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Post by munceyboyjoe on Mar 17, 2010 9:52:05 GMT
It's been a while now since I took over ownership of Pedro's 66 Marathon coupe. I'm pleased to say that after 24 lessons of heavy learning graft I passed my driving test first time yesterday, better late than never I guess! After sorting insurance last night I'm planning my first journey this evening, driving it back from the garage of a local friends where it has spent the winter. Those from Derby may see it meandering around soon. Are there any things I should be particularly weary of since it hasn't been driven for a while? I started the engine every time I visited it over winter and it didn't seem to struggle to start. Friends pretending they were Daf owners: A limp wristed moment as I prepare to leave it for winter:
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Mar 17, 2010 9:55:27 GMT
Check your fluid levels and that all your lights work and get driving. Id take it slowly at first as you may have rust on the discs but that should clear up quickly enough
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Mar 17, 2010 10:50:29 GMT
Well done Joe!
As Paul has said, check oil, water, brake fluid and lights. Best to have a quick check of horn, wipers and washer as well - even if you don't need them sod's law says it'll be your first trip out where you get stopped by some keen plod who decides to have a quick look over the car, or meet a random VOSA check, so best to be sure all the "road legal" stuff is working!
Ditto for tyres - there's no reason they will have worn but they might have cracked over a winter (very unlikely but worth the seconds it takes to look). Also tyre pressures. If you can, check them before moving but, if you have to get it to a garage to do that then remember that the pressures will increase slightly when you're moving so if they look too high once you get to a garage don't let air out!
Then check the brakes themselves before you head off properly. Before moving push the pedal hard and hold it down for 20 seconds or so to make sure it doesn't creep downwards - which would indicate a seal problem. Again, it's unlikely there will be one, but best to be sure before heading out - you don't want to discover that one as someone pulls out in front of you! Then, as you move away, try them gently a couple of times followed by a couple of short, hard, stops to be confident they're not grabbing and will actually stop you.
Finally, get as much fuel as you can afford in her and find excuses to burn it. Have fun ;D
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Mar 17, 2010 13:21:08 GMT
Congratulations Joe!! Now get out there and start enjoying her!
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Mar 17, 2010 22:29:04 GMT
Thanks for the tips guys! First days driving was a lot of fun. Made the 25 minute trip no problems. Ran into difficulty later as the battery died trying to start after another short trip. It faded badly and eventually died on the run to Derby from Huddersfield too. Eventually a friend came with jump leads to save the day.
Does this sound like alternator trouble? The belt does seem pretty loose, no squealing but it will bend right around on itself. I realise the battery hasn't been getting regular use but it has been charged back up and so on.
Also, how much do these cars feel like go karts?! I'll have to be careful not to forget how to drive a manual.
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Post by Richard DAF Webmeister on Mar 17, 2010 22:37:11 GMT
Marvellous - hope you continue to enjoy it!
DAFs are very go-kart like. In fact, they are good for left-foot-braking, especially on non-servo brake ones.
You should be OK switching between a manual car and a DAF - many of us here do all the time. Just remember to perhaps not put the same foot pressure on the DAF brake pedal as you would on a clutch pedal!
You are going to be the envy of a lot of people round here - a coupé!! Magic.
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Post by dafdaffer on Mar 17, 2010 23:20:17 GMT
i will be glad to see my old girl driving around these parts again, i rescued her from Guildford as the previous owner was going to scrap her as he was giving up his rented garage. i decided to sell her to pedro as i wanted to keep biddy. she underwent a lengthy restoration in Ripley which cost me more than the car well done on the test and if you need anything just give us a holla. Paul
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Mar 17, 2010 23:34:09 GMT
If the belt is that loose it's likely to slip without making any noise - give the battery a good charge off-car and tighten or replace the belt, then see how it goes. Also, does the alternator light come on when you turn the ignition on but don't start the engine? It's part of the exciter circuit so a blown bulb can actually stop the alternator producing anything depending whether there's a shunt or not.
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Mar 18, 2010 9:11:19 GMT
Hi Paul, looking at it now I can't believe it was close to being scrapped! Great save!
Thanks for the tips too Mr Monkey, I'll be sure to check these before I put the charged up battery back in - would never have thought to check for the alternator light. Practical classics had a few tips for checking batteries and current drain and so in in the Feb issue so I'll check these too.
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Mar 19, 2010 13:35:44 GMT
Ok, so far I have only been able to devote 10 mins of a lunchbreak to the 66.. The charged battery is back in, started up first time. Alternator belt still not been adjusted. I realised I didn't know which the alternator light was.. In this image, I'm guessing the left most circled light is oil pressure? Right of that engine temp? Then the two lights circled to the right, I'm not sure of. In any case, with ignition on, all 4 light up, then with the engine running the two to the right stay lit. I was also thinking that if the battery is flat by the time I start it after work tonight, then I'll know that either the battery can't hold charge or there is a current drain of some sort somewhere. (Although would I have noticed sparks when putting the battery back in if there was a significant current draw?)
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Mar 19, 2010 14:30:28 GMT
I don't know the 66 dash but would expect the alternator light to be in one of the three holes in the centre of the dash, Joe, with the other two being high beam and indicators. Having said that, I didn't realise you have either an ammeter or volt-meter fitted on those. Can't see which from here - if the needle moves completely left when you switch off it's a voltmeter, if it stays in the middle it's an ammeter. That lets you see without a doubt whether it's charging or not.
Turn the ignition on without the engine running and it will give a reading. Then start the engine and let it idle, the reading should be higher. Looking at the photo, I'm guessing it was taken with the engine running cos the fuel gauge is reading but the oil light is off. If that's the case then where the battery gauge is in the pic is fine (charging) for a voltmeter but low (discharging) for an ammeter.
As for the two on the right, one will be hazard light repeater and the other (possibly) fog-light warning?
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Onne
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Post by Onne on Mar 19, 2010 15:42:53 GMT
The ones on the right are (going left to right) Choke warning light and Handbrake/Brake fluid level warning light.
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Mar 19, 2010 15:45:13 GMT
Reading the symbols one of two on the right has a choke symbol on it. I would guess choke warning.
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Mar 19, 2010 16:19:20 GMT
Fair enough - someone had painted red circles over my copy and I couldn't make the symbols out ;D
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Mar 19, 2010 17:29:44 GMT
Haha, what berk would do that?! Thanks guys.
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Post by dafdaffer on Mar 20, 2010 9:54:03 GMT
it does not have one it has a battery condition gauge at the bottom below the water temperature and oil light.
if it goes into red then it aint charging, as pedro didn't use it very often the battery will have died, get yourself to Albert Looms in derby in the stores they have loads of Batteries for £20 or £15 if you take an old one in, there was loads yesterday.
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Post by dafdaffer on Mar 20, 2010 9:56:02 GMT
or failing that we have a few alternators
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Mar 22, 2010 21:35:59 GMT
Had a nice weekend with the Daf, took my brother for a ride and I think I've converted him! I was hoovering out the interior when I realised the original manual was still in the glovebox. Apparently this gauge is a voltmeter after all. The needle doesn't quite reach the green 'good zone' during use yet, but I had no starting issues all weekend, and that's without giving the alternator belt any attention or a new battery. Paul, can I ask what stereo you used to use? Would quite like to get some music to accompany my travels but there's nothing but an empty space where the stereo used to be at the moment. An old Grundig cassette radio was in the glovebox, the original?! To the body, there seem to be some rust spots coming through here and there and both doors have some rust issues near the bottom. Bit of work ahead if I find the time before winter. I don't suppose you remember the blue used on the refinish do you Paul?? Pedro passed on a small pot of the remaining paint, just labelled daf blue! Some more pics...
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Mar 22, 2010 22:22:11 GMT
She's a beauty Joe, nice to see her out and about.
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Post by Richard DAF Webmeister on Mar 22, 2010 22:57:04 GMT
Marvellous!
The paint colour is called Marina blue (same as my dear Blue Bullet) It's an original DAF colour.
Stereo - oh cassette eh? They are starting to get cult following again after the last few years as being considered old hat. Just like 8-track. Yeah, how cool would one of those be?
CD, MP thingy... not the same as screwed up tapes!
And well done with the hoovering - I learnt what one of those was for soon after I got my first DAF!
Keep it clean and shiny - it's a cool car.
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Post by dafdaffer on Mar 22, 2010 23:24:31 GMT
Hi joe, when i had her i fitted a sony cd player but cannot tell you what was in originally.i did give pedro a new dash to fit as it was bit of a mess where the old one went in. if you had the pot of paint from pedro then that was the one from when i had it, the local garage got it me. but correctly as mr b has said it is marina blue, the same as his 33 and my 44. we will be breaking a 66 soon so there will be a few its knocking around, saying that i have a garage full of 66 parts and no 66
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Mar 25, 2010 22:21:10 GMT
Hey, yeah Pedro passed on the new dash but I'm happy to keep that aside for the future. I wonder if the garage you used in Ripley would like to see the car again? Ideally I'd like to ask a bodyshop to take care of the rust that is popping up. I might maybe be after a couple of doors if there are some spare
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Post by dafdaffer on Mar 26, 2010 14:18:56 GMT
Weightman brothers, medow road ripley. they are on the verge or retiring now but lovely chaps maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=manvers+street+ripley&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=14.671726,39.506836&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Manvers+St,+Ripley,+Derbyshire+DE5+3EQ,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.047528,-1.404737&spn=0.003638,0.009645&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.047619,-1.404765&panoid=yUXBUE6ZsHa2VG_CU98khg&cbp=12,247.89,,0,10.74 also i dont have any doors for the coupe, they are very hard to get
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Apr 13, 2010 9:38:28 GMT
Thanks! The garage does look as if it is peacefully enjoying its last days. The last couple of weeks have been a pleasure, especially driving around in the sun. Still haven't sorted the charging system, it is generally charging enough to start itself but I am avoiding night time driving as the current draw from headlights seems to drain the battery quickly. The iso connector you left the Daf with looks good and easy to match up so a stereo will be forthcoming. Did you make use of the single speaker in in the instrument column Paul?! I have bought a cover from classic additions that really seems up to the job of keeping morning dew off nicely. I have given up finding a bodyshop willing to look at the rust for me though, so have begun formulating a plan of my own. Initially this involved removing surface rust, using hammerite kurust and then painting over the top. I have since decided to spend a bit more in the hope that my patchwork will last a bit longer and plan to go for some Bilt Hamber products. Namely hydrate 80 rust converter and deox gel/etchweld to be used on the varying patches, before covering with Marina Blue. It wont be the prettiest doing it myself but I have to at least try to stop the rusty bits... www.flickr.com/photos/66889473@N00/sets/72157623805518760/
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Apr 13, 2010 9:50:47 GMT
I know of a body shop that will do it. But theyd want £900 to spray the whole car. That includes prep work and what they call repairing reasonable levels of rot. Hmm is Bruces is rot reasonable
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Apr 13, 2010 10:37:31 GMT
Hmm I would definitely be interested in contacting them, Paul. It would be interesting to see how far along the Blue Beast is in terms of their rot-scale!
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Apr 29, 2010 18:25:08 GMT
I don't suppose anyone has experience of taking the chrome weatherstrip off around the windows and doors? I was speaking to a guy with a bodyshop who said he was worried about removing them to get at the rust underneath as the retaining clips tend to get snapped in the process.
I'm on the cust of putting a big order in with Bilt Hamber for some electrox zinc rich primer and some deox gel for rust removal. Shame it's started raining again. Either that or a last minute change of heart and book some time in a bodyshop, but that is the expensive option I'm trying to put off.
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Post by munceyboyjoe on Jun 1, 2010 10:58:13 GMT
Quick update for the 66..
Recently took it to a local garage that had been heartily recommended. Was diagnosed as having a weak output from the alternator. The guy was confident he had a spare and remembered DAFs being sold at the local Speeds Volvo garage.
When it came to it last Saturday, they couldn't get their spare to fit and mentioned something about ordering in a diode - not quite sure how this could help the original but there you go. So I was told to bring it back next weekend and set off in the rain. 20 meters later it became apparent that something wasn't right, the car lurching forwards badly, throttle response was hit and miss. Even heard a couple of misfires. A few meters more and the engine died.
It started a couple of more times but the engine wouldn't run for more than a few seconds and died. The garage collected it for me and are now keeping it till they get whatever part they have ordered and fitted it. I'm hoping that this was just a case of the original alternator not being properly refitted, I've never experienced rough running from it before.
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Post by dafdaffer on Jun 1, 2010 21:49:37 GMT
i have an alternator if you get any more problems. please come to us if your stuck rather than pay extortionate prices. id say you new problem is points and condenser as they are usual suspects
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Jun 2, 2010 23:03:04 GMT
If there's a diode blown in the recitfier pack for the alternator then you tend to get partial output and a very choppy waveform that the regulator doesn't like much. If they're on the level and get it sorted then they deserve a BIG thumbs up - not many garages are willing (or capable) of diagnosing electrics (even alternators, which are fairly straighhtforward in electronics terms) to component level, let alone actually replacing individual bits!
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