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C5 Alive attending the following event
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http://classicmusicandmotors.co.uk/flv_portfolio/motor-shows/


Author Topic: G'day from Australia  (Read 2532 times)

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Offline jk

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G'day from Australia
« on: 24, June, 2010 - 13:17:34 »
G'day All,
I've just bought a c5! Its actually the only one I've ever seen for sale down here. Its currently at a friends house in Sydney, and I need to organize it to be transported to me here in Adelaide some 1400km (870 miles) away.
I was in Sydney last week to pick it up from the seller, very exciting! I've never seen a c5 in real life before, and riding it around put a big smile on my face.
I bought it for $AUD210 or about GBP120.
The electrics don't work on it, so whilst in Sydney I removed them and took them back to Adelaide for troubleshooting. They do seem a mess, but nevertheless I will keep me busy for a while (I am a avionics engineer).
So far...
The motor has thrown a magnet, and I'm not sure the armature is OK yet, however I have a new motor waiting for me at my sisters house in London.
The gearbox is well and truly cactus, the 3 planetary gears and their axles are missing, presumed destroyed, as their meshing surface on the gearbox is virtually worn flat. The fingers are all snapped off. I plan to purchase, when available, a Dragon Technology gearbox conversion to solve this issue.  --> http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=967.0
I am in the process of repairing the control box, then I will turn my attention to the pod. However I do plan to purchase a PWM DC controller kit from a local electronics supplier to replace the control box.
As for the pod, If I cannot get it working, I plan to use an Arduino or PIC and just emulate the entire pod with the electronics contained in the original pod housing. However it does seem that aladds is already investigating this.   --> http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=978.0
The body is mostly OK, except for where the foot well has contacted the ground from, I assume, riding off kerbs. Here it has worn badly and cracked on both sides.
It has also been painted at some stage.

Here's a pic of it:




Offline radiomarty

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Re: G'day from Australia
« Reply #1 on: 24, June, 2010 - 15:37:42 »
Hi JK and welcome to the forum - great to see  a C5 has made it all the way down under and good luck with the restoration any probs just ask

Regards Radiomarty

Karl

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Re: G'day from Australia
« Reply #2 on: 24, June, 2010 - 18:14:40 »
Good to hear from you Jk , if you need any bits dropping off at your sisters place in London let me know - I work in Kensington and go past Earls Court (where everyone from Down Under seems to gather ?) getting to work.

If you're going for a modified c5 you might as well by-pass the whole pod thing and do your own thing. I've done this with several c5's and don't regret it .

You get just as much fun out of a modified c5 as you do a concourse restoration -  each has its place, both are good  8)

Offline mike7201

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Re: G'day from Australia
« Reply #3 on: 24, June, 2010 - 22:14:54 »
Hey JK, a warm welcome to you.

Does anyone know why international C5's have different coloured reflector strips?  JK's appears to be green, and I've seen one which was blue somewhere, I can't recall where now.

Does it mean anything, or is it just a coincidence?

Just curious.

Mike

Karl

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Re: G'day from Australia
« Reply #4 on: 24, June, 2010 - 22:27:57 »
The "greeness" looks like an owners modification since the boot lock, pod pins and centre caps have also been coloured....amazing what you notice once you've worked on a few  ;D

..plus there's that small switch by the rear nearside wheelarch  ;)   

Offline jk

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Re: G'day from Australia
« Reply #5 on: 25, June, 2010 - 00:29:55 »
Thanks for all the welcome's,
And just to follow up,
BooBoo, thank you for the offer to drop any bits off, my sis actually lives in Golders Green, wherever that is. In regards to the pod, I would like to keep it as original looking as possible (from the outside), as well as having that 80's coolness factor.
mike7201, BooBoo is correct, the green reflector strip and pod pins are in fact painted, however I'm not sure about the wheel centres, they appear to be one solid colour, inside and out.
The small switch on the nearside wheelarch seems to be for the lights. I will most likely remove this and fit one in the standard position.
Jason