Description
I bought this car a couple years ago as a non-runner. It'd been sat for some years before the previous owner bought it and he spent a fair bit of time and money on it, he'd had it running on an aftermarket electronic ignition system (these were electronic from new but the original setup was long dead) but he needed that for the 2CV he'd just bought. So I bought another ignition system, fitted it and got the car running and back together.
It was overfuelling when I bought it, but that was sorted with a carb overhaul with new float and valve, and a new original-type mechanical fuel pump to replace the electric pump the previous owner had fitted to get it running which I think was operating at too high a pressure. It's also had an oil and filter change and new plugs.
It's not rust free but it's generally pretty solid (previous owner had a fair bit of welding done if memory serves). Panels have various dents but nothing too drastic. The front edge of the bonnet is rusty (standard on these) but most of it is hidden behind the plastic trim. There are also some mismatched paint touch-ups in places. Interior is reasonable but the upholstery is pretty tired as per usual on Visas (I've fitted seat covers in the front) and there is some damage to the dash around the steering column where the plastic had gone brittle. Most of the electrics work but the fuel gauge doesn't, the heated rear window doesn't seem to do much either and the interior light appears to have given up although it was working when I bought the car. The ignition gubbins are wired to a separate switch which takes its power direct from the battery - this was a "temporary" solution to get the car running as the only ignition live I could find under the bonnet cut out when the car was cranking, which isn't a lot of good for an ignition system. It works fine so I've left it.
Other stuff that I can think of: Driver's door doesn't lock from the outside but does from the inside. Front tyres are decent 155x13s, rears are 165s which are at the end of their useful life. Spare is a decent 155 though so you would only need to buy one 155 (not expensive) to have a matching set. I would have got this done myself but my local tyre place can't balance centreless wheels so I'd have to go to one of the large chains and I've just not got around to it. Wiper doesn't self park and what I assume is supposed to be the intermittent setting doesn't work. Screen wash is on an aftermarket pump and a bit of a bodge but works. The heater is surprisingly effective but the heat control in the car doesn't seem to work so you need to pop the bonnet and move the linkage manually.
It drives OK, although I haven't done many miles in it. The ignition system hasn't been "set up" as such - I just fitted it in roughly the middle position - but it works OK and having driven another example which has the original ignition system performance seemed very similar so it can't be too far out. It's not a fast car, obviously, but it hums along at 60 happily enough. The engine is a bit tappety (again, the other car I drove was much the same), the alternator moans a bit sometimes (but charges the battery fine) and there's a few creaks and groans that you'd expect from a 42-year-old car that's been unused for a long time, but nothing sounds too worrying to my ears at least. It does struggle to idle off choke so that could possibly do with tweaking - I just pull the choke out a bit.
The brakes could do with looking at - they work but there is a lot of travel in the pedal, which improves if you pump it once. I've bled the brakes several times so I don't think there's air in the system. I believe the previous owner mentioned that he thought it had the wrong wheel cylinders fitted - I did start to investigate but taking the drums off would involve removing the hub nuts and they didn't look like they would take another staking in. I couldn't immediately find anywhere that sold the correct replacement nuts and since then other stuff has taken over. Handbrake is good.
Other things to mention:
Front passenger window doesn't wind down. Driver's window does but needs a bit of persuasion. Both rear windows go up and down fine. Also the C clip that holds the driver's winder handle onto the shaft is missing so the handle lives in the door pocket and I just stick it on the shaft when I need to open the window.
Boot strut doesn't quite manage to hold the tailgate up - a suitable piece of wood is supplied.
Radio works but the speakers are pretty tired so it sounds rubbish. I haven't tried the cassette player.
There is a box of bits with the car including two NOS rear brake drums and various brake shoes and pads, plus a spare air filter and touch-up paint.
Although the car is running and driving I would suggest transporting it away unless you are local as it hasn't been used much in recent years.
