Discussion
Hello Hatter hope you dont mind a Griff lad dropping in!
Just wanted to say good luck with your restoration. Sure it will be worth all the skinned knuckles and swearing!!! have loved SEACs ever since seeing (and hearing!!)the one that used to knock around Aberdeen many moons ago...
Also wanted to recommend something for when you get round to polishing up that amazing chassis. Wurth do an amazing aluminium polish that would bring that up beautifully. I have used it on loads of stuff from my stainless exhausts to the inlet pipes on my V6 Alfa. I found that you need an awful lot less of it than the likes of autosol or autoglym metal polish and its far more effective.
Anyway I look forward to reading and seeing more of what you are doing with your amazing car!!
All the best
James
Just wanted to say good luck with your restoration. Sure it will be worth all the skinned knuckles and swearing!!! have loved SEACs ever since seeing (and hearing!!)the one that used to knock around Aberdeen many moons ago...
Also wanted to recommend something for when you get round to polishing up that amazing chassis. Wurth do an amazing aluminium polish that would bring that up beautifully. I have used it on loads of stuff from my stainless exhausts to the inlet pipes on my V6 Alfa. I found that you need an awful lot less of it than the likes of autosol or autoglym metal polish and its far more effective.
Anyway I look forward to reading and seeing more of what you are doing with your amazing car!!
All the best
James
I was pondering roll cage and harnesses, and might go that way in the future. I read somewhere that harnesses are no good for an MOT though; you need 3 point lap/diagonal belts for the MOT - although It'd make my job easier if that's not the case!
I needn't have worried about seized bolts and hard to get at captive nuts; the whole lot came out in one go...
Hopefully the top bolt will come out more easily now I can get to the back of it.
The construction of the car appears to be Kevlar top and bottom body halves, joined together with conventional fibreglass matting and re-enforced with fibreglass where necessary. The metal plate that's broken away appears to have been embedded in the fibreglass matting so it's a relatively easy repair. It seems slightly dodgy to have the metal frame that holds the seat belts bolted to metal plates embedded in fibreglass rather than bolting direct to the chassis, but that appears to be how this car was built. Maybe they are all like that?
It puts me in a bit of a dilemma, do I attempt to rebuild it to how it left the factory or do I modify it where I see fit? Answers on a post card...
I needn't have worried about seized bolts and hard to get at captive nuts; the whole lot came out in one go...
Hopefully the top bolt will come out more easily now I can get to the back of it.
The construction of the car appears to be Kevlar top and bottom body halves, joined together with conventional fibreglass matting and re-enforced with fibreglass where necessary. The metal plate that's broken away appears to have been embedded in the fibreglass matting so it's a relatively easy repair. It seems slightly dodgy to have the metal frame that holds the seat belts bolted to metal plates embedded in fibreglass rather than bolting direct to the chassis, but that appears to be how this car was built. Maybe they are all like that?
It puts me in a bit of a dilemma, do I attempt to rebuild it to how it left the factory or do I modify it where I see fit? Answers on a post card...
The Hatter said:
I was pondering roll cage and harnesses, and might go that way in the future. I read somewhere that harnesses are no good for an MOT though; you need 3 point lap/diagonal belts for the MOT - although It'd make my job easier if that's not the case!
No problem with MoT as long as there's a quick release mechanism. I wouldn't fit a roll cage in a road car though. You can't fit one high enough to be of any real use and then you get the dangerous drawbacks.JR said:
No problem with MoT as long as there's a quick release mechanism. I wouldn't fit a roll cage in a road car though. You can't fit one high enough to be of any real use and then you get the dangerous drawbacks.
As someone who's life was saved by a single rollbar fitted to a convertible road car which rolled at least 3 times at around 70mph, I would DISAGREE!grahamw48 said:
JR said:
No problem with MoT as long as there's a quick release mechanism. I wouldn't fit a roll cage in a road car though. You can't fit one high enough to be of any real use and then you get the dangerous drawbacks.
As someone who's life was saved by a single rollbar fitted to a convertible road car which rolled at least 3 times at around 70mph, I would DISAGREE!The Hatter said:
I was pondering roll cage and harnesses, and might go that way in the future. I read so do I attempt to rebuild it to how it left the factory or do I modify it where I see fit? Answers on a post card...
Rebuilding is different to building. Do as you see fit, with your engineers hat on.BCA.
I believe Hatter actually meant a rollbar.
I've yet to see a 'proper' rollcage fitted to a road-going Wedge.
- I do agree about a racing type rollcage probably not being ideal though, for the reasons you stated, but I'd still prefer a bang on the side of the head (which can happen in ANY vehicle apart from maybe a Seven) to being crushed or decapitated by a ton of car.
I believe Hatter actually meant a rollbar.
I've yet to see a 'proper' rollcage fitted to a road-going Wedge.
- I do agree about a racing type rollcage probably not being ideal though, for the reasons you stated, but I'd still prefer a bang on the side of the head (which can happen in ANY vehicle apart from maybe a Seven) to being crushed or decapitated by a ton of car.
Hope you don't mind another foreigner joining in, can't wait to see how this goes!
Personaly I would rebuild it to factory spec but would happily do more that can either be reversed with ease or improve safety/performance etc Aslong as they are subtle. That's the way I like to do my cars anyway.
Roll cage and harnesses would be spot on I think and also look to redo the anchor points to the chassis as u say. What's the point in a seat belt if the seat comes out! Or at least make the anchor points within the fibre glass cover a large area.
Another problem with rebuilding to factory spec is that a lot of replacement parts nowadays simply are not the same quality so things like fully electronic dizzys which look normal but have modern Bosch arms and caps with no points or condensors etc are other things I like.
At the end of the fattys its your car and no one else's, Aslong as you like it that's all that matters
Personaly I would rebuild it to factory spec but would happily do more that can either be reversed with ease or improve safety/performance etc Aslong as they are subtle. That's the way I like to do my cars anyway.
Roll cage and harnesses would be spot on I think and also look to redo the anchor points to the chassis as u say. What's the point in a seat belt if the seat comes out! Or at least make the anchor points within the fibre glass cover a large area.
Another problem with rebuilding to factory spec is that a lot of replacement parts nowadays simply are not the same quality so things like fully electronic dizzys which look normal but have modern Bosch arms and caps with no points or condensors etc are other things I like.
At the end of the fattys its your car and no one else's, Aslong as you like it that's all that matters
Yes, I meant roll bar not roll cage; I know some cars have them so I'll do the rounds for research at BBWF!
I've found some alternative seat belt mounts that are attached to the main chassis by metal re-enforcement plates, but they weren't in use! You can see them approx 1 foot further forward than the normal mounts in this pic. Curious.
Lots of progress this weekend, managed to get all the seat belt bolts out without damaging anything; difficult when the heads of the bolts are rusted to round.
I finally got the hood bar to move; after a week of trying I eventually had to split the bracket to break it free. Good job I should have another hood shortly!
Looks like it was made by 'Eric'. The other words say 'Primer and Spray NO HEAT' I guess that refers to painting Kevlar.
Next stage, dash out...
Not too difficult, wiring is a mess though; looks like the radio's been stolen and the wires in the centre console ripped out, and a complex alarm system had been spliced in.
These are redundant alarm wires/units! Saves a bit of weight...
I've found some alternative seat belt mounts that are attached to the main chassis by metal re-enforcement plates, but they weren't in use! You can see them approx 1 foot further forward than the normal mounts in this pic. Curious.
Lots of progress this weekend, managed to get all the seat belt bolts out without damaging anything; difficult when the heads of the bolts are rusted to round.
I finally got the hood bar to move; after a week of trying I eventually had to split the bracket to break it free. Good job I should have another hood shortly!
Looks like it was made by 'Eric'. The other words say 'Primer and Spray NO HEAT' I guess that refers to painting Kevlar.
Next stage, dash out...
Not too difficult, wiring is a mess though; looks like the radio's been stolen and the wires in the centre console ripped out, and a complex alarm system had been spliced in.
These are redundant alarm wires/units! Saves a bit of weight...
mikeb said:
Can you describe exactly how you took the dash off (including positioning of bolts etc) I have this exact thing to do shortly.
MikeyB
MartinMikeyB
Please let us know, I have got to do the same on my 450 SEAC as I need to get to the heater fan (It's only single speed at present) When I do switch it on the dischage rate on the gauge is frigthening!
Andy
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