[Roddy]

Sidelight replaced and working. Bulb was blown.

Now to tackle the brake lights. Will test and spray switch and fuse first. To get at the bulbs, the lenses have to come off and they are very brittle with age. Here's hoping!

Mornin' Rodders - top tip from Kev - old plastic lenses do become brittle with age, but they're a lot worse in cold weather. If you can get a hair drier or warm-air gun on them for a while, just to warm them (not hot) they might survive being removed without breaking. The screws will inevitably be rusty too, which doesn't help. Gently does it. Good luck! :thumbsup:

I have been told that I can access the bulbs from inside the van which is a great help considering the age of the lenses. By the way Kev, There is supposed to be a spring clip somewhere that can be released with a fine blade, then is all slide and unsnap it. Supposedly anyway and may well work if you can swear in French. Tried to get at them from inside, and whoever fitted the wardrobes and cupboards has left barely three inches of gap to get my hands in and still see what I am doing. Got one side out and the bulb is fine. I managed to get the bulb back in, but pressing and turning it was almost impossible. Back to the switch and fuse I think because to have both brake lights out is too coincidental.

 

[Roddy]

Sidelight replaced and working. Bulb was blown.

Now to tackle the brake lights. Will test and spray switch and fuse first. To get at the bulbs, the lenses have to come off and they are very brittle with age. Here's hoping!

Mornin' Rodders - top tip from Kev - old plastic lenses do become brittle with age, but they're a lot worse in cold weather. If you can get a hair drier or warm-air gun on them for a while, just to warm them (not hot) they might survive being removed without breaking. The screws will inevitably be rusty too, which doesn't help. Gently does it. Good luck! :thumbsup:

I have been told that I can access the bulbs from inside the van which is a great help considering the age of the lenses. By the way Kev, There is supposed to be a spring clip somewhere that can be released with a fine blade, then is all slide and unsnap it. Supposedly anyway and may well work if you can swear in French. Tried to get at them from inside, and whoever fitted the wardrobes and cupboards has left barely three inches of gap to get my hands in and still see what I am doing. Got one side out and the bulb is fine. I managed to get the bulb back in, but pressing and turning it was almost impossible. Back to the switch and fuse I think because to have both brake lights out is too coincidental.

 

[Roddy]

It all got worse, then it got better. Back in the Summer I fitted a radiator fan over ride switch to combat possible overheating. It worked great and had a little telltale light too. On the way home from MOT, I noticed that the switch was in the on position, the fan was not working, and the little light was off. For some reason I left the switch in the on position. Messing with the brake lights, I noticed that the reversing lights were also not working. He hadn't mentioned those!

I can't find anything wrong, so suspect my new little circuit. I gave it up as a bad job. Just been out again. Popped the bonnet. Can't see anything loose anywhere. Turned ignition on, flicked the fan switch and the fan came on as it should. Wood jammed on brake pedal and in reverse, took a walk to the rear. Brake lights and reversing lights all working. Turned the fan switch off and fan stopped. Back to the rear and the lights are still working. Into neutral, and wood off brake pedal, and the lights are off as they should be.

All very peculiar and needs more investigating for sure. There must be more than my screws loose.

 

[Kev5]

Just to add...reversing lamps are not obligatory therefore not testable

 

[Roddy]

That's a surprise Kevin. Doe't change the fact that they were not working when I came home, and weren't working while I was fiddling, but suddenly all is correct again. I must have unwittingly muttered the right combination of French swear words.

 

[Wrangler]

I almost hate when a problem resolves itself. Recently I tried to get a Kitchen Aide Mixer to replicate a fault after I had disassembled and reassembled, changing nothing. I ran the machine for two hours, mixing a cake and kneading bread, and it worked perfectly. I had no option but to return it to the owner and hope it does not fail again.

 

[Roddy]

MOT is done! I had sorted the lights and took it back this morning to have the two front outriggers fabricated and welded in, and the emissions to be adjusted for the retest. I had paid the £40m test fee on Monday of course. Was a bit apprehensive going to collect it this afternoon. I hadn't even waited for the phone call. All he needed to finish was slap a bit of underseal around his repairs when I got there. He handed over my pass ticket, and asked for £80 I shall be going back there in the future!

 

[Steveti]

Great news Roddy. Have campervan will travel?

 

[Kev5]

MOT is done! I had sorted the lights and took it back this morning to have the two front outriggers fabricated and welded in, and the emissions to be adjusted for the retest. I had paid the £40m test fee on Monday of course. Was a bit apprehensive going to collect it this afternoon. I hadn't even waited for the phone call. All he needed to finish was slap a bit of underseal around his repairs when I got there. He handed over my pass ticket, and asked for £80 I shall be going back there in the future!

Good news, Rodders - he sounds like a fair bloke - just the sort of repair shop one needs with an older vehicle :thumbsup:

 

[Roddy]

I have been very lucky Kevin. Gary who looks after my cars for the last 12 years perhaps, is a great bloke and very reasonable. He sends my car to Davey for the MOT tests, and Davey too is a fantastic chap. Always an honest test which is what I want anyway. Davey can't get my bus under his door, so the MOT was not possible. He sent me to this Mickey, and I have no complaints at all. Yes, I still have a disc as an advisory, but I can buy two discs and pads for about £80. That's another little job that will not break the bank. I can now concentrate on my French trip next June in the knowledge that I am not spending on a basket case that will be an MOT scrapper.

 

[Pat]

Fantastic result Roddy

 

[Dewi RS]

Miss says you can't camp on our front garden but there's a bit of grass you're welcome to at the side of the house. We'll bring you a bacon butty out and a cuppa tea out in the morning(s) ........ if the scallies haven't nicked you during the night and sold you into prostitution in St Helens - it happens!

 

[Pat]

Miss says you can't camp on our front garden but there's a bit of grass you're welcome to at the side of the house. We'll bring you a bacon butty out and a cuppa tea out in the morning(s) ........ if the scallies haven't nicked you during the night and sold you into prostitution in St Helens - it happens!

Plenty of room in my garden Roddy

 

[Roddy]

Miss says you can't camp on our front garden but there's a bit of grass you're welcome to at the side of the house. We'll bring you a bacon butty out and a cuppa tea out in the morning(s) ........ if the scallies haven't nicked you during the night and sold you into prostitution in St Helens - it happens!

Plenty of room in my garden Roddy

Thank you Pat. I have only been through Wigan once. It was raining and I don't really want to go back, but will park on his front lawn just for spite. I can piddle in his shrubs and leave scrap iron everywhere when I leave.

 

[Dewi RS]

Miss says you can't camp on our front garden but there's a bit of grass you're welcome to at the side of the house. We'll bring you a bacon butty out and a cuppa tea out in the morning(s) ........ if the scallies haven't nicked you during the night and sold you into prostitution in St Helens - it happens!

Plenty of room in my garden Roddy

Thank you Pat. I have only been through Wigan once. It was raining and I don't really want to go back, but will park on his front lawn just for spite. I can piddle in his shrubs and leave scrap iron everywhere when I leave.

I'm surprised they let you into Wigan - we're very selective 'ere ya know? But, if ya do get in again and park on our front lawn, bring a pineapple. ....... with a jolly hat on

 

[Roddy]

Miss says you can't camp on our front garden but there's a bit of grass you're welcome to at the side of the house. We'll bring you a bacon butty out and a cuppa tea out in the morning(s) ........ if the scallies haven't nicked you during the night and sold you into prostitution in St Helens - it happens!

Plenty of room in my garden Roddy

Thank you Pat. I have only been through Wigan once. It was raining and I don't really want to go back, but will park on his front lawn just for spite. I can piddle in his shrubs and leave scrap iron everywhere when I leave.

I'm surprised they let you into Wigan - we're very selective 'ere ya know? But, if ya do get in again and park on our front lawn, bring a pineapple. ....... with a jolly hat on

It didn't look very select when I drove through in about 1972 Dewi. Still pitheads and slag heaps. Add in pouring rain and it was typical grim opp north. No motorways and I was trying to get to Rochdale from about the Preston area. Don't know why I bothered looking back.

 

[Steveti]

Miss says you can't camp on our front garden but there's a bit of grass you're welcome to at the side of the house. We'll bring you a bacon butty out and a cuppa tea out in the morning(s) ........ if the scallies haven't nicked you during the night and sold you into prostitution in St Helens - it happens!

Oh yes, it does happen exactly as it does in the League of Gentlemen - scary stuff:

Probably now going to get slaughtered for not being 2019 PC It's a joke, no more, no less.

 

[TracyB]

5 failed it's MOT well and truly this year back in Jan. Well it is getting old now a bit like me lol. Has needed some serious welding done to floor, sills etc. Hopefully work will be finished on it this afternoon and I get it back soon. Soo missing it.

 

[Garffey]

5 failed it's MOT well and truly this year back in Jan. Well it is getting old now a bit like me lol. Has needed some serious welding done to floor, sills etc. Hopefully work will be finished on it this afternoon and I get it back soon. Soo missing it.

Sorry to hear that Tracy, but good you're having it fixed up and it lives to fight another day....
I watch Yorkshire car restorations on You tube and what them chaps do with rotten Mx-5 is fantastic....but scary!!
Hope you are re united very soon and enjoying the ride!!

 

[TracyB]

Sorry to hear that Tracy, but good you're having it fixed up and it lives to fight another day....
I watch Yorkshire car restoration on You tube and what them chaps do with rotten Mx-5 is fantastic....but scary!!
Hope you are re united very soon and enjoying the ride!!

I too watch Yorkshire car restoration and I so wish I could do all of that myself. It is indeed fantastic.

Shame weather next week looks like it may be a bit snowy and minus degrees so not exactly roof down weather