CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

I get the impression that 54bhp, squidgy seats and soft suspension are more in keeping with what an Estelle should really be known for though, and more what our Jim wants.

Yes, precisely That and a new spannering challenge along with a well-formed plan to get the Skoda in absolutely first-class order and a good show-car..

I don't enjoy driving at all now but still do very much enjoy spanners and restoration work and for me the Sokda ticks all the boxes...

I can't wait to really get stuck in

This is the realisation of a bit of a latent desire that's been simmering for ever - I've always had a thing for Eastern Block Communist Era cars and this finally realises a desire to own one

One great disappointment is the lack of any meaningful on-line community for rear-engined Skodas in the UK but one great delight is the ready availability of parts - arguably much better than for Citroens...

[CitroJim]

It's been an interesting day

Another round of phone calls to the DVLA seems to have resolved the lost V5C issue. Although it took three calls I must say the DVLA were most helpful and explained the problem rather well; what had happened was more complex and involved than I realised but the upshot is that Zel should have a nice new V5C in his name drop onto his doormat in a few days...

It's a massive relief that is now sorted...

Then, on my way home from Milton Keynes in Sally she and I had a very near miss with a bus deciding to turn right across our path totally oblivious of the fact I was there Shaken, I returned home to wash a pair of trouser and the bus driver, I hope, went straight to Specsavers...

It's all academic now but I found the cause of Sally's wireless problems. It was exactly as Alasdair said it was - a duff speaker! Oddly, it did not show up as a problem with the substitute Xantia wireless but occasionally the problem occurred with the posh Pioneer. I had the speaker out and found its connector had become detached from the speaker frame and that allowed the 'pigtails' to the speaker voice coil touch the frame and earth themselves and thereby upsetting and shutting down the radio speaker driver. I fixed it and all is good.

I should have listened to uncle Alasdair in the first place. Chances are the original wireless was never at fault!

I checked over both the Pug of Love and Sally today and both are wanting for nothing. Sally uses no oil or water, looses no air from her tyres and is very frugal on fuel; her fuel gauge lies like mad though... An indicated half a tank is more like a three-quarters full one.

Better that way than the other I guess...

Now I can concentrate on the Skoda I am so looking forward to getting cracking on her and making her a lovely car...

[Zelandeth]

Proper gasket arrived for the Skoda's thermostat housing today - predictably about ten minutes after you left!

[Michel]

Cutting Compound (not T-Cut, that's for Pussies, lol!) and polish and the transformation was remarkable. Hard work mind, I did the ZX a panel at a time.

ZX looks great! What did you use on the plastic panels? I've got a Grand Picasso with some minor scratches on that I'd like to polish out.

[CitroJim]

Proper gasket arrived for the Skoda's thermostat housing today - predictably about ten minutes after you left!

Typical! I'll be down your neck of the woods on Monday when I visit Aldi en-route to CMK to meet up with Sian for lunch..

If you're in I'll drop by

[Zelandeth]

Let me guess Jim, it was one of those purple Cranfield University buses that nearly took you out? I've been on them twice, and on both occasions ended up writing into the company afterward due to the outright dangerous driving exhibited - and have nearly been flattened by them several times picking up my husband who until recently worked at Cranfield Uni on the days his usual lift was unavailable. How their driver's got their category B, never mind D licences I've no idea!

Fun and games with the Saxo wireless, have to assume some of the odd behaviour was down to the protection circuitry for that channel kicking in? At least you've got to the bottom of it. Usual thing isn't it, something really simple at the end of the day. Was interesting to have a look at the schematics though nevertheless.

[CitroJim]

Let me guess Jim, it was one of those purple Cranfield University buses that nearly took you out?

No, shockingly, it was a big National Express coach Zel The sort you see running long-distance along motorways... I guess the coach was on its way to the bus/coach garage (Dawsons) up on Tongwell for maintenance... Likely it was being driven by one of Dawson's employees and not a pukka NE driver...

I know those Cranfield Uni buses well and often have them sweep by very close when I'm out on my bike... I see lots of them in town and must agree, they're not always the most well driven...

I was determined to get to the bottom of that wireless problem and on closely reading the output IC data sheet it was indeed the thing shutting down... It switches on and off rapidly under fault conditions and hence the 'motor-boating' sounds...

It all makes sense now!

[xantia_v6]

One great disappointment is the lack of any meaningful on-line community for rear-engined Skodas in the UK

You can always start the Communist Car Forum...

[lexi]

The Skoda looks to have decent ground clearance Jim? Interesting car and a new project. It's like going fishing in a whole new place.
This is healthy, because you cannot beat "the days of discovery"

[Stickyfinger]

One great disappointment is the lack of any meaningful on-line community for rear-engined Skodas in the UK

You can always start the Communist Car Forum...

China and North Korea?

[CitroJim]

One great disappointment is the lack of any meaningful on-line community for rear-engined Skodas in the UK

You can always start the Communist Car Forum...

I may well do just that

One great disappointment is the lack of any meaningful on-line community for rear-engined Skodas in the UK

You can always start the Communist Car Forum...

China and North Korea?

As far as I know, they never enjoyed Skodas (or any other Eastern-Block cars) but I'm intrigued to learn there's a few running around in Australia and New Zealand

The Skoda looks to have decent ground clearance Jim? Interesting car and a new project. It's like going fishing in a whole new place.
This is healthy, because you cannot beat "the days of discovery"

Lexi, spot-on

I fired up the Skoda yesterday afternoon and had to re-learn the use of a choke It was reluctant to start until I remembered Zel telling me the fuel runs back to the tank over time and the system needs manual priming using the lever on the mechanical fuel pump... A few strokes of the priming lever and she fired up instantly and commenced to run like a clock

It's a long time since I've had a car with one of these on it:

Own Work

Boot is roomy too... The black cover conceals the brake servo, clutch master cylinder and hydraulic fluid reservoir...

Own Work

Side opening bootlid is neat

And this is the engine...

Own Workj

Access is excellent!

[lexi]

That is quaint. I bet it has proper suspension and tyres as well. Ie no low profile tyres and jarring on potholes. Is it wishbones and coil sprung?

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

It's a very reddish orange. Looks more or less red depending on the light, and is one of those colours that cameras seriously struggle with.

I think its fair to say that the Cutting had an effect on the colour of the car, which could be seen as a 'negative', but similarly fair to say it looks a 100%+ better in the second pic than it did in the first, so 'who cares' about the slight colour change: I only kept it for 6 months in 2008, and never had cause to paint it, so I’ve no idea how close to the factory colour it was in the latter pix / how far away in the former ones.

There are similar ‘after cutting’ photos taken on a different occasion, in a second location where it looks just as good by the way, its not a 'trick', either of the light or has any fancy software been used. Obviously the 'perfect' solution is a complete re-spray but in most cases, that's not practicable.

ZX looks great! What did you use on the plastic panels? I've got a Grand Picasso with some minor scratches on that I'd like to polish out.

I used Autoglym Bumper & Trim Gel [with the green coloured square, the gel itself is a green colour, too] on the plastics.

Its good stuff, a bit pricey, specially for a tight wad like me who often tries to [and does] cut corners by using ‘unbranded’ stuff

...but like ‘proper’ Jubilee Clips and Heavy Duty Zip Seal bags, this is one of those cases where only the pricey stuff will do [to the best of my knowledge].

Thankfully, I'm still using that same bottle: I treat the exterior Bump Strips and Window Trims [plastics, not rubbers] about every couple of years and the Dashboard, Door Cards & small associated fittings about twice a year... even the steering wheel, VERY sparingly. Many will say to avoid the steering wheel as it can make it slippy, but with a cautious, sparing approach & commonsense you can do that too.

A stranger with a very well presented Vauxhall Corsa (life has taught me that there’s a following for all makes, even Vauxhall Corsa’s) recommended it to me and told me ‘you can buy an Interior Gel too, but don’t bother with that; this stuff will do that too, and is better’. Wipe it on with kitchen roll.

Only caveat is, if you keep it in a cold shed, stick it in a jug of warm water to use as you’ll use loads more than you need and it can elsewise be so thick that, like Ketchup, you'll have a job getting it outta the bottle.

....you may have seen the car Michel, if your memory's good and depending on whereabouts you live in Reading as the car was often parked on a main road in that area, nearly 10 years ago. I still get there, from time to time and am happy to drop by and give an opinion in person on best treatment of the minor scratches in the course of a planned visit (Whitley area) end of this month.... cost is a cuppa, of course !

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

done by someone who knew what they were doing rather than bolted together by someone with a baseball cap on backwards.

Fabulous!!

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

the realisation of a bit of a latent desire that's been simmering for ever - I've always had a thing for Eastern Block Communist Era cars and this finally realises a desire to own one

there's often, at least every second issue I'd say, a decent article in Practical Classics mag on such vehicles, often stuff that you've never heard of, occasionally Skoda's too... do at least have a browse in a well known Stationers when you're passing. Not so in the current issue

What are the plans with the Skoda Jim? Is the rear lights & reg no. panel 'removable' for easy access to the engine, or is that part of the shell? Loadsa room in there anyway? or maybe the engine drops out with the ease I understand used to be associated with the Hillman Imp...but never witnessed. Aware of one of those rotting away btw, in Norfolk, if anyone needs spares - body is shot in an impressive 'lower couple of inches missing' kind of way.

Did you want the address (approximate, I've got a street but no house number) for the Estelle I know of Zel? looks like a daily driver at the mo, you might want to enquire if it should ever be for sale as a spares car (condition appeared poor so thinking a trip to the scrapper won't be far away)?