Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rick]

Doing the brakes on the Standard reminded me of how much I dislike fiddling with rusty old wheel cylinders, battling with tiny brake adjusters that are moments away from rounding off, and brake fluid on the skin.

The only worse jobs that spring to mind are lying underneath a car and trying to weld something up, and battling with corroded exhaust manifold nuts. By comparison, oil changes and Waxoyl sessions are bliss!

RJ
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[Phil - Nottingham]

I agree 100% - I thought I only had these jobs on Rover/Land Rover and Mini - problem is they keep on coming round again no matter what I try to do to make it easier next time

The brake adjusters are huge in Rovers/Land Rovers but still can seize up along with wheel cylinders - exhaust bolts even with brass nuts still give trouble as do spring shackle bolts.

Replacing a blown bulb often results in changing the whole lamp unit too
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[47p2]

99% of jobs that require working within the engine bay of modern cars. You have to strip half the ancillaries to get into anything
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ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars

[Richard H]

Changing the points and condenser on an A35 - there is absolutely no access and it is actually easier to take the blasted distributor out to do jobs on it

Likewise on a 2CV - you have to remove the fan to get anywhere near.

As above - Vauxhall Victor wheel cylinder adjusters are very prone to the adjusters seizing and rounding.

Mk3 Fiesta rear wheel cylinders are held on with an allen bolt that readily corrodes and rounds, again there is no access and the things are incredibly difficult to get off. And when you do get them on, you've got the self adjusting rear brake mechanism to contend with - that's a nightmare.

Any car with a spin on filter that is hidden away behind the engine with no access to remove it, although cartridge type filters can be just as bad, firstly getting a sleeveful of old oil, followed by several minutes swearing at the rubber sealing ring which refuses to engage in the slot.
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Richard Hughes

[Penman]

Hi

[bob2]

I too hate doing the brakes on all cars especially the mini ones, hate the circlip to hold the wheel cylinder in place, it always breaks in two whatever I try to slot it in place!!!
unfortunately on the hunter's wheel cylinders I have the same retention circlip to struggle with!!!

[michael1703]

working on anything vaguely modern

its soul destroyingly dull and annoyingly fiddly

[Rusty]

Replacing Mini by pass hoses is what gives me a pain !!!!!!

You need to be a blinkin midget !!

[michael1703]

air cooled volkswagens

[P3steve]

(air cooled volkswagens) Thank goodness I thought I was the only one

[michael1703]

why are they so overrated and sought after?

people are paying £17k-£22k for bad handling,slow,clattery old campers

for that money i would buy an e type,jensen 541,mustang,charger,mk11,or something that justifies the ependiture

[Salopian]

Well that makes at least 3 of us here in agreement!
Off topic I suppose but I knew a chap who was driving a VW microbus which had a low speed head on with a lorry (not the VW mans fault). Lost a leg - little or no front protection for them rather like those Bedford Rascal type vans.
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

[baconsdozen]

Least favourite job ?. Fitting those fiddly horseshoe clips that hold the rear wheel cylinders on my mk1 transit.
Jobs that even the professionals have aggro with,fitting the screen in a fairway taxi.Flat and small so it looks like a doddle,I busted one trying to refit it into a new surround.I called in a local company who my local really struggled but still cracked one trying to fit it,I then heard of one company that cracked ten of them before getting one to fit.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

[michael1703]

[Nic Jarman]

Ballancing SU carbs. Not a horrible job in itself but you know they will be back out of ballance in a week.
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1936 Morris 8 Series 1
1973 MGB roadster
1977 MG Midget 1500
Dax Rush