134 replies to this topic

[73MkIII]

 

Big day today. Everything flammable is now out of the inside of the shell apart from the petrol tank. Wheeled "Min" out of the garage and pressure washed the floor ready for the next stage.

 

Next step is to get the doors off then get the car up on props and start on removing the lower parts of the brake system and drain the fuel tank. Remove the fuel lines, bumper, rear light clusters and fuel tank. Then disconnect and lift out the engine.

 

  Then I can start with the loud and messy stuff, making the sparks fly. 

Edited by 73MkIII, 01 October 2017 - 06:52 PM.

[Mini Waco]

outstanding..  don't forget to mow the yard, pull weeds, look after the general maintenance on the other cars, etc..   looking great 73MK...

[MasterD78]

You're making great progress!  

[73MkIII]

outstanding..  don't forget to mow the yard, pull weeds, look after the general maintenance on the other cars, etc..   looking great 73MK...

 

Yeah with the list of work to do keeping family happy will be important

 

You're making great progress!

Thanks. Kind of addictive. Gotta jack the car and get it on stands now.

[73MkIII]

So this evening I got the car up on axle stands. Can't believe what I found!!!!

Found the reason for the rot, the bent bulkhead, probably why the car has a toiletchain dog lead boot support too. And the poor fit and rot in the boot floor.

The near side has an oversill. FFS how could I miss that? The patch in the footwell is because some sh#*e repair centre has chopped the near side boot panel welded it back with a gaping hole under the seam trim, that is rusting inside the car, replaced the fuel tank which must have been a bit bent when it got shunted through the back seat. Then fixed the sills by hiding it under an oversill that was never painted from the black electroplated finish.
Monkeys must have worked there.

Rear subbie looks rotten most of the running gear and suspension looks shot but above the waist the car appears solid as new.

Next job is to get under the car and start unbolting stuff.

Beyond that I will be looking at a costly list of panels including most of a floor. Balls.

Edited by 73MkIII, 03 October 2017 - 10:01 PM.

[Petrol]

Despite the disappointments it's looking good!

Good progress too

[73MkIII]

Despite the disappointments it's looking good!
Good progress too

The disappointment is only in myself for not being more observant.

The intention always was to make the car as good, or better than it was new. The intention being to turn it into a family heirloom. Removing the carp crash repairs was always going to be part of that. Sure the car would have been better than it is, but for the drunken antics of my mother in law.

[73MkIII]

U bolts out of drive shaft linkage, remote gearchange assembly and Petrol tank drained and removed, its new so was shunted through the back seat. Left side boot panel is a patch with primer only boot floor is new and unpainted where you can’t see.... left light cluster non original. Post repair weather proofing atrocious so the rot set in. Crash was in the 80’s sometime so grandma doesn’t remember. Shame as she struggles to remember what she had for lunch......
May try to get the doors and handbrake fixings our later and the light clusters off.

Then I need to borrow a hoist to get the engine out.

[73MkIII]

Happy man, my brother has one and I never even knew. Chuffed.

[73MkIII]

Bit more done this evening. All the doors are off, Boot door included. Removed the rear lights (they don't match so need to try to source a Lucas near side light or lens for a Mk III). All the wiring is gone from the boot and the exhaust is off too, as is the alternator and the fuel lines are disconnected in preparation for the engine coming out. Need to remove the hand brake covering plates and the mounting bracket for the gear linkage housing but need an assistant for those then its onto the engine and running gear. so far only the one fixing screw has needed drilling out as the head stripped because it was seized.

Getting close to being able to get some work done on it.

 

empty boot

 

doors off

 

another pile of filing for later

 

growing reminder list

[MasterD78]

You are cruising along with your project, I really enjoy seeing your updates!

[73MkIII]

You are cruising along with your project, I really enjoy seeing your updates!

 

all the fittings on the running gear look grotty. I suspect I may have some troubles when I start dismantling the tie bars and swing arms etc. Going well for now though.

[Mini Waco]

Enjoying the updates... 

[73MkIII]

Last couple bits unbolted and Min is back on the floor awaiting a visit from the hoist. Engine coming out soon.

[73MkIII]

Went out to the garage this afternoon to clear some space. Old set of shelves, that were in the way, became a set of steps to enable my wife's grandmother to climb into bed. Out of Bl*;dy mindedness she has been sleeping in an upright chair 

 

Anyway, thought I would tidy some more stuff up. Doors and boot lid are now in the locker with the interior and the engine hoist has arrived.

 

 

So I thought "I'll just get it in position and ready"

 

 

Then this happened.

 

 

I didn't mean to do it, I was just tidying up a bit and making space and it just kind of got out of control......

 

 

Garage looked great. I had about as much space as I could manage to get around the car and then I plonked a huge lump of unwieldy metal with bits hanging off it in the middle of the free bit of floor. Oh well. The shell is now a lot lighter to move around so it may get a wash tomorrow....

Edited by 73MkIII, 07 October 2017 - 09:10 PM.