[Car_Overhaul] Miss Miami

[Davy 18 1 Cars]

..Ok, so reckon I should come back on simply to take back a couple of things I finished with last time! ..

 

1st correction:

I was perhaps a little harsh to call it slow. I've discovered that it'll go a little bit better if you just rev the nuts off it, where it seems to pull even harder from 5000 - 6000+ rpm. It really does feel so much better if it's kept revving.. So, while it's far from 2.0 16v performance, it's still pretty impressive for a little 1980's 1.6 8v. We love it!

 

2nd correction:

The sound deadening has definately helped, but it's not quite 'rolls royce quiet' yet!... two hours to Dublin, and two hours back again on motorway / dual carraige way has made us realise that! But sure, thats just all the more reason to stick to the B roads where it is genuinely quite pleasant to sit in!

 

 

And finally, a further observation:

After the first weekends driving on mainly coastal drives and narrow, hillside backroads, with a mixture of steady driving and right foot down (where the roads allowed!), we came back and filled it to the neck again. I wasnt expecting great things however, it took 35 litres to cover 310 miles which equates to 40.2mpg. Well chuffed with that!

 

There's been another tanks worth put through it with more high revving, motorway driving which resulted in 35mpg, and then the next tank (which includes the Dublin and back trip) looks like it's going to be slightly worse again.. So, it's looking like the little cars going to be easily enough fuelled if kept for weekend fun on the B roads... (or I suppose I could try sitting at 50mph on the motorway!... but thats hard to do!)

 

 

I think next thing is to get her back in for a little check over after the 1st few miles on the road and also have a think about what else might have to go onto the 'to do' list along with the rear beam in the next few months!

[cybernck 400 1 Cars]

What a great topic! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us!

[Davy 18 1 Cars]

Thanks Cybernck. This forum has been fantastic for information, coming from some very knowledgeble folk who have worked at, rallied, raced, loved, and even wrecked many of them.

 

Meanwhile, Miss Miami is providing plenty of smiles per gallon, and I'm trying to gather up some decent bearings and seals for that rear beam refurb I had promised to do.

[acox99 71 1 Cars]

Fantastic write up and a good effort, very similar to what I'm doing, except I'm rubbish at doing it in a descent timescale and taking pictures. I didn't want to take the carpet out but am not considering it as yours came up so well when cleaned! How much work was it to pull out?

[Davy 18 1 Cars]

Fantastic write up and a good effort, very similar to what I'm doing, except I'm rubbish at doing it in a descent timescale and taking pictures. I didn't want to take the carpet out but am not considering it as yours came up so well when cleaned! How much work was it to pull out?

 

Cheers Alastair, I know what you mean about the timesacle thing... I've another project car that I got when I was 16 and it still isnt finished!..... I'm 32 now!

 

The carpets easy to take out and I'd highly recommend it as it will also let you see if the insulation underneath is holding water. The main problem might be siezed seat bolts (the ones that end up exposed under the car). Just clean threads as best you can, let some fluid soak in, and use a decent Torx bit to unscrew. If all's sound and dry, and since you've the carpet out, I'd also recommend a bit of sound deadening too if you have a few quid to spare.

[cybernck 400 1 Cars]

Definitely do it!

 

From this:

 

 

To this:

 

[Edp 67 3 Cars]

Great read, cheers!