Started with a trip to the metro centre (my personal hell) but it was SWMBO`s birthday, so had to suffer in silence...
got a grinding from the rear end (the disco) so picked up a set of rear pads on the way... then sent swmbo back out to exchange them for the correct ones ( :roll:) one of the pads had slithered down and begun chewing into the return of the disc, both inside pistons were reluctant to move, and i spotted a damp patch on a heavily corroded rear brake line............... and a rear wheel bearing needs changing!
if that wasnt bad enough....
went out to the fish shop (new 6/7foot tank coming soon!) got out, went to lock the door, only to find half of the only key i have for the motor had remained in the ignition barrel......
luckily i had a spare ignition barrel and key (due to the spring failing in the present one) but this was a different key to the door... also luckily, one of the rear doors refuses to join in with the central locking, so i could lock 4 of 5 doors....
sods law - no tools with me, SWMBO at work, and dont have the breakdown number on my mobile
went to tesco, spent £10 on a screwdriver set, pair of needle nose pliers, and an adjustable... started dismantling the cowls etc.... leant on the floor... got very wet.....
2 hours later with lots of swearing (and no-one asking what i was doing in the middle of a shopping centre carpark playing with an ignition barrel!) we were up and running! (had to chop alarm wires out, surprisingly, with no immobilisation or noises!)
got home, decided to investigate the damp floor... it didnt smell like antifreeze, and heating/water level fine, so no worrys there... however, i did find that under the carpet was some very damp soundproofing, and under that i found a floor that looked like it had been home to a puffy with the squits... rusty rusty rusty! mainly surface, but a few areas of concern....
spent the remainder of the day stripping out all the carpets, smells vile, but about 100kgs of wet stuff removed!
...so now the plan is, do i
a) repair, paint.. go for a rally look
b) get a defender with a dead engine.. and do the origonal plan of swapping the good bits over (lift kit, winch rear axle etc)
c) fine toothed comb, fix all the mechanical/bodywork issues
d) get a newer disco with a dead engine and swap the goodies over.. (possibly a 300 turbo too)
or
e) buy a nice little cheap runaround and sell the motor for spares after the MOT (nov), look out for another toy..
