Popular Post Triumphant Posted September 14, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted September 14, 2017 LINK TO DISCUSSION: Okay so I've been on the site for a while but contributed very little to date so here it is. This is my 1969 Skoda Sabre (1000MB outside of NZ), was my Grandfathers and comes with lots of parts. Rego is currently on hold, failed its wof a few weeks ago on tyres and a leaking brake cylinder and it should be back on the road in a few months. Plans are to convert to 5-speed (have a gearbox waiting) and potentially get a 1300cc motor from a Favorit too. All long-ish term plans subject to time, space, money etc so they might change. First though will be to swap out the existing front axle for a later 110L model to get front disc brakes and to do some interior work like headlining, carpets etc. Anyway here are some recent photos. 36 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted September 16, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2017 $2.95 on Trademe very well spent. Pretty tatty but complete and from the model's launch in 1964. 10 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 Okay things have been quiet lately - final exams mean no time for cars sadly. Anyway, back in Dunedin for a week so got the Sabre out for a second attempt at wof (new brake cylinders on the way from England). Sorting through some bits lead to finding more NOS parts including what could be the shiniest original Skoda hubcap in existance, and a front bumper still wrapped from the factory. Even found the original Sabre badge that I thought had been lost years ago! Will get the tyres fitted on Monday and hopefully get the cylinders fitted mid-week in time for a wof on Thursday. After consulting workshop manuals for the Sabre and the later 110 series I have concluded I can swap the front end out from this car for a disc brake one I have. Will do the swap over Christmas, want to get it all painted etc before fitting. Cherry on the cake is the NOS calipers which means no messing about getting things relined (an expensive route I went down with my 110L last year). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted November 18, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 18, 2017 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Managed to get back down to Dunedin to work on the old car. When I took it for a warrant a while back now it failed on a leaky wheel cylinder among other things.I managed to source a pair of cylinders off ebay cheap which was great, only to pull off the drum to find this mess. Oil seal, not brake cylinder. That would explain the brake performance...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Having the right puller makes everything so much easier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Thick mix of gear oil and brake dust has covered everything 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 A smaller, more satisfying job has been swapping the 110 steering wheel back for the original which as it turns out is enormous by comparison. Will be interesting to see what it feels like to drive with! Might swap the speedo back to the original although this is more colourful than the old one 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 Made and broke a puller today trying to get the bearing/seal etc out. Will be contacting Skoda Barrys to find out if there's an easy way (please feel free to offer advice on the discussion!). According to various workshop manuals, the axle should be able to be pressed back in towards the gearbox (~ 10mm) and then let back out which will push out the bearing - easier said than done 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted November 24, 2018 Author Share Posted November 24, 2018 A long time between updates! Mix of work & renovations have meant that there hasn't been much work done lately. Latest news is I finally managed to get to the infamous Marshland Road site to hunt for Skodas. Didn't expect to find so many, it almost seemed like every fifth car was 110 or sections of one! I had watched a video on youtube someone had made of the site ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIzthlI87hc ) and in one shot there was a fairly solid looking Sabre! Sadly though between the video being taken and today someone has beaten me to it! There were three other Sabres on the site but in much worse condition. I will buy one of them just to get the original seats & wheels (my Sabre has 110L seats and 13 inch 120LS wheels) and maybe the windscreens. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted November 24, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 24, 2018 I think I'll go for this reddish one. Still a rusty pile but in slightly better condition. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Made it back to save one of the wrecks, I was there by myself so took the white one because it was easier to access. I wanted to get the red one originally but it had black seats verses the red ones my car had new. Turned out to be quite the mission to get it out, used my XJ Jeep which has never been off the road to drag the various wrecks out of the way so I could get the trailer close enough. Then almost ripped the whole front off the Skoda winching it from the front suspension! Unbelievably rusty piece of a car. Front right wheel was fully locked on so only way I could get it on the trailer was greasing the tyre then pulling it on. Made it home once I'd got it onto the trailer (there goes the neighbourhood), got the bits off it I wanted then took it for scrap. Seats have been really well preserved, the lichen on the windscreens seems to have blacked out the sun (see photo for before/after cleaning). Newspaper found in the car would date it as being sent to it's death in 1988 so 30 years in a paddock! Also found the unrecognisable remains of a 110R coupe - sad sad sight 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumphant Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Only recognised this sad sight by the curve of the rear window. Motor looked complete though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted January 14, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 14, 2019 Managed to get the full set of seats out and they look like they will all scrub up like the one on the left - I am one happy lad. 25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted September 7, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 7, 2019 Long time between posts as usual, made another mission back to the Marshland yard before it's all gone. Managed to get four decent 14 inch rims to put the Sabre back to original and so I can fit the NOS hubcaps - will look the part once blasted and painted. Also found a floormat for it amongst the grass, I have the passenger side but had been missing the driver's so I'm a happy lad! Also dragged this monstrosity home because I couldn't bear the thought of it being crushed. I'll clean it up and then decide what to do with it. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted September 18, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 18, 2019 Not immediately build related but after seeing this stuff article @myk00l ( https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115722682/worker-to-clean-up-christchurch-hoarder-house-begins ) I managed to get in touch with those involved and a sad sight awaited me. Three 110R wrecks All realistically too far gone to save due to rust, the guy told me they had driven into the site three years earlier but I found that verrry hard to believe. There was also two 120L models (one half converted into a rally car) and one solid looking one that apparently only has ~50,000kms on it before the head gasket blew and it was taken off the road. A guy in Dunedin who I've been in touch with has a 120L that he and his son are doing up but were struggling to find parts (was quoted $2,600 for a windscreen from Smith and Smith!). I managed to save the white 120 and will be taking it to Dunedin this weekend when I go down to pick up the Sabre. It's surprising solid considering it's been of the road for ~ 20 years. Almost don't want to let it go! Would come up good with a proper scrub! Also found a loose half axle sitting in one of the cars that I'm reconditioning to put into the Sabre after the fuckery I endured trying to replace oil seals without the right tools / knowledge. Aim is to have it on the road in time for the Mcleans Island swap meet. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted February 1, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 1, 2020 So, Sabre is now in Christchurch so I can slowly get some jobs done while not working on the house. Got the rims from Marshlands sandblasted/painted/fitted and I'm super happy with the result. Suits the car so much better being back to original compared to the 13" wheels. Also fitted the seats from the wreck I got (see earlier posts) but found the front seat frames were pretty wrecked. Managed to fit the replacement covers over the seats that were in it (S110L seats) but the Sabre seats have a different back - will need to get the drivers one fixed before fitting. You can see how the Sabre/1000MB seats are way more shaped and styley than the later ones (drivers side) 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted May 29, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 29, 2022 Been a long time between posts without a huge amount happening. Unfortunately the Sabre failed its wof on a old rust repair (probably dating to the 80s which my Grandfather probably did in the shed), just a floor pan cut so easy enough to replace or get tidied up but niggly all the same when it's never been an issue before. I'll probably bite the bullet and get the entire underside stripped and resealed at the same time so there wont be problems going forwards. On another note, I've infected another with the Skoda virus so now have a 1976 110L in the family. Engine seized with water in the bores so either head gasket or cracked head itself - otherwise solid for its age. Interior was missing a few bits so when a wreck showed up on facebook it had to be salvaged. In a weird twist of fate, it was less than 10km from where the 110L is stored and has the same paint colour and interior trim! Paint is "Miami Blue" which I find hilarious for a communist era Skoda. Paddock car was badly rusted out (doors almost fell off) but managed to get windscreens and all the interior bits we needed. I suspected the engine would have been seized from sitting for decades but amazingly it was free with what feels like good compression. Rocker gear is super clean and carb internals look mint on first glance so might be easier to swap out for the seized one and use the wreck engine. Didn't save the gearbox and mildly regret it, on well, two spares is probably enough...... 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triumphant Posted February 14, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2023 Because I have no impulse control I have bought another project (posting within this thread for Skoda continuity, might start a new one once I start work on it). Enter the mighty NZ made Trekka. Couldn’t say no to this, have always wanted to own one and the number plate is only 4 digits off the Sabre! (DL7234 / DL7238) so presumably both were registered and sold around the same time / same dealer? 25 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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