Dean Roberts

what a great day...finally got the car out of the garage and left it running whilst checking everything in preparation for the MOT on Monday. Everything seemed OK, until Nikki noticed the reverse light don't work when I reversed into garage. Checked bulb, which is OK. We cannot remember if it ever worked when we bought it..... (all other lights are OK). Big question is.... Where do we stand legally with the reversing light for the MOT? Nikki, found some notes saying - No reverse Lights - the car cannot be failed for something that doesn't exist. Which means, I may be able to remove the light for the test and put it back again after and fix it when I have time. Or do I have to find the bloody fault and fix it, which could be the reversing switch or wiring If the automatic gearbox has a reversing switch, any ideas would be useful.

Better than cloth, I think this latest update will be better:

Thanks Ian, I gather the next most sensible option would be to tarpaulin the boot and get it in for a MOT ASAP.

Seats are extremely comfy.....so comfy the wife has to watch her weight The other downfall with the seating and the car size, is that I fitted the seats on adjusters for up down and slide, but the width of the car restricts the movement to forward and back about an inch Also the adjusters on the seatbelts are a pain and I will need to get a welder to fit me extra brackets on the back of the car to make it a true 4 or 5 point harness with the aircraft style adjusters and release mechanism. But funds, welder and time have held me back until later in the year. At least this weekend the car was off the axle stands, started first time and had a little drive out of the garage at into sunlight. Nikki has placed a picture of it on the drive in the garaged section of the site (just a pity it was before the mods). I also found out how light this car really is this weekend, when I forgot I left the handbrake off and lean't against the boot to do some work. I thought the cardboard was slipping from under my feet. I then looked up to see the car rolling forward towards the wife's......eeeeek! No harm done, but must remember to place the chucks under the wheels when messing around with the brakes I'm not looking forward to working on the boot, looks a minefield of different ideas and changes, but maybe I will just fix a temporary tarpaulin over it and send it in for the MOT (too see if there are any other hidden work to be completed). Does anybody know if I require a jack and wheel brace in the car for the MOT?

Automatic....This seems to be a little blessing in disguise. I drive stick all day long in traffic jams and towing the caravan etc.... So suddenly getting into a car for sunny days cruising seems a nice change and a break from the norm. There is history (previous owner became disabled over the time of ownership)and a lot of paperwork involved around the fitting the gearbox, so until I have the time, money and resources, it will stay. This was originally going to be a track-day car stripped to the bones and have a motorbike engine and gearbox fitted. But after seeing the car and speaking to you guys and looking around the forums, it seems to be the perfect cruising car and a great step into mechanics and bodywork. Hence the upgraded interior and nice modifications to make it a more pleasant to cruise and let the wife & I have a bit of me time Meantime, Over the winter period, I would love to get my hands on a free-ish 2.0 pinto and manual 5 speed and have a go at stripping it down and rebuilding it with my kids (try and get them interested in mechanics, engineering....instead of boring computers). Then if the original engine fails etc... we will have a back-up to fit. But once again, this is all pie in the sky and looking at the forums, a lot of U guys seem to favour the Zetec as a more efficient,lighter and easier engine to use. So hopefully, over the next couple of months, I can give you a verdict on the auto VS manual debate. I already have 1 plus point...more space in the foot-well (handy for big clumsy feet).

Next the Boot

Ahhhaaaaaa....The proof of all the hard work and a way to say thank you to all who have helped:

Yaaaay....Quick release steering fitted....Lets hope it on correctly or it might be the shortest trip to MOT centre known to man

Cheers Ian, still looks like a device from a horror movie Should be called the dreaded claw.

Thanks guys, I was a bit worried when I tried hitting it with the hammer and it didn't budge. Thought I might break it and screw up the steering column. Florin, good tip, being a bit of a Frank Spencer at DIY keeping the nut on may become useful for not getting a broken nose Tonight will consist of the use of blocks of wood and a lump hammer, if this fails then the introduction of a 3 legged puller (never heard of that before - sounds like some kind of device made for a sexual deviant) .

Guy, Please can anybody give me a little advice on the replacing the steering wheel. I have removed the old 10" steering wheel and adapter and now I was going to fit a new boss kk32x and detachable adapter with new steering wheel. But have got stuck with the following and cannot remove it (or should I?):

3 kids and a demanding wife, means no retirement for a long, long, long time

Weddings, Mothers-day, migraines, colds, sore throats, conjunctivitis all tried to stop me from getting things done.... But I have another eventful weekend and another day closer to the MOT test: Carpets fitted - tick Handbrake cover made and fitted - tick New centre console covered and fitted - tick All new vinyl interior fitted - tick New passenger seat fitted - tick Drivers seat fitted - work in progress Detachable steering wheel - work in progress new rear boot - work in progress I just wish we had more hours at the weekend and less during the working week

Great, I will pop over to see security today and peg out an acre of land for the caravan, gazebo, marquee and gas heated jacuzzi. Nothing like a few luxuries when camping. Now, how do I convert the scalextric racing set from electric to gas

She's also the owner of the Ebay account

Yes sir....My good wife Nikki has all the details and the club card at hand for any major purchases What we should have done is changed her account from being Nikki to being - "Dino & Nikki" and have one club membership logon for discussions. But because we are both impatient car fanatics we both registered at different times and started hitting the forums with lots of questions and have stuck with the separate logins since. Just means she get's to see all the membership goodies on her login and get to hear about them on the night when I get home from work and discuss purchases.

Thanks for all the help....handbrake and and shoes have all been moved/fitted now.

Yaaaay....I feel like we accomplished something this weekend with all the following sorted: Fuel lines replaced - tick Fuel sender replaced - tick Wiring loom moved - tick Handbrake moved - tick Handbrake cable moved and fitted - tick Brake shoes and springs replaced - tick Seating subframes fitted - tick Carpet cut and ready to go in - work in progress Side panels cut, covered and ready to fit - work in progress Next on the agenda after all the fixture and fittings, is trying to sort out the centre console and new boot. Then finally on to the MOT, tax and then driving ......! A very happy Monday morning after an eventful couple of weeks swearing and cursing..... I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I've been using Brasso and elbow grease for any of the stainless steel, but most people suggest windowlene. Might be worth testing both on a small section and then taking your pick or waiting on the professionals for more ideas.

Congrats

Will be trying this later: http://www.eurocarparts.com/Acocks-Green.html Didn't know they had stores, thought they were online only.

Cheers Ian, will have a dig around and see what pops up. The local tat yard and Ford parts centre by me, has proven to be useless

Thanks guys for the info, I will be ordering a new cable and attempting the cutting and u clamp trick. While the brakes are off and looking a little worn out, can anybody recommend any brake shoes or should I just buy a set of bog standard Ford Sierra 2.0 ones? I been looking on E bay and they seem to vary in price from £15 - a staggering £120.

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