vauxhallviva.com

I've just brought a HA with the intention of stripping it for bits and using it to keep other HA's on the road. Now apart from a few problems such as a leaking exhaust, work needed on the brakes, and a chassis rail in need of repairing I should be able to get an MOT without much cause for concern.

There are a few minor "cosmetic details"

The damp



The grotty



and the rather odd seats



that need addressing but overall it's in good condition for a car registered in November 1963.

So unfortunately it looks like I'm going to have to try and restore it on a shoe string budget.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

Clara wrote:There are a few minor "cosmetic details"

The damp

Just spotted the Ducks in the mobile "boot pond" ,,,, ha ha good one !
Are all viva's not supposed to have these as standard!

bodyworx wrote:Just spotted the Ducks in the mobile "boot pond" ,,,, ha ha good one !
Are all viva's not supposed to have these as standard!

I think it's only the deluxe models that have these. The others have a tendency to have a dirty great big hole there.

QUACK



I have already had a bit old poke at this car and its a rigth nice littel car for Clara, a few welds and a load of duct tape later; Vola another HA on the drive to scare the BMX boys with

Electrical faults found before rain forced retreat.

Lights that work:

Front side lights
Front indicators
Rear left indicator
Rear right reversing light
Brake lights (right very weak)
Ignition light

Lights that don't:

All the rest!
Except for the rear right indicator which only comes on very weakly when the brake pedal is forced down with the BT phone book.
Oh but I did have all of the front lights (including the spots) flashing on and off at one point regardless of what I pressed (including removing the flash box which is making very unhealthy noises).

The wipers are intermittent and very slow though this is quite possibly just due to lack of grease and use rather than electrics and the fuel gage works, how accurate it is however we'll just have to wait and see.

We had the engine running while on the farm but the battery is dead so I will be taking the bike into work tomorrow so that I can pick one up on the way home (unless it's still raining).

Seems to be mostly down to bad earthing and the darling Glenn has just advised that the "flashing" (has my car no shame?!) is down to the therom circuit breaker under the dash being faulty.

Clara wrote:he darling Glenn has just advised that the "flashing" (has my car no shame?!) is down to the therom circuit breaker under the dash being faulty.

It might not be faulty - it could be doing what it's meant to do - disconnect the circuit in the event of an overload.

They're a thermal breaker, using a bimetallic strip. If too much current passes through the thing, the bimetallic strip bends, opening the circuit and preventing a loom fire. Then it cools down and closes the circuit again.

Check for wiring faults before condemning the breaker, and don't bypass it!

got got one them Clara, if they are the same as the HC, your welcome to one

Kat wrote:It might not be faulty - it could be doing what it's meant to do - disconnect the circuit in the event of an overload.

They're a thermal breaker, using a bimetallic strip. If too much current passes through the thing, the bimetallic strip bends, opening the circuit and preventing a loom fire. Then it cools down and closes the circuit again.

Check for wiring faults before condemning the breaker, and don't bypass it!

Should it not just kill the lights rather than flash them on and off?
I'll be swapping it with the one off my other HA before tying anything else - I'm too much of a coward when it comes to electrics.

Paul what type is the HC? I'll try and get a picture of the HA one in the morning (if I can find it!)

Clara wrote:Should it not just kill the lights rather than flash them on and off?

Nope. If a fault causes excess current to flow through the device the bimetallic strip heats up, bends, and opens the contacts, which breaks the circuit. The strip then cools back down again, closing the circuit. If the fault's still there this will repeat. The result - flashing lights.

It's a clever idea on a lighting circuit, better than a fuse which, once failed, stays failed. These things automatically reset.

So, if the lights are flashing, the first thing I'd look for is a fault somewhere causing excessive current flow. The breaker sounds like its working, it's doing exactly what it's meant to do.

Clara, what you need is a tame electrical/electronic engineer with a thing for old Vauxhalls... I wonder where we might find one...

If you want to leave the electrics for now, I can drop by with meter, soldering iron and other gubbins. I'd expect to have the lot sorted out in the space of an afternoon.