Next job, replace anything that moves. New brakes all round. After the car was rebuilt ? and despite it getting through its first MOT ? the car did not not want to stop. Stopping involved prayer. Solution ? change master cyclinder and rear brake cylinder. Now it brakes fine.
Next job, down to Wagenwheels for a respray. Several k and several months later, the car came back. Looks sweet, but still has issues I want to address.
Still had a couple of problems.
Firstly, the car did not want to start. Once it started the idle was so rough your jaw ached. The car also didn't like anything under 3k rpm.
However, when over 3k rpm ? the car pulled like a train and then some. Seriously good fun in a straight line, but an all out acceleration when going south on the A3 after the Hook camera, results in a brown trouser time as you enter the long corner. Car changes lane and heads straight for the crash barrier. Bit wayward on the cornering is an understatement. For some reason the Nissan Bluebird I had for S2N cornered better.
The engine problems turned out to be a combination of 3 things. Injectors, lifter pump, and fuel pump. The first two have been replaced. The car now starts on the button, the idle is the normal 16v roughness, and it is sweet from 800rpm all the way to 7.2krpm.
With new injectors and lift pump, power has also increased across the board.
The handling problem turned out to be totally shot springs. Although the struts were changed, the 16 year old springs weren't. As the car was engine less for two months the lack of tension on the front screwed the front springs over. The only non VAG part (apart form piston heads) to be put on the car are Eibach springs.
Car now corners better than it ever has.
Pictures to follow.