427 replies to this topic

[BenH]

Wicked Rob, i see the garage turned out spot on. keep it up!

[crazirob]

Quick update, engine arrived yesterday evening very late,

Red block, dont know what bore, possibly 1275cc trying to find the engine number, there is the plate but looks like half the numbers are missing in the middle

i want to find out the cylinder head number where is this located, (find out if it a stock head)

nothing on it seems to move either.... possibly seized


Robbie

[lewis]

hi rob

lovely project, very jealous!

Mark is right about the paint, the best bet would be to use 'etch' primer on bare metal, then normal primer then paint. Etch primer is great as it does just that, it etches into the steel.

About the engine, there should be a plate with numbers on it, the last numbers are most important, the whole numbers normally something like 12g925 = 998cc 12g940 = 1275cc. If you want to be sure though i would normally remove the head and read the numbers on the piston to get the exact bore as some owners fit 12g940 heads on small bores, you can usually tell this as the head has an extra area/pocket cut away to avoid the valves hitting the piston

the head should have a number stamped on it on top so thats simple enough, any problems though post up any numbers you can find

Really looking forward to updates, love pickups there my favourite variant!

Edited by lewis, 10 February 2010 - 09:10 PM.

[crazirob]

thanks lewis

having looked at the engine and i got the first code which was 99h791P upon looking on here i believe it an .............

A series 998cc engine not (A+)

About the paint, my uncle restores classic cars, he has done a V8 MG BGT, MG A, and a MG migit (has a thing for MG's) linky
but he assured me that red oxide is something to swear by, some people have said that its a gimmick, etch primer sounds like a good idea but im all confused now, after all this is my first resortoration, aswell as all round project.

im very nervous about doing anything wrong to the car as it has high expectations to meet, not only from myself but from others. i dont want to do this work and think yeh its done ! when 2 years down the line she starts to show rust or somehting again. i cant deal with that,would rather do it slowly and make a good job out of it, so what should i do then sand back to bare metal and etch prime,

or leave it and start from etche prime now im all confused..

please help.

Rob

[mk3 Cooper S]

Red oxide primer was the thing to use. I would have thought that new better developed products were available now/

Cue Panelbeater Pete

[lewis]

If its an a series it would have less cooling fins on the block

and about the bodywork, as you know everyone has there own way of doing it, your best bet would be to put a topic on the bodywork section of the forum and ask there, people like panelbeaterpeter and cooper shaz really know there stuff and could give you a much better response, or more so the correct technical answer lol

oh and those mg's are gorgeous! kudos to your uncle there stunning

again i look forward to seeing the updates mate, it will be done in no time

lewis

EDIT: mk3 cooper s, cue panelbeater pete indeed

Edited by lewis, 10 February 2010 - 10:06 PM.

[crazirob]

Red oxide primer was the thing to use. I would have thought that new better developed products were available now/

Cue Panelbeater Pete

What do people tend to use now then ? i dont have an air compressor, (proberly should get one).

[mk3 Cooper S]

Red oxide primer was the thing to use. I would have thought that new better developed products were available now/

Cue Panelbeater Pete

What do people tend to use now then ? i dont have an air compressor, (proberly should get one).

I am not a paint expert but generally Etch primer for bare metal and high build or filler primer where required.

I think red oxide can be porous if left for any length of time without topcoat on it.

[crazirob]

I am not a paint expert but generally Etch primer for bare metal and high build or filler primer where required.

I think red oxide can be porous if left for any length of time without topcoat on it.

Thankyou Cooper i have posted a thread on the bodywork and paint page, so i will hopefully have an awnser by porous you mean let stuff through ????

Robbie

[crazirob]

rite then a little update on penny,


the other day i completly gutted her, getting everything thing out of the bed and the cabin, so all that is there is a bare shell. after i red oxide the bay i left it to dry for a couple of days and she is now coated in white primer.

i am currently in the process of buying a welder so i can then attempt to fix her boy work, once everything was out i discovered that pennys pickup bed looks very sorry for itself with lots of holes (in each corner).

i looked at a new bed panel which was £413.79 exc vat!!!!! so i will need to find a good panel beater.

on my day off, with the aid of my cousin we started to attack the front of the cabin, we firstly had to remove all the sound deadening and then started to grind at the floor pans and inside, it has been left for a couple of days so i will finish and prime tonight hopefully

photos soon too

Rob

[crazirob]

Ok so a little update, been crappy weather and too cold to go and work on penny, but these last couple of days i man-ed up and braved the cold.

I thought as i have only just got my mig welder and i need alot of practice before i even go near her



So i brought this little welder for the grand total of £87 and a welding mask which was £60

Obviously i was eager to try out my neew to and this is what i managed to do within 20 minutes,




Now i know its not the cleanest weld, but im still learning, so hay ho. i dont think its up to shiftys quality yet

As some people may have also read i got my engine.
Now i am lead to belive its a 998cc as i have looked at the engine code and posted up some people have given me the read outs to what specification it is. this may be the ex autograsser engine

So here are some pictures












Now i will be trying to start it on friday and if i cant get it started i will then strip it down on the 12th, asking various questions and gaining important serial numbers as this the old auto grasser engine so im hoping it is quite well spec'd

• What size engine? will it need a compression test?
• Is it seized? attempt to turn engine manually before trying to start it properly
• What cylinder head is it using ?
• Standard Rockers ? standard Pistons ?
• Is it leaded ? how will i know ?
• how can i check if cam + crank is worn ?

Ac ouple of days later i was on a buzz just had a really good day at work and everyonein the house had left me to go out for a meal so i went dont my garage/workshop and decided that it was about time to start attacking the front subframe, so once i had had my chicken burger and can of tango pepsi i then took the entire front subframe into the workshop and stripped it down,



so firstly i took off the lower arms.. and then found out that they are a fixed 1.5 degree negative camber = WIN




then i had to attempt to remove the upper arms, Tie rods, Hi- lo's and Cones,

i removed the adjustable tie rods very easily just unbolted, i then had to work out how to remove an upper arm without losing my hand, luckily i found out that neither of the cones had been compressed to they came out very easily ( suprizingly), so once all of these were out i cleaned them up using some white spirit and then drying them off so they were clean and degreased ready for being painted. the reason why i decided to take it all apart is because i want it to be colour matching with the colour she will be.

so here are the lower arms Before.....



The Hi-Lo's Before ...........................



Dont have a before pitcure of the tie rods .......

Here are the hi-lo's in primer



Tie rods and lower arms in primer





Once all of the above was painted/ in primer i cracked on with the actual subframe itself, after a wipe down with white spirit and drying it off i was able to primer it,

This is a picture of the subframe before... when it was kinda grubby and minging.



After a couple of minutes it was transformed to a white sub frame which i quite liked.



Once this layer had finished drying i thought it would be an idea to hang the subframe to make sure that i did not miss any spots on the subframe itself, so i was hung up.



After 30 minutes of drying time with the aid of a heat gun i was able to do this



A nice clean new shiny lookng subby YAY !

So once this was drying my brother decided her wanted a go at painting so he painted the lower arm bolts in the primer and then the chosen colour.



Once all the peices were dry i managed to end up with these......

[crazirob]

Quite smart looking peices that will go with the paintwork, and stand out a little bit. well i was impressed any way

So i then started to reassemble the entire subframe starting with the cones and then hi-lo's



I then reattached the tie rods and lower arm and upper arm getting all the drivers side of the subframe completed today before i had to go back out to work.






AND I WAS ON KISS FM THIS MORNING BOOO YAH !


Peace out

Robbie

[Teapot]

Yeh, you should be impressed with that, I'm sure we all are. Cracking job.
Not sure about being on Kiss tho

[josh.evans]

great so far mate keep it up

Josh

[WiredbyWilson]

Fantastic work!!

Just one small thing - you have the tie bar to lower arm bolt in upside down at the moment....