Hi guys , ill keep this short and sweet I have a restoration thread for anyone that wants to go in to detail , what are the most common faults you need to address when restoring a classic bar the rear arches sills filler neck and oil to water pipe , I'm just interested to see what everyone else has done fixed found how ever you want to put it as I result don't want to miss anything out and something will need done sooner than others , anybody got any advice for me ? Would be great!

 

Bumper support bars, front usually worse.
The area round the front lights is a rust suspect.
The coolant crossover pipe on the front of the engine corrodes badly.
The rad is likely to be shot, or close to it.
Coolant pipes could be brittle/ready to split.

DO read up on refilling coolant without airlocking it, you cannot bleed it!

Best of luck.

 

Thanks for that mate bumper supports and coolant pipes are both needing looked at, iv replaced the small coolant crossover pipe already and the radiator was in a terrible state worste iv ever seen but also replaced that , so you recon bumper support all the coolant pipes and the area around the lifhts ? Spot on! Yur a gentle man.

Jordan.

 

That's usually it for bodywork, you mentioned the rear arches yourself.

Door edges get chipped and go.

Then it's engine, gearbox, tired suspension, etc.

 

Suspension legs were replaced 2 years ago along with springs and bushes , white line arb's+drop links/links all power flex bushing so confident in the suspension, engines done approx 150k over last 14 or so years , I'm aware that's quite a lot , what are the likely hoods that this engine and gear box will hold out for another good few years if the car hasn't had a proper drive in 2 no more than 10 feet in order year and not been started in the last 1 and half .. Is this a worker do you'd think? I'm aware of a fuel problem ATM there for it won't start but it tries to fire when damp start is fired directly in to intake so have me hope ? The car was very well maintained up until 2 years ago and reg services?

 

MIGHT be OK.
Do any codes show up?
I assume it's had an oil change recently?

 

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i changed my coolant and didnt have a problem, whats the correct procedure?

 

my classic has rust on the sills where it has been damaged by a trolley jack, i am breaking a classic at the moment and that has damage to the sills also so seems a common problem

 

how much is a brand new filler neck out of interest?
rear bumper bar is £70 from subaru which seemed reasonable

 

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Done, ta....but you'll now have to edit yours above, LOL, this could go on all day.

 

Remove rearmost pipe from metal header tank on top of engine and stuff a funnel down it.
Make sure heater in car is set to "HOT".

SLOWLY pour in coolant avoiding it gulping.
Once coolant appears in the header tank, refit pipe and start engine, leave running until fans kick in, mopping up or topping up as needed.

Once fans kick in, close up header tank, drive round block and allow to cool. Remove header tank cap, refill if necessary, replace cap, job's a good'un.

 

OK perhaps its just me but i wouldnt call that a special procedure unlike some french cars for instance where you have bleed nipples in the system

 

Part number for a new filler pipe is: 42066FA030

Hope you're sitting down, it's £210.53 + VAT

 

I unfortunately have rusty sills to that need welded but will do them at the same time as arches , iv replace the filler neck picked one up of eBay for 30 , lik of paint and its sport on, the oil ect has not been changed for almost 2 years but the car has not been started will this be a problem if I change before starting her ? I need rear abs cables for a 97 if anyone has any , cash waiting here now , thanks for the info guys looks liked car had ALL the common faults of the old classics , I can see this thread being useful to a few others in years to come !

 

I haven't had a diagnostic on it as right now it's up on jacks in the back garden and don't have the correct device to do so , where can I pick one up for cheap? Thanks bud p.s no oil change recently but car has not been started therefor oil shouldn't have been pumped threw engine?

 

Couple of plugs under the dash to read fault codes, Jordan.

Either that or try and get a Select monitor.

I believe Jeff(Alcazar) knows the procedure for checking them, I've never had to.

 

Yes, there are a pair of plugs up under the steering column. You join them and watch the CEL (Check Engine Light).
It will start flashing.

LONG flashes are units of ten, short flashes are units of one.

So:

Flash.......Flash....... Flash, flash flash, flash,

10 ..........+10..........+1......+1.....+1.....+1 = 24

Let us know what turns up.

Oh, and disconnect the plugs after, or it'll run like a bag of sh!te if it ever does start.

 

The boot either side has a well where the jack lives. In these wells there will be a pipe coming from the fuel filler water drain, and if an import ariel drain. These have a habit of blocking, so filling the boot with water. Also these wells have a drain, these usually get blocked too.

Most have been said above, but flimsy steel, and botched repairs. Even the worst looking dog can be repaired, and rebuilt.

 

Thanks for that buddy , can you specify witch 2 plugs? I wish I knew this sooner as I had all the dash and steering surround off to fit a new wheel ad turbo timer , still a bit wary about putting battery in as iv had to cut a plug of an air bag and rewore it back on but will do this when weathers a little better and defo let you know , once again thanks a lot everyone!!