There’s a book called “Bangernomics”, all about the trade-offs inherent in running old crap cars. I’ve always driven bangers. My fallback is: For the amount of money your spangly new car depreciates over 2 years, I can buy 5 bangers.
You just have to not mind having to walk from time to time.
Most people (presumably because they are jessies) do mind.
Anyhow, this is not about that. This is about Bangerology, which is the unscientific, superstitious side of owning and running bangers. I’ve long suspected that the golden rule of bangerology is this:
- There must be one thing wrong with your banger at all times
You need proof? What about yesterday? I’d taken off the door trim weeks ago to clean it, and lost a screw somewhere. Two nights ago I found the screw under the sofa, so screwed all the trim back and stood back and admired a car with no outstanding jobs needing done.
The rest is recent history.
So recent in fact, that it’s continuing. Faced with the prospect of reversing all the way to the garage or getting a tow but having to hold the clutch in for the whole way, I thought I’d have a go at it meself. I’ve had the gear linkage off a mini before, so I reckoned it was probably just a split pin that had snapped and fallen out or the like.
“Step 1: refer to chapter 4 and remove the exhaust system”
Uh oh, this could be a long, cold, dark repair.
In accordance with the First Rule, I’d better make sure I smash the rear-view mirror or something before I start.
6 comments so far...
Sounds like your gear linkage has come off. Mine used to do that on my old montego. Just a case of finding the linkage and popping it back on. There may be a clevis pin or something thats dropped off. (my old montego has a sort of suction cup join-type-thing - and all that was needed was a bit of leverage and it would just pop back on)
http://www.bmh-ltd.com/p73nd.htm - if it is you gear linkage - there’s a kit here for 20-odd quid.
I remember trying to fix my windscreen wipers with elastic bands after the linkage kept coming off in wet weather. It worked - in a fashion - at least until I could fix it properly …
Heheh. Thanks for the URL, but this is the Cinquecento that’s knackered. I’m convinced it’s the gear linkage cables. I’ll have a prod around but not yet sure how accessible everything is. Oh yeah, step 2 of the instructions in Haynes is “Fabricate the special tool to the specifications in the photograph.”
With luck, it’s just a question of gobbing lots of toothpaste and bogeys on the cable ends and bashing them into position again.
Don’t you just love Hayne’s manuals? “Fabricate the special tool to the specifications in the photograph.” indeed
I buy Haynes manuals for cars I haven’t got. Last one was for a Saab 900 (previously I had a TR7 one)
erm.
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