670 replies to this topic

[big-jay]

Nice one jay.
 
It really is coming together nicely.
 
Ben

Cheers Ben, it's starting to feel like it now !

Great job on that cylinder head, looks really good. I like that fuel bib, also want one like that. Where did you get it from?

Thanks, it took a while to get it like that but it's definatley been worth the graft ! Their was a guy on here in the traders section who was importing the bibs from japan. Take a look, he said he was ordering some more but if not then you could try eBay.

Update,

Felt like doing some engine work today seeing as the weather was so nice, so I got it stripped, sanded and painted. Here's some pics of progress.

Stripped down to the block and box, it came apart so nicely, nothing seized, looks like its been looked after -







All the parts laid out -





Then out came the wire brush attachments and the block was cleaned up and masked ready for paint -





Painted up and all the aluminium cleaned up, will autosol this in the near future -







And just for a comparison, came a long way from this -

Before -





After -





Before -





After -





Looks good if I say so my self , going to buy a flywheel puller, as I want to replace the clutch. Better to do it now rather than when it's back in the car !

That's all the progress today, may get some more done before work tomorrow !

Edited by big-jay, 09 June 2014 - 07:17 AM.

[Daviewonder]

Looks amazing.

[big-jay]

Looks amazing.

Thanks a lot bud !

[Jared Mk3]

 

Great job on that cylinder head, looks really good. I like that fuel bib, also want one like that. Where did you get it from?

Thanks, it took a while to get it like that but it's definatley been worth the graft ! Their was a guy on here in the traders section who was importing the bibs from japan. Take a look, he said he was ordering some more but if not then you could try eBay.

 

Thanks - found them 

[Ben_O]

great job on the engine.

 

Really like the look of it and so carefully done. Nothing looks worse than engine paint all over the ancillaries etc

 

A real credit to you mate.

 

Ben 

[big-jay]

great job on the engine.
 
Really like the look of it and so carefully done. Nothing looks worse than engine paint all over the ancillaries etc
 
A real credit to you mate.
 
Ben

Cheers Ben, took a good day or so but it was so worth it !

Update,

Managed to get a bit done before work today, here's some pics of Progress.

Removed the inner wing, took an absolute age drilling out all those spot welds but came out tidy enough -





Picked a couple of new tools up from halfords today, flywheel puller and a 30mm socket -



So I went about removing the flywheel, came of with relative ease to be fair, was expecting to be swearing and sweating, but that wasn't the case at all -

Removed the flywheel nut -





Then removed the flywheel and cleaned the casing up a bit as it was quite oily, looks like there's a leak from the clutch oil seal so will be changing that -





Wasn't in bad condition at all, clutch still has plenty of meat on it, but I'm going to change it anyway, more for piece of mind than anything -



Got to put an order in to minispares for a few gaskets and what not but that's all for today. May do a bit before work tomorrow but it depends on the weather.

[big-jay]

Update,

Got a little bit done yesterday but I'll start off with the parts that I've received through out the week.

Various engine seals and gaskets from minispares -



Various engine bolts from smiffys bits -



New clutch plate -



MPI interior mirror, no more being blinded driving at night -





LH full inner wing and an outer sill -



And finally this little beauty, going to have the magnolia speedo and the magnolia duo oil and water gauge soon aswell -



Quick shot of it in my dash -



Very smart I'm sure you'll agree

Anyway, here's the bit of progress from yesterday.

Fitted a new clutch oil seal, no pics of the new one in place as I forgot to take one, but I'll show you what I have anyway.

Removed the old one -



Checked the primary gear over, all looking good -



And then installed the new one. Also fitted new drive shaft seals and a gear selector seal -







Then I fitted the new clutch plate. Decided to clean up the housing as it was quite oily and had a fair amount of surface rust.

Before -



After -





And the other part after degreasing, looks like new -





Clutch plate in place -



Then assembled and placed back into position, need to get a bigger torque wrench for the flywheel nut though -



And an overall shot of where I'm at -



Finally, I'm quite annoyed with myself as I've managed to damage my newly trimmed drivers seat moving them yesterday. It's a small scratch on the bolster but it's actually gone through the vinyl to the under layer of material -



Hoping I can get this repaired, looks like it's going to need a new panel stitching in.

[big-jay]

Update,

Well its been raining pretty much all day here, but the sun decided to come out for a couple of hours earliyer, so I took advantage of it and got a few engine parts cleaned up.

Fuel pump before -



After degreasing and a light going over with a wire wheel -



Oil filter housing cleaned up -



Bell housing cleaned up -



Was thinking about having the aluminium parts of the engine polished, but I quite like the look of them how they are now. Might have my rocker cover and dashpot polished though !

Timing cover taken back to bare metal with a wire wheel, then I coated it in Deox gel and wrapped it in cling film. Will leave this over night to remove the rust from the pitted areas. Would have been a whole lot less effort to buy a new one but have you seen the price of them, couldn't believe it ! -



Timing cover back plate cleaned up and given a light coat of etch and some top coat -



And finally, the oil filter housing fitted back to the engine, using my new stainless bolts and a new gasket, and torqued to 19nm -



Looks like bodywork's on the cards for tomorrow as the weathers looking good !

[Ben_O]

Fantastic!

 

Just the look im going for with the cast ally bits

 

Ben

[big-jay]

Update,

Was up nice and early yesterday as the sun was out. Started the morning off with a bit of engine work, here's a few pics.

Unwrapped the timing cover and the Deox gel has done its job -



After a quick wire brushing, rinse off and etch priming -



Left that to dry in the sun and decided to fit the backplate and timing gear back to the engine, have ordered another chain tensioner, but just popped this one back in place for the mean while -



Can't do anything else as of yet with the engine as I'm still lacking a few necessary gaskets and what not, so went outside to start on the body work. Got a fair amount done so was quite pleased, anyway, pics of progress.

Chopped out the rotten part of the crossmember closing plate and was left with this -



Then made a repair piece and welded that in -



Next up was to test fit the inner wing and drill the holes ready for plug welding -



Welded in -



Shot from the inside -



Still got to grind all the plugs down so may get that done today. Next up was the companion bin, drilled the holes ready for plugging -



Welded in -



Also managed to get the top half of my seat cover removed. I've arranged to send it back and have a new panel stitched in, my own fault, these things happen though -



That's all what I got done yesterday, not a bad days graft !

Edited by big-jay, 27 June 2014 - 11:52 AM.

[big-jay]

Update,

Nothing major really, just a bit of painting and sealing.

Painted the timing cover -



Ground down all the plug welds on the inner wing and applied a bit of primer -



Sealed the underneath of the flitch -



Sealed up the inside -







Ordered a couple more panels from M-Machine today so they should be here by the weekend hopefully !

[Jared Mk3]

Daily progress = always a good thing. Keep it up, looks good.

[big-jay]

Daily progress = always a good thing. Keep it up, looks good.

Cheers bud, every job that's done is another off the ever expanding list !

[big-jay]

Update,

We've had a productive day today and got a fair bit done. I'll start with the items I've received.

Toe board corner piece and a half inner wing from M-Machine -





Popped to minispares this morning and picked up a few bits and pieces to keep the engine build moving -



Got back home and got cracking with a bit of engine work as it was too early to unleash the angle grinder. Firstly I fitted a new timing chain tensioner, no picture of this, and then I got started on de-cokeing the block. After a good half an hour it looked like this -





Amazing what a bit of plus gas and metal Polish can do !

Fitted the studs back into the block -



Placed on a new head gasket -





And the cylinder head fitted and torqued down -



That took me up till midday so I decided to go and make a start on the bodywork. Cut out the rot in the quarter panel and uncovered about an inch thick layer of filler to go with it -



Removed the filler and found the quarter panel to be perfect underneath, no idea why it was spread so high up the panel ! Then made a small lip for the subframe closing panel -



Tided that up and welded the small closing piece in place -



Tacked in the rear quarter repair panel -



Fully welded, took a while as I wanted to avoid distortion to the panel, so had to keep cooling it off with a wet cloth -



Ground down, will need a lick of filler but pretty happy with it -



Then made a new piece for the lip -





Same thing for the front of the doorstep lip -



Then made a new seatbelt bracket as the heritage panel doesn't come with one, funnily enough the other side, which is an M-Machine panel, does -





Welded in place -



Then sanded and prepped the inner sill ready for the outer sill to go on, zinc primed and then regular primer applied -





Then I did top coat this with a good few layers of black paint but forgot to take a picture.

Prepped the outer sill, stripped all the nasty magnum coating, holes drilled for plugging, welded up the jacking point hole, zinc primed, primed and top coated -











And welded that in to place -





The outside of the outer sill needs a good flatting down and some primer putting on as it looks a bit rough in those pics, but ran out of energy / time so will be done tomorrow ! That's all for today

Edited by big-jay, 27 June 2014 - 11:58 AM.

[Daviewonder]

Wow! You don't hang around. Looking good  :)