The experience of owning one of these cars 20 years ago has long lived with me, so have finally given into the urge and found a reasonably rust free example for restoration. For the past 2 months I have been trawling the forums and ebay on a nightly basis. I decided this was probably the best forum, so hence this post.
My plans are a total strip down, respray and rebuild.
I have built several kit cars before but never undertaken a restoration project.
So as to my first post I would like to ask for any advice/tips/ important suppliers etc etc... (please be gentle with me). I have started to strip the car down.
As soon as I have downloaded my camera I will post some pics.
I am sure this is the first of many posts.
thanks
Well the cars now finished and my 30 items (and 2 large jobs) have all been done as far as I can go.It was today taken back to the body shop to repair some minor (& not so minor ) scratches, scrapes and chips.
The first large job was to find out why the PAS wasn't working, so got this rig together to pressure test the system
Once set up the initial test showed that there was next to bugger all pressure being generated by the PAS pump (unfortunately I bought it new well over 15 months ago ), however I managed to source a new OE one
With new OE pump pressure was around 60psi and 1000 rpm and around 1000psi against a closed head.
Reassembled and now the PAS is working properly.
Next was the dreaded door hinge job, for this I had decided to remove the doors.
Firstly the drivers door (which was the worst) with the doors off there was just about enough room to get a long punch which removed the old pins easily.
before
door removed
New pins
top pin
top and bottom pin (bottom one was really worn)
new top pin went in a dream and was tight
bottom pin went in easily as well but unfortunately the hinge itself was worn
After searching on here it seemed the most common solution was to drill the door out to 8mm and use a new 8mm roll pin which I duly ordered.
When they arrived I compared them against the OE ones, my concern was the raised area of the OE pins, which (I guess) locate into the outer door bracket to make sure the movement is in the more meaty bracket welded to the body.
so I decided to make a sleeve, I found some stainless steel 10mm x 7mm tube and cut 23.5 mm to make these sleeves
bracket with (corroded 7mm hole)
I used a right angled drill atatchment
to drill the hole out to 10mm
I roughed up the outside of the stainless tube and then hammered it home with a punch
then inserted the OE pin and hey pressto one solid non dropping door
If anyone wants any inserts let me know as I had to buy enough pipe to make 85.....
The other door was a dream and just needed two new pins and no sleeve..phew.....
also damaged the strap pins which I replaced
All being well I should be collecting the car late next week which should be just enough time for a clean and polish before it's first Pugfest