Never the less... here we go!
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Checking back, I've now had this car 7 years (really?) and it's not getting much closer to being on the road. In fact I think it's been in the garage for about three years...
Anyway, here's this week's work (I'll post the older work later!) I did the front end in the winter of 2002, and fitted the engine. Which we subsequently robbed back again for Evy! Well my plans were to put a K-series in - right now the engine choice is uncertain, but let's see what transpires. And recently I had to rob a top arm for Gigi. Anyway, I need to move this car, so getting wheels back on were first priority. I managed to extract the seized top arm shaft eventually with a very big hammer and lots of heat & penetrating fluid, and refitted it with a temporary shaft. So I could drop some hubs on and get the front back on its wheels.
I didn't want to move it yet though, because I know that the rear floor and door pillar have parted company, and I want to get that reattached before it goes anywhere. And that's where the problems began...
I have a rear step plate, so I began by drilling out the spot welds from the upper support bar and removing that.
Here's some pics of what I have to contend with:
So, HELP!!!! Can anyone please be kind enough to post detailed accurate measurements of this area, and the door aperture, so thet I can get it all fitting right? I just don't have enough metal to guess from right now, and as an early CE it's too good to spoil.
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We've now started work again as Holly wants the car on the road. New arches were purchased at a show in the summer, and I've now priced up a whole list of panels and parts - a scary list of £700+ even before we get onto the interior, wheels & tyres, and an engine!! I'm going to do this properly, so I've now decided new rear quarter panels will have to be fitted - there's just too much damage to repair well.
The plan now is to fit a Nissan Micra engine, which is a distant relation of the A-series and even comes in 998 or 1275. That will give more power, a 5-speed box and modern engine economy & reliability.
The paintwork is going to be blue, probably two shades, one of which will be Surf Blue, to match Disney's "Stitch" character, which is Holly's favourite.
Front screen removed - it will need a new one as it's badly scratched plus it's an original Triplex toughened - not even laminated!
Anyway, today I started to strip the rear windows, having removed all the seats last week.
The rear sliding windows are going to be replaced with one-piece fixed sections (how is yet to be decided!) so I just ripped the old channels apart - not that that took much doing anyway! The frames, which I was a bit worried about, came out quite easily and are OK to be renovated. If I decide to use them - not entirely sure how to refit them with fixed glass. I think I'd like to do a modern-style flush bonded window - don't think it's been done before, so some trailblazing to do!
The bottom window rails are a bit rough - the seam with the quarter panel has swollen, a sure sign of rust behind, so I may have to replace these too.
Need to get the panels to do the floor now and roll the car over to do all that underfloor welding.
Edited by HollyBaby, 11 February 2012 - 08:17 PM.
