Automotive Maintenance

C110 – Again

December 14, 2009

So having left a lot of the rear quarter to go, on Friday afternoon after I had finished work for the day I shot home and due to the weather was resigned to wire brushing in the garage, which is annoying only for the fact that due to the previous “work” done on the C110, the garage fill with bog dust.  Which isn’t the best, really.  Anyway, so I hacked into the bog;

10mm

10mm

It wasn’t long before I decided that the amount of damage to this area regardless I would be better to as gently as possible, chip the bog off with a screw driver, then tidy up the residual filler with a wire-brush later, much like this… (more…)

With starting work in the evening and it being a magically fantastic day, I pulled the C110 out from the garage and got stuck in to the doomed side with my wire wheel and pistol drill.  Time consuming but rewarding none the less.   Here’s what I started with;

My first real port of call was the lower rear quarter, behind the wheel.  Being that the corner where the rear panel met the rear quarter was so horrifically repaired, things did not bode well.  Of course, how could they when the previous owner was so wonderful with his “repairs”.  The next discovery just provided further proof of inability/deception. (more…)

MAX Progress!

November 19, 2009

With much and many thanks to Ewan from Hayatonka.com, I have had the parts to put the engine in the Daihatsu Max back together for a week or two, the only problem is that the weather decided it did not want to assist me with this…                …until yesterday that is!  So with the first sunny day devoid of wind, having the morning off on a Wednesday proved to be ideal.  I dropped my partner off at around half eight in the A.M, came home and got stuck into it;

Step 1:

Step 1: Remove Old Lower Gasket

The gasket came off surprisingly easily.  I thought it would rip like a son of a chicken, thankfully I pulled it off gently and it managed to be extracted in one piece… (more…)

Yahoo for Yahoo! Japan

October 21, 2009

Now many weeks post purchase of my Daihatsu Max, searches for Rings and Pins etc. coming up with nothing but “Out Of Stock” or needing to be tracked down with huge delays on each side of the stretch of water separating Japan and New Zealand, delays of course not due to the people involved in helping me (much thanks goes out to Dell’orto from OS, Ewan and others for attempts to find them locally) but rather delays from those that stock, could potentially stock, or sell the aftermarket brand that makes the appropriate replacements.

I was met with more disappointment yesterday not related to the Max when the GT-R badge I had placed a bid on went above and beyond what I could afford (though it did end up selling for exactly as much as I expected) then an effort to buy a replacement vehicle post sale of my Terrano fell through when some cad had the nerve to click the “Buy Now” option on the Auction.  Something I wasn’t willing to do without checking the Fiat out first.  Those who know Fiats will know why that is.

However, all was not lost.  I decided after searching my usual fare on YAJ, I would crack into another series of Daihatsu searches and after the third search variation (I have to try about 5 variations on models and codes and several hundred pages of searching just “Daihatsu” items to find things for the Max) I stumbled upon these…

Oh yes!

Oh yes!

Not only are they a new kit but there were several available and after a hastily written email to Ewan @ Hayatonka I bought the 040 over-size ones.  A direct replacement for what was once in mine.  Not only that but the same chap had a Full Gasket kit.  You may recall that when I got mine, it came with a brand new replacement head-gasket but being I’ll need to put the intake and exhaust back on,  I’ll need more.  So, stoked!  They will be on their way to NZ in due course and this leaves me with only the needle roller bearings to get to install and reassemble the engine.   Eeeeeeeexxxcceellent!

Finally some progress!

-Michael

The Dreaded Rear Quarter

October 15, 2009

Some of you who read this might not be aware of the drama that my C110 has been through in the past, so I thought I would bring it up to date.  I’ve been quite apprehensive in starting on the right hand side of the C110 and the bad weather and lack of equipment has also played a part in the delay in continuing the strip down of paint and the inevitable bog.  My concern about what I’m going to tackle shortly (hopefully start on it tomorrow or in the weekend) stems from being the victim of a tourists inability to give way, at a Give-Way.  The result was this;

Quite possibly the worst place to hit.

As you can somewhat see from this picture (more so in the subsequent pictures), the corner of a stupid late model Nissan Pulsar rental managed to nudge directly into the apex of the bodyline, the door only taking a minor scuff and the wheel not too bothered.  The shut did get pulled around however, not good. (more…)