I’ve been finishing off with the last few jobs on the list (for now)!
To my massive relief, the new oil pressure switch extinguished the oil pressure light on start up!
New horns are on and working so well - I can now raise the dead.
New coil fitted - not very exiting it works and looks better than the old one.
Exhaust bobbin on the rear box mount was shot,and the silencer was a bit wobbly, so it had to go. In typical fashion, it wasn’t just a case of swapping the bobbin over for a new one - the welder had to be dusted off for a cameo apprearance....
The gearbox oil leak had started to bother me.It wasn’t leaking too badly - I’ve seen worse, but the oil spots VYK was leaving behind wouldn’t be appreciated by anyone with a paved drive, and the spots were becoming a patch in the garage. With the car up on axle stands it’s difficult to see where the oil is leaking from. The overdrive sump looked like it could be the source. So, I whipped it off (after draining the oil of course) and set about trying to flat it off, to get it as true as possible, with a sheet of wet and dry.
New gasket with a light smear of hylomar blue, and all seems to be well - so far - time will tell.
A bit more faffing with the airbox and pipework saw the work in the engine bay finished (for now)! Still needs a good clean up. Actually, so does the whole car.
What to do next? Get out on the road of course! I whipped the iPad out and got on the DVLA website to tax VYK only to find that I need to go to the post office to send my log book away to have the tax class changed to historic. Bugger. How can the mot be changed to exempt automatically but not the tax to historic?
Anyway, I’ll just have a cheeky spin around the block I thought, no one will ever know. I do have insurance so if anything happens “I'm just on my way to the mot station officer, honest”. I’m sorry if anyone reading this is aghast, but I just couldn’t resist it any longer. Just around the block with one A road thrown in for a few hundred yards, just so that I could get up to 3rd and check the overdrive.
Well happy days are here. VYK drove really well in that short burst. Pulls well, smooth acceleration, suspension seems comfortable for a lowered car and rides the local speed humps fine, drives straight, stops straight - initial thoughts on the trackerjack brakes are excellent, no knocks, no rattles, all gears good including overdrive, exhaust sounds sweet, everything electrical seems to work. Wow.
I’m chuffed. It’s been a toil at times, but these are the days we all struggle under our projects for. All the blood, sweat, and swearing IS worth it!
I’m sure it’s just the start of the journey with VYK in many ways, and if this is the start long may that journey / feeling continue.
I will report back when I’m fully leagal and had the chance to put some miles under VYKs belt. The car will not leave the garage until the tax is sorted. Gonna book an mot too.