A positive project for once

[Robson Rover Repair]

Presenting my 2020 lockdown project.

As some of you know my main job is working for a pharmaceutical company and my part time job is working as a none emergency ambulance driver. As you can imagine I've been mental busy in 2020 in both jobs and needed to find something to outlet my frustration with.

Initially planned as a parts and scrap car as it had with massive fuel system problems and had also been the victim of a hit and run damaging rear end parked up leaving it financially exhaustive to the owner and hard to justify him doing the repairs.

It was given to February time just before lockdown with the plans to rip it appart for panels, rear end etc etc.

I couldn't bring myself to not try and save it, it's always been a car I admired at local events and being such low miles it felt a crime to tear it appart without trying.



It looks likes someone had sabataged the car as the fuel tank was filled with sugary mess, and the fuel cap lock had stopped functioning when the car was locked which lead to all the problems.

Personally I feel the car was victim of multiple attempts as I pulled out half a coal bucket of gunk from the 1st tank, without getting it all out. Biting the bullet I decided to just try a tank swap and go from there.



Took a lot of work, and I got a 2nd hand tank from a running 2003 car going to scrap as it was rear ended. Lot of screwing around to get it all out on the driveway and eventually I got it in and filled it up with fuel.



Ended up overhauling and replacing fuel tank, pumps, filter, blowing sludge out of the fuel lines, inlet manifold and injectors, full service, hand brake with a spare mini compensation unit and adjusted, exhaust system and a few other bits.

Everything had this sweet smelling sugar blocking up the entire car and sadly it took months between two jobs to get time to sort it all. Thankfully I'd nearly all these parts spare sitting from other projects I'd owned since 2009.



At this stage I was genuinely only £20 into the car for the tank only but I figured my only loss was my time. But she actually started but was very very rough.

Robson Rover Repair - will it start?

And then I began to notice the engine didn't sound so great......

Robson Rover Repair - sick sounding K series

Initially the engine would start but ran really badly sounding like it was damaged but was top end tappet rattle, but the oil had actually separated in the engine, no doubt due to sitting for so long, so I did a flush with marine grade 4 stroke oil and proceeded to let it idol for about 30 minutes before changing oil filter as I drained it.

For those who ask why, do some reading on marine grade 4 stroke oil, fantastic stuff for pulling crude out of the engine, water, moisture, etc etc.

I then changed again with regular 15w40, a fresh filter and a fortes top ead treatment and she sounds like a sewing machine now. Easily quietest K series I've owned.

At this stage I'd used 2 oil filters, 5 litres of quicksilver diesel marine 15w40 oil, 5 litres of 15w40 by comma oils, and then the fortes top end treatment.

Now about £75 into the car, and as the engine quietened down, the rotten exhaust noise was more prevelant so a £47 back box brand new from my local autoparts solved it. Single skin but it sounds very nice.

Then once it was saved and ran well I upgraded the interior with rear electric blind and swapped over all the interior trim from a contemporary 75 to offset the black and make it a touch more modern.







All that's left of the damage now is shown on the wing, and I dare say a colour sand will sort that out in the summer. Ended up doing door, rear bumper, taillight and having to restraighten the boot lid hinge as it had been forced up also.



Now just to fit the towbar and correct black oak gear trim when it arrives in the post. And maybe a exhaust trim seing as the replacement bumper came off a zt.





Told cost to return to the road?

My own man hours - About 25
Total cost - £122

(plus my own spares I had which would bring it closer to £350 but they are saved from cars I've scrapped since 2010)