For anyone that's intersted:
After a lot of asking around friends and golf lovers in the area took the car to the most highly recommended mechanic I could find on Friday, giving him a maximum budget (how trusting of me!) and said get to work. Ordered some drilled and grooved discs and pads from volksbits and an engine mount, so told him to do those, a full service and anything else he could find that needed attention.
All was going well until about half two when he phoned and said the cariier bolts on the brakes had rounded so it was going to be a mission (there was even the suggestion that it might require the subframe coming out!) as luck would have it, he managed to get it all done fairly easily and I got it back that evening.
The following was done:
Engine flush
Oil, oil filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, dizzy cap and arm, n/s and o/s outer CV boots, ns and os rear bearings and antifreeze. Plus the brakes and engine mount. 6 hours labour, came to 460 quid which I thought was alright.
He also said:
The n/s track rod end was split.
The o/s top strut mounting was worn.
The wishbone bushes were worn
Anti roll bar links worn
The tracking was out - but to leave that until after the strut mount, and track rods were done, otherwise it'd only need doing again.
The rear shocks were a bit damp
-and the dash is spent meaning I've got no oil light or rev counter.
Apart from that though he told me there was no rust or welding underneath, that it had had a new o/s rear panel, but he guessed that was done along with a fuel filler repair as it was pristine. Said though that it was totally straight, running really well and a nice car, which brought a smile - i was fearing the worst all day.
So not quite there yet, but it is coming along nicely. Driving a thousand times better though, no juddering in traffic, purring sweetly and a lot more responsive. He did say to try using Super unleaded as it was pinking(?) under pressure and the cams may have been set up (they're piper high lifts) to work best with super unleaded - filled it up with said fuel, and low and behold, it's a million times better.
Treated it to a cheap 12" FLI active sub from halfrauds this morning cos I could barely hear any bass notes over the exhaust and induction kit, and I must say I've had a lot of installs in cars in the past, and for 120 quid - it really aint bad..... but maybe that's down to the nakamich cd400 that came with the car?
Only remaining questions then are:
Are any of the bits listed above going to be a nightmare to find, or will a quick browse round the internet provide all?
I've got different sized tyres on the fron and the back, the wheels are standard 15" BBS, and the car is lowe3red 40mm - i didn't notice until it was brought to my attention, so which size should I ideally have?
It's still losing a fair bit of water, but apparently he left i running in the garage, and there were no obvious leaks, so I guess it must be getting into the engine somehow
the head gasket and radiator have not long been done - any ideas??
ah......... essay over.
Ric.
