yoeddynz

Good idea. Then Vivas and mx5's with these engines can join... I remember checking the 'new 24valve Telstar' out at my local Ford/Mazda place. I was in love with the idea of such big wheels, tiny tyres (at the time) and an all alloy 24v V6. I didnt really know much about cars but it all seemed cool. And now I own not just one but 4 of these engines! That first Vid posted up on page one.... wow. So much nice sound. My Viva really is so damn quiet compared! I might play with the exhaust.

Its a Delco dizzy. Might have it sorted tomorrow hopefully.

Yes good point fellas. I will remove line from servo and plug it. This will then confirm that the servo aint working plus may well help the idle. I pulled the plugs out too. Number three was oily and smelt of petrol.. which relates well to the number three stud in the cap being the most worn of the lot. Waiting on prices for a cap from somewhere other than ripco who want $60+ at trade!!! Might be getting some treats from a friend tommorrow who has a rotary powered HA. He has a spare dizzy plus what looks to be a datto carb!

You silly sausage. Next meet late Jan and maybe lawn bowls in takaka ?

I have just popped in to give sort of a quick "hey there fella..how's your car working out so far and what do you think of it?" update like thing. Well.. glad you asked. Note one; Its not very fast but keeps up with traffic fine if traffic drives slowly. Hills scare me. In the other Viva, Viva One, hills are fun and something to look forward to. In fact I often plan a passing move on a hill to really put a point across to what ever I'm passing, really lay down the house rules in a quick simple move No such fun with Viva wagon I'm afraid. Now all I plan is where can I wind up the rubber band and how fast can I take a corner so not to scrub off too much speed. Momentum is king. Note two; Its light. Lighter over the front end which makes for really light steering and a throw it into everything, chuckable sort of fun drive. Great for not slowing down *see note one. Note three; The brakes need a lot more effort to stop. Suspect servo maybe not playing its part and has decided its going to just sit in the bay taking space and to hell with assistance. The brakes work fine but you have to push them hard. So best not to bother using them and just hold that speed which is good again for speed.. see note one. Note four; Its only running on 3 at idle but smooths out when revved? Or is it me thinking its smoothing out and its actually only running on three most of the time. I wonder if its the worn dizzy cap and once up to speed it doesnt affect the engine. But I think its more. I will check the plugs in the morning. The exhaust knocks the cross member in a very noisy horrible way when the engine bounces about on three. This totally goes with the style of the car though. Passers by probably just think 'old cars.. aint they so sweet with the clouds of smoke and noise' Note five; Its not burning any oil. This is good. Instead its doing a very British car thing and leaving puddles on the floor. I thought it was mainly the rear main seal but then I noticed I had not re-tightened down the rocker cover since its been run a few times. Hopefully this might help. If the car continues to behave well with regards to oil use then I may well just dump out the 15 year old oil and treat it to new stuff. I really should change it shouldn't I... I'm so mean. Note six; It needs music. The wheezy little four pot struggling up a hill, gasping for air, stumbling and hurting when I try to make the gigantic leap over the hole the size of the Isle of man that is between 2nd gear and 3rd gear is not music. I have been given an 80's tape deck stereo headunit and I have some plastic speakers that cost me nothing. So perfect for this car. I will fit them and then hunt out the best music the local recycling center will have on tape. I will post up the build of this mega sound system as we all like ICE. Anyway- we took both Vivas to the OS Nelson area meet today. It made it there fine and did not have too large a queue built up behind and didn't blow a cloud of smoke. So that was nice. Event went well and I took some photos. There was actually 4 Vivas there in the end. This is a record surely. Certainly for Nelson.. Then we drove back home- Hannah following in Viva one which she now claims as hers..pfff no taste. Snobbery. It was a nice day out and as I drove home to the sound of rattles, bangs and clunks I made my list of things to fix. I will report back as I sort through them.

It was another good turn out today. As always at Nelson meets, a very eclectic mix. It was cool to see Matt rotary Anglia in the flesh after following its build for ages. Even better was to get to drive it! Cheers man. It's everything a rotary Anglia should be including fuel smells and noise. I burnt my foot on the floor pan above the exhaust ! Cool to see Dylans bus build. Good use of space. Just needs wall to wall fluffy carpet. I got to marvel at the super rare Twincam Beagle owned and tuned by Will. Amazing to see Dave the Irish Avenger finally turn up to an event in a classic of his own, a Hillman Avenger of course, with the coolest 80's add on power window that kept many grown men amused for ages... I was also quite smitten with the noise and smoothness of Shanes m50 powered Bmw which he also kindly let me drive to the limiter. Will be such a good engine choice for Hannahs Trump wagon. Speaking of wagons.. mine made it along with the careful hands of Sam who I think was blown away with both the pace and the grace of such a refined piece of machinery. Or maybe not.. Another Viva turned up just before we were about to leave so I got a photo of this rare sight.. I didn't take many photos so hopefully Shane etc has some more to put up?.

Damn that must have been a few cups of tea read !

While Hannah and I were having a coffee yesterday morning we got out some old brochures for a read. I had bought this one from England ages ago as a bit of 'inspiration' while taking on the worst of the rust. I thought I would share the virtues of the mighty Viva HB Estate 'Space curve styling continues'.... 'Note the smooth, sleek line of the rear of the Estate with its fast-back tailgate'.... 'An exterior rear view mirror on the drivers side is regular equipment for all models'.... So many features... (btw..my Estate is a '90 de Luxe' model from which someone in the past has stolen its mighty 70bhp engine from) For those who want to win at the pub quizz when they ask about the specifications of a Viva HB Estate... Now I need to find a Triumph mk1 Estate brochure for Hannah so she can stay motivated on her quest to restore her rusty wagon!

Vauxhalls are still probably the cheapest classics out there.. just not many seem to pop up for sale now.

I still have; one 12a sump, Nikki manifold, 12a starter, one 12a housing, Almost everything I need to build a up a typical 'fully rebuilt' 12a.....

Oh yeah for sure.. its a well known fact that the Japanese went to Britain, investigated and learned first hand how the Poms built cars. They then went back to Japan with this knowledge and a strong desire to do things better. Using their excellent work ethic and technology they refined the car building process and built cars that would rust even quicker!

Except in style. Come on bart.. nothing from Japan can compare to the sweet pininfarina lines of an ADO16 . Plus the standard handling and steering feel of the old japanese cars I've owned or driven doesn't match to any old Vauxhall I've driven. But yeah.. datto(or any jap engine) engines replacing any pom engine makes so much sense.

I have the manifold to suit so yeah.. I should try one. Apparantly the datsun 1200 Nikki carb is jetted pretty close ?

Yeah this ^ totally the way to go for easy power. Considering how well it goes already with an out of tune unknown lowest of the low LC 1156 engine which cant be more than 50bhp. 70 bhp would be amazing! Whats annoying is that this car came from the factory with the HB90 70bhp engine but someone has pinched it.

Let's see how long before it gets another motor..... But yeah for now I just wanna cruise.

Beer and chips for dinner! Just rummaged through my speedo cable collection and I have another inner long enough to fix the broken one. sweet.

You get todays gold star!

So as mentioned in the discussion I made it to the wof garage with no major issues. I have learned to ignore the temp gauge.. it tells lies. Maybe wrong sender for the cluster I'm using that's the old one from Viva one. The fuel gauge ain't working. The alternator light randomly comes on ..I suspect a bad earth. The speedo cable has now snapped at the other end ! But I made it and it was in good hands.. After wowing the tester as he's never seen an HB wagon before I walked off to do some shopping. I was hungry as and had a nice pie while I waited for the result. Whilst going shopping I spotted this.. I chatted to the owner, an old boy who's very proud of his Viva. He actually has a Datsun engine with a 5 speed box, fitted by the fella doing my wof. Finished shopping, walked back to the garage. Car was moved inside... Did it pass???? It did! Yes One of my sidelight bulbs was out. I'd known about it but forgot. He chucked another bulb in and passed it! (I have to fix the speedo asap which I will do so tonight). Yay!!!! Straight to the post office for some rego. So I drove home happy, checked the ignition timing with a mates light and it was indeed probably 10-15 degrees to advanced! Its also running lean but damned if I can move the jet down. Might put a slightly smaller O ring in that wont jam up. Got home. Took photo of this... Hung these in place... and sat back for one of these... A very, very happy man I am ! So speedo cable to sort then tune the engine. Change the oil. Get radiator leak soldered. Then in between driving I want to sort out the boot floor with some plywood and make it all flat ready for bikes etc.

Well I made it to the wof. It's in good hands... I have learned to ignore the temp gauge.. it tells lies. Maybe wrong sender for the cluster I'm using that's the old one from Viva one. The fuel gauge ain't working. The alternator light randomly comes on. The speedo cable has now snapped at the other end ! But I made it and now I eat pies while I wait for the result.

I think so? Its the type that's held down with two little spring clips (Oh that just includes almost every bloody dizzy cap out there ever...) . They dont seem to sit perfectly flat ie doesnt locate as well as the good old D25 type dizzy cap. I'll get a photo... This is true! Only just last night on my trip to the beach I had not one but two Tiidas and one Demio trying to take me on for a race.. Yes! That's the plan. He is a classic fan and dailies a El Camino He loves my other Viva so I shall win his heart again with the Viva style. Who can resist the Vauxhall Viva... Yeah wrong car I know.. but I couldnt find an HB advert!?

Thanks! Hopefully it actually makes it over the hill without turning into a mobile kettle. I am not sure how the state of tune is so I'll be taking it easy! Hey can a moderator person change the title to '1969 Viva HB wagon of patina- first drive!' Cheers sleep time!!!

A very exciting evening was had for us. We drove the wagon for the first time. In fact it’s the first time its been on the road since around 1999. I had been intending to have it ready to put through a Wof test on Thursday so we can hopefully take both Vivas to the Nelson area Oldschool meet in the weekend. But it turned out that my wof fella was booked out then. So I booked it for tomorrow and with that little carrot dangling in front of us we both set to work pronto to finish lots of little jobs. We almost had the list checked off but for fitting the bonnet, a side mirror and getting the windscreen washers sorted. The mirror will have to be a little purse mirror taped into the empty side mirror shell that I nicked from the Datsun 120y sitting out back. The windscreen washer is the original old push button type that I just need a reservoir for and the bonnet is now on in place after some quick rust repairs… I also pinched a filter from Hannahs Triumph wagon. It fits well enough and will do until I get something nicer.. Before it got too late in the day I thought I’d better take it for a drive. Its not idling right and shakes about a bit. My timing light bulb is blown so I cant check the timing. I can’t do it statically with a bulb and some wire as it now has electronic ignition. So I just twisted the dizzy until it sounded about right. The carb jet height is set at two turns down since I stripped it, as per Mr Haynes advice . I have no idea what’s going on but it runs. I jumped in and left the shed. I drove down the slope from the shed and heard a loud sound. Ha..I forgot that I had not cut the front lower corner of the front arches away to clear the wider wheels (a standard mod needed for Vivas) . Back into the shed again and out with the angle grinder. Then back out again and this time a little drive just up our driveway to start with. Brakes needed a good application to scuff off the rust on the discs but otherwise it was OK. Took some photos when it was at the top of our drive… I really like this next photo I took from our field with all its spring growth.. ( I have given up on mowing up here).. Hannah walked down and got the recycling bin and tried out the wesome useful load space.. Then back to the shed. I grabbed my tool box, phone and a shirt to stay warm for a possible walk home. First drive on the road here we go. OK not a biggy.. just 3km down the road to the beach. Hey wow.. it goes well! It wanders a little bit and needs and alignment but peppier than I expected. Steering is very light and the clutch is fine. Pretty quiet for a car with no bonnet and no carpets etc. It fun. Excited. Happy! Wow.. I did it. Yay. Down at the beach some old lady remarked how she used to own a Viva when she spotted it as I snapped some photos. I was sort of in an elated but slightly nervous, excited mood and didn’t really concentrate too much on what photos to take. I just snapped away and was happy to be there in the sun after all this time working on it. Drove home and showed the neighbour over the road. We spotted a weeping header tank seam on the radiator… Oh well.. hopefully it’ll hold for a trip to town and the test and I’ll get it sorted out later on. Water pump leaks too but I have 3 spares so will swap one in. Hopefully tomorrow I will also get the bulb for my timing light and properly have a crack at tuning it better. Next to Viva one and getting Kevins approval.. Please wish me luck with the test tomorrow!

I'm going to leave it as is on the outside. But not going to add any 'fake' patina. I like it just how it is. The idea that it has been pulled from a shed after years of neglect (which actually it has) and had the bare minimum amount of work to make it solid and pass a Wof (which it hasn't... I got a bit carried away again..). The bonnet is faded red and brighter red underneath. I am torn now about leaving it. With it popped open it will look terrible against the engine bay. Might throw some paint at it. The doors are on, windows in and tailgate hung. Its looking sweet. The height has come down with the added weight and its about spot on for a daily hack. I must get some pics and do an update. Struggling to tune it without my timing light (blown bulb that I cant get locally) and I cant set the timing statically as its now got electronic ignition with a hall sensor pickup. The O ring I replaced in the carb has certainly stopped it leaking....its now swollen up so much I can barely move the jet. So as it is I cant get it to idle smoothly much lower than 1100. Engine sounds fine when I rev it but at low speed almost has a miss. The dizzy cap needs replacing too I reckon. Anyone got a really good spare?

I have two and 1/16th (a spare wing, door, some glass) Exciting times this afternoon. The car now has doors fitted and the tailgate in place. It looks like a car again. So many mismatched colours and parts. I like it.

Good idea. Post updates.