169 replies to this topic

[oli8925]

Will do.

Haha don't worry I'm sure you'll be fine. If it makes you feel any better I'm not keen on cities either and I've always had them around me good luck

[oli8925]

Got the transport in the end. Last company I found and tried could pick it up at 2 and through luck they knew a few guys at the body shop so had a word and made sure they'd be around for when it was delivered (they close at 2pm on Saturdays).

So now she's there waiting for the work to be started tomorrow. Mum's got her driveway back so she's happy. And I've still got to finish stripping and painting the new crossmember and suspension bits so that keeps me happy.

When I get her back I'll spend another few weeks stripping the suspension, cleaning and painting and reassembling with the new shocks and lowered springs. Sort out the interior and get the reverse switch wired in, then she'll be ready for the MOT

And after that I'll get the body work sorted and hopefully have the other Viva so I can get the steels banded, then take out the engine and gearbox and rebuild them. So still plenty to do. Pictures on there way.

Read more: http://retrorides.pr...4#ixzz10imlyMnd

Edited by oli8925, 28 September 2010 - 06:13 PM.

[luvlygal]

Mister Oliver, the crap mistake you made needs changing

[oli8925]

f*** it.

Fanks love

[oli8925]

Was clearing out the phone pics and thought I'd post some up.

Cleaning the vinyl door cards:
Before


After

Will get some of the seats all cleaned up when I get the car back, and the dyed carpet when I get round to that.



Had the car jacked up high at the front to do the alternator, made the back look nice and low taster of things to come (soon!)






Here shows the hole between boot and rear seat. This is where I want to make a board to attach the amp and sub box to. The board shouldn't be too difficult but as you can see it's at an angle and has a big ridge in front of it. Seeing as I hate and am rubbish with woodwork, I'm really really not looking forward to trying to do that bit. Wires will be re-routed and tidied up when I do this




Prep and painting of the replacement suspension parts. Bird feeder makes for an excellent stand to hang parts off for spray painting








And finally the poor little thing being taken away

Edited by oli8925, 29 September 2010 - 07:03 PM.

[oli8925]

Look what I now have





It's in as good a condition as mine, if not better. Arches and sills are perfect, even the battery tray has the smallest amount of surface rust. Was used as a daily until 2001 when the owner got given a van from work, so it was put into a rented garage to preserve with the view of getting it really nice and back on the road. 9 years later and he's finally admitted defeated and wants to let it go as long as he knows its going to be used well.

I need to arrange transport for it now but its shouldnt be more than a week or two until I have it. Unfortunately I'm now at uni 40 miles away so updates will only come at weekends.

So from this one I'll be taking the engine which I'm told is a rebuilt Chevette 1256cc, the wheels which will one day be banded, and some of the nice SL trim it has around it. Then the rest will be passed on to someone who wants it. My dad has all of a sudden become very interested in it so looks like he might take it off me, or I know of someone in the Mini world who wants one to play about with. So plenty of options.

Can't wait to get it home and give it a good clean, should come up very nicely

[Calman]

NIce one dude Looking foward too seeing yours back. If your Dad wants it, dont let me get in the way, but if not, i likey

[oli8925]

Cheers mate. I'll let you know what he says, to be honest I doubt he will have it knowing him, and he's got 3 cars already. But I'll take some proper pics when I get it post them up

[Calman]

What i want to hear

Does look nice, you guna get the steels bandedn while the shell is away? Please? :L

[oli8925]

Not sure I can. Basically have no money at the moment because of moving in to a rented house. It's making life very very difficult. But the steels will be nicked and at some stage (soon i'm sure) banded. It's my 21st at the end of the month so hopefully I can use money I get from that.

Reminds me to find out the cost of banding and painting.

[Calman]

Ah bummer Happy birthday fort a months time though

Dont know if you know of them, but these guys are the best in the bussness : http://www.bandedsteels.com/

Depending what widths etc you want, without paint its around the £300 - £350 mark, with paint, you should expect another £100 ontop of that

[oli8925]

I've heard some bad things about those guys, don't know if its true or not so I'll have to do some searching and ask some questions.

http://www.vauxhallv...?p=39365#p39365

I've been told in the past to ask a guy on the retro rides forum as he does them brilliantly apparently and may be a bit cheaper. Will have to see. Think the steels are 4.5" wide so another 1.5" will keep me happy. With any luck it'll still be capable of full lock

[Calman]

Ive heard of the retro rides guy too. £40 a wheel or something similar. ONly problem i see is that as far as i know hes decent welder that does the jobs privatly, so what his actual quality is like no one knows..

[oli8925]

Got the white one back from the bodyshop today, with pics to show.




Was told by the body shop it was all fixed up and would drive better than it ever had, and that all the suspension parts and crossmember were still straight and true. As I unloaded it off the trailer and drove it down the drive I was therefore quite surprised to hear a knocking/clicking. Upon closer inspection it was clear at least some of the parts were in fact bent and I'm not completely happy that it was put back together well. There seems to be larger gaps between control rod/crossmember arm and crossmember arm/chassis than there should be but I will investigate that later. Don't want to say too much at this stage as I haven't had a chance to talk to them about it yet. As for the actual repair work, it looks quite good.

Nevertheless I have the new suspension parts nearly ready, crossmember needs paint and waxoyl, arms need ball joints replacing, paint and the whole lot needs rebushing. O/S Caliper is off to be rebuilt, hopefully N/S will be off tomorrow and I'll get on with dropping the crossmember off the body and engine. Still hoping for it to be done and back on the road in a few weeks.

Before:


The repairs:


Control rod to crossmember:


Quite clearly bent here:


N/S not bent


O/S bent


Pictures don't really show how bent it is, but it's clearly visible when you compare the two sides.

End of the day shot:

[oli8925]

Got quite a bit done today.

Dropped the front set up off the body and engine, got the hubs off and stripped, and got the suspension arms and steering rack off too. All these bits are now awaiting strip down and painting to join the second hand parts I bought.

Unfortunately not many pictures, but will be continuing tomorrow with stripping and painting. With any luck the next session will see rebushing, joint and reassembling of parts, and then reattaching it to the car. Also coming tomorrow, those all important spring comparison pics

I will also have to get up early tomorrow to finally pickup the Red Viva! Won't be doing anything with it for a few weeks (other than a wash to see how well it comes up), but have bought a very cheap set of Polo steels to keep it rolling so I can get the Viva steels banded 8-)

Also more pics to show the bent parts:


O/S - Straight




N/S - Bent