What service, repair, or detail did you perform today?

Took out the battery on the 328 because it won't hold a charge and the local shop doesn't have one so I have to wait a bit.. and bought a Deltran charger. Just gotta wait for a battery to get here.. just waiting.. nothing to do at all.. just kinda wait...

Lester

 

Had aftermarket radio removed and replaced with blanking plate. Never used the radio anyway.

 

Turned the key, started it up and drove it through all the gears.

Put the windows up and down, turned on the lights including high beams, used the turn signals and AC

 

did this.

(recently got my tach reading again)

 

I am working on replacing the CV boots on my newly acquired 308GTB - had one let go on the very first drive in the car. The Passenger side boots looked OK and the driver side boots were looking pretty bad on inspection. Note to self - those will have to be addressed I thought. Well damned if the passenger side didn't pop - CV grease all over the header heat shield and engine block - not to mention everywhere else in the circumferential vicinity...

Anyway - bought the kit from Ferrari Service of Bedford (our own Fastradio's shop) and got to work. Putting everything back together yesterday (Superbowl Sunday) and getting ready to grease things up. Wait - how did the outer race go in there again? My pics from dis-assembly were not clear. What to do? On a whim I sent an Email to Fastradio. Low and behold 5 minutes later he answered me - maybe an hour or so before kickoff. And to top that off, found a picture to send for clarification! We swapped a few Emails back and forth until I was sure I had them right.

So - THANKS and BIG KUDOS to Fastradio. That is service!

Curtis

 

Just this afternoon I got my 328 back from its 30k service. Took 3 weeks at my local independent Ferrari mechanic's shop, so I can't say I did this all today. Other than a small crack in one of the distributor caps, there were no real surprises. There was a scare that the rear bank valve cover was deformed, but I asked the mechanic to check again based on very sage and calming advice from FastRadio. Won a beer from the mechanic on that one.

So what was the first thing I did when I got her home? Wash and wax. Just finished.

 

Actually got to install the battery today.. along with the leads for the Deltran charger..

Whee!

Lester

 

Got the same kit last summer. Absolutely agree, David is the best in service, parts and advice.

 

Yes we did.

Changed the induction pipe...however I am waiting for longer silicone hoses to arrive - they need more overlap, not sure if our eligability scruitiner will approve?

T.
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Started on re painting cam covers and doing the valve guides. Ordered the gaskets and tomorrow I will get a new high torque starter ordered.

 

Lotus cars have Lucas electrics. These wiring looms have smoke inside under extreme pressure - when the smoke comes out, the electrics fail - you need to put the smoke back in.
I installed remote central locking on the QV (a tasteful and undetectable modification - and anyway, the passenger door actuator was having epileptic fits and had to be fixed), went to start it - flat battery! Just that tiny extra drain on it. Charged it up and did some fiddling with the fuse box (installing blade fuses).

 

At the risk of provoking loads of horn innuendo.....

I decided to re-furb the front grille as the previous owner had painted it very badly in black and with the stone chips uncovering the Ali underneath it was getting a bit unsightly.

Not absolutely sure if the grille was original supposed to be black as there was a better layer of black paint underneath the bodge job. Black or Ali...Anyone ?

And so to the horn......

Whilst removing the grille, I could see that the air Horns were is an awful state where the original red trumpets had been over painted black (badly again) and all the paint was flaking off the aluminium leaving a pitted surface that had deteriorated into white powder. Anyway, enough of the drama & suffice to say they looked just rubbish.

Instead of tackling the mounting list of chores that my wife was compiling, I hid in the garage and renovated the air horns with some intensive sanding and wire brushing. Whilst spray painting, I zinc plated the connecting bracket to bring it up all like new.....love my plating kit.

Anyway, here are the pics of my efforts, most of which will be hidden but at least I will know !!

Cheers,

Steve
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New throttle linkage bushings and throttle cable adjustment....................on the BMW

 

hey jasper your horns look nice. FYI , i believe its duplicolor that has that translucent/transparent candy apple red paint that matches the original color of the horns exactly. here are mine redone
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just buttoned up my motor
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Looks good.

I see you got the "extra shield" on the starter. Smart.

 

good eye! well then again its pretty obvious. my car had no heat shielding anywhere, explains all of the petrified seals, so Im going to great lengths to put as much heat shielding as possible

 

1 cam cover painted, the other is next. Just done the valve shims what a b*****d of a job doing front bank, just a couple on borderline of tolerance couple of shims required. Powerlite high torque starter and gaskets arrived today and alternator ready to collect from work ( bargain rebuilt for £25). Looks like a busy few days to come

 

The car is in the shop getting two rust bubbles taken care of.
One on the front quarter panel near the door hinge (again)
and one on the bottom of the passenger side door.

 

Re-installed passenger and drivers' side cv axle (recent disassembly due to torn boots),
Cycled engine over because it's been sleeping over the last 3 months,
And while I waited for the radiator fans to kick in, I noticed my next project...

Replacing my expansion coolant tank. A very small pinhole developed in the top panel and coolant started to stream out. So now, I'm draining my coolant...again.

Tonight, I plan on cleaning the lower half of the engine bay...again. Cleaning coolant from all the small nooks and crannies is not my idea of fun.

PS: Can anyone remind me what is recommended for the coolant caps pressure?
I may have purchased the wrong one.

 

I loaded up a pump spray bottle with water to deal with coolant on the engine. It rinses off easily.

 

Topped up the blinker fluid on my snow blower....

 

Boy, you folks living in the east are in for a treat tonight. Enjoy the blast of winter.

 

Measured valve gaps, measured valve shims, did the math, went to Volvo dealer for shims, he said he didn't know Volvo shims would fit a Ferrari.... he traded me his new factory shims for my old ones... WOW! It was a good day.

 

Wish my local Volvo would have done the same. 3 shims £18 and nearly a week for them to arrive. They needed a reg no or a chassis I'd before they could get a part no. Explained to look at Volvo 240 petrol engine and get the list to me to compare. Finally sorted it out.