The Camaro Club (UK)

So car didn't pass the MOT -
Handbrake - well, we're used to that annual disappointment, it's never passed on that
Seatbelts - passenger and driver's side rear not retracting. Garage are going to investigate, but I might be on the look out for some new reels.
Light bulbs - an embarrassment. Rear brake and number plate lights gone. Should've spotted those...
Steering column - apparently some bearing play, but I've never noticed it. Hopefully just something needs tightening.

Advisory on some wheelarch rust, not a surprise to be honest, and the rear tires are apparently a bit low. So I'll rotate the newer fronts to the rear.


Nothing too bad though!

You got your work cut out for you there solving that lot.

I thought I was hard done by getting shaved door handles through.

The bulbs are sorted, the rear belts sorted, although it's been repaired at some point. So I might well be on the look out for a new black rear reel - if you've got one that's good, give me a shout!
The steering column issue is something I've never noticed. Apparently there's a very slight play diagonally when it's dropped to roughly the centre position. As I prefer it at the upper most position, this has never been an issue.
Looking at the column, apparently there's some witness marks in there that would suggest this isn't the first time it's been looked at. Is this normal for the 3rd gen?
Handbrake adjustment tomorrow. It's literally never passed on the handbrake though. New cables each year for the last two years...

You should´nt need to replace those cables every year, look elsewhere for whatever problem you´ve got.

You must have rear discs, I have drums, but in essence it´s the same animal, mine are still the one´s that came with the car.

Steering column, what exactly are you talking about, the tilt ?

Yeah rear discs. Not sure what the issue is, but the hand brake is just useless. The garage will adjust it and see what happens.
Yeah, apparently when it's at the about the halfway point, there's a bit of diagonal play. I've never noticed it, because that's not where I have the wheel. It's not like it's something I adjust - like the seat you pretty much set it and forget it unless you share the car with someone. Which I don't!

I´m lucky, I don´t think the Spanish MOT testers have ever seen one let alone test it.

Column will either be the bolts for the tilt column have worked loose as GM never put lock thread on them or it will be a worn alloy bearing casing which is caused by the hardened tilt pins. It normally wears when people use the wheel to pull themselves out of the car.

_________________

Thanks to Rocky, I've now got a rock solid column in the car, built from my column, the one he supplied and a rebuild kit.
However - looks like the handbrake issue is to do with the calipers. While the foot brake is great, the handbrake is utter rubbish on one side - about 3% there compared 34% on the other side.
I'm not happy.

New column feels great!
New brakes feel great, and the rotational noise I'd been hearing appears (touch wood) to have also been solved!
She'll hold on the hand brake on a hill now - which is new!
And she's ticketed for another year!

Back on the road!

Great news......go drive the wheels off it........
Better not, another MOT fail...