Well, Coupes are character building if nothing else...

I'm very very lucky to have a local countryside garage that does my MOT's. They know the car- and are very patient with getting her past the emissions side of things. This time I took her for a pre-mot Italian Tune up and with a bit of patience- she passed the emissions test.

Then went and disgraced herself by failing the MOT....weeping rear brake calliper bleed nipple. The brakes...gosh they are becoming a yearly winge...I just can't seem to get them up to spec no matter what I do. Brake pedal always feeling spongy...but leaking fluid this year...naughty!

Anyways -a ramp was made available - and they tried to tighten it. Nope. So, hose clamp to stop any leaking and out it came- it was found to be in need of some cleaning up and making sure it was not blocked. Cleaned and then back in- and then out for another road trip by me "you know better that anyone what it should feel like".

Brakes much better- so back in to check- no more weeping - and found to be bone dry- so MOT passed. No adviseries ...so happy days...

Except......well talk turned to the general 26 year old braking system as a whole...the rear calipers are catching the rust...and would a refresh of the front brake calipers also be called for...and how about some refreshed flexi brake lines...all 26 year old rubber..?

Then I looked up at the rear subframe...even though the car has had some protection underneath-and is garaged.. rust has started to catch up. So should it be attacked with everything in situ..? or REALLY go to town and look to take off everything to get at the whole subframe...and whatever may lurk under there.

While I was mulling this over- I decided to have a re-gas as the a/c had not blown cold for some time. One re-gas later and....yep still no cold air. Some trial and error did nothing, putting some power to the condensor had her running. So the issue is in a fuse or the relay somewhere...I'll have to spend some time chasing over the weekend.

So...2-3 hours. One fresh MOT....but I left the garage feeling a bit low. The end of last year saw the investment of a full service and full Cambelt and Aux belt and tensioner service-and resolved a flooded spark plug (still no idea how or why) , and then some new paint to the front wings and road rashed bonnet (paint needing doing after the nice motorist is scoltand scratched down one wing in a quiet, almost empty car park-and left without leaving even an apology note)

Car felt mega on the way back! Sun shining...and nothing but hats off to my garage....but can't help but feel a bit blue I should have been more "on it" over the winter lay up and ticked some of these boxes...the coupes never like money being spent on them....that's for sure.

She's made me feel a bit of a neglectful owner today...even though I knw logically I need to enjoy her through the summer....and then get the winter to do list started.

But first up is that a/c fault.

Hope all are enjoying their coupes a bit more then me today- she is being testing!

MM

My Aircon has died again. Previously - after replacement condenser - the problem was electrical - all part-corroded around the relays and fuses which my local garage cleaned up and...it worked. But now it's not! I guess we have to take the rough with the smooth. The central locking went yesterday and I couldn't lock the drivers door. Solution - walk round to the passenger door and lock it there instead. It's like it's swapped sides - because previously I couldn't lock it from the passenger side Reminds me of my Fiat Tempra back in the 90s. I had to unlock the door and quickly open the rear passenger door before it locked again.

Just been out this morning for a quiet leisurely drive into town. The sun was shining and I washed her last week. Felt great and the car looks great too.
Always something to do but ignoring it all for now.
The main task is realign the exhaust. It's banging on the floor since I changed the cam belt. A job for one day when I get the urge. For now I'll live with it.

As someone who has just spent £1500 on a new clutch and various other issues at my local excellent specialist (NE Vehicle Repairs of Plymouth), I can sympathise with the OP. We have to accept that these are old, complex and very awkward to work on cars that need money, time and proactive ownership to run. I personally think that the cars are worth all the hassle especially on a sunny day, sunroof open and turbo blowing.

There's nothing else quite like 'em

but, 'one' must remember the age, and physical-cost of some of the (fairly conventional) mechanicals being squeezed into a bespoke shape

You can own 'the look', but you must also own-the-mindset.

nearly £1k for last week's MOT myself. Still need to sort the A/C and some cosmetic stuff. If our Scottish mini-tour in June comes off; I'll put my hand in my pocket again sooner rather than later...

keep-on-Coupé'ing!

I'm obviously lucky with mine with its MOT on 4th April.

A clear pass with no advisories, but on the way back home the vacuum hose between the inlet manifold and fuel pressure regulator split which has obviously screwed up the tailpipe emissions so did a bodge job to take it to the Departure Lounge meet last Saturday.

It is a bugger to get at to fit a new hose on a 16vt just to add to the fun.

Thanks all for your posts,

Just finished the routine weeknd jobs...so out I go with electric contact cleaner, a tester and some new energy to go through everything on the FAC cicruit again...using the FAQ guide on here to make sure I don't miss anything.

Oh btw I enquired the cost of having a Brake Caliper Specialist company re-condition all 4 calipers- with paint of pretty much any colour of choice. £780 for any intersted. Not compared that to new costings yet - but for those a bit more sentimental - means you get to keep the calipers on your coupe.

What ever happens this weekend-she is going out for nice drive in the sun...as you all point out - where else can you get a slice of this italia classic looks and get up and go.

I wouldn't be without my Coupe!

Regards

MM

Thankfully the Coupe went through our 'CT' without any problems last year and a quick check recently has shown no rust .... ah, except for a very small amount at the bottom of the passenger door - almost invisible, but it better get treated before it become a problem.

I need to get under the car / get the wheels off just to check fully before it goes for its test at the end of next March. Have been eyeing up a car lift as they are fairly reasonable 2nd Hand and there's always refurbed ones available. I have plenty of headroom available in the garage / barn!

Missed being able to run the car in the lovely warm & sunny weather this week because we laid new slabs down, which go right across the entrance to the barn doors (weather was an opportunity), so Coupe wasn't going anywhere! Soon be plenty of opportunities ....

Paul

I'm picking mine up again from AllItalia in Wrexham. They're great there - sorted the central locking and washer jet pump - but no joy on the aircon. Everything seems to be working (climate control ecu, switch panel, wiring and fuses and aircon pump - and it's all gassed) but no power to the system. Now I need to find an auto-electrical specialist near me in Chester. I wish I knew something about cars!

Have you tried changing the pressure sensor?

Yes. We tried that. I had a new aircon pressure stat and we swapped it. Wasn't that. Any other ideas gratefully received Many thanks.

From what you've mentioned so far several tests have been carried out.

It might seem obvious but it's not clear if the a/c compressor comes on when the internal control button is pressed, also if you have checked the condenser and the drier (and when they were fitted). Is this what you mean by "switch panel, wiring and fuses and aircon pump working"?

Have they done a leak test with dye? It's amazing how many pinholes appear in the pipework on a car this age!

No - the compressor doesn't come on when the internal control button is pressed. It used to! The condenser was changed a couple of years ago - but not the drier. I still have a spare. Leak wise it's pretty good - it's still holding the gas from last year - I had it tested thinking I just needed a regas. I think genuinely it's an electrical fault somewhere. The Aircon pump worked when power was jumped to it directly. Howard at AllItalia spent a morning trying to find the issue but no luck.

This is a really long shot but assuming the connecting wire from the internal switch to the a/c pump joins into the thick loom running down behind the radio console, check this loom out for chafing against the sharp metal edges of the radio console mount. If you're lucky even wiggling the loom might create a momentary connection between switch and pump.

This happened to me many years ago and interrupted a different function, I don't recall what, but I think an orange/white strand was affected. I've since thrown some corrugated cable protection over the loom.

It would seem unlikely that the wiring inside the centre console is faulty as it's never really subject to wear-and-tear, but if you haven't checked it already it's worth establishing its integrity.

That's a good idea. Wiggling this around a couple of years back brought the blower fan back to life as if by magic so I'll give it a go. Thanks.