General Panda Panda's Panda Parade Purchase.

[FDNY21]

Ah, someone finally bought it then! Noticed he had trouble selling it publicly, saw he was trying to get it done privately for 800 on the Facebook page.

Looked a good 'un, didn't expect this from it, but nice to hear it is getting fixed! Told the old owner what's happened yet?

 

[northernchap]

Well the heads on, unfortunately the borrowed torque wrench didn't go down to the puny amounts of that the engine requires

Ah, sorry about that mate! I had no idea it was a meathead version - I bought it for doing the same job as you on a 3 litre Capri about 15 years ago - ended up selling it with the skimmed heads still off and in the boot when my parents demanded their drive back so you're doing better than I did!

 

[panda-sport]

I had a heck of a job with getting the engine mounts off and swapped between the ex-selecta and Fizzle,

The selecta engine mounts are unique to the selecta and put the engine closer to inner wing to make room for the bigger gearbox. Do not use them on a manual car, they will screw up your driveshafts and diff.

 

[panda panda]

The selecta engine mounts are unique to the selecta and put the engine closer to inner wing to make room for the bigger gearbox. Do not use them on a manual car, they will screw up your driveshafts and diff.

Yes, that's why I swapped them!

Rain stopped play this morning with the reassemblage

 

[panda panda]

Well the intermittent showers continued today but I managed to get it all back together, worryingly a small number of parts are left over!
Still have the timing belt to do, got as far as releasing the alternator belt before the third soaking and I'd had enough.
I don't know why people say they're easy to work on, I can hardly get my hand in between the belt cover and inner wing, they must have very small hands!

Taking the wheel off revealed a very sorry looking brake disc, as Fizzle is donating his calipers to Henry, I'll liberate his brake discs too.

 

[Didge3]

I don't know why people say they're easy to work on, I can hardly get my hand in between the belt cover and inner wing, they must have very small hands!

I'm with you on that, everybody says its easy so you go ahead and try, maybe get it right on 5th or 6th try, story of my life :bang:

 

[panda1408]

Don't be tight and put some new discs on! Fizzles will probably be in a worse state anyway after a year of no use.

What parts are left over exactly?

 

[FDNY21]

That definitely is a very sorry looking brake disc! I'd recommend getting some new ones, though I guess it depends how new Fizzles are. If they're on the older side then it may be worth replacing anyway, for the long run!

How many Pandas do you have now?

 

[firstcar-Y10]

I'm with you on that, everybody says its easy so you go ahead and try, maybe get it right on 5th or 6th try, story of my life :bang:

All relative though, having to squeeze your hand down the side is a lot easier than having to drop the engine out to change the cambelt as you have to in some crowded underbonnet areas (think those 5 cyl Mareas were like that)

 

[northernchap]

Don't be tight and put some new discs on! Fizzles will probably be in a worse state anyway after a year of no use.

What parts are left over exactly?

£7.48 each inc. VAT from http://brakeparts.co.uk/ - I have to agree here, it's more hassle taking the old ones off for that money!

 

[panda panda]

As luck would have it a 30% offer landed in my email box so I ordered a pair of new discs, found so pads in the garage so they will be overhauled. Also ordered some new plugs (leads OOS).

I've no idea how many pandas I have now without writing it down.
Fizzle, Henry, Cecil, Gasket (see what I did there?), Charlie, Colour and the ex-selecta.
7 then, and a y10 and a Uno, and a mk4 4x4. Oh and the mk3 that lives with a relative.
8 then, for now.

I'm looking forward to the next edition of google maps, I'm going to insist they blur all the cars as I don't want to become an attraction

 

[panda panda]

What parts are left over exactly?

That little bracket that looks like a mounting point for an engine crane, the rest turned out to be cambelt cover bolts.

 

[FDNY21]

I've no idea how many pandas I have now without writing it down.
Fizzle, Henry, Cecil, Gasket (see what I did there?), Charlie, Colour and the ex-selecta.
7 then, and a y10 and a Uno, and a mk4 4x4. Oh and the mk3 that lives with a relative.
8 then, for now.

I'm looking forward to the next edition of google maps, I'm going to insist they blur all the cars as I don't want to become an attraction

Gasket is certainly an interesting name, I'm sure it'll stick

8 classic Pandas!? Not quite Vern crazy, but definitely a lot, I can see why you will want to get your cars blurred out... Y10s are always nice as well, don't see many about.

I'm just on my first Panda, and while I've only been here for a month, I feel the bug starting... who knows what the future will bring! Hopefully it brings 8 classic Pandas eh

I'm pretty new, so just getting a feel for all the people around here and what they have as well. Nice friendly people here, lots of Pandas to look at and lots of advice is given if need be! Cheers for the reply, I hope you have lots of fun with this Parade!

 

[panda panda]

Huzzah and Hurrah!

Finally finished putting the Panda Parade back together and after working out that I'd mixed up the flow and return fuel lines IT LIVES!

I immediately added engine flush to the oil and coolant flush to the water and ran for 30mins.

Drained the oil, changed the filter and topped up with fresh - then realised I hadn't fitted the sump plug.

Flushed the er, flush out of the rad and engine, nothing to see in the drain off though I did find oil clinging to the insides of the water reservoir despite having no contamination of water or oil, makes me think it's had a head gasket before, especially as everything came apart so easily.

Refilled with coolant and deionised water, cos it sounds posh, therefore good for the car, ran it up to temperature and no leaks or nasty noises.

Took it for a gentle spin, it's not that lively for a fuel injected panda, I've ordered some new plugs and hope that will improve matters, the lead set was oos at euro crap arts (typical as they had 30% off) so that will have to wait too, unless I've upset the timing, those marks are very hard to see!

I don''t think the car has had proper love for a while, the sump is very rusty at the front, they're not much money and would be worth doing. I'm going to sort the brakes out tomorrow though, that front disc is plain nasty.

Overall I'm very very happy with the results of my first engine job, confidence is high and I can't really believe I've done it!

 

[northernchap]

Drained the oil, changed the filter and topped up with fresh - then realised I hadn't fitted the sump plug.

We've all done that one!

Well done, great work saving another car that someone else might well have scrapped - enjoy the fruits of your labour!

 

[Aston Martin]

Twins!!!

 

[panda panda]

Twins!!!

I know, I always liked the colour of yours, makes a great summer daily!

Not going to restore it, just preserve it, might even stick those Italian doors on it!

Just like yours it doesn't seem to like hills very much (stay in second and occasionally risk third) was it the throttle body you changed on yours?

Any chance of getting the twins together or is Herbie still in hibernation?

 

[g8rpi]

It must have been said on here before, but a collection of pandas is called an embarrassment. Maybe we should put this

every time more than one is mentioned

Robert G8RPI.

 

[panda panda]

I thought it was a Rust of Pandas?

Mainly my collection seems to bemuse folk.

Apart from the idiot down the road who called them scrap

 

[AndyPanda4x4]

It must have been said on here before, but a collection of pandas is called an embarrassment.

Er.. excuse me what?