Crikey, almost 18 months since the last update!
To be honest, there hasn't been much to update, started sorting the tailgate, the dent is deeper than i thought and it's tricky trying to push the dent out with the filler in the way and difficult to sand the filler down to remove it when it's already below the level/shape it needs to be. I'll keep plodding onwards with that as and when time, weather and motivation allow - it is looking better though.
Recently renewed the dizzy cap and rotor arm, both were showing serious signs of wear after 230k miles. Much smoother and more responsive!
What has actually prompted this update is it failed the MoT yesterday. Only a small hole in the drivers footwell/wheelarch but that was all apart from an advisory on an exhaust mount which is kind of strange as i only refitted that one a couple of months back.
For background, last years MoT which it flew through with two (Mickey Mouse) advisories was done somewhere else that also stitiched me up on my other car - that is documented elsewhere on the forum so won't go into it here. Anyway, these advisories last year, one was "Underneath of car covered in underseal" and the other was "Front brake flexi hoses starting to deteriorate".
Bought all 4 new flexis, after all, if the fronts are on their way, so are the rears usually. I also bought new rear disc/drums, shoes and pads and fitted those because i wasn't happy with how the handbrake performed on the brake rollers, despite a pass. Happy to say the handbrake is now nicely even and outperforms the service brakes.
However, all 4 flexis were in very good condition so i didn't touch those - not a word was said about them on this MoT at a different place.
Just need to find some sheet metal and christen the MIG, hopefully i can still weld!
Just for fun, he nearly failed it on emissions too until i pointed out it was well within the limits for the year and didn't even have a cat so was doing well to be only just outside the limits for a cat-equipped car! The CO was 0.6% and HC was 80ppm so it's running pretty well.