Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

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Captain Slow
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Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:01 pm

Well, Lula was sold by me a few months ago after I was tempted by Koiman selling his white Celebration, which has now been christened Whitney. Took me ages to think of a name but I like having one as its easier to refer to it by a name than ''then new old 480/old girl''....''the white one''

Anyway, selling Lula I was messed around by a load of idiots. Finally sold it to a chap that lives near my parents in Mansfield (350miles from where I now live!). Seems like he's now selling Lula as he has bought some Audi Coupe I think he said.

Took me a while to work out that I couldn't make a new thread for the new car as users may only start one thread in the secret life sub-forum, hence the thread title change (if you were paying attention).
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

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Captain Slow
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Posts: 686
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Location: St Andrews

Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:15 pm

Greetings,

Thought I may as well start a thread detailing my ''new'' 480 Celebration (No. 449/480). I say new in inverted commas as I bought it three+ months ago from koiman on here, and due to the fact that its 18 years young.....

Spent ages coming up with a name for it, to distinguish it from Lula (who has been sold), and eventually seem to have gone with Whitney as it is white in colour. I've always thought white is probably the colour in which a 480 looks best. I was certainly not sure about jumping ship from Lula, but the better bodywork/paintwork/arches and lower mileage made me go for it in the end. The arches were done a few years ago, though it seems that previous owners didn't neccesarily think about why the arches rust (crud caught in the lip) and there is now a little surface rust coming through. Paint job to be done at some point, sooner rather than later!

Having said it was in better condition than Lula, I've already had a few things:
1. Damn good wash, T-cut, polishx2, wax x2 (looks good, want to do more coats!)
2. General service (Oil&filter, air filter, plugs, rotor arm, distributer, HT leads)
3. MOT (new rear calipers, front tyre, exhaust manifold, bulbs)
4. Underseal in a few places
5. Passenger window failure (still not sorted but traced to the switch, hopefully get a spare from good old GJ)
6. Drivers side door check strap (the usual welding required)
7. Drivers side door pocket cracked/broken (cause presumably the above item, luckily had a spare)
8. Swapped auxiliary guages+oil pressure sensor/sender from Lula
9. Boot key lock inoperative (thought it was seized, loads of lubricant but no joy, locksmith reckons its wrong key - or is that wrong lock?! - GJ hopefully supplying lock inserts/replacement barrel!)
10. Managed to knock one of rear mudflaps off on a kerb, need to put it back on, somehow.
11. Original cd/radio present, buttons sticky (in the movement sense, not to touch) so have been cleaned & can now be pressed safely.
12. Cambelt/water pump/auxiliary belt change booked in for this week. Not a job I'm going to attempt, though once you do it for the first time it may seem easy enough?
13. Dash surround swapped for a better spare.
14. Various bulbs swapped to now work: drl indicator works! as does the clock backlight :)
15. Total infocentre failure-was the unit itself, identified by careful diagnosis and easy transfer of a spare unit into instrument binnacle.
16. Transfer of the CEM-the one in the car was not automatically wiping the rear window after use of the rear washer button, small niggle, and I had a decent spare CEM so decided to use it!

The big thing that remains shall be some refurbishment on the rear arches, as I say, they have been done a few years ago but have been allowed to gather a little surface rust. I'm almost certain that there's no metal missing so maybe it's not as bad as it could be. Also bumper corners could do with a spruce up. Why is it that some stupid woman in a softroader at the supermarket claims its OK to run into another car ''because its old so it doesn't matter'' :angry: didn't know whether to laugh histerically or cry.

Already Whitney seems to have prover herself worthy, racking up 1700miles in a couple of weeks with a trip down to the south coast of England, and across to the west coast of Scotland. Needed a clean after the Scottish leg however! Fuel econemy seems a tad lower than Lula on A-roads, but better on the motorways (41.8mpg cruising at an indicated 120kph throughout the trip to/from the south).
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

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Captain Slow
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Location: St Andrews

Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:26 pm

Have not really taken many photos, its just a white celeb in good condition, but here's a few incidental ones from my travels:
Loaded for the trip south:
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Parked next to Loch Scammadale while I was bagging some sub-2000 ft Marylins near Oban:
Image

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We'll see how often I update this secret life..!
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

User avatar
Captain Slow
480 Expert
Posts: 686
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: St Andrews

Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Sun Aug 11, 2013 2:29 pm

Yesterday I drove over to Blair Atholl to hike up Carn a'Chlamain, Whitney performed fine. I intended to take some pictures before I started the drive (washed/waxed/polished last weekend and not driven since) but I forgot. However, I did think to take some photos before I started the cycle/walk:

Image

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That final picture shows the worst angle for the state of the rear lights, I don't think they're as bad as many in the grand scheme of things! However I do have an order of cleaning stuff which I hope will improve things.

While I was out a parcel from sparkysparks arrived (thanks!) which contained a boot lock barrel and surround. That is in addition to a parcel which arrived a while back from glasgowjim with lock barrel shims/inserts and a window switch. Hence, last night I constructed one boot lock unit from sparky's barrel and jims shims which my key could open. Used it to replace the existing lock (which my key won't open) and as a result I now have a fully functional boot lock! :)

The window switch from Jimwas used to replace my passenger side window switch and now the electric window works :hopping:

Also lubricated the steering wheel lock mechanism and the wheel lock engages again :hopping:

A positive day was had!
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

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Captain Slow
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Posts: 686
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Location: St Andrews

Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:34 pm

Well, the title of my diary thread includes the term ''Lula's adventures continue..'', unfortunately I now have to report that her adventures are at an end. Ebay followers may have noticed an ebay ad for a red gt being broken, that red gt is Lula:

Image

Sad day :cryhard: .............still her spirit might kinda live on with the many photos/descriptions and indeed problems that were solved on her by this forum over the years of my ownership and Esta's ownership. I believe that the chap who bought Lula off me got tempted by an Audi Quattro and decided that he couldn't 'restore' two cars at once. I had been offered it back, but have asolutely no need for two cars, nor the space to break for spares (which is something I was considering while trying to sell).
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

User avatar
Captain Slow
480 Expert
Posts: 686
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: St Andrews

Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Sun Jan 25, 2015 11:33 am

Well, Seems I've been neglecting the diary. That's probably a good sign as it means there have been few problems, certainly none that I didn't know how to solve.
Recently changed the exhaust, then over Christmas/New Year travelling the drivers side colour coded popup cover flew off while driving (with the popup down). The cover part is bonded together from two parts, turns out it was very rusty underneath, allowing the two parts to separate. Image of the remaining part:
Image

Sourced a pair of used popups in the correct colour. The cover just needed a wash and a damn good t-cut/polish/wax to remove the gel pen someone used to write the model on it, and restore the colour! Now fitted:
Image

Image

Otherwise, Whitney is doing pretty well, getting me around reliably. We will need some body attention, rust is depressing.

Also had a good demonstration of the ride height of the 480 (on the same journey the popup cover was lost), was driving in snow where the gritters/plows had not been so there was a pair of tracks for the wheels. The underbody was scraping on the snow beneath the car, no one else was.... :lol:
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

User avatar
Captain Slow
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Posts: 686
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: St Andrews

Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Tue Mar 31, 2015 7:44 pm

Whitney passed her MOT today, needing only a handbrake adjustmet and with 2 minors. Surprised (the garage I take it to seem to be quite picky usually), pleased, even proud! :D
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

User avatar
Captain Slow
480 Expert
Posts: 686
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: St Andrews

Re: Lula's adventures continue...followed by Whitney

Post by Captain Slow » Sun Mar 27, 2016 8:48 am

Whitney has now been sold and may turn up on here with her new owner, and maybe a new name!

Now 480-less for the first time in 7 years :( but I will be back sometime....I also have a load of spares, some of which I ought to pass on.
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

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