OK, so before we start, to answer the majority of questions in advance:
1) Yes I know it's not got an RS badge. Had an S1 for 4 years and whilst I enjoyed it, it never really stole my heart. And I never really cared for the 16i. Always been an XR man.
2) I'm NOT going to put a CVH turbo in it like 99% of XR3i rebuild/tuning advice on here says to
3) It's just as awesome as any other Mk3, and probably rarer because everyone looks down there noses at the humble 3i and cut them up to save the 'holier than thou RS types.
And for those of you who haven't left already because the above ^^^ has beaten them to the punch.....
Hello and welcome to my restoration / tart up of my early Mk3 XR3i.
My Dad bought me the car when I was 16. I learned to drive in it, and used it everyday once I passed at 17, all the while saving up for an RS Turbo (teenagers will be teenagers). Chucked it in me Nan's garage in late 2007, whilst I drove my S1, then my Evo, and now the EsCos.
Decided this winter to SORN the Cossie and give the 3i some long overdue attention.
There she is look, buried in Nan's garage, 4 very flat and wonderfully square tyres. So I decided the first port of call would be to pump the tyres up.
Hmmm....Tedious. Luckily Pete the builder who lives over the road from me Nan let me borrow this:
And within seconds all 4 tyres where round again
Oh no! I hear you cry looking at that very blurry picture, there are no seats and no steering wheel, how on earth are you going to move it?
Dah-Dah. An adjustable wrench and Nan's dusting stool.
Now here's the almost unbelievable bit, for the last 4/5 years it's never been on charge, never had fresh fuel and never had an oil service. The only 'storage' type thing I ever did was disconnect the battery. Once every 3-6 months I've started it, and it's always fired up without a jump, once the leads are reattached. Today not only did it start, but it drove! It was lumpy, smokey and smelly but I drove it out of the garage and onto the edge of verge so I could tuck the EsCos up in its place.
Then I moved it back onto the drive so Mr Plod couldn't tow it away for having a 2008 tax disc.
Then I had a brew and waited for my mate Bill to come pick it up and take it back to mine.
