Apparently the neighbours love the viva too...

[pyoorkate]

Some local kids came round, which was a bit of a shock - to see a small gang of girls hanging round outside my house... their dad had given them a manual to give to me, so I now have the Vauxhall Viva HC engine workshop manual. I'm still rather surprised!

There is much Viva lovin' going on around me at the moment!

Of course, what I really need is the bodywork manual, after finding this... I knew it'd need a bit of welding there from my pre-buy prodding, but annoyingly I'd not quite got that far with my prodding - it seems to be about a 6" area that's actually gone badly, so a couple of inches around that are definately going to have to go. Thankfully the structural member underneath it looks (or more importantly feels) solid. :-/

Still, my prodding of the rest of the 'underseal' (currently it seems to be sealing water *in* - I can see removing that being a fun job), hasn't found any other unexpected joys

And I've worked out how to start the thing, which is also a help. More choke... My last few cars have needed very little to get going, it appears I was being overly frugal with the choke.

[lisbon_road]

Looking at that, my first move would be to stop the water getting in, somewhere around the bulkhead or window seals or something. Good luck with it!

[pyoorkate]

Looking at that, my first move would be to stop the water getting in, somewhere around the bulkhead or window seals or something. Good luck with it!

Yeah, I think I need a new windscreen seal and a new rear screen seal. I've not yet found out if they're available. It's a bit of a learning curve at the moment...

[Firenzaboy]

Adrian Miller who does the "viva Spares" in the owners club can supply the front ones - think they're about 35 quid.
Dunno bout the rear ones - i know you can get coupe ones (different);they're 70 quid
Dave

[psl]

I`ve got a rear screen seal, your welcome to for the price of the P&P, it`s secondhand but like new!

[lisbon_road]

And I think I have a front one. I bought it for an HB but Adrian tells me it is for an HC - unfortunately it wasn't cheap. Not sure how the confusion happened, no doubt as always there is an explanation!

[pbottomley]

mastic... always worth a try first, that way your not wasting time and money.

[pyoorkate]

mastic... always worth a try first, that way your not wasting time and money.

Normally i'd agree, but the front and rear rubbers are split all over the place. I suspect I'd end up using as much mastic as it'd cost to get them replaced and still not end up with a decent seal.

I`ve got a rear screen seal, your welcome to for the price of the P&P, it`s secondhand but like new!

Oooh, that'd be handy. Can I take you up on that offer [will send you a PM in a sec]

Adrian Miller who does the "viva Spares" in the owners club can supply the front ones - think they're about 35 quid.

Hrm, this is some cunning ploy to get me into the Viva owner's club, isn't it...

[droopsnoot]

Of course, what I really need is the bodywork manual....

Won't help - it's just about how to fit new panels, what the dimensions of the various bits should be, how to line up the badges. I'd be tempted to clean off both sides, cut it back until the really rusty part is gone, and weld a plate in place.

Other than the longitudonal chassis rail, I don't think there's anything other than flat plate in the floor. On the left of your picture towards the door is the bottom of the A-pillar, so hopefully that's OK (though you'd have to take the wing off to find out). But the footwell itself is single-skin plate with a welded join across it where the vertical meets the horizontal.

As for where the water is coming in, also check the manufacturing plate in the wheelarch - the small square plate that you can just see at the top left of your photo. They're very good at rusting out and losing their seal, and it's right in the place where all the water gets thrown up off the road into the wheelarch.

[bodyworx]

if your not too bothered about losing the ribs on the floor (well,whose gonna see it anyway?), a 3x2 sheet of steel plate (22swg), is your easy option to replace the rot,
An good afternoons work should see that out and a new panel in place.

The good thing about Viva's is theres no rocket science in fixing them up.! .
No more crappy trunnion pins etc like your old Minor(although they do have bolt on panels and a huge spares availabilty, unlike the Viva)