Car S.O.S. Season 13 Episode 9
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00:00This time on Car SOS, a tiny 4x4.
00:05The little Jimny wants to keep going forward. It's like a little donkey.
00:09With a big list of problems.
00:11Engine, suspension, axles, brakes, paint, interior, you name it.
00:17Tim gets over familiar.
00:19We're going to get naked.
00:20We are.
00:21Well, let's get it done.
00:22Let's go.
00:23While Fuzz has a disco for one.
00:25I'm going to show you red and green.
00:29And the stage is set to deliver the ultimate surprise.
00:35Oh, it's beautiful, it really is.
00:37Berks.
00:58What, the pair of us, I agree.
00:59No, no, no, that's where we are.
01:00What?
01:01Berkshire, the short version is Berks, isn't it?
01:03Oh, right, I thought you were on about us for a minute there.
01:05Anyway, forget that, mate, because we're down here today to pick up a...
01:09Suzuki Jimny!
01:11Yes!
01:12Come clean then about what you know about the Jimny.
01:15They're small.
01:16Right.
01:17They're four-wheel drive.
01:18Right.
01:19And they're made by Suzuki.
01:21Right.
01:22Dude, I'm going to be honest with you as well.
01:24I'm pleased you've said that because this is the first car, I think,
01:27that actually has gone under the radar.
01:30I know nothing about them.
01:32Yes, they can be hard to spot,
01:34mostly because these pint-sized off-roaders are narrower and shorter than a Mini.
01:40Which, in the realm of 4x4s, makes them Davids in a world of Goliaths.
01:47But don't let their minute physique fool you into thinking they can't compete with the big boys,
01:52because under their cute exterior,
01:54they're built to be as capable as a mountain goat with a PhD in rock climbing.
01:59For starters, their body is mounted onto a separate ladder frame chassis,
02:04just like a Land Rover.
02:06They have a manually selectable four-wheel drive gearbox for when the going gets rough,
02:12and rigid axle suspension that maintains better wheel contact with the ground on uneven surfaces.
02:19Perfect for a romp up a mountain.
02:22Less comfortable on a long motorway drive.
02:26The no-frills interior is far from luxurious,
02:29and with four people on board, there's barely enough room in the back for a loaf of bread.
02:36And if you want a new one in the UK, you can now only buy them as commercial vehicles,
02:41a fact that means used ones now cost considerably more than they did new.
02:48So they might not be right for everyone, but to their loyal fans,
02:52they're the equivalent of a Labrador in hiking boots.
02:55Man's best friend that can conquer all terrain.
02:59Now the car is owned by Joanna, and we're meeting her son James to steal it away today.
03:04Come on, let's go and catch ourselves a little Jiminy.
03:07Yeah.
03:13Are you waving us?
03:14That's James.
03:15Is it?
03:16Yeah, yeah.
03:17James, are you James?
03:18I'm James, yeah.
03:19Hi, how you doing? Nice to meet you.
03:20What's going on? What's with that?
03:21My mum's actually outside. She's inside in bed. She's not feeling too well.
03:24What? Your mum's in?
03:25She is in, I'm afraid. She's at the back of the house.
03:28What? She's in?
03:29So, where's the car? Where are we with it?
03:32The car's at the front there. It's just the red one.
03:34Right, can I make a suggestion here?
03:36You go up and push the car into the trailer and have a look at the car in the trailer.
03:39Just to tell you, the gearbox doesn't work.
03:41OK.
03:42It will roll, but...
03:44It rolls, so that's it? I'm just going to push it in?
03:46Yeah.
03:47OK, fine. Right, we'll go and have a chat. We'll find somewhere low to have a chat.
03:49We'll catch up with you later on.
03:51There you go. Go on. Good luck.
03:53All right.
03:55So, while Tim and James head off to the local pub for a quiet chat,
03:59let's hope Fuzz has been hitting the gym.
04:02Now, I know Suzuki Jimneys are small, but they're not that light.
04:06There's at least two motorbikes worth of weight in that car.
04:10And it's just me to get it in the trailer now. Brilliant.
04:15At least Joanna's bedroom faces in the opposite direction,
04:19so there's less chance of her spotting Fuzz stealing her car away.
04:23But he still needs to keep quiet to avoid arousing suspicion.
04:27Oh!
04:29It might be a little car, but it's certainly put on a few pounds in the past.
04:34Oh!
04:36Yes, and the Jimney's not the only one, is it?
04:39Luckily for Fuzz's back, the trailer has its own winch.
04:45The interior's all there.
04:47She's looked after this car, I can tell that,
04:50but it's not in its first flush of youth.
04:52All in all, this is a 22-year-old car.
04:55The underside, with that separate chassis, is quite strong,
04:59but I can't see fully underneath,
05:01and I don't want to spend too long around here.
05:08So where did the Jimney come from?
05:10So my grandad bought it for me.
05:12So basically he died six months after he was ill at the time.
05:17How important is it to her?
05:19She's driven it ever since, so we're talking 20-plus years.
05:22So no other car since then?
05:24No. It means everything, I think.
05:26It's got so much sentimental value.
05:32Now, what have we got under here?
05:36A little dual overhead cam, 16-valve engine.
05:40Lovely little thing sitting in there.
05:42The engine bay looks great, but I can see oil
05:46kind of starting to seep out of this,
05:49which kind of indicates to me age and perhaps high mileage.
05:54The gearbox we know has a problem from what James just said,
05:58and, well, anything else we find when we're underneath.
06:02The paint as well.
06:04It's like harlequin red.
06:06Let's get it out of here.
06:13So demonstrate to me the lengths you've gone to to fix this car up.
06:17Initially I rang up local garages,
06:19then I looked for automatic gearbox specialists,
06:22you know, from Cornwall to Scotland, essentially.
06:25They said they can't get the parts, they're not available.
06:28Then we had the idea, maybe ride to Suzuki in Japan.
06:31That's dedication, that's incredible. What did they say?
06:34So they couldn't help at all, they said the parts are not available
06:38and it's as good as that's it, really.
06:40End of the road. Yeah.
06:42So the car's off the road. What happened next in your mum's life?
06:45So then my mum, which I didn't realise at the time,
06:48but she's having some health issues.
06:53She was diagnosed with stage four womb cancer, basically.
06:57What have they said with regards to that?
06:59They don't know how long it's been strained.
07:01It could be six months, it could be two, three years.
07:07What has your mum done for a job, for a life?
07:10She was a nurse in NHS for a good 25, 30 years.
07:15Really? Yeah.
07:16Where does your mum think the car's going?
07:18I've told my mum I've managed to find someone to have a look at it, the gearbox.
07:22OK, OK. Is there anything specific about the car that makes it your mum's?
07:26Has she done any modifications to it or anything?
07:28So she's got a little gecko on the side.
07:31Has she? Yeah. What's that about?
07:33I think it's more to do with, like, geckos go anywhere.
07:35So I think it's kind of like a chimney as well.
07:37You know, it's known for its off-road capabilities.
07:39What do you want to do with the car for your mum?
07:41I'd like her to take me on a trip like we used to.
07:44And we're going to get this car turned around as quickly as we possibly can
07:47so you can get out there and enjoy that trip.
07:49How does that sound?
07:51Sounds brilliant. Yeah. We can make that happen.
07:55But with the gearbox packing a mysterious fault,
07:58paintwork that looks like a clown's trousers,
08:01and who knows what other issues lurking underneath,
08:04it's not going to be easy.
08:06The first time I've seen it...
08:08I know, I know. In several shades of red.
08:10Come on, let's get it up.
08:12But, look, I like it, you know.
08:14I'm not particularly familiar with Jimneys. No.
08:18It feels like a big relief for us to admit
08:20that we know nothing about these cars, doesn't it?
08:22It's like a very honest starting point for us.
08:24Come on, let's get under it, then.
08:26Two strides and we're at the back. There you go.
08:29Right. Well, look, it looks pretty jaded underneath here.
08:33Look at these springs. They're unmatched springs at the rear here.
08:37Probably going to be better if we replace all of them.
08:40Look at this beautiful piece of engineering.
08:42You can see everything. You can see how it works and what it does.
08:45You can see the diff at the back sending power to the back wheels,
08:48diff at the front sending power to the front wheels,
08:50because it's four-wheel drive.
08:52Tiny little miniature versions of everything.
08:54But I like it. It's chunky under here as well.
08:57But we're not without our on-frame corrosion.
09:00But remember, this body is actually just sitting on the chassis.
09:04So, in fact, the body could come off if we need to.
09:08That's mad, isn't it? Yeah.
09:10It's cars like Land Rovers and stuff you expect that of.
09:13That's right, a Jimney. I know.
09:15They're kind of like old-school engineering
09:18that is bulletproof and proven,
09:20and it feels like Suzuki had a point to prove when they made this car.
09:23We can do it, and we can do it better than you can.
09:25Yeah, I think so.
09:26Something I need to mention to you. Just pop out the front.
09:28I mean, just bring the car down. You don't need to be sitting down for this bit.
09:31Right, OK, bring it down.
09:35Right. I'll do you.
09:37A couple of things. Yeah.
09:39The emotional connection to this is super strong.
09:41Then one fateful day, the automatic gearbox packed up.
09:46Searched nationwide. We can't help you.
09:48Right. Wrote to Suzuki HQ in Japan.
09:51Yep.
09:52They got back and said,
09:54but this is the important bit for us, Bob.
09:56Mum and son used to go on road trips in this thing.
09:59He just wants to create some memories.
10:01Yeah.
10:02That he can keep forever.
10:04Right, OK, so you want to turn around a car
10:07with a very bad gearbox problem, high mileage,
10:11and you want it to drive out of here
10:13and straight on the road, on a road trip.
10:15Do you know that's taking a big chance?
10:17Because if Joanna is very ill,
10:20this thing needs to be a safe little cocoon for her.
10:24It's not what I want to do, Fuzz.
10:26That's not what I want to do. It's what we are doing.
10:37Tim and Fuzz have taken on this 2002 Suzuki Jimny,
10:41a miniature off-roader with a mighty big list of problems.
10:45The gearbox we know is defective.
10:47Right.
10:48That's your department, OK?
10:50So hang on, so you're saying the gearbox is mine,
10:53the bit that Suzuki can't even fix is mine?
10:55That's right.
10:56What are you doing then?
10:57What am I doing? You name it, I've got the rest of it.
10:59Just get that done, because if that's not done,
11:02the rest of it is a massive,
11:04kind of multi-coloured paperweight at the moment.
11:06Yes, James dreams of taking a nostalgic road trip
11:09with his mum in her cherished Jimny, just like they used to.
11:13However, it all hinges on whether Tim can find a fix
11:17for the gearbox problem that even Suzuki couldn't help with.
11:21If he manages to pull off that miracle,
11:24then there's the paintwork to contend with.
11:26Years of exposure to the elements
11:28have left the Jimny looking like a patchwork quilt.
11:31So it will need a full re-paint,
11:33like a patchwork quilt.
11:35So it will need a full re-spray
11:37in a modern UV-resistant paint to protect it.
11:41Finally, with Joanna in poor health,
11:43they'll need to find a way to modify
11:45the standard hard-wearing interior
11:47to transform it into a safe cocoon,
11:49so that it's more comfortable
11:51when the moment comes to take that road trip.
11:54It's also going to need a completely new suspension set-up
11:58on all four corners.
12:01And with Joanna's health a constant consideration,
12:05the team dives straight into separating the body and chassis
12:08to fish out the gearbox.
12:11Because Tim needs to find a fix
12:13before any painting or modifications can begin.
12:17And considering James has already searched
12:20the length and breadth of the country
12:22and even tried Suzuki in Japan,
12:25the challenge is immense.
12:27And failure will spell the end of the road
12:30for this beloved little Jimny.
12:32I so hope these guys can fix this, I'm telling you.
12:35But I don't know where to go if we can't.
12:37Big trouble.
12:39So, with all other options on the planet exhausted,
12:43he's turned to the specialists at ZF,
12:46a company with over a century of experience
12:48in building and repairing
12:50some of the world's most complex automotive gearboxes.
12:53Oh, look at that, I've got a Hi-Viz as well.
12:56Darren's the name of the guy I've got to find.
13:02I'm hoping you are the man
13:04to change the future of this entire car.
13:07Right, OK.
13:08And that's a Japanese gearbox from a Suzuki Jimny.
13:10Yeah, OK.
13:11I need to get your eyes on it, man.
13:13We need to fix it, it's not an option.
13:15So where do we start with it, dude?
13:17First of all, we'll put it on the bracket.
13:19Right.
13:20And we'll put it into the stand,
13:22and then we'll start to strip it, shall we?
13:24Let's get it done.
13:25Let's go.
13:28I think health and safety
13:29might have something to say about that, Tim.
13:33Right, so, first job.
13:35Yes.
13:36Torque converter off.
13:39Off with the torque converter,
13:41which is the manual gearbox,
13:42that would be the clutch, wouldn't it?
13:44It would.
13:45So what we'll do next,
13:46we'll turn the gearbox over.
13:48OK.
13:49And then we'll take the sump off.
13:50Right.
13:51Japanese gearboxes might be able to conquer all terrain,
13:54but they still need to be stripped down and serviced
13:57every 25,000 miles to ensure their longevity.
14:02Look at that lot.
14:03Yeah.
14:04I mean, what even are we looking at here?
14:06We're looking at the condition of the oil.
14:08Right.
14:09As you can see, it's nice and black.
14:10It shouldn't be like that, it should be nice and red.
14:12Really?
14:13Yeah.
14:14OK, so already we've got a sign there's a problem.
14:16Gearbox oil is dyed red
14:18to help differentiate it from the black stuff
14:20that goes into the engine.
14:21But old oil alone wouldn't be enough
14:24to have taken Joanna's car off the road.
14:27What's that there?
14:28That's a magnet.
14:29So basically that magnet there
14:31will pick any loose debris up.
14:33There's none of that there?
14:34No.
14:35Yeah, so nothing's exploded in there,
14:37so that's a good sign.
14:38OK.
14:39All right, so we can disregard that for the time being.
14:41Yes.
14:42Right.
14:43So while Tim and Darren leave no stone unturned
14:45in the hunt for the problem...
14:48..back at car SOS headquarters,
14:51it seems that Bono has turned up
14:53to help explain what's gone wrong
14:55with the Jimny's patchy paintwork.
14:58I've been looking at Joanna's Jimny door here
15:01and looking at the paint fade on it.
15:04So why is it that red cars suffer more from sunlight damage
15:08than other coloured cars?
15:10Well, it's all down to light frequencies.
15:15To demonstrate, Fuzz is turning teacher.
15:18Sit up at the back.
15:20So what I'm going to do to demonstrate this
15:22is show the frequency of two colour lights.
15:24I'm going to show you red and green.
15:28So here's the green one.
15:30For those of you who skipped physics,
15:33every colour we can see
15:35corresponds to a different frequency of light wave.
15:38Now, if I replace the green light with a red one...
15:43..now we have a different distance between those dots.
15:48We've got a different wave.
15:50The closer together those waves,
15:53the more energy that the light has.
15:56It's this difference in wave frequency
15:59that allows our eyes to tell colours apart,
16:02but it's also what destroys the paintwork on red cars.
16:06What happens is that the red gets reflected off,
16:10doesn't do any damage.
16:12When the green and other colours hit it,
16:15they go in and they cause damage and chaos at a molecular level,
16:20effectively bleaching the paint.
16:23It's a bit like going out in the sun unprotected.
16:27But if you use some sun cream with UV protection,
16:31then you're just reflecting all that damaging light away.
16:35And that's what modern paints,
16:37such as the red that we've got for the Jimny in this tin,
16:41they have UV protection,
16:43so we're reflecting off all that harmful light.
16:48Back with Tim.
16:50After stripping the gearbox down even further,
16:53it's still not giving up any answers.
16:56Right, what's next, then?
16:58So it's on to testing the final set of components that could be faulty,
17:03the five solenoid switches that control the flow of oil around it.
17:08So they're valves, then? They're just electric valves, frankly.
17:11Like a tap. Yeah.
17:13So you give it power and it just says,
17:15all right, I'll let you go through. Exactly. Yeah, OK.
17:18So as soon as you've done electronics at school, it'll do.
17:21Could do.
17:23To check each solenoid is operating correctly,
17:26Tim is using a multimeter to measure their electrical resistance.
17:30What is the resistance of that?
17:33OK.
17:35Yeah.
17:39Yeah, OK.
17:4111.4 ohms.
17:43So that one's OK.
17:45So it's like squeezing that electricity down a thin pipe and it's saying,
17:48yeah, it's narrow, it's pretty thin in here, but I can get through.
17:51Right, so that one's good, we think. OK, right.
17:53First one down.
17:5611.9 ohms.
17:58OK, number two, good.
18:00We need one not to work here.
18:02Oh, dear. OK.
18:04So that's working. To the left.
18:0611.7. 11.7, OK.
18:08Yeah. 11.7.
18:10The last one. The last one.
18:14Bingo.
18:16What do you mean, bingo? Bingo.
18:19Resistance is all over the shop.
18:22Right, so hang on a minute.
18:24What are you saying here?
18:26I would say that's faulty.
18:29So the whole reason that this car hasn't had all the road trips
18:33with James and his mum in it,
18:35hasn't travelled all over the place and brought many smiles and good times,
18:38all comes down to it's been off the road thanks to that.
18:41For that one, yeah.
18:43One little solenoid.
18:45So while Darren waits for a replacement set of solenoids
18:48to arrive from Suzuki in Japan,
18:51the boys are grabbing their wellies.
18:55Our first chimney experience, first of all.
18:58To find out if these tiny off-roaders actually are the real deal
19:02or merely family hatchbacks in disguise.
19:05What do we think of them so far?
19:07Well, it's a bit of a shopping cast, isn't it?
19:10So capability-wise, out of ten, what would you give this one?
19:13As a guess.
19:15I don't know. Five.
19:17You know, it'll get you down your country lane.
19:19You reckon... Two. Two?
19:21Well, let's take it a few yards.
19:23Listen, one thing I'd like to say, though,
19:25if we get stuck here, we've got a geezer with a winch back there.
19:30Yes, and there's a fairly good chance the boys will be needing it.
19:34Because to properly put the Jimny through its paces,
19:37they've brought it to the punishing Whitecliffe 4x4 test track,
19:42located in a disused quarry.
19:45It features 12 suspension-shattering circuits,
19:49each one more challenging than the last.
19:52There's an almost metre-deep weeding pond.
19:55A bit deep, though. I'm a bit worried about it.
19:57We are crazy.
19:59A 30-degree incline to make it up and then down.
20:03And to top it off, enough mud to keep all the pigs in Britain happy.
20:08We're actually taking the Jimny off-road.
20:10It's pretty rocking, very deep in here.
20:13It's getting through.
20:15There it is. We're right up...
20:17Yeah, close the door.
20:19Close the door. Come in.
20:21It's very deep, actually. That's quite...
20:23What?
20:27Well, let's see what it can do.
20:29But with 100 horsepower less than the least powerful Land Rover Defender,
20:34surely this little Jimny has met its match.
20:37It's doing it.
20:39It's going to get stuck here now.
20:43What on earth, dude?
20:45This is just redefining my definition of capability.
20:48The little Jimny wants to keep going forward.
20:50It's like a little donkey.
20:52Where are you going? I wonder what's here.
20:54No, this is not where we should be going in a Jimny, dude.
20:57Look, let's not get too confident here right now.
21:00Yes, they say that everything that goes up must come down.
21:03But what they don't say is to try and do it in a car
21:06that's not much bigger than a Fiat 500.
21:10So you've got a big confidence boost at the moment,
21:13but it's still a small car. Two big blokes are in.
21:16I can't even see what's over there.
21:27Oh, no!
21:34It felt like the back end came up there, dude.
21:37It actually did, didn't it?
21:39It was very steep. That was super steep.
21:46Short wheelbase, high car,
21:49wheels without much overhang front to back, meaning it's fairly...
21:52I mean, it all makes sense of what you want in a good four-wheel drive.
21:55If you have a long wheelbase, you can get stuck on the top of a mountain.
21:58It's just teetering.
22:00If you've got overhang front to back, you can hit something
22:03when you're going up that mountain on the way up.
22:05In one sense, it's highlighting what a beautifully engineered car it is.
22:08But as that ramps up in terms of impressiveness,
22:11down goes our credibility for not knowing this.
22:14I know! I've never given a Jimny a second glance.
22:18No, me neither.
22:20If I had a choice of a four-wheel drive off-roader,
22:22now I'd have one of these, wouldn't I?
22:24Yeah, I would. This is absolutely incredible.
22:26It's a revelation, no less.
22:34...and Fuzz are getting to grips with restoring
22:37this much-loved two-decade-old Suzuki Jimny.
22:41It belongs to former nurse 71-year-old Joanna,
22:44who's spent 22 happy years behind the wheel.
22:48But after a problem with the automatic gearbox
22:51took her beloved car off the road,
22:53and she was sadly diagnosed with cancer,
22:56it hasn't moved from the driveway.
22:59What do you want to do with the car for your mum?
23:02I'd like her to have a two-hour trip, like we used to.
23:11And since they got their hands on it,
23:14the boys have been working tirelessly
23:16to make that dream a reality.
23:19Spare solenoids have arrived from Suzuki in Japan,
23:22putting the gearbox on a path to full functionality.
23:28But that's just one problem solved on a very long list,
23:33and time is running out.
23:37The faded body and door panels are off to be prepped for a respray,
23:42while the chassis goes to the blasters
23:45to be stripped back and powder-coated
23:47to help keep the rust at bay.
23:50And if that wasn't enough,
23:52the boys still need to find a way to modify Joanna's Jimny
23:56to transform it into the perfect road trip companion.
24:00Listen, Fuzz and I don't know anything about Jimny owners.
24:03It's the first car we've worked on
24:05and we don't have one of you guys that's owned one,
24:07or we've owned one, or driven one.
24:09So they've gathered together some of the brightest minds they could find
24:13at short notice for help.
24:15We just want to understand the owners
24:17so we can get Joanna's car right,
24:19cos we don't get to meet her till the car's done.
24:22What do we know about Jimny owners? Tom?
24:24Don't know any. You don't know any?
24:26Shout out some Jimny owner words, guys.
24:28People have met Jimny owners before.
24:30Er... I don't know.
24:33Got to get a grip of this car.
24:35Got to understand where we're going with it.
24:37You what? Like a little Jeep.
24:39Oh, well, thanks for that. Brilliant. It's like a little Jeep.
24:42Well, we know that. We know what it is.
24:44Next thing we say, it's got four wheels.
24:47The boys clearly aren't going to get any answers from the brain trust,
24:51so Jim's off to visit someone who might have a few ideas.
24:55We are going to meet a professor of psychology
24:59and discuss the psychology of buying cars,
25:02and in particular, what kind of people buy Suzuki Jimnys
25:06so we can get it for Joanna.
25:11Tim's come to Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge
25:15to meet Professor Catherine Janson Boyd,
25:18a leading consumer psychologist
25:20who's advised some of the world's biggest brands
25:23how the aesthetics of a product affect our buying decisions.
25:28Is the relationship between a car and its owner important?
25:32Oh, of course it is. It's super important.
25:35The reality is people pick the cars they drive
25:37because they want it to reflect their personality.
25:40It's like an extension of themselves.
25:42I've got a few little mini cars in my pocket.
25:44Can I show you a few of these? Yeah, of course.
25:46Just tell me what you think it communicates.
25:49First one. So, regardless of the make, it's just a big pickup.
25:52Well, it can tell you several things.
25:54I mean, to start off with, you can't miss the driver of this car.
25:57They want to be the one on the horizon looking down at other people.
26:01But equally, they could be practical cars.
26:04But then you have to look at the design further of the car.
26:07If they have kind of made the wheels a bit bigger,
26:10if they have perhaps put some extra spray paint on,
26:13it's all about showing that you are different,
26:18you're controlling the roads, you're a little bit superior
26:22and probably a little bit insecure
26:24to have that need to drive that kind of car.
26:27Really? Oh, yes.
26:29So, you probably do want to overcompensate a little bit
26:32about the fact that you feel like you're lacking in personality, perhaps.
26:35Sorry, pickup fans.
26:37Moving on swiftly, what we want to know is
26:40what does Joanna's Jimny say about her?
26:43That is the car. So, there are two Suzuki Jimnys.
26:46And how does that influence the build?
26:49So, have a look at that. What can you tell me about a Suzuki Jimny owner?
26:53So, I would say this is a car that's quite practical.
26:58It's not a brash car that's just screaming, oh, look at me.
27:01This is more like, I'm going to buy this car
27:03because I'm going to take it off-road and I'm going to have adventures.
27:07I'm going to have fun with this car.
27:09So, no Chelsea tractor owners, no hugely capable cars
27:12just sitting on roads and traffic jams,
27:14actually going to do something this vehicle is designed for?
27:17It might even be that the practicality indicates
27:20that the person who drives this has a quite practical job.
27:23So, Joanna is a nurse and has been a lifelong nurse.
27:26Does that suit?
27:28That is a very good match indeed.
27:30Really? In terms of the seats on the inside,
27:32we want to put something more comfortable.
27:34How important is the look of the seat for the car?
27:37I would say very important.
27:39If you have a car that looks like this,
27:41you would want to keep it the way it is.
27:43So, in style with whatever it was originally.
27:46If you change it, it might change how the person views their own car.
27:50So, it's important to keep it similar.
27:52Right, so keep it a similar seat, just a bit more sponge in it,
27:55no sort of high-wing back sports seats.
27:57Oh, no.
27:58Really? OK.
27:59This is getting a bit weirdly spooky.
28:01It's like I feel like I know Joanna now
28:03and I've got a definite steer on how we need to keep the car.
28:06So, we've got to keep it as Suzuki made it.
28:08Final question. Tell me about this person.
28:12Middle-aged.
28:14Drives a bus, a double-decker bus, for fun.
28:18It sounds like someone who potentially is quite eccentric.
28:22I'm not sure, not entirely sure yet, but let's try another one.
28:28Who wants to be seen and heard?
28:31Who's quite different?
28:34Maybe an unusual character
28:38Possibly quite extravagant in how they dress.
28:4311 Zs, Mr Townsend.
28:45Oh, thank you, Reynolds.
28:51With just 24 hours before they return Joanna's car to her,
28:55in between attending to the needs of his royal fuzziness,
28:59the team has actually managed to do some work.
29:03The chimney doors have been prepped
29:05and, along with the rest of the body,
29:07are getting a coat of that all-important UV-resistant red paint.
29:13And look what's just returned from the blasters.
29:18The chimney's chassis has been repaired where necessary
29:21and now it's been painted to protect it.
29:24It's going to last for decades now.
29:29And that's not the only restored bit of chimney to have returned.
29:33The automatic gearbox has had a full makeover.
29:36It's been cleaned, fully serviced,
29:38and, for good measure, has had its set of five solenoids replaced.
29:42Now we can attach it onto the back of the engine.
29:46The first mass-produced automatic transmission, the Hydramatic,
29:51was developed by General Motors back in 1939.
29:55I need to draw the gearbox in close enough
29:57so that I can then put these tiny little short bolts
30:01in through the drive plate and into the torque converter.
30:06But it wasn't until after the Second World War
30:09that the knowledge gained from fitting the system to American tanks
30:13led to widespread adoption by car manufacturers.
30:17And today, more than 99% of new cars sold in the US
30:21have an automatic transmission.
30:24I can now tighten the bolts
30:27that attach the gearbox onto the engine.
30:30Then we have married the two together.
30:33We have a sub-assembly.
30:39I do say that as one gets older, one gets a little more cranky.
30:47OK, right, now it's time to pop the engine and gearbox into the chassis.
30:54Right, we are nearly there.
31:01Right, the Seagull has landed.
31:04And with that, Joanna's pride and joy has turned a corner.
31:08But with the clock ticking, the pressure is on.
31:11Right, so I'm just going to wiggle the axle into place.
31:18Then it's on with the new Seagull.
31:21Then it's on with the new suspension setup.
31:24So the spring is home, exactly where it wants to be.
31:27Now, we have to fit our shock absorbers,
31:30which fit onto the bottom here.
31:33Now, I'm hoping I can get enough height.
31:36The chassis has started lifting off the trolley.
31:40So what I need is some way of bridging this distance.
31:46We've got about three or four inches to go here.
31:49What I need is something to bring this down.
31:53If only there were a couple of large weights in the workshop
31:57that could be easily manoeuvred into position.
32:00Er, guys, come on.
32:03Oh, hang on.
32:05Did you have a good lunch? Yeah, yeah.
32:08That's good. Keep the weight on. Keep the weight on.
32:11You're doing very well. That's it. Push down.
32:16It's all coming together very beautifully now.
32:19This little chimney is going to be great.
32:23With the suspension in place, the boys' exercise for the week complete,
32:28there's the new fuel tank and a few other final components to add
32:32before it's time for the big moment.
32:35Lowering that freshly painted chassis back down onto the body.
32:41Come down a touch more.
32:45Come down.
32:51Look at the body. The body's sitting on the chassis for the first time.
32:54It's looking brilliant.
32:57With that, the majority of the mechanical jobs are taken care of,
33:01but there's no time for tea and biscuits yet,
33:04because for Joanna to take her little Jimny on a road trip,
33:08they need to make it far more comfortable for her.
33:11To do that, Fuzz is adding some all-important modifications.
33:15First up, a remote start heater.
33:18So it's got a burner in there, a bit like a domestic boiler in a way,
33:23but without the hot water capabilities.
33:26And then we get heat pumped out here via a fan through a hose
33:31that's going to go up into the saloon of the car.
33:34So the car can be lovely, warm and toasty before she sets out.
33:38All that without having to run up the engine
33:41and risk somebody jumping in the car and driving it away.
33:44And I think that this may be one of my favourite gadgets.
33:48Warm and toasty inside.
33:51A lovely nest. A lovely, warm cocoon.
33:57Next, in go a set of seats sourced from a later model Jimny.
34:02And while they don't look much different from the originals,
34:05they're going to offer significantly more comfort.
34:10There's also other subtle modifications being made elsewhere.
34:14A set of all-weather tyres,
34:16so Joanna doesn't need to worry about changing them
34:19if she decides to cruise on the motorway or summit a mountain.
34:24Next, the electrics can be hooked back up,
34:27but just like when Fuzz can't find his favourite hat,
34:30this little Jimny's blown a fuse.
34:34Fortunately, Tim's got a clever trick to get them out of a sticky situation.
34:38Now, you can test a fuse with your own mobile phone.
34:42Now, you might not have come across these things yet,
34:44but it's a touchscreen, it's for ringing people.
34:46It's not an old dialy thing.
34:48Now, watch this. If you balance a bolt on it, on any icon like that,
34:51and then if you get the good fuse,
34:54if you hold one prong and touch the bolts,
34:57it'll open the application, as they're called, right?
35:00So it'll press the button.
35:02If you've got, like, the blown fuse, which is this one,
35:06it won't do anything because it can't conduct through the fuse,
35:10therefore pressing the button on the screen.
35:12Simple as that.
35:15And with power restored,
35:17it's time to add the all-important finishing touch.
35:21It's gecko time.
35:23This is what makes this Joanna's car.
35:28Here we go.
35:33And breathe.
35:40Hey, Timmy boy, come in here. Come and feel this.
35:43Mate, I can feel the heat coming out of it already.
35:45Oh, it's nice, isn't it?
35:47Oh, this is stunning. Hot box.
35:49Oh, yes. Lovely and toasty.
35:52Oh, this is gorgeous, isn't it?
35:54Wow, well done, you.
35:56What?
35:57Well done, you. So come on, the gearbox, get it set.
36:00Oh, right. Yeah, yeah. Well done.
36:02You can't bring yourself to, can you?
36:05No, I can't. This is a brilliant little car,
36:08and I love these things now. Absolutely love them.
36:10I have got one major problem.
36:12What's that?
36:13We work in a freezing cold workshop,
36:15and now you're sticking me in a lovely, toasty, warm car.
36:18Mate, we can't get out of this.
36:19I know, I know. I just want to relax in here.
36:21I don't want to get out and do loads of work.
36:23It makes me want to take all my clothes off.
36:26I'm out.
36:31Hmm, hmm.
36:36...monumental 700 hours of hard work.
36:40The day has finally come to return Joanna's beloved Jimny to her.
36:47Oh, look. Look at it.
36:49I just period don't like red cars, until this thing turned up.
36:53Yeah, it's fantastic. It's the right colour. It looks better than you.
36:56Come on, so what's the plan?
36:58This is Bailiff's Court in West Sussex, a beautiful place
37:00where mum and son, James and Joanna, come here every now and again.
37:03It's a special place. It is a special place.
37:05Come and have lunch, which is what they're doing today.
37:07They're going to walk past a presenter
37:09who is unfortunately out of work of television,
37:11so he's presenting pieces about local landmarks.
37:14We go inside. It just happens to be the room they're sitting in.
37:17The crew are all there with kits all over the place.
37:19It doesn't feel like anything's being filmed.
37:21I'm going to walk in there, strike up a conversation,
37:23and here's the thing that's different.
37:25I'm actually going to car SOS Joanna there and then.
37:28I'm going to explain what's happening, bring her out here,
37:30and show her the car.
37:32Low-key and understated and just appropriate,
37:34considering the situation that they're in.
37:36Fabulous. OK, cool. All right.
37:39So while Fuzz wraps the Jimny for the big moment
37:42around the back of the hotel,
37:45at the front, James and Joanna have just pulled into sight
37:48of Tim and the crew.
37:50Yeah, you've got them in shiny.
37:53OK.
37:55Who are busy pretending to film a scene
37:57about the history of the building.
37:59So this is Bailiff's Court in the heart of West Sussex.
38:02Now, despite the way that it looks, it was actually built in 1927.
38:06Which is the perfect cover for capturing Joanna and James' arrival.
38:11There is a climping beach which the kids can play on.
38:14Can we just hold for a second? Just got first steps.
38:16Just let the people in the background pass through.
38:18So there's an indoor... Let me just check my lines.
38:22Hello. Hi.
38:24Chairman, reservation for lunch.
38:26Right, here's the plan. James and Joanna are now in the building.
38:29They're going to get led through to a little room
38:31where we are storing all our kit.
38:33This table for you at the moment.
38:35It's all right, cos you've got all the...
38:37It's fine, don't worry. It's fine.
38:40It's nice to be back here.
38:42Yeah, it is.
38:44I'm just going to... Where are you going?
38:47The loo.
38:50So, while Joanna thinks James has nipped off to spend a penny...
38:54You all right? I'm good, yeah.
38:56Come on in, James.
38:58..he's actually heading outside to meet a fuzzy.
39:03Which is the signal for Tim and the crew
39:05to head into the room where Joanna's waiting
39:07under the guise of taking a break between scenes.
39:11Hi. Sorry about this.
39:13So, these guys have got us here doing a promotion for this place.
39:18It's OK. Yeah.
39:20I used to do... Cars are very much my thing.
39:23So I used to do a show about cars.
39:26You into your cars?
39:28Oh, I love my... Well, I did love my car.
39:31What have you got?
39:34My dad bought me a Suzuki GS.
39:36What state's it in at the minute?
39:38I don't know, it's just...
39:40He was putting it out.
39:42He was taking it to the mechanic, he said.
39:44Yeah. This is weeks ago.
39:46With everyone in position and Joanna still none the wiser,
39:50it's time for Tim to reveal all.
39:54There's actually a bit more to this than meets the eye.
39:58Mm.
39:59And I'm not here presenting a promotional video at all.
40:03Oh. We're here for you, Joanna.
40:05Oh. All of this is here for you, because your son wrote to us
40:08about your little red chimney with this.
40:10Yes.
40:11Oh!
40:13Now, I know this is a...
40:15This is a lot to take on, but...
40:18we've restored the car for you.
40:20You haven't?
40:21Here we have.
40:23Really? Yes, we have.
40:25And we'd like to show you the car.
40:28I really can't believe this. OK.
40:30Now you're going to see... Here we go.
40:32Here he is.
40:34Come here.
40:36Come here. You've got some explaining to do to your mum.
40:39Yeah. Hiya, Mum.
40:41You told me you were coming here for lunch. I know.
40:43Would you like to see the car? Yes, please.
40:46Let's take it away.
40:48Ah!
40:50Oh, it's beautiful. It really is.
40:53Oh, that's fantastic.
40:55That's your car.
40:57That's the car your dad bought you. Oh, that's wonderful.
41:00Give your mum a cuddle, Jess. Come on, give her a cuddle.
41:03I love you.
41:05Yeah, I know. I love you too.
41:07And I love these guys.
41:09How does it feel?
41:11Just wonderful, really.
41:13And everything I could have wished for.
41:18The last time Joanna saw her beloved Jimny,
41:21it was parked on the driveway, edging ever closer to rack and ruin.
41:27But now it's emerged like a phoenix from the flames.
41:32Under the bonnet, the gearbox nobody could fix is now back to full health.
41:38The interior has been transformed into a cosy cocoon.
41:42There's a more comfortable set of seats
41:45and a separate heater to pre-warm the cabin
41:48before Joanna and James head off on an adventure.
41:52Outside, it's had a coat of modern UV-resistant red paint
41:56and now sits on a set of all-weather tyres
41:59that are more than capable of conquering whatever terrain Joanna throws their way.
42:06Can you feel the heat?
42:08I certainly can. It's really lovely and warm, yeah.
42:11Why did you choose a Jimny?
42:13Because I love 4x4s. Yeah.
42:15The interesting thing about this car is it was...
42:19It was given to you by your dad, wasn't it? Yes, yeah.
42:22I think he realised he was in his last few months of life, yeah,
42:27and he wanted to do something, give me something, yeah,
42:31that I would remember him by.
42:33And hopefully up there, now, he's looking down on us today.
42:37What would he be saying?
42:39Well, you've done a fantastic job.
42:41How much of the memories of your life are with this car?
42:45Oh, goodness.
42:48I would think possibly half of those memories. Really? Yes, yeah.
42:52So this car has created so many memories for you. Yeah.
42:55It really has.
42:57And to be able to pass it on to James, basically, yeah,
43:00so that he can drive it and hopefully his partner, yeah.
43:04So the car sort of spans three generations. It will do, yes.
43:07Isn't that an incredible thought? Yeah.
43:09Right, there is one thing left to do. Yeah.
43:11And it's something you're going to need to hit the open roads.
43:14It's a key. Yeah.
43:16So it gives me great pleasure to say, Jo, you have been car SOS'd.
43:19Oh, thank you very much.
43:21James decided, pack your bags, get on the open road. Yes.
43:29James, this is fantastic. Really.