As with any project, E225CMV has attracted a bit of a to-do list since purchase. Here follows the complete list of what I need to do, and how I intend to solve it. I alluded to some of these in my last update, and hopefully the next few updates will see them solved. There are also some things I WANT to do listed – not necessary, but things that’ll make it my own. The aim is to make it as upmarket as it could have been when the first owner collected it – with the exceptions of electric windows (More to go wrong) and power steering (which I don’t like on them)
In the next few weeks, I’ll be helping clear out a friend’s garage full of Montego tat, and I’ll also be visiting the club’s spares repository. The little, niggly bits should thus be fairly easy to get sorted, and the other stuff that needs doing will also get done. The things I’d like to do have no deadline – they’re long term aspirations for the car rather than things that have to be done in the short term. We’ll see if those plans come to fruition with the passage of time.
Needs doing
Make it run properly
It’s not running properly. At idle, it’s slightly erratic and there are vibrations through the steering wheel which don’t feel too clever to me. It’s also not warming up properly, only registering the quarter-point on the gauge that should be reading halfway. My conclusion; it’s running rich. Next time I take a long enough journey for it to warm up, I’ll play with the mixture and see if it makes a difference. If not, I’ll advance to plan B…
The alternative reason for it not warming up is that the thermostat’s on its way out. This would also explain my less-than-perfect heater. However, I want to eliminate fuelling issues before I delve deeper, as should the mixture be at fault I’d solve the lumpy idle and vibrations at the same time.
DEADLINE: As soon as possible
Respray front bumper
The first owner gave up driving at 90. During the last few years, it acquired a series of scuffs on the bumper corners and down the sides of the bumper. As Moonraker is a hard colour to match I’ll be getting aerosols made up rather than buying off the shelf, and with these and some filler for the deeper scuffs I should be able to get the bumper looking like new.
DEADLINE: April, for Pride of Longbridge
Respray the black rubbing strips in the bumpers
The black trim strips are also fading, and whilst heat or peanut butter will solve this short term a coat of satin black paint should last rather longer
DEADLINE: April, for Pride of Longbridge
Rechrome the bumpers
The chrome trim in the bumpers is fading and yellowing – it’s cheap to replace, and fairly easy once the adhesive residue has been cleaned out of the recess in which the chrome sits. I’ll need to remove it to respray the satin black trim strips so I may as well replace it with shiny new chrome when I do.
DEADLINE: April, for Pride of Longbridge
Repair the front offside wing
Another casualty of the first owner and his parking mishaps is the front wing. There is a large crease in the arch with exposed metal, caused by something like a low wall. I’ll be knocking this out, filling to ensure a smooth surface and respraying. Whilst I’m doing so there’s some surface rust along the inner edge. I may as well rectify this at the same time.
DEADLINE: As soon as the weather brightens up enough to do bodywork
Replace and respray the radiator grille
The lacquer on the grille is lifting. Whilst it’s passable short-term it needs sorting for the show season. As one of the locating pegs has snapped, it makes sense to replace the grille before I respray it; either way I’ll need to paint it so it may as well be a complete one!
DEADLINE: April, for Pride of Longbridge
Replace the rear lap belt stalk
The grey plastic cover has shattered and come off. Replacement should be simple.
DEADLINE: April, for Pride of Longbridge
Replace at least the front two speakers
The nearside one has blown and the offside’s on the way out. I don’t want BANGING CHOONZ or anything similarly chavvy, I just want something I can use to listen to Jason Donovan without an annoying buzz interrupting it.
DEADLINE: As soon as possible; it’s really annoying me.
Clean the interior, in particular the driver’s seat
The seat’s loppy, and if I only clean that it’ll show the rest up. A session with some upholstery cleaner is thus on the cards.
DEADLINE: To be done the next time the car’s not being used for a few days
Get rid of all the rattles
All four door lock pegs rattle. This is very annoying. So, when I have the door cards off to do the speakers and lubricate my central locking system, I’m going to put some anti-rattle felt round the inside of the hole in the top of each door card. Whilst I’m at it, I’m going to line the oddments tray below the radio with anti-rattle felt, to stop my mp3 player rattling. Anywhere else that needs anti-rattle felt will get it as and when I isolate the rattles, but they’re the only ones I can hear at the moment.
DEADLINE: When I get the door cards off I’m doing it. It’ll be soon, though!
Would like to do
Source a set of 14″ alloy wheels.
The concave flat-face alloys seen on MGs, GSis, and late Vanden Plas models were a dealer-fit accessory for the whole range. Which is good, because I rather like them. This one can wait until I find a set going cheap, as I’m not averse to my trims. Which look brand new.
Source a leather rimmed steering wheel
Not standard, this, but I like the feel of a leather rim. Plus, the soft-touch plastic ones can disintegrate, at least leather covers are replaceable! This’ll have to be from a VP or GSI; MG ones are different and won’t look right.
Source a dealer-accessory sunblind
Unipart rear sun blinds are rarely seen, and would be an interesting touch. A friend of mine has a spare, but it’s buried in the depths of his storage garage. Long term aim, then!
Source a period carphone
This’ll never work, as the analog signal it works from was turned off in 1999. But it’s a South East London car, from the late 80s, and a fairly fetching spec. A yuppie motor needs the ultimate yuppie accessory!
Source a courtesy lamp delay relay
Purely a comfort thing – Mayfair and Vanden Plas had this, as did the MGs. It’d be nice to get settled comfortably before driving off, including time to get the Disklok off and get the key in the ignition before it all goes dark in the evening!
Source some nice mats
I’ve got some mats in it that I picked up for a quid apiece from the local scrapyard – I didn’t know if it’d have any when I collected it and I needed some quickly. But they’re a bit crap, and don’t suit it. Rover Sterling or Montego Vanden Plas ones please, Osprey/Flint Grey or Prussian Blue for choice!
Source a later model clock
I prefer 24 hour clocks to 12 hour clocks. Later, Rover branded, cars had a 24 hour clock. As this was backlit in orange, I’ll also need to dismantle it to change the illumination to green and respray the housing to match my black dash trim – later cars had grey surrounds.
