Thought I should introduce myself as I've been browsing the forum for a few weeks now and quite often turn to it when I'm looking for an answer to the faults I keep finding on my car.
I'd always wanted a 216 Vitesse SD3. Back in 1993 my parents had one (Reg number E759 BHH if anyone knows its whereabouts?) and on the way to the hospital I was born in it! Unfortunately they sold it shortly after I was born and for the last 5 years I've been looking for a decent Vitesse. I'm pretty handy with older cars as my dad brought me up tinkering with his Triumphs and got myself into Land Rovers at an early age. I now work as an Engineer/Welder so do all my own maintenance on my own cars, more as a hobby than anything else.
After a few close buys and many saved searches on Ebay and the likes, one popped up just over a year ago on Ebay. She was an early 1986 Vitesse, non runner, mostly complete and been barn stored since 1999. Over half its life! I still have the 1999 tax disc on the windscreen for retro points! Anyways, I live in Scotland and it was up for sale near Gaydon so viewing wasn't really an option. I phoned the guy up and confirmed what its condition was like and went for it. Luckily I had 2 weeks of Christmas/New year holidays coming up and it all timed in well. I collected her, brought her back up to Scotland on a trailer pulled by my trusty Defender.
Once in the workshop I spent the entire of my holidays pluttering and trying to fix things as they cropped up. The engine after a good service required a water pump, cambelt and a new fuel pump which got it running. Other things cropped up like the radiator was blocked so gave it a good flush. Brake system pretty much completely renewed, along with the exhaust which was pretty much none existent (especially as the back). As the weather turned in autumn last year I changed the head gasket and checked the valve clearances ect.
I managed to get her MOT'ed in March at my local garage and as I used it more things would fail and I'd keep fixing them as they happened. I entered it into my local classic car show in the summer and just really enjoyed the car when the weather was right. Sometimes feel like I'm chasing my tail trying to fix it as fast as it breaks but I knew that's what it would be like having stood for such a long time. I haven't made any changes, just more recommissioning work as its relatively tidy once its got a coat of wax on and definitely gets attention everywhere is goes!
Its needing a couple of things in readiness for its second MOT in March, new windscreen as its got a crack in the top and other bits and bobs which I'll hopefully get onto over the next couple of weeks. I did have a thought of a road trip down to POL in April but there's a list of things to sort before I can get excited about that.
Hopefully I've attached a couple of images and you can get my list of questions later...
Tom.
