1995 Pug 306 - light(ish) restoration

[Andrew121967]

That’s a great thread Orbit …I do remember the car being featured on one of the FB groups a while back.

Well done for rescuing it . As someone said, it’s good that the bread and butter cars are preserved as well, not just the high spec or performance ones.

Those dealer plates and sticker are a nice touch .. my car came from Coventry too , Henlys. I’ve got some dealer plates done but waiting for a decent image of their sticker to get one made ups.

The column stalk does plug into the back of the original Blaupunkt radio, mine has a similar OE radio. I want to fit a cd changer but having problems finding an adaptor lead to plug in the back of the HU (you remove the column control plug and that is used to operate the changer apparently) and then to the changer cable.

[CitroJim]

A good read there Orbit... A bloody shame about the wheels and tyres

At least you received a nice parcel of goodies to offset the wheel disappointment a bit...

Hope the Ferodo pads are found to be good...

[Orbit Motors]

Cheers guys! Will update on the wheel situation shortly, just pondering how far to space the wheels at the back, I was considering 20mm spacers but a colleague suggested that was too much so I'm going to trial a set of 10mm universal spacers he has at work and see how I get on!

[MattBLancs]

Some folks will try those alloys on anything!

I think 16" will make a definite downgrade in the lovely 306 ride quality, but agree the tired wheel trims were letting the side down a fair bit.

14" 205 pepperpot look quite nice on an early 306, not sure if they are still cheap? Used to be as everyone wanted the 205 1.9's 15" speedlines instead!

[Orbit Motors]

Some folks will try those alloys on anything!

I think 16" will make a definite downgrade in the lovely 306 ride quality, but agree the tired wheel trims were letting the side down a fair bit.

14" 205 pepperpot look quite nice on an early 306, not sure if they are still cheap? Used to be as everyone wanted the 205 1.9's 15" speedlines instead!

I had also ummed and arred about them being a considerable size increase and the compromise being a much smaller sidewall and decrease in ride quality, but my problem sometimes is I have an idea then seem to stick with it to the bitter end!

And yes, pepperpots do look nice, and it seems to be hit and miss the ones that have appeared on eBay whether they are a reasonable price or whether you have to pay retro tax.

Aren't mk2/3 era Ford Fiesta alloys the same centre bore and stud pattern as well? As I seem to remember seeing pepperpots on those on every street corner in the 90s.

[MattBLancs]

Ford are same bolt PCD (4x108) but think centre bore differs, will have to look it up.

Note also the offset differs on lots of Peugeot/ Citroen models Vs older ones - think 205 and 306 are similar, 406 a bit of an oddball and all the modern ones quite different again.

[Orbit Motors]

Finally got around to mounting the wheels today (properly) and also rescued my offside handbrake cable guide which had come adrift at some point and was riding very close to the floor.

Despite having to space the rears by 20mm, the ride quality is not anywhere near as bad as I would have expected. The handling in corners and general road holding is better, but at the expense of a harder ride. Of course all of this was really changing for the sake of changing, and an experiment more than anything. But I'm pleased with the results overall!

Gave the old girl a bath to wash all the salt away as we had very heavy snow here at the end of last week and the roads were near enough orange with all the grit on them. Winter has obviously taken its toll a little bit as I've noticed the offside rear bump stop mounting area is now starting to crumble. When the weather is a bit better I think this will be one to nip in the bud and repair before it gets any worse.

Also need to get under the car properly at some point soon as I have a feeling that I have a slight exhaust leak. But luckily I'm not gassing myself to death just yet.

[CitroJim]

Those wheels nicely suit your 306 Orbit They look good!

[Orbit Motors]

I was hoping to get a fair amount done this weekend including the injector seals but only managed to get the front brakes done. Better than nothing! Had plenty to do on the missus' Grand C4 Pickarsehole, maybe I should change the thread to become a general fleet update!

Reacquainted myself with ATE calipers with their 7mm allen key slider bolts and the naff spring clip that they have over the front - think the last set of brakes I did with ATEs was my Alfa Romeo 156. They aren't a bad caliper overall, at least you know what tools you are going to need! What I despise though is allen key bolts being used in anything that may be exposed to the elements as they are so easy to round off if someone at somewhere like Sh*tFit or Halfrauds butchers one and then puts it back in for the next poor sod to do.

Luckily both dust caps on both calipers were still there so they came out with ease. Managed to remove the spring clip without taking my eye out.

Went for Ferodo Premier / Eco Friction discs and pads which are pretty much my go-to now for readily available brake linings. Probably would have got away with something cheaper in the 306 as you can't get up enough speed to begin with, but I really like how durable the coating is on them at preventing unsightly rust. And of course as they are the only thing stopping you from hitting the tree in front of you it is something worth spending a bit more on.

As expected both calipers and carriers were absolutely caked in rust and dust, luckily I was borrowing my day job's workshop so I got the carriers on the bench mounted wire wheel and cleaned everything up. Offside caliper piston boot has seen better days, I doubt a repair kit would be much good as the rest of the caliper is so crusty. May treat it to a pair of calipers in the not so distant future, and the brake fluid is looking dark as well so an ideal opportunity to do both.

Put some diesel in on the way home and I believe that is only the third time it has visited a forecourt in my ownership, the fuel economy is unbelievably good.

[MattBLancs]

I do wish you'd label your images, it's very difficult to tell which is the before and after brake disk image!

I too like those wheels on yours. The Citroen logos on a 306 would set my OCD going I think.

If you've chance to take pictures when tackling the dissolving bump stop mountings that'd be good please. Maybe on my 306 job list when/if I ever get around to it

[CitroJim]

I do wish you'd label your images, it's very difficult to tell which is the before and after brake disk image!

Good work Orbit! I know what you mean about ATE calipers, not the finest design on the planet! Pleased they (or the Allen bolts) did not put up a fight

[Orbit Motors]

Started work on my towbar installation today, as I would quite like to use the 306 for the occasional tip run with a small trailer that I have. Since selling my Alfa some time ago I've had no car with a tow bar so the trailer is sat idle!

Having had some eye watering quotes to have a new one installed, I found a secondhand one courtesy of 306 Parts South West on Facebook, for a bargain price of £60 delivered. Complete frame and with the ball and electrics still present, although as part of the fitment I'm renewing the ball and electrics anyway.

This came off another Phase 1 apparently, and the years have taken their toll on the coating, but credit to whoever manufacturered it (not sure if it is a genuine original one or an aftermarket), the steel is still entirely sound and there was only light surface rust.

Got rid of the worst of the rust and generally cleaned the bar up, and gave a light coating of adhesion promoter in the difficult to reach areas. Had a can of Halfrauds filler primer in the garage that has been hanging around for ages and decided to use it for this, as it is pretty awful as far as primers go, so prepared to use it on something that is mostly hidden.

Hung it up in the garage for priming (not sure if 3 Aldi cable ties from a rafter is particularly recommended but it worked) and turned it yellow. Don't worry, it isn't going on a JCB, that's just what colour this primer is! Being painted black sometime over the next few days with decent paint.

Got a new 7 pin socket and harness at work to wire in when it is ready, and got one of those smart relays as well. Not strictly sure it needs one as of course it is pre canbus, but I believe it prevents unintended dimming of lights when a trailer with traditional bulbs is fitted and in use. Not too much of a concern with my trailer as it now has LED lighting, but, belt and braces all the same. And leaves it future proof (or should that be past proof...)

Going to try and do the job properly and use something like Superseals or similar instead of using scotch locks like some hooligans I've seen do in the past. And I suppose I could do with a new yellow numberplate!

[CitroJim]

Looks lovely in yellow Miles

[Orbit Motors]

Towbar is now in black and ready to fit when I have the time!

In other news, a job I've been meaning to sort for a while now was a replacement windscreen, as the nearside lower corner has been cracked and delaminating since I bought the car.

Forgot to take a 'before' picture but this is the after one...

Had a very reasonable quote from an independent in Mansfield and the work was carried out today professionally and looks so much better. Wasted no time in finally placing my FCF sticker in the new screen and also fitted a replica tax disc, reproduced as accurately as possible by someone I found online, with the correct price amount for the time, correct stamp and registration office and everything else. Even fitted the retro tamper proof holder, something everyone seemed to have back in the day!

That's all for now

[CitroJim]

Magic! Good to see the FCF sticker in place Miles

I've been meaning for ages to get a repro. tax disc for Bluebell... I will now attend to that