Getting ready for 3ma 2009!

[Thotos]

New Year's eve and I am at work in the office so decided it was about time I stuck my 2009 Year Planner on the wall. So I did and the first dates to be marked on the Year Planner? 3ma 2009 of course! ?

[Thotos]

Having marked the dates on my year planner, part one of the preparation was getting the car through its MOT (TUV) test and it passed that with flying colours a couple of weeks ago.

Part two of the preparation will be to replace the water pump. While the currently fitted pump seems OK-ish and it's certainly not leaking, there's an ever so slight play in the bearing and a slight squeaking noise. As I have a new one sitting on the shelf I thought I might as well change the pump to be on the safe side.

[parrish]

On the safe side!
In that case I had better change the? Cam covers (leaking oil), Radiator (not to sure about it being blocked somewhere), Clutch (seems to be at the bottom of the pedal), windscreen wiper (seems to be on a go slow), Washer motor (works when it wants to!) all this just to be on the safe side!
No i dont have time or money so she will have to go? as she is, if she breaks down, well ill have to hope some of my 3ma's would help at the roadside.
Although i may just change the wiper blades! to be on the safe side that is.

[Thotos]

Don't worry, I am sure that between all of us 3maers we'll have enough spare parts to built a complete 131 if we need to so anything goes wrong with your car we'll be able to fix it in a jiffy. But I am not sure we'll have the correct windscreen wipers for your car so you better change those to be on the safe side! 

[Thotos]

I've been a very busy man the last few months with a lot of things to deal with so preparations for 3ma09 have been limited to none. And having recently acquired the Trevi I couldn't resist tinkering with it while I should really be getting the 131 ready for the long drive to Turin and back. But with just over a week to go before I have to set off for the early morning ferry to the Continent, I thought I'd better start getting ready by fitting some of the new parts I bought for the 131.



New HT leads were not really needed for the 131 but the Trevi could do with new ones. So I bought new ones for the 131 and the Trevi is getting "hand me downs" from the 131? I must say though that by just changing the HT leads the 131 is running noticeably better (Kevin, you were thinking of buying these and now I can recommend them). Maybe I'll buy another new set for the Trevi.

The new radiator and expansion bottle (thank you Yagmur) arrived a few days ago so they were also fitted today.



It's a 3-core radiator so should be well up to the job of keeping everything cool in the Italian heat.?



Fresh Mobil-1 15W-50 Motorsport oil and new filter completed today's jobs. I would have done a lot more if it wasn't for a guy called Mike driving past who stopped for a chat and to see the car. You know the story "I used to have one of these!.... It was my first car!.... Can you still get parts for them?... Mine rusted away years ago!... You are driving all the way to Italy in this? ...." ?

[kev131]

Hi Theo - Thats a good reccomendation. 

Are these the same ones..?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FIAT-TWIN-CAM-124-131-RITMO-STRADA-IGNITION-HT-LEADS_W0QQitemZ120417812504QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item120417812504&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Thotos]

Yes, that's the ones. I got them off ebay. I think they are very good and they look the part too