Fix it Again, Tony

November '06

Fix it Again, Tony

Feature Article from Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car

November, 2006 - Tony Pearson

I am a high-schooler who is looking for a car in the next year or two. A car that currently interests me is the Citroën DS sedan, but I don't really know if this would be a good car because I'm innocent, mechanically. I don't know if parts are available in this country, and I don't know if there are any specialists near my home. What do you think? Other alternatives include the Citroën 2CV and the Volvo P1800 coupe. But again, parts availability for both cars and the cost of the Volvos make me unsure. But other than that, what do you recommend? (These are my favorite cars, by the way.)

Cody Crowley
El Monte, California

Yo, Cody. My answer will be based on your extracurricular activities at school. If you're a first-string linebacker on the varsity football team, get the Citroën DS. You'll be pushing the thing all around town when the hydraulics go south, and your coach will be impressed by the way you've bulked up during the off season. If you're in the glee club, find a nice used Japanese car that will get you safely to your voice coach. Since you're a fan of the Citroën "Duck," I'll assume the latter.

Seriously, you want a car you can depend on, so go for something with better parts availability. Either of the cars you mentioned would make a great vehicle. You can find all things Citroën at www.citroen-ca.com.

I bought a 1967 BMW 2000CS coupe a few months ago that needs many things before I'm through with it. One of the problem areas is the dash pad, which is cracked in a few places. On page 101 of the September issue, David LaChance talked about his recently acquired 1800S Volvo. He discussed the dash pad, which is also cracked; he mentioned that "reproduction pads are available, as are hard plastic covers that cover up the damage." Any idea where, and is he strictly talking about Volvos? In any case, any idea where to get a pad for the dash? Or know anyone who repairs/fixes these things?

I love your magazine; wish I had found out about it earlier!

Alex S. Lieuwma
Madison, Connecticut

BMW is starting to reproduce many parts for their older historic cars and motorcycles. I'd pay a visit to your friendly BMW dealer and get with a parts person who knows his stuff. Be prepared to pay Teutonic prices, but the way I look at it is, where else are you going to get this stuff?

Also, get involved with your local (or national) BMW club. I've found more unobtanium this way when restoring older cars. If you're going to invest your valuable time and Euros restoring this wonderful car, you should be prepared to do it right. Do a search on the Web for dash pad repair, and you'll find a few good outfits.

I've been restoring a 1967 Renault Alpine 110 for the last 15 years. I work on it when I have the time and money, which is why it's taking so long. Now here is my question: At what point do you have more money into a project than it will ever be worth? As you might guess, I have a ton of money in this one, and I don't know if it's worth it anymore.

Carl Crider
Chicago, Illinois

I've seen restorations take decades to complete (or not complete), and have come to the conclusion that there are two camps for this activity. First are the guys who like a project and don't really care if it ever gets done. As long as there's something in the garage to tinker with, they're happy. The others are guys who enjoy seeing a project through to completion. They are happy when they're behind the wheel. There's one thing both these groups have in common: If they thought about how much money it costs vs. what it will be worth, they'd never even start. Quit watching those programs where they find a shell in a field, build it in seven days and sell it at auction for a million bucks. Restorations are for love, not money.

My wife and I just bought a new Mini Cooper S convertible as a play car, so it may be sitting for long periods of time without being driven. It probably won't sit for more than a couple of months at the most between drives. What precautions, if any, should I take?

Dale Kline
Hesperia, California

The only thing I would do is keep the tank full and maybe add a little fuel stabilizer. Modern gasoline will last 60 days, no problem, in a sealed fuel system. I've seen cars that have sat for over a year start and run. Not well, but enough to make it to the local gas station for fresh juice. If you remove the fuel cap and smell turpentine, you have major problems, but I doubt you'll have that experience. The closed fuel system on your Mini and dry desert air will also help ensure that you'll have good fuel when you want to motor.

I bought the find of a lifetime, a 1957 VW Beetle with just over 45,000 miles on the odometer. It belonged to my neighbor who parked it in the late '60s after reverse gear went out. I know I'll have to do all the fluid changes, fuel lines, brakes and tune-up, but what about the transmission?

Rick Pearson
Anaheim, California

It always amazes me when I hear stories like this. Makes me wonder what else is out there. Because of the special tools and black magic involved, I recommend you have the transmission professionally rebuilt. Setting up gear backlash and alignment of the shift forks are critical to how the transmission operates. You can, however, remove the tranny yourself in an afternoon with very little trouble. Do this and pay cash, and you'll be surprised how affordable a transmission rebuild can be. There are a ton of service manuals available to help you along. How often do you really use reverse, anyway?



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