vauxhallviva.com

Hello!

As the title states.

I've just bought a 4 door 74 HC and I am damn excited to see it in person!

Is this an okay place to ask what I should be doing with it/checking once I get it? It apparently runs quite well but hasn't been on the road proper for a decade. Obviously fluids and filters are to be changed - what else?!

Thanks for having me!
Baron

Check your brakes for leaks and rusty drums - put it through a voluntary MoT and see what shows up. Join the VVOC which allows access to the spares scheme and discount insurance. Enjoy

Fred Dukes wrote:Check your brakes for leaks and rusty drums - put it through a voluntary MoT and see what shows up. Join the VVOC which allows access to the spares scheme and discount insurance. Enjoy

I actually believe the brakes have been sorted! MOT is defo going to happen. No advice if the MOT comes back decent? I'm not exactly a mechanic and I've never had a car this old - surely there's something I should change or replace!

I'll look into VVOC

I would change all oils, diff, gearbox, and engine, engine and brakes need a full service, special attention to the brake cylinders, calipers and master cylinder which may well have deteriorated seals, brake fluid change, check the brake flexy conditions, change antifreeze (blue), alternator belt renew, all tyres will be old and out of date, clean out the fuel tank, renew the rubber fuel pipes to suit the rubbish fuel we have these days. grease the front ball joints, check exhaust rubber mountings for deterioration, check the condition of coolant hoses or renew.

hows that for starters?

Oh yeh not exactly on your door step but i'm in North Yorks

rizzo wrote:I would change all oils, diff, gearbox, and engine, engine and brakes need a full service, special attention to the brake cylinders, calipers and master cylinder which may well have deteriorated seals, brake fluid change, check the brake flexy conditions, change antifreeze (blue), alternator belt renew, all tyres will be old and out of date, clean out the fuel tank, renew the rubber fuel pipes to suit the rubbish fuel we have these days. grease the front ball joints, check exhaust rubber mountings for deterioration, check the condition of coolant hoses or renew.

hows that for starters?

Oh yeh not exactly on your door step but i'm in North Yorks

That's far too much but I'll have a go at what I can. Defo won't (read: can't) service an engine but I'll see how far I can get with the rest! Oh it's got new tires an all they say.

Lovely! Where bouts?

I won't make another thread over at the mechanical sub-forum as I'll just be taking up space with this question. I've looked and can't find any (recent) suppliers of oil filter! Does anyone have a lead? Also up for buying a new filter housing as mine looks horrid!

TIA

baronmilek wrote:That's far too much but I'll have a go at what I can. Defo won't (read: can't) service an engine but I'll see how far I can get with the rest! Oh it's got new tires an all they say.

Rizzo's list isn't as daunting as it may seem, it's just basic stuff, any haynes or other such book on the viva will walk you through anything you need to do , to b honest, just a quick search on the 'net will pull up a step by step service guide.

As for oil filters, and Im assuming it's a OHV engine as you mention the housing, then just get a chevette one off ebay, there's loads to choose from for around a fiver It's the paper element type you're looking for.

As for the housing being 'horrible', do you mean dented and damaged? cos if it's not damaged just clean it up and paint it.

The Spares section of Owner's Club has agreed a member's discount with a company who specialise in conversion kits to allow the fitting of a modern easily obtainable canister type filter. Details are in the Autumn magazine.

lord13 wrote:

baronmilek wrote:That's far too much but I'll have a go at what I can. Defo won't (read: can't) service an engine but I'll see how far I can get with the rest! Oh it's got new tires an all they say.

Rizzo's list isn't as daunting as it may seem, it's just basic stuff, any haynes or other such book on the viva will walk you through anything you need to do , to b honest, just a quick search on the 'net will pull up a step by step service guide.

As for oil filters, and Im assuming it's a OHV engine as you mention the housing, then just get a chevette one off ebay, there's loads to choose from for around a fiver It's the paper element type you're looking for.

As for the housing being 'horrible', do you mean dented and damaged? cos if it's not damaged just clean it up and paint it.

Yeah I'm not so daunted! I've done more than I thought I could with my 205 so I reckon this'll be much easier- I'm just a rather weary person when it comes to doing my own mechanics lol.

When it comes to oil filters I didn't know that it was the element inside - I didn't know that existed before I got the Viva so when I said it looked horrible I mean the housing so yeah I will just paint that

1972nail wrote:
The Spares section of Owner's Club has agreed a member's discount with a company who specialise in conversion kits to allow the fitting of a modern easily obtainable canister type filter. Details are in the Autumn magazine.

I'll be joining the members club very shortly!

Thanks both of you