I like your list and really as long as you get to it and it does get back on the road (your plan) then I really do not see a big order just when the engine is out is when I would tackle the copen rack and power steer so you have more room and anything else that is in that vicinity.
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Quick life update
Hello people of the internet, it’s time for a new “it’s been a while” post. I’ve been quite busy lately, but not with the Blyatsu. Since my last post, I began my search for an actual job. Apparently you can’t make money by just sitting on your ass or work on your car for fun, which is odd. After having spoken to some recruiters, I approached a few companies myself, and one replied within an hour, asking if I could come over and have a chat the next day. Long story short: I’m starting this Tuesday! It’s a manufacturer of custom trailers (not like Pimp My Ride-custom, but 'to match the client’s wishes) and I’m starting as junior engineer, by far the youngest person there. Very excited!
On top of that, I moved out of my parents’ house last week, and back to the city I grew up in. I wouldn’t say that I was miserable in the village I’ve lived for over a year, but it just wasn’t “home”. After my mother passed away, home has always been difficult to find, but moving out of the city was the final nail in the coffin. It’s weird having to get used to something old, but I love the fact I know this place like my back pocket. Really thankful I was able to move in with one of my closest friends.
Then, to top it all off, there’s been another change:
Say hello to John (pronounced “Zjon” in Brabantic)
This gorgeous heap of misery caught my eye a while back, and I instantly fell in love with it because it
A) is yellow
B) has A/C
C) has the best rims a Sirion came with imo
D) has an EJ rather that a K3
E) has kind of a Dave-vibe but without the black
The ad said “release bearing audible”, but I figured “hey, it’s cheap, and fitting a clutch is doable”. The first time it was for sale (for €950), someone had already bought it before I could take a look at it.
A while later, the car popped up again on Facebook for €700, saying the clutch was worn, but the car would come with a new clutch. @marc0tjevp and I went up north (this was early september btw) to go check it out and well, it was kind of shit. I asked the guy whether there were any issues other than the clutch and he said no. However, the tires are old and cracked, the front suspension was shot, there was a lot of knocking going on and there were a few other things. The engine, washer fluid tank and a few other bits looked remarkably new, which was weird. Oh, and you could smell gearbox oil from a mile away (this is called foreshadowing).
Oh well, me being me I could’t go all the way to the north and not buy a car, so I got €100 off the asking price and bought it. After filling it up, we set off to the south. After 20kms or so, Marco called me, saying there was black smoke coming from underneath the car. We were able to take the exit to a petrol station that came up as we were on the phone, so we could see what’d happened.
What had happened, is that a lot of oil came pouring out between the engine and gearbox. We suspected it to come from behind the primary shaft, but at that point, all we knew is that the car wouldn’t drive home under its own power. After a few hours, the car was towed and put in storage, and we went home in Ko. Somehow I wasn’t bummed, and the car still put a smile on my face.
After a week, I was able to pick up the car with my garage-neighbor and get it back to my shed, after which I stared to taking it apart.
Metallic is pretty, but I’d rather not see it in any type of oil.
Marco and his engine hoist came over (in the same car, because hoists don’t have a drivers licence generally) and we set to work.
Unsurprisingly, the clutch was indeed worn
And boy, the transmission. It was genuinely foocked. At first we couldn’t really see an obvious leak, but when I started turning the primary shaft, the box sounded like dragging boulders, my god. That, and there was a hilarious amount of play on the shaft. I’m happy I’d already picked up a new gearbox just in case, because this one is properly done.
Apart from fitting the new clutch and gearbox, we also did the timing belt and waterpump, since those were probably original.
After putting back most of the bits, we called it a day. A while later I did some work on the car myself and was later rejoined by Marco to fit the new CV boots. Turned out, you can’t (officially) remove the outer CV, so you have to remove the inner CV, shove a new boot across the shaft and then fit a new inner boot, which I didn’t buy. I eventually got one and put everything back together, just in time for the car show the next day.
I took both Dave and John to the show since it was close to Marco’s, which was convenient, since I sold Dave to him. I was just done with Dave and not motivated to do any work. I also wanted something a bit more ‘car’, comfortable and space, hence the Sirion. Oh, and if you’re wondering why I didn’t buy a K3: K3’s were more expensive and seem to be in worse state over here, generally. Apart from that, the K3’s interior is a bit dull, and I just like EJ noises. It’s actually not as slow as I expected, so that’s a win.
So, there you go, all caught up. A lot of changes in one month, but all for the better. I’m currently trying to finish the workbench in my shed, which should free up space and boost motivation to start working on the Blyatsu. Having an income also helps. I’m hoping to post more updates soon!
Luv you xxx
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What a story 
. I honestly had a lot of fun along the way. And you probably saved another car from being made into soup cans.
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Damn, didn’t think my last post was from half a year ago. Funny thing is that my last post was about acquiring the Sirion, this will be about selling said car.
Adios, Sirios
Starting at the beginning, when the car was working, I used it as a daily, as intended. I work in a city near the one I’m living in, but there isn’t an appealing way to get there other than by car. Now, if I’d drove on the highway like I used to do before I moved, everything would be fine. However, I’m not, so it isn’t. It’s a 12km drive with a lot of traffic lights, and the Sirion is struggling to keep up with its lack of ‘umpf’.
Apart from that, in the past, there was a time where the car was almost stationary for almost 2 years and I think overall it didn’t always get the TLC it should’ve gotten. As a result, the car feels a bit tired in a lot of ways, and knowing this will not be a forever car, I just cannot be bothered fixing all the issues. We’re talking central locking not working properly, a lot of rattles in the interior, the engine mounts are meh, brakes and suspension are meh. Tires need to be changed, it needs an alignement probably and so on. Not to mention the state of the exterior. And yes, those aren’t huge or difficult things, but knowing I’ll not be driving this car forever, I don’t fancy spending €500 - €1000 I will never get back when I sell the car.
The Big Move
In short, I was done with the Sirion pretty quickly. However, it was a working car, so I couldn’t complain too much. Now, I’m not sure what started it, but suddenly Gran Moves (or Pyzar in other countries) got my intrest again and I started feeling like my time was starting to run out if I wouldn’t get one anytime ‘soon’. A few GM’s came and went, some shit, some great but already sold, and so on. The search continued and I decided to settle for ‘the expensive one’, if it would still be there in a month (because of money). The next day, I got a picture from @Wolff , showing a Gran Move for sale at a shop nearby his, with intact wheel arches (which is relatively rare). I found the guy and decided to go have a look. After a two hour drive, I arrived at the shop and met a nice, honest gentlemen. He told me something about the car and its history, which I appreciated. The car itself looked pretty good for its age (reg. in 2001), apart from the exterior which had a lot of scratches and gunk.
I took the car for a testdrive, which was odd, considering I’ve sat on the back in one of these for over 14 years, and was now driving one myself. The car appeared fine, there wasn’t much too check, so:
Los Grandes Movos
I bought the car quite spontaneously and mainly because of nostalgic feelings, because financially it. does. not. make. sense. However, i got the car for €1300 which is an absolute steal considering its state. Okay yes, it’s still 23 years old, but the other cars I saw were definitely not any better. The plan is to maintain as much of it that’s in good shape, and freshen up what’s in shit shape. These cars aren’t know for there great fuel economy, and parts availability is also an issue. If I’m able to make it all work without going bankrupt, I might keep this car for a long time. If you look at the reasons why I wanted to get rid of the Sirion, you might wonder why I bought this car. Truth is, I’m willing to take care of this car, not the Sirion.
Advice?
I would like to make some improvements in the future, because of course I can’t leave it completely stock. I’m not a big fan of the HD-EP so far (although it does need a service, maybe some more maintenance), would preferably fit a more efficient engine, or one that has at least more torque down low. The fact that a K3VE almost performs the same with 300cc less, says something about this engine (in my opinion). However, I’m new to the G-chassis, so maybe it should perform better, I don’t know. Let me know if you have any thought about that.
Another thing is suspension. I know from memory (and from the picture below) that the rear axle doesn’t cope well with weight.
My sister and I (in the dark background) on the backseat of our old Gran Move, on our way to our holiday destination, ca. 2004
The shocks on my Gran Move are in poor condition, but I know that fitting new shocks will not really improve the situation that much, since they were quite weak from the factory (as are the springs). I know people are more likely to ‘work’ on G20x Charades than Gran Move’s, but perhaps someone here found a way to upgrade the suspension. I’m familiar with the Yellowspeed coilovers and know they would probably work, but that’s a bit much (let alone out of budget) for now.
I’d love to here your thoughts on the car! Also, any advice regarding the G-chassis is appreciated (not only drivetrain and suspension related) 
Blyatsu
I’m still looking for a place to have the Blyatsu welded, but didn’t really get to it. It’s especially hard since the car has no M.O.T. , meaning I cannot phisically show what’s wrong. Hopefully fundings allow me to continue progress.
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[color=lavender][quote=“Blyatsu, post:185, topic:2827”]…I work in a city near the one I’m living in, but there isn’t an appealing way to get there other than by car…[/quote]I’m familiar with Dutch urban traffic and can sympathise with your stressfull experience. In which case, you may wish to examine the possibility of investing in an electric cargo-bicycle. You can then transport tools and parts effortlessly over only 12 kilometers[quote=“Blyatsu, post:185, topic:2827”]…The fact that a K3VE almost performs the same with 300cc less, says something about this engine (in my opinion)…[/quote]The closest you could arrive with such a swap would be to use the K3’s 1500 cc version, for getting close to the original Grand Move’s 1600 cc 115 horsepower option. A good set of custom-made headers of which will collect behind the oil pan should give plenty of low-end torque.
Being based on the Charade’s chassis, it’s questionable as to the possibility of bolting the K3 onto a Grand’s gearbox.
The front end of this follwing Pyzar appears to be somewhat different than those of the Grand Moves. Some of the color combinations seemed quite attractive:
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Regarding the bike: that is exactly my plan, but I still have to look into it and save a bit of money for that
Regarding the engine: these engines came with 115hp in Japan, over here they got a whopping 91hp. Hence my comparison to the K3VE.
K3VE (1st gen): 87hp, 120Nm
K3VE (2nd gen): 91hp, 120Nm
K3VE2: 102hp, 120Nm
3SZ (1495cc): 103hp, 132Nm
HD-EP: 91hp, 126Nm
In terms of mounting, the K3 isn’t a direct bolt on. However, I did some research and I think the axles would fit, which is already a massive win. If it’s just a matter of engine mounts, I suppose it’s doable. BTW, I’d swap both the engine+gearbox.
The 1st gen K3VE came in a YRV and would be the most viable option. Donor cars are cheap, and electronics are simple/comparable to the one in the Gran Move. The second gen K3VE and 3SZ came in cars like the Sirion 2 (from which the 3SZ in my Cuore came), Materia and Terios. Apart from the fact that those cars are expensive as a donor, the electronics are also a nightmare because they are totally different and use a canbus system (which needs to be operative for the car to work). Trust me, I spent an entire winter on that 
Regarding the nose: the one on the picture you sent is a G303 Gran Move (pre-facelift), mine’s a G301 Gran Move facelift. I do really like the pre-facelift two-tones as well!
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[quote=“Blyatsu, post:187, topic:2827”]…Regarding the bike: that is exactly my plan, but I still have to look into it and save a bit of money…[/quote]It doesen’t have to be brand new. If you look around and get lucky, you could get one with low service at a low price. I bought my electric bicycle at a house flea market. The seller only asked for 25€, probably because it belonged to his deceased wife. I paid him immediately, without negotiating a lower price. It only needed a new battery pack, because the seller failed to keep it charged[quote=“Blyatsu, post:187, topic:2827”]…these engines came with 115hp in Japan…[/quote]Probably on the all-wheel drive versions also, again only for the Japanese market. It would only be a matter of updating a for export K3 engine to achieve 115 hp[quote=“Blyatsu, post:187, topic:2827”]…a YRV and would be the most viable option. Donor cars are cheap, and electronics are simple/comparable to the one in the Gran Move…[/quote]I didn’t know that the YRVs were even older than the Grand Moves
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Hi gang,I feel obligated to make a post about what’s been going on in my life. I’m not saying I’m that popular, but I know that there are a few people who have been following me for the last few years who’d actually like to see what’s going on at Blyatsu headquarters, so here goes.
I have to say, I know I usually say “it’s been a while”, but looking back at my last post, I didn’t know it has been that long. In short, is has been quite the year for me. Mostly unrelated to car stuff, which means that, once again, the Blyatsu hasn’t seen much (or any) love. Since last post, I visited many concerts, went to Spa Francorchamps, walked 30km to a brewery, had loads of beers since and had one absolute major event coming up: my sisters wedding.
My sister and brother in law were getting married in Scotland. Just t be clear: I never minded the fact that it would be in Scotland, but realistically it meant I had to save up for the trip, hence not being able to spend much of my money on cars. The trip itself was unbelievable, no other words to describe it. Some pictures:
I checked the GM with @Roffelkut as best as we could, but one weird issue kept popping up: it would misfire sometimes or even start on 3 cylinders, which was odd. Thinking it would be some kind of ignition issue, I began my search for some coils. I found some on a local marketplace, but is was specifically the set I needed, which I found kinda odd, since only the last iteration of the GM had coils. As I was messaging the guy, I found out he was the guy, I found out he was the guy I sold an HD-EP to. Why did I sell him an HD? Well, something I just remember not posting about: I bought Jasper’s black GM as a parts car back in June (some of you may know him).
Oh well, I went to the guy to pick up the ignition system, ending up getting the gearbox back as well, and put it on my car, which instantly made the car drive better. This was a week before my trip, so I was kind of in a hurry, but thrilled that it had fixed the problem.
Or so I thought
Once in Scotland, I noticed that when I tried starting the engine while being warm, it would still run on three cylinders.
Not knowing at the time what was going on, I just kept going, and things went relatively well along the way. My car was pretty packed with my stuff, but also stuff for the wedding, so it was a tad slow and leaning backwards more than it already did (check out pic 3), but it was coping well. Some roads even led me to do some ‘spirited driving’, regardless the weight. I was really surprised by how well it it did on those roads.
Fast forward towards the middle of November, when I got back, I decided to do some more research as to why the hell it was running so poorly and kept getting worse. I found something surprinsingnly shocking when I took out the spark plugs.
I knew cylinder #4 was the main culplrit of the issues, which turned out to be true. After taking out the plugs, I noticed a red/pink substance in cylinder #4. As I saw it moving in a fluid kind of way, I noticed that it was actually coolant. Without getting into previous symptoms that now all made sense, I knew that I was in trouble. The most probable cause would be a torn head gasket or cracked head, which was a major issue. Why? Well, I was planning on fixing the Blyatsu this winter, and not having to worry about my daily.
After thoroughly discussing the issue with @Roffelkut , I decided I would just continue driving it until it would brake down “and then we’ll see”.
Or, a red GM would magically have to pop up for sale. Which it did. 2 hours later.
Long story short:
I traded the green GM for a red one
Realistically, this is more of a mess than the green one was, is a year and iteration older, and did 50k km more, but felt better to me. I think I’ve mentioned it before, but the entire reason why I wanted a GM in the first place was just because of nostalgia. However, my first GM was green and had the wrong interior, whereas this one is the right colour and has the right interior. It feels weird saying it about a car that’s actually a mess in many ways, but I felt more at home right away in this car, than I ever felt in the green GM. Also, almost all the issues are things I can easily fix by myself either because of my experience or because of being a hoarder and having a bunch of parts.
To summarize: I am very happy owning this car, but it needs a bunch of work.
BLYATSU NEWS
So, like I said before, my plan was to work on the Blyatsu this winter. And although I am not fond of welding it myself (note: I only recently did my first bit of welding), I am going to give it a shot. I am lucky to have a bunch of friends wanting to help me, which should be enough to get the car back on the road. I also made the call to order some pre-bent weld-in-sills (or whatever it’s called) from a Sirion. It’s not the same car, but I think it’s close enough to what I probably need, so fingers crossed it works.
I think that’s all the information I have to share with you for now. My goals is to get the Blyatau up and running before my birthday (3rd of april), so wich me luck and let’s hope I can make it happen!
I wish you happy holidays and a happy new year, let’s make 2025 a years to Dai for! <3
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Although you should not feel obligated. I do like reading your updates, Good luck on the welding. I am a true hack with welding and never had any training but over the years have managed to makes some bits of metal stick together. Some good, some really bad and one or 2 were OMG I look at this perfection.
I’m a bit jealous of going to Scotland. I was there when I was a toddler and I remember a few things as that is where my mother and grandparents migrated from. I would love to go back again but realistically I don’t think it will happen.
3rd of April is a really common birthday in my life. lol My oldest son was born on that day and one of my good (non car) friends also. (mine is the 17th April)
I look forward to hearing how Blyatsu goes with the work upcoming and how the Pyzar comes along with the right colours and feel. Have a great 2025 mate!
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do you maybe know where i can get the 3rd brakelight thats in te rear spoiler? (mine is defective…) its a L701 (1998-2000)
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Maybe not the answer you’re hoping for, but junkyards is your best shot. Other than that, you can ask around in designated Facebook groups, we have one for Dutch L7 enthousiasts where someone might have one for you (search for L7 Club NL). If you send a request for the group (meaning, filling in the answers when you apply), I’m happy to add you
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thanks, just filled in the answers on the facebook page 
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