Malcolm's 1997 Vitesse Fastback

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malcolm_durant
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Malcolm's 1997 Vitesse Fastback

Post by malcolm_durant » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:09 pm

Well, I've been on here long enough that I should really get a thread going about my car.

I needed a car really quickly and so I possibly bought this in too much of a hurry in late 2006 for £515 with a claimed 95k on the clock, a knackered gearbox, iffy turbo (smoked erratically), no working remotes, a disintegrating steering wheel cover and an awful case of dash lift. Oh and some less desirable things like a cone filter near the engine block, loud dump valve, dodgy/broken boost controller and some very chavvy aluminium mats...all gone now.

One the bright side the paintwork polishes up well even today (not that I clean or polish it enough) and there was a big bore stainless steel cat-back exhaust with a nice subdued note.

All the important things (air intake trunking, g/box and turbo) I knew I could sort quickly and cheaply as I was dismantling my Vitesse Sport (which also donated some bits of trim) after an argument with an articulated lorry - the HGV's trailer basically reversed over the boot!!! It also quickly transpired that the PAS pump leaked.

I also made circa £250 breaking the saleable bits of the old car mainly on the old site and Rovertech, which means effectively this car set me back about £250..!

Immediately I swapped the turbo and PAS pump out of my old Vitesse Sport and a month or so later I changed the box over and put a new clutch in. Resoldered the fusebox around then too (I had taken the resoldered one out of my Vit Sport, but it decided to play up after working faultlessly in the original car).

The car sat very high at the front and very low at the back - I thought this was because of towing as it had been used mainly to lug jet-ski's around the country by the last owner (the parcel-shelf was apparently mullahed as a result of him regularly resting outboard motors on it).

I bought a set of lowering springs from Banshee Motorsport and fitted the fronts with a pair of new KYB shocks about 18 months ago. At the same time I did the lower ball joints and the ARB drop links and then undersealed the arches and replaced the weeping radiator. As the stance is now slightly nose down, which I like, I admit the rear springs are still in my garage!!!

During this spate of love and attention I found a rust hole in the rear wheel arch behind the (strangely quite solid) filler pipe. To be honest I can't weld very well and don't have the kit, so I simply covered it with a lump of underseal..on day I'll sort it properly!!

Soon after that I bought a very straight dash from Chris and swapped that over. Annoyingly I didn't think to check the wiring loom. Chris's dash had come from a saloon and so I lost my rear wash wipe function! I still have the old loom and may one day sort this...

In about July last year I replaced all 4 tyres (two were just legal, one probably not and the 4th went pop). Took the opportunity to change to 225/45/17's and I must say I think it was a good move given there was practically no cost difference. Soon after that the battery expired annoyingly.

Recently my brother in law returned from working in Egypt and bought a caravan that was near us. Initially he asked if I could tow it down to his new place near Southampton. This prompted me to finally sort the towbar electrics and seal the leaking rear lights.

Yesterday and today I got about 70% of the way through a waterpump change, timing belt replacement, head gasket replacement (cold starting has been getting ever more hesitant and so I was hoping to find the early onset of HGF...not entirely sure sure now I've pulled it apart), clutch slave cylinder replacement (my clutch would sometimes "stick" down and on inspection the old one was leaking slightly) and cam cover seal replacement (my engine was genuinely filthy). I also had a couple of spare camshaft seals from my wife's old 420 - so these will replace the weeping ones behind the cam pulleys.

Only broken 2 things so far: turbo to downpipe stud and surprisingly a cam cover bolt snapped). Forgot to buy an exhaust manifold gasket too, but otherwise the only complication was a crank pulley wheel that refused to budge and took two hours to prise off.

I am also replacing the brake flexi hoses with some braided ones that were bought for my last birthday - erm in Sept 2008!! It's proving to be a straight swap only complicated by rusty original fixings and at least one steel brake pipe that is definitely not going to pass the next MoT. Off to Partco tomorrow for a cheap flaring kit and some copper pipe.

Things I think need doing or I would like to do:
1. Parcel shelf.
2. Get some remote fobs that work.
3. Sort the growing collection of rust blebs (arches and bottom of the tailgate mainly) and the ding on one rear arch that I inherited from the last owner.
4. Finally sort the front speakers (I've been driving around without a driver's door card for a couple of months now!!).
5. Fit a Mk1 bonnet (with matching grill)
6. Fit the 827 Vitesse rear spats currently sitting in the garage.
7. Sort the plethora of creaks and rattles (especially the tailgate, driver's door and centre console).
8. Paint the faded back trims around the windows.
9. Sort the yellowing chrome on the bumpers and door strip.I may just take it out, slap some fibreglass in the resultant gasps and same flush before repainting for that smooth look! I think that these cars have too much chrome personally.
10. Fit the GBE boost control valve I rescued from the Vit Sport.
11. Find and fit a T28...

I'll probably post some pic's of it in all it's grubbyness tomorrow.

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

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Post by CHR15E » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:16 pm

There's always something that needs doing.

I don't think the MK1 bonnet will look right personally, unless you swap the bumper as well.
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

malcolm_durant
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Post by malcolm_durant » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:31 pm

Oh. and the one thing that really irritated me about this car is the number of annoying bodges and hamfisted things I've uncovered.

A couple of wheel studs were stripped bare and the wheel nuts had somehow been bodged on really tight.

The last person to service it had given up trying to remove the fuel filter (seems easy enough when you know how to pull the clips apart...) and had cut the pipe after the filter and fitted one of those little see-through plastic ones instead, leaving the old one unchanged!

The boost gauge had been fitted really badly with leaks and tubing chaffing (worrying I guess when you consider a boost valve was equally badly fitted and the boost gauge wasn't reading properly).

A screw in the spark plug cover had been overtightened, pulling the brass insert out of a cam cover.

The cam covers were leaking (this got very bad recently) and when removing them today I found some bolts were loose and some incrediably tight.

The towbar was really badly fitted - partically sorted, but I'd like to do this properly.

The radio was wired in with scotchblocs.

The bulb in the ABS warning light was removed (a couple of sensors off my Vit Sport soon sorted that although another was needed soon after just when I'd sold the others!!).

The PAS pump had obviously given trouble in the past and had been removed together with the little bracket it bolts too. Somehow they got the bolt out from behind the cam cover, but on refitting realised that you can't get it back in with the cam cover on. This bolt was just left. I finally sorted that today.

The front disks were shot, but nearly brand new pads were fitted - as I took the 285mm set-up off my Vit Sport this wasn't a big hassle to sort, but strikes me as a daft way to "save" money.

The inlet manifold had (unusually?) corroded through just after the throttle body and had been filled with chemical metal. The Vit Sport donated it's "Turbo" embelished upper cover to sort this.

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

malcolm_durant
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Post by malcolm_durant » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:34 pm

I don't think the MK1 bonnet will look right personally, unless you swap the bumper as well.
Agreed in part, but my preference for the bonnet outweighs the visual bumper disparity (and changing to an earlier bumper will mean the rubbing strips on the doors don't align).

I quite like the way Brad tweaked the front bumper on his V-reg 827. I'll try and emulate that...

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

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Post by CHR15E » Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:43 am

Your car afterall. As long as I don't have to look at it everyday. :lol: :wink:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

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Post by malcolm_durant » Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:11 pm

As long as I don't have to look at it everyday.
Well you will if I find a bonnet and you contine to look at this thread...here are the pictures I threatened!

A lovely study of the the old banger as she is right now (ie. on axle stands - d'ya like my homemade wheel-chocks?!). You can see I've been playing as the front is covered in a smear of grease from my hands.

Image

A slightly emptier than usual engine bay - head back on, water pump in etc, but numerous multi-plugs, hoses and cables to be reconnected and the exhaust manifold and turbo still to be replaced.

Image

And look at the head (just been cleaned) compared to the block. Gives an indication of how badly the cam covers were leaking! Incidentally, that drill bit (seen poking out, bottom right) is 7mm...I know they say an 8mm one should be used to lock the flywheel, but mine wouldn't go in.

Image

And to further amplify the oil leak point, here are the rear timing belt covers in need of a little washing...

Image

Here's the exhaust manifold and turbo awaiting extraction of the broken stud. It's shiny because I doused the exhaust manifold bolts in WD40 for about a day before removing (it worked a treat) and I am currently doing the same to the broken stud. God, I wish it was a T28..!

Image

Some less that totally clear shots of surface corrosion on one wheel arch (the rest are similar) and the irritating ding in the rear drivers side arch.

Image

Image

Timing belts. I had one lurking in the shed that I bought for my old Vitesse Sport from Halfords, but just to be sure I took it to Partco and compared it to the one they said was right for my car.

Both are the same length and have the same number of teeth. However the Halfords one is perhaps 1.5-2mm wider and has square teeth, whereas the Partco one (by Gates) has rounded teeth. The Partco one is the same as the original on this car. If anyone has a pre 96 car that needs a timing belt, I have a unused Halfords one going spare!!

Image

Image

My new toy (a copper brake pipe flaring kit) and some copper brake pipe to enable me to fix the corroded steel original (front driver's side). I'm expecting at least one of the others to be similar.

Image

And some shots intended to embarass me into action...dashboard in need of a Fastback wiring loom, unfinished front speaker installation, the missing door card and some bits including a Recaro that needs lumbar support adjustment added so I can swap it with the existing passenger seat. I suspect like many on here, I have a few other bits that are either spares or need re-installing: all cluttering the garage!

Image

Image

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The last photo above alludes to a habit (my wife would say obsession) of mine. I never throw good wood away as it always seems to come in useful and costs a bomb. I have several old paint/tile glue buckets full of such off cuts and longer lengths all over the garage!!

Below is my "Stebtech" machined alloy throttle body spacer. A concession to bling maybe, but a damn fine idea that is very well made (Steb is/was a rovertech member who had access to a full machine workshop and knocked things like this out). The rubber originals on this car, the Vit Sport and the 420 Tourer have all been in various stages of decay.

Image

And finally a bit of successful restoration completed. My neighbour kindly gave the kids a small pile of old toys that his daughters and now his grand children have out-grown. Amongst them was an original Simon from the late 1970's that worked after a fashion.

Image

I've fixed it. Poor battery connections meant it cut out frequently and broken prongs under the buttons meant it didn't always know you'd pressed a particular button. Works perfectly now and I even managed to download a .pdf of the manual off the web..!

Having hankered after one as a kid (not as much as Computer Battleship admittedly a couple of years later), I must admit to playing it far more than I should at my age!! They are not that easy to complete I hasten to add..!

Apparently these Simon's are a bit of an icon as the first genuinely successful computer game - and that polished stainless steel in the centre screams late '70's "futuristic" to me...

That's enough for now!!

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

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Post by BlueRover » Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:19 pm

Simon !! My parents still have ours and I've got a Merlin game which was the next step up (and much better IMHO ).
Gordon:-
Only two 800's now,white 1991 820i with TWR and full special order leather (been stood for 15 years) and now a Nightfire red Tickford with 135k on the clock
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Post by malcolm_durant » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:16 pm

Simon !! My parents still have ours...
Having looked over the past week or two, they fetch £20 or more on Fleabay if in working order...

This one is definitely not for sale though - apart from being rather attached myself, my refrain to the kids when they spend too long on the Wii is that their brains will turn to pea-soup...not an accusation you can level at a memory game like Simon.

Wish you could still get the little X shaped plastic tags that "spring" the buttons as they snap after repeated use.

I've plastic welded ours back together with modellers' plastic solvent (for Airfix kits etc) and reinforced them with some thin steel stuck underneath each tag with some silicon "instant gasket".

The steel was actually cut from a couple of pieces of Chinese fake Mecanno chopped to shape with nail scissors and then squeezed flat again in a vice. Although invisible, it's a bit of a bodge.

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

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Post by CHR15E » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:59 am

Not sure I've ever seen your car before Malcolm?

Seems strange. :lol:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

malcolm_durant
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Post by malcolm_durant » Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:46 am

Not sure I've ever seen your car before Malcolm?
Must be a pretty unique 800 then :wink:

You may not have seen the whole thing, but you've certainly seen the dash, the hoses from the fuel filter to the fuel rail and some other random parts of it..! :oops: :lol:

My wife's sick as a dog right now, so it looks like it will be off the road for a few more days yet...

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

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Post by CHR15E » Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:09 pm

Certainly a possiblity that I've seen those parts before. :lol:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

malcolm_durant
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Post by malcolm_durant » Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:48 am

Well, to be honest, what with one thing and another, not much progress to report. All bits except (the timing) belt are cleaned and replaced.

Need to take off the rear cam cover again to replace that snapped bolt and reconnect some random multi-plugs here and there. The corroded brake pipes and new braided flexie-hoses still need doing.

Managed to find the loom from my original dash (that I'd idiotically snipped the connectors off) in the garage and resoldered it back together in readiness to replace the saloon item in the car at the moment (no wash wipe etc).

Only thing is, somewhere in in year or two since I swapped the dash, I've lost one of the multi-plugs, so I'll have to cannabalise the loom that's currently on the car :roll:

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

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Post by CHR15E » Sun Sep 20, 2009 3:15 pm

All fun and games. At least you'll know for next time. :lol:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

malcolm_durant
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Post by malcolm_durant » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:14 pm

True enough..!

On the upside I've been sorting out stuff in the garage a bit since the conservatory went. Even without it crammed in the garage I couldn't find anything.

I found a motor assembly for (one of the) windows and loads of other stuff I'd forgotton I had - but don't actually need!! For some reason I have 4 of those little triangular trims that go on the inside of the door where the mirrors are - but in over a decade of 800 ownership I've never needed one of 'em!

Also, having got fed up of sifting through an old tool box stuffed full of bolts to find what I need (I'm one of those tight "never throw anything useable away" people) I finally bought a couple of those £7 organiser boxes from B&Q and now have all my screws, bolts, nuts and clips sorted by thread, length etc etc. Have to say I was surprised how many totally knackered bolts I'd held on to. Probably about 100 all in.

Just got to find something suitable to store and organise all my rubber bungs, grommets and jubilee clips and I'm laughing!

Malcolm
Range Rover 4.6 HSE

Rover Vitesse Fastback - RIP
Rover Vitesse Sport - RIP
Rover 827 Vitesse - RIP
Rover 216 Vitesse - RIP

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Post by CHR15E » Mon Sep 21, 2009 3:14 pm

Don't throw the trim bits away though, you know what'll happen if you do. :lol:

You should see the rack I have for stuff like that. A bit overkill. :lol:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

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