New Purchase

[Beaker]

Today I went and picked up my new car, that I had set my heart on about a month ago.

Its a Y reg VandenPlas, in fairly good condition for it's age. I absolutely love the digidash :)

I have found a problem with it driving home tho :( The fuel part of the digidash does not to seem to work, and will not give me any readings for average fuel consumption, etc.

I presume this is down to a faulty fuel transducer? Would anyone happen to have a spare one for sale?



Lindsey

[SimonR]

Lindz!

Superb - that's the same colour as MaestroMatt's and my father's VP. Both cars and infact my A-reg VP had exactly the same problem.

Quickly go to eBay and buy the fuel flow transducer that SMC are selling for £15 (buy it now). We've all bought these from SMC for our three cars. Hurry tho because it's taken ages for one tp appear (I've waited for about 2 years).

Don't forget to replace/add the fuel filter and hopefully it'll work for ages.

What's the mileage on your car btw? You've got 21,000, 46,000 and 47,000 to beat (My father's MaestroMatt's and my car respectively).

Has the gaiter around the gear leaver split...? You'll also probably find that the electric windows get very confused as that's happened on two of the three here.

Nice work tho, you just have to *love* that mk. 1 VP with digidash :)
Btw, was it a rescue job or did you have to pay for it?

[Beaker]

I think it has 32,000 miles on it,

Just been to EBAY, no buy it now transducer :( But there is an MG variant, that the partner has bid on.

I am not sure if there is a difference, between the MG variant and the Non MG variant. I have checked the part number, and EPC suggests it isn't right for my car, but then I can't see why it wouldnt fit.

Yes I had to pay for it! Hopefully it will be at the shows in the forthcoming summer.

It also needs a new passenger side chrome wing mirror, and a rear bumper (it has a small crack in it) if anyone knows of these parts anywhere. Yes I did notice the gaiter had split on mine. Can't say I have tested the electric windows, too cold to be winding them down.

Lindz

[SimonR]

32 eh? Old couple then...?

Ah, the buy it now has disappeared since it's got a bid but that's the one. My transducer was advertised as being for a 1.3 - AFAIK they're all the same.

Let's see some more pics!

[Jonathan]

Wahey! Another one saved :)

Congratulations...

We seem to have a small collection of Oporto red VPs now, just like the one in the launch brochure. Anyone know where the photo outside the "Fleur De Lys" was taken, I fancy replicating it.

http://www.maestro.org.uk/maestro/ma16vp_1.jpg

[Beaker]

Unfortunately it was an old man that passed away :( Hopefully I will make him proud of his car. It certainly won't be getting wet thats for sure.

Here are some more images


Lindz

[Beaker]

And another. Jon has better pics than me of the car, I will ask him if it is okay to post the link up of them later.

[Beaker]

Okay if anyone wants to see the car I have just purchased, here are some pictures on the web New Car (http://www.maestro.org.uk/images/fkv98y/)


Jonathan Sellars took these pictures, and he has tried to capture the worst bits on the car.

At least I can stop dreaming of owning the car from these pictures on the internet now :)

Lindsey

[SimonR]

Looking at the photos, you've bought yourself a real peach - there are very few little bits of corrosion and damage it's certainly in much better condition than A335.

By far the thing that makes your car stand out is the retro numberplates! How cool are they? ;) Also it's nice that it's registered in Coventry - from the same place as F153! Get waxoyling while the weather's not too bad.

[Wonko_The_Sane]

There *IS* a difference between the twin carb MG and single carb Non-MG versions-one has twin outlets(I think), and the non-MG one has 1.

I would say it's a simple matter to block off pipe number 3 though..;)

Electrically, they're both the same plug/wiring. Neither of mine work, and I have 1 of each.. :laugh:

[John S]

Excellent buy! Love the advert by the way - very '80s! If you need the gold 'VP' logos I can supply them as I kept some spare from when I made my car a Vanden Plas replica (thought it looked too old with the 'M' registration though).

[SimonR]

Wonko - you're right - I forgot about that. The part you need to block off the pipe is already on the old transducer. Just unbolt it.

[Beaker]

Is it easy to find a replacment gaiter around the gear lever?

Lindz

[SimonR]

I've not tried, but can report that superglue doesn't work!

I just had a thought tho: I wonder if glue that came with my split CV boot repair kit would be any good at joining the rubber? As far as I can tell the CV boot is made of a very similar material and that glue really holds tight.

Maybe wait until SMC advertise one on eBay?!