DarrenW
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 08:41 AM |
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Car problems - Fond memories
The first car thread got me thinking about my first mini.
At one point it had an annoying problem. Downhill - no problems. Up hill it would stutter and cut out and generally be a pig. Took a while to realise
it was the trolley jack handle in the boot rolling around and shorting the battery out
Any rain or moisture would kill the ignition.
First bad experience of car wiring dangers;
a. Big bore exhaust melted through battery cable. Big bore was a waste of time, killed the power of the 850 engine but sounded good.
b. New spot lights - didnt use grommet thro' bulkhead - lots of smoke one day
Also had bad experience bleeding brakes. Used a power bleeder connected to spare tyre. Bleed nipple was tight - it broke free and sprayed brake fluid
in my face / eyes. In a mad panic i ran to the house, front door shut, hand slipped on handle and head through 6mm glass - luckily not too bad.
That car taught me such a lot.
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coozer
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 08:46 AM |
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I have fond memories of my Morris Marina, tail out antics on the town centre mini roundabout caused the diff to explode but I still loved it!
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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TGR-ECOSSE
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 09:08 AM |
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My first mini had so much rust round the air vents in the bulkhead i had to tape polly bags over the holes to stop mud and water getting in. Snapped
the exhaust about 5 times before i realised the engine mounting were shot. The gear extension rubber mount broke so it dropped onto the road with
sparks flying towards the following police car. Had so many spot lights on it the engine would cut out on tickover. On way home from college in a
blizzard the drivers side wiper arm flew off so stopped and put passenger side one one drivers side got about 300 yards and that one flew off so had
to drive home with my head out the window. I miss that car Just realised i'm still driving cars like that
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Gergely
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 09:23 AM |
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I had a 1981 Trabant 601.
It wouldn't start so you had to push it, jump in, select 2nd and off you went... I was doing my private wholesale business at the time next to
school and many times I had to ask the shop owners to help me start the car after selling stuff to them...
The funniest was when I went to pick my wife (then girlfriend) up from her school. She was excited as her friends would see the boyfriend come by
car... and she had to push the car as it wouldn't start and she couldn't drive back then... I think she was embarrassed...
Later on I found the problem and with the ignition on, I had to short the starter motor with a screwdriver. Sparks and everything... then close the
bonnet and voilá it started nicely. But you had to do the screwdriver thing each time beforehand...
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mistergrumpy
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 09:42 AM |
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My mk.4 Escort used to keep running and chugging after you'd switched the engine off and were walking away down the street, had to keep altering
the fuel/air mixture a bit at a time for ages after a garage tried but cocked it up. Another time the temp gauge kept showing too hot and I tried
everything, new sensors, rad, headgasket (pedalled the head to a shop in a rucksack, murder coming back up the hill) turned out to be the gauge needle
not put back right after I had took it off to put coloured dials behind  Doing the timing on it I put a screwdriver between the strobe and HT lead
then subsequently stuck my nose on it, boy did that sting.
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ditchlewis
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 10:45 AM |
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Snap
i had all the above problems on my mini. including the shorting out on the exaust
but the mini was my second car.
My first was a Vauhall Magnum Estate (1800 Viva)
i was going for a max speed run down a hill on the local duel carriage way and discovered the car was slowing down
some things not right me thinks
i turned down the music (jumpin Jack Flash)
at the bottom of the hill the car was doing 30mph and sounded like a bag of nails
i took the head off and there were holes through the tops of two pistons
mum scrapped the car, i was not best pleased.
i also remember the windscreen wipers falling of in a thunder storm one day
first cars dont you just love them
ditch
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Howlor
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 11:53 AM |
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Beetle (Cal LooK) - Practising left foot braking one day as I'd seen Ari do it on Grandstand. Then started to head home driving normally, going
up a hill went for a quick down change as revs were dropping and I kissed the windscreen. Forgot that I'd left my foot hovering over the brake
rather than the clutch!
Also second car which was an AX GT I fitted an Amp under the dash, I had to remove the litle shelf that sat above the pedals on the AX. Went out for
the obligatory spin to test the stereo (as you did in those days) and ended up on full revs in second through the village accelerating out of control!
I hadn't put the shelf back in right and the throttle cable got trapped behind it. Luckily I kept calm and braked then while doing about 45
managed to reach down and yank the shelf out!
Good ole days!
[Edited on 12/6/07 by Howlor]
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COREdevelopments
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| posted on 12/6/07 at 05:26 PM |
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my first car was a mini, wouldnt have it any other way, loved it and still love them, had all the problems going, but never put me off. 2nd car was an
ax gt, had that shelf problem too!
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