10-25-2020, 10:47 AM
Whilst the green Z1 was away I agreed to take on the re-comissioning of another one!
This one was bought by friends living in France from the estate of the late Frank Holden in Wales. It was a "genuine barn find!" and still on French plates. My job was to get it road worthy but not to over restore.
The engine and g/box had been overhauled but needed fitting. The tyres, brakes and exhaust all needed attention. Luckily the front subframe was still servicable
It arrived here early in 2013. The brief was to make the car run with no attention to the bodywork! Other than a wipe over with WD40 the car was left "dans son jus" as the French say! (in its own juice!) The car was drivable by April and on the 8th it was driven to JP Exhausts in Macclesfield (now in Congleton) for an exhaust estimate, then returned to them on 26th for a full system in S/S to be fabricated and fitted. A major fault developed very soon, a serious clutch judder. This was found to be due to a leak on the crankshaft rear main bearing finding its way into the clutch housing. Engine out again! By May 2013 it was mobile again and drove faultlessly (as well as they do!) the 90miles to Leebotwood, Church Stretton, to have the seats refurbished. It broke down on collection (see next episode). After the breakdown repair it finally left UK for France by trailer in early 2015 and passed a French "Controle Technique" (MOT) within days of its return. Not sure of its current status.
This one was bought by friends living in France from the estate of the late Frank Holden in Wales. It was a "genuine barn find!" and still on French plates. My job was to get it road worthy but not to over restore.
The engine and g/box had been overhauled but needed fitting. The tyres, brakes and exhaust all needed attention. Luckily the front subframe was still servicable
It arrived here early in 2013. The brief was to make the car run with no attention to the bodywork! Other than a wipe over with WD40 the car was left "dans son jus" as the French say! (in its own juice!) The car was drivable by April and on the 8th it was driven to JP Exhausts in Macclesfield (now in Congleton) for an exhaust estimate, then returned to them on 26th for a full system in S/S to be fabricated and fitted. A major fault developed very soon, a serious clutch judder. This was found to be due to a leak on the crankshaft rear main bearing finding its way into the clutch housing. Engine out again! By May 2013 it was mobile again and drove faultlessly (as well as they do!) the 90miles to Leebotwood, Church Stretton, to have the seats refurbished. It broke down on collection (see next episode). After the breakdown repair it finally left UK for France by trailer in early 2015 and passed a French "Controle Technique" (MOT) within days of its return. Not sure of its current status.