Bit more progress made, working around Storm Bert (well basically just a bit damp and breezy over this neck of the woods).
Top cover gasket replaced. Old one must have been the original. Took over an hour to tap out all the bits of solid seal from the grooves in the cover. Luckily it came away with the cover; when they stay on the engine it's a nightmare trying to prevent any bits going down the oilways.
While I was doing that, Ed binned the old coathanger-style aerial and fitted a 'whubby'.
New set of wiper blades went on too.
The wipers have been behaving oddly. First up is intermittent, second up is also intermittent, and fully up is normal speed. No fast wipe available.
Tried swapping in another switch: no change.
So now we have a replacement GM5 fitted, but not able to test yet as the battery is still off while the drivers seat is out.
Then jacked the front up, wheels off and soaked the suspension bolts in Plusgas. Left it all to soak in.
Both seats out and steering wheel off, carpets hoovered and shampooed. Seats cleaned and recoloured.
While they were all out we did the GM5 and also swapped in another EPS motor as this one fails intermittently. There is significant play in the lower steering UJ and we think this may be upsetting the Steering Angle Sensor and that is in turn upsetting the EPS, however, with the seats out and steering wheel off, and a spare motor to hand, it made much more sense to swap it out rather than have to go back in later.
Passenger side is now all back together and the drivers side will follow as soon as the carpet dries.
Not much left to do now really. Front suspension to replace, along with the intermediate steering shaft.
Then I think we may try an MOT, giving us a bit of time to sort any issues that crop up before then prepping it for sale.