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

[Xantianut]

And is the torque wrench hiding under the Xantia?

[Zelandeth]

Remembered that I grabbed a couple of photos yesterday when I first blasted six months of moss and assorted "gunk" off the Skoda.

Still love the colour.





This afternoon I tracked down the original air cleaner assembly so I could get rid of the pancake thing I'd experimented with. Didn't seem to make any appreciable difference to power (well I guess 1174cc doesn't need a huge amount of air!), but did make a heck of a racket and meant that the engine bay looked distinctly non-stock. Will keep it in the box though as I'm sure it'll be handy one day.

While rummaging around for the warm air intake pipe I did track down the trolley jack though. Unearthing it however might take a bit more effort. Apparently it was in there before the loft full of my junk got thrown into the garage (which on account of an excess of real life repeatedly happening I've still not had a chance to clear out a year later).



Yes, I've checked. It is indeed highly structural. Well...that's a task for Sunday then!

[CitroJim]

Skoda is looking very lovely Zel

I like that colour too...

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

Always fancied one of those meself......

[Zelandeth]

I find driving it a downright addictive experience. I just really enjoy the fact that you are absolutely involved in everything that is going on. Yet unlike a lot of cars from behind the Iron Curtain it's not actually hard to drive, or even hard to drive smoothly. All the controls are actually really light and it even stops astonishingly well (despite still wearing its original discs and pads!).

There are a couple of rust spots which need attention (most obviously the offside rear wheel arch) but they're for after it's mechanically sorted out and has a ticket on it I think. Really looking forward to driving it again though and actually getting it to a few shows this year as I only managed one last year.

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

You know

When you've been




TANGOED!!!!!!

[Zelandeth]

Funny you should say that...on account of the violently orange colour the car is generally known as Tango!

[Zelandeth]

So it's going to be one of those days.

Went to change the brake pads on the Saab, can't for the life of me find either the big G-clamp or the proper caliper retraction tool and all efforts at convincing the piston back into the caliper have failed. Thinking about it, I don't think I've seen either of those tools since I moved here...so they may have been among the few things that got left up north.

Turned my attention to the spark plugs as I was determined to get something done and found that the new ones are larger (the bolt bit, not the actual tip) and none of my spark plug sockets are big enough.

...Looks like a trip to Halfords for some tools is in order!

...I am so looking forward to the day I've got everything cleared out of the garage so I can actually find and organise my tools and suchlike!

[Zelandeth]

Well ended up being a reasonably productive day in the end even if I had to run out to Halfords to get tools (twice because I forgot something the first time!).

New brake pads onto the front of the Saab.



These are what came out, still a little bit of material left, but two of them were starting to disintegrate so definitely time to change them. It's a big, heavy car and being an automatic the brakes do get worked pretty hard.



Spark plugs were then changed as well, which once I had a 21mm spark plug spanner was a five minute job. Sure my original one will now turn up!

She's going in for the MOT tomorrow, so figured a bit of presentation work also worth doing. Finally finished polishing the last two panels and giving the whole car two or three coats of wax. Always try to turn up to the test with the car looking as good as possible as I figure it can't hurt!



Has already had two new tyres on the front (rears are absolutely fine), new front exhaust section, there's a full set of brake hoses sitting on the passenger seat, and the throttle body and air metering unit were all cleaned up yesterday.

Nine in the morning is the appointment...so let's cross our fingers for a pass!

[Xantianut]

Otterchops sends her best and hopes they fit......

[CitroJim]

Saab looks great Zel, All the best with the MOT I'd MOT it on sight alone!

Got a lovely picture of an avocado Saab 96 for you, taken at the Haynes Museum... Will post it as soon as I have some time...

[Zelandeth]

That's a pass then.

Advisories were:

[] Weak beam image N/S headlight. It's been like that since around 2005 and I would just change it if nearside headlights weren't for some reason made of unobtanium. Offside ones, no problem...but nearside ones are really hard to find for some reason!

[] Rear brake discs corroded. Fair enough. Haven't had to touch the rear brakes since I got the car, so they can go on the to do list.

[] Some corrosion on brake hose ferrules. Already on the to do list, hence the bundle of them sitting in the passenger seat, just ran out of time to do them before the test.

Will take that as a good result I think. Will have to see what else I manage to get done today, this evening's task with a bit of luck will be changing the belt tensioner on the Xantia.

[CitroJim]

Excellent result Zel

[Hell Razor5543]

Well done.

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

Good on yer!!!!!!