1975 Viva DeLuxe - What Have I Done?

[oli8925]

Just arranged insurance for I think a pretty good price, and now got an MOT at 2.15. Nervous! Wish me luck!

[opelscott22]

With the standard of work youve done I cant see there being any problems!

Good luck!

Scott

[pbottomley]

I have to agree with Scott (for once) that looking at the care taken things should be good....Not a fan of "hit with stick" but the work you have done is all good from where I stand.

[hbpeter]

Did it pass then???????????

Peter

[phil dawson]

Oli,

Some great work there, you have been busy.
I noticed that both of your rear spring lower bolts snapped when removing them, the same thing has happened with one of mine today. How did you manage to get round this when replacing the springs, did you have to make up something as replacement?

Keep up the good work,
Phil

[oli8925]

Thanks hearing that from you guys is a huge confidence boost to a novice like myself, and got to say I couldn't have done it without my dad guiding me through, my Granddad for the use of his garage and my Nan for an endless supply of tea and sandwiches so a massive thanks to them!

It passed. Got an advisory for slight play in the O/S tie rod inner joint which I'll sort out in the next few days, O/S rear brake inefficiency on handbrake, N/S rear brake inefficiency on foot brake, and some rusty stuff that I'll sort in the summer. Good thing about this tester is that I know he'll fail me if that's the case, but he'll check everything with a fine-tooth comb and find anything that might need doing. Top bloke!

Also need to get the suspension fully set up and get a new battery while I'm there. And then onto the next stage

Phil - I drilled out the old stubs and used M8 bolts with nylocs.

[oli8925]

Does anyone know where I can get a brake servo and master cylinder rebuild kit for a lockheed front discs system? Can't find them anywhere

[phil dawson]

Cheers Oli,

I'll need to try that too.

The Club have a Lockheed servo repair kit for disc brakes advertised in their current spares stock sheet that came out with the latest club magazine, is that what you are looking for?

Phil

[oli8925]

I think that might be it, thanks Phil. I need to register with the club again, think mine ran out a few months ago. Will have a look.

[oli8925]

I took it in for full wheel alignment on Wednesday only to be told the steering isn't as it should be and it catches so I took it back to have a look at it after doing a few bits on the girlfriends Mini.

Only started on the Viva at 2ish and jacked the front up to take a look. I thought I'd cured the problem by chopping two of the bolts for the coupling down to stop them grinding on the column at certain turns, now two of the thick washers I'd kept from the old coupling were rubbing on the other side, so I had to undo the bolts holding the rack on to the crossmember and the rod ends to straighten the coupling and remove the two offending washers. Put it all back together and offered it up, and still wasn't happy with the acuteness of the angle, caused by all the other thick washers effectively making the column longer. So again I took it all apart, took all the thick washers out and stuck with just the smaller thin washers that came with the bolts, though these still spread the load over the metal sleeves perfectly. Put it all back together and it was much better except the bolts I originally cut down now stuck out much further again ::) so they had to be cut down even further in situ and at last, I think I've cracked it! Steering felt much better and not notchy.

Took it back to be aligned and they were happy but it took a good couple of hours, so my girlfriend got the right hump as she wanted to go home. Stuck a load of tools in the boot just in case of anything (and so I could do some work when she wasn't looking) and made the 80 mile journey to Hertford in the rain, and it didn't miss a beat, so I'm happy.

Oil pressure was 50-60 running and nearing 20 at idle, so could be higher but I'll hopefully be able to get on with the other engine now, which will give me a few more ponies too. On the motorway I really wished I had a a lot more power and another gear or two, but that'll have to wait.

For now, it works!