Well, today I found out my checklist wasn't complete. The window wiper did not work at all. Since working on the SW I always thouhgt, that this would be a job for when the important things were done. Well, today this was such a day.
Starting was eventually no success, the battery I got from my neighbour who I lent some stuff earlier, wasn't good anymore. Charging didn't work anymore. So I purchased a new 12v 50 Ah battery at APR's. I had a hinch why the wipermotor didn't work, so I also bought electric protection spray. Any 33-driver knows about the electrical problems that occur in combination with moist and successively corrosion. I read in a motorcyclemagazine about nano protection sprays, but this I had to fetch in an shop in about 20 km from my home. So I decided to buy the APR-stuff for cars. Motip make, can't be bad.
After putting the new battery in the car I tried to start the engine. After some sputter, it ran. I forgot to open the gate, so in a few seconds my garage was filled with white smoke. Pip, our Bracco was barking in the hallway. So I opened the gate quicly and the back door too. Very happy I turned off the engine: it runs and rather good also. I guess some adjustment of the CO2 level is due.
The disassembling of the wiper motor out of the engine compartment was rather easy. Only the little nut by the center wiper arm wouldn't release. When I turned the upper bolt, the nut also turned and no movement was achieved. The nut was behind a panel and I couldn't get in with any wrernch or a pair of pliers. Lots of penetrating oil, and some handling with an oversize wrench, it moved only a little. After some serious cursing and a calming coffee, I mange to loosen it and remove the motor. This is the problem with this part of the blue one, the corrosion on nuts and bolts. I wanted to give it a good inspection to find the malfunction. But then it struck to me that I had a spare wipermotor from my former 33's. But where did I put it. Not in my cellar, not in the garage? In the cellar I saw a box under the closet, 'electrics' written on it. And yes, there were even two spare motors for the wipers in it. And working also. The best one with the least corrosion I kept and cleaned an greased it. In Oldtimer Markt, a german magazine about oldtimer restoration I read an ad about some guy who could repair board instruments of Alfa Spiders. These instruments look almost the same as my 33 instrument panel. I always kept the QV-panel because it is different from the 1,3 and 1,5 panels. The QV tacho scale reaches 240 km/h, the others reach 220 km/h. So I mailed the man in Germany and asked him wether he would be abel to repair my original QV instrument panel. Im curious wether he can help me.
After removing the cover, rust is almost absent!
the wiper motor is neatly layed in a gutter
50 amps of new power
My boss is omnipotent
corrosion on this part is due to long standing in the open
My spare part of my grey SW is in a better shape
Motip stuff to protect hte electrics.
Some cleaning and the world looks different
On this picture I found a rusty spot in the corner.
I'll check it tomorrow before assembling the wiper motor.
Spare motors for my cellar. You never know...
I found spare parts I forgot I had them. Happy :-)
I'm still not ready for getting the Bleu Lord on the road. Winter is wet and cold, no conditons for
a Mediterranean lord. This shows I'm not a real mechanic being rational, efficient and purposefully.
For me conditions have to be right for doing the next step. This car sits in my garage since 7 years and in a few weeks it'll be on the road. What will I do next? My neighbour has an old BMW R60 motorcycle and he wants to sell it. I'm not a motorcycle driver, but when I'd ever start to drive one, this could be a candidate tot start with. Sturdy looks, good technical base, and available in every color as long as it is black.
Or a Moto Guzzi, like the policebike in the American movies.
But my mechanic skills will have to improve, there no much 'flesh' around a motorcycle.
Just a few handsome cycles from the internet.
Today I was out for my work. For this purpose I was given a rental car, being a Ford Fiesta, nearly new from april 2014. The little car looks good form the outside, but I was rather shocked when I got in. It was as if I stepped in a prison, with a protruding dashboard, very thick window frames that initially blocked my view enormously. When I figured out how to start the rig, (starterbutton on the dash like my first 2CV) I couldn't get any sight of the road near the car. By driving forward, but certainly by driving backward: that was frightening!
Driving in the Fiesta on the other hand, is pleasant once used to the view through the little windows. The engine sounds like a three-cylinder in lower rpm's. The steering is very direct with a nice thick steering wheel (I had a luxurious version with leather seats, airconditioning and ABS), handling on hard roads is very good.
My problems with this car were the very claustrofobic interior, the worthless sight on the road, the lowprofile tires on wet sandy roads. And, this may sound awkward, the many buttons and lights on and under the dash. Even the cupholder had a red ring light around. Compare this to dash in the video in my latest post.
I guess I'm getting oldfashioned.
Luckily I could leave the Ford behind an enjoy the landscape.
The Blue one's still waiting, for warmer days to get it out of the garage.
