Who Abandons a Lamborghini Countach?

I was just minding my business one afternoon, avoiding traffic and driving through muddy untarred streets in a part of Lagos when I found this chunk of gold stuck literally in dirt...a Lamborghini Countach.



The Countach is a very rare hyper car with only 2,042 units produced over its sixteen-year production time. Values are in excess of $100,000 USD. So my surprise and mouth-gaping, saliva drooling posture was justified. I had to inspect.



Vehicle was parked beside an old building close to a carpenter's shed. shrubs were already growing under the car. Upon closer inspection. I could see visible signs of rot and water ingress on the panels.The driver's side door was slightly opened and there were lizards on the car seat.



Upon further inspections, i found out the car was a replica. The body was made of fibre flass. The original Countach was made with aircraft-grade aluminium. This has a V6 instead of a V12 and the wheels look a bit skewed off.



Replica or no replica, the mystery of the car being parked in such a place and allowed to depreciate with every rain calls for more questions.

More pictures below...and oh, i wont mind adding this to my list of possible restorations

 

[gallery ids="729,728,727,726,725,724,723,722,721,720,719,718,717,716" type="slideshow"]

 

 

Read More

The Old Black Mercedes Benz W123

By sheer luck, i happened to become the unique owner of a 1977 Mercedes Benz 200 on W123 chassis in extremely pristine condition. It all happened one normal day whilst surfing the wide Lagos web.

The Mercedes is a W123 with 1977 being its model year. It's a base 200 model but with enough aura to make you fall in love with it.

The Specs:

• Built in 1977


• 94 HP


• 4 Cylinder M115 Straight Engine


• 4 disc brakes (Yes. 4 Disc Brakes on such an old car...hello Toyota)

Vehicle has been with me for almost a year and i have been extremely impressed with the quality of German engineering which existed in the seventies.

The car handles well in corners and stops with prescision. The take-off speed is a bit slow when compared with today's standards but it racks up speed with time and cruises at 140km/h if encouraged.

The 4 speed manual transmission seems not enough as the car sings aloud at high speed as if wishing for a cup of relief served in fifth gear.

The independent suspension wafts you over road irregularities and treats you like royal. The seats are spring-loaded and actually cushions your torsos. Seats have gone stiffer in newer cars; as if in a competition to become wooden benches.

[gallery ids="662,663,664,665" type="circle" columns="4"]

Vehicle is also air-conditioned; not so from factory, but via the ingenuity of our local fabricators. A Peugeot Compressor and some other tid-bits ensure you don't cook under the heat of the African Sun. (is there a different sun in Europe?)



Above all, vehicle has been kept in good condition and maintained. All the bells and whistles work.

This vehicle featured in the premier edition of Cars and Stars  TV show and was one of the vehicles driven by the host, Taiwo Onalaja.

Read More

The Beetle Reborn!

Yes. The Beetle went back inside its mum's womb and had another day at the delivery room getting reborn with splashes of red everywhere...erm...not directly via mammalian child birth organs,which is limited to mere humans, but via my effective painter's spray gun in a rapid transformtion from dull matte primer grey to  glimmering red.

The Beetle is now red. Dripping, Sexy, eye-turning, mouth-opening, zoom-zoom red.

Been driving it through town and the response from the public has been epic. From unexpected genuine amazement at its possible existence to almost complete chaos at some bus stops when sighted by bus drivers and okada riders. The most common comment has always been 'so this car still exists'

Less of talk now and more of pictures...Hope you like the pictures

Read More

PROMO!!! Free Vehicle Service for 3 Winners

Yes. For this month of March 2016, we are offering free comprehensive vehicle service for three lucky subscribers of our blog. To win is very easy.

This would be in partnership with an auto shop with impeccable motoring skills in lagos.

The service includes:
free engine oil change
free vehicle diagnostics
free car body wash
free advisory service
free vehicle inspection

To qualify, simply follow the following steps

You must subscribe to our blog via email, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

These are the basic qualifying criteria.

There would be three winners at the end of the month.

One selected from the email subscription, one from Facebook likes and one from Twitter followership.

If you join our platform via all three avenues, it increases your chances of winning.

Winners shall be selected at the end of the month.

To subscribe to via email, visit our blog on www.dennautoworld.com, click on the top right menu button and input your email address in the email box shown, click on follow.

To like our Facebook page, visit www.Facebook.com/DennAutoWorld

To follow us on Twitter, visit www.Twitter.com/DennAutoWorld

Service is sponsored in partnership with Track Automobile Concepts, Samar Filling Station, Abule Egba, Lagos.

The more options of subscription you choose, the more your chances of winning.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
This is a free service being offered. We would use only the recommended oil weights for the vehicles (except where prior discussions with the winner shows bad vehicle maintenance history in which case a thicker oil weight would be used)

Vehicle diagnostics would be done on OBD-II compliant vehicles and results would be presented to the car owner. Resolutions of diagnostic faults notoffered in the free service but could be done at a fee, if so desired by the car owner.

Pictures of the car would be published on the blog to ensure openness. The winner will also be required to make an independent comment on the service (whether good or bad) after it is done. However, privacy of the winners would be kept and personal details would not be revealed. Winners are however required to identify themselves as owners of the vehicle.

Only saloon cars,hatchbacks, crossovers and compact SUVs are allowed. Aeroplanes, Trains, Trailers, ships, lorries, bulldozers, locomotives or any contraption that will take more than 7 litres of engine oil do not qualify.

Winners are to remove all valuables like sirrea Leone diamonds and Ghanian Gold dust from the vehicles before delivery. All forms of trinkets, jewerelies and that bag of one million dollars must be removed before delivery. We bear no loss for cases of such items being missing.

Read More

1989 Nissan BlueBird T72: Rebuild-1

Parked in debris and left to rot away, this 1989 Nissan BlueBird had suffered through three years of neglect. Unfortunately, it is not just any Nissan or any BlueBird for that matter. It is a Nissan Bluebird with the CA18DE engine; a 1.8 litre, 16 valves with coil-on-plug power pot that chugged out 129 HP to the front wheels. If you are akin to history, you could have heard of George Fury and his Nissan Bluebird performing a streak in the 1984 James Hardie 1000.

I decided to rebuild this vehicle and give it a new lease of life.

This first slideshow details the condition in which I met the vehicle. Notice the amount of dirt and needed restoration. Body has not been worked on before...a plus

[gallery ids="532,533,534,535,536,537,539" type="slideshow"]

First Job....a deep wash. removed the tonnes of dirt weighing the car down.



It should be noted that vehicle was not starting at the time. Possible fault was a damaged ECU.

Did some online searches...rigourous because this vehicle was not sold in the USA. Vehicle was manufactured in the UK. I found the ECU code numbers and hit the market...Got a new ECU plus Crank Angle Sensor...Vehicle started after three attempts.



There was evidently some form of engine wear from the persistent smoke emanating from the exhaust. I contemplated on buying a new engine outrightly but decided to consider a rebuild of the present one. The smoke symptoms were signs of Piston Ring wear.

[gallery ids="562,563,564,565,566,567,568,569,570,571,572,573,575,576,577,579,580,581" type="slideshow"]

We reinstalled the engine and started the vehicle...nice throaty sound.

Next stage would be be the wiring, the body work, the upholstery, painting and other little perps...

Maybe I would be able to get a replica of George Fury's Nissan BlueBird and its appeal...

Here is a picture of the BlueBird that caused a rave at the 1984 James Hardie 1000



and oh....here is the youtube video of the famous race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwV7ZTyHY4M

Stay tuned for more updates

Read More

How to beat a VIO check

Unlike our wonderful police who claim to be our friends, the Vehicle Inspection Officers (Popularly known as VIO officers) are not celebrities you can take a selfie with.

VIO officers especially in Lagos have a target at making money for the government more than being interested in your vehicle being safe or you getting home with all limbs. Every VIO office has a revenue target (and not a safety target) that must be met weekly or the most senior official gets sanctioned.



That is why they usually stop only drivers with assumed disposable incomes more than impounding those rickety vehicles we still find on our roads.

We would be discussing how to ensure that they don't use you to meet that financial weekly target.

VIO will stop you to check only 4 things:
*The condition of your car
*The status of your driving documents
*The statutory equipment on board
*Your common sense

First they would check to see how safe your car is; not because they don't want you to die,but because if you are found wanting, you could be hit with a huge fine.

Your car must have 5 good tires (including your extra tire), all your lights(including brake light) must work, your horn, mirrors,wipers, windows and non-cracked windscreens etc...all must be in working shape. Bulbs are still around N100 or less. Don't dull.

Secondly, they are Interested in checking your documents.

They will ask for your driver's licence first. You must ensure you have done this. The cost of not having is enough to issue licences for everybody in your compound or buy two goats and a bag of rice.

They now ask for the insurance document or flip though all the barrage of dirty photocopies you have handed over to the insurance page. They check and hope you have done a fake. Original third party insurance is N5,000 whilst the fake should be way cheaper. However, being caught with a forged insurance document take a minimums fine of N20,000.00 in addition to the other possible gaffes on your part. Don't be found wanting. It is easy to confirm if your insurance is genuine.

They now flip to the Road Worthiness document. You must also not be found wanting here. That's their forte. Some vehicles have their road Worthiness certificate requiring renewal every 6 months. Always ensure you know the next due date and renew before then.

They then check your vehicle AutoReg Licence. It being due is also another issue.

In summary, you must ensure your Driver's Licence, insurance, road Worthiness and Vehicle licence are in top shape.

Thirdly, they check the statutory equipment required for your vehicle. Your vehicle must have the following non negotiable equipment:
*a C-Caution Triangle
*a fire extinguisher... Fully charged...remember, fully charged.
*an extra tire
*a car jack and the required jacking accessories.

Finally, they check to see if you are a driver with common sense. Common sense dictates that you have your seat belt on, you have your boot properly closed and goods not sticking out, you have your plate numbers properly displayed etc.

The cheapest fine is currently N20,000. You would be asked to make payment in a bank. Your tax records must be fully up to date or you would be required to pay your tax before accessing your vehicle. For every single day your vehicle sleeps in their hotel, you pay N1,000 including Saturdays and Public holidays. Finally, they deflate your tire and you have to inflate with their authorized vulcanizer that charges an average of N500 per tire.

However, if you can follow the tips above, you have successfully beaten the VIO black and blue and he would quickly pass you on and lay in wait for the next possible victim. If he smiles at you afterwards, always remember that he would have been wicked on your bank account if he had caught you otherwise.

Read More

Pencil Light Camry: Preventing Mechanic Theft and other Stories

If you have taken a little time off your Nigerian-infused busy schedule, you might have read our piece on the Toyota Camry a.k.a Pencil Light. You could still do however.

The Pencil Light Camry is a thief's collector item in Nigeria. A trip to any Police Station in Nigeria would reveal this. Many reasons for this.

First, the Toyota Camry is a highly desired car and will always command a relatively higher resale value compared to its Honda Accord and Nissan Maxima competition.

The high demand for the cars translate to a high demand for spare parts. The spare parts must come, either from imports or from local sources... Yes...used or stolen. A large percentage of these stolen vehicles end up as spare parts just hours after being stolen.

Secondly, the relative ease of stealing the Toyota Camry and the ready market for a used copy encourages its theft the more.

You see, the Pencil Light Camry, like its other 'cheap' Japanese counterparts of the late 90s era came only with Steel Keys and no transponder. This was the same technology used in the Datsun 120Y, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. Well, they slapped on some toy alarm and remote locking which mostly no longer works by the time the car is released from USA and Canada for Nigerian use....after going through salvage and all that.

This makes it easy for anybody with just 2 minutes access to your key have a chance to duplicate it...and drive of with the whole car when they want.

Your mechanic is a prime suspect. He has links to the spare parts market and knows the price of each individual component. He knows the deterrents you have installed and the ones you have deactivated. He knows your drive schedules and so on. To stay totally safe and assured, secure your car even against your mechanic. Once your car is totally secure against possible theft by your mechanic, then you have covered a lot of the possible other suspects.

How do you now secure your car from theft by the person who keeps the car alive?

First, you must cultivate a habit of preventive maintenance. Don't wait till your car breaks down on Oshodi Bridge before you call your mechanic. Always fix all the faults. Scan for codes and correct, fix that hub noise, ensure your engine cooling system is in top shape etc. Once this is done, then there is no major need to always drop your key with the mechanic. Once the car is due for service, you drive down and get it done. If your mechanic spends more than 30 minutes changing engine oil and filter, you need a new mechanic.



Secondly, install a tracker in your car. Get someone not associated with your mechanic or driver to install the device. The purpose of the tracker is to lock down the location of the car if a theft happens. You do not need to brag to your mechanic about this installation. In fact, you do not need to tell anyone. It is not an Olympic Gold Medal that you flaunt. If they know, it is as good as not being there.



Thirdly, get a solid pedal lock. The pedal lock could be locally fabricated or imported from China's heaven. Just ensure it is a strong contraption that cannot be defeated easily. Now to the main part.

[gallery ids="487,215" type="rectangular"]

Do not share the pedal lock key with your mechanic. If he is to come pick the vehicle, ensure the pedal lock is unlocked and hand over the car key ONLY to him. Not your house keys, not the pedal lock key. Not the bank vault's key.

Fourthly, Install an alarm. Install the type with a shock sensor that detects disturbance on the vehicle. Always put on the alarm when you are not close to the vehicle.



Finally, install TWO fuel supply cut of switches. The first one being a permanent "On-Off" switch or key placed in a hidden place only you can access. Always leave this switch in the "On" position when you allow access but place in an "Off" position when parking in the shopping mall, car park, party or overnight.  Place the second switch in a not so hidden place and activate every time you start the car. Let people know about this second switch but not the first. Both switches must be "ON " for the vehicle to start.



Our security strategy is about fooling your opponent. Tell your mechanic, drivers and the other people you share your car with that you have only the following deterrents:
*a pedal lock (they know but don't have access to it)
*an alarm system
*One fuel cut out switch (the one you activate every time you operate the car and not the hidden second one)



For point of emphasis, they do not know about:
*the tracker
*the first fuel cut off switch
*access to the pedal lock key.

Once this is done, you have successfully mitigated against a whole lot of possible thefts.

All these cost way less than #60,000 even with the celestial ascension of the dollar.

Remember, theft is different from robbery. Theft happens when you are not there while robbery involves you handing over the key and possibly even following them unwillingly to Idiroko border.

Also, do not forget to insure your car.

We have covered theft prevention. A write up on defensive driving techniques to mitigate against car robbery attacks would be coming up.

Kindly follow our blog for more tips.

Please enjoy your Pencil Light.



We welcome comments.

Read More

When will Nigerian Citizens have this Right?

Motorcycle Speeder Wins $180,000 In Case Against Cop Who Kicked His Ass

Seeing how residents of other countries in the world get access to real justice, one cannot but wonder when....Just when will we be able to get errant police, army and custom officials in Nigeria punished for their crimes. The article below surmises what recently happened in USA.

On Aug. 3, 2012, Justin Wilkens was speeding in his Aprilia motorcycle and unwittingly passed Oregon State Police Officer Rob Edwards in an unmarked cop Camaro. After a few minutes of chase, Edwards rammed Wilkens off the bike, pulled a gun on him and kicked him in the chest. If you think that sounds egregious, the jury agreed with you.

Source: Motorcycle Speeder Wins $180,000 In Case Against Cop Who Kicked His Ass

Read More

Fuel Boosters; Fact or Myth-The Results. Part 2

Elections, Exams and HIV tests all have one thing in common...Results.

We have conducted a test as promised on the efficacy of using fuel treatment as additives in vehicles. Our test was specific and it was ONLY to determine if the fuel treatment could actually increase MPG for vehicles.

To conduct the test, we used a Volkswagen Beetle Type 1 due to its fuel line simplicity and lack of sensors and other electronic gizmos that could intelligently adjust the fuel burn rate due to its sensing of a different fuel mixture.

Test was conducted in a covered space availed to us by Track Automobile Services at Samar Filling Station, Abule Egba, Lagos.

DISCLAIMER

We would like to state that we are in no way affiliated to the product distributor and would refrain from mentioning the product name or details to prevent any form of endorsement. We would also state explicitly that results may vary if different conditions like vehicle type,additive and fuel burn process were used.

 

PROCESS

1. Vehicle was warmed up. A drive of approx. 5 kilometres with an average of 7 minutes spent in traffic.


2. A Brand new fuel filter was installed on the fuel line to reduce interference from previous sediments


3. Fuel line was disconnected from the fuel tank and a rubber hose was attached to the line that led into a plastic bottle. Plastic Bottle used was the normal 75cl water bottle available at any street shop in Nigeria.


4. A laptop with a stopwatch was set up in the vehicle as a timer.


5. First test was with normal unmixed/untreated fuel. Direct from the fuel pump
   
   
   
   • fuel was poured into the bottle and the hose was inserted. There was a slight run off to account for the hose.
   
   
   • Vehicle was started and timer activated.
   
   
   • Vehicle was allowed to run at idle until fuel was exhausted in the bottle, the fuel line and the carburetor.
   
   
   • Vehicle stop time was measured and recorded
   
   
   
   


6. Second test was with normal fuel mixed with a portion of the fuel treatment product in a gallon.
   
   
   
   • the product was added to fuel already in a gallon and mixed thoroughly.
   
   
   • The hose was placed in the gallon and the vehicle was cranked.
   
   
   • Since there was no fuel in either the fuel line, fuel filter or carburetor, the vehicle did not start.
   
   
   • The Carburetor was primed with some carburetor cleaner. This was to serve as a starting fluid. Vehicle was cranked and started after some persuasion.
   
   
   • The vehicle was allowed to run for some minutes to allow the starting fluid burn off and allow the fuel mixture flow into the carburetor.
   
   
   • The mixture was poured into the bottle and the hose inserted as was done in the first test.
   
   
   • Vehicle was started and timer activated.
   
   
   • Vehicle was allowed to run at idle until fuel mixture was exhausted in the bottle, the fuel line and the carburetor.
   
   
   • Vehicle stop time was measured and recorded.
   
   
   
   

 

THE TEST

The test was recorded on video and has been uploaded on YouTube. This is shown Below.

https://youtu.be/7rXs71yptn0

THE RESULT

Test 1: Fuel burned for 34 minutes and 14 Seconds. (2054 Seconds)

Test 2: Fuel burned for 37 minutes and 34 Seconds. (2254 Seconds)

Difference: 200 seconds

Product Cost: N1,500 per vial.

CONCLUSION

First, i was surprised that the Volkswagen Beetle could burn fuel so slowly. Burning a litre of fuel (approx.) for over 30 minutes on both occasion was really interesting.

Secondly, the treated fuel mixture burned 200 seconds longer than the untreated mixture. This is a 9.7% increase in time.

Thirdly, there was no relatively new misfire or hiccup or atomic explosion or death of an Arabian prince during or after the test. Also, the vehicle's driving performance did not improve nor did my Volkswagen Beetle suddenly transform into a Muscle Camaro. It Still drove like an old faithful Volkswagen beetle Drives.

Whilst the product seemed to work, Certain points should be noted.

• The product could have improved on the octane rating of the average fuel sold in Nigeria


• The use of a carburetor cleaner as a starting fluid could have actually made the carburetor orifices cleaner leading to a more efficient burn.


• Is it actually economical to allocate an extra N1,500 to your fuel cost in order to gain 9.6% increase in fuel mileage per gallon? N1,500 will buy 17 extra litres of fuel.

More on the Cost vs Benefit analysis and the real meaning of octane boosting would be discussed in the concluding part of this review....Coming Up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read More

Fuel Boosters; Fact or Myth- A Test. Part 1

From drugs that cure HIV and malaria with just a single dosage to miracle procedures that can either elongate, reduce or even increase certain human body proportions, the history of mankind have been dotted with different offers and counter-offers by people willing to sell to other people willing to buy.

Due to a thread that was opened recently on a car forum in Nigeria as regards a particular fuel treatment product that was introduced, we have decided to conduct an independent test on the efficacy of the said product.

TEST VEHICLE

We have decided to use our Volkswagen Beetle for the test. The beetle is the best to use for the test based on the following:

• the beetle does not have a knock sensor to retard anything due to a lower octane level (assumed) of the control.


• the beetle has only one fuel line going to the carburetor. There is no return line. This implies that fuel input into the vehicle is simpler and can be monitored accurately.

CLAIM SUMMARY
The product under review claims to do 5 things:

Improve Performance and Horsepower. It claims to do this by burning more of the available BTU in the fuel. This claim cannot be tested by us.

Increase Fuel Mileage. It claims to reduce fuel consumption and increase MPG by at least 10%.
This implies that by using this product, you can extend the duration of fuel burn with the same fuel quantity. This is the claim we would be testing.

Reduce harmful emissions and pollutants. It claims to reduce carbon residue by 59% to 90%.
This is a huge claim and unfortunately cannot be tested by our team. We would have loved to be able to test this claim and we can still do that in future with available equipment.

Prolongs engine life and reduces wear. The product claims to lubricate the engine and thereby reduces wear.
This claim is huge. Except the product lubricates only the fuel system components, it cannot lubricate the whole engine. We cannot test this too at the moment.

Prolongs the life of stored fuel. It claims to allow the storage of fuel perpetually. This implies that it prevents fuel from going bad ( yes, petrol goes bad after long storage).
We could test this claim by storing a bottle mixed with this product for one year, however, it still remains a huge claim that needs to be investigated.

OUR TEST
We intend to test the claim that the product increases MPG by 10%.

MPG stands for 'Miles Per Gallon' and is a universal way of determining how much fuel your car burns over a certain distance. For example, a 20 MPG means that your car consumes one gallon of fuel to cover a distance of 20 miles. A car with 21 MPG is better at fuel management than a car with 20 MPG.

There are many variables that affect MPG.

Driving style, traffic, weather, engine condition, road structure etc.

In order to get a result as fair as possible, we would be eliminating a whole lot of the variables to get a constant condition-set for the test.

The rest would not involve any driving.

We would idle the warmed up vehicle using a fixed quantity of fuel.

There would be two tests.

Test 1 would involve idling the car by using a fixed quantity of standard fuel. The duration it takes to idle would be measured and recorded.

Test 2 would involve idling the same car by using a mixture of fuel and the treatment. The duration it takes to idle would also be measured and recorded.

The results of both tests would be compared.

We shall modify the fuel input system to run from a bottle instead of from the tank. This would enable us get as accurate a result as possible.

Safety factors would also be taken into cognizance.

The test is going to be as independent as possible with no bias for or against the product.

Grab your pop corn and watch this blog for more details

To head straight to the results, Click Here

Read More

Our Beetle: The Restoration Story 1.

Everybody loves chicken grilled to a golden brown hue, seasoned with oriental spices and served with a long jar of Strawberry milkshake.

However, it takes a process. From catching the unforgiving hen and removing the unwanted feathers to roasting it slowly and resisting the urge to eat every bit as the aroma dances through our nostrils.

Our VW Beetle which continues to get daily compliments and outright purchase requests from people started its restoration journey in 2015. Whilst slow, we can categorically inform you that our budget did not get missing at any point.

I have decided to show you a summary of the restoration process which started in 2015. This is summarized in this YouTube Video

Happy viewing

https://youtu.be/CZXrfJ8xxK8

 

If you would like to see a video of the Beetle as it currently stands, consuming the Chicken and downing it with the milkshake, you can eat all you want here.

Bon Appétit

Denn

Read More

The Brilliance of the Toyota Pencil Light

Nigerians, whilst not the best at making cars, have a very genius way of naming them.

They are not called those generic bland names like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or even Mercedes Benz. We give each model and design a specific name that stays etched, not on silver chromes strapped to the rear side of the cars from the factory, but in our minds and street parlance, the inventors, unknown and unsung.

It is either a 'V-Booth', 'Baby Boy', 'Bullet', 'Bull-Dog', 'E.O.D', 'Pencil Light', 'Tiny Light' and erm...'Big-for-nothing'. No body buys just a bland Accord here. Nobody.

Despite all the different import choices we have, one car brand and model stands out...The Toyota Camry XV20 which we call the Toyota Pencil Light, or 'tiny light' in some places.  This Camry was manufactured between 1996 to 2001.

The demand for the 'Pencil Light' right from the time it debuted even up till now has been unprecedented in the history of used cars in Nigeria. Everybody wanted one. Bankers, Lecturers, Students, Civil Servants...everybody who could not afford a brand new Prado or a Lamborghini. This car has been so popular it could have been part of our old trio if it came in two decades earlier

We would be reviewing why it was on the 'top 10 list' and some tips on its ownership.

First, it was a very reliable car.

It always started in the morning and usually did not overheat in traffic (except you are the type that can over heat a deep freezer).

[gallery ids="242,243" type="rectangular"]

As long as you changed the oil regularly and remember to add petrol periodically, it will get you there.

It was also very easy to maintain and repair. The engine bay was accessible and mechanics felt like kings in solving the few hiccups once in a while. To even add sugar to its honey, spare parts were as plenty as the sands God told Abraham about. If you could not maintain a pencil light, you probably could not maintain your bathroom slippers.

[gallery ids="245,246" type="rectangular"]

Pencil Light has always been frugal with petrol consumption.

The 5S-FE Inline-four cylinder engine sipped 11 litres of petrol for every 100km of highway driving. This was wonderful for a mid-sized family car status.

To now cap it up, once you get tired of the Pencil light and wanted to upgrade to a 'Big-for-Nothing' or 'End-Of-Discussion', you can still sell it off for good money.Well maintained Nigerian variants still go above N600,000 which is around 70% of the cost of a fresh import. This is better value compared to its competition, the 'Baby Boy' that goes for around N400,000.

Now if you own the Pencil Light or Intend to buy one, please take note of the following.

Address all issues pertaining to security.

This car has a bad record for being one of the most stolen cars in Nigeria.

Buy a pedal lock, install a noisy alarm and a tracker. The Pedal lock is important and must be used regularly except on the day you don't mind the car being stolen.

In addition, follow the following tips:

• Don't give your pedal lock key to your mechanic. Detach the key from the  bunch when handing the car over to a third party to prevent cloning.


• Always activate your security measures when locking the car


• Ensure all doors are properly locked and secure even in traffic.


• Always wind up all windows and use the AC in traffic.


• Reduce night crawling in a pencil light as much as possible.

I hope you enjoy or have enjoyed cruising your 'Pencil Light'. What tips or advice can you proffer? Please add via our comment section.

You can also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter

Cheers

Denn

 

Read More

What to Change. The Radiator or the Mechanic?

The Cherokee was acquired on the fly.

I saw it 'parked' at a mechanic workshop and covered in dust. I was told it has persistent and unsolvable overheating issues.

The overheating was so bad the first engine was condemned.

The owner then bought a 'tokunbo' engine and issue still persisted. Owner got furious and abandoned the car.

Now the issue was this, the radiators on early Cherokee Jeeps were the closed system radiators. A closed system radiator doesn't have a radiator cap on the radiator but on the expansion tank. The closed system radiator operates under pressure. Pressure is needed to push the coolant round the system.

[caption id="attachment_122" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Closed System Radiator. Coolant was added only via the bad quality expansion tank[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_126" align="alignnone" width="800"] Open System Radiator...Notice the filler neck on The Radiator[/caption]

The expansion tank was the Achilles heel as it was made from a weak kind of plastic. Over time, it degrades and breaks. This causes a pressure loss and the coolant will simply not flow.

The wonderful mechanics thought they did not connect the hoses well and tried different routings. The routing I met was where the heater core was deleted and its hoses were routed to the coolant expansion tank. So the water pump pushes water through one heater core outlet into the expansion tank and returns through the other into the same water pump....water was not even getting to the radiator!

Apart from this, the car had a leather interior, functional automatic transmission with 4wd, a non functional AC but repairable, good tires plus its a Cherokee with real axles in front and back. It also came with the ever rugged 4.0 litre inline six engine that never dies.

I hit Google and found out the cooling system could be converted to the more simpler 'open system'. I also knew there could be some more 'surprises' but i was ready to take the risk.

I made a very ridiculous offer to buy 'as is'. My offer was too ridiculous I cannot state it here.

The owner was ready to cut his loss and didn't mind selling just to cover cost of the new tokunbo engine. We had a deal.

I have a wonderful guy in ladipo who helps to source parts. I downloaded the open system radiator from Google and sent it via whatsapp to him. I told him to get it for me. He got it within 30 minutes and sent it to me via motorcycle.

I took the new radiator to the mechanics and told them to install it. I also corrected the radiator hose routing. I deleted the heater core completely. Whilst installing, I googled the serpentine belt diagram for that engine and found out the water pump on mine was turning the opposite way. The mechanics had used a shorter belt. I got the OEM belt length online and bought a new belt and directed them on the proper Installation.

We added water and started the car. No overheating. Vehicle was left to idle....no overheating.

Took vehicle for a drive round with 4 mechanics who were so ecstatic and surprised. They had battled with the issue for months. I dropped them off and drive my new Jeep home.

Vehicle had been 'worked' on by very funny rewires. So many wrong connections. The vacuum hoses....gauges not working etc

I have done so many DIYs on this car than I have done in my entire life. So many online resources.

I armed myself with a multi-meter and learnt how to test resistance, voltage etc and adjust to factory spec.

Any 'rewire' who doesn't know how to use a multi-meter is only good at replacing bulbs or relays. How will he for example confirm that the voltage going to the TPS is exactly 5 volts as recommended. How will he confirm that the resistance of the ground is less than 1as required?

This car has been my training mule and I get better daily.

It is my daily driver when I put on my cloak as a Farmer and my training cadaver in my quest to be a better automotive electrician.

Oh...and the vehicle is also a classic too... 1990 Cherokee XJ.....The vehicle that started the real SUV rush

Read More

Status of My Volkswagen Beetle

 

My Beetle is not single and erm not married... That is not the status i was referring to, Thank you... ;)

I started this Beetle Project in 2015 and I must confess, progress has been slow.

So many reasons account for the slow pace but we intend to fix that soonest.

Please find included a video of the Beetle's current position as relating to its restoration.

I must confess, i love the sound of the beetle revving and  cant wait to put up a video of the beetle beating modern cars on third mainland bridge...Yes, it did and it will do again...watch this space.

In the meantime, watch the video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y2W7PAaoW0

Read More

Original 'Danfo' Still Paying Dues

Recently, I was in Jankara Market to meet with my wonderful AC technician who masterfully fitted a Peugeot Compressor in my Old Regular Benz when I saw a wonder-on-wheels; a functional Volkswagen Type 2 Bus known as Kombi or Danfo.

Sighting old cars within Jankara is not uncommon. However, seeing a Danfo in good and functional shape is one sight that doesn't happen frequently. I didn't wast time and took a picture.

These buses have faded away from our landscape because of two main reasons.

First, they were used as commercial transport buses and raked in hundreds of kilometres daily till they could do no more. It was even fabled that once you start the bus as early as 5am in the morning, the engine would not be switched off till the bus is parked later in the night.

Secondly, our maintenance culture coupled with the age did not help matters.

In our bid at appreciating automobile history in Nigeria, we commend the 'keeper' of this copy and wish him happy motoring.

Denn

 

Read More

Peugeot 504 Rally Video

Hello.

We present to you an old video of excerpts showing the rugged Peugeot 504 at a rally events over time spanning from 1971.

If you notice the acrobatic displays of the old Peugeots, you might tend to even wonder if it was possible.

Well, the 504s sold in Africa had stiffer suspension components and were built to do the hard jobs of travelling across undeveloped stretches of African landscape. A true evidence of their lasting reliability.

Hope you like it

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC1GxW9KfyM&rel=0

 

Read More

Old Sweet Seventies…and Eighties

It was the year 1980.

The United States’ Dollar exchanged for 55 kobo officially and 90 kobo at the parallel market. Petrol was 15.3 kobo per litre. Life was simpler and choices were easier.

If you wanted to buy a car, you chose either a Volkswagen Beetle, a Peugeot 504 or a Mercedes Benz W123 series. Yes, there were some other options, thank you. But like a bride, a decision to pick a car in Nigeria was more than just dumping cash at the nearest car dealership. It was influenced by your colleagues, friends, enemies, lover or lovers, club members and neighbours.

These cars were not just automobiles. They were lifestyle statements.

Each drive around the serene streets of Ikoyi, the weekend trip to the Bar Beach or the village, the occasional date at Federal Palace hotel or the drive to watch a film at the Pen Cinema, Agege was a mobile video of the driver’s Resumé, played continuously whilst the Vespa rider or Newspaper vendor scuttles away.

Despite the Volkswagen Beetle being the cheapest of the trio, not everyone could just walk into any showroom and pick one. You had to have at least N1,000 to get even a fairly used copy. A brand new Beetle was more than twice that amount.

It had many names depending on your location and style; Beetle, Bintus, Ijapa, Mbe, Kunkuru.

 

The air-cooled engine sat in the rear, powering the rear skinny wheels through the busy roads of a bustling Nigeria, the dual exhausts whistling to the afro beats from the tiny 4 pistons.

 

Though French by Origin, the Peugeot 504 was fully meshed into the Nigerian culture. Everyone desired to own a variant. Either as a sedan, Station wagon or Pick up. The cabriolet versions were too scarce and thankfully, there was no Internet to confound our old school thoughts. After all, television was still mainly black and white.

N6,000 gets you a brand new 504 sedan from dealers all across the country.

Air conditioning was an option. An option that looked like an afterthought as the vents and control were slapped underneath the dash.

The Peugeot 504 gave more options over the Beetle. It had 4 doors, it had a more practical rear cargo space, the owner could actually sit in the 'owner's corner' and not be at the mercy of the front passenger...or driver.

The 504 also came in many variants; the standard saloon, the station wagon and the pick-up. What else could you ask for?

On the top of the food chain sat the creme de la creme of cars in Nigeria.

The undisputed leader of the trio was the Mercedes Benz W123 series. It was sleek and elegant. A vehicle beyond its time. Every single piece of bolt, glass, weld and metal was made to outlive even earth.

The Mercedes Benz W123 AKA 'Regular Benz' came with Power Steering and Independent Suspension. Many engine variants from the basic 200 to the powerful 280-Diesel or Petrol.

The Mercedes Benz was superior in every angle. Handling, Braking, Cornering, Comfort, Safety....Everything.

The People who could afford to buy a Benz Regular mostly kept it for special functions. It became the Rolls Royce of Lagos and the surrounding cities. Its fame spread across all towns with roads. Once you could afford one, it became a sacrilege if your town head does not make you a chief before the next new yam festival.

These were the good old days.

The days when we assembled most of our cars in Nigeria. The days of original spare parts and brand new engine replacements.

Fast-forward to the current period and these classic vehicles have slowly retired. one after the other, they have been converted to beasts of burden and starved of adequate maintenance.

Over the past two decades, each day has witnessed the death of scores of these vehicles as they are gradually being replaced by 'new' used cars from USA and Europe.

What keeps boggling my mind is how we intend to tell the stories of the first assembled Volkswagen and Peugeot in Nigeria to the coming generations of auto lovers. How do we intend to describe how the rich lived and cruised on the tarred streets of Ikoyi and Asaba?

Our job is to try and preserve these historical cars as much as we can. They are currently cheap. We could buy them and keep them for posterity.

The irony with their acquisitions is that you can always sell them at the same price you bought them or even more.

Lets keep them alive

 

Denn

 

 

Read More

Why Create Another Blog???

There are many blogs littered all over the world wide web nowadays. Blogs on virtually everything. From fashion, gossips, drinks, politics autos to even Sex! Some with original content and many with not-so-original contents.


We however have decided to document our passion for cars in a format that is easily accessible, fun to read/view and educative.

We have a  great passion for cars...not just any car. We love classic cars. Not just any classic car, we are really in love with Nigerian Classic Cars. Cars that have shaped our past, sweetened our present and will serve as historical emblems in our future.


This Blog would try to document these cars in a manner that would interest you. We also hope to encourage our readers to appreciate these cars and keep them in good shape, just as we intend to.


Warmest Regards


Denn

Read More