I like cheap motors and I cannot lie.
But I like having a bit of confidence in them going where they're pointed. The G3 has been getting a bit 'flappy' lately and I noticed the MOT was due a couple of weeks ago, so we're into MOT preparation work.
I have sills to weld both sides; thought it was just the OS, but the NS appears to have started ventilating itself too, so that'll need patching too, also the MOT certificate advised that the ARB bushes were tired, the top mounts had play and there was some play in the rear wheel bearings.
I figured that if I was going to have the wheels off to sort the ARB bushes I might as well have a sort out while I was under there.
Conveniently I was in Bristol last week, so picked up some bits from my favourite parts supplier - Vee W Services, cheap, like the budgie.
Unfortunately I was working at a pace, so not many photos, but control arms came out and I replaced the VERY tired rear bushes with TT units - not new, but hand-me-downs off the Syncro as that's obviously had control arms off it since the upset last autumn.
while the arms were out I took the chance to buzz them on all three sides to stiffen them up - not my finest welding, but plenty of heat means there's lots of nice metal in there to stiffen things up, too:
I still need to take the steering wheel off, as it's been a tooth out since it went on, then get the alignment done on the front and give it probably -1.5 degrees of camber, which will make it much pointier than it is now.
Driving back tonight the difference was huge - the whole car feels much slower but is carrying way more speed through corners because it doesn't feel like everything is slopping about. Feels like it needs the rear beam bushes doing now though!
Welding on Sunday, then MOT next Tuesday and hopefully another year of bargain-basement chugging about (or at least something with some value in it to sell when the Corrado is sorted).
