Spurred on by the recent successes, and imminent need to use, I decided to fit the towbar which had eventually arrived after I inadvertantly ordered it from Milan instead of Manchester.
Unwrapping found it to be the correct type, but very heavy.
Under the car i found that the was the requisite captive bolts in the chassis, but the idea of putting caps in them to stop them fouling up was a step too far for the manufacturers.
Never the less everything seemed to fit where it should and of course fouled access. Two small cuts were needed to a plastic undertray and a back box heat shield.
The plastic I will refit once I am satisfied all is well, the exhaust heat shield disintegrated and the securing studs sheared off. A decision will need to be make if I look at rebuilding the old one or acquiring a less tattered version.
3 studs also snapped off the rear bumper slam panel that perhaps didn't need to come off, so they needed grinding off and drilling out too!
Anyhow all was well with 3 of the 4 chassis bolts being persuaded in one reluctantly, the 4th and thankfully most accessible would not start in the hole/thread. Handily the pretty vague instructions listed the thread as being M12 1.25pitch. I could of course locate taps with every pitch but 1.25, so ended having to buy one. I am not entirely sure that I cleaned the original thread as intended or cut a new one, but a bolt was eventually located in the hole and tightened with a 2ft breaker bar - so its secure and not spinning in the hole. Having the tap to hand i used it to clean up the other grotty thread.
Then on to the electricals which to my surprise was easier than I expected, once I had traced the cables back to function. Only the LHS indicator needed lengthening and the interior trim wasn't too much of a nightmare to refit. I had no perm live in the boot, so ended up taking a feed from the boot cigarette lighter socket which comes on with the ignition. This means I get a "pip pip pip" from the relay box when I put the ignition on. A perm live to the boot has been on the to do list for a while, but I haven't been able to face pushing a cable the full length of the car.
^^^^Only one Side loosely attached at that point - hence the slant!
Only lost 4 plastic trim bungs!
Just need to get a trailer now - Its not like we go away in a week or anything!
