1500 FWD Fools rush in....

[Cov1500]

Wasn't sure of what to title the project, but given that the Car was registered on April fools day 1971 it seemed appropriate. (the phrase 'A fool and his money are easily parted' springs to mind as well)
So here are some photos of the car as it is now





Haven't done much so far. I was expecting the engine to be seized after 20 odd years of dormancy, but turned over by hand relatively easy. Suspiciously easy, there didn't seem to be much compression (I didn't even need to remove the spark plugs).

As I start the restoration no doubt I'll have lots of questions (and pleas for help and parts...)

Anyone else with experience with front wheel drive is welcome to make any observations to, it will be much appreciated.

[Toledo Man]

The first thing you should do is to get the engine running. Once you've got a running engine, you can concentrate on making it drivable (clutch & brakes). If you want it on the road as quickly as possible put it in for the MoT to see what it needs. You will come across all sorts of issues as you revive the car so budget on a full service and replace everything that's made of rubber (hoses, fuel lines, seals, tyres, etc). I can provide the parts catalogue and factory workshop manual once I've uploaded them to my BT Cloud.

Let us know how you get on and ask as many questions as you need.

[dalbuie]

Hi,

I've still got the FWD I bought from Mel on this forum some time ago and you can see the restoration work here - viewtopic.php?f=19&t=28037

Before you spend any money on the engine etc I'd get underneath and check the cills, seatbelt points, suspension to body areas, engine subframe mounts etc for any welding that may be needed. Doing all this can take a LONG time (as I know from experience) if doing it yourself or a big bank account if getting a garage to do it!

I enjoyed restoring it and am still enjoying the car (now doing front wheel bearings which aren't as easy to do as I though) and may sell her in the summer.

Good luck

D

[Cov1500]

dalbuie I have just seen the pics of your car, looks very tidy . I hope mine will look as good. There is no rush to get it completed, initial plans are to pull the engine and rebuild it while starting the body work. I'll have to learn to weld, so it'll be easiest jobs first!
The underside is covered in underseal so I'm hoping it doesn't hide too much nastiness..... removing it should be a job in itself

[dalbuie]

Thanks.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It's a great feeling when they're back on the road instead of heading for the scrapyard

I took a 10 week night school class in my local tech college on welding which was a great start and was pretty cheap!

[Toledo Man]

I've now uploaded the 1500fwd parts catalogue and factory workshop manual to my BT Cloud. Please download it. These need to be in the hands of the enthusiasts.

I suggest that you try to get the engine running first. It will be a psychological boost to have a running engine. You might not even need to do any major work on it if all is well. It has to be worth a try. Whatever you do, don't just stick a battery on in and try to start it. If you do the right things, you should be able to have it running without too much difficulty. I was able to get my 1300fwd running and it had been stood for a few years prior to my ownership.

[Cov1500]

So not a lot of progress so far, started stripping the trim and checking for rust. Tried removing the rear bumper but the captive nuts in the sides turn out to be not so captive Removing the petrol tank had mixed results, the boot floor under it doesn't appear too bad but the tank now has a few pin holes. The rear panel a bit pushed behind the near side light and rusted through along the seam with the boot floor. The rear of the roof is rusted where the vents are but not all the way through. I was hoping to post a few pictures but the camera keeps dying.

[Cov1500]

Some pictures...

[eveshamcroft]

1500 FWDs are rare, how about sending some of these pictures to the editor of Dolly Mixture, together with a few lines of text. Always pleased to put FWDs in the magazine.

Cheers

[Cov1500]

I have reluctantly decided not to continue with this project and concentrate on my Toledo instead. I will be taking some parts to use on the Toledo and either selling or breaking the remainder.

[Toledo Man]

It would be a shame to break this car. I know you're concentrating on the Tolly so it would be an idea to mothball this one. There's not many of them left and this one looks to be pretty much complete. Start a thread for the Tolly so we can watch your progress. Once you've done the Tolly, you might be up to tacking the 1500fwd.

[Cov1500]

On a purely emotional level I am inclined to agree with you. But one of the cars has to go. Even if I sell the 1500 as is, I probably wouldn't get the money it would take to cover the cost of the bit I could use to create my perfect car. I have spent the past couple of mornings removing the cylinder head to see if there is a chance of using the engine (converted to rwd) in the Toledo. The bores don't appear to be scored and I can't detect a wear ridge so the engine might end up being rebuilt and used. I'll pull the engine completely to look at the bottom end.

I will be having a good poke around to see if the shell is worth saving and once I have removed the bits I want (assuming that is the final decision) the basic rolling shell (with V5) will be free to any member who is willing to do something with it, providing they can collect it. Subject to what I decide in the next few weeks.

[Toledo Man]

I don't think the engine can be used in the Tolly. The ring gear is at the front of the engine which means the starter motor turns in the opposite direction to the RWD cars. If you can get it running and drivable, put it in for an MoT just to see what it would need to pass. The job list might not be as big as you think and it would help should you decide to sell. Alternatively, you could let Nathan loose on the bodywork and have yourself a rolling restoration.