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Panda (Classic) Roofus

Introduction

OK so my new arrival has now been christened Roofus by the family so I thought he'd better get his own Members motors thread since I've done some stuff today.
So, for the sake of the new thread here's the story so far......
Once upon a time, at a show long ago (well, last year) a mysterious Panda showed up and joined our special line up by the toilets. So obviously I decided to do hot dogs in front of it:cool:

It was owned by a nice couple who had originally owned it new, then bought it back a year or so before this pic was taken when they spotted it looking sorry for itself on ebay, and spent a lot of time and money putting it straight. Looked good then and a year or so later I saw it again at another Thoresby show and by now they were considering selling it again. I had a look around it then and was impressed by the condition but I really wasn't looking for another car then.
Fas t forward another few months and it still wasn't sold, and I was looking:D

that was only going to end one way...


So: as I got it Really good nick: Shiny shiny exterior:cool:

Brand new wider steel wheels and tyres which I love!

Brand new twin sunnies just fitted:

Sadly slightly tired colour edition switchgear


Interior mostly good except for a chunk out of the bottom of the steering column shroud, rather weedy stereo and tatty gear gaiter and knob due to use of a big lock on them


So since I am not a big fan of the grey interior plastics anyway a better condition set of black stuff went in:

And clear indicators went on:

And that was it for the first week or so.

Next issue found was rust related, just a wee one to get me started:

So cut away the crusty bits to give me a neater hole to fill:


Look away now if you're squeamish.. repair section fabricated from an old Panda door I had around:


Cranked up the welder (I know but it's my first welded repair:eek:) As you can see I had the welder behind the door so I was reaching underneath to knock the power on. Blasted quite a few holes before I realised I'd flipped it onto a higher power setting at the same time, Doh! Think I managed to get enough metal to metal anyway.

Quick skim of filler and a coat of my own custom mix Hammerite:


That's it so far. Alternating daily driver duties with Grumbleweed at the moment anyway so at least he's getting used. Never actually used the sunroof in anger yet though.
So always one for an easy life Roofus is booked in for the MOT next Friday so spent the day beheading him:devil: Never run right and towards the tail end of driving him (been laid up since September) was running really rather warm and developing a drink problem so... head gasket time.
Once off it wasn't too hard to spot the offending cylinder:

Swapping one of my spare heads on with a mildly warmer cam fitted while I'm on anyway, see what difference that makes (turns out as with many this age it was a 4x4 cam in there already).
 
So... never did make that MOT so over 2 years later Roofus is now a project for a new owner while Grumbleweed is hogging the garage for some much overdue tlc and I work on the new "oh-no-definitely-not-a-project-this-one" Seicento.

Sorry Roofus, feel like I let you down, hope you and Lee are good for each other.
 
It's been great to read though the history.
It's now with a new owner who hopes to sort out the snagging issues. It's not used often but everyone I have used it I have had no issues other than it running like it's slightly cammed.
It's annoying but given the efforts already gone to I'm not fixing it without another engine!
 
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