I can’t really say that my 106 Rallye is a worthy addition to the Speedhunters Garage.
Firstly, I’m about to talk about why it’s important to know when to stop messing about with a car, so that pretty much renders the 106 useless as a project.
And secondly, despite the Peugeot popping up on the site over the past year or so, quite typically, I haven’t taken a great deal of photos during the work/light restoration. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) I should not be allowed near tools, therefore, I tend to drop cars off at my favourite specialist and then quickly get out of their workshop before anyone shouts at me. 2) When I do take pictures, I lose them. Basically, I’m an idiot.
I definitely don’t know much about engineering or spanners, but what I definitely do know is this: I’m at a point with this project where I really should stop.
Why? Well, although it looks fairly stock, there’s actually a few choice components like the Quaife diff, BILSTEIN suspension, Toyo Proxes R888R tyres and the Personal Grinta suede wheel that, for me, make the car great fun to drive. If you’re interested in the rusty pain of French car ownership, I went into a little more detail in a previous story.
Anyway, right now everything works and I feel like I’m at a tipping point of taking it too far and messing all this keep-it-simple fun right up. Before you can say ‘lost in the sauce’, a roll cage, Recaro SPG seats and harnesses that ensure the car’s way safer for the occasional track day, would quite quickly make the whole experience a complete nonsense for that drive to the shops on Sunday mornings.
But here I am, still dreaming about what to do next…
I still have thoughts of a 16-valve motor, throttle bodies and an exhaust manifold made of unobtanium. But at this current moment, my bank balance is in recovery mode after buying a Satchell Engineering shifter for £285, only to then discover that the little Peugeot’s gearbox needed a quick rebuild.
Pug1Off were kind enough to accommodate me before the workshop was up and running one morning, and during this time I was able to shoot a few photos (and the video above) of the gearbox repair.
Does it shift better now? Shortly after Mark took these photos, I drove two hours north and stayed in a cheap B&B near Cadwell Park to find out. The next day saw some laps at the fast and winding circuit, and the Satchell SatchShift had me smiling from ear to ear.
After a major service, fresh brakes, the gearbox rebuild and various other bits, somehow the well-priced shifter turned into a bill of nearly £2,000. But it all seems worthwhile when everything works and feels so good.
Here’s the thing, though – I absolutely love how reliable the 106 is, and how cheap it has been to maintain. Consumables can cost less than a round of beers, nothing rattles, and it always works. So really, I should put the brakes on the OCD, quit meddling whilst I’m ahead, and just enjoy driving the silly little car.
The art of knowing when to stop with a project is not just important for me, it’s the difference between the outright love or hate I have for a car.
The thing is, when I hear the sweet sound of ITBs, I just don’t know if I can reign it in and not go mental. Is this a problem that we all have? If not, maybe I need to call a therapist and talk to them about my addiction…
Ben Chandler
Instagram: ben_scenemedia
ben@speedhunters.com
Photography by Mark Riccioni
Instagram: mark_scenemedia
Twitter: markriccioni
mark@scene-media.com
Track Photography by markleesphoto.co.uk