66 replies to this topic

[Jordie]

Still need to torque hub nuts, bleed all the brakes and do the last wheel bearing (OSR). No brake fluid though so thats stopped play for now.

[MrBounce]

Love this. Welcome to the plastic bucket club

[Jordie]

Thanks..need to decide what my long term plan is for it. I dont want to plough money into it if it will always only be worth a certain amount.

If i spend too much then it will never recoup if i did decide to sell it.

Trying to work out what i could do with it long term etc.

Got brake fluid now so next time ive got free time i will hopefully get the brakes bled and tested.

[Jordie]

Since theres no hazards (cant see where they are wired if they do exist)

 

Ive got a kitcar wiring loom, basically consists of a switch, hazard flasher relay and 2 diodes. Simply wires into 12v perm, switch has tell-tale light and the wiring connects to each indicator side. Diode stops the flashers interfering with it. Should be easy and simple to get it wired in and tick another item off the mot list.

 

I dont know if the switches (headlights, washers, etc) need to be labelled? i was considering just writing on some snippets of paper n sellotaping above each switch, but have seen some stickers made for this purpose again on a kit car website, so thats looking more favorable at the minute. Plan to rip the dash out anyway, would prefer a mini centre speedo and some aux gauges but may just leave as is and get an mot for now....

[mk3 Cooper S]

Nice new parts going on,

 

Looking at the steel cooling pipes I would consider replacement too as they look pretty rusty.

Easy and cheap to replace with non ferious.

 

As you have a 7.5 set up are you going for 10's ?

[Jordie]

Yeah, engine bay will be getting some work shortly. Want it back on its wheels so i can move it out of the garage when needed.

 

10s were originally going to be an option but after putting one on the car, i think they look too small. The rear coilovers are on lowest setting and arch gap is quite big still, so id need some shorter coilovers to reduce gap, which then reduces ground clearance.

 

So i'm looking for some 12 or 13inch weller motorsport wheels ideally. I think since the body is generally OK, that I might repair the obvious bits and then sticker it up like a 80s rally car. That way I can afford to run steel or weller wheels and the inside doesnt need to be plush, keeping with the 80s period theme (its got huntmaster seats.....gunna redo dash with 52mm aux gauges and a centre speedo etc)

 

Having the 7.5 brakes though will give it abit extra value and always the option to run 10s in the future.

[mk3 Cooper S]

I like the rally theme.

 

What about slightly banding some std 12" wheels and adding some M &  S tyres?

 

I've got these in vgc

 

 Photo0188b.jpg   50.46K   11 downloads

[Jordie]

Yeah I was bidding on some wellers with M+S tyres on but they were collect only in some obscure location and i couldnt find anyone local enough to do me a favour.

 

Those seats look nice. Its got huntmaster seats with matching rears, but missing the front headrests, dont really need them, but would be nice to have them but hens teeth springs to mind.

 

Gunna retrofit remote central locking to remove the crap door lock from the drivers side door skin. Need to investigate the door release system from the inside, currently uses a bonnet pull on each door lol.

 

Theres another one (will from turbominis old sabre sprint) appeared on facebook today for £1000. no mot, project, alot of interior missing, but has fairly new coilovers and 1275 head on 998 engine etc. So i think mine is good value compared to that, so quite happy so far.

 

Kitcar insurance seems reasonable too, got a quote from my existing insurer which was a good quote, thats without shopping around.

 

Jordie

[Jordie]

Yesterday removed the sized OSF track rod end, renewed the rear wheel bearing, bled the brakes and removed the red pin stripe from around the car.

 

This morning looked at dashboard and whats going on behind it. What a feck on it was to remove, so planning to re do it to. Going to fit a mini centre speedo and some new toggle switches with lights so can see whats on/off easier. Just have to wait for bits to arrive now I guess.

[Ethel]

I reckon you can do what you want with the switches if it's already registered, Jordie. If it's going through IVA, I'm pretty sure it requires the conventional "icons" you find on all cars theses days.

[Jordie]

Its registered so no issues. Im getting some retro labels and keeping the toggle switches.

[Jordie]

 

after....

 

Going to keep the basis of the dash. The silver section with speedo will be replaced with brushed stainless steel. Within the stainless steel it will house the mini speedo, oil pressure gauge, temp gauge and the dash switches. This is going to be the simplest way without a major rebuild of the dash and its mountings. Its minimalistic but will fit nicely with a period rally theme I hope.

 

New toggle switches, switch labels, relays, fuseboxs etc on order.

[Jordie]

Well started doing bits and bobs.

 

Ordered 3mm stainless steel to make the dash with, what a mistake, couldnt drill it for the clocks, so had to do the speedo hole with grinder. A new uprated hole saw seen the 52mm clocks cut. Switches are now in and I just need to drill 1 more hole for a bigger switch.

 

In terms of wiring, a perm live twisted cable without insulation touched an earth and melted some of the loom. Ive stripped it back and repaired and found some issues so working through them before I can look at converting cables for the centre speedo and refitting the dashboard.

[Jordie]

Some different alloys going on, with legal yoko rubber, so one less mot issue. Still fancy wellers but they can wait till i find some more local etc.

 

[Jordie]

Done majority of the wiring to change over to centre speedo. - Not sure if fuel gauge is working, wiring is a miss mash mess so if it doesnt work (cant tell as hardly any fuel in it currently) then I may have to trace some wires etc.

 

Changed the glass fuse box to a blade one as was getting bad connection giving me intermitant electrics.

 

Need to see if my wiper motor does 2 speeds as its currently wired to a switch (park or single speed) but ive got a park/slow speed/fast speed switch to use if its the right type of wiper motor.

 

Wired in a relay which turns on with ignition and powers a second fuse box, which will be used for the lives to the switches etc which are non standard. Got 2 more relays to go in for spotlights and radiator fans.