..and not for the first time!
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:20 pmIt made the morning commute a little ceremonial.
Definitely the second time, possibly the third time round,
Jeremy
Definitely the second time, possibly the third time round,
Jeremy
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..and not for the first time!
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Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:20 pmRe: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 10:18 pmFabulous! Well done that car and owner
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:30 pmThe rebuildable, reuseable car; it keeps going as long as someone loves it. 
Well done, Jeremy!
Well done, Jeremy!
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:31 pmShould be run-in by now. Nice commuting car, keep it going.
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:15 amThanks for the the comments. I have now covered 20k miles since the rebuild three years ago and have a few observations on the process of 'using' an old car.
New Old Stock (NOS) often has the same problems now as in the day! I spent time looking for 'NOS' components for trim, like boot hinges, door handles, wiper capstans etc. 50% of them are showing classic monkey metal blisters.. Light clusters that I kept because they had minimal blemishes have not deteriorated any further. Its almost like the new bits have aged fast to catch up with the original bits.
Interior trim is not very hard wearing! Even the carpets are wearing out (on the drivers side). That said, it still looks pretty good, and the old stuff was dust & mushrooms after my previous 8 years of ownership..
Keeping water out is a never ending task on a +2 kept outside all year round. Perhaps I should investigate buying a good de-humidifier - or move to a house with a garage.
Keeping the car in regular use (13 mile each-way commute) really works to keep it reliable and start first time. It also keeps the support industry in business (brake pads, filters, oil, odds & sods etc), including vehicle repairers after the odd shunt (two gone into the back of the car).
Re-chroming! A mixed bag, front bumper is now looking poor due to pitting - who's fault? I don't know, is it stone hits or poor preparation? All I know is prior to the rechrome it looked tired, but not pitted like now. Roof rails & door frames are good.
Differentials are the work of the devil...
Paint - worth the money. Looks as good now as when it left the shop. Also easier to match and repair (see previous comments).
No doubt the 'value' of the car has gone down considerably since it was wheeled out after the rebuild, but I've had a lot of fun!
Jeremy
New Old Stock (NOS) often has the same problems now as in the day! I spent time looking for 'NOS' components for trim, like boot hinges, door handles, wiper capstans etc. 50% of them are showing classic monkey metal blisters.. Light clusters that I kept because they had minimal blemishes have not deteriorated any further. Its almost like the new bits have aged fast to catch up with the original bits.
Interior trim is not very hard wearing! Even the carpets are wearing out (on the drivers side). That said, it still looks pretty good, and the old stuff was dust & mushrooms after my previous 8 years of ownership..
Keeping water out is a never ending task on a +2 kept outside all year round. Perhaps I should investigate buying a good de-humidifier - or move to a house with a garage.
Keeping the car in regular use (13 mile each-way commute) really works to keep it reliable and start first time. It also keeps the support industry in business (brake pads, filters, oil, odds & sods etc), including vehicle repairers after the odd shunt (two gone into the back of the car).
Re-chroming! A mixed bag, front bumper is now looking poor due to pitting - who's fault? I don't know, is it stone hits or poor preparation? All I know is prior to the rechrome it looked tired, but not pitted like now. Roof rails & door frames are good.
Differentials are the work of the devil...
Paint - worth the money. Looks as good now as when it left the shop. Also easier to match and repair (see previous comments).
No doubt the 'value' of the car has gone down considerably since it was wheeled out after the rebuild, but I've had a lot of fun!
Jeremy
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:45 amI like how your speedo needo is not blurred. You must have a fairly new cable there 
Greg Z
Greg Z
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:21 amNot a new cable, but you need to route it with only gentle bends even if this looks untidy. When I first got the car, I saw the cable hanging around the underneath of the car & through the bulkhead. I clipped it neatly using cable ties and the speedo needle went wobbly; two weeks later the inner snapped. I put the new one in, loosely like the old one and it has been fine ever since (ten years).
Jeremy
Jeremy
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 12:53 pmHi Jeremy,
well done, I saw your car Saturday and as you say, it still looks good.
Here's to the next 100k
well done, I saw your car Saturday and as you say, it still looks good.
Here's to the next 100k
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:57 pmno garage?...............I'd rather kill myself..............
mike
mike
Re: ..and not for the first time!
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:39 pmcal44 wrote:no garage?...............I'd rather kill myself..............
mike
A little extreme. Are you spending too much time in there? If push comes to shove, on balance I can do without the garage, but not the Lotus. Anyway, I prefer to be out of a garage and on the road driving the car!
Jeremy