It was all going so well?

[Eric_m]

Hi,
I've not posted on here much recently as the car just keeps on working, until today.
Left work at 16:00 and within 2 miles the clutch suddenly went to the floor and stayed there. I managed to pull off on to chevrons on the way out of the roundabout I was on and stopped. I managed to get my foot under the pedal and pull it up. A few pumps and it started to work again, but didn't feel right. Left it a minute or so and tried again, still didn't feel right and it gradually went to the floor and stayed there. If it was quiet and anywhere else I would have tried getting home without a clutch. But this was rush hourish, approaching Fosse Park in Leicester, one of the busiest junctions in Leicester. I decided to ring the RAC and get dragged home. They answered quickly and said a van was on the way but was 30-45 mins away. Luckily the car was just off the roundabout with a McDonalds on, so I might as well sit in the warmth, have a bite to eat and a coffee. Got back to the car and the RAC arrived after 40mins of the call. The guy quickly hooked me up to the van with a solid bar and dragged me home. I managed to start the car in gear fine, to drive it up my sloping driveway to get it around the back of the house to the garage.
All in all, great job from the RAC. Left work at 16:00, normally home for 16:30, This time, breakdown, food, coffee and tow home, back in the house by 17:45.

Car is a 145000 mile 1.8T Club SE (2003) I was given (yes free) 6 years ago on 95000 ish miles. It been worked hard towing a ton of car and trailer to Hillclimb venues all over the country and only once let me down when the Turbo ate itself.
I am going to fit a new clutch, probably one of DMGRS sets with the metal master and slave(unless anyone can suggest better?). While its off the road, I will fit new front wheel-bearings (I bought them when I had ABS problems, but new sensors sorted it ) and drop links as I had an advisory at the MOT for one and have bought them but not fitted. I am also tempted to fit a new bottom engine mount as I guess I‘m taking that off anyway and new track rod ends are probably worth it as well.
Anyway the question – is there is anything else I should replace whilst I’ve got the front apart? I will start dismantling it after Christmas ready for the bits to arrive.
Anyway it looks like I’m in my Irish Clan (spare fun car) for the next couple of weeks (or the pushbike).

Happy Christmas

Eric

[bl52krz]

While you are at it,see if the inner track rod needs replacing. Also the front suspension top bearings.

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by Eric_m

Hi,
I've not posted on here much recently as the car just keeps on working, until today.
Left work at 16:00 and within 2 miles the clutch suddenly went to the floor and stayed there. I managed to pull off on to chevrons on the way out of the roundabout I was on and stopped. I managed to get my foot under the pedal and pull it up. A few pumps and it started to work again, but didn't feel right. Left it a minute or so and tried again, still didn't feel right and it gradually went to the floor and stayed there. If it was quiet and anywhere else I would have tried getting home without a clutch. But this was rush hourish, approaching Fosse Park in Leicester, one of the busiest junctions in Leicester. I decided to ring the RAC and get dragged home. They answered quickly and said a van was on the way but was 30-45 mins away. Luckily the car was just off the roundabout with a McDonalds on, so I might as well sit in the warmth, have a bite to eat and a coffee. Got back to the car and the RAC arrived after 40mins of the call. The guy quickly hooked me up to the van with a solid bar and dragged me home. I managed to start the car in gear fine, to drive it up my sloping driveway to get it around the back of the house to the garage.
All in all, great job from the RAC. Left work at 16:00, normally home for 16:30, This time, breakdown, food, coffee and tow home, back in the house by 17:45.

Car is a 145000 mile 1.8T Club SE (2003) I was given (yes free) 6 years ago on 95000 ish miles. It been worked hard towing a ton of car and trailer to Hillclimb venues all over the country and only once let me down when the Turbo ate itself.
I am going to fit a new clutch, probably one of DMGRS sets with the metal master and slave(unless anyone can suggest better?). While its off the road, I will fit new front wheel-bearings (I bought them when I had ABS problems, but new sensors sorted it ) and drop links as I had an advisory at the MOT for one and have bought them but not fitted. I am also tempted to fit a new bottom engine mount as I guess I‘m taking that off anyway and new track rod ends are probably worth it as well.
Anyway the question – is there is anything else I should replace whilst I’ve got the front apart? I will start dismantling it after Christmas ready for the bits to arrive.
Anyway it looks like I’m in my Irish Clan (spare fun car) for the next couple of weeks (or the pushbike).

Happy Christmas

Eric

Don't fit a metal master and slave, go for an LUK Repset pro

Brian

P.S. don't bother with the "genuine" MGR offering from Rimmer Bros is also my advice...ie AVOID this type LINK

[trikey]

As Brian says, fit LUK parts, I too have broken down in the exact same spot you mention back in the late 80's in a Talbot Alpine!

[AndyN01]

Originally Posted by Eric_m

Hi,
I've not posted on here much recently as the car just keeps on working, until today.

Car is a 145000 mile 1.8T Club SE (2003) I was given (yes free) 6 years ago on 95000 ish miles. It been worked hard towing a ton of car and trailer to Hillclimb venues all over the country and only once let me down when the Turbo ate itself.

Happy Christmas

Eric

Good luck with the clutch.

It's the Hillclimb venues bit that got my attention.

Started going to Prescott/Shelsley Walsh & Loton Park as a teenager and watching the likes of ADO/Roy Lane/Martyn Griffiths & Chris Cramer along with some very desirable road and historic cars and a certain Morris Minor - those of a slightly more advanced age will remember Nic Mann's car .

Sort of fuelled my interest in motoring stuff which has been with me ever since.

Cheers.

Andy.

[Eric_m]

Thanks for the advice guys, parts ordered and will start to strip it down when it stops raining.

Andy, I've been competing in hillclimbs and sprints on and off for 30 years. Started off with my Reliant Scimitar GTE (SE5a) in the late 80's and early 90's, running nearly standard in a class for Scimitars which went to various events around the country. Gave it up (shortage of cash!) until about 2000 when a friend at work and I decided to buy a car and go competing. Some other friends I know were doing the same, so we got a car each. I have always loved the Imp engine, so we bought a very modified Imp, and the others bought a Mini. We had great fun until the Imp was rolled by my friend at Mira whereas he gave up and left me the bits.
I took the bits and installed them in a Clan Crusader and again had lots of fun and improved the car, adding fuel injection and eventually a turbo. The MSA then changed the rules and the Clan had to run with the Caterhams and basically could not compete. I decided about 7 years ago to stop competing and build my ultimate car.
This was an Imp built from a shell only and modified as far as I could go within the upto 1400cc Modified Production car rules, The result is this this.



Piccie above is from Crystal Palace a few years ago.

The car is 998cc Imp powered, fuel injected and turbocharged. The rules state with a turbo the cc is x 1.4 so it is in the upto 1400cc class. It has about 190bhp at 8800 rpm and the car weighs approx 525kg and about 625 kg when i'm in it. I have now run it for 4 years, and competed in the British Hillclimb Leaders Championship for the last 3, winning my class in my first year and this year. I have competed at most of the Hillclimb venues (and a few sprints) in the country over the years, and these are my personal best times

Barbon Manor 27.34 secs (July 2019 - Current Class Record)
Curborough 1 lap 33.90 secs (Oct 2017) (record 33.15)
Curborough fiq 8 63.66 secs (Aug 2019) (record 62.31).
Curborough 2 Lap 62.03 secs (Oct 2019) (record 60.11).
Doune 50.26 secs (Sept 2017 - Current Class Record)
Crystal Palace 37.14 secs (May 2019 - Current Class 15 Record)
Gurston Down 35.79 secs (Aug 2019) (record 35.01)
Harewood 63.90 secs (May 2019) (record 63.54)
Loton Park 58.59 secs (Sept 2019) (record 57.52)
Prescott 47.17 secs (April 2019 - Current Class Record)
Shelsley Walsh 32.67 secs (Aug 2017 - Current Class Record)

anyway the Rover has dragged the car to all these events, including up to Doune in Scotland 4 times, without a problem.



If you fancy coming along to any events, I will be doing the same championship next year, and i'll happily let you know which events I will be at.

Cheers

Eric

[bl52krz]

Well done on the records you hold Eric. Might see if I can make it to the curborborough meet next year.

[AndyN01]

Cheers Eric,

I may well take you up on that.

Congratulations on the records and good luck for the New Season.

Andy.