Thought it was about time to finally start a thread on this, my 1976 1256cc Viva, AKA Otis.
Back in January of this year I spotted something yellow opposite where I work and went to have a look at what it was. I had never really known about Vivas before, being used to Fords, owning a MK1 Fiesta as my daily at the moment. The car looked straight enough, but hadn't been run in some time, and the gearbox was in the boot with about 3 different clutch kits in there! We dragged it back the next weekend and progress was slow until recently when we moved it into the workshop to play around with it. I reassembled the gearbox and clutch and fitted it, the only problem being there was no crossmember so I've had to make one up out of steel at the moment, I'm arranging getting another one currently.
Anyway since then it's been mostly cleaning stuff up and working out the priorities, the first of which being brakes, which are half done at the moment, requiring one more caliper seal kit, all round pads, nearside wheel cylinder and the discs either skimming or replacing. All round arches need replacing as well which is a real pain as I'm no good at bodywork and I don't know where to find new ones! IF ANYBODY HAS ANY ARCHES PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
Anyway enough talk, pictures:
Midnight gearbox installation sesh:
Fixing knackered starter motor earth:
With my daily, 1100cc Mk1 Fiesta:
Ran the bugger out of fuel yesteday testing it on the roads, brakes definitely need sorting!
Plans for this other that getting it mechanically sound and everything are probably;
Lowering 30mm or so, not too much
Rostyles (Have a powdercoated set lined up)
Sound system needs reworking, the outdated speakers just won't do
Spotlights if they look alright
Maybe a quad headlamp grill
Undersealing the thing right up
Spraying along front and rear valances and just above the chrome trim line below the door in stone chip black because I don't have enough money to get a decent paint job which I'd love
And other stuff I can't think of right now!
To be continued!