No time at all, eh?

It has taken over a year, but I am pleased to be able to say that the Jag is back on the road!

The big cat's return from the doldrums began when my Dad sold his house, meaning that 'H9 WAP' was evicted. As she wasn't taxed, MOT'd, or in any fit state to run, I arranged transport to my place of work where she could be parked off the street and could get her into the garage for the necessary repairs. I have to say a huge 'Thank You' to the staff and students Edinburgh College's Midlothian Campus for putting up with my derelict car as she long overstayed her welcome. Without the kind patch of private road offered her I would have been really stuck, so thank you!

On arrival at the Campus, the car was in desperate need of a wash. There was moss growing where it shouldn't. She had become her own ecosystem. It wasn't pretty, but was easily solved thanks to a pressure washer. Once 'H9 WAP' was looking like someone cared I moved onto her mechanicals.

Now, the 2013 refusal to issue an MOT certificate was due to the broken front spring and knackered parking brake, so these were tackled first. Thanks to some very keen pricing from Euro Car Parts, the loan of a special tool from Mulsanne Motors, the ramps at Edinburgh College, and help from Big Billy, replacing the springs was fairly straightforward. Granted, the first one took a while. Any little noise the spring compressor made had me running for cover, while the alignment of the spring pan on refitting proved tricky.

Once both sides were successfully swapped out it was on to the parking brakes where de-lamination of the shoes turned out the be the culprit for inefficiency. My stash of spares in the Jag's boot was raided and a good found then duly fitted. The rear discs were replaced at the same time too (I'd previously bought a spare pair off a parts car which were refaced to remove corrosion. Sadly this took them right to their minimum thickness and warped them for good measure, so the only option was to buy and fit new ones).

With that mechanical work complete, and the car given a pre-MOT check thumbs up by automotive students, my attention moved to the foosty interior. A rear window had been left open a crack while 'H9 WAP' was on the driveway in Dunipace and the boot was unlatched too. This let moisture in and resulted in mould growing on the passenger seatbelt, the seats, ski slope, radio, and the steering wheel. A thorough scrub with microfibre cloths and Milton's disinfectant brought things back up to standard but I'll need to feed the leather seats, get into the nooks and crannies with an old toothbrush, and shampoo the mats/carpets. Those are tasks for a sunny day off. At least the car doesn't smell like a squaddie's sock now.

Feeling good that the car was presentable and the last MOT issues had been resolved, I booked the Jag into GP Autos, Dalkeith, for a new test. I know the staff from my time at Mulsanne. They have a lot of experience in old, luxury metal and the £40 MOT test is a bargain. To be honest, I could see it fail. I mean after all, the backbox still had a hole in it the size of a tangerine (which oddly was never mentioned in 2013). What I wasn't expecting though was such an epic fail...

Here's the list...

Fails

• Brakes Failures: RBT Brake Imbalance: 52% and 9%
• Offside front headlamp aim too high
• Offside rear brake pipe excessively corroded
• OFR and NSF inner sills holed (right within the subframe mounting area - ouch!)
• Offside rear box has major leak of exhaust gasses (aye - was expecting that)
• Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (due to the backbox)
• Brakes imbalanced across an axle

Advisories

• Park Brake Efficiency 16% (Offside was worst)
• Front to Rear and NSF brake pipe slightly corroded
• Both rear brake hoses have slight corrosion to ferrules
• OSF and NSF chassis rails corroded but not excessive (slight de-lamination)
• Windscreen lightly scored

My heart sank when I got the phone call. Having forked out for the transport, the parts, and having done a load of work, I was about ready to throw in the towel. Sadly I had run out of time and space to do the work myself. The insurance was up too, plus it would still need road tax. I felt bad for abandoning it on the driveway and neglecting what has always been a dream car for me. Rather than just accept defeat though I asked GP's for an estimate which came back costing a lot less than I was expecting, so I gave the them the go ahead to fix her. It had to be done!

As the repairs saga rolled on I galvanised myself into sorting out the other stuff needing doing such as finding a place the the Jag to rest. I took on the rent of an Edinburgh City Council lock up, after checking my car would fit, finding a bone dry garage in a nice central location, near a Police station and in the shadow of Arthur's Seat. That will be The Beastie's new home. 

Meanwhile, fully comp insurance this year came in at under £200, though it is a limited 3000 mile per annum policy. Given the distance accrued over the last two years this is no issue. The odometer has gone from 119093 in March 2012, to 121054 in April 2014. A grand total of 1961 miles. In comparison, she did over 4000 miles between 2011 to 2012, and 6800 the year before. 

Tax was, as usual, expensive but necessary. I have a few years to wait yet before 'H9 WAP' is exempt.

Last week GP's called to say that 'H9 WAP' passed her MOT at the third time of asking. The smile returned to my face, well, at least until I had to pay the bill and discovered the retest had turned up some additional advisories. 

Bonus Advisories!

• Both front bearings have slight play
• Rear axle both bushes slightly deteriorated
• Both rear tyre treads low
• OSF disc warped slightly

Oh well, wouldn't be a classic Jag if there wasn't something to do!  

So, with all the t's crossed and i's dotted, repairs done and some fresh fuel in the tank, tonight it was time to hit the road!

It's like the first time all over again.

I remember the nerves I had on the trip from Glasgow the day I bought her, how I was waiting for something to go wrong. The adrenalin was flowing. My muscles tense. Maybe that's half the attraction of having an old car? That wait, those nerves, the chance to fix something if it fails and feel all manly about it. After a while though I settled into it and enjoyed the driving, the same as I had done just over two years ago. The magic carpet waftiness is still there, blissfully so without the clunks from the front end caused by a burst spring. The brakes, gearchanges and steering are all smooth, and all the electrics work. Ample power is beneath my right boot and the ambience can't be beat.

Of course, a few things have reared their head or are still outstanding. She is a Project Car after all.

For instance, the idle speed is too high thanks to a manky throttle body. This means you have to pop her in neutral and blip the throttle for her to unstick and settle down. Hardly the done thing in traffic. My battery is still suspect. The ABS warning light came on, then went off, so perhaps a connection is loose. The blown bulb warning light appears then goes away on its own. The brakes are still a bit spongy so it would probably be a good idea to re-bleed the lot given how long she sat on that driveway in the crap weather. I still need to do the upper timing chain tensioner before doing serious miles. The alloys are all buggered, leaking air at the rims and in need of refurb, plus the steering wheel reach adjustment needs sorting, and I need a new wiper. Oh, then there's the checkstrap and rear bumper brackets to be done in addition to bodywork and painting - specifically targeted at a rust bubble on the NSR arch and multitudes of scratches all over.

But, with all the money spent, the work done, and the work still to do, I have a classic Jag on the road at less than the cost price of my tired old Almera. This is a good thing.

I would recommend buying one in a heartbeat. Prices for big Jags are still falling. You'll find much better examples than mine for sale at around or less than the £600 I paid. I admit that had I waited, and added the cost of the repairs I have paid to the purchase price of the car, I could have had something with less miles on and in better condition. Then again, the classic car journey is why people get into this hobby. Destination is one thing yes, but the getting there is what keeps you interested. Every little bit you fix, make new, improve or polish. It all adds up. When 'H9 WAP' is back to perfect condition I will feel an enormous sense of satisfaction and I'll enjoy myself getting there. And so a Jaguar's Tale continues! :)

An update...

It has been a good long while since the last blog post and there's a good reason why... LIFE!

Yep, the daily goings-on have taken over and as such I have had no spare time to do anything with the Jag, nevermind having the money to do anything with it anyway. Such is the lot of a Classic Car owner who also happens to be a poor student!

On a positive note though she does have a place to stay off the mean streets of Edinburgh, and now lives on my Dad's driveway in Dunipace near Stirling. This move became a necessity as the tax expired in March but it has been a blessing. The drive there was accomplished with no bother at all. Everything worked. Air-con, radio clock, lights, kickdown, all gears. Everything! All was well apart from the battery shenanigans which have now been largely resolved now thanks to a donated OEM battery from a sister 3.2 Sport (which is currently waiting either restoration or stripping for spares up at Mulsanne Motors if anyone is up for it - though I bagsy the wheels!). I must admit that it felt good to be back behind the wheel. Mind you, the brakes were still crap...

After a month on my Dad's driveway though it was time for an MOT. I'm afraid to say that the Jag failed on a broken coil spring, and poor handbrake. The warped discs and huge hole in the backbox didn't appear to be a concern though. As a result, she has lain dormant on the driveway save for the occasional firing up and jaunt around the cul-de-sac. My Dad enjoys the old thing so is willing to stump up some cash so that he can use it properly while I work my bahookie off.

Speaking of working, as you know I'm a full-time student. I work on the eCar project one full day a week, and I work evenings from the half 4 to 8. When I'm not doing all that I'm on the 'SS Explorer' restoring and promoting her. My only other free time is enjoyed with my Wife and my Stepson. At some point I also sleep! It is a lot of work for lots of rewards, but not a lot of pay - hence the stalled restoration on H9 WAP. However, things are about to change...

My college course and the internship for the eCar Project are coming to an end. I had considered staying on at the college as a student and moving into an HND Engineering course, but had been put off by the debt this would put me in. Having spent many, many years clearing tens of thousands of pounds of it, I don't want to go back there. Happily, another option has come up which should see me in a full-time role at the college as the Administrator for the eCar project! This would see me in a £15k a year job until Christmas at least, which added to my wages from the Council should give me the disposable cash I need to get the Jag to a perfect condition. In addition to that, my Dad has come out of retirement to take on a new job at his old place of work so he will have money spare too. The upshot of this is that the Beastie will have a lot of work done over the next few months and I fully expect her to be back on the road where she belongs in no time, with ALL the wee problems sorted.

So, watch this space for the return of the grace and pace!

Vintage Apple Results...

Here's a teaser of the finished Vintage Apple Photography work from a while back... :)

A doodle...

Not a Jag, but this is an example of some of the stuff I doodle in notebooks... Usually during meetings and stuff. :)

Got the bug back...

I finally decided to face facts a few weeks ago and confront my poor old abandoned Jag. She'd been parked up in a side street ever since her last visit to the college when two slow punctures were sorted out among some other bits & pieces (like completely replacing the front brakes!). 

I hadn't sat in her for around 4 months, let alone drive anywhere. The reasons? Well, lack of mojo brought about by rising repair costs, potentially crippling engine issues, and what I perceived to be a dearth of results from recent repairs. I just parked it - and ignored it. Now I understand why cars lie in barns for decades, under tarps in people's driveways, or buried beneath the detritus of family life in a dusty garage. It's really easy to forget you're responsible for that vehicle and what becomes of it. 

Unsurprisingly, 'H9 WAP' reacted to the abandonment by draining her battery. She was sleeping and there was no way she was moving. With the help of classmates from the college we managed to jump start her and begin the warming up process. A couple of problems became apparent  - there was a horrible noise coming from the power steering pump, and the battery was toast. The pump noise was quickly cured with a top up of fluid and we found that the brakes all worked (nothing seized thankfully), so with a bit of gentle manoeuvring the old girl eased from her place of rest. The big cat became Nyan Cat though, leaving a rainbow trail of leaking fluids in her path...

Nevertheless, I shifted her to a new parking spot closer to home so that I could keep a better eye on her. It also gave me the chance to remember why I love this car in the first place. The ride, the power, the presence  the looks... As soon as I sat in her again I was grinning. I had been silly to ignore its pull.

As with anything that isn't used regularly, 'H9 WAP' had developed a couple of problems. The power steering fluid top up didn't stay where it should and the brakes were crap - spongy and dead. They worked though, but by the time they did my foot was nearly out the floor! After a short run around town to blow off the cobwebs (literally), we parked up with a plan to come back later in the week to sort the PAS issue and get things back on the road. I wanted to get the rear brakes replaced using the spares I'd bought months ago, and I also wanted to get things moving on replacing the holy back box. 

So, in the next update, I'll explain how all that went, and where we are - a year after I started a Jaguar's Tale.  

    

No Mojo...

I haven't driven the Jag for nearly three months now. It has sat parked up at the side of a quiet road, away from passers by, just mouldering. The battery has gone flat from it being sat so long - a fact I disappointingly learned when collecting some stuff from the boot. What's really sad though is the fact I haven't missed it... It's not that I don't enjoy driving it, I do, but recently the noise from the timing chain tensioner and the spongy brakes have put me off using it. I've gone without and almost forgot about it.

Realistically though, the actual running costs have been more of an eye opener and a mojo killer. Looking back at my outgoings over the last year or so it has been clear that I was haemorrhaging money on petrol. In fact, I must have spent upwards of £600 a month during the summer. It didn't help that the Ka failed it's MOT and that I had to buy the Almera. That expense really left me broke. No spare cash means no money for spares, no money to use towards petrol, and no money to use towards restoration work on the big cat.

So now I'm at a bit of a fork in the road... Keep it, or sell it? Put it in long term storage and accept the fact that many more things will go wrong the longer it sits, or run it once a week where funds allow until the tax and MOT run out in March? I'm not sure what to do.

Bangernomics & EV's...

Drafted a couple of months ago...

I'd like to put another big 'Thank you!' out there for Rob Jenner of the Jaguar Enthusiast's Club, who has once again supplied me with parts to keep the Jag roadworthy. This time it was a complete rear brakes set-up: callipers, carriers, pads, discs, shoes and their fitting kits. All for beer money.

The parts need cleaned up but I can do that in the college, or hopefully when it's quiet at Mulsanne. Fitting them will be done at the college after the timing chain tensioner/rattle is sorted. I won't be mucking about when it comes to doing that particular job. New bits are the order of the day there. With a JEC and possibly a trade discount too, a new tensioner, dampers and gaskets shouldn't break the bank. Which is just as well because I haven't been in full-time employment for over 2 years and my money is running out!

I should explain why that is actually...

Just over those 2 years ago I was working full-time at The University of Edinburgh. It was a management position worth a good £25k per annum or thereabouts and seemed to be a suitable evolution from my previous, similar roles with BSkyB and Motorola. I hated it though. The machinations of being a team manager, plus the stress of the office politics that come with it, had just wore me out. As I looked at my career, I realised I'd steered it down a dead end. To use a modern analogy it was as if I'd been using Apple Maps the whole time.

An opportunity arose to leave the University with a redundancy payment in hand, so I took it. I decided that I needed to take a chance and make a change, to do what I should have done when I left school. To that end I applied for motor vehicle courses at all the local colleges as I wanted to train to become a Mechanic, and waited with baited breath for a reply. Thankfully I was able to enrol in Jewel & Esk College on a full-time course, plus I was awarded a bursary. The financial support meant that my lump sum from the redundancy could be stretched out considerably longer. What would have been six month's wages was now more like ten.

There came a point though when those funds were drying up. Just before they did I was fortunate enough to receive a successful PPI claim for a sum of money roughly the same value as my original redundancy payment. I used some of it towards paying off old debt and clearing my feet to reduce my monthly outgoings, then I bought the Jag, and ultimately the Nissan when the Ka bit the dust. It is the remainder of that fund which is currently running out.

There is a Scholarship available at the College though that will pay the bills and which will open a few doors for me if I am successful in my application.

The College are looking to employ an assistant on their EV Project. This is a sustainable, zero carbon transport initiative piloted by Jewel & Esk which sees them using a fleet of electric cars instead of the petrol/diesel alternatives for day to day inter-campus commuting and deliveries. The data gathered so far indicates that the EV's are mainly used for short, stop-start journeys and that you can travel 18000 miles in an electric car for just £630 in charging costs.

The enterprise is really beginning to take off as the fleet of cars is expanding and the extra data gathered needs to be analysed, interpreted and presented to demonstrate the usefulness and viability of the EV's. For instance, one thing that someone (hopefully me) will need to do is find out just how far you can actually go on a one way trip using one full charge - and how that range is affected by your driving style. Once the values for those are known they can be collated with the rest of the data. If someone then wants to know whether or not an EV will get them from Midlothian Campus to Dunbar, we will be in a position to tell them. The aim of the project is to switch attitudes to EV's and demonstrate to large organisations how they could use them. In doing so, they would reduce their carbon footprint and save money. If the vehicles are charged using renewable means (eg. solar or wind turbines), the organisation's carbon footprint would shrink even further.

We need to demonstrate that the EV alternative is practical though and that's where I hope to be able to make a difference.