Hello from a Sylva Star fan
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:09 am
Both my brother and I are fans of the Sylva Star. I bought mine off eBay as a non-runner in June 2006 for just over £500 and then spent £300 transporting it the 600 miles down from Scotland. My primary aim is to keep it on the road for now, repairing as necessary, but in the long term I will carry out a full chassis up re-build, probably when the current engine expires. Its first incarnation was completed in 1983 by Wayside Garage near Truro and since then it has undergone two major refits, the second after spending some time growing plants in a farmers field. The pictures below depict its evolution. The first two pics I have nabbed from elsewhere as none of the previous owners that I have managed to contact had any pics of it as a Viva or in its original, as first built, state. FYI the Viva is as it would have looked, the green Star was built by John Richards, and the rather fetching colour scheme was based on the Mazda 6 touring car from the early 1990's. Below the pics I have also included my to-do list after inspecting it for the first time.
After an initial inspection this is how the To Do list looked and has progressed:
Refit Fuel pump and pipes in correct order - Done
Buy/fit missing parts of Dellorto Carbs - Done
Fabricate and fit Choke mechanism - Done
Rebuild radiator fan and replace associated wiring - Done
Fabricate and fit speedo cable - Done
Calibrate Speedo – Not yet, who needs an accurate speedo . . . it reads Km
Replace Fuel sender unit and associated cabling - Done
Replace water temp sender unit and associated cabling - Done
Fit Rev counter and associated cabling - Done
Wire in reverse lights from gearbox - Done
Free off clutch – Thanks go to the chat list for all the suggestions – Clutch eventually replaced
Replace rotten seats - Done - nicked from my brothers Star
Free rear offside break drum – Done - cylinders replaced
Fit radiator expansion tank – To Do
Plumb in and wire up windscreen washer system - Done
Fit and wire in rear fog light – To Do
Replace indicator relay - Done
Reconnect bonnet wiring loom - Done
Secure battery - Done
Source Sylva bonnet badge – Done, but forgot to get it fitted when bonnet refurbished doch!
Replace broken windscreen - Done
Replace rear tyres - Done
Replace bonnet catches - Done
Refurbish bonnet to secure the bulge back on - Done - SPR coachworks were brilliant
Replace faulty seat belt/harness – Done
Reinforce/re-weld bonnet bracing bracket – Done . . . and again
Source doors – Thanks MarkW - He had aluminium ones made
Fabricate roof supporting bars – To Do
Fabricate roof – To Do
Synchro mesh in fourth gear shot – On hold
Side lights intermittent – Traced to switchgear - Done
After an initial inspection this is how the To Do list looked and has progressed:
Refit Fuel pump and pipes in correct order - Done
Buy/fit missing parts of Dellorto Carbs - Done
Fabricate and fit Choke mechanism - Done
Rebuild radiator fan and replace associated wiring - Done
Fabricate and fit speedo cable - Done
Calibrate Speedo – Not yet, who needs an accurate speedo . . . it reads Km
Replace Fuel sender unit and associated cabling - Done
Replace water temp sender unit and associated cabling - Done
Fit Rev counter and associated cabling - Done
Wire in reverse lights from gearbox - Done
Free off clutch – Thanks go to the chat list for all the suggestions – Clutch eventually replaced
Replace rotten seats - Done - nicked from my brothers Star
Free rear offside break drum – Done - cylinders replaced
Fit radiator expansion tank – To Do
Plumb in and wire up windscreen washer system - Done
Fit and wire in rear fog light – To Do
Replace indicator relay - Done
Reconnect bonnet wiring loom - Done
Secure battery - Done
Source Sylva bonnet badge – Done, but forgot to get it fitted when bonnet refurbished doch!
Replace broken windscreen - Done
Replace rear tyres - Done
Replace bonnet catches - Done
Refurbish bonnet to secure the bulge back on - Done - SPR coachworks were brilliant
Replace faulty seat belt/harness – Done
Reinforce/re-weld bonnet bracing bracket – Done . . . and again
Source doors – Thanks MarkW - He had aluminium ones made
Fabricate roof supporting bars – To Do
Fabricate roof – To Do
Synchro mesh in fourth gear shot – On hold
Side lights intermittent – Traced to switchgear - Done
. . unfortunately I've lost contact with the guy who now owns it. He had plans to get it up and running again. Alas it's not so gleaming as it was when you had it.
. Glad its still in existance its just a shame its gone to rack and ruin .