Rochambeau

I had to disassemble most of the front end of my #BMW X5 to replace the condenser fan. These projects always cost me twice as much as they should and take me 10 times longer because I do things like decide the radiator support looks too rusty so I should buy another and then paint it. Plus new hood latches and cables. Looks better but I'm not sure it's worth it with 220k miles on it.
#cars

@lewis@weird.autos Here are some shots I took of my Sierra Cosworth's radiator installation. Kind of hard to see much because the intercooler is on top of it. Let me know if there's another angle you need.

After a week of good progress, then two months of nothing, then 2 days of good progress, I have my recently purchased Diesel Jetta back together with its new turbo installed. On the shakedown run, a coolant hose that I had forgotten to clip spilled its contents in the driveway. But then I drove for an hour without incident. The particulate filter successfully regenerated and the warning light for it turned off, which was a huge relief. Then I spent a few hours cleaning it up.
#vw #tdi #cars

@dan@weird.autos

@chris@m.fxworks.io It's been a few months since I've driven a Beetle so maybe I'm forgetting some flaws but I think they're hard to improve upon. Id say start with a pre-67 body, add an SVDA diatributor, seat belts, stereo, and modern whitewall tires,. Keep stock-ish wheels. Drop spindles. Shock absorbers to taste. Then drive, drive, drive. Replace what you don't like.

@vwdasher@weird.autos Harlequin Golf with teddy bear wheels! I love it. Whoever owns that car has pretty much conquered the car hobby.

@wheeljack@weird.autos @rootwyrm@weird.autos Close enough that I wouldn't turn them down. Especially the wagon...

@wheeljack@weird.autos For me it's a phoenix yellow E46 M3. I've come as close as being the high bidder with 2 seconds left in a BaT auction.

@vwdasher@weird.autos I'm not sure what I'll do with it. I'll fix it and drive it and then decide. Maybe it could replace the Mercedes W211 wagon that I've had for several years but has never really connected with me emotionally. I'm pretty sure it won't replace my BMW E46 wagon, but that car is for fair weather only. I am also prepared for the scenario where the Jetta will be an unreliable nightmare and I'll end up selling it.

@autonerdery@weird.autos #5 injector not plugged in maybe?

@chris@m.fxworks.io Yeah, I like the looks of the covered headlights, small tail lights, and towel-bar bumpers. I have a '67 which doesn't have the covered headlights but has 12V electrics as a consolation. But there are too many one-year-only parts on a '67 so given the choice I'd say go with the slightly earlier cars.
CV joint IRS started in '69 and would be nice to have, but there are parts available to limit the drawbacks of the swing axle.

@rootwyrm@weird.autos Yeah, it's not in great shape but I have to limit the project scope somewhere and the A/C worked fine this past summer. Well it didn't work so well at low speed once the fan failed, but that should be fixed now.

@mllsc@beige.party I always tell people that if you can only have one car, it should be an E46 generation BMW 3-series. Preferably the wagon.

@lewis@weird.autos Yeah, the switch is on the bottom of the hot side.

@bustletonauto@philly.vs-the.world I like it. Car designers are slaves to symmetry but this works.

@vwdasher@weird.autos Seems to be just the turbo being seized. That was the dealer's diagnosis and it fits the symptom, which is that the car won't go more than 20 mph. The previous owner, a non-gearhead friend of mine, says the turbo was just replaced a year ago but couldn't find the records for that repair. If that's the case then I'll need to figure out why it failed so quickly. Poor oil feed, torn air filter, boost not controlled... not sure what else might do it.