Time to reveal my secret!

drjim · Post by **drjim** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 4:00 pm

Dear all

As you know I bought a Gold 1979 316 a few months back, which I have been pondering restoration of. The bills looked huge, the car needs fixing as it leaks, and without a garage/workshop to do the work in myself, I had a problem.

So I have bought another car

This is a 1983 316, which USED TO BELONG TO A MECHANIC

he has fixed just about everything that can be fixed. I have stuck some pics up so you can see the car. Problems found on the 60 mile drive back from collecting the car are that the indicators don't cancel, and there's no stereo. There are a few very minor marks on the paintwork, but the car came second at a classic car show during the summer - didn't win because the owner had forgotten his vacuum cleaner and the carpets were a bit dirty! As you can see, I now have sunroof, rear headrests, and electric mirrors.

The questiopn is what to do with the Gold car and all the bits I have obtained - wheels / tyres / wings / rear corner panels / strut bars / sports suspension / wishbones / rear bushes the list goes on! I am thinking of parking the Gold car on my parents drive until I can find a garage, then fixing it up myself, to become a trackday car. It's for sale on eBay as well - someone might want to save it before I can find a garage - likely to mean moving house

Anyway here's the linky to the pics...

http://www.greatdayinthemountains.com/bluecar/001.html
http://www.greatdayinthemountains.com/bluecar/002.html

kam · Post by **kam** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 4:18 pm

Nice find there DrJim. was this from ebay in in London by any chance? Looks very clean what ever the case, I think this is the way to do i, get yourself the best example and work from there. Definetly the cheaper option.

Happy motoring!

drjim · Post by **drjim** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:40 pm

Nope, Leeds not London. The day was actually brilliant - I used to live in Leeds, and haven't been back for a few years. All the trains were on time, and I didn't have to wait at the station - got off one and straight onto another. Went past my old house on the train, and felt obliged to drive back that way. Got out of car to take a picture, and the guy I sold the house to 7 years ago walked past. Invited me in to see what the place looks like now - much the same as when I left. Nice to see my bricklaying/plumbing/tiling/flooring/wiring skills produced lasting results!

Jim

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:25 pm

Congrats, great buy mate, sweet car & I love the color!

drjim · Post by **drjim** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:33 pm

The car is amazing to drive - it has had all it's rubbers/wishbones etc fixed. Turn the wheel and it goes where you point it!

If the weather is OK tomorrow I'll be popping the wheels off to look at the brakes etc, and will get some more photos. For the £870 price plus £20 train/tram fares to get there, I think it's a good buy.

I quite like the pic I took through the rear headrests with my gold car behind. It's not in anywhere near as good condition as the new one, but I can't scrap it - either someone buys it, or I'll have to rent a workshop to fix it - I DID see a wrecked e30 M3 cabrio engine on eBay the other day.....

--ALPINA-- · Post by **--ALPINA--** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:11 am

Well done jim, like the car very much, looks well soild as it should, i think you should concentrate on your new car and have much pleasure doing so... nice pix also, wheres the house pic that you took??

Jimi

Nils · Post by **Nils** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:06 pm

This car looks amazingly straight and nice... I dig the color

...

ac/dennis · Post by **ac/dennis** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:28 pm

Excellent specimen m8!

drjim · Post by **drjim** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:31 pm

That's what I thought, so I bought it!

Notice that the wiring has been replaced...

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:43 pm

drjim wrote:Notice that the wiring has been replaced...

U think so? Believe it was wrapped the same way from the factory and I've seen several similar wiring looms that more or less burst open after for instance being moved aside for some work.

drjim · Post by **drjim** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:47 pm

The wiring looks too new to be the original, that's why I think there's been work one. Mind you I've not looked at it in great detail, as it keeps raining, so open bonnet is not a good idea. Not a problem if I'm wrong, and you definitely have more knowledge of these matters than I do!

Jim

--ALPINA-- · Post by **--ALPINA--** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:44 pm

Jim, its like mine, when i pull my bunch of cables to one side you can see all new cables, saying that, what ive done was i taped the wiring with black electrical tape alla long the loom, and now its solid....

Jimi

drjim · Post by **drjim** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:43 am

Well it's not cracked and falling apart - that's what matters!

Going to football in the car tomorrow - I/We are Man City fans, so the car being blue makes it ideal!

arshad76 · Post by **arshad76** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:05 am

Great find Jim,

Of course you told me about it before the "official revealing" and having had a closer look at the car, you’ve definitely done the right thing. My car, (if you can call it that at the moment) has been completely stripped internally engine removed and no front suspension. It's getting some serious modifications wiring, engine and fingers crossed air conditioning wise at the moment. I’ll keep everyone posted in the owners gallery. Anyway speak soon.

Mcinek · Post by **Mcinek** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 11:08 am

Congrats on your new classic car