It may seem heretical, but I will probably put the quarter light de-mister vents in the top of the dash as per the Z3 also.

Sounds like a reasonable plan to me. Just do it!

Pininfarina classic Peugeot 404 / Morris Oxford / Wolsey

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...5183763%29.jpg

http://www.pembrokeshireclassicinves...ges/wmain3.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...16-60_rear.jpg

My Dad had the Riley 4/72 from the same family of cars.

I still recall the reg DOD 962C

http://goo.gl/images/69quAr

http://goo.gl/images/8mUEC8

Electrical Drain
 

Having established that the only fuse drawing with the ignition off was the lock / alarm one, today, after a few days away, the driver side lock is playing up. This could be my problem. It seems like there is a mechanical as well as an actuator problem, but both are relatively easy fixes if the internet posts and videos are to be believed. Anyhow, I am now waiting for a replacement actuator to be delivered. I had already got the trim removal tool ready for the internal fit out. I am building up the momentum to find those pesky torx heads that are buried in the unsorted area of the garage.

I am determined not to go the route of a friend, who had two or three versions of every tool because he could not remember where he put the last one. He figured it was quicker and easier to buy a new one in off the internet. The more he replaced, the harder it got to find the one he was looking for.

His wife made a fortune on ebay when he passed away.

I have 3 of everything and still can never find the thing I need.
My big worry is that when I snuff it the wife will sell everything for what I told her I paid for it.

I'd be VERY embarrassed if ever my collection of pliers and screwdrivers was put together in one place.

Good luck with your electrics- I still have a phantom earth that is turning the hazards on.

IanA, there is no restriction on screwdrivers and pliers. You need to have them handy, so having them in a drawer in every room, (even bedside cabinet) is quite acceptable. Torches, Stanley knives and gaffer tape the same. I would like to rule out the imaginative use of gaffer tape in the bedroom right now.

We visited William Morris / Lord Nuffield's house (NT property near Henley-on-Thames)on Sunday. There's a double fronted cupboard in what was his bedroom which contains a very comprehensive set of tools and equipment.

The dashboard is out of the mould, but I cannot get down to collect it until the end of next week. I'll put some pics up then.

Progress Update
 

Today I collected the dashboard from Tribute, and after I have done a little tarting up, will post a picture. It works well for me.

Chris had done some quick and dirty work putting together the front end and we were able to discuss some options regarding angle of the nose (to get the right amount of droop), treatment of the front side wing panels, vents etc, and how close to the front edge the grill should be. The bonnet may yet be hinged at the front. It already looks good with the Mondeo grill in place, not "Ford" at all. Sorry, no pics yet, it wouldn't be fair, so I didn't take any.

The revised roof on Welsh Kiwi's 275 looks really good "in the flesh" and is going to work really well with Zagato type styling. Where the 275 has a recessed blank to the rear of stock z3 windows, I will not have the recess, so the door/window will fit with the roof/side flowing into the rear quarter lights.
Chris is thinking of adapting shortened Scimitar rear quarter lights for this but we will see.

We had been thinking of an Alfa GT rear window, but the new 275 roof, being wider means a re-think - possibly an inverted Scimitar windscreen.

Apart from me twiddling with the dash, nothing much will happen until Welsh Kiwi's 275 is shipped at the end of the month. Can't wait.

Door Lock Actuator
 

Saturday was the first day for weeks where it looked OK to work outside without rain cover. After a leisurely late breakfast that stretched into early afternoon, I gathered all the bits required from around the house and garage, then found I had parked the IQ a little too close to the Z3 driver door, so thought I would get in the passenger side of the Z3 and scoot across so I could move it as I couldn't be bothered to walk the 10 metres to get the IQ key. Wrong choice.

For those that have not tried it, DON'T. Strained my thigh, pulled a muscle in my back and very nearly kicked off the indicator stalk, twice (once for the thigh strain, then for the back tweak). Apart from bashing my head on the side window when I spasmed with the back. Then discovered that the car would not start because the battery was nearly flat again. Yesterday was lost to re-charging the battery, again. We are off to visit friends near Rugby for a few days, so should be back home again in time for the next wave of rainy weather. Hopefully the solar trickle charger will work well enough to keep the battery charged.

SWMBO has suggested that I take the car to someone who knows what they are doing. She may be right.

SWMBO has suggested that I take the car to someone who knows what they are doing. She may be right.

Sometimes it is better to do that than spend days trying to find something that they can find in minutes. Frustration and pain can also lead to a 'Swan Vesta' moment of madness.

You are probably right. Now that I have got the actuator, I will probably fit it. As it is a relatively simple process (if you have the space and decent weather). But now the ABS and brake fluid warning lights have come on again. No problem with fluid level, and the front brakes were done a couple of months ago. The back ones should be good for several thousand miles yet.

There is a good BMW indy nearby, so I may get him to plug it in to do the diagnostic testing and any rectification if the parked and locked draw remains high.

Z3s don't offer much info to OBD scanners so unless your indy has some very sophisticated gear, it's likely he will do what you could and pull fuses one by one until he finds the one that stops the current draw.

I know which fuse, and lost actuator is most likely offender of the several items connected.

Happy Days
 

On the first truly sunny day of the year, I goofed off prepping the Z3 and went to Stratford on Avon with friends.

We found this....
http://i67.tinypic.com/23jpnd0.jpg

On the way to the Dirty Duck for lunch. It is a DB6 series 2. Lunch was G&T for starters followed by G&T for mains.

Yes , the warm weather certainly brings them out. We were in Stratford-U-A at the weekend but saw this at the Burford Garden Centre:
http://i67.tinypic.com/xmojlg.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/2hwh1lc.jpg

It's a Proteus C-Type replica.

Door Lock Actuator
 

So after all the bad weather delays, today was the day. Followed the instructions for removal from a blog and it went like a dream, up to a point. getting the actuator fitted actually.

Getting the lock back in was a nightmare, and after 2 hours frying (my hands almost literally off the hot door) I decided to have a rest, and came back for round two after a cup of tea. Eventually got the lock in, re-connected the battery and tested, and found it was useless as some functions did not activate. So much for ebay bargains. So took it all out and re-fitted the old one, that was nearly as difficult as the first time, tested, checked the draw at the fuse (back to .26A - it was up to .6A last time), but now I couldn't get the window guide back in. 2 more hours of failure. Most of the blogs just say "reverse the removal procedure to re-assemble".

I went back to the notes I had printed off the blog, and found that I had missed the last paragraph, about removing the window rubber seals to make an impossible job only very difficult. Job for tomorrow.

However, I got filthy greasy as well as hot and sweaty, and avoided any household tasks, so all in all a proper boys day.

A bit unlucky there Barber, but all in all we know days like this happen. Difficult to not get a bit testy about them tho! Sounds like a slightly stronger cups required at the end of the day? ��
I am currently researching my own “nightmare in waiting”. I need to speak to the guy who will doing the testing for my low volume cert, as I don’t think the fuel filler attachment options to the original tank neck I have seen on the forum will pass over here. I am thinking the tank may have to come out of the car to completely seal off the cut and the breather pipe areas. I could have a few of your yesterdays to come! Best of luck.....