Skoda Favorit Odometer fix (and other things) 

Oh what a load of nostalgia. See that printed circuit board in back of odometer dials in 12:30? It says VDI Nitra in top left corner. It is acronym for former Výrobné Družstvo Invalidov Nitra. VDI was something like: Manufacture cooperative for invalids and Nitra is nice town in middle of Slovakia. Part of former Czechoslovakia where these cars were engineered and manufactured. It was special factory (not only one in country) where disabled people can find job with enviroments according to their disabilities. If someone was deaf or missing one or both legs, he/she could work with their head or hands. In this case probably assembly electronics of all sorts. Škoda itself is assembled in Mladá Boleslav in Czech republic till these days. BTW there is a brand new huge factory Jaguar-Land Rover in Nitra, or rather in outskirts of the city opened recently this year.

I really love these longer Hubnut repair videos. It's one thing to buy an inexpensive car yet another to make the commitment to fix all the little things it needs to be perfect. I'm in the latter camp of thought so I really appreciate Hubnut's progress on this awesome little car. I think I would have put the odometer around 60,000 versus the 100 he chose since it would be a more educated accurate reflection of the miles on this car. Quality job replacing all the bulbs while he already had the cluster removed. No need to go back in there a second or third time. Lol. Great video.

Step by step making everything work, and even an anti-rust treatment, Ian is in love with the Skoda Favorit.

I really enjoy all of your videos, as a Škoda enthusiast I particularly look forward to updates following your sympathetic restoration of this gorgeous Favorit, you’re doing a great job, keeping a classic Škoda on the road!, maybe we could welcome you to the Škoda Owners Club UK, you, Mrs Hubnut and your Favorit would be well received at any of our meetings !! x.

About ten years ago a friend would occasionally borrow his dad's Citroen, might have been an XM. The speedo (and odometer) would only work intermittently, like register a few thousand km, then stop altogether and kick in again. I think he said it'd been working about half the time for years. Driving that thing was... interesting. I think it's also the only car I've ever co-piloted (changed gears from the passenger seat so the driver could drink from his water bottle without letting go of the wheel). Fun times!

To check that the temp gauge is working, remove the wire and earth it out to the housing, if the gauge rises to the top then the gauge is fine, proving that the fault lies in the sender or thermostat. Hope this helps.

Watching you adjust the numbers on the milometer reminds me of a car sold at the MG/Rover dealership I worked at back in the day. We had a preregistered Rover 200 that never sold and had sat unused in the compound for 2 or 3 years. Nobody was going to buy a 3 year old brand new car, so the sales manager hatched a somewhat iffy plan. The mileage was clocked by adding (I think) about 12k miles to the delivery mileage the car already had, and then he used it as a runabout for about a month or so. The car was then cleaned up and put on the pitch for sale as a 'low mileage' second hand car. It sold like the proverbial hot cake. The dealership had pulled off a similar trick with a batch of Montegos that had just sat in a compound for a long period of time the year before. I was quite shocked to learn at the time that though it's certainly illegal to roll back a vehicle's mileage, it is not illegal to add miles to a car's reading. I soon learned that this sort of thing was just another day at the office.

Go the Favorit! I have replaced the thermostats on several cars that I have owned and they always fail slightly open. You don't notice it until winter when you find that the engine won't warm up. I once had a Nissan Pulsar where the temp gauge showed normal but the thermostat was stuck open and the engine ran so cold the heater didn't work. It took ages to figure out what was going on and by that time I had got rid of it and gone back to a Corolla, which also had a stuck thermostat! But at least it was simple to fix, unlike the Nissan. It was heart in mouth stuff watching you take the odometer apart. What a satisfying achievement.

Excellent stuff as always. I've been very much enjoying the Favorit story so far. On your (was) live new car reveal, my loud exclamation of joy at your choice of vehicle piqued my wife's interest very briefly, until she realised it was 'just that Nutty Hub bloke again'...

Braver man than me taking the speedo/odometer down to its constituent parts 😱, Well done getting them back together and working properly. 😅 Looking forward to seeing the Favorit all spruced up, and doing justice to what it is... a good, sound, well sorted bangernomic buy.

Your travels in the invacar always reminds me of the 170 mile drives I'd make from Aberdeen to my grandparents in the north Highlands in my 1978 Vauxhall chevette GLS. You'd be planning every overtake and hill ascend about a mile ahead. Bloody eyes were out on stalks by the time I'd get there. Happy memories!!!

Good work there Ian. It’s interesting how few screws need to be removed to dismantle the dash, yet the car is still rattle free. The build quality really has to be admired.

A tip for testing/repairing rear hatch seals (possibly any door seal) I was given was to remove it and feed a length of the plastic-coated type washing line through it and cut to fit. It expands it enough to cure the flattening out and usually re-seals it nicely. It worked a treat on a Renault 14 I had the same issue with. Was meant to be a test and then replace the seal but it just stayed in there forever as it was doing the job. One of those permanent temporary fixes...

I bought a brand new Skoda S110R back in 1976. Nice car inside all black and soft padded but the exterior rotted badly. One day I had a puncture and as the wheel nuts cracked undone, it turned out that it was the studs that had snapped off like carrots. Such was the quality of the steel. The steering box (which was worm and peg ... think pedal car) needed oiling regularly but the nipple was hard up against the boot floor so most never got done. Making a hole in the boot floor and making a removable panel was the cure for that. King pins also had grease nipples and play could be adjusted as they wore. Replacement kingpins revealed that the wearing surface was a yellow coloured nylon. I'm sure that Skoda's improved as the years progressed, even before they came under VW's wing. I think the Favorit is a transition period car ... pre VW but continued into the VW era.

I'm enjoying getting to know the Skoda she looks to be in brilliant condition. Isn't it great when you have success when effecting a repair. We even got a bonus ride in little TWC . Love it👍

HUBNUT ,I'M SO GLAD YOU KEEP THESE OLD RARE GIRLS ON THE ROAD , RESPECT TO YOU MATE ,LOVE YOUR VIDS ,KEEP IT UP BUDDY , TOO MANY OLD CARS ARE GONE NOW , LOVE YOUR WORK TAKE CARE!!!!!!

Cheap fixes that make all the difference are the best ones.

The spare tire is original -- Tigar is a brand of tires from Serbia. And as you might expect from that, they were also originally equipped on Yugo cars.

Rustproofing, does that mean he Favorit is to become a long-term vehicle on the Hubnut fleet?. I had a Favorit back in the mid-'90s, they were an underrated car and it's good to see your Favorit getting some TLC.

Well done with the odometer fix Ian, and very brave too! I tried to repair a stuck ignition switch on my Granada a few years ago, two hours before the car was need to get me to work. Removed a circlip and 'TWANG' springs and switch bits all over the car! Wonderful.....Oh dear!

Good to see TWC out and about, and picking up parts for other members of the fleet! 👍

Since watching my first video of yours a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been inspired to do all the jobs needed to bring my Astra (2004) back to its former glory (new wing mirror, rear quarter light, various bulbs, wheel trims and service etc, it now looks like it just stepped out of the factory).. so thank you Mr H for the kick up the backside I needed! 😊👍

Well done Ian for getting the odometer working and we even got a bonus ride in TWC as well.

My old van used to run cool in the winter,I used to block half the rad of with cardboard,did the trick

I have never seen such an enjoyable video about dashboard dismantlement and reassembly. I also agree totally with your remarks about us having reached 'peak car' by about 2000. This is a fine and humble example of a quality vehicle that is user-friendly. Look after something like this and it could last a lifetime. Modern cars are hideously over-burdened with unnecessary extras and engineering complexity that only leads to more ways to fail and prevents owners from understanding and being able to maintain their vehicle efficiently.

It’s so pleasing to mend something like lights and, in your case, speedo. Simple things that make a huge difference to the whole driving experience! Great result! I’m loving this car!!👍👍

Changed the thermostat on me Mum's 1.4 Fabia & it made a massive difference. Not the same car I know, but it's still a Skoda engine. She bought it in 2009 with 36000 miles on it. It's only reading about 50000 now. Shops & back but the shops are 4 miles away & it gets chance to warm up!

A felt tip pen dial restoration, love it. Look forward to seeing how effective the mopping will be.

Well done Ian and Mrs Hub Nut! With the needles in red the whole set up is spot on! and its working as it was designed to do!

Fixing the speedo before the leaking chimney 😂😂 Loving the priorities mate 😂😂

Is it just me or does anyone else binge watch Hub Nut.... Really addictive viewing

That Favorit is is in better nick underneath, inside and out than my 14 plate fiesta. That's truly amazing. I think you really have struck gold with this one Ian.

It’s a change to see someone doing videos on ordinary everyday cars instead of the kind of cars most people can’t afford

I had a Favorit hatchback, bought new in 1994. I ran it for 84000 miles and only had to change windscreen wipers, tyres and brake pads. Nothing ever went wrong. It was my second SKoda after an Estelle 130 withe the 1300 engine and 5 speed box. That also served me for 80.000 miles without any trouble or failure. I had 6 Skodas, ending with an second hand Octavia. Modern Skodas are too expensive, so I have run 2 Diahatu Sirions in recent years and now have a Suzuki Splash, which has been perfectly reliable for 37,000 miles.

Definitely liking the Skoda and it certainly fits the ethos of this channel. Like the idea o every journey in an Invacar being an adventure - reminds me of my 1960 Ford Popular 100E!

Loving the Favourite videos Ian. One thing you can try is see if the rear lights are allowing water in to the boot because of a failed / misplaced seal. I have encountered this before.

I hope you get paid by the Welsh tourist board, it will be a new year resolution of mine to spend a few days there, to drive those wonderful roads and enjoy the spectacular scenery. Favorit looks to be in Superb condition, no obvious rust, all red paint turns flat pink just needs cutting back, have to say its a damn good looking car. I mean that. I would keep it de-badged, keeps a bit of mystery! Never ceases to amaze what the great unwashed still say about Skodas.

i just love how simple everything is makes me quite happy. i can imagine working in a middle/lower class brand garage really wasnt difficult in the day as things seem verry similar to the way things on the bx work. though skoda and citroen are verry different brands

Fantastic. The underside is remarkable and would suggest the mileage is low. You never know the abuse of all those speed bumps in London may of caused premature issues with the steering rack. Or it could be just an iffy part. I hope you can cure the moisture issue, as this time of year it doesn't take long to cause damage to that immaculate metal work. I hope you keep enjoying it, and I'm looking forward to more videos and putting up my hubnut calendar!

Never thought I’d be sat here watching hubnut take a favorit speedometer apart 🤣 pretty fascinating if I’m honest

gosh moved from Pembs to Perth Watern Australia Last year, video brought back memories of teh welsh weather! Glad top see Twc running

Just stumbled across the channel. I am from the United States but I am fascinated with this car!

The best bit was the Took drive, nice to see it coped with with what nature threw at it.

The mug boxes are very impressive, very sturdy 👍

Not the most elegant solution to the boot leak, but a quick & reliable fix that has worked wonders for me & leaky old cars: Blu-Tack. Put a bit around the rusty areas & see if it helps.

Well impressed, full on dive into the dash.Seek and seal the windows in the back first then underseal, That's a good chap! Felt Mrs Hubnut, could go for rouge nail varnish, Bling always fore-fills greater achievement. Cheers all.

It has a beautiful shape, the rear window heater! Fantastic!

I miss my old ‘92 Favorit. It was great and crap at the same time. Absolutely bomb proof, simple, reliable but slow and a tad unrefined yet I would have it back in a heartbeat. Strange?

why has someone written 'hobnob' in my speedo !

Hi Ian< love all your videos , please keep them coming, as an ex longbridge Apprentice I still have lost of affection for the "Austin cars" working with sir Alex in the south experimental workshop. Great days. it may help, the Skoda has had a number of MOT "Advisory notice" in the area of the steering rack: March 2016 Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated: and FAIL March 2011 Offside Steering rack gaiter split. with these failing sail. grit etc will of got in there and over time you now have the play!

Congratulations on the successful (so far) fix of the odometer and trip meter. I hope it works for a decent period for you. And congratulations of straightening out the inflicted wobbles to the temperature gauge face. I probably wouldn't have noticed that until I'd put everything back together when it would have instantly annoyed the hell out of me...

Should get 1 of them £1 dehumidifiers, put in boot to keep moisture out till you find where water is leaking in.

The dash comes apart pretty easily with just one tool, no need to use a 'Brummie Screwdriver', I like that.

Turning the clocks back for winter, Hubnut style! Excellent Skoda update.

I'm glad my monthly contribution made it to buy 1 and 1/3 of halfords dash bulb :) Thanks for yet another great video, Ian

A good fix i love how easy that Skoda is to work on

I had the problem with the odometer on my Jetta when it was stuck. I stalled it abruptly one day and it just stopped working. I lost about 800 miles till a mechanic friend sorted it out. I've been talking alot about my old Jetta since you've had the Skoda. Quite similar in some ways. I hope yours doesn't turn into a liability like mine was.

Before you drive you could stick a lump of thick cardboard in front of the radiator and that will give you a speeded up version of your cooling system's habits and even seeing the fan kick in if everything is ok. ..if it remains cool then probably a thermostat fault? Also take off the lead off to the temp gauge sensor ( usually on the head with the plumbing) and ground the lead ..if the temp gauge needle flies over to hot ..then electrically the temp gauge is working ok.

On my leaky Land Rover, (Freelander rear door, what a design!) I removed the seal and cleaned it in soapy water, then used rubber restorer in copious amounts. Didn't leak any more. Nice cheap fix.

Nice work Ian , the start of full restoration on the Skoda, and change your thermostat and give it a good flush out , I really do like this little car , I’ve always been like it when I know I have bought something good

Well done pal 👍 the simplest fixes are so satisfying 😂 I loved that felt tip hack! The cluster looked rather fiddly too seperate! Halfrauds prices on a lot of items are outrageous...

I like getting the little dead bulb units out and pulling the tiny cap bulb out of it - they are usually removed quite easily. You can then put a 12v 3mm LED with an internal resistor in their place in the original moulding and solder them to the contacts. (12v 3MM LEDs with clear cases are the best for automotive use, they are available irregularly via eBay or electronics distributors - I try to stock up as and when I see them for sale as they last forever... ) On my old Saab I did this so I now have red backlight on the rear fog switch, white on the front fog switch, amber on the heated seats, basically anything to get rid of the sickly greenish backlighting it came with from the factory

A small amount of Oil Emulsion or ‘Mayonnaise’ in the Rocker Cover and Oil Filler Cap is usually a sign that the car has been used for short journeys in a relatively cold climate. The engine is barely able to achieve its optimum operating temperature. This can be termed as ‘Condensation Sludge.’ Different materials and their Mass used for the Rocker Box, and Cylinder Head (Steel -v- Aluminium Alloy, etc.) will also make a difference too. Another fundamental cause will be ‘Climate,’ as the Rocker Box is the first zone to cool when the engine has stopped - Condensation Sludge hardly ever appears in Hot Climates! Large amounts of Emulsion will indicate more severe problems such as a Failed Cylinder Head Gasket, Worn Piston Rings, or Leaky Valves, etc. Water will also be present on the Dip-Stick. However, some cars are notorious for ‘Excessive Sludge.’ (Old Vauxhall/Bedford HA, HB and HC Engines in particular) Typically, a Compression Test will highlight serious problems within the engine, thus isolating ‘Condensation Sludge’ as the culprit. The Emulsified Deposit forms when water is mixed with oil, and ‘Whisked’ with the general clatter of the engine. Water (from combustion) gets in to the Rocker Box through the ‘Blow-By Effect.’ The Gasses and Vapour in the Rocker Box are ‘Scavenged’ with a Crude Ventilation System - Usually a piece of Rubber Tube, running from the Rocker Box to a point just before the Inlet Manifold. There can also be a ‘Tee Joint’ with a second tube running to the base of the Air Filter Housing (Vauxhall Failed Solution). However and to work effectively, there needs to be an ‘Adequate’ (but not excessive) FLOW of air - Ideally ‘Incoming’ from the Air Filter Housing, and then ‘Outgoing’ from the Rocker Box to the Inlet Manifold, from opposing ends of the Rocker Box. The Vauxhall ‘Luton Abscess,’ was caused by almost non-existent ‘Scavenging Air Flow!’ - Incoming and Outgoing Air were attempting to pass through the same ‘Y Shaped Hose.’ Inlet and Outlet air also used the same Spigot. Also, the Spigot Block on the Inlet Manifold, had a miniscule ventilation hole that became blocked with sludge as soon as you looked at it! In some severe cases it could also send sludge up to the Air Filter Box, contaminating the Air Filter Matrix, before completely blocking the inlet tubes - Zero Crankcase Ventilation, thus generating even more ‘Mayo!’ Vauxhall’s response at the time was “No need to worry, Sir! - They all do that!” The solution was to abandon the Y Shaped Hose and use two separate tubes, to create FLOW. This did mean forming a second Spigot to the Rocker Box. Air then flowed IN from the Base of the Air Filter (Post-Filter), and OUT to the Inlet Manifold. A slight adjustment of the Idle and Mixture settings would also be required (Carburettor Engines). From the video (and the Gauze Filter Mesh in the Oil Filler Cap), it looks as though the Skoda uses the Oil Filler Cap for the INLET Crankcase Ventilation. Some Caps are more sophisticated, having a Non-Return Valve to prevent ‘Oily Smells’ venting back to the Engine Compartment. The valve can sometimes ‘Stick Closed!’ I would suggest replacing the tube from the Rocker Box to the Inlet Manifold; as the rubber degrades quite quickly, and will eventually block the tube! There should also be no constrictions or sharp bends in the tube either, as this severely limits the flow of air, and will cause ‘Cold Spots’ where Sludge will form. The Thermostat also appears to be a contributor here too, as the car is not reaching its optimum operating temperature. If it was ‘Stuck Open’ your Heater would not work at all, and there would be low temperature readings almost everywhere (IR Thermometer). You also mentioned that the Radiator Fan does not engage either - Radiator not reaching ‘Trigger Temperature’ for the fan. It is possible that the Thermostat is not closing fully, resulting in low temperatures. Therefore, change the Thermostat, and Flush ALL of the Cooling System. The Cooling System could also be full of ‘Hard Tap Water’ - An indication here will be large amounts of calcified deposits around the Thermostat Housing, when it is taken apart. In some instances (Black Country Water), I have seen Water Pumps seized with ‘Calcates!’ As someone else suggested, it would appear that the Temperature Gauge is a ‘Red Herring,’ in that a VW Sensor was fitted rather than a Skoda. They will have different ‘Temperature Sensing Ranges’ - Hence the ‘Slightly Hot’ indication of the Dashboard Gauge, when the engine is actually running quite cold.

Good work and good to see helpful and positive comments. Thanks for sharing.

And that Ladies and Gentlemen is how HubNut does that. Excellent !

Very satisfying to repair things on the cheap. The price of those bulbs was a tad expensive , but in Wales on a Sunday , you was lucky to get any.👍

Great video. My Felicia had a knocking sound up front only when I went over big bumps. After replacing many things all it was , the right hand top mount bearing had collapsed.

Thought i would share with you a funny story. Two days ago i decided to change the transmission oil in my girlfriends 1.5 Dci Renault modus, easy enough, drained out 1.7 litres and put in around 3 litres so no wonder it was a bit hard to find the gears. Took it for a test drive and the gears were now easy to find BUT i got 100 yards down the road and the STOP warning light came on the dashboard and a warning beeper started chirping. So, i pulled over and got out of the car to look under the bonnet but i glanced back down the road i had just travelled down to see a long, thick streak of oil! It wasn't gearbox oil, that was fine, it was engine oil! For some reason the oil filter must not have been tightened on it's last service (not done by me) and had come loose and all 4.5 litres was pumped out all over the road. My neighbours don't seem to be talking to me now due to the oil slick :(

You must be the most patient man I've never met.

The Favorit steering rack is a weak part. My mate's failed on the way down to Cornwall; seemed like a tooth had broken off the pinion. Quite easy to replace it for an exchange rack and inexpensive.

If the Skoda hasn't been used much,the thermostat could be sticking open,hence the cold running. Cold running can cause lots of problems such as gelling of the oil (It gets worse in late model cars where it creates something akin to crude oil) .and on carbureted engines it causes bore wear because of fuel washdown.

Steering rack going early reminds me of my dads old KA, needed a new steering rack and even rust repair at the first MOT. It got sold soon after that.

Nice piece of light work this video.... And I like the way you use the 'W' in TWC as a Welsh vowel. Da iawn.

Your favorit does make a great companion for the mighty Dacia, they'd look great parked next to each other at a car show so people can compare and contrast them. The one old skool skoda I actually like is the 136 rapid coupe as it is kind of like a mini Porsche.

I had an Audi A4 Avant 1999 and the windows steamed up really bad in winter.Found out it was a leaky boot seal where it had flattened over the years so got a bottle of RainX Antifog and worked a treat till I sorted out a new seal.

That’s why they’re called Halfrauds

I seem to remember that temperature senders used to be colour coded and matched to the gauge. Old Fords used to have several colours even on identical engines. I guess its to match the resistance between gauge and sender unit, so whatever matched units were available at the time on the assembly line were fitted.

Dark side of the dash. Nice fix there you did. Once I took my 406 dash apart (sort of) to change a bulb or two, with the right tools (torx is a good bet on French cars) and patience reasonably easy fix can be DIY no worries. You went in deeper, respektos for that! There is an amount of satisfaction hard to explain when you can mend or fix your own car. My 1007 doesn't have a temp gauge but the fan works, I have checked that bit out. Strange choice not to have a gauge but hey it is French!

Always a fun job, had to do this on our MK2 Golf, next one to fix us the Series 2 a Land Rover amongst other things

Rustproofing is a potential minefield. While it keeps moisture out it also can trap moisture in in pockets making any burgeoning rust problem a crisis for the future.

“Project Skoda” does not do it justice. Maybe “My Favorit project”, or “Super Skoda Challenge” (this was a public domain multi-player Amiga game from my youth)

Nice piece of DIY there, good to get things sorted with your own skills. You will know if you take the thermostat housing off if the thermostat valve is not operating correctly, or if as you suspect is slightly open, you can test such things in a saucepan with water in, which you probably know, checking with a thermometer the water temperature and the action of the valve according to it's specifications. The temperature sensor is a relatively cheap item, but the housing may not of been removed for a while which you probably have experience of. The rubber seal on the tailgate needs to be checked for signs of damage, water ingress under the seal where it fits to the metal edge, as water getting under the edge can set up capillary action. This can be checked by removing the lower section of the seal from it's seating position, and checking for signs of water inside the sealing groove, this is a common problem on many modern cars, which I have the pleasure of investigating after spells of wet weather, there are compounds/sealers that you can use in the grove, to stop leaks, we change many of these seals under warranty as modern rubber seems to be prone to breaking down after a relatively short period of time, and most manufacturers seals(that I work on) come with pre-fitted non-drying sealer in the groove. The leak needs to be sorted as the damp will cause mould smells and stains inside the car, which I doubt very much you want in this vehicle you wish to keep for a while. Good luck with all that, nice to see satisfactory progress. Far out man!

I'm picking up the steering rack knock here in Bristol loud and clear Roger.

Its always on a Sunday afternoon when I need parts... just as the shops are shutting.

Had a favourite and a few Skodas with that engine. The engine is bomb proof but it is noisey. Remember is was a rear engine on a car with a front end radiator. Not a quiet car body, but in a bad way faults seldom mattered.

Smashing video Ian, love the tinkering about with stuff. Looking forward to seeing the Kitten rebuild.

Lit up like a Christmas Tree, how apposite. Looking at how the drums were reacting when you opened it (and the Sellotape) that someone has done a bodge of clocking the mileage. The fan should be controlled by a separate thermo switch. Check the earth between the engine casing and the chassis by bridging straight to the battery -ve and see if it makes a difference to the gauge reading.

Try comparing speedo to a sat nav speed indication, normally sat navs seem to read lower speed than the speedo but I tend to go by the speed on the speedo which although maybe reading 30 and sat nav or actual speed maybe a couple of mph lower but I avoid speeding tickets. Love the faded needle fix👍 You could try smearing a little silicone lubricant on the tailgate seal, I’ve tubes of seal rejuvenater on the famous auction site we all know and love.

That Favorit is a tough little soldier! Simplicity is king. There's alot to be said about bargain cars pre 2002 thereabouts.. Great videos Mr, keep 'em coming... Just one tip having worked in a bodyshop, buy a cheap mop and some low cut farecla compound. That pinkish, faded red will come up a treat. Finish off with a good quality polish.. You will get big returns when it comes to resale. Believe me..

12:33 - 'Now it seems you don't go in from the back, you go in from the front.' Less mess anyway 🤣 Very nice to see another video up 😎

painted needles......excellent!!........Being crap at working on cars, I once wired up a digital clock to my beige Fiat Uno in the early 90's.......pretty pleased with myself until I turned the ignition on and found it not working.......I'd forgotten to reconnect the wiring to the block connector before putting the steering column back together.............it only took me four days to suss out what I'd done....... what a muppet I was/am!! Any time you want a hand dismantling a car let me know, just don't ask me to put it back together again!!!

Agreeing with the garage's recommendation. I had cars that rattled for many many miles. Never got worse. Love the shape of the rear window heating. That handle is supposed to be with the jack. Where is the jack? Somewhere in the engine bay I presume? I probably would have calculated the miles I drove since I got the car and set the mileage to that. 20:09: Cue "Run to the Hills" by Iron Maiden for a driving montage :D. 22:04: That fuel warning light. Reminds me of my Citroën Visa. You could get that needle from 3/4 to 'reserve' by applying some heavy cornering. Well done!

I think when whoever changed the temperature sender they got one for a 1300 Felicia, not a Favorit. The Felicia has a Volkswagen-derived instrument cluster so the electrical specs will probably be rather different to those on your car. Changing the sender for the correct part, which might be the same as one for a 1300 rear-engine Skoda, and changing the thermostat should restore correct operation. The fuel gauge reading not changing when the car is running seems to be a fairly common thing with Favorits, it was mentioned in a few contemporary road tests so it rather appears that's how they are. Despite the issue with the clonking steering rack I think you're right about the mileage on the vehicle. If it is as low as 20-30,000 miles it suggests the car has spent a lot of time dormant, and if it was dormant for a long period and then put back into regular use some cars do have issues with the inner tie rod joints where they attach to the rack itself drying out and losing the lubrication and packing quality of the grease, and then suffering wear which can manifest itself in the clonking you can hear. Pulling back the rack gaiters and re-greasing the joints can quieten them down but if that doesn't work then the only option may be a new rack or a rebuild of the original, depending on the availability...

I am just dying to see what the paintwork turns out like 😲

Just a thought on the temp gauge, I once fitted a petrol temp sender from a petrol ford, to a diesel ford (long time ago, 1986 escort van) and it done the same as yours, read too high. I fitted the right one and all was ok.

That car is properly clean and pretty rust free, and a very tidy MOT history to boot which suggests its quite a low mileage car anyway Ian. Rustproofing is probably a shrewd move if you are planning on keeping this one for a while. Looking forward to the adventures with this.

Tuk! It’s nice when you can get a few things fixed in one go.

Excellent display of skills there, congrats on the progress.

There is loads of parts back in here (Czechia) for these things. Cheap, but I guess it'll get very expensive by the time it reaches you in the mail. People have hoarded alot of parts over the years, some for very cheap and very original.

Really enjoyed this vid. Nice speedo job (no pun please) and a real good mix of cheap diy fix, combined with a sense travel .