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RatCav's "Kaz"

3K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  RatCav 
#1 ·
Well after being without a Vauxhall for a few months I had the opportunity for another. I miss my old Frontera so I couldn't turn the offer down

I introduce Kaz.





Next to Banshee (bit of a size difference)



Only a couple of issues.

Blown exhaust.
Rear driver door won't open (typically).
Cracked windscreen.
Midway interior light is missing the switch.
Difficult to start when cold (maybe a leak in the fuel line letting air in causing drain back and the glow plug system has been "fiddled" with)

Errm ... that is all that is wrong really.

Bonus points:

Headlamp washers (including the elusive red relay in the engine compartment).
Already sitting on 31x10.5R15 AT's with really good tread all round.
On initial inspection she is very tidy. No rust, dents or scratches that I can see (including outer sills in front of the rear wheels).
Rear tow bar and electrics.
OEM Boot load liner.
No obvious dents or scratches.
Sunroof.
Bullbars with spots.
Clean inside with no rips, tears or wear marks.

Specs:

1993 Vauxhall Frontera 2.3 TD
143589 miles on the clock
Only a month of tax, and MOT due in the next couple of weeks.

Recent work done (in the last year)
Complete brake overhaul (pads, disks, shoes, master cylinder)
New alternator.
Battery.

Takes a few of seconds to start, but she is nice and quiet once running (excusing the exhaust).
I know its only the 2.3 TD, but they are solid engines with buckets of torque, and no cam belt to worry about.

Next stage is to get her fixed and ticketed.
Then slap on the 2" suspension lift that is in the garage, raise/snorkel the air intake, and put on the manual hubs I have sourced.

It is good to be back in the Griffin!
 
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#4 ·
Ok ... so the first thing to fix has been done with almost total success. Rear passenger door wouldn't open. Usual culprit is the handle breaking. The plastics can get a bit brittle over the years so snap and prevent opening. However the inside handle was just as ineffective. Solution was to pull the door seal out from the inside and then pull the door card off enough to have a look behind inside the door. Turned out the mechanism was rusted solid. Anyways I then undid the outside handle from the limited space I had, which gave me a view from the outside. After plenty of WD40 and spray grease and leaving it overnight to soak I attacked it with a hammer and it freed right off. Put everything back together again and now it works a treat. Also covered in grease and WD40 to prevent it from rusting up again. Only problem was I damaged the door card in the process. Not a big issue as they can be sourced fairly easily and cheaply ... if I can be bothered.

Job done. Now to get the exhaust welded up, and the screen replaced (sourced a second hand one) and she is ready for a ticket.
 
#6 ·
Sourced a new to me screen. Now sat in the boot for the princely sum of tuppence ha'penny ;)

Got to love owners clubs! Price for it to be professionally fitted £45. That will be the next job

Unfortunatly the exhaust was in worse repair than first thought. Went to have a real good look and the silencer fell off. Both ends rotten, hanger in the middle is a token gesture. Dammit, might have to spend money on new bits :eek:

Anyways they are around £50 on the well known auction site ... might even knock the particulate filter out while I am at it to get her to breathe a bit more easily. These old 2.3's need as much help as possible when it comes to power!
 
#8 ·
When you say wax and polish you obviously mean some thing like this:



Which is the current state of my Trooper after giving it a mud pack facial at the weekend :D
 
#9 ·
ha, with our play g wagon (now being broken) we never even used soap, just got the hose pipe out and washed under the sills and inside the arches to get the salt off. we spent that much time off roading it seemed pointless :D
 
#15 ·
Looked into why Kaz is difficult to start. Previous owner said an aftermarket glow plug system had been fitted. Think I found the problem.



Yes that is a glowplug relay from a Landrover.

Trip to a scrappy near where I was on holiday last weekend. £5 lighter and some skilled ******* wiring later I have this:

.

Pulled off the old exhaust :oops:







Found an autofactors on Eblag that was near my holiday spot that sold me a complete exhaust system, clamp, and wire gasket thingy for £50



Fitted them this evening. Exhaust went on a treat and needed no modification. Even the tailpipe doesn't need shortening to avoid being trashed around the woods.

Went to try the new to me Glowplug relay and she started on the first turn of the key after 2 bouts of glowing. Let her idle to temperature and she sounds as sweet as a nut.

Couldn't resist fitting the rear light guards from my old Fronty as well:






All that is needed now is the windscreen fitting and a good inspection underneath for any hidden rot (brake/fuel lines etc) and she should be ready for an MOT.

If she passes then its time for the mods to begin :cool:
 
#19 ·
I can honestly say that the original exhaust certainly had come to the end of its life. Its been a couple of days now and 180 miles later and she sems to be running fine. Desperate need for a service, but all in all its cheap motoring.

£100 to buy.
£100 for parts for repairs (love saving money on doing the labour myself).
£130 for 6 months Tax.
£35 for a years MOT.
£200 for a years insurance with modifications declared

£565 all in .. cannot complain. Even if she does die a death I can cash the tax in. Strip her for parts and weigh the rest in to recover costs. Win win situation really.

Edit: cheers Lawman :D
 
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#23 ·
Some you win .. some you lose lol.

Just needs a service and a clean .. probably the only clean she will ever get now.
 
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