Eunos Chump

Continuing to work on the GTV, slowly, and still not entirely sure why; perhaps it's like a sick animal I want to nurse back to health? Thermostat has failed open, this is the replacement.  About £30 and ECP had it in stock, currently fighting to remove the single-use hoseclips from the old one.  Discovered it's had a radiator quite recently, yet the coolant is mostly brown water.  Who does that? Engine is covered in oil, appears to be cam cover gasket but also suspect something is leaking under the cambelt cover.  Need to replace cambelt and balancer shaft belt as there's no history of either being done. Split intake hose not helping. I've given the frontpipe to a local exhaust fabricator to sort out.  Broken studs on cat now need sorting.  Awkward hub nut requires a thin-walled socket to remove it, which I've only been able to get from Amazon.  Everything is awkward on this car.

Ugh.  That flexi is causing me some right headaches, but it's one of 2 serious problems that'll prevent an MOT pass next month.  Other is a split CV gaiter, have got a replacement but weather has stopped play. 

 Getting up 5am on a Saturday?  Is any car worth this? Italian car will not start, of course.  A new battery from ECP sorts it.  £24 car now £93 (excluding flight and train fare @ £77)  240 miles later and I'm home.  It looks a bit tired but it drives really well. Tired now, going to bed.

Have finally won an Autoshite roffle!  6 weeks MOT, exhaust leak and it doesn't start when hot ('cos crank sensor), superb.  Going to collect it at weekend (it's UP NORTH).