Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[Zelandeth]

Probably stating the obvious, but check the earths as well as the starter's 12 volt feed - both could be showing the strain when starter engaged.

I'd try multimeter tests as follows:

• Battery voltage, after sitting over night,

• During cranking,

• Measure volt drop battery terminal to engine block during cranking,

• Measure positive connection to starter to battery positive during cranking if it's accessible enough to do so.

The above should tell you where the power is going (or if all seem good, that the starter is just not very efficient)

Wow loads of room, those cable drums are pretty bulky surprised it slips in with ease!

Looking at the pattern in the adhesive mark, it looks like duck tape to my eyes. Think it does eventually give in to WD40 but also goes funny when exposed to UV - which of course it would do sat on the dash top. Any clues what it might have been for? Seems odd position.

Electrical stuff is kinda my background so yeah, plenty of spots to check. From memory the starter on this is fairly easy to get to. The body to battery ground really doesn't look the beefiest either, so that will definitely be getting checked. The battery terminals have been changed - though there's no guarantee they've been fitted well...

I may well be chasing nothing, I seem to remember these starters always sounding kinda like they're on their last legs on my 11, a friend's 5 and another 21 but don't recall any of the above actually having any issues, they just always sound like they're labouring.

For the tape on the dash my guess is holding the glove compartment closed.

It's worth keeping in mind that this car was off the road for 11 years prior to being resurrected in 2017, so who knows what happened to it during that time.

I'll spend a bit more time trying to clean it when I'm not trying not to freeze to death!

[MattBLancs]

For the tape on the dash my guess is holding the glove compartment closed.

It's worth keeping in mind that this car was off the road for 11 years prior to being resurrected in 2017, so who knows what happened to it during that time.

I'll spend a bit more time trying to clean it when I'm not trying not to freeze to death!

Wondering if things a bit tarnished etc given the long lay up.

Definitely not good weather for being outside, especially not wet cleaning jobs! Brrrr!

[CitroJim]

Great to see you today Zel And great to see the 25 in the metal...

What an absolutely stunning car It looks much better in the metal than it does in any photo and is in amazing condition... You have a real treasure there! Love it!

A bit of light TLC here and there and it'll be good to take the shows by storm! It's got to be a great candidate for the Festival of the Unexceptional this coming year although in no way is it unexceptional - just the opposite in fact...

And perhaps, as I mentioned, our local StokesGoldenClassics show in May in Stoke Goldington... Bluebell will be there so between us we can make up a small French contingent

[Zelandeth]

For the tape on the dash my guess is holding the glove compartment closed.

It's worth keeping in mind that this car was off the road for 11 years prior to being resurrected in 2017, so who knows what happened to it during that time.

I'll spend a bit more time trying to clean it when I'm not trying not to freeze to death!

Wondering if things a bit tarnished etc given the long lay up.

Definitely not good weather for being outside, especially not wet cleaning jobs! Brrrr!

Found one of the invoices from back in 2017 mentioned rebuilding the glove box catch - so there's our answer for the tape I suspect.

There's definitely a lot of the issues down to disuse I think. The door locks are a good example. The passenger door required a really firm slam when I got the car, it's back to pretty much normal now. All of the central locking was lazy when I got it, only the offside rear is now. Definitely tarnished contacts in need of attention behind the dash though - it's a lottery as to which of the warning lights actually show up on any given day!

Great to see you today Zel And great to see the 25 in the metal...

What an absolutely stunning car It looks much better in the metal than it does in any photo and is in amazing condition... You have a real treasure there! Love it!

A bit of light TLC here and there and it'll be good to take the shows by storm! It's got to be a great candidate for the Festival of the Unexceptional this coming year although in no way is it unexceptional - just the opposite in fact...

And perhaps, as I mentioned, our local StokesGoldenClassics show in May in Stoke Goldington... Bluebell will be there so between us we can make up a small French contingent

She will look a lot better once cleaned! Aside from cleaning the windscreen so I can actually see out I've really barely touched anything in that department yet.

Did add one detail today though.



Well I tried anyway...apparently this last round of disc holders don't actually stick to anything! They're also slightly undersize. That's what I get for buying something cheap from Amazon I guess...

I know it doesn't need to be there but it just looks odd to my eyes if the disc is missing.

[mickthemaverick]

You may find some items for your collection here Zel, there is a Dragon and an Acorn and some Commodore and BBC Micros listed
..:
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... cta&page=4

[MattBLancs]

Did add one detail today though.



Well I tried anyway...apparently this last round of disc holders don't actually stick to anything! They're also slightly undersize. That's what I get for buying something cheap from Amazon I guess...

I know it doesn't need to be there but it just looks odd to my eyes if the disc is missing.

Is this an area you cleaned / attacked the residue sticky?

Potential tiniest of cleaning product residues could impact the new holder sticking?

Be tempted to go over it with methylated spirits, give that chance to evaporate off then try again.

[myglaren]

And your tax has run out.

[MattBLancs]

Cheque is in the post officer, it must be them postal strikes!

[Zelandeth]

You may find some items for your collection here Zel, there is a Dragon and an Acorn and some Commodore and BBC Micros listed
..:
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... cta&page=4

Oh that A3010 is definitely getting watched, though given what they usually go for on eBay these days I reckon their estimate is rather pessimistic, especially with a pretty decent RGB monitor included...Dragon would be nice to have, but I've a serious affinity for Acorn gear. The Beebs will need consideration...One would hope with a disc drive included that there would be a DFS ROM in there, which is something I currently don't have for mine...and I'd be lying if I wouldn't LIKE to have additional Micros...

That MSX is of interest as well...I know virtually nothing about the MSX platform, but feel it's something I really ought to investigate at some point, though hardware prices seem to be all over the shop.

That has the potential to be a somewhat expensive sale!

Did add one detail today though.



Well I tried anyway...apparently this last round of disc holders don't actually stick to anything! They're also slightly undersize. That's what I get for buying something cheap from Amazon I guess...

I know it doesn't need to be there but it just looks odd to my eyes if the disc is missing.

Is this an area you cleaned / attacked the residue sticky?

Potential tiniest of cleaning product residues could impact the new holder sticking?

Be tempted to go over it with methylated spirits, give that chance to evaporate off then try again.

I'll have a closer look at some point shortly. I have a feeling though it's more down to a combination of being cheap rubbish off Amazon and me trying to apply it when it was -3C outside.

[CitroJim]

I'll have a closer look at some point shortly. I have a feeling though it's more down to a combination of being cheap rubbish off Amazon and me trying to apply it when it was -3C outside.

I have a tax-disc sized annual pass for Salcey Forest parking it comes with a traditional-style tax disc holder... They look and feel OK but don't really 'stick' as well as the old tax-disc holders did back in the day whatever I try... That's been the same for three successive ones...

I've come to the same conclusion about cheap rubbish... Now, when I visit the forest the pass just lays on the top of my dashboard...

[Zelandeth]

I'd hoped to get at least something small done today however I realised about 30 seconds after walking out to the car that it was just too fluffing cold.

Probably my first target is going to be figuring out why the steering column cowl and the stalks are about 10 degrees off straight. It's bugging me. Also is preventing the height adjustment on the steering wheel from being raised enough to fully clear my knees.

I'm still slightly baffled by how many people seem to think this car is interesting on Twitter.



Never thought I'd see one of my posts with over a thousand views, never mind likes.

[Zelandeth]

You may find some items for your collection here Zel, there is a Dragon and an Acorn and some Commodore and BBC Micros listed
..:
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... cta&page=4

Seems I wasn't the only person interested in tech of that era today, no wins for me this time.

Which to be honest is kind of a blessing. I've got enough kit to get repaired/set up/tested before February as it is without adding potential new candidates to the mix!

[Zelandeth]

If you look closely at some of the interior photos of the R25 you will see that something is amiss with the cowling around the steering column and the stalks.



Aside from bugging my OCD, it means the wiper and indicator stalks aren't quite where they're meant to be, and the back of the wheel scrapes the plastic when turning.

Given I've seen prior evidence of this car having been broken into (passenger front window has obviously been replaced and I've hoovered out a bunch of cubes of glass), I had a hunch that was likely connected.

Yep!



Someone has had a really good go at breaking the steering lock - no idea if successful or not. The whole top of the column has been rotated to the left, meaning the ignition barrel isn't where it's meant to be.

That's a job for further down the line. I suspect a whole upper steering column from a breaker is going to be the way to go and bash the mount back closer to the right shape when the dash is apart. I just wanted to take a closer look today to see if my hunch was correct.

Was far too cold for doing anything much more in depth!

Well aside from brushing the worst of the snow off and defrosting the Cavalier as much as possible so someone could come and take a look at it.



A deal has been done and it will soon be off to a new home. I'd really have liked to get it up and roadworthy myself, but I just can't justify keeping it and the R25. Five speed gearbox aside, if I decided down the road I wanted another early Cavalier I could just go out and buy another one, there are always a couple for sale. R25 that's very much not the case with, so it has to get priority as far as I'm concerned. Especially as it's a car I'd always promised myself, the Cavalier I just fancied as a bit of fun.

[CitroJim]

My AX had a similar cowl problem Zel but that was due to broken bits of brittle plastic... S1 AX dashes are not known for their integrity and flexibility after 30 years and break very readily... Looks like the R25 dash is made of much higher quality stuff... Come to think about it, a hollow chocolate Easter egg has more structural integrity than an AX dash

I'll be sorry to see the Cavalier go I was really looking forward to following its restoration. As long as it's going to a good home and will one day return to the road then that's all good. Is is going somewhere local?

[MattBLancs]

Wow that steering column has experienced some forces hasn't it!?

As you say, will be on the territory of apply plenty of impact forces in the opposite direction to get it back straight. Never removed a steering column, but guess it a fairly hefty dash disassembly to get to that point?

Have to have strong words with your OCD tendencies to at least leave it be until the spring! Not the time of year for that job, even if there's a comfy driver's seat to sit in whilst doing it!