Discussion
My wife has suggested that I should put a bed in there but she spends hours playing with her horse so no complaints really.
The platform is a covered store room full of mainly junk so is due for a sort out.
The TV is to the left of the first picture, and no it's not too big.
I do make a point of not working too late in the evening and not to the exclusion of everything else. I want to keep my wife on side when the bills start to roll in as she does our accounts!
I will update with more pictures as I go but I am not planning a "build site".
Paul
The platform is a covered store room full of mainly junk so is due for a sort out.
The TV is to the left of the first picture, and no it's not too big.
I do make a point of not working too late in the evening and not to the exclusion of everything else. I want to keep my wife on side when the bills start to roll in as she does our accounts!
I will update with more pictures as I go but I am not planning a "build site".
Paul
ROWDYRENAULT said:
Paul: you're looking at this all wrong. My wife also has horses, several of them and she competes on them in dressage. Once, several years ago shoe strated to say something about some money I had spent on one of the toys in the shop. I imediatly started listing the costs of horse ownership. I didn't get very far beyond shoes, vets and hay when she threw her hands up and said" If I never bring this up again will you forget that I said anything: The truce has lasted longer than most marriages. Lee
LeeI don't get to see all the bills for the horses (3) and she loves to pay cash for quite a bit of it so nothing on paper - clever eh!
I will be putting another 6 acres down to grass this spring to cut our hay/haylage costs over the next few years.
I don't begrudge her her hobby but mine tends to come with some large, obvious costs whereas hers are smaller but more often.
Paul
Try this Porsche tractor!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS8LLnKXx3s
We have a John Deere - nice country colour.
Paul
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS8LLnKXx3s
We have a John Deere - nice country colour.
Paul
Strip down update. It's completely naked now!
[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/8nAN0FQe[/url
My workshop doesn't look quite so big when you spread a complete Ultima out over it!
I think that's the easy bit over. Now the clean up and rebuild starts.
Paul
[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/8nAN0FQe[/urlMy workshop doesn't look quite so big when you spread a complete Ultima out over it!
I think that's the easy bit over. Now the clean up and rebuild starts.
Paul
Edited by Storer on Sunday 6th March 20:49
pilbeam_mp62 said:
Are you going to put the proper roll cage in while you are doing the re-build ?
Regards
Roll cage, lowered floor, new LS engine mount brackets and strengthened suspension brackets all to be welded in before chassis is blasted.Regards
Then either powder coat (if chassis not waxoyled) or acid etched and sprayed.
Parts are all on order and should be here this week. The welding, blasting and spray painting I can do myself. Powder coating I have a friend who can do it for me at his own company.
I have removed the existing panels carefully so they can be used as a template for the holes in the chassis for the new panels.
A tip for all builders is not to use too much sealer/adhesive as it makes life very difficult if you have to repair or rebuild.
A hot air gun is essential!!!!
The chassis is in generally good condition with the only area showing any corrosion being the double skinned area under the radiator as water can enter via the lower radiator rubber mount holes
Paul
Lots of cutting and grinding with a little welding thrown in for good measure today.
One thing I found was that the steel floor panel had corrosion under it on the chassis. It is a flat floor and the moisture has probably got under the panel from the inside of the car. With the lowered floor-pan this will probably not be a problem but sealing with mastic may be worth while.
One of the previous owners had used expanding foam to fill the area between the fuel tanks and sidepods. It acts like a sponge for fuel and water so not a good idea. Given enough time the ally fuel tanks will rot through.
I will post more pictures tomorrow evening.
Paul
PS. I picked up a fresh G50/52 gearbox and clutch yesterday (thanks Paul and Kyle) so no need to rebuild the old one.
One thing I found was that the steel floor panel had corrosion under it on the chassis. It is a flat floor and the moisture has probably got under the panel from the inside of the car. With the lowered floor-pan this will probably not be a problem but sealing with mastic may be worth while.
One of the previous owners had used expanding foam to fill the area between the fuel tanks and sidepods. It acts like a sponge for fuel and water so not a good idea. Given enough time the ally fuel tanks will rot through.
I will post more pictures tomorrow evening.
Paul
PS. I picked up a fresh G50/52 gearbox and clutch yesterday (thanks Paul and Kyle) so no need to rebuild the old one.
Not too much done today. Family things, Rugby and the need to tidy up a bit got in the way.
I have started cleaning/refurbishing bits. Battery box, side pods and fuel tanks.
A few pictures
Naked chassis with floor cut out.
New gearbox G50/52
A shiny bit
An interesting previous mod is the chassis beam removed, filled with rag and covered in filler then painted over. Chassis rot the inevitable consequence. (Sorry about cr*p picture).
Some steel on order to sort rust hole.
Grit blasting the next big job.
Paul
I have started cleaning/refurbishing bits. Battery box, side pods and fuel tanks.
A few pictures
Naked chassis with floor cut out.
New gearbox G50/52
A shiny bit
An interesting previous mod is the chassis beam removed, filled with rag and covered in filler then painted over. Chassis rot the inevitable consequence. (Sorry about cr*p picture).
Some steel on order to sort rust hole.
Grit blasting the next big job.
Paul
Started grit blasting suspension parts this evening. It's going to be a long job as the powder coat sticks like s
t to a blanket and is much harder than ordinary Hammerite paint.
My compressor needs more puff to speed things up so tomorrow I will link my road breaker compressor to the workshop system so there will be no lack of air.
When I have done a bit more I will post a few pics.
Paul
t to a blanket and is much harder than ordinary Hammerite paint.My compressor needs more puff to speed things up so tomorrow I will link my road breaker compressor to the workshop system so there will be no lack of air.
When I have done a bit more I will post a few pics.
Paul
Steve.
I have noticed that the grit doesn't want to remove sealant so your theory is probably correct.
Lee.
I would use stripper but I don't want to get it inside the chassis via all the rivet holes as this will cause problems with the powder coat process. I may have to use stripper if I get too much grit in the chassis. My current grit is 60 so I will see how it goes when I start on the chassis.
Paul
I have noticed that the grit doesn't want to remove sealant so your theory is probably correct.
Lee.
I would use stripper but I don't want to get it inside the chassis via all the rivet holes as this will cause problems with the powder coat process. I may have to use stripper if I get too much grit in the chassis. My current grit is 60 so I will see how it goes when I start on the chassis.
Paul
Update
I have weakened and taken my chassis to a professional blasting company where they will bake it then strip it. I am still going to do the suspension components myself but I think the £200 it will cost will be money well spent and my time is better invested elsewhere.
A before and after of a front upper wishbone.
Some welding when the chassis returns ( they will have better access for blasting without the added steel ) and I will blast the new parts before powder coating.
While I am waiting I will clean some of the other parts.
Paul
I have weakened and taken my chassis to a professional blasting company where they will bake it then strip it. I am still going to do the suspension components myself but I think the £200 it will cost will be money well spent and my time is better invested elsewhere.
A before and after of a front upper wishbone.
Some welding when the chassis returns ( they will have better access for blasting without the added steel ) and I will blast the new parts before powder coating.
While I am waiting I will clean some of the other parts.
Paul
No Steve. They don't have blasting facilities but farm it out to the company I'm using.
I will give it a the once over again before I take it for powder coat. Their building is environmentally controlled and my workshop is now dry and I can heat it to 20 deg if necessary so it's only the 20 min journey in an enclosed vehicle between the two.
Not ideal but not too bad.
A lot of the stuff they build make our cars look cheap (high-end scientific) and they have no problems so I will take my chance.
It's not likely to get used on salty roads and will always be garaged with me.
Paul
PS. How's business. Keeping the wolf from the door?
I will give it a the once over again before I take it for powder coat. Their building is environmentally controlled and my workshop is now dry and I can heat it to 20 deg if necessary so it's only the 20 min journey in an enclosed vehicle between the two.
Not ideal but not too bad.
A lot of the stuff they build make our cars look cheap (high-end scientific) and they have no problems so I will take my chance.
It's not likely to get used on salty roads and will always be garaged with me.
Paul
PS. How's business. Keeping the wolf from the door?
YIIHAA said:
Where did the lowered floor pans come from? I have a flat bottomed GTR, and keep meaning to cut it out and weld in lowered ones, as I suffer from short legs long body syndrome. The side effect being banging my head on the roof of the GTR, despite a mere 5'11" stature.
All the metal components in the picture are from the Factory. They can pretty much supply any part you need. 
After a number of discussions with Kyle he ended up talking me into spending more of my money but not so much of it with him!!!
My desire for more power and the fact my car will be used quite a bit on track brought me to the conclusion that I needed to go the dry sump route. The cost of upgrading the LS2 to dry sump and 500+hp looked like being considerable. The dry sump LS3 was an option but the upgrade cost put us in the LS7 price range.
Hence the nice shiny LS7 in the above photo. Kyle will dyno test and swap/fit the bits we need.
The LS2 will be up for sale soon.
The chassis is now powder coated and the underside has been coated with stone chip and Hammerite. More panels to fit at the weekend.
Kyle will now call me a traitor - over to you Kyle!
Paul
My desire for more power and the fact my car will be used quite a bit on track brought me to the conclusion that I needed to go the dry sump route. The cost of upgrading the LS2 to dry sump and 500+hp looked like being considerable. The dry sump LS3 was an option but the upgrade cost put us in the LS7 price range.
Hence the nice shiny LS7 in the above photo. Kyle will dyno test and swap/fit the bits we need.
The LS2 will be up for sale soon.
The chassis is now powder coated and the underside has been coated with stone chip and Hammerite. More panels to fit at the weekend.
Kyle will now call me a traitor - over to you Kyle!
Paul
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