I Have Returned...

[Foeux]

Dear Esteemed Peers,

I have returned once more to the fold. I left when I sold M420HPC (Gary Lineker's old motor) and I sulked, moped and rued the day I sold it.

I have another one, it hasn't quite the charm of the first but then it didn't cost £500 and I haven't V-maxed it on a french dual carriageway yet.

It is all the things the old one was and more (some is good, some bad).

It is brisker. It is better nailed together. The brakes aren't wobbly and by heck are they strong. It is rustier. It has brighter lights. It has touch screen satnav. However, in essence it is still the same fun car the old one was.

The rust I am having sorted before it becomes a true pig. The inner rear arches are (I now know) prone to tin-mice and this one has had it bad. Paying someone to chase all the rust away, fabricate new panels, weld through primer everything he can reach behind the rust, weld the new panels in/on, seam seal, paint and then underseal. That will be the biggie done.

I hit a pheasant at close to 3 figures on a private road the pther day and that obliterated a Xenon headlight. £30 later, I had a spare one from eBay. I ran the restorer pads and compounds over it and it is as new.

Will self-service it from here on. Won't be using it till the rust is treated but I am please to be back.

Best,

 

F

[cruisermark]

Welcome back  - I must say I don’t recognise ur name so you must have been away 5 years or more 

sounds like you’ve bought a mark 4 - would love to see some pictures 

[Foeux]

When I've a little more time I'll upload some tin-mouse pics and some pics once it is repaired.

Thanks,

 

F

[Cotswold Pete]

Be interested to know what it costs for the rear arch re-fab.

I had the same problem, but went the cut out and IsoPon the whole sheebang, though I had enough of the top and sides of arches to get away with. Wax-oiled to the hilt, and will make sure every year gets a good old check over to make sure no more wormholes appearing.

Having owned a Mk3, and been in Mk1 the Mk4 is a different motor, and found the gearing makes it a quiter drive at 'legal' speeds.

[Foeux]

I think the rear arch repairs will run to a few hundred quid (£300-400).

When all is said and done and it has cost me £1500 I will come back and hang my head in shame...

[Malc]

welcome back 

Malc

[Malc]

on old and ancient cars like ours i do wonder how on earth further treatment for rust protection or conversion can be properly effective when the car has still got it's factory underside finish in place 

I'm guessing any warranty from the provider of the new treatment will have long expired before an owner finds any treated areas going " bad " 

What would I know though ..... just age and wisdom a little maybe

Malc

[Malc]

I'm only raising the thought process .............  what sort of warranty do they give .............transferable to new owner and  15 years or more maybe ?

Malc

[Malc]

absolutely no idea about any of these products, nor the professional outfit / guys mode of application, sorry I can't help you there

Malc

[ambermarine]

If one were to speculate on treatment post manufacture, the operation would only be a complete steam clean of the chassis and suspension then a complete spray of Dinitrol to the surface area.

This is what I did on my Mark 4 six years ago and there is no rust  but there was no rust when I bought the 14 year old so the answer to the question ,who knows, it is a case of what is being covered up .

[Malc]

I guess then that there's no point doing any other than the EXTREME treatment and then one should ask the simple Q, is it effective and how long does it last being effective.

And the Q, is the outfit doing the work competent and trustworthy ............. and the next Q ............  why won't they guarantee their work for many many years ..........   if it is all effective ............  or maybe they do 

Malc

[Malc]

then of course there's the issue of any subsequent accident repair work affecting the treated parts too ..............

good luck with whatever you decide to do ☺️

Malc

[Foeux]

I am not treating this (frankly cheap beater of a) car to a complete underbody overhaul. I am simply having new metal plopped in where the tin mice have been and am then covering it over with whatever schmoo the bloke doing the work reckons is good. It's localised and quite easily done so I am doing it.

As for treating the whole underside, there is this sort of thing that costs the earth...
Madness

Take her on steady,

F.

[Malc]

11 hours ago, Foeux said:

Take her on steady,

no way ....  foot down,  0 -  60 in 6.7 secs and max 155 mph on the autoroute  ................  please do this, show what she's capable of at ancient years

the motto  ...................  you ( the Ls400 ) gets old when it stops ........  not   stops when it gets old

Malc

[Cotswold Pete]

16 hours ago, Foeux said:

Madness

Crickey, that is madness, you really have to be in love with the car to do that.

Reminds me a bit of a sales manager I used to work with who bought an E-type in the 80s, and would take it to shows, but it never got top marks, because unlike other enthusiasts he would not jack it up after every run and clean the whole lot down so that it looked factory fresh. (as Dizzee Rascal would sing - BONKERS)

I say do enough to keep an LS on the road, and make it a little harder for the tin mice to get going, but they will always find a spot somewhere to have their lunch, but hopefully not a 3 course meal.

You should see the sills on my wifes XJ, 13 years old, looks like a right old Roman Banquet been had by the mice, and with recent re-weld, we know that in 3 years time (due to the odd design of the drains) the mice will have been sated once more.

 

[Foeux]

Right, it is back and the water can't get in.

 

However, a new issue has arrived. The Battery I think is goosed which has LED to all manner of problems. Dodgy alarm behaviour, headlight washers doing their thing on their own, error for headlight adjustment on dash, cut out once, non-start etc.

 

Chucked a thumping great bosch silver in and it seems to have cured it.

 

Anyone else experienced similar problems when a Battery is past best?

 

If it isnt Battery then this car may be a real pig!

F

[The-Acre]

Duff batteries have certainly been responsible for all manner of problems.

[Foeux]

2 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

Duff batteries have certainly been responsible for all manner of problems.

Here's hoping I have fixed it.

 

There was also a peculiar process for restarting the car. Leave it with ignition on for 6 mins, turn off and then turn on again. Something to do with immobiliser.

 

Cheers,

F.

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, Foeux said:

Here's hoping I have fixed it.

 

There was also a peculiar process for restarting the car. Leave it with ignition on for 6 mins, turn off and then turn on again. Something to do with immobiliser.

 

Cheers,

F.

Keep us posted, it's always helpful info.