200 replies to this topic

[Ben_O]

Pleasure!

I find your build really interesting mate

 

Ben

[skoughi]

So A few more updates, A wee while back I installed the battery to starter cable. I chose a 300amp cable with a battery clamp that was the cheapo ones with two screws. I took the cable to work and found that a copper ferrule fitted the cable nicely,I think it was an intel 8, this was squeezed onto the cable forming a hard lump of copper that fits into the clamp snugly. I'm going to bore two pilot holes for the two screws on the clamp to screw into and probably use some threadlock to keep it together.

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 The minispares order came on thursday! Love getting parcels!

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Standard cones supplied from minispares so expect them to be of good quality. Thought about getting the smooth ride ones but saved a few pounds and got these instead, will probably regret it. This afternoon I fitted the stainless pistons into the calipers. I gave them a good polishing on the bench grinder to get a better surface which should avoid premature seal failure, I hope. Thanks to Flyingscot for giving me the tip on using the laminate floor fitting tool to help squarely push in the dust seals.

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I also renewed the seals on one of the drum slaves and gave it a good clean up, the other is an old but unused one and the seals looks good on it so left it as is, but may still change the seals for peace of mind.

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After that I cleaned up the HI-Lows and greased up the threads, so that should be all the suspension and brake components ready for fitting. The clubby is now sitting on wooden blocks roughly at the finished ride height ready for the final wheel alignment and welding of the trailing arm brackets which will hopefully get done this week then I can start getting a rolling shell! I kinda like her even now still in primer, getting a bit of inspiration just standing back a gazing at her!

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[bodgins]

Subframes look real good, I painted mine with expensive POR15 and your results look much better thsn mine

[skoughi]

Thanks for the compliment! I think the photo does them a few favours though! There's a few dry spots in the finish as the paint was too thick, if I'd warmed the paint up a bit then it would've flowed out nicely. At the end of the day it will get covered in crap and I'll probably spray on plenty of waxoyl or similar so the finish isn't too important to me. If I'd been going for a good finish then I would've used black 2pack but dont have any in the garage just now!

[skoughi]

Having an attempt at getting the final wheel alignment done, gonna be a bit fiddly but will get there eventually!
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[TCC]

Looking good, seems like you've spent a lot of hours on it...

[skoughi]

You have no bloody idea just how much of my life I've devoted to this heap mate!!!!!

[skoughi]

So I managed to get the wheel alignment done to a decent level. I'll have another go once I get her fully built up then check all settings once I've had her on the road for a while. I've been building up the brakes and rest of the suspension since, the rear is complete except for brake pipes and handbrake cable and I've managed to get the drivers front done this afternoon. I also decided to re shim one of the ball joints as I felt it was just too loose. Had a hell've a job getting the lower bumpstop fitted but finally sussed the way to get it done, and I also had to improvise and make a cone compressor! Getting there though and will hopefully get the passenger side done tomorrow!
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[skoughi]

Reached a milestone this week, after 3 1/2 years I finally got her sitting back on her suspension and wheels! The smile I had on my face from simply pushing her back and forth was huge!!
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After I calmed down I started fitting the wheel arches. I bought some grp 2s from minispeed, the product proved to be less than satisfactory but the customer service was ace! A lady called Emma couldn't have been more helpful with all my questions. I finally agreed on a price just before 5pm after she'd phoned around to get courier prices, paid what was asked and said goodbye. I then looked forward to getting them later in the week but the next morning they arrived at home! That's from Surrey to the Shetland Isles from Friday 5pm to Saturday mid morning! Pretty bloody good Imo! I phoned minispeed on Monday and gave her boss some great feedback for her! Anyway things went downhill from there, what a mare to fit!!! Slightly different shaped arches and probably slightly different shaped bodywork side to side all added up to a bloody tricky job!
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I've managed to roughly get them in the same place comparing side to side but I know they're different. Plus there's a few extra holes in the bodywork from first and second attempts in a couple of places . Defo the worst job I've done on her so far!

[Ben_O]

Congratulations on the milestone!

 

You are not alone with those arches. A friend of mine and fellow member bought them for his. We offered them up to the car, scratched our heads for 5 mins and decided they were too far off to get even a reasonable fit so we boxed them up and sent them back.

 

Looks like you have made a nice job of yours though!

 

Nice one

 

Ben

Edited by Ben_O, 11 October 2014 - 08:24 PM.

[skoughi]

Cheers Ben, the worst one is the N/S front that has a gap and no amount of positioning would sort it. I may end up bonding it to get it to stay tight to the wing. Just heaven help me if I need to remove it! I'm fixing them with m4 stainless allen head bolts to give a clean rust free finish . Bloody stressful to work with that's for sure and if I could drive to minispeed then I think I would've gone back with them! Now they're on I don't mind them though as they cover the tyre tread and no more which is what I was looking for, I wanted some tread showing but thought of mot hassle and thought against it! :-D

Edited by skoughi, 15 October 2014 - 04:59 PM.

[skoughi]

The clubman after 4 coats of celly primer waiting for it to shrink before a rub down. I hate rubbing down primer. Especially primer that I've not waited long enough between coats so it lifts and bubbles here and there! Hate it hate it hate it!!!!!
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[skoughi]

Well thats her ready for some gloss paint! I've learned one thing over the last month, USE 2PACK PRIMER NOT CELLY!! What a hassle I've had using celly primer, oh and use good quality etch primer, rattle cans sometimes just don't do it! The hassle I've had has been down to leaving little bits of old paint in nooks and cracks. This little bits of paint have proved to have not been fully etched onto the layer beneath so when some celly primer got sprayed on the old layers would lift off each other. This may have happened if I'd been using 2k and it is good to get clear of old paint thats not sticking down (I ended up sanding off all the celly primer where I was having hassle right down to shiney metal) but christ it really boiled my pee when it was happening every time I sprayed on some more primer. Also the rattle can etch primer was simply not sticking to metal in places, so I also had to take these areas back to metal. I've gotten friendly with a very helpful chap through a workmate who has a bodyshop, he's supplied me with etch primer that they use and some 2k primer. I sprayed on both, 3 good coats of the primer, and I can see a big difference on the surface compared with the celly primer. The 2k has filled out any little imperfections really nicely. If I'd not had the problems with paint lifting and used the etch primer and 2k primer that I was supplied with then I could've finished her with two sessions of a good four coats each time. Never mind, I'll know for the next project! Also this very nice garage owner has offered the use of his booth for spraying on the gloss! Hopefully he'll be able to get her in before xmas, think I might try and get either him or his painter to apply the gloss as well but I might be pushing it there! This is a fantastic bit of blagging (not true blagging as I would think it'll cost me a few hundred but will be worth it just for the hassle saving alone!) So shes got a good 3 coats on everything and is sitting ready for going on the trailer to the bodyshop.

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 So today I fitted the steering column for ease for when it comes to moving her. The two bolts that hold the pedal box to the bulkhead were a slight mare as one of the threads was damaged and the bolt couldn't tighten up. So I had to do a little asking at my local tool store and bought an 8.5mm drill bit, bored out both holes and cut a thread for a 3/8 unf bolt. This worked out fine and at least I know I have more clamping power now for securing the box. I gave the column and the homemade bracket that holds the height adjuster bracket a quick prime and few coats of satin black (managed to nearly scratch most of it back off whilst fitting!) and bolted it back up. Had to improvise with a stainless bolt for a pinch bolt, this could be the wrong thing, please someone correct me if it is. The column as you can see is back in and working great with the UJ if fitted, this is now taking any strain off the steering rack regarding whatever position I put the steering wheel, I've made it so the column can slide sideways along with up and down so should get it spot on regarding driving position. Well thats enough for now as I'm now pissed off with typing and need to drink lager! Will post up pics once I get her painted!

[skoughi]

Had the day off work today so decided to take the clubman for a whirl!
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Took her a few miles along the road to the bodyshop of a very very helpful chap who offered a space in his shop for me to get her ready for some gloss!!
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So I've spent the day rubbing down the 2pack primer that I'd sprayed on about two weeks ago, stuff was like glass to rub down! Managed to get her all done for masking and spraying tomorrow, happy days!!

[skoughi]

She be orange!!! A very happy chap I was when I left the bodyshop today, I didn't paint her as I managed to persuade a very nice painter fellow to do it, and a good job he made of it to. I'm going to help get her home on Friday so will post up some better pics once the masking is stripped off and she's out the booth. Meanwhile I think a few pints are in order!  IMG_20141217_181242.jpg   138.24K   14 downloads  IMG_20141217_164138.jpg   71.25K   13 downloads

Edited by skoughi, 17 December 2014 - 06:22 PM.