Don't burn me VY.....

[Deuce]

So today I (we) bought a second commodore.

It's an acclaim, 3.8 auto.
A friend let it sit for a while unused, and the rego lapsed.

So I picked it up cheap, and took to my brothers place 5 houses away, swapped a rocker gasket (drivers side) to stop a leak - although it's probably the missing rubber bolt grommet causing it, which I'll try and get next week. The leak could have potentially caught fire and killed the car. A long shot but didn't want to risk it.
Gave it a wash, including door jams and boot shut.
Drove it home.
Pulled the rear seats out, boot carpet, tyre and jack kit out. Vacuumed the interior with an old toothbrush handy to loosen old dirt. Found $1.50 (although 10c is jammed under the passenger seat rail and may not come out without removing the seat partly, so call it $1.40. Well actually two 10c coins are the old ones we probably can't use anymore, so call it $1.20. But a wins a win!) 3 crayons, 9 buttons, a hair clip and a label from a child's Christmas present (from poppa).
Cleaned the windows. Parked it where the photo shows, pulled the battery out and put it on charge (incl re-gen cycle).

I have a wee list of things I want to do before trying for rego.
First will probably be removing headlights and sanding/buffing them up.

 

[Immortality]

I was wondering if that was what it was you were working on today.

 

[Deuce]

Today was a lot of time on the headlights.
Bumper off, headlights out.
400 grit wet
1500 grit wet
Coarse buff
Quick fine buff (I skipped medium buff)
Clean one of the terminals on the plug to make sure it keeps continuity - both sides.
Quick clean of bumper reinforcement.
Reattach a clip for the bonnet release cable.
Headlights back in.
Bumper back on.
Clean spare wheel and put it away.
Fill window washers with cleaner concentrate and top up with water.
Adjust squirter nozzles for good windscreen aim/positioning.
Check all lights working correctly - all good.

 

[Fu Manchu]

So today I (we) bought a second commodore.
View attachment 244111
It's an acclaim, 3.8 auto.
A friend let it sit for a while unused, and the rego lapsed.

So I picked it up cheap, and took to my brothers place 5 houses away, swapped a rocker gasket (drivers side) to stop a leak - although it's probably the missing rubber bolt grommet causing it, which I'll try and get next week. The leak could have potentially caught fire and killed the car. A long shot but didn't want to risk it.
Gave it a wash, including door jams and boot shut.
Drove it home.
Pulled the rear seats out, boot carpet, tyre and jack kit out. Vacuumed the interior with an old toothbrush handy to loosen old dirt. Found $1.50 (although 10c is jammed under the passenger seat rail and may not come out without removing the seat partly, so call it $1.40. Well actually two 10c coins are the old ones we probably can't use anymore, so call it $1.20. But a wins a win!) 3 crayons, 9 buttons, a hair clip and a label from a child's Christmas present (from poppa).
Cleaned the windows. Parked it where the photo shows, pulled the battery out and put it on charge (incl re-gen cycle).

I have a wee list of things I want to do before trying for rego.
First will probably be removing headlights and sanding/buffing them up.

Still not enough Commodores at your place.

 

[Jolls]

Today was a lot of time on the headlights.
Bumper off, headlights out.
400 grit wet
1500 grit wet
Coarse buff
Quick fine buff (I skipped medium buff)

One on the list for me to do soon. I did my VZ a while back - just haven't got around to it yet on the new to me VY.

You have inspired me to pull the kit off the shelf, where it has been sitting for the last couple of months.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

 

[Deuce]

One on the list for me to do soon. I did my VZ a while back - just haven't got around to it yet on the new to me VY.

You have inspired me to pull the kit off the shelf, where it has been sitting for the last couple of months.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

My VR has glass headlights.
I don't know why (or when) they down-graded to plastic on all models, but I'm not a fan of the decision, although it probably did save a lot on the production line.....

 

[Jolls]

My VR has glass headlights.
I don't know why (or when) they down-graded to plastic on all models, but I'm not a fan of the decision, although it probably did save a lot on the production line.....

Definitely a cost saving thng - and the cost of aftermarket replacements is ridiculous. I have seen prices ranging from $200 - 1350, although the top end ones had halo surrounds in colours to match the paint. I will do the resto at $30 and not throw working parts out for the sake of cosmetics. I probably should buy a replacement set now though for down the track as I expect they will only become more expensive as time goes on.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

 

[Deuce]

Measured all 4 discs and all 8pads today.
All were well within spec so should pass no problem at inspection time (big thanks to @Fu Manchu for the screenshot of the manual).
Also cleaned and lubricated the slide pins for the calipers so they might operate as nice as possible.
I might book it in for a couple of weeks time for re-rego inspection.

Needs a radiator flush next.

 

[Deuce]

Thursday I fitted 2 new bonnet gas struts. I got the pair from rare spares for the same price as what a single unit was priced at BNT or repco.
And the Friday before that was new rubber key buttons ($7.70 the set).
All the interior is back in with 1 seatbelt anchor wire wheeled and brush touched up. All seats cleaned as well as possible obviously.
Yesterday and today was a radiator and engine empty, then reverse flush, forward flush, do a little dance, repeat. Cleaned out the overflow and degreased/scrubbed the dipstick and feed hose.
Then filled with water, started and ran for 5mins with heater on -dropped all that and flushed with hose until clear. Waited an hour an repeated the fill, heat, flush.
And then got coolant concentrate from repco. I'll grab some filtered rain water from my brothers house this week and mix it all up for the little ecotec.

 

[Deuce]

Oh, also booked it's check for 2-1/2 weeks time.
And fitted a second hand plastic clip yo the rear seat lower before that went back in.

I might do the roof lining after that check.