Thanks for the pics Paul. I bought a can of that 3 in 1 spray last week so shall be spraying some of it in the direction of that UV joint, stitch in time etc. 
A Highland Z3 1.9 roadster
- Thread starter Pls
- Start date
I found quite a few mangled small coins in seat runners over the years.
Tony.
Tony.
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2015
- Points
- 49
Hi Paul, welcome to the forum from another Highlander. I suspect you're in my neck of the woods from some of your photos.
I've had a lot of older cars over the years too with a Jensen Interceptor and 68 Mustang Fastback at one end of the scale to a Morris 1100 at the other. (still have a Stag in need of TLC lurking in my garage).
Love my Z3, to me it's the perfect balance between a classic and modern car. Still feels like a real car to drive, but with modern reliability and comfort.
The forum is the icing on the cake, with someone always able to offer friendly advice when your stuck.
Mike.
Mike.
I've had a lot of older cars over the years too with a Jensen Interceptor and 68 Mustang Fastback at one end of the scale to a Morris 1100 at the other. (still have a Stag in need of TLC lurking in my garage).
Love my Z3, to me it's the perfect balance between a classic and modern car. Still feels like a real car to drive, but with modern reliability and comfort.
The forum is the icing on the cake, with someone always able to offer friendly advice when your stuck.
Mike.
Mike.
It was great to see the Scottish Tour departing Inverness for Ullapool as we went round Longman roundabout, waving frantically!
Unfortunately other commitments prevented us joining in this year, but it was good to see you all setting off west!
Hopefully the weather stayed a bit drier than in Inverness, where it’s been a bit wet this morning.
Anyway, all the best to all the tourers,
Cheers
Paul and Sara (and Ratty)
Unfortunately other commitments prevented us joining in this year, but it was good to see you all setting off west!
Hopefully the weather stayed a bit drier than in Inverness, where it’s been a bit wet this morning.
Anyway, all the best to all the tourers,
Cheers
Paul and Sara (and Ratty)
Ray and I went round to a neighbour for a natter and a look at his Z3. Its a 1999 1.9 roadster in Helrot red. Not too long ago he had it professionally detailed by Highland Polishing of Inverness.
They clearly did a good job, and said how excellent the original paintwork was - the car has obviously been well cared for all its life. (The detailing job cost more than my Z3!)
Anyway, returning to Ratty, I felt inspired by the red car to get on with the annual task of keeping visible rust at bay.
This is mostly on the bonnet, which you may remember has a significant corrosion hole over the offside wheel, resulting from some years without a plastic wheelarch liner following an accident about twenty years ago. Three years ago I repaired it with fibreglass on the inside and filler on the outside, while I looked around for a replacement bonnet up here. Not finding one so far, I've re-titivated the repair each year. The corners of the side body panels all need fettling each year too, but if it gets through the MOT next April, I intend to repair or replace the bonnet, sills and side panels as the car has been so reliable as a year-round daily driver, in which I have done 25000 miles.
Having rubbed the area down, filled and sanded it yesterday, I had then primed it and given it a few coats of Cosmos topcoat, all Halfords rattle cans. So today I sanded that with 1000 followed by 2400 wet and dry, extending the area to reduce 'join' lines.
Then I went over it with several coats of lacquer.
As the day was not very warm, I gently warmed the area when each coat was touch dry, wafting a hot air gun over it to help things along.
So that looks better than it did. Then, as a spot of rain appeared on the windscreen, the masking was ripped off and Ratty was swiftly back under cover!
So in a few days I shall feather the edges of the area and then in a week or so when the paint has hardened some more, cut it to blend it in.
I may even have a bit of an engine bay clean, havi g seen that amazing red Z3!
Cheers
Paul
They clearly did a good job, and said how excellent the original paintwork was - the car has obviously been well cared for all its life. (The detailing job cost more than my Z3!)
Anyway, returning to Ratty, I felt inspired by the red car to get on with the annual task of keeping visible rust at bay.
This is mostly on the bonnet, which you may remember has a significant corrosion hole over the offside wheel, resulting from some years without a plastic wheelarch liner following an accident about twenty years ago. Three years ago I repaired it with fibreglass on the inside and filler on the outside, while I looked around for a replacement bonnet up here. Not finding one so far, I've re-titivated the repair each year. The corners of the side body panels all need fettling each year too, but if it gets through the MOT next April, I intend to repair or replace the bonnet, sills and side panels as the car has been so reliable as a year-round daily driver, in which I have done 25000 miles.
Having rubbed the area down, filled and sanded it yesterday, I had then primed it and given it a few coats of Cosmos topcoat, all Halfords rattle cans. So today I sanded that with 1000 followed by 2400 wet and dry, extending the area to reduce 'join' lines.
Then I went over it with several coats of lacquer.
As the day was not very warm, I gently warmed the area when each coat was touch dry, wafting a hot air gun over it to help things along.
So that looks better than it did. Then, as a spot of rain appeared on the windscreen, the masking was ripped off and Ratty was swiftly back under cover!
So in a few days I shall feather the edges of the area and then in a week or so when the paint has hardened some more, cut it to blend it in.
I may even have a bit of an engine bay clean, havi g seen that amazing red Z3!
Cheers
Paul
Inspired by seeing the red Z3, i spent some time today giving Ratty some long overdue attention. The interior was first given a good going over, and I was amazed at how much dirt came off the steering wheel, when some leather cleaner was applied with toothbrush and cloths. It's so much nicer now! Then I cleaned out the boot, with a bit of assistance.
Then I started on the engine compartment. Whist doing so, I discovered a pipe detached from its proper place.
I had to look it up to find out what the pipe was - the output fuel tank vent pipe from the Activated Charcoal Filter canister (16131180886), part of the fuel vapour emission control system, which I knew nothing about! It was clear that the red pipe had broken and the output pipe been glued back on by a previous owner. So I made up a new bit of pipe to join the two parts, one end pushed into each bit, with a touch of superglue to act as a lubricant.
Lots of work still to go, but this evening it was time for a fish supper at Fortrose, watching the sun going down, just near the school where Sara's dad went to school. And being careful not to make a mess in the car!
Cheers
Paul
Then I started on the engine compartment. Whist doing so, I discovered a pipe detached from its proper place.
I had to look it up to find out what the pipe was - the output fuel tank vent pipe from the Activated Charcoal Filter canister (16131180886), part of the fuel vapour emission control system, which I knew nothing about! It was clear that the red pipe had broken and the output pipe been glued back on by a previous owner. So I made up a new bit of pipe to join the two parts, one end pushed into each bit, with a touch of superglue to act as a lubricant.
Lots of work still to go, but this evening it was time for a fish supper at Fortrose, watching the sun going down, just near the school where Sara's dad went to school. And being careful not to make a mess in the car!
Cheers
Paul
This afternoon I tackled one annoying and obvious bit of corrosion. The alloy casting at the front of the folding hood frame on my car has white corrosion lifting the black finish, just where it shows when the hood is down, as has been pointed out to me by my primary passenger.
As a short term solution, I scraped any loose finish off, and applied some black grate polish with a toothbrush:
This a wax based product also containing preservative, as used on cast iron fires and old ranges to keep corrosion at bay. Anyway, tbis was the result:
Which looks a lot better, for now. So then I continued cleaning up in the engine compartment and an hour later it was looking a bit cleaner:
Next week I'd better go and get some fresh antifreeze for the winter.
Cheers
Paul
As a short term solution, I scraped any loose finish off, and applied some black grate polish with a toothbrush:
This a wax based product also containing preservative, as used on cast iron fires and old ranges to keep corrosion at bay. Anyway, tbis was the result:
Which looks a lot better, for now. So then I continued cleaning up in the engine compartment and an hour later it was looking a bit cleaner:
Next week I'd better go and get some fresh antifreeze for the winter.
Cheers
Paul
A trip into Cromarty today, for bread and milk, then a root through the thrift shop which opens every now and then.
Sara always has geranium envy when I park there!
On the way home, we stopped for coffee at Udale Bay, in the company of hundreds of Pink Footed geese, who have come to stay for the winter.
We've SORNed the old Volvo estate for the winter, as collecting DIY materials won't start again till the spring, and Ratty is more frugal in fuel use and is more predictable on winter roads. But when the Volvo's back on the road next year, I'm aiming to remove Ratty's sills and side panels to renovate them for another few years.
I'm about to write a separate 'Wanted' post seeking a Z3 alarm siren key (No 1) to buy or to borrow/ hire (!) to allow me to switch my siren off:
Cheers
Paul
Sara always has geranium envy when I park there!
On the way home, we stopped for coffee at Udale Bay, in the company of hundreds of Pink Footed geese, who have come to stay for the winter.
We've SORNed the old Volvo estate for the winter, as collecting DIY materials won't start again till the spring, and Ratty is more frugal in fuel use and is more predictable on winter roads. But when the Volvo's back on the road next year, I'm aiming to remove Ratty's sills and side panels to renovate them for another few years.
I'm about to write a separate 'Wanted' post seeking a Z3 alarm siren key (No 1) to buy or to borrow/ hire (!) to allow me to switch my siren off:
Cheers
Paul
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Rare as rocking horse doo doo those keys on there own, it had taken a fair while to find one with a siren on eBay. I’ve tried several lock smiths to get one replicated and no joy so far.
Yes, so I had gathered! I had read your posts about them, which is why I thought of asking to borrow or hire one from some lucky owner!
Cheers
Paul
Cheers
Paul
The keys are numbered for so many patterns, I didn’t realise that the number was on the key cap as in your photo, as I found mine looking down the barrel of the key not the same as yours unfortunately. You could ask @spurs fan in a coupe to keep you in mind if he ever gets a breaker in complete with the key and siren? Apart from googling bmw breakers and trying the list you get and your not bothered about a none oem one is buying aftermarket and splicing that connector to your siren loom.
Siren 1 Tone for car alarm Battery Backup 12v | eBay
Universal Siren 1 Tone for car alarm Battery Backup. High quality (small size) battery backup siren adds more security to your alarm system with Single Tones. Siren Compatible with most major car alarms.
www.ebay.co.uk
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Well, its not really a major problem, the siren doesn't go off unless one us (!) inadvertantly goes to open the boot before the car is unlocked. I'd just like to be able to turn the siren off permanently so that Ratty won't get an ASBO !
Cheers
Paul
Cheers
Paul
Yes, you're right Ian. That's what I do if I want to be certain of preventing the alarm going off, at night and so on. But I do like to use the remote, just because it's there, and it seems a shame to lug it around all the time and not use it! And having discovered the siren unit, it would be nice to have its key, just for completeness' sake. Sad, I know!
Cheers
Paul
Cheers
Paul
Key to our 97 1.9 is completely different so can't help you with that. A correct one is bound to turn up sooner or later. 
Thanks for looking. I’m sure it will. Perhaps I should concentrate more on dealing with rust etc!
Cheers
Paul
Cheers
Paul
Ratty on a shopping trip, two trollies,
(With thanks to Poorboy's 'Black Hole' show glaze for dark coloured cars - magnificent stuff! And not too pricey.)
And here's a rather nice French Z3 advert I came across on Ad and Ellie Kusters' website, which in case you haven't encountered it is at http://www.adkusters.dsmynas.com/Website mynas/index.html
(No guarantees, but my system doesn't detect any malware etc.)
View: https://youtu.be/re0bQP6Y6-0
When I came across that recently, I had to dig out my Joshua Tree CD and we went for a bit of a blast up a glen!
Cheers
Paul
(With thanks to Poorboy's 'Black Hole' show glaze for dark coloured cars - magnificent stuff! And not too pricey.)
And here's a rather nice French Z3 advert I came across on Ad and Ellie Kusters' website, which in case you haven't encountered it is at http://www.adkusters.dsmynas.com/Website mynas/index.html
(No guarantees, but my system doesn't detect any malware etc.)
When I came across that recently, I had to dig out my Joshua Tree CD and we went for a bit of a blast up a glen!
Cheers
Paul
Certainly a good album Paul. One of my favourites is “How to dismantle an Atomic bomb”
Tony.
Tony.
Yes I'll have to dig that out too Tony. I expect there's a thread on here somewhere about good music for Zedding!
Cheers
Paul
Cheers
Paul