Lots done tonight.
I made a new headlight level arm from scratch
New radiator - I decided not to muck about with used ones since I had one in stock and its a pain to do so no point doing it twice.
Front panel prepped for the new radiator
I took the air intake duct off to get to the air filter and the throttle body boot just fell off
The hose clamp was tight, but not actually attached to the throttle body. This might explain why it was intermittently very noisy when running (like an exhaust leak), which was puzzling me.
The intake duct hadn't fared much better - there should be a metal ring in here to stop it collapsing when the clamp is tightened.
Oh. There's the metal ring, jammed in the throttle body boot...
Someone has mangled this bracket for the airbox, for no reason I can discern
Pulled the airbox so I could get the screenwash tank out to investigate the pumps. There's nothing quite so vexing as getting the front end back together and then realising one of the pumps isn't working, and since the headlight washer pump was disconnected it was worth investigating
Just... why?
I have a donor car of the same colour so just replaced it
Whoever had been fiddling had lost the clip for the screenwash connector
I replaced this rotten rubber hose
While I was in here I put a rivnut in this hole for the airbox trim
Cleaned the screenwash tank and put it back in
I had to break out the special fan pulley holding tool to have a look at the belts while the front end is off. The engine is very noisy which is usually the accessory drive on the front
The fan bearing sounded like a bean tin full of marbles so that was replaced with a good used one. It'll get a new one eventually but this was to hand.
All the timing gear is in really good condition, apart from these idlers which have suffered while the car was laid up. The belt is fine, the tensioner is fine, and the two main idlers are fine, so I'll just change these two idlers for now then it'll get a belt kit later.
Good used idlers in place
The front snub mount was also destroyed
Shims removed and a new mount fitted
The accessory belt is toast, as were the two rollers so these were replaced with good used parts, again just for now.
Front end all done for now, ready for the covers and rad to go back on.
41 hours
Parts used:
PS hoses (refurb, £200)
PS hose brackets (used)
NSF upper rear arm (used)
NSF lower rear arm (used)
NSF wheel bearing (used)
CV boot (£12)
Suspension brace (used)
Boot lid (£150)
FE wheels (£500)
Window motor (£50)
Headlight level arm joints (£15)
Radiator (£300)
Belt idlers (used)
Accessory belt & idlers (used)
Snub mount (£60)
Air filter (£6)