![]() ![]() Keep a weather eye out for the usual issues when starting from cold – reluctance to start, lumpy idling, blue or black exhaust smoke – and be sure to take it out on a test-drive. Whichever engine you opt for, however, you’ll be looking at knife-and-fork mechanics, so trouble-shooting should be straightforward. Unless you’ve set your heart on a very early car (or enjoy driving everywhere at walking pace), it’s usually best to stick to the later (1968-on) 602cc models, which develop a dizzying 33bhp (29bhp after 1979). Wherever possible, it’s always a good idea to get a good look at a prospective purchase’s underside – ideally on a service ramp. The seam above the rear wings is a further common rot-spot.ĭon’t dismiss uneven panel gaps as a minor problem, either, since this can be indicative of a terminally corroded frame beneath a superficially tidy body. More serious rust develops in the floor, front and rear bulkheads, around the windscreen and at the base of the A-, B- and C-pillars. Thankfully, parts back-up is exceptional for all models bar the earliest corrugated panel examples, and major items such as the doors, bootlid, bonnet and wings are easily replaced. This was a cheap car built from average steel with negligible factory rust-proofing and no real intention of it lasting much more than a few years, so it’s hardly surprising that these cars can – and do – rust with the best of them. ![]()
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