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That's great to hear it was a cheap solution to improving your headlamp output. Not sure about the dash panel unless it had some high resistance in the lighting circuit ?

Let us know how you get on with it and the improvement in lighting if noticeable.

It may be worth looking at Braided Brake Hoses (such as Goodridge) for the first immediate improvement for less than £100

I would agree that they are not road legal as they are usually mounted on the vehicle in a region which is not accepted by VOSA, DVLA, etc. and clearly states that driving lights need to be positioned on each side of the car at the front. Beyond that, if you fitted some on the grill area or lower down where fog lamps would be then for occasional use and especially rural areas I dont see the problem if you can switch them down as soon as a vehicle approaches. Also, it would be worth changing the headlamp bulbs for Philips or any other aftermarket bulbs with higher intensity and performance - Halfords sell a good range and they really do make a difference at night and are street legal

I have been in a similar situation more than once with cars and motorbikes. One thing I learned (but can't remember who original told me) is that if they take the car to a storage unit for salvage this essentially means they have your car and you won't be able to get it back like a one way system. When they have your car, a figure they give you is a lot lower and also payment is quicker so most people tend to opt for this, not knowing it can be done another way. I always get the car recovered to my home and instruct the insurance company that I want an independent assessor to come out to assess it on my property....the car doesn't then leave my possession....which is always handy if you want to buy it back to repair yourself. Be aware, the very first thing they check are the tyre conditions, wear, legal tread depth, etc. So if you're tyres are not up to scratch then they will refuse and insurance payout (quite rightly so as well). Once the assessor has seen the car and given his/her findings to the insurance company then they will pay out, usually a higher figure but this can take sometime longer for settlement. But at least you have your car in your possession and gives you an option to buy back. However, like I said, most people just want a quick resolution and get the money to replace their existing car. Don't quote me on any of the above and take independent advice from an insurance broker to determine the best route forward.

There are quite a good selection on this eBay search https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=22629AA070&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313 I'm sure the same sensor will have been used on numerous other vehicle makes and models

If it were me I would try every sequence in turn and ensure that I am sat in the drivers seat with all doors and boot/bonnet closed. Sometimes its a case of trying different variables and seeing if the outcome changes Please let us know how you get on with it all

My first thought would be wiring from the car coming through to the tailgate which is encased in a rubber gaitor. What tends to happen is when the tailgate is opened and closed it bends the wires to the point that they break. If this has occurred it is difficult sometimes to see it where it is located but you can also test for continuity with a multimeter. Also, if some wiring shorted out then possibly check all the fuses to see if any have popped. Also, check for all earth points leading to and from the tailgate for corrosion.

I would start with removing the bonnet switch, cleaning and examining it - test with a multimeter that there is continuity when opened/closed and also the connections for dirt, corrosion, etc. If all else fails then bypassing will work, but not sure how many thieves would pop the bonnet which they still have to enter the car to release so its not a major thing in reality.

Thats a great outcome and worth the hard work and effort then, Never seen a digger used to load an engine in before :-)

Maybe a hunt for seats on eBay may result in some more info on what fits what... Some retailers use the search facility to put in the models that the seats will fit and this can be helpful to know before jumping in to buying them

Another fine model from an era when they were built well. Hopefully you'll find a buyer soon enough

lol - like the old days - rope on the engine across your shoulders and hoist it out Nowadays, its a case of lifting the body off the subframe and pull the whole lot out

A very original and solid car - will definitely sparkle with some elbow grease

Sometimes you just got to put them side by side and measure everything as there could be so many variables between them. Let us know how you get on with it all and good to see some pics of good old driveway maintenance

Not sure what to suggest but maybe if you can find a part number and see if it pops up for any other models?

Not sure what is available in the US but the UK has quite a few suppliers of seat covers for what you are looking for. UK Custom CoversUK Custom Covers | Car Covers, Seat Covers, Floor MatsShop quality custom covers for all vehicle makes & models. Car covers, seat covers, boot liners & more. 100% tailored design. Strong, durable & waterproof Materials. Next day delivery available, 30-da

To be fair I have not heard of such a requirement - how do vintage and classic cars get around it? If any of the structure components is non load bearing (such as a shield, brackets, etc) then it should be fine - clearly a good clean up to inspect and refit in a better condition. All other components I would replace such as securing bolts, etc but I don't know how they would check that on an MOT. However, it is more common sense to not fit any defective or rusty parts back on the car

try DemonTweeks as they stock many different pumps and can advise on which would be best to fit https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/

I'm not entirely sure (memory fades with age) but used to fit those to Japanese Import cars to convert to UK use?

strange one! its not a Japanese import model is it?

Not sure if these are any good for the job? https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=1879&p=2&q=tow There are towing eyes that may(?) work but not sure of the boat weight/size. Also on the next page is a towing frame and subframe that would be more robust

I would always recommend replacing anything that has spun at engine revs along with the belt as its all done the same work over time - false economy to not change everything while you're in there

Sometimes worth following the instructions but if not then try different combinations of the procedures. I had a Honda CRF1000 motorbike and couldn't reset the DCT, followed all the instructions then asked for help on a group and someone said - "you didn't have the side stand down?" - of course straight away it worked after that but just goes to show its sometimes the little things that need looking at. Another example was Range Rover air suspension resets - it wouldn't work if any of the doors were open 😒

Can't see any other reason than poor quality hose (which would also make the others suspect). Equally, it could have been damaged during production or during packaging?