Nut and Bolt rebuild - sensible mods
Discussion
Alexdaredevils said:
Reinforce the weakest part of the chassis around the gear stick area to stop any twist
Brembo upgrade front brakes
Braided fuel lines on a different route
Depends on budget..... How far you want to go
Don't know much about the weak part of the chassis, any tips, guidance?Brembo upgrade front brakes
Braided fuel lines on a different route
Depends on budget..... How far you want to go
Front brakes upgrade yes, Brembo not sure, will look at that.
Braided fuel lines on different route, I like that one
spikep said:
If you have the outriggers replaced, make all the corner plate gaps bigger to enable easy cleaning and removal of stones. I would upload a picture but can't seem to do it from iPad (if it's possible please tell me).
Someone advised me to do this when I did my chassis and it's a great idea.Just push the corner plates out a fraction to make the hole in the corner big enough so you can poke a finger in and hoof out any dirt or stones. It works a treat.
I also used the triangular off cuts from when you make the corner plates as spacers/spreaders under the bolts inside the car which hold down the body down. It stops any creaking from them.
Hi - I think alot of mods are subjective and down to personal taste - feel free to look at my profile for my 'list' which I think covers most things and I am very happy with (once I get my 5.4 engine fitted!).
I would definitely recommend roll bars which aside from the safety greatly reduce chassis flex. Also if you fancy 40-50 mpg (equiv.) then consider LPG.
My (emerald) ECU is located via v. strong velcro above the glovebox and is a perfect accessible position with (just)sufficient space to access it.
Good luck, Paul.
I would definitely recommend roll bars which aside from the safety greatly reduce chassis flex. Also if you fancy 40-50 mpg (equiv.) then consider LPG.
My (emerald) ECU is located via v. strong velcro above the glovebox and is a perfect accessible position with (just)sufficient space to access it.
Good luck, Paul.
TJC46 said:
This 
but also a good idea to fit a fine gauge aluminium mesh over the top. It helps to stop them from being damaged in the future, and also looks rather smart.
I like those heatshields, was planning to do something like this. but also a good idea to fit a fine gauge aluminium mesh over the top. It helps to stop them from being damaged in the future, and also looks rather smart.Got to do something about those silicone snail trails as well - sorry, I've got a thing about them, there has got to be a better way.
If it were my car I'd be moving the battery and replacing the ECU with a full ignition/fuel control one (junking to old mechanical distributer), but then I'd probably also be fitting a tweaked engine...
I like the idea of the outrigger corner plate mods but was thinking that it would be good to add something to protect the ends of the chassis from the road grit off the tyres. I.e. stop it hitting the chassis in the first place. However, not got a solution yet.
I like the idea of the outrigger corner plate mods but was thinking that it would be good to add something to protect the ends of the chassis from the road grit off the tyres. I.e. stop it hitting the chassis in the first place. However, not got a solution yet.
Rob_the_Sparky said:
If it were my car I'd be moving the battery and replacing the ECU with a full ignition/fuel control one (junking to old mechanical distributer), but then I'd probably also be fitting a tweaked engine...
I like the idea of the outrigger corner plate mods but was thinking that it would be good to add something to protect the ends of the chassis from the road grit off the tyres. I.e. stop it hitting the chassis in the first place. However, not got a solution yet.
I'm going to spend a bit of time thinking about those chassis mods. As I said I am definitely going to cross brace the seats and the battery box, which I am still thinking of leaving in the same place.I like the idea of the outrigger corner plate mods but was thinking that it would be good to add something to protect the ends of the chassis from the road grit off the tyres. I.e. stop it hitting the chassis in the first place. However, not got a solution yet.
I am pretty well sold on galvanising, it just makes so much sense and guarantees me a rustroof chassis but I also like the idea of deflecting the stones and road crap and being able to clean behind.
I am going to have to do quite a bit of learning on ECUs etc. This is not my area of expertise. I like the idea of sensible engine mods but I won't be racing the cars apart from the odd track day.
I really do want to move the ECU, Fuses and relays to somewhere sensible.
Rob, if you have any ideas on deflecting the stones, come and show me as you are a Berkshire boy as well.
Pete Mac said:
I really do want to move the ECU, Fuses and relays to somewhere sensible.
Pete, i tried to move my fuse box and put it behind the passenger seat but unfortunately the loom was about a foot too short. I didnt fancy cutting and lengthening all the wires so just re wrapped it all and put it back as was. Mine is a 1992. If yours is the same not sure where else you could put it without chopping all the wires.The loom is quite short to move the fuseboard. Have you considered a smaller battery to give better access to the existing fuseboard and space to mount the ECU?
Here's my battery box:
When I put in the new brake pipes etc, I used short lengths of rubber hose to sleeve them where I attached them to the chassis, so that there wasn't a metal-on-metal contact point to cause problems later.
Agree totally with things like the 7" lights and decent heat shielding. Don't overlook doing the transmission tunnel!
Brake upgrades - I went for Brembos. They are complete overkill but look nice.
It's a small thing, but I found the seat rails were getting past it on my car. So I got some replacements from car builder solutions. They latch on both rails so feel much better to use. (Not that I've done much of that this year
)
Hope the inane rambling is of some use.
Here's my battery box:
When I put in the new brake pipes etc, I used short lengths of rubber hose to sleeve them where I attached them to the chassis, so that there wasn't a metal-on-metal contact point to cause problems later.
Agree totally with things like the 7" lights and decent heat shielding. Don't overlook doing the transmission tunnel!
Brake upgrades - I went for Brembos. They are complete overkill but look nice.
It's a small thing, but I found the seat rails were getting past it on my car. So I got some replacements from car builder solutions. They latch on both rails so feel much better to use. (Not that I've done much of that this year
)Hope the inane rambling is of some use.
dnb said:
Hope the inane rambling is of some use.
I really appreciate everybodies contribution to this. I do like to plan these things out and given the many options, it is better to have a very good idea of what is and what is not practical. I have responded to quite a few but taken on board all of them.I will try and document as much of the rebuild as possible because I am sure many of you either have already done what I am going to do or are planning to do it and to be honest, there is not a great deal of documentation around and you can't buy a Haynes Manual for a TVR Griffith.
Because I work a 4 week on and 4 week off rotation in Kazakhstan, you will probably find my contributions to these threads far greater for 4 weeks in every eight.
Pete Mac said:
I'm going to spend a bit of time thinking about those chassis mods. As I said I am definitely going to cross brace the seats and the battery box, which I am still thinking of leaving in the same place.
I am pretty well sold on galvanising, it just makes so much sense and guarantees me a rustroof chassis but I also like the idea of deflecting the stones and road crap and being able to clean behind.
I am going to have to do quite a bit of learning on ECUs etc. This is not my area of expertise. I like the idea of sensible engine mods but I won't be racing the cars apart from the odd track day.
I really do want to move the ECU, Fuses and relays to somewhere sensible.
Rob, if you have any ideas on deflecting the stones, come and show me as you are a Berkshire boy as well.
I've seen a thread a while back on the Chimp forum someone modifing the end of the chassis to accept bolts to hold a stainless deflector plate, but at the time there were only body off photos. Also seen someone looking at a solution held on with clips. However, not seen either in the flesh or really had time to study the problem on mine. To me having the ends of the chassis exposed the grit from the roads just seems wrong! However, it may just be more practical to put a think under seal on it...I am pretty well sold on galvanising, it just makes so much sense and guarantees me a rustroof chassis but I also like the idea of deflecting the stones and road crap and being able to clean behind.
I am going to have to do quite a bit of learning on ECUs etc. This is not my area of expertise. I like the idea of sensible engine mods but I won't be racing the cars apart from the odd track day.
I really do want to move the ECU, Fuses and relays to somewhere sensible.
Rob, if you have any ideas on deflecting the stones, come and show me as you are a Berkshire boy as well.
My chassis is more or less toast so I have an interest in finding out as much as I can but fixing the engine was my first priority (now has a Taraka from Power). I get very little time on the car (or driving it
) since I have a 19month old son and a few weeks old daughter. Still love to pop round and take a look as I do have to fix mine at some point. WIsh I had more time (and money) to improve the car.dnb said:
The loom is quite short to move the fuseboard. Have you considered a smaller battery to give better access to the existing fuseboard and space to mount the ECU?
Here's my battery box:
Hope the inane rambling is of some use.
I presume another reason it looks rather neat is the removal of the ECU and all the miles of spare wiring that it normally in there. Also looks like you have re-mounted the heater valves (replaced with an alternative?) and at a guess a tidied up the slightly random collection of relays that normall hang from the loom.Here's my battery box:
Hope the inane rambling is of some use.
Yes... It's not exactly a standard car 
I removed nearly a wheelbarrow of wires from the car when I put in the replacement fuseboard and aftermarket ECU. All the random hanging relays are now plugged in to the fuseboard. The ECU clips to the bottom of the heater box (again it's not standard) neither are fitted in the picture.
I removed nearly a wheelbarrow of wires from the car when I put in the replacement fuseboard and aftermarket ECU. All the random hanging relays are now plugged in to the fuseboard. The ECU clips to the bottom of the heater box (again it's not standard) neither are fitted in the picture.dnb said:
The loom is quite short to move the fuseboard. Have you considered a smaller battery to give better access to the existing fuseboard and space to mount the ECU?
Here's my battery box:
When I put in the new brake pipes etc, I used short lengths of rubber hose to sleeve them where I attached them to the chassis, so that there wasn't a metal-on-metal contact point to cause problems later.
Agree totally with things like the 7" lights and decent heat shielding. Don't overlook doing the transmission tunnel!
Brake upgrades - I went for Brembos. They are complete overkill but look nice.
It's a small thing, but I found the seat rails were getting past it on my car. So I got some replacements from car builder solutions. They latch on both rails so feel much better to use. (Not that I've done much of that this year )
Hope the inane rambling is of some use.
You know I like most if not all of what you have done. I just find that mess of wires, realys and the ECU wrong and I am planning to have a big tidy up there, that's why I am interested in ideas. I would move them and let in new wire if I could find a sensible mounting and box to put it all in - I'm not there yet.Here's my battery box:
When I put in the new brake pipes etc, I used short lengths of rubber hose to sleeve them where I attached them to the chassis, so that there wasn't a metal-on-metal contact point to cause problems later.
Agree totally with things like the 7" lights and decent heat shielding. Don't overlook doing the transmission tunnel!
Brake upgrades - I went for Brembos. They are complete overkill but look nice.
It's a small thing, but I found the seat rails were getting past it on my car. So I got some replacements from car builder solutions. They latch on both rails so feel much better to use. (Not that I've done much of that this year
)Hope the inane rambling is of some use.
Seat rails are important especially as I want Mrs M to be able to drive the car (yes, I rally do..!) she is not very big and I need to move the seat forward so she can get a bit of power to the clutch, which she finds heavy.
Good point on brake pipes.
Will look at Brembos. Agreed they look fantastic, down to 'bang for buck'. Whatever I do I will be powdercoating the callipers myself.
I am planning to blast and powdercoat all small items myself. I've bought an old 900mm oven on fleabay, so should be able to get many items in there. I just need to get the blast cabinet and powdercoating kit.
Hoover. said:
Have you considered nylon coating the chassis ??
Tom's Dad done this to his chassis, it looks a very substantial protection..... I come across powder coating a fair bit in the construction industry, and I am not that impressed to be honest in terms of durability
No but mainly because I had never heard of it until you brought it up. Googled it, looks interesting. Looks like powder coating but with a Nylon powder rather than polyester. My chassis could be nuclear bomb proof if you put this over galvanising......Tom's Dad done this to his chassis, it looks a very substantial protection..... I come across powder coating a fair bit in the construction industry, and I am not that impressed to be honest in terms of durability
Pete Mac said:
No but mainly because I had never heard of it until you brought it up. Googled it, looks interesting. Looks like powder coating but with a Nylon powder rather than polyester. My chassis could be nuclear bomb proof if you put this over galvanising......
From talking to Graham (Tom's Dad) its what they used on the race car chassis, I think Top Cats were involved in his refurb....Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff