Scrapyards

Some years ago I had the alternator on a Focus diesel fail. To remove the alternator required the air-con to be de-gassed and the pipes removed (as per manuals). Looking at it, if Ford had simply installed the mounting bolt and nut from the opposite side of the bracket, it would have been removable from underneath without touching the air-con.

SteveW

Cortina was one of the easiest, especially if you had an air impact wrench and long extension bars, three quarters of an hour was quite easy to get it done in.

But is anything as easy as the fwd cavalier? those clutches come out without removing the gearbox. 20 mins start to finish was easy to achieve. It took longer to go and get the bits!

One would hope with longer guarantees and concern over residual value manufacturers would consider repair costs.

Same as the Triumph 1300 FWD. Except you did it from inside the car, so could do it outside your house in the rain. ;-)

Me too. That's why I said 'most'!

Chris

Triumph Herald would be my candidate.

Chris

Datsun 100A.

Remove front offside wheel, remove plate from arch, remove cover plate and pull transfer gear out with slide hammer (easy to make). Remove top cover from bell housing, undo pressure plate from flywheel. Reverse to refit.

Nephew's Celica 190bhp is due a clutch. Whole nearside suspension has to be removed.

Dealers complained that there would be no work and profit for them?

But they hadn't worked out that clutches now lasted 100K miles and the car would be 3rd owner who would never use a franchised dealer.

Cavs were very popular with cab drivers and the clutches were quite a regular service part, I don't remember exact longevity, but it was a lot less than 100k.

Most modern clutches, 2000 onward or so, are 100k easy.

The clutch I have yet to encounter are the newest type of self adjusting ones.

Most bodies are galvanised these days.

However, you'd be surprised at the number of cars still suffering floorpan rot. Just shows that no matter how much protection you give a floor, being constantly battered by road debris and salt in the winter will eventually see it rot.