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

[CitroJim]

The excellent news today is that Sally the Saxo is now declared definitely fixed She's spent the day running around the city with lots of start-stop and she's not missed a beat... That throttle pot has done the trick....

She's now running much better too - as smooth as silk and a real pleasure to drive

She'll be off to the Haynes Breakfast Club on Sunday...

Jodie the Ka failed the MoT as expectef - she needs a little welding but nothing else so not at all bad...

I'll be doing all the extensive preparation work for the welding, which involves carpet, trim and inner wing removal as well as grinding back and cleaning up the areas needing welding. My MoT man will then just do the welding necessary...

The major cost of the job is in the preparation so by me doing all that it it'll make the job very cost effective.

All other aspects of her are in good nick so it's well worth doing...

[daviemck2006]

Just a little welding is pretty good for an elderly ka. There's a lot of younger kas than yours in a desperately rusted state that are only fit for bean tins.

[Michel]

That's a result Jim!

[CitroJim]

Just a little welding is pretty good for an elderly ka. There's a lot of younger kas than yours in a desperately rusted state that are only fit for bean tins.

That's true Davie I've seen them looking like colanders!

That's a result Jim!

It is indeed Mike

The repair work is only economical as I'm doing all the donkey work but she's far too good in all other respects not to give her at least another year of life...

In the summer I'll pickle her in rust proofing stuff - along with Sally and the Skoda...

In other great news it appears my knee is better I was able to swim and gently run for a short distance today with no ill effects... I'm not pushing it but I am now planning to run Brockenhurst parkrun on Saturday...

All in all, it's been an excellent day

[Stickyfinger]

Ka in 8 months



Just MoT it Jim and sell quick.

[Michel]

Ka in 8 months



Just MoT it Jim and sell quick.

But not too quick.... I have a potential buyer if they don't move abroad..

[Michel]

Dunno what that is but I expect Zel would swap one of his good cars for it..

[CitroJim]

Ka in 8 months



Just MoT it Jim and sell quick.

Dunno what that is but I expect Zel would swap one of his good cars for it..

Never have I laughed so much a 5:30 in the morning - ever

I bet Zel would not swap his Activa though

And I won't be selling the Ka any time soon either She's got under my skin...

[Hell Razor5543]

Well, as blood contains quite a bit of ferrous materials (in the haemoglobin) an extra bit of rust won't hurt you much!

[RichardW]

I see from the MOT site you scored a full house on the KA, Jim - welding required on all 4 corners!!

[CitroJim]

I see from the MOT site you scored a full house on the KA, Jim - welding required on all 4 corners!!

Jackpot I reckon Richard

The corners might be bad but the bits between them are OK

[Zelandeth]

Have to admit to having a great deal of curiosity as to what bits of how many things are in that pile of scrap...

Activa ain't going anywhere just now! Having travelled a fair chunk of the length of the country in it over the last weekend has only confirmed to me what a great car it is. Even if it does now desperately need a wash again.

Biggest challenge here really is physical space. The fact that the 107 has to be parked on the street is a big part of why it's moving on. The inbound project being able to comfortably fit in the garage was an important factor! Especially given that opens up the chance of working on the thing even if the weather is horrible. I hate to think how much time I've wasted over the years waiting for decent weather to do stuff on the cars!

Four bits needing welded ain't necessarily the end of the world of the car's generally in good order and the bits needing sorted are easy enough to get to. Still remember one of my cars in years gone by getting a fail sheet as long as my arm for welding - and it all related to different issues surrounding the one rotten sill. Few hours of cutting the old one off and welding a replacement panel on resolved it.

[CitroJim]

Activa ain't going anywhere just now! Having travelled a fair chunk of the length of the country in it over the last weekend has only confirmed to me what a great car it is.

I thought as much Zel Delighted to hear it too!

Four bits needing welded ain't necessarily the end of the world of the car's generally in good order and the bits needing sorted are easy enough to get to.

Indeed, I've stripped the interior out of the Ka today and removed the front bumper and arch liners ready for Steve to do sparky things to her...

The rust really is quite minor...

I was amazed at just how easily she came apart... 90 minutes from start to end to remove the interior complete and remove the front bumper/arch liners...

And that included a short drive of a newish Vauxhall Insignia as it was blocking in my neighbours baby Skoda and she cannot drive the Insignia... Her husband couldn't as he's laid very low with 'flu at the moment...

The Insignia is like driving a spaceship - it took me a few moments to work out how to release the parking brake

Side and rear visibility is bloody terrible... Good job it has a snazzy reversing camera... To be honest, if that's modern cars you can sick 'em up where the sun don't shine

Back to the Ka... This is the state of the interior now:

Own Work

This is a typical example of the rust affecting the front floorpans:

Own work

The opposite side is almost identical...

The rear rust is on the inner sills right up by the suspension mounts and about the size of a penny... The suspension arms have to be dropped to get at it but again, on a Ka, that's easy...

The front bumper is so easy to remove it's unbelievable...

Jodie now looks like this:

Own Work

Not too dissimilar to the picture posted earlier of the pile of scrap

Sharp eyes may spot the Vauxhall Insignia too...

I've now just got to do a bit of grinding back, pop the driver's seat back in temporarily and she's ready... With any luck she'll have a new MoT by the end of next week

Then, before she goes back together I'll get busy with the rust-proofing and giving the interior a good spruce-up... I know if I don 't then it'll be the same game again next year... I can see why the Ka dissolves like a 70s Fiat - they have very little rust-proofing applied to them No wonder you see so few left now...

Maybe if I preserve it it'll be come a rare and sought-after classic in a few years due to extreme rarity!

Oh, and I'm now 43p richer That was the sum total of coins I found under the carpets...

I've really enjoyed today... I don't think the enjoyment of playing around with old cars will ever end for me even if my ability to do a lot of the more involves stuff is now a bit limited...

[NewcastleFalcon]

I've now just got to do a bit of grinding back, pop the driver's seat back in temporarily and she's ready... With any luck she'll have a new MoT by the end of next week

I was wondering how you proposed to get it to the garage Maybe better clag a numberplate on just in case the MK Police have nothing better to do, and turn it into a very expensive drive to the garage!

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

I've now just got to do a bit of grinding back, pop the driver's seat back in temporarily and she's ready... With any luck she'll have a new MoT by the end of next week

I was wondering how you proposed to get it to the garage?

Luckily, the garage is only a swallow's flight away Neil, just at the end of my road in fact... 500 yards if that

I could almost push the Ka there