Life with a Gamma

[Harvey]

Changed the oil last night. Not too much drama apart fromdropping the sump plug into the oil collection container and having a job to get it out again!

[the.cern]

That really gets to  be good fun when the oil is hot and the container is not big enough for the sump capacity and needs to be emptied part way through the draining process !!!!! Been there, done that, muttered, swore a lot and got very very messy !!!!!

                Andy

[fay66]

Changed the oil last night. Not too much drama apart fromdropping the sump plug into the oil collection container and having a job to get it out again!

Magnet on a stick or a piece of string?

Brian
8227

[thecolonel]

doesn't really work on a brass sump plug though.....

[the.cern]

............ but if you really are 'very very drunk', well worth a try  !!!!!!!!!!

[Harvey]

Right - news of the past few months...

Andy & I delivered the car to Alan Wesson on Thursday 30th September which was the last day the car was taxed. I have to say that Alan's security is second to none: if you don't know where the workshop is, you'd never find it. It's 5 miles and 1 hour from Exeter!

In the middle of November, we spent a Saturday doing some preparatory work in stripping the car. This was more on my learning curve of looking after a classic, and I'm saving further oily work for later.

In our session, we stripped the grille, headlights, bumpers, boot, wipers, rear seats, and doors. Thankfully, it was mostly straightforward as most had been worked on in the past decade.

Taking the door handles off was quite illuminating for me, both in terms of "Oh - that's how it works!" and "I can't believe anyone's arm bends far enough to get to that bit!" I think I'll have to video the re-assembly to record it for posterity!

Alan's starting work on the car today, so no news from me for a while. Hopefully, any photos used in the Western Lancia adverts will not reveal any horror stories lurking unseen.

I'm living on baked beans warmed over a candle in my unheated flat... the lengths we go to for cars! 

[thecolonel]

Quote<<Taking the door handles off was quite illuminating for me, both in terms of "Oh - that's how it works!" and "I can't believe anyone's arm bends far enough to get to that bit!" >>

You didn't notice the little access holes then  ? just the right size for an 8mm socket. 

[DavidLaver]

So you're past the point of no return with that car now.  Only goes to prove what a rewarding experiance it must have been to date. 

Its a bit like getting married when you commit to one of these "no financial sense" items of work on a car.  The man-maths to justify has to be against HP and depreciation and maitenance on a mythical substitute modern car.  "If I was running the modern equivilent of this then it would be costing..."

Anyone going to give the best man speach, father of the bride? 

...and what would the "modern equivilent" be...?

David

[thecolonel]

M' Lords, Ladies & Gentlemen,
This is not the first "Best Man's" speech I have had the pleasure in giving, however, although all
of the previous couples are now divorced, sighting a goat in one set of proceedings, which, I still
think was totally unnecessary and stressful, on the goat. It's a great honour nay privilege to offer
my congratulations to Harvey and Daisy on this auspicious occassion. I'm sure he will spend many
happy hours underneath her and if he's lucky may even get inside her on occassions, mind you he
will have to pamper her too, if he doesn't want her to drive him up a wall or even reverse him into
a corner.
My grandmother always used to say a speech should be like a ladies skirt, long enough to cover
the subject but short enough to be of interest....so

In closing may I ask you to charge your glasses and drink to the longterm rust free happy life
journey of Harvey and Daisy and remember:


A GAMMA IS FOR LIFE NOT FOR CHRIS AS NO-ONE ELSE WILL EVER BUY HER OFF YOU  
 
'the colonel'

[Harvey]

Quote<<Taking the door handles off was quite illuminating for me, both in terms of "Oh - that's how it works!" and "I can't believe anyone's arm bends far enough to get to that bit!" >>

You didn't notice the little access holes then  ? just the right size for an 8mm socket. 

Are the Berlina doors the same as Coupe ones? I didn't spot any access holes, but will confess I wasn't wearing my glasses. There must be a knack as any car company that assembles in such a way would lose money at a shocking rate...

[Betaboy2.0]

Geoff - yes I know that there ARE access holes (for some but not all of the nuts!), but when the door lock assembly itself is still in place (which they were as we still need to be ale to secure the doors) this effectively blocks access to the little 8mm nuts holding the exterior handles to the door skin. However, removal is possible with just a small amount of double jointed bending!

And I have to say - Harvey makes an excellent apprentice!

Job well done!

A

[thecolonel]

Ah, apolopogies, didn't realise you were doing "half a job" 

[Harvey]

Stripped. I'm not attaching any photos of what Alan calls the "crunchy bits" out of respect for Daisy's blushes.

[Harvey]

Right, here's my wishlist of spares as posted on the Gamma Consortium forum:

• Off-side wheel arch liner
• A-post splash guards (that fit inside the wing)
• Bootlid
• Rear light surrounds
• Rear quarter light frames
• Gutter fish plate (for the join above the driver's door)
• A bottomless wallet 

...just in case any Gamma parts hoarders don't read the Gamma forum!

[thecolonel]

Doesn't look that bad really......