The rebuild begins......again.
Discussion
As a lot of you will know I crashed my cerb just after spending 6 months doing a comprehensive refurb on it. The insurance company classed it as a cat C due to chassis damage but I have decided to go ahead and rebuild it. It may not be the most sensible thing to do financially but it is too nice a car to scrap.
I have sourced a chassis and the parts needed and will be picking them up next week sometime. The guy that treated my chassis parts last time will be doing treating the chassis. It is going to be shot blasted, zinc sprayed and then powdercoated. I spoke to plasticman who is going to be the brains and a large proportion of the brawn behind the rebuild and he said that galvanising the chassis significantly increases the weight so that option was ruled out.
The plan is to have the new chassis on the far side of the garage and inbetween that and the car a space for the old chassis. The body will be lifted up and the old chassis slid out sideways so all the running gear can be swapped one onto the new chassis. The old chassis will then be pulled out the way and then new one slid underneath the body. It should not be too difficult to swap the parts over as all the parts on the old chassis were refurbed with new bolts.
I am hopefully picking up the chassis next tuesday so that is when the real work will start.
At the moment I am stripping out the interior which is going to be partially retrimmed.
A couple of pics of the car in its current state.
I have sourced a chassis and the parts needed and will be picking them up next week sometime. The guy that treated my chassis parts last time will be doing treating the chassis. It is going to be shot blasted, zinc sprayed and then powdercoated. I spoke to plasticman who is going to be the brains and a large proportion of the brawn behind the rebuild and he said that galvanising the chassis significantly increases the weight so that option was ruled out.
The plan is to have the new chassis on the far side of the garage and inbetween that and the car a space for the old chassis. The body will be lifted up and the old chassis slid out sideways so all the running gear can be swapped one onto the new chassis. The old chassis will then be pulled out the way and then new one slid underneath the body. It should not be too difficult to swap the parts over as all the parts on the old chassis were refurbed with new bolts.
I am hopefully picking up the chassis next tuesday so that is when the real work will start.
At the moment I am stripping out the interior which is going to be partially retrimmed.
A couple of pics of the car in its current state.
Thanks for all the offers of help chaps - very heart warming!
According to Dave (plasticman) we only need the two of us plus some jacks to lift the body. However people are more than welcome to come round take pictures/help/watch and laugh etc I am in Ashtead Surrey. It won't be until week after next until the parts are back form the powdercoaters so that is when I guess the rebuild will begin.
According to Dave (plasticman) we only need the two of us plus some jacks to lift the body. However people are more than welcome to come round take pictures/help/watch and laugh etc I am in Ashtead Surrey. It won't be until week after next until the parts are back form the powdercoaters so that is when I guess the rebuild will begin.
VPower said:
Mark
I'm only up the road in Dorking and could with a bit of notice borrow the small HIAB and some slings from work.
On the other hand, one of ten to help hand lift sounds like a photo opportunity not to miss!
Can you handle the parking for 10 Cerbs?
Steve
I have got parking space for probably 20 cars if they can go on grass I'm only up the road in Dorking and could with a bit of notice borrow the small HIAB and some slings from work.
On the other hand, one of ten to help hand lift sounds like a photo opportunity not to miss!
Can you handle the parking for 10 Cerbs?
Steve
The offer of the HIAB is very kind but I don't think we will need it. Plasticman said he is used to do this thing on his own so we won't actually need much help but people are more than welcome to come along and see how it is done. Plasticman reckons we can get it all done in a day which would be cool! Not sure if it's going to happen on a weekday or a weekend though but I will keep this thread updated.
Picked up the chassis and a few other bits yesturday - rather tired after about 700 miles of driving!
It is at Plasticman's house as one of the outriggers needs some attention and he is also going to alter the shock mounts to make them sit in a more upright position.
I have got the later type tuscan wishbones on plasticman's recommendation to improve the handling. The uprights will need to be altered to fit the wishbones. Hopefully in the next week or so I will take it to the shot blasters to be blasted, zinc coated and then powder coated.
It is at Plasticman's house as one of the outriggers needs some attention and he is also going to alter the shock mounts to make them sit in a more upright position.
I have got the later type tuscan wishbones on plasticman's recommendation to improve the handling. The uprights will need to be altered to fit the wishbones. Hopefully in the next week or so I will take it to the shot blasters to be blasted, zinc coated and then powder coated.
Edited by markh1 on Wednesday 1st July 09:16
Yes I have been following that thread. I am not sure what is going to happen to my chassis. One of the outriggers needs to be replaced on the new one so I will be using at least one of the outriggers from mine. The main chassis rails are also pretty distorted so not sure if it is usable or not.
I have now removed all wishbones and uprights, removed all body bolts and got the interior out pretty much. I have started to paint the new caliper and remove the bushes from the wishbones I have aquired. Tonight I am picking up the chassis from plasticman and taking it to be shot blasted zinc and powder coated tomorrow night.
Here are a couple of pics of the removed parts....
All the wishbones came off really easily as they were only put on a few months ago, having air tools makes life a lot easier too!
Here are a couple of pics of the removed parts....
All the wishbones came off really easily as they were only put on a few months ago, having air tools makes life a lot easier too!
The chassis went down to the shotblasters to be treated on Tuesday and I should have it back by the end of next week.
I had to get the rear diff bush out by burning the rubber centre out with a blow torch. I then took a junior hacksaw to the outer sleeve. It took fifteen minutes tops. However I would not want to do it with the body in place!
I had to get the rear diff bush out by burning the rubber centre out with a blow torch. I then took a junior hacksaw to the outer sleeve. It took fifteen minutes tops. However I would not want to do it with the body in place!
Edited by markh1 on Thursday 20th August 20:50
Some more progress this weekend. Main jobs were to remove fuel tank, get the last bits of interior out and remove the remaining body bolts.
transmission tunnel now removed. Be very careful when taking it out as the bit that swoops down from the dash to transmission tunnel cover is quite weak.
This is the underside of the transmission tunnel cover. You can just about make out the bolts that hold the padded arm rest on. These bits are going to be removed to be retrimmed.
Next job was removing the tank. The fuel filler neck is held on by a jubilee clip with the rubber part of the neck (which can be got at quite easily) The metal part is silkaflexed on. I removed it by very slowly levering it upwards.
The tank is held on by two straps that run down the tank. The straps do not need to be removed, just the bolts do.
This is one of the bolts at the top of the tank...
You have to peel or cut the carpet out the way to get at the ones at the bottom...
These bottom bolts cannot be removed until the heat shield for the exhausts is removed. Behind the shield is another nut holding the bolt in.
Once the bolt are removed there are a few pipes that have to be removed. The return pipe on the drivers side of the tank (this picture is taken looking down behind the tank)
On the passenger side of the tank there is the main pipe that runs to the engine. There is not much play in this so it will restrict how much you cna wiggle the tank. I have not removed this pipe as I have been able to move the tank enough to get to the body bolts behind.
Underneath the rubber mat that is under the tank are the bolts for the body. There are also a pair of bolts on the vertical part of the body behind the tank but these are very obvious when the tank is out the way.
Here is the removed heat shield. It was sprayed in underseal and you can see here I have sprayed some degreaser on here to remove the underseal as I can't imagine it does much good for the heat reflecting properties!
One of the other things I did was remove the carbon windscreen trims bits as the screen needs to be replaced. They are held on with three rivets and some silkalex. The rivets were easily drilled off and the carbon trim bits came off very easily. Any windscreen company that says that cannot be saved are talking rubbish.
I must mention that I have been told how to do all this by plasticman. His assistance is invaluable!
transmission tunnel now removed. Be very careful when taking it out as the bit that swoops down from the dash to transmission tunnel cover is quite weak.
This is the underside of the transmission tunnel cover. You can just about make out the bolts that hold the padded arm rest on. These bits are going to be removed to be retrimmed.
Next job was removing the tank. The fuel filler neck is held on by a jubilee clip with the rubber part of the neck (which can be got at quite easily) The metal part is silkaflexed on. I removed it by very slowly levering it upwards.
The tank is held on by two straps that run down the tank. The straps do not need to be removed, just the bolts do.
This is one of the bolts at the top of the tank...
You have to peel or cut the carpet out the way to get at the ones at the bottom...
These bottom bolts cannot be removed until the heat shield for the exhausts is removed. Behind the shield is another nut holding the bolt in.
Once the bolt are removed there are a few pipes that have to be removed. The return pipe on the drivers side of the tank (this picture is taken looking down behind the tank)
On the passenger side of the tank there is the main pipe that runs to the engine. There is not much play in this so it will restrict how much you cna wiggle the tank. I have not removed this pipe as I have been able to move the tank enough to get to the body bolts behind.
Underneath the rubber mat that is under the tank are the bolts for the body. There are also a pair of bolts on the vertical part of the body behind the tank but these are very obvious when the tank is out the way.
Here is the removed heat shield. It was sprayed in underseal and you can see here I have sprayed some degreaser on here to remove the underseal as I can't imagine it does much good for the heat reflecting properties!
One of the other things I did was remove the carbon windscreen trims bits as the screen needs to be replaced. They are held on with three rivets and some silkalex. The rivets were easily drilled off and the carbon trim bits came off very easily. Any windscreen company that says that cannot be saved are talking rubbish.
I must mention that I have been told how to do all this by plasticman. His assistance is invaluable!
Edited by markh1 on Monday 13th July 08:30
Collected the chassis this weekend. I thas been blasted, zinc coated and then powdercoated.
I have fitted the rear upper and lower rear wishbones and the power steering rack. Most of the weekend was taken up with disconecting the engine (throttle cable, coolant hoses etc) The three oil pipes that connect to the engine from the oil cooler are causing me grief. I can't get at them to get them off and to get them off from the oil cooler end it looks like you have to cut into the fibreglass.
I have fitted the rear upper and lower rear wishbones and the power steering rack. Most of the weekend was taken up with disconecting the engine (throttle cable, coolant hoses etc) The three oil pipes that connect to the engine from the oil cooler are causing me grief. I can't get at them to get them off and to get them off from the oil cooler end it looks like you have to cut into the fibreglass.
The body off lift is going to happen on the last two days of this month (thursday and friday 30th and 31st) if anyone wants to come and see how it is going to be done you are more than welcome. I will probably do a BBQ on Fri night and maybe thursday eve too if the weather is good. If you do want to come PM me. I am by Epsom in Surrey.
VPower said:
Looking good Mark.
Question-
With the body damage, is there any problem with a 2 man lift?
Will it fold in half or split more???
Steve
Plasticman's initial plan is to use engine crane to lift the rear and use a jack where the front of the sills are. This however may change on the day! It does certainly make it difficult with the fibre glass damage. Normally It would be supported through the wheel arches but in this case that is not possible.Question-
With the body damage, is there any problem with a 2 man lift?
Will it fold in half or split more???
Steve
Last night I got the braided hoses mounted, all bar one of the remaining body bolts out and one of the diff bushes in. It was a pig to get in so I adopted an idea I saw someone post on here about getting bushes in and out.
I got the long bolt that the front drop link uses and with some washers put it through the bush, on the other side I used the old retaining plate for the front ARB as a big washer. I then tightened it up and much to my delight it went straight in!
I got the long bolt that the front drop link uses and with some washers put it through the bush, on the other side I used the old retaining plate for the front ARB as a big washer. I then tightened it up and much to my delight it went straight in!
Thanks for your offer of help! The body lift is happening next Thursday and Friday. I know most people will be at work but anyone is more than welcome to pop along in the evening and have a gander at how we are getting on. PM me if you want to come along and will give you my address.
markh1 said:
Thanks for your offer of help! The body lift is happening next Thursday and Friday. I know most people will be at work but anyone is more than welcome to pop along in the evening and have a gander at how we are getting on. PM me if you want to come along and will give you my address.
Change of plan! The body lift is now happening on Tue and Wed. People are still welcome to come along.
A decent compressor and air tools are one of my best purchases yet. They make life so much easier!This is the one I bought...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SIP-AIRMATE-3hp-50-Litre-V-T...
It is fairly small but has a good flow rate and is more than enough to power the air gun and ratchet.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SIP-AIRMATE-3hp-50-Litre-V-T...
It is fairly small but has a good flow rate and is more than enough to power the air gun and ratchet.
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