Yep, it's a GL thing:

Yes, the grill was off a vario GL I had for spares over 10 years ago.

VFW has been off the road since the end of June last year. Nothing wrong, I just swapped over to the Gold GLS as my daily while it was still in M.O.T. The GLS was also better for pulling the caravan to Norfolk!

Now that the GLS is off the road again without M.O.T. (the downpipe blew a hole on the return trip and I've not had time to fix it!), I've brought the GL back out again and taxed it (It's still M.O.T.ed until mid June).

No major problems, the car was in dry storage over winter and I remembered to disconnect the battery and leave the handbrake off!. It seams OK after charging. I should really have given it a few charges over the last 9 months! The fog lights had stopped working due to bad contacts on the fuse and other wiring and the headlights were not working due to the old problem of the fuse box conection.

Once the carb got some petrol through it fired up with no issues.

I didn't start it up all that time, I wonder what the best advice is if you are going to leave a car for 6 to 12 months. Give it a run every few months of leave well alone?

I think this year must be the last before a cam belt change is needed, due to age, not miles. It's been just over 4 1/2 years since I put the belt on but the cars done just over 11,000 miles.

Just returned from a 545 mile caravan holiday in the GL. Doncaster-Norfolk-Suffolk-Doncaster. Never missed a beat, who says the 1.7 engines are unreliable

After using the Gold GLS last year I though I'd not tow with the 1.7 again but due to it not being M.O.T.ed in time the GLS missed out this year.

It's nice to know the GL is getting some use again, after all I spent a lot of time getting it on the road again for towing. The B19 is superior for the job of course and a more relaxed drive but the 1.7 does the job without too much fuss, although lacking the pull up the hills, of which there are luckily few in Lincolnshire and Norfolk!

Photos may follow when I can get some more menmory space made in my full computer!

Epic work.

That's very good to hear, glad it is still serving you well.

Better get that hard drive cleared - this post needs pictures

Good to see a 360 still being used for towing a good weight.

My project car spent alot of time garaged, and I did try to keep it running for a while. In retrospect I don't think this was a good idea, but there were damp/puddle problems in the garage and that may have caused various problems such as Al-Fe corrosion on the timing gear (dust filled up the crank gear) and of course rust. The biggest problem was getting fuel through to the carb, and it evapourating in the tank. Injection works better after a long lay up.

The engines are of course pretty bomb proof but short runs/tick over without getting properly warmed up could cause acid build up in the oil and exhaust system, so I would tend to disconnect the battery and/or move it somewhere milder and try to ensure the car is as dry as possible, no garage leaks etc.

Only 10 months late but here are some photos from last years caravan trip to Norfolk and Suffolk. As mentioned already, VFW was pressed into service as the GLS failed to gain an M.O.T. in time. (For some reason the forum is not displaying photos properly so click on for full size).

Once again our favourite spot on the clifftop, even closer than usual as the tidal surge the winter before had removed several tens of feet of cliff nearby!



Plenty for Jack to do on the shore, sand castles and rockpooling!



And a Tank/Military Vehicle Museum nearby.





The coast road at Walcott



Off for two nights in Suffolk and a visit to R.S.P.B. Minsmere, Sizewell in the Background!

Just a quick update. VFW still exists, although off the road for the last 4 1/2 years (dry stored but dusty! ). I check it every so often and started it before Christmas 2018. It needed a new fuel pipe to the pump as the rubber had perished and petrol was dripping out. Unfortunately I'm coming under pressure to give up the garage space. Propabley not a bad thing if it gets me to use it again as it's not good to be left so long. Need fresh petrol! Timing belt needs changing and I have the old problem of no headlamps due to poor fusebox connections which gave me trouble last time I used it.

Epic work - awesomeness abounds.