Ok, so I bought myself an Uno for EUR100.
She, as yet unamed, is a 1988 Uno 45, with the 999cc FIRE engine.
I saw the ad online, rang and arranged to view the next morning (I was
working afternoons that week). Normally when I call from an ad, I find that
the car is already sold, or, having arranged to go and collect it, find that
the seller has sold it to someone else whilest waiting for me to arrive.
Anyway, so with L driving the Panda like a woman posessed and myself on GPS
duty, we set off in search of the Uno, only 25 km or so from home. 45
minutes, several phone calls and stopping to ask an old lady for directions,
we finally found it (GPS is ok in the city, but only good for a "ballpark"
location in the country).
It turned out that everything was for sale, not just the Uno, the AX next to
it (clutch gone and a big impact in the side), EUR30, the house, make an
offer. I think we were witnessing the end of the "rural dream".
Upon opening the bonnet and seeing a FIRE engine, my choice was made, cash
and parerwork changed hands and we were off.
Well, almost. Previous owner had explained that the brakes were poor, the
CT(MOT) man had said something about a master cylinder, but he hadn't
understood (seals were gone) and pointed at the (shiney, new) vacuum unit on
the distributor, which he said was causing a problem. Reconnected the vacuum
line to the distributor (even if it was knackered, better than having it
floating around the engine bay), pulled the choke, turned the key and she
burst into life. Closed the bonnet, blokey at this point wished me luck and
beat a hastey retreat.
I selected what I thought was reverse (later found that the gear linkage
consisted mostly of cable ties), let the handbrake off... and promptly
stalled.
In my defence, I cite a cold engine, the timing being about 8 degrees out, a lack of experience with chokes, carbs
or petrol engines in general and a very tight space to reverse out of, with
no passenger mirror (optional on cars in France at the time). I must have
stalled it half a dozen times.
Finally got it out of the driveway (with lots of revs) and set off in search
of my partner, who was waiting at the top of the hill. Umm, did I mention
the gearlinkage, first has to be here somewhere... and my right foot is
sinking to the floor, that'll be the brakes then.
Once we were moving, things didn't seem so bad, she was rolling along nicely
enough, there were some brakes, if you gave them written notice and pumped,
the sun was shining and the cows were looking on in that mildly curious but
deeply uninterested fashion.
Anyway, we got home without incident, parked at the top of our track,
grabbed a few photos and then it was time for work.
First parts to be ordered, a new master cylinder (EUR20), plugs, leads and a
new coil (keep the old ones as spares), air and oil filters, service stuff
mostly.
She, as yet unamed, is a 1988 Uno 45, with the 999cc FIRE engine.
I saw the ad online, rang and arranged to view the next morning (I was
working afternoons that week). Normally when I call from an ad, I find that
the car is already sold, or, having arranged to go and collect it, find that
the seller has sold it to someone else whilest waiting for me to arrive.
Anyway, so with L driving the Panda like a woman posessed and myself on GPS
duty, we set off in search of the Uno, only 25 km or so from home. 45
minutes, several phone calls and stopping to ask an old lady for directions,
we finally found it (GPS is ok in the city, but only good for a "ballpark"
location in the country).
It turned out that everything was for sale, not just the Uno, the AX next to
it (clutch gone and a big impact in the side), EUR30, the house, make an
offer. I think we were witnessing the end of the "rural dream".
Upon opening the bonnet and seeing a FIRE engine, my choice was made, cash
and parerwork changed hands and we were off.
Well, almost. Previous owner had explained that the brakes were poor, the
CT(MOT) man had said something about a master cylinder, but he hadn't
understood (seals were gone) and pointed at the (shiney, new) vacuum unit on
the distributor, which he said was causing a problem. Reconnected the vacuum
line to the distributor (even if it was knackered, better than having it
floating around the engine bay), pulled the choke, turned the key and she
burst into life. Closed the bonnet, blokey at this point wished me luck and
beat a hastey retreat.
I selected what I thought was reverse (later found that the gear linkage
consisted mostly of cable ties), let the handbrake off... and promptly
stalled.
In my defence, I cite a cold engine, the timing being about 8 degrees out, a lack of experience with chokes, carbs
or petrol engines in general and a very tight space to reverse out of, with
no passenger mirror (optional on cars in France at the time). I must have
stalled it half a dozen times.
Finally got it out of the driveway (with lots of revs) and set off in search
of my partner, who was waiting at the top of the hill. Umm, did I mention
the gearlinkage, first has to be here somewhere... and my right foot is
sinking to the floor, that'll be the brakes then.
Once we were moving, things didn't seem so bad, she was rolling along nicely
enough, there were some brakes, if you gave them written notice and pumped,
the sun was shining and the cows were looking on in that mildly curious but
deeply uninterested fashion.
Anyway, we got home without incident, parked at the top of our track,
grabbed a few photos and then it was time for work.
First parts to be ordered, a new master cylinder (EUR20), plugs, leads and a
new coil (keep the old ones as spares), air and oil filters, service stuff
mostly.