[car_restoration] My Longwinded 1.9 Laser Project

[Tesstuff 222]

The car is a credit to you Craig, top work chap

[BusEngineer 7]

I look forward to drooling over it at Pugfest

[happygoron 2]

Just wanted to say congratulations on this project, amazing achievement and what a story, been following it for so long now its been like watching a soap opera! Inspirational!

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

30 miles done down some B roads with the sunroof open and the sun shining. Quite good little cars these.. think I can see what some of the fuss is about..

 

Engine feels like it is loosening up already, is running sweet and is nice and keen and revvy. Just need to sort the ignition timing, as its quite far out atm, thats tomorrows job I think. Is it worth timing it with a light, or just by ear/test?

 

(A very happy) Craig

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Personally I have always had more success doing it by ear/test. If you leave the bottom nut off it can be a quick alteration at the roadside then repeat your test. Keep advancing it until it starts to pink at low speed high gear high load. Then back it off a touch and leave it at that, put the lower nut back and call it a do.

[welshpug 1,622]

I used to do/would do exactly as Tom mentioned (coilpack on mine now!)

 

You will hear the induction note change as well as the pinking going when you get it right

[laser_GTI 1]

Was even better in the flesh. Well done mate.

[thug pug 7 1 Cars]

Yip totaly agree amazing in the flesh and a credit to you mate.

 

Rab E.

[BusEngineer 7]

Certainly was great to see it at Pugfest, good to meet you and Verity also, sorry about the enourmous BBQ!!

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Thanks guys Was a nice weekend out, a good laugh and was good to put usernames to faces etc Am pleased the 205 performed well there and back, seems to be running in nicely. The other good news is the agreed value insurance has been accepted, nice to have that worry gone! Now just need some good weather to get out and enjoy it some more!

Edited July 4, 2012 by cRaig

[Wes 86 1 Cars]

who did you insure it through? im having a right nightmare getting mine insured, and im ment to be off to lemans on friday!

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Adrian Flux, never used them before and found them very helpful, fairly resonably priced considering my age as well!

[McKeane 0]

Absolutely epic

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Well, its been a quiet couple of weeks since pugfest, mainly due to the appaling weather. Given my 'history' with this car.. Im still not hugely keen on driving it in the wet! And given people around here seem to drive even more stupidly once the heavens open.. Im still not used to being in busy city traffic in the 205, I spend most of my time swearing at people who get too close!

 

Ticked off a few odds and ends recently that I had been meaning to get around to:

 

Firstly, fitted Xsara 'wide spray' washer jets. They are quite a bit bigger and uglier than the 205 standard ones, but worth the compromise in my eyes, the washer spray is much improved, and its easy enough to put back to standard if I grow to dislike them.

 

 

The beady eyed among you may also notice its now not 'wearing' a sunroof windscreen seal- it had developed a leak after the last time the bodyshop popped the screen back in after the respray, the seal had been in and out a few times in my ownership, so decided to source a new one. Sadly it appears that the sunroof spec seals are no longer available (please correct me if I am wrong..) so I stumped for a non-sunroof seal. Doesnt look as noticeable as I thought it would, and I havent yet noticed a dramatic increase in wind noise (if its a problem I have a OE sunroof deflector up in the loft I can always fit..)

When removing the seal the chap noticed the seal wasnt quite fitted properly in the corner, so that may well be the simple cause of the leak, so the old seal has been kept, as there may well not be anything wrong with it.

 

When I popped in to National windscreens, I was 'convinced' to stump up for a new screen, as it was going to be 20quid to take the screen out to replace the seal, whereas they had a new screen instock (amaing.. if only Peugeot were that good with in-stock parts!!) and the fitted price was 70 quid, which I thought was more than reasonable, it was something I was planning to do next year anyway, as the old, scratched screen really detracted from the finish, and annoyed me everytime I sat behind the wheel! New screen is lovely, its like getting a new pair of glasses.. you dont notice how scratched and fuzzy they are until you get the new ones! Its got the bronze tint and really looks the part

 

 

Also fitted some new quarter window 'buttons', the superceeded part, which is entirely covered with rubber, as found on later Citroens, Berlingos etc. (Part Number 8573 79). Alot smarter than the faded caps Also finally stuck my Pugfest stickers on.. Couldnt help it

 

 

Also fitted some Helicopter 'leading edge tape', as suggested by Mr Fenton to protect the paint finish on the slam panel catch SurGie also kindly supplied me with some rubber sheet, so I have started mounting all of the engine bay brackets against paintwork with a rubber backing to protect the paint.

If anyone wants a bit of helicopter tape for their slam panel, I have some spare so can post a bit off for the cost of postage and a little donation to the beer fund?

 

 

 

And finally.. after finding out the car can still move under its own weight after fitting A/C, heated seats, quite alot of soundproofing, gentry illuminated visors, one touch windows and various other crap, I figured I might as well weigh it down with one more 'factory option' and then I finally have the spec I wanted (basically griffe without the full leather and grey carpets..). Time to start collecting ABS bits! The plan is to fit the mechanical stuff towards the end of the summer when I have access to a lift (hubs, driveshafts, rear caliper brackets and hubs, and then fit the plumbing/electrical stuff as and when. Perhaps next year perhaps the year after..)

 

 

Next up on the to do list:

 

Swap the heater matrix for a new one (seems to be weeping slightly)

Get the heater motor working now the windscreen leak is fixed (age, dampness or dodgy connector has got the better of it at the moment..)

Hunt down the dodgy connection to the water temp max warning light, which causes the STOP light to come on, a bit of an unpleasant distraction!

Anthony has kindly offered to put the rear beam height to standard, as its stupidly low at the moment, (is just catching the arch trims with a boot full of stuff and a full tank of petrol)

Edited July 13, 2012 by cRaig

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

The screen sounds a good deal, is that a regular price, if so I may have to get the one on my laser done, as the one in it has been chipped and repaired, with big tell tale clear circles visible if you look closely. A square of helicopter tape would be lovely if going spare.

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

I think it was book price, perhaps a bit of discount, as it had been lying around in their stores for some time (not surprising really, both of us were amazed it was in stock!) might be worth popping into a national windscreen branch and seeing if they can do a regional stock check or something? Really good service from the one in Bath, I was really impressed.

 

I shall keep a square of tape to put in with the paint code stencil, should have that run up next week, as its all in CAD ready to go:

 

 

(will have one or two spare.. but its the same cost for a sheet.. so why not! lol (again, if with a laser car anyone wants one, drop me a PM with your address and I can post one out)

Edited October 8, 2018 by cRaig

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

As its finally stopped raining(!) spent a bit of time pottering on the 205 found the source of the damp radio hole!

 

 

Swapped the heater matrix for a new one from carparts4less. Evidently not quite up to OE quality, but for £12.80 delivered (next day!) you cant really complain!

 

 

Got the heater motor working (swapped the resistor card as that seems to have given up the ghost, and cleaned the bushes on the motor. It now works, but sounds pretty unhealthy, I think there is alot of play in the spindle so that needs swapping for a good one.

 

Topped up the coolant, bled it through and put the radio back in. Then went for a rather good drive down some B roads.

 

 

 

Some of you may recognise the backdrop. Cheddar makes a rather nice drive from Bath, especially in good weather.

 

Car is running in nicely now. Engine is loosening up more, and is getting more and more keen to rev. Now the brake pads are bedding in, Im starting to realise just how overkill the GTi6 calipers have been! It really does stop well! The car really is a delight to drive. Tight and responsive, and rides very well, even over fairly potholed roads. Starting to feel like it all might actually have been worth it..

Am off to DMS plastics in Ludlow (over the old Severn bridge and up to Shropshire, should be another nice drive!) to see about the driving light covers. That mileage should see most of the major running in period dealt with, which will be nice.

 

Craig

Edited October 8, 2018 by cRaig

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Sadly there were a diversion on the way home, ended up down a pretty poor back lane with many serious potholes and fallen tree branches etc. Seem to have caught something between the wheel and the quarter panel, as creased the quarter panel and pulled it away from the wheel arch..

 

Going to get the beam height back to standard (that will teach me for putting that off..) and then back to the bodyshop. Sigh..

 

 

Edited October 8, 2018 by cRaig

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

This car doesn't bloody like you does it???

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Am starting to get that impression! Am still remaining fairly positive at the moment.. Typically it even hapens on the new quarter panel side!!

 

The panel damage is fairly minimal, its all positive with no paint damage, I think with some heat it will dress back painlessly, and then can be resealed.

Sadly the bodyshop has gone bust, so need to find someone I can trust with the bodywork..

 

Ho hum..

[eddie bullit 37]

Whats size tyres are you running Craig? look quite chunky in the photos.

Edd

[welshpug 1,622]

is it me or is there green paint on that tyre? bumpstops are present aren't they?

[eddie bullit 37]

I'm guessing its from the rear arch..hence the damage.

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

New bumpstops present last time I checked. 195/50s I think.. Seems an odd place for the wheel to catch, the side of the arch rather than the top. The beam is set stupidly low, which will be remeded ASAP.. With the wide Sl434s, I guess that might be the problem..

 

Craig

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

I think it's the reflection of the paint in the water droplets.