My nightmare... errr restoration thread.
Discussion
Very interesting what your doing Mike, like the photo's and the running comments on the subject, will help me later on if i decide to do my frame up and find things like you have that you didn't know was there. PS-- welding's shocking it looks as if John Wayne was practicing his shooting on it.
Good luck on the rest, jonny.
Good luck on the rest, jonny.
Brap_Brap said:
blaineuk said:
here is the jig i made for my car
That's brilliant. Thanks for sharing that. I might try and save a few bucksand re-do my outriggers and sills piece by piece that way.
The body came off today without a hitch.
Lifting the front like this with the engine crane seemed to work out very nicely using a nice snug fitting 2 by 6 for added strength.
There seems to be some sort of subframe (for lack of better term) for the rear suspension that bolts onto the chassis. I've got some really nasty cracks in this vicinity.
These are only two of DOZENS of examples of why whoever welded my car should have been offered a blindfold, the customary cigarette, then shot!
My car is inundated with that crappy workmanship. I could teach a jonesing crack-head with a "need a fix shakey hand" to weld better than that after 20 minutes of practice!
Why TVR didn't fire that idiot on the spot I'll never know. It's a pity they didn't.
I've got more horror stories and pictures I could share but I'd just be upsetting myself.
To be continued...
Edited by Brap_Brap on Tuesday 26th May 10:09
Adam - it's OK
.. your secret is safe here 
rev-erend said:
That welding is not TVR original .. my guess is a DIY restoration jobbie..
Anyway - it's 100 times better that Adams welding
I hate to say it as I'm not trying to badmouth TVR, but that's factory. You can tellAnyway - it's 100 times better that Adams welding
that by what's been welded, how far the bead goes, and no evidence of grinding out previous welds.
For example, in the first (top) weld picture, the bead doesn't even run to the corner of the tube,
it stops an 1/8th inch shy, moreover the bead doesn't even turn the corner, so one side is completely
unsealed. This means water can get into the tube and rust them from the inside out. No grinding on the
unsealed side proves it's a factory weld. There's quite a few welds like that which don't even go all
the way around the tube letting in water, and no evidence of grnding out previous welds either.
As for Adam's welding, that's too cold, turn up the juice.
Jonny weggie said:
Very interesting what your doing Mike, like the photo's and the running comments on the subject, will help me later on if i decide to do my frame up and find things like you have that you didn't know was there. PS-- welding's shocking it looks as if John Wayne was practicing his shooting on it.
Good luck on the rest, jonny.
Thanks Jonny, that's why I'm chronicling this adventure. Good luck on the rest, jonny.
Brap_Brap said:
These are only two of DOZENS of examples of why whoever welded my car should have been offered a blindfold, the customary cigarette, then shot!
OK fair enough - but the welds have all held, it's the chassis that's cracked through. Therefore they are strong enough ;^)rev-erend said:
That welding is not TVR original .. my guess is a DIY restoration jobbie..
Anyway - it's 100 times better that Adams welding
Oi! I resemble that remark!!!Anyway - it's 100 times better that Adams welding
Edited by adam quantrill on Tuesday 26th May 20:45
For those that may not have seen, here's a link to my re-build.
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
TVRleigh_BBWR said:
For those that may not have seen, here's a link to my re-build.
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
Do you have any vid clips of that car on youtube or whatnot? I read your entire rebuild thread in anticipationhttp://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
of begining mine. I'd love to go for a ride in that car, being a real race car.
adam quantrill said:
Brap_Brap said:
These are only two of DOZENS of examples of why whoever welded my car should have been offered a blindfold, the customary cigarette, then shot!
OK fair enough - but the welds have all held, it's the chassis that's cracked through. Therefore they are strong enough ;^)Have all the wedges you've owned been used? Imagine the original owner paying 21 thousand quid (inflated to today's money) and getting that quality of workmanship? Would you feel the same way if the guy who hand built your engine couldn't read a torque wrench?
Brap_Brap said:
TVRleigh_BBWR said:
For those that may not have seen, here's a link to my re-build.
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
Do you have any vid clips of that car on youtube or whatnot? I read your entire rebuild thread in anticipationhttp://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
of begining mine. I'd love to go for a ride in that car, being a real race car.
Not too much really. I'm waiting for the frame guy to stop by after work and give me a quote, and more importantly let me know what I can strip off the car without interefering with his job. IE: can I remove the suspension and give him just the chassis or will he want both? I'm hoping I can remove the wishbones and springs etc so I can start sandblasting some peices.
I've currently got the fuel tanks at my friend's shop and he's going to hot tank them for me. They've got a bit of surface rust near the wheels but nothing major. Tonight I'll be repainting them with engine enamel. My other task for today is getting the rad out. It looks pretty rotten.
I've currently got the fuel tanks at my friend's shop and he's going to hot tank them for me. They've got a bit of surface rust near the wheels but nothing major. Tonight I'll be repainting them with engine enamel. My other task for today is getting the rad out. It looks pretty rotten.
Work progresses albeit slowly. It seems that way anyhow. My laptop died so I don't get to update this thread like I'd like to. I need a computer. 
After pulling the engine and getting a better view of what it'll take to restore my steering geometry I decided the frame shop was a rip off, and in my tiv's case I was right. I had it fixed in about 10 minutes, and IMHO, as good as they could have.
The lower wound, ready to be stitched closed. This crack looks much better now than pic of the same earlier in this thread.
I realised that whatever tearing and twisting of the wishbone mount had to have occured via force through this big bolt. It only stood to reason that a perfect realignment must also put its force through that same spot. Given that, I used a tie-down strap to put a twisting force on the wishbone, and thus that bolt.
The strap I used only allows increments in fairly large "clicks", id est, an eigth inch or more minimum, so I gently tweaked the final few millimeters with a hydrolic bottle jack. I had to do it both above and below, but the cracks lined up and closed perfectly.
After twisting things straight I measured from shock tower to shock tower, also diagonally to check if thing were square, spot on end to end, and 1/32nd of an inch out of squsre. 1/32nd of an inch is nothing really.
Savings, $860 sans welding. Better spent powder coating!
Anyone doing a body-off or re-doing headers might also want to check their muffler at the same time. Mine's got cracks at both ends.
Nice shiny parts ready for various coatings. The exhaust headers will be ceramic coated inside and out to reduce under bonnet temperatures as well as longevity. The gas tanks will also be ceramic coated, albeit outside only. The power steering pump and bracket will be powder coated black along with all chassis parts, ie: roll bar etc. etc. The alum alternator bracket and spacer I'll clear coat to keep the shiny polished look.
After pulling the engine and getting a better view of what it'll take to restore my steering geometry I decided the frame shop was a rip off, and in my tiv's case I was right. I had it fixed in about 10 minutes, and IMHO, as good as they could have.
The lower wound, ready to be stitched closed. This crack looks much better now than pic of the same earlier in this thread.
I realised that whatever tearing and twisting of the wishbone mount had to have occured via force through this big bolt. It only stood to reason that a perfect realignment must also put its force through that same spot. Given that, I used a tie-down strap to put a twisting force on the wishbone, and thus that bolt.
The strap I used only allows increments in fairly large "clicks", id est, an eigth inch or more minimum, so I gently tweaked the final few millimeters with a hydrolic bottle jack. I had to do it both above and below, but the cracks lined up and closed perfectly.
After twisting things straight I measured from shock tower to shock tower, also diagonally to check if thing were square, spot on end to end, and 1/32nd of an inch out of squsre. 1/32nd of an inch is nothing really.
Savings, $860 sans welding.
Better spent powder coating!Anyone doing a body-off or re-doing headers might also want to check their muffler at the same time. Mine's got cracks at both ends.
Nice shiny parts ready for various coatings. The exhaust headers will be ceramic coated inside and out to reduce under bonnet temperatures as well as longevity. The gas tanks will also be ceramic coated, albeit outside only. The power steering pump and bracket will be powder coated black along with all chassis parts, ie: roll bar etc. etc. The alum alternator bracket and spacer I'll clear coat to keep the shiny polished look.
Edited by Brap_Brap on Friday 12th June 09:15
Hi Mike, what's a "muffler"? Do you mean a "silencer"?? ;^)
Looks good progress. Interesting that some of the cracks are above welds, maybe the metal was made brittle in the original process. Loooks like the front end is really dry too - no protective juices dripping from the engine? Do try and get some oil injected into the front crossmember after the welding is done to protect it from the inside.
How much does the ceramic treatment cost for the manifolds (headers ;^)
Looks good progress. Interesting that some of the cracks are above welds, maybe the metal was made brittle in the original process. Loooks like the front end is really dry too - no protective juices dripping from the engine? Do try and get some oil injected into the front crossmember after the welding is done to protect it from the inside.
How much does the ceramic treatment cost for the manifolds (headers ;^)
The cost was $240 for the pair, plus another $40 to burn out the old crud so the inside could be done as well. Well worth it for the heat reduction under the bonnet.
And now to update the topic.
I took out a $7500 loan from Wells Fargo to make sure I have enough to do the job and to do it right. I'm getting the front/back coilover kit Steve Heath sells, the rose jointed torsion links for the rear suspension, rose jointed drop links, new clutch/plate/bearing, new track rod ends, and new bushings throughout. Marshall Moore said I could save a few bucks ordering through him.
I've sent the alternator and starter off to be rebuilt whether it needs it or not. The headers are currently at the coatings shop. The guy who runs the coatings shop saw my bare chassis in a picture and he said he'd powder coat it for $350, two coats.
Today I'm pulling out the radiator so it can be re-cored this time in aluminium, as well as sending off my old hoses to a local place called Ability Hose. The hose place can form any rubber hoses that need formed. I also will be replacing the oil cooler and PAS hoses with custom stainless steel replacements.
Yesterday I spent roughly 4 hours detailing my engine and does it ever look clean and shiny. (I'd eat off of it) After degreasing the block I got out a 1" wire wheel and polished up the block as best I could, then afterwards began polishing all the nooks and crannys with a little quarter inch wire bit. The effort is well worth it and I'll be posting a pic of it later to encourage others to consider the same. I also polished up the pulleys and the various sending units. (sensors) The pulleys and sensors I will paint "gun metal" grey.
And now to update the topic.
I took out a $7500 loan from Wells Fargo to make sure I have enough to do the job and to do it right. I'm getting the front/back coilover kit Steve Heath sells, the rose jointed torsion links for the rear suspension, rose jointed drop links, new clutch/plate/bearing, new track rod ends, and new bushings throughout. Marshall Moore said I could save a few bucks ordering through him.
I've sent the alternator and starter off to be rebuilt whether it needs it or not. The headers are currently at the coatings shop. The guy who runs the coatings shop saw my bare chassis in a picture and he said he'd powder coat it for $350, two coats.
Today I'm pulling out the radiator so it can be re-cored this time in aluminium, as well as sending off my old hoses to a local place called Ability Hose. The hose place can form any rubber hoses that need formed. I also will be replacing the oil cooler and PAS hoses with custom stainless steel replacements.
Yesterday I spent roughly 4 hours detailing my engine and does it ever look clean and shiny. (I'd eat off of it) After degreasing the block I got out a 1" wire wheel and polished up the block as best I could, then afterwards began polishing all the nooks and crannys with a little quarter inch wire bit. The effort is well worth it and I'll be posting a pic of it later to encourage others to consider the same. I also polished up the pulleys and the various sending units. (sensors) The pulleys and sensors I will paint "gun metal" grey.
The car is going to be fantastic when you've finished. 
Has it ever been on youtube ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AD3tKgenvk
Has it ever been on youtube ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AD3tKgenvk
Aye, that's the car, and my ugly mug behind the wheel.
That was the day it arrived; and one of the happiest of my life.
...and then it morphed into a pickpocket and began robbing me blind. I've nicknamed it Fagan, after the crook in Oliver Twist. My friend Jay who's loaned me his garage for this job has nicknamed it the Exxon Valdez for all the stains it's dribbled on his concrete floor.
That was the day it arrived; and one of the happiest of my life.
...and then it morphed into a pickpocket and began robbing me blind. I've nicknamed it Fagan, after the crook in Oliver Twist. My friend Jay who's loaned me his garage for this job has nicknamed it the Exxon Valdez for all the stains it's dribbled on his concrete floor. 
The filthy pig before I cleaned it up.
Afterwards... I even painted the rusty old frost plugs in the block.
Polishing the plenum. It came out very nice.
A word of caution, if you do this with a stainless steel wire wheel, keep the wire strands 45deg or closer to perpendicular with the surface to be worked on or you risk scratching the surface, even if it is pitted casting. If you're careful and don't press hard a brilliant shine will result.
A little attention to detail with both the wire brush and some paint leaves a pleasing finish, as shown with this thingmajig on the valve cover and the sending unit from the oil pump. Both were 3/4's rust and peeling paint before this.
My PAS pump bracket freshly painted in gun metal grey engine enamel.
I like this color a lot better than the original black, although the pump itself will be repainted black.
A fuel tank, bell housing inspection cover, PAS bracket and dipstick (&tube) painted and ready for reassembly. Small details like the black dipstick handle contrasted by the gun metal grey dipstick tube look awesome when reassembled. Please don't paint anything in your engine, red or yellow! (ie: pulleys, brackets and such... I've seen you do it, you know who you are. Shame one you.)
This one pulley alone took me roughly 25 minutes with a very narrow wire brush in my drill to drive out every last trace of rust. Before it was a peeling paint and bubbly rust PoS, now it looks perrrdy!
If you restore your wedge, don't scrimp on hoses. This one looked perfectly fine until I bent it backwards. I'll be replacing them with custom stainless steel braided units.
I never did get my rad out today... I fell into the wee hole atop my beer can and never pulled myself back out.
Maybe tomorrow...Edited by Brap_Brap on Friday 26th June 03:45
I got the rad out today and it was in horrible condition! The left side is the bottom. The fins go from no rows to 1 core deep, then 2 cores deep, then near the top of the rad 3 cores worth of fins barely exist
The local rad shop that does recoring told me to leave it with them and they'd give me a price in a few days. I'm hoping for $250 or less.
My PAS lines had rubbed on each other for 22 years; time for replacement. I wanted to do custom stainless lines but unfortunately the hose shop informed me that the fittings required were incompatible with stainless unless I went Uber custom (fittings) and expensive.
I got these made up instead. They're not as pretty as stainless, but then again they we're very reasonably priced.
I also bought 10 feet of generic oil/petrol hose like which runs from the engine to the filter to the cooler. I wanted those in stainless too but they told me that they didn't even have the fittings. While they do carry metric and imperial in stock, it seems to be a nonstandard fitting. I'll simply have to polish up the old fittings and buy some new hose clamps.
I'm rather disappointed. I wanted that stainless bling.
[edit] All in all the two custom PAS hoses and 10 feet of oil cooler hose only cost me $78.
Edited by Brap_Brap on Saturday 27th June 02:22
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