169 replies to this topic

[oli8925]

As some may know the Viva was involved in a 'slight incident' a while ago. Was meant to be all fixed up and back on the road long before now but getting hold of parts has been a nightmare. As I'm only just starting to make progress and am finally close to getting the parts I need, thought I might start a little project thread for it.

This is how she was:




And my list of things to do copied from the thread on RetroRides:

Time for an update.

The Viva is off the road for a while now until I manage to find the parts I need and be able to pick them up. It's going into a body shop to get some issues sorted out here and there, so I've taken the opportunity to plan some upgrades.

Parts I have:
New Shocks
-50mm Springs
New Ball joints
Stainless Braided Brake hoses
Weber 40 DCOE
Engine Mounts

Parts I need/want
Front crossmember
N/S top and bottom arm
N/S control rod
Suspension bushes (on the way)
Gearbox mount bush
4 branch manifold (on the way)
Modified head (on the way)
2nd set of steelies to be banded
Another 1256 to rebuild
SL grille with black slats
Pair of square 8's
Brake pads, discs, shoes etc
Heater valve and cable
Door rubbers
RR stickers

Jobs to do still
Wire up reverse light
Wire up fog lights
Replace alternator
Clean up appearance inside and out
Pull out/fill in the dents
Deal with the rust scabs
Do something with the battery tray and accompanied rust
Repair spare wheel well
Replace door rubbers
Waxoyl and protect
Give her a bloody good clean inside and out
Go to Ace Cafe


Pretty much just a list to keep me organised otherwise I end up running around in circles. First priority is get her back on the road so I have a car, then deal with the visual mods and details, then wheels which will probably have to be towards Christmas so I can use my student loan; yes, that is what it's there for!

Then it's on (again) to the true love of my life...the Mini!

Currently looking like this, but with a few more bits missing and zinc primer all over the place.


So the end Viva should be free of dents, chips and some rust, lowered 50mm, Viva 13" steelies banded to 6", painted satin black with original chrome hubcaps, and an SL grille which has black centre slats instead of the ones in the picture. Hence a white, black and chrome theme running throughout. Only other mods are the 4 branch manifold, Weber 40dcoe and modified head, but that will wait until it's back on the road and probably until I have another 1256 to rebuild and put them onto as I'm not confident about the current bottom end.

Also getting some 13cm Alpine components and tweeters to put in the front, but will have to make up some brackets to mount them first.

Don't think there's anything else, and all mods will be done so that the car can be put back to original. Will try to update this thread or the RetroRides one as and when I remember.

Edited by oli8925, 21 April 2011 - 04:11 PM.

[joe90gt]

its great when you see "ordinary" cars on the road - they seem so much rarer than rare cars these days, nice to see your viva like that - my wife used to own a viva GLS with velour upholstery and twin lights but to be honest i hated it at the time, my brother had a droopsnoot sport hatch which i really wish he had kept - that 2.3 was a lovely engine - keep up the good work

[oli8925]

Unfortunately I've not been able to crack on any more with the de-rusting (got to first prime stage on the front, both wings and N/S arches last week) but have done some painting and neatening up of trim pieces, giving my door cards a good clean and started on getting the mass of dirty old glue off the inside of the doors.

Still not finalised a deal on the crossmember and suspension pieces I need, but in preperation for getting them, I have put an order through for a complee set of superflex suspension bushes front and back. Looking forward to that package was stupidly expensive though!

More progress will be made next week but for now, I'm off on a lovely holiday to Rhodes bye bye sunny England!

[oli8925]

Would any clever person like to tell me why, even after replacing the alternator, the voltage across my battery is 18.5V?

[Calman]

Oli, nice work!

Don't no if you remember me pm'ing you before about the Viva's? Anyways, been looking past couple weeks and especially this week theres been somelovely stuff going cheap! After new year once im on the road im defo going to start saving for a project summer time. Only... Pinto Powered! Got a 2L lump in the garage that needs a rebuild. Dad was going to scrap it!

Keep at it, im looking foward to seeing it done so get your ass in gear mate!

EDIT : Heres one i really wish was closer and i had the money for NOW! Here!

Edited by Calman, 10 August 2010 - 05:25 PM.

[samsfern]

what was the inident?

[samsfern]

*double post*

Edited by samsernie, 10 August 2010 - 05:40 PM.

[oli8925]

Oli, nice work!

Don't no if you remember me pm'ing you before about the Viva's? Anyways, been looking past couple weeks and especially this week theres been somelovely stuff going cheap! After new year once im on the road im defo going to start saving for a project summer time. Only... Pinto Powered! Got a 2L lump in the garage that needs a rebuild. Dad was going to scrap it!

Keep at it, im looking foward to seeing it done so get your ass in gear mate!

EDIT : Heres one i really wish was closer and i had the money for NOW! Here!

Can't beat a bit of retro brown! Pinto Viva would be a great laugh. I'd definitely recommend you doing it! I'm trying to keep at it and keep the motivation but for a while now nothing has been going my way! Need some luck soon or I'm going to find a rock and crawl under it.

what was the inident?

I won't lie, driver error and awful weather conditions to make it worse

Something else I meant to ask, as the car is going to have a white, black and chrome theme; should I paint the vauxhall badge on the back black or keep it red?

[samsfern]

i remember, the 'rain' run, was rather slippy, lol

[Calman]

I say Black to match the rest. But then again Red could also look cool (Great help eh? ) Digi section

A set of supertrax would look good....

[AVV IT]

Fantastic looking Viva you've got there, I haven't seen one of those in years & years!! I'm getting all misty eyed now, thinking about bouncing around in the back of one unrestrained on childhood trips to the seaside, whilst my bare legs burned and stuck to the vinyl upholstory in the searing heat!!!

[Timtom]

everytime i read this thread i fall in love a little bit! i keep looking at other cars than the mini but (maybe thankfully!) haven't got the space or the spare cash but a man can dream.

Looks awesome Oli, i hope you enjoy it

[oli8925]

Cheers Tom not enjoying the sodding thing at the moment though. With all the things starting to play up as they have, its reminding me of mini ownership

Thanks AVV IT, if we ever meet I'll take you for a ride, and you can sit in the back unrestrained just like old times if you're lucky it'll be a hot day too!

Right, badge is going black once I get a syringe and needle to get in the tiny spaces. Hope it works. Can always repaint it red anyway.

Supertrax were one of the wheels I was considering but I've got my heart set on banded steels now when I find a set of steels to band. Might be getting a spares Viva soon though (touch wood yet again) so I'll take the wheels, 'box and engine off of that

Also, just won this on for quite a good price I think
http://cgi.ebay.co.u...5#ht_500wt_1154

[Calman]

Sorry for a quick hijack, and for stealing one of your pics !

But, a nice one i done in Photoshop. (Atleast i think so!)



Bike rear can ATS Classics, (Would have to get adaptors to fit the PCD) finished off with little chrome trim and a glossy dark green. It came out Matt because im hopeless at PS

[oli8925]

So you're going to do this, yes? Good, I look forward to seeing it Looks great on the ATS Classics, something I'd never thought of. Annoying noone does them in 4" PCD as they're great and as the name goes they're a classic look. Alleycats might be a close match in 4".

Painted my badge this morning. Not sure on it now I've put it on but it's gonna take the rest of the car being clean, rust and dent free, and having all the other white/black/chrome bits on to look complete and in place, so will have to see. Will get another red badge for a spare though







Also, still on this thing...

Would any clever person like to tell me why, even after replacing the alternator, the voltage across my battery is 18.5V?

Edited by oli8925, 11 August 2010 - 06:40 PM.