'Recommissioning' the Visa

[RichardW]

Those of you who have been around a while will know that I have a Visa Decapotable in the garage - hence the line in my sig "Still not welding the decap" Had it since 2001, only used it for around 6-8 weeks then it failed its MOT, and investigations revealed a not insignificant amount of rot

Houses and children have intervened and it hasn't been touched for at least 5 years - and even then it was probably only to force off the rear drums so I could free the brakes and move it around.

In the thread about the recent Xantia troubles I noted that I could do with another car, as then it doesn't matter too much if one has to go off the road for a few days to get repaired - so I got to thinking why not just get on and weld the damn Visa up??? So I am enthused to start and try at least. Plan would be just to do enough to get it back on the road, leaving cosmetics and 'minor' faults to repair later. It will be 30 years old next year, so that is a good target to try and get it back on the road - although ideally I would like before then if I am going to do it without running out of enthusiasm (again) - no major house projects planned this year, but probably extension building next, that will scupper any car projects!). Mind you, the other project(*) will be 85 years old in 2014, and that is further off getting on the road than the Visa....!

So, on the list

Clear the rubbish off the top of it
Repairs to front inner wings both sides (like make new ones!)
Repairs to sills (both I think, can't remember what state the NS is in)
Repair the drivers floor (emmental springs to mind at the moment)
Repairs around the rear somewhere
New rear brake cylinders, and probably flexis
Rebuild front calipers, new flexis maybe
Clean out and maybe seal the fuel tank, refit with new pipes
New rear exhaust box (old one rotted the bottom out whilst it's been stood)
Replace front NS hub (old one is bent, I have a spare) - I think - if not, then something else is bent as front NS wheel has about 15° of -ve camber!
New headlights
New tyres
New OSR quarter light
Try and get it to run properly - it never did really 10 years ago, but I think the fault was seized bob weights in the dizzy, which I freed off a while ago, but are probably seized again
Put back enough of the interior to get a ticket
See what the mice have eaten in the mean time

Doesn't sound too bad really, does it

So if anyone's got:

Visa headlights
A decap quater light (it's different to the hatch!)
Any NOS brake parts
A rear box for a 1124cc Visa

I'm interested to hear from you

* 1929 Velocette Model U - last on the road in about 1953 when my Grandad crashed it - he bought it before the war so it has been in the family nearly 75 years

[citronut]

Richard
if you are not already registerd here ( below ) it would be a good place to place a request for bits

http://visaforum.freeforums.org/ucp.php?mode=login" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i belive Mike Harker bought a load of Visa exhaust bits a while back

[isisalar]

I've wondered for years what the 'decap' was that needed welding and now I know.
I had one of those for a few weeks (with a roof) as a loan car, IIRC it was a small engine, about 1 litre, it went like stink and didn't seem to use any petrol. My decision to buy a 106/Saxo was heavily influenced when I read somewhere that they were based on the Visa as I'd liked the car so much.
Good luck with your project.
Kind regards
Paul

[Mandrake]

I've wondered for years what the 'decap' was that needed welding and now I know.

As have I Paul, as have I...

And as we all know, welding and exhaust work are two of Richard's favourite past times, right Richard ?

[CitroJim]

Richard, I'm really pleased to hear the decap is going to be done very soon. Excellent!!

Looking forward to reading all about the progress of this project

[lexi]

Looking forward to some pics as we go. Time to buy welding gas?

[Lighty]

I will have a look, might have a back box

[RichardW]

Cleared my way to it this evening,
Took some photos but Flickr is being a PITA and won't link them, but you can see them here:

Visa Pics


It was registered on 06/02/84, but RP number says 2487, so it was originally built on 31/08/83 - so only 4 months till its 30th Birthday - a tall order to get a ticket by then

[Mandrake]

Ah, memories....the rust in the drivers floor pan reminds me of of the rusty floor in my GS, but not nearly as bad! Mine you could put your foot through until it it had a mesh, bog and underseal treatment....

The other bits of rust look somewhat worse though, you have quite a mission ahead of you...

How's the car mechanically, engine in particular ? I can't remember which engine you said it had...

[CitroJim]

Ohh, that's got some proper rust Richard

A few hours with the MIG will soon have it sorted...

[RichardW]

It's not as bad as it might be - I've seen much worse on some of the threads over on the Visa Forum! Most of the rear is solid (apart from that sill - it had a patch on it originally, but I think it was stuck on with underseal, as I just pulled it off ). I think there are some holes above the fuel tank somewhere (there must have been a reason I took it out!!).

Engine is the 4cyl 1124cc 'suitcase' engine Simon - it's laid almost flat in the engine bay and has the gearbox in the sump. The engine was OK when it last ran (and I checked it will still turn last night) - it's only done 45k - but there were some fuelling / ignition issues I never really got to the bottom of (sound familiar ) - new plugs and leads, cleaned out the carb and unblocked the accelerator pump nozzle, then I found the bob weights in the dizzy were seized as it sits under the top hose, and it had weeped onto it a bit, freed them off, but haven't driven it since I did this though. I replaced the exhaust manifold and front pipe in the last go at restoration. It's apparently had a new clutch, but first is very crunchy, can live with that for now, but it may need a 'box re-build eventually.

Brakes were never much cop, and about 5 years ago I had to force off the rear drums, and press in the cylinders with a G cramp. Checked the front flexis last night, and they are pretty cracked. Metal pipes look in OK condition in fact.

As a bonus (given a recent thread) I confirmed last night it DOESN'T have metric tyres

[citronut]

the rust dosent look as bad as young Kev's GSA did,

we used to have to get the balance of rev's, gears clearing and engine rattle/clatter about right back in there day,
twas a balancing act,

as for coolent in the DIZZY some years/models had a plastic boot over the DIZZY with elastic at each end, to stop water getting in it,
i just looked on service citroen ( yep thats what i said ) but could not see it

hows the vac advance capsule

[RichardW]

Different host....

Here it is, now I've cleared a way through to it



OS inner wing, NS similar!



Driver's floor with view of the road



Driver's foot well, partly welded last time



OS Sill under the driver's door - can see through the inner sill here too!



OS Sill at the rear - there was a patch on here, but I think it was stuck on with underseal, as I just pulled it off!



Off to see what brakes are fitted - seem to be loads of cheap parts on e-bay.

[RichardW]

Brakes are Girling on the rear, Citroen on the front. Drums OK, thought the linings were OK, but then as I was putting the drum back, one of them fell off the shoe, so perhaps not Brake parts cheap on e-bay, should be able to get a pair of Cylinders for <£10 delivered

Also discovered that the bottom of the OSR wing is mostly filler, extending into the door shut. Quite what I am going to weld the new closing panel on the rear sill to I don't know

New auto welding mask ordered

[CitroJim]

Quite what I am going to weld the new closing panel on the rear sill to I don't know

Have a chat to Kev (Red Dwarfers) on that one Richard, I believe he got skilled at welding daylight when working on his GSA