A gentle jaunt to Norwich this morning to an area behind Rose Lane and there she was. eBay makes life easier, the money was already settled and paid by the time I got there so it was make sure the tyres were road legal and had some air, and nothing was likely to get me pulled, sign the v5 and away. The chap selling it did the big LED TV screens for Big brother, superfact!
Anyway on to the car... total bargain, it started first turn of the key with a nice burble, followed by a rattling heat shield. job #1. And idled smoothly and we're off. The ride was great and driving it is just effortless, exactly what I was hopping for (but not really expecting) the brakes work but they're... what's the phrase? 'laid back' at best, quite a lot of pedal travel before anything much happens. Cruising back through Tombland oil pressure good, water temp good, almost half a tank of fuel in it (sweet!) I played with all the switches and everything (except the Air-con) just works, flick the stereo on, even the electric aerial works, (Tuned to Radio 2 naturally) and the first song Graham Norton plays... "Soul Bossa Nova", apt.
Over the first pothole there's a bang from the front right job #2. I haven't climbed under it yet but it had an advisory on ball joints, mebe that, mebe wishbone bushes, will have to see. And that's about it to report for the run home, the kickdown sits you back in the seat enough to know something is happening and drives dead straight not pulling either way, quite and (other than 2) rattle free its just a big comfy old hector.
I've had a quick poke round since getting it home, the arch rust is beginning but should be easily delt with, doesn't seem to be very prevalent, there is one nasty patch inside the O/S/R Door which (job #3) hopefully wont need more than cleaning up and coat of good old FE-123 applied before some paint. A cracked indicator lens needs replacing (job #4).
Under the bonnet it all looks nice and tidy, a little weep from the power steering pipes to check (job #5) no sign of the oil leak the guy selling it mentioned but I'm sure I'll find it more easily when it's cleaned up, apparently they're prone to cam cover weep, so that'd be a nice easy fix.. Some flaky paint on the hinge at the front (job #6) Hammerite time. There is some loose rust coming from around the O/S shock top which could be something to do with job #2 clonk over potholes.
The interior is beige on beige on beige, drivers bolster is ripped, and the headlining is saggy which is par for the course from what I read, other than that it just needs a damn good clean as the beige ranges from pale to alarmingly yellow. The bottom of the drivers door card is detached (job #7) and the bulb cover is missing.
And finally the paint on the bonnet is a bit discoloured and has lots of little bubbles on it, bad paint job? or heat? either way it needs cutting back (job #8).
Hopefully the drizzle will stop tomorrow and I can get out, give it a good clean and whip the O/S/F wheel off and see what's what with the clonk and take some pics.
All in all I'm chuffed, when Nigels tax runs out at the end of the month I'll swap, Sorn him (might final get round to fixing the drive shaft Russ diagnosed months ago) and run the Jag for 6 months and see how painful the fuel is.
