.

I caused myself problems having the car on the ramps and they needed a slight 'nudge' to seat in the guide properly.

Next is shock absorbers and then the tank. I also need to shorten those u-bolts.

Oh and then the distributor.

Then Aero in to town.

Bubble and sunshine

308 back into the bubble in the morning - looked good in the sunshine. Late this year for some reason.

Then as sun was shining took the Caterham out and down to Felixstowe for a spot of lunch in the cold sunshine.

Then SAAB late run to take photos of the moon over the docks.

Dumping the wood

SAAB now empty - and filthy.

Needs a clean again.

Then in the evening off to Felixstowe to try to photograph the moon - which hid resolutely behind the clouds.

Resting the SAAB

Just a quick passenger ride in the Mk7.

Parking Problems

Having run out of permits I needed to pay for parking - but could only stay 4 hours ?

Ended up moving the car half a mile and using Tesco for an hour to bridge two very expensive 4 hour slots. Still not sure of the rules.

Anyway survived without a ticket.

Then a late run back home - car stuffed with everything - great view out the back. The car was so heavy on the passenger seat the car kept beeping for a seat belt to be plugged in.

Good 2h run back - it was 10:00 though.

Looking back I had covered 1 mile in a week being in London. Parking was £25 in permits and £30 in tickets. I can see why cars are a luxury item.