Finally back on the road!

After what seems like an age (actually it is over 5 years!) the coupé has finally had a new gear lever housing fitted.

Sorry tale - the nylon housing cracked, whilst in France which left it stranded out our house before we actually moved there. Once I had a safe, dry and secure place to work on it (our barn), I did manage to get almost everything removed but the housing itself. Not easy when working with the car up on 4 ramps. Then did my back in, couldn't find anyone willing to help, the COVID put everything on ice for a while!

Finally today having found a mechanic, we managed to get it replaced and put everything back together again. Huge relief. It has been run a couple of times each year, just to ensure the oil flows round and the barn is warm, dry and been an ideal storage place, but definitely looking forward to actually getting it on the road again.

It has no rust, apart from minute surface rust underneath, just 45k on the clock, so needs to be used and loved again!

Paul

Good news.

I don't know what I am more envious of, nice dry barn or Charente !

Barn comes with being in the Charente! :-)

Now I'm one very happy Coupe owner!

Having put everything back together underneath, the refurbed dash console and handbrake / gear-lever cover, plus radio is also now back in. The battery tray fitted, the rear indicator lights swapped over (for the fog / reversing lights) and wiring extended plus I checked the condition of the spark plugs.

After two years sat idle it was time to see if it would start ok - needn't have worried as key in and first try it turned over and started immediately! Warmed it up and left it to run for a bit, before trying the gear lever and again no problem.

Thought I'd turn the car round in the barn, but forgot just how crap the turning circle is on the coupe - took a number of 'shuffles' to fully turn round as only half of the barn is available at present.

Everything appears to be running and working just perfectly ....... can't last!

Great start to the year Paul

Nice one Paul. Good news.

Having got the Coupe finished and ready for its first trip out after 5 years, thought I'd share some pictures of it in the 'garage'! I don't think that it would have stayed in the best condition without being able to store it here - no humidity in summer and no condensation during winter either.

The only thing I had to look out for were bird-droppings from our resident Redstarts!

Very nice, great effort getting the old girl back on the road

Thanks, but thanks are due to you for providing info on how to tackle the cracked gear lever housing (a few years ago mind)! Turned out that quite a few things were not as shown in either the workshop manual (part upside down) or on the car. Also ended up as a two-man job, but it's done.

Another milestone today as it is now insured - bit different here as it's the car that's insured not the driver. I have unlimited mileage, but if I decide to keep it off-road for a month, then a quick call and the premium drops to 20€ pm (about £16), but with full cover still.

I can now drive it, but it will want the equivalent of the MOT asap so it can get registered and new plates. Sadly losing the old 'FCZ'....

I remember that little issue, feels like many life times ago

Its been a long-running joke with friends, ribbing me about the car on ramps in the barn going nowhere fast!

COVID didn't help.....

Yes aren't mates great taking the piss about our projects slow progress, at least you can show and shine this year now

Ha - tell me about it!

Still not been out for a proper drive as I was unsure about the temperature sender and the alternator.

It's been rather cold over here for a week or two, getting down regularly to -3 and a couple of days to -6, so its winter quarters stayed closed! Oh, had some fun with the washer bottle too - filled it up and then watched as it quietly drained itself over the floor. I did manage to catch some of it, but not a lot.

Seems that whilst it has been laid up, the washer motor takeup pipe quietly disintegrated, so it was pouring out from where it pushes into the grommet. One new motor later and after removing the reservoir to clean it and remove bits of plastic from inside, that problem was solved.

Had a chance today to run up the car to full running temperature and the gauge woke up and registered the correct temp, so another problem averted.

The alternator, I'm not so sure. Putting a meter on the battery didn't seem to register a change when revving up and the dash gauge reads 12 volts, or just under when running. I think it should be more like 13 - 15. If I can mange it (can only just see them), I would like to get the meter on the alternator itself. Somehow though I think it may need a replacement - being laid up may have introduced some corrosion and it may already have been a bit knackered anyway. At least a reconditioned unit isn't that expensive (about 140 - 160€ depending on make) and then just needs fitting.

Think I'll give that job to someone else.....

Great news Paul, you must be chuffed to have your coupe up & running again . It looks very nice in the photos, you've obviously looked after it well.

I would say it's as much relief as anything else, finally getting it back together! Sitting in it after so long is a little scary; seems so low down and I'm having to get used to the minuscule wing mirrors once again, oh and the fact that you can't see the end of the bonnet and it's like a twenty-point turn to turn it round!

My usual drive is a Peugeot 3008 which gives a road view equivalent to sitting on the roof of the Coupé.......

I am lucky to have somewhere safe to keep it and would you believe it has only done 17,000 miles since I bought it in 2009, with a grand total of 45,000. Still running it in!

Before you condemn the alternator: check that the charging light is on when the ignition is on but the engine is not yet turning. If it isn't suspect either the bulb or the smaller connector on the alternator (they have been known to fail where the wire goes into the metal tab). Lack of that connection stops the alternator, er, alternating unless it has some residual magnetism and the revs get high enough.

You should see around 14 volts at a couple of thousand revs with a working alternator.

Thanks, yes, I have had a look at it but it's in such a b** awkward position!

It appears to be connected, but I guess it's quite possible having been idle for some time to have some corrosion around the connection, which won't help. That will be tomorrows job, along with removing the 'gunge' coating on the ashtray cover! I missed cleaning it up when I did everything else as it was open.

Well, I had a check this morning and -

1. No charging light when the ignition switched on but engine not running. Didn't notice that it wasn't there before!
2. Small wire connection appears to be solid, but can't get my hand down there (at least not without getting stuck) to fully check

If it is connected ok, I guess that would point to the likelihood that the alternator may be duff, particularly as there is a strong possibility that there is no charge. I have measured across the battery when running and not getting more than the residual battery voltage.

Thanks,

Whilst working on things under the bonnet recently, apart from the fact that I realised once again just how packed in everything is, I also noted that it's all in pretty good condition too.

Apart from the usual bits of surface rust here and there, (impossible to stop because of the location) i's all pretty clean! I'm sure there are better out there, but here's my offering for a clean under-bonnet......

Yes, impressive condition It's good the strut-brace default colour matches the car, it sticks out rather on others so I was glad when mine was resprayed black on my recent resto

Simon yours brace was powder coater

Even better

As the title of the thread says - Finally back on the road.

Today it went out for it's first actual drive on a road for over 5 years - felt good, but also very weird getting used to being low down, with a steering wheel on the wrong side and tiny wing mirrors!

Thankfully no problems (so far), got it nice and warm and it drove well and was very willing to pull. Forgot about the 'firm' ride and was beginning to really enjoy it before putting it back into the barn. Probably come out again before it goes for the alternator replacement and once that is done it will be off for a 'CT' (our MOT equivalent). Then it can get registered over here - will be sad to lose the private plate, but they can hang on the barn wall as a reminder!

Great News to hear your coupe has ventured outside again after such a long time.

A small service, alternator replacement and perhaps some new rubber...and here is to an enjoyable spring and summer in La France'. The D65 looks like a perfect summer road to get her out on in the better weather!

Best,

MM

Indeed, there are quite a few excellent drives around and most of them will be pretty quiet too. I think we drove about 30Km the other week to Charroux from Ruffec and only saw 2 cars on the same side as us!

Paul

Hi Paul,

It would be interesting to hear how you get on with the registration after Brexit. I did a few cars over the years and it was easy enough. Hopefully the process is no harder these days.

Is there any import duty to pay now, and if so, how do they calculate it? Knowing the French the calculation will be interesting.
At least there is no emissions tax that you will have to pay. This is really good in France. The older the car the less you pay!!!! Once the car is 10 years old its zero emissions tax.

Frazer

Hi Frazer,

The registration process is still pretty straightforward. The only thing that could complicate it is the fact that the car was imported pre-Brexit (like 5 years) but never been on the road beyond the first week! I have bag loads of documents for any eventuality.

No import tax assuming car is older than and owned for More than 6 months.

All to come though, once the alternator is done and it’s been through the CT.

Cheers,

Well after an age the Coupé has finally made it back to where it belongs, on the driveway!

Everything has been done and after a final oil change ( I went for 10W60 Mobil 1) and a flush through of the brake fluid it's now ready for spring / summer. There are a couple of paint chips on the front bumper that will need sorting

Here it is ready for a drive later today -



After so long (5years +) it does seem very strange.....

Paul

Brilliant

Fairplay Paul, you must be chuffed to have your Coupe back on the road after all that time. Looks like it's in great condition.

Very nice Paul. The car looks great.

Pleased yes .... huge relief too!

Storage conditions have helped a lot to keep it in good nick - as you well know Frazer, a nice large, dry barn is an ideal place to keep it.

Belle auto. Bon voyages en ouest de France.