Are cars less characterful than they used to be?
Discussion
Touring442 said:
Reginald Perrin's mother in law. ^^
I would start from scratch and make up a new wiring loom for the OD, separate to everything else with inline fuses.
The Perrin comment made me laugh!I would start from scratch and make up a new wiring loom for the OD, separate to everything else with inline fuses.
To be honest I think the wiring loom thing is on the money: running all a car's electrics through 3 fuses is a rubbish idea, not helped by what I still think was a hasty re-fit after restoration.
I'm off
I'm a fellow of ZSL, the Zoological Society of London, so have some geek facts on the pygmy hippo;
This one's called Tapon, and lives at Whipsnade Zoo.
He's 14 years old and weighs about 3 times as much as me - c300kg - which as about 10% of what an adult male common hippo weighs.
"Hippopotamus" derives from the ancient Greek for "river horse".
So, now you know.
Turbobanana said:
The Perrin comment made me laugh!
I'm a fellow of ZSL, the Zoological Society of London, so have some geek facts on the pygmy hippo;
This one's called Tapon, and lives at Whipsnade Zoo.
He's 14 years old and weighs about 3 times as much as me - c300kg - which as about 10% of what an adult male common hippo weighs.
"Hippopotamus" derives from the ancient Greek for "river horse".
So, now you know.
We can guess which time of the month it was for the lady who named him that..... I'm a fellow of ZSL, the Zoological Society of London, so have some geek facts on the pygmy hippo;
This one's called Tapon, and lives at Whipsnade Zoo.
He's 14 years old and weighs about 3 times as much as me - c300kg - which as about 10% of what an adult male common hippo weighs.
"Hippopotamus" derives from the ancient Greek for "river horse".
So, now you know.
Hey, I'm back!
OK, so radio silence due to Formula Ford Festival, holiday, PhD research, work, dodgy knee and another bout of Covid (Mrs Banana and eldest Banana, not me or the little 'un - go figure), for which I apologise as I know you're all waiting with baited breath for an update - especially Yertis who even stalked me on another thread
Last night, a lovely guy called Mark paid me a visit. Mark is a friend of one of Mrs Banana's work colleagues, who happens to be an electrical engineer by trade. Over a couple of coffees we discussed old cars - he has some - and he fiddled with his tool (a multimeter - stop sniggering at the back).
We played around for an hour or so, removing wires and cleaning earths etc. The eureka moment came when the multimeter went beserk while attached to the feed wires for the overdrive. We disconnected them and tried everything else on the top (of 3) fuse: it all worked, including when everything was on at the same time. So, it looks like the fault, as some have correctly suggested, lies in the wiring or the solenoid for the overdrive. We've left the wiring unplugged for now and I've driven in to work. As I parked it everything was still working - so at least I have a car I can drive legally. Obviously the rear axle is the overdrive ratio, so it's comically under-geared but it's fine around town.
Given my proven mechanical ineptitude I plan to give it to a mechanic to sort as it will prove easier with access to the underside. I have a new solenoid to go on, and await the arrival of a new transmission tunnel to replace the papier maché one the factory saw fit to install. So, it looks like I now have a clear path to a fully functioning car.
Cosmetically, I've fitted the new seats which have instantly removed about an inch of headroom. Fortunately I have also had a haircut so we're all good. The old seats have been sold on eBay - paid for but not yet collected.
The Spitfire 1500 front spoiler has gone on, which finishes the front end rather nicely in my opinion. I'll try to get some decent pics if / when the sun comes out.
Any day now, something exciting will arrive - but I'm going to leave you in suspense for the time being and save it for the next post.
A project for the winter is to re-veneer the dash. I've seen a couple of YouTube videos where people have done it, and Mark has done one of his cars. I quite fancy a really striking grain, rather than the plain original, to make it really stand out. I also want to go with chrome rings for the instruments to replace the flaking original black: just a personal preference.
Almost forgot - I've also ordered some Crystal Halogen headlights from Wipac: the car has mis-matched lights at the moment and these get very good reviews. You can't have too much light, and I plan on using the car throughout winter.
Onward...
OK, so radio silence due to Formula Ford Festival, holiday, PhD research, work, dodgy knee and another bout of Covid (Mrs Banana and eldest Banana, not me or the little 'un - go figure), for which I apologise as I know you're all waiting with baited breath for an update - especially Yertis who even stalked me on another thread
Last night, a lovely guy called Mark paid me a visit. Mark is a friend of one of Mrs Banana's work colleagues, who happens to be an electrical engineer by trade. Over a couple of coffees we discussed old cars - he has some - and he fiddled with his tool (a multimeter - stop sniggering at the back).
We played around for an hour or so, removing wires and cleaning earths etc. The eureka moment came when the multimeter went beserk while attached to the feed wires for the overdrive. We disconnected them and tried everything else on the top (of 3) fuse: it all worked, including when everything was on at the same time. So, it looks like the fault, as some have correctly suggested, lies in the wiring or the solenoid for the overdrive. We've left the wiring unplugged for now and I've driven in to work. As I parked it everything was still working - so at least I have a car I can drive legally. Obviously the rear axle is the overdrive ratio, so it's comically under-geared but it's fine around town.
Given my proven mechanical ineptitude I plan to give it to a mechanic to sort as it will prove easier with access to the underside. I have a new solenoid to go on, and await the arrival of a new transmission tunnel to replace the papier maché one the factory saw fit to install. So, it looks like I now have a clear path to a fully functioning car.
Cosmetically, I've fitted the new seats which have instantly removed about an inch of headroom. Fortunately I have also had a haircut so we're all good. The old seats have been sold on eBay - paid for but not yet collected.
The Spitfire 1500 front spoiler has gone on, which finishes the front end rather nicely in my opinion. I'll try to get some decent pics if / when the sun comes out.
Any day now, something exciting will arrive - but I'm going to leave you in suspense for the time being and save it for the next post.
A project for the winter is to re-veneer the dash. I've seen a couple of YouTube videos where people have done it, and Mark has done one of his cars. I quite fancy a really striking grain, rather than the plain original, to make it really stand out. I also want to go with chrome rings for the instruments to replace the flaking original black: just a personal preference.
Almost forgot - I've also ordered some Crystal Halogen headlights from Wipac: the car has mis-matched lights at the moment and these get very good reviews. You can't have too much light, and I plan on using the car throughout winter.
Onward...
Yertis said:
Turbobanana said:
Yertis who even stalked me on another thread
Good to hear progress is being made - I’m enjoying your GT6 experience vicariously while I plot my own return to GT6 ownership
Bit of a strange day. This morning was wonderful, so I thought while on a roll I would have a go at fixing the driver's door window. I nipped up the channel the drop glass sits in, then eased the glass back in. There seemed to be plenty of tension so I figured I'd go ahead and fit it all back up.
Who needs knuckles anyway? Eventually it all went back in and apparently working fine. Refit window scrapers and test.
Bugger. Out it popped again.
Anyone want to buy a GT6?
So what you need to do here is whip it out again (sorry, knuckles) (it’s easier if you unclip the weatherstrips but be warned clipping those back is tricky unless you make a little tool to hold the clips in place.) Anyway, glass out out the channel, you need to clean up the rubber or get some new rubber strip, douse it in impact adhesive, wang the glass back in and let it set. As the rubber, which is about 50 years old, hardens it loses its grippiness, I guess. Anyway, Evo-stik worked for me.
Remembering back 40 odd years when I had my Spitfire 1500 with overdrive the wiring to the switch on top of the gearstick ran down the metal shaft of the gearstick and through a hole in the side of the stick near the bottom. The wiring was tight and used to chafe against the hole and short. My father had a 2.5 pi in the early 70s and had the same problem. I believe it was a common problem in period with cars with the gearstick o/d and a very easy fix.
OLDBENZ said:
Remembering back 40 odd years when I had my Spitfire 1500 with overdrive the wiring to the switch on top of the gearstick ran down the metal shaft of the gearstick and through a hole in the side of the stick near the bottom. The wiring was tight and used to chafe against the hole and short. My father had a 2.5 pi in the early 70s and had the same problem. I believe it was a common problem in period with cars with the gearstick o/d and a very easy fix.
Thanks OLDBENZ, done all that. Awaiting arrival of a new plastic transmission tunnel then planning on making an entire new loom for the OD. Silence is golden...
Actually, it's not. Silence is the marker of a busy family Christmas and New Year, academic work that's becoming more pressing and the fallout of a hurrumph moment after I thought I'd fixed the driver's door window. All of this led to the 6 being laid up in the garage, which at least now has heating.
While Mrs Banana was nursing the mother of all hangovers yesterday, I decided to see if it would start (the 6, not Mrs B - do keep up). To my astonishment it did, after a bit of cranking to pull the fuel through. I ran it up to temperature then switched off, having woken No1 son - no mean feat as he's a teenager and it was still (just) morning.
I won't repeat the list of outstanding work because it hasn't changed since before Christmas, however I did fit this which I won on eBay back in December:
I reckon it's about 2-2.5 inches bigger than the old one, meaning I lose some legroom but gain steering lightness. Keen to try it out I decided to go for a short drive. At this point No 1 son asked if I could take him to a local garden centre that has an aquatics section as he wants to buy some more fish for his aquarium. This felt like a win because he wanted to go in the 6, and I'm all for encouraging the youngsters to take an interest in "our" type of cars. Sadly by now it was chucking it down so I wedged the driver's window as near closed as I could and set off.
There were amused faces as I (6'1") and No 1 son (5'11" but still only 15) unfolded ourselves from the 6. I do wonder how long he'll be able to fit into it, given that he's still growing
Once we'd finished being dwarfed in the car park we set off home, only to find the route I'd planned closed due to road works. The diversion was about 10 miles longer and involved some delightful country roads which the 6 lapped up, feeling much more relaxing to drive with the bigger wheel. By now the rain had stopped and the sun was out - all was well with the world.
At some point this week I'll add some sound deadening to the inside of the tranny tunnel, then think about the wiring for the OD (probably using a loom from Autosparks - thanks again, Yertis) and fitting the new headlights.
Onward.
Actually, it's not. Silence is the marker of a busy family Christmas and New Year, academic work that's becoming more pressing and the fallout of a hurrumph moment after I thought I'd fixed the driver's door window. All of this led to the 6 being laid up in the garage, which at least now has heating.
While Mrs Banana was nursing the mother of all hangovers yesterday, I decided to see if it would start (the 6, not Mrs B - do keep up). To my astonishment it did, after a bit of cranking to pull the fuel through. I ran it up to temperature then switched off, having woken No1 son - no mean feat as he's a teenager and it was still (just) morning.
I won't repeat the list of outstanding work because it hasn't changed since before Christmas, however I did fit this which I won on eBay back in December:
I reckon it's about 2-2.5 inches bigger than the old one, meaning I lose some legroom but gain steering lightness. Keen to try it out I decided to go for a short drive. At this point No 1 son asked if I could take him to a local garden centre that has an aquatics section as he wants to buy some more fish for his aquarium. This felt like a win because he wanted to go in the 6, and I'm all for encouraging the youngsters to take an interest in "our" type of cars. Sadly by now it was chucking it down so I wedged the driver's window as near closed as I could and set off.
There were amused faces as I (6'1") and No 1 son (5'11" but still only 15) unfolded ourselves from the 6. I do wonder how long he'll be able to fit into it, given that he's still growing
Once we'd finished being dwarfed in the car park we set off home, only to find the route I'd planned closed due to road works. The diversion was about 10 miles longer and involved some delightful country roads which the 6 lapped up, feeling much more relaxing to drive with the bigger wheel. By now the rain had stopped and the sun was out - all was well with the world.
At some point this week I'll add some sound deadening to the inside of the tranny tunnel, then think about the wiring for the OD (probably using a loom from Autosparks - thanks again, Yertis) and fitting the new headlights.
Onward.
Yertis said:
You must be the only person in history to have fitted a bigger steering wheel to a GT6
I have seen the light!
…But only at one end. Let me explain.
In a spare moment on Saturday morning, I realised that the only thing stopping me using the 6 at the moment was the lack of lights. (Bear with me on the bold – it’ll become clear later).
Since the challenging drive home from purchase I’ve known that the headlights were poor. The driver’s side was sort of OK, but the passenger's side looked like it had a blue rinse, was dim and generally not effective. I’d read good reviews of Crystal Halogen H4 headlights on eBay, so I ordered some back in November. Life got in the way and I never fitted them until Saturday.
The Haynes manual describes a method of headlight removal that didn’t align with what I had, but I quickly removed the shrouds to access the retaining ring and removed the units. Interestingly, the car is fitted with the usual 3-pin connectors for the H4 bulbs, with a kind of “piggyback” sidelight attached to it. Clearly that was defunct on the setup I had so I removed it and just laid it inside the headlight bowl. Duly connected up and all trim replaced, I eagerly switched the headlights on. Behold! Daylight! Much better than the old, and because I didn’t disturb the beam settings it (visually) looked OK against the garage wall. I did notice that the sidelights weren’t working (obviously the ones in the headlights never did, but the ones in unit with the indicators didn’t either). I figured this would be OK for use, even if technically an MoT fail.
I reckoned on using the 6 for the school run and morning commute today, so excitedly moved Mrs Banana’s Fiesta from the driveway so I could access the garage. Work stuff duly loaded, 10-year-old reluctantly removed from bed and readied for school and the 6 fires up instantly, eager for a day’s use. I reversed out of the garage and fired up my new, nuclear headlights. I figured it would be sensible to check the rear lights – oh. It’s dark. Back into the garage, engine off.
Remember the phrase from earlier - I realised that the only thing stopping me using the 6 at the moment was the lack of lights? Still applies.
From the comfort of the heated seat in my back-up E-Class, I suspect the fault might be with the switch, or the wiring thereto. It can't be the fuse as everything else running off the top fuse still works. No time to check this morning so it’ll have to wait for now.
But, I’m delighted with my new multi-function steering wheel (it turns left AND right) and the 6 is booked in at the weekend to have the awful slotmags swapped for something much nicer. Watch this (dimly-lit) space…
Onward.
…But only at one end. Let me explain.
In a spare moment on Saturday morning, I realised that the only thing stopping me using the 6 at the moment was the lack of lights. (Bear with me on the bold – it’ll become clear later).
Since the challenging drive home from purchase I’ve known that the headlights were poor. The driver’s side was sort of OK, but the passenger's side looked like it had a blue rinse, was dim and generally not effective. I’d read good reviews of Crystal Halogen H4 headlights on eBay, so I ordered some back in November. Life got in the way and I never fitted them until Saturday.
The Haynes manual describes a method of headlight removal that didn’t align with what I had, but I quickly removed the shrouds to access the retaining ring and removed the units. Interestingly, the car is fitted with the usual 3-pin connectors for the H4 bulbs, with a kind of “piggyback” sidelight attached to it. Clearly that was defunct on the setup I had so I removed it and just laid it inside the headlight bowl. Duly connected up and all trim replaced, I eagerly switched the headlights on. Behold! Daylight! Much better than the old, and because I didn’t disturb the beam settings it (visually) looked OK against the garage wall. I did notice that the sidelights weren’t working (obviously the ones in the headlights never did, but the ones in unit with the indicators didn’t either). I figured this would be OK for use, even if technically an MoT fail.
I reckoned on using the 6 for the school run and morning commute today, so excitedly moved Mrs Banana’s Fiesta from the driveway so I could access the garage. Work stuff duly loaded, 10-year-old reluctantly removed from bed and readied for school and the 6 fires up instantly, eager for a day’s use. I reversed out of the garage and fired up my new, nuclear headlights. I figured it would be sensible to check the rear lights – oh. It’s dark. Back into the garage, engine off.
Remember the phrase from earlier - I realised that the only thing stopping me using the 6 at the moment was the lack of lights? Still applies.
From the comfort of the heated seat in my back-up E-Class, I suspect the fault might be with the switch, or the wiring thereto. It can't be the fuse as everything else running off the top fuse still works. No time to check this morning so it’ll have to wait for now.
But, I’m delighted with my new multi-function steering wheel (it turns left AND right) and the 6 is booked in at the weekend to have the awful slotmags swapped for something much nicer. Watch this (dimly-lit) space…
Onward.
They say the sun shines on the virtuous. Now, the rear lights shine on the traffic behind...
After my previous post I was feeling pretty low. It felt like every time I tried to help the 6, it spat it back in my face like a child that won't eat peas, or one of those angry customers who will happily tell you what's wrong with their car but won't let you do anything to fix it.
Anyhoo, I went back to it a few days alter after reading encouraging words about twiddling fuses etc. I twiddled the fuses, and the rear lights lit up like a beacon of hope. Woo-hoo!
I'd booked it in one weekend at a local tyre place to get the tyres swapped onto the replacement alloys and went to start it early on the Saturday morning Of course, it didn't start. No shortage of cranking power, and a faint whiff of petrol (as usual) made me think it would be spark-related. I removed the dizzy cap to be confronted by what I assume was electronic ignition; it certainly looked unlike any set of points I've ever encountered. It all looked fine anyway, and was dry, so I reckoned on the coil. I ordered one based on the reference number on the side of the old one: Lucas DLB102.
I fitted it on Saturday, confidently expecting it to make no difference whatsoever - funny how old cars grind down your own confidence, isn't it?
Anyway, it started! It didn't run quite as smoothly as it did before but that may be down to lack of use - sadly I was too busy at the weekend to take it for a drive but at least now I know I can. I'm not sure the coil is right for the ignition (it was the one on the car when I got it, but nothing is known about the "restoration" the car had prior to my ownership) but it runs for now. If anyone knows more about this I'm all ears - I keep seeing reference to ballast resistors and the like. Will try to get a pic inside the dizzy cap to post up.
I've decided to play it safe with wiring in relays for the new headlights and reinstating the overdrive, and ordered some looms from Autosparks. I may even pay someone who knows one end of a multimeter from the other to fit them for me.
Onward...
After my previous post I was feeling pretty low. It felt like every time I tried to help the 6, it spat it back in my face like a child that won't eat peas, or one of those angry customers who will happily tell you what's wrong with their car but won't let you do anything to fix it.
Anyhoo, I went back to it a few days alter after reading encouraging words about twiddling fuses etc. I twiddled the fuses, and the rear lights lit up like a beacon of hope. Woo-hoo!
I'd booked it in one weekend at a local tyre place to get the tyres swapped onto the replacement alloys and went to start it early on the Saturday morning Of course, it didn't start. No shortage of cranking power, and a faint whiff of petrol (as usual) made me think it would be spark-related. I removed the dizzy cap to be confronted by what I assume was electronic ignition; it certainly looked unlike any set of points I've ever encountered. It all looked fine anyway, and was dry, so I reckoned on the coil. I ordered one based on the reference number on the side of the old one: Lucas DLB102.
I fitted it on Saturday, confidently expecting it to make no difference whatsoever - funny how old cars grind down your own confidence, isn't it?
Anyway, it started! It didn't run quite as smoothly as it did before but that may be down to lack of use - sadly I was too busy at the weekend to take it for a drive but at least now I know I can. I'm not sure the coil is right for the ignition (it was the one on the car when I got it, but nothing is known about the "restoration" the car had prior to my ownership) but it runs for now. If anyone knows more about this I'm all ears - I keep seeing reference to ballast resistors and the like. Will try to get a pic inside the dizzy cap to post up.
I've decided to play it safe with wiring in relays for the new headlights and reinstating the overdrive, and ordered some looms from Autosparks. I may even pay someone who knows one end of a multimeter from the other to fit them for me.
Onward...
Nice budget and should get you into some interesting cars. Just a few possible contenders:
Audi TTS - not the most dynamic, but good all rounder and tunable if that takes your fancy.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208269...
Infinity G - A bit left field but very rare, looks more money than it is to the untrained eye.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210190...
MX-5 RF - a bit of a rare site, not my cup of tea personally as I find them a bit dull, but ticks many boxes for people.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301283...
As a side note, I did read that you have dismissed the MR2 Roadster, but I would suggesting finding a good one and giving it a go, they really are a great car to drive.
Audi TTS - not the most dynamic, but good all rounder and tunable if that takes your fancy.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208269...
Infinity G - A bit left field but very rare, looks more money than it is to the untrained eye.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210190...
MX-5 RF - a bit of a rare site, not my cup of tea personally as I find them a bit dull, but ticks many boxes for people.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301283...
As a side note, I did read that you have dismissed the MR2 Roadster, but I would suggesting finding a good one and giving it a go, they really are a great car to drive.
Turbobanana said:
They say the sun shines on the virtuous. Now, the rear lights shine on the traffic behind...
After my previous post I was feeling pretty low. It felt like every time I tried to help the 6, it spat it back in my face like a child that won't eat peas, or one of those angry customers who will happily tell you what's wrong with their car but won't let you do anything to fix it.
Anyhoo, I went back to it a few days alter after reading encouraging words about twiddling fuses etc. I twiddled the fuses, and the rear lights lit up like a beacon of hope. Woo-hoo!
I'd booked it in one weekend at a local tyre place to get the tyres swapped onto the replacement alloys and went to start it early on the Saturday morning Of course, it didn't start. No shortage of cranking power, and a faint whiff of petrol (as usual) made me think it would be spark-related. I removed the dizzy cap to be confronted by what I assume was electronic ignition; it certainly looked unlike any set of points I've ever encountered. It all looked fine anyway, and was dry, so I reckoned on the coil. I ordered one based on the reference number on the side of the old one: Lucas DLB102.
I fitted it on Saturday, confidently expecting it to make no difference whatsoever - funny how old cars grind down your own confidence, isn't it?
Anyway, it started! It didn't run quite as smoothly as it did before but that may be down to lack of use - sadly I was too busy at the weekend to take it for a drive but at least now I know I can. I'm not sure the coil is right for the ignition (it was the one on the car when I got it, but nothing is known about the "restoration" the car had prior to my ownership) but it runs for now. If anyone knows more about this I'm all ears - I keep seeing reference to ballast resistors and the like. Will try to get a pic inside the dizzy cap to post up.
I've decided to play it safe with wiring in relays for the new headlights and reinstating the overdrive, and ordered some looms from Autosparks. I may even pay someone who knows one end of a multimeter from the other to fit them for me.
Onward...
If you've got a garage and enough time and space to strip out the interior (probably half a day to strip out, a day or so to put back in) then fitting a wiring loom is one of the easiest and most cathartic things to do on these cars, they really are plug and play and you learn where everything is. Two bits of advice if you do choose to do this:After my previous post I was feeling pretty low. It felt like every time I tried to help the 6, it spat it back in my face like a child that won't eat peas, or one of those angry customers who will happily tell you what's wrong with their car but won't let you do anything to fix it.
Anyhoo, I went back to it a few days alter after reading encouraging words about twiddling fuses etc. I twiddled the fuses, and the rear lights lit up like a beacon of hope. Woo-hoo!
I'd booked it in one weekend at a local tyre place to get the tyres swapped onto the replacement alloys and went to start it early on the Saturday morning Of course, it didn't start. No shortage of cranking power, and a faint whiff of petrol (as usual) made me think it would be spark-related. I removed the dizzy cap to be confronted by what I assume was electronic ignition; it certainly looked unlike any set of points I've ever encountered. It all looked fine anyway, and was dry, so I reckoned on the coil. I ordered one based on the reference number on the side of the old one: Lucas DLB102.
I fitted it on Saturday, confidently expecting it to make no difference whatsoever - funny how old cars grind down your own confidence, isn't it?
Anyway, it started! It didn't run quite as smoothly as it did before but that may be down to lack of use - sadly I was too busy at the weekend to take it for a drive but at least now I know I can. I'm not sure the coil is right for the ignition (it was the one on the car when I got it, but nothing is known about the "restoration" the car had prior to my ownership) but it runs for now. If anyone knows more about this I'm all ears - I keep seeing reference to ballast resistors and the like. Will try to get a pic inside the dizzy cap to post up.
I've decided to play it safe with wiring in relays for the new headlights and reinstating the overdrive, and ordered some looms from Autosparks. I may even pay someone who knows one end of a multimeter from the other to fit them for me.
Onward...
1 Don't throw away the old loom, even though it's surprisingly heavy, dirty, and takes up a load of space. It will yield all kinds of useful bits and bobs you might find you need after all. At least not until it's all in and working for a while. Guess who didn't do this.
2 Don't be tempted to 'test' each component as you plug it in. By all means do a dry run before you fasten the carpets and more importantly the dash back in place, but (if it's anything like a TR) everything only works properly once the system is complete. Guess who didn't do this. I nearly wrecked a brand new loom by not having had this bit of advice.
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