A Highland Z3 1.9 roadster

[Pls]

We went for a spin down the A9 to Inverness then on to Dunkeld, over the edge of the Cairngorms. We didn't really set off early enough, it was further than I thought, and it was snowing on the higher parts of the trip. We had the hood down for most of the way, except when it got heavy and didn't all go over the top!



Ratty didn't like all the snow and water and I had to give the ignition leads a good squirt of WD40. I must get hold of a cooling fan shroud - the car doesn't have one.



Then it brightened up



and we arrived at Dunkeld a bit later than anticipated. There was shopping to be done and places to be visited, so rather than a hundred miles return in the dark and snow, we decided to stay over, getting a very reasonable last minute rate at the Royal Dunkeld Hotel. And this morning, after an excellent breakfast, we had time to detour to visit Aberfeldy on the way back. The village of Dull was nearby,



Paired with Boring, Oregon. The weather was bright and clear, so back on the A9 it was a lovely fast drive with the hood down all the way, warm hats on and the heater doing a grand job at speed. We pulled over at the top of the Pass of Drumochter, with the highest railway line by the road.





The sun was soon sinking and we had to get home to vote!



But it was an exhilarating run through the mountains, and as usual great fun .

Cheers

Paul

 

[andyglym]

We went for a spin down the A9 to Inverness then on to Dunkeld, over the edge of the Cairngorms. We didn't really set off early enough, it was further than I thought, and it was snowing on the higher parts of the trip. We had the hood down for most of the way, except when it got heavy and didn't all go over the top!

View attachment 124857

Ratty didn't like all the snow and water and I had to give the ignition leads a good squirt of WD40. I must get hold of a cooling fan shroud - the car doesn't have one.

View attachment 124867

Then it brightened up

View attachment 124869

and we arrived at Dunkeld a bit later than anticipated. There was shopping to be done and places to be visited, so rather than a hundred miles return in the dark and snow, we decided to stay over, getting a very reasonable last minute rate at the Royal Dunkeld Hotel. And this morning, after an excellent breakfast, we had time to detour to visit Aberfeldy on the way back. The village of Dull was nearby,

View attachment 124863

Paired with Boring, Oregon. The weather was bright and clear, so back on the A9 it was a lovely fast drive with the hood down all the way, warm hats on and the heater doing a grand job at speed. We pulled over at the top of the Pass of Drumochter, with the highest railway line by the road.

View attachment 124861

View attachment 124859

The sun was soon sinking and we had to get home to vote!

View attachment 124865

But it was an exhilarating run through the mountains, and as usual great fun .

Cheers

Paul

Great pics and roof down driving

 

[t-tony]

You Highlanders are a different breed Paul. Great pictures, thank you.

Tony.

 

[Stevo7682]

Some great pictures there Paul

 

[Mint]

Looks like a good trip was had Paul, great pics too

 

[Pls]

Thanks guys - it was an exhilarating trip! Yesterday I went over to Ray's to compare notes on cooling fan shrouds, as his car has one! And I've located one which should now be on it's way.

However, following further discussion, and refreshment, the question of misfiring in wet conditions led me to inspect the ignition coil pack on my car more closely, with this result:



There are two cracks at the front of the casing, right where the fan would throw any spray coming in through the radiator or the air slot in the bumper below, especially with no fan shroud. We looked at Ray's car and his coil pack has an almost identical crack in the casing. So, with a Bosch replacement costing £65 or more, I think that I shall give the casing a good clean and invest £6 in an aerosol of good old fashioned Holts ignition seal. It goes against the grain, as I'd prefer to have things all clean and free from any coating, but it worked very well at keeping the damp out of my Mini and A35 distributors and ignition leads fifty years ago, so it's worth a try now for the same job. I can always clean it off in the dry season! Whenever that is!

Cheers

Paul

 

[t-tony]

I would be inclined to open up the cracks with a dremmel type tool and fill with an epoxy glue.

Tony.

 

[Pls]

Yes, there's a good idea.
Cheers
Paul

 

[Pls]

It was cold the other morning and when I set off out, Ratty had another few moments of misfiring until the engine had warmed up. On return and on further investigation and cleaning of the coil pack and ignition leads, I noticed that numbers two and three were touching the bodywork of the suspension turret. And the paint is corroded in the place where the leads touched it.



So I reckon that when damp, the leads could have been shorting to the bodywork. So I have cleaned it up some more and twisted the lead connectors under the coil pack so that the offending leads aren't touching anything. Since then with more cold and damp, it hasn't misfired at all. So I'll have to see what happens.

As far as the heater is concerned, it's now providing plenty of heat. I'd been keeping an eye on the level in the radiator header tank, and after topping up after each run for a few days, the level seems to have stopped going down. So I dont know why it kept dropping - perhaps it was an air lock that has been been dispersing. And with a very good Thinsulate fur lined trapper hat I'm aĺl set up for the -4°C mornings

Cheers
Paul

 

[DelGue]

Those hoops look quality

The hoops look awesome. My Z needs them, and this inspires me to get cracking st it. A previous owner totally screwed up the pieces covering the seat belt retractors to install speakers there (which don't even work). This looks like a good way to make a repair and have some hoops for safety.

 

[Sean d]

The hoops look awesome. My Z needs them, and this inspires me to get cracking st it. A previous owner totally screwed up the pieces covering the seat belt retractors to install speakers there (which don't even work). This looks like a good way to make a repair and have some hoops for safety.

I was pulling his leg as I supplied them,

 

[Pls]

Out for an introductory spin in Ratty with my daughter visiting from Atlanta GA, where there is evidently a thriving Z3 club. Not far from Spartanburg SC.

Although it was much below zero, the car was very well behaved on the unsalted roads round here, with the ABS and ASC operating occasionally.

Anyway, Happy Christmas from the Highlands!

Cheers

Paul

 

[t-tony]

Cheers Paul, the same to you too. Even Florida at mid 70's would do for me just now.

Tony.

 

[Pls]

Yes indeed Tony. But with the heater working well and suitable clothing sorted out, the cold seems to be quite do-able!

Cheers

Paul

 

[Pls]

Xmas on our own this year, and we grabbed the opportunity to do our own thing, so set off at dawn to drive across the Highlands to the west coast and Ullapool, one of our favourite roads in Ratty the Z3.



On the way, we stopped off at a couple of lochs with dams.



It was a lovely morning, although the lochs were frozen in places.



Ullapool was quiet, being Christmas morning, with a few folk walking their dogs and giving hearty Christmas greetings.



Released from the need to have turkey etc, Sara had made some fabulous soup, and we took french bread, some fresh fruit, and some locally made macaroons for a Christmas dinner in the mountains by a frozen loch in the sunshine.



Plus tea of course.



Back home before the sun set at 3.30pm and time for an old film, and a dram or two of malt.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Jack Ratt]

What a great way to spend Christmas Day @Pls

 

[Pls]

What a great way to spend Christmas Day @Pls

Yes, with all the family visits over earlier in the week, it was a very relaxing day.

Today I fitted the cooling fan shroud which I received as a Christmas present. When I got the car, this was absent.



First I attached the shroud itself to the radiator. Then I fitted the insulated air intake tube, passing over it from the intake to the filter unit.



Then I bolted the top bit down to hold the tube in place.



I'll need to clean the rusty bolts! The plastic is over twenty years old, and may have lost some of its plasticity and become a bit brittle. As a result, the top mounting lugs had broken off, and so I used two cable ties through holes drilled in the top corners. But the whole thing seems firmly fixed to the radiator, so I think it should be ok.

Cheers

Paul

 

[andyglym]

Xmas on our own this year, and we grabbed the opportunity to do our own thing, so set off at dawn to drive across the Highlands to the west coast and Ullapool, one of our favourite roads in Ratty the Z3.

View attachment 125463

On the way, we stopped off at a couple of lochs with dams.

View attachment 125469

It was a lovely morning, although the lochs were frozen in places.

View attachment 125471

Ullapool was quiet, being Christmas morning, with a few folk walking their dogs and giving hearty Christmas greetings.

View attachment 125475

Released from the need to have turkey etc, Sara had made some fabulous soup, and we took french bread, some fresh fruit, and some locally made macaroons for a Christmas dinner in the mountains by a frozen loch in the sunshine.

View attachment 125473

Plus tea of course.

View attachment 125477

Back home before the sun set at 3.30pm and time for an old film, and a dram or two of malt.

Cheers

Paul

Superb pics mate

 

[Scooblitz]

Merry Christmas @Pls and family. Great photos and of your Z adventures. Had a laugh at the village of Dull and its twin.

 

[Pls]

Thanks @Scooblitz, seasons greetings to you and yours too!
Cheers
Paul & Sara