SEAC refurb part 2.
Discussion
Hi
Part two of my SEAC refurb.
The Chassis was taken to be refurb at the beginning of the week before Christmas's, there were two areas of it which caused me some concern. The first area was on the off side top rail in the engine compartment, this had some corrosion which may be serious. The second area was the part of the bottom nearside rail in the engine compartment, this had been wrapped with some exhaust wrap. This had been fitted at some time before I purchased the car. Unfortunately it had trapped water behind it causing corrosion. These two areas may required the rails being replaced if the corrosion was to great a metal loss. On Christmas eve I got a phone call to say there was not anything to worry about the corrosion was not as bad as we feared. They had now etched primed the chassis and they would do a final powder coating at the beginning of Jan.
The chassis was ready at the end of the first week off Jan 2016.
The diff refurbed and painted ready for the diff cradle.
The gearbox refurbed painted and ready to be fitted into the chassis.
The first thing fitted was the new top diff mountings.
The refurb steering rack and gearbox back on the chassis.
The rear suspension and diff cradle back from being powder coated.
The drive shafts and rear hubs refurbed, just the new bearings and seals to be fitted.
The lower and upper front suspension arms back from powder coating.
The chassis with transmission all in place.
The new stainless exhaust manifolds.
The diff and new brakes.
The engine back into the chassis
The engine now fully rebuilt with a new Griff 500 clutch.
When I decided to undertake this refurb back at the end of Nov 2015 I had set a target to have the car ready for the TVRCC first event of the year at Burghley in April, or a fortnight later in time for the Rushden Cavalcade over the May Bank Holiday weekend. This meant I had seventeen weeks to do this, so I planned the work schedule to make certain things were ready in the correct order and this meant there were no hold ups with the rebuild. The plan was for me to take a week to complete a corner of the chassis build up, so by the end of the second week of Feb I should have the car back on all four wheels. I manage to do it by the end of the first week of Feb.
The chassis back on all four wheels.
The wheels had been semi refurbed, all the rim bolts were removed and cleaned and the rims all polished (Both sides) The rear wheels were refurbished just before I purchased them in 2010 the front's had not and they will be fully striped and the rim bolts replaced over the forth coming winter.
With the chassis refurbed I had to arrange to put the body back on. I had planned that we would be in the position to do this in the second week of March using a similar way we used to take the body off. But then in January the TVRCC were asking for any members cars were in any position of being worked on to be on the clubs stand for Restoration and Classic Car show at the NEC over the second weekend of March. I discussed the idea with the club and Simon my main helper and David at the body shop I use, that we put the body back on at the show. I worked out we could do it with the help of ten people to help lift the body on. So we now planed for that!
The chassis ready to go to the NEC.
While the chassis was being worked on the body was up at the body shop to have the body sorted out. When I purchased the car back in 2010 from Wayne I knew it had been in a accident, and this now gave me the chance to get the body sorted out. So they body shop started on the repairs in early Jan and the damaged was what I expected, but the previous repairs were not good. Wes the fabricator found that there was new filler/fibre glass over the top of dirt from the accident. He also found the reason why I had always had a problem with water getting into the drivers foot well. When he was doing repairs at that side of the engine compartment a piece of the body just fell away leaving a hole into the drivers foot well.
The near side inner wing.
The near side wing during repairs.
The near side wing repaired.
The engine compartment baulk head and hole.
The baulk head repaired.
The body after painting.
The chassis and body at the NEC.
Then the fun began lifting the body onto the chassis.
With the body back on Simon starting to bolt the body to the chassis.
After the body was bolted back onto the chassis the steering column was reconnected so we could steer the car out of the NEC and load it up for the journey home.
Then the real work will start putting the rest of the car back together.
I have not yet submitted the next part off the refurb story to the TVRCC for inclusion in Sprint so I am sorry the third part will have to wait for a couple of months.
Andy
hrepo said:
Just leaving this here...
Back to topic - I take it this SEAC is not one of the AC (Aramid Composite) ones? Or, if it is, how did that impact the body work?
Hi HrepoBack to topic - I take it this SEAC is not one of the AC (Aramid Composite) ones? Or, if it is, how did that impact the body work?
You are correct this is not a full Aramid Composite car. It appears that TVR to try and keep the weight closser to the AC cars reduced the thickness of the fibreglass in places. The main area I have found this was in the floor thickness in the drivers seat area. In my 350i I would happly stand were the seat should be, I would not in the SEAC.
Andy
Since both G96xDWP's are in Cambs, any chance there could be a reunion of the old (I assume) line mates? Say - next summerish, once I have 969 road worthy again?
You say "full" - were there still bits done in Kevlar, or is everything GRP? I'd assume repairs are MUCH easier on GRP material, though I imagine it'd be fun to claim to ride in "bulletproof" car. (Yes, I know it's not bulletproof.)
You say "full" - were there still bits done in Kevlar, or is everything GRP? I'd assume repairs are MUCH easier on GRP material, though I imagine it'd be fun to claim to ride in "bulletproof" car. (Yes, I know it's not bulletproof.)
hrepo said:
Since both G96xDWP's are in Cambs, any chance there could be a reunion of the old (I assume) line mates? Say - next summerish, once I have 969 road worthy again?
You say "full" - were there still bits done in Kevlar, or is everything GRP? I'd assume repairs are MUCH easier on GRP material, though I imagine it'd be fun to claim to ride in "bulletproof" car. (Yes, I know it's not bulletproof.)
Hi hrepoYou say "full" - were there still bits done in Kevlar, or is everything GRP? I'd assume repairs are MUCH easier on GRP material, though I imagine it'd be fun to claim to ride in "bulletproof" car. (Yes, I know it's not bulletproof.)
Yes I can't see a problem getting the cars together for a photo op. I live in St Neots if you want to get in contact at any time.
There are a couple of bits of the car, which are AC but only very small amounts, just enough so it can still be called a SEAC.
Andy
Tasmin200 said:
Fantastic work. Quite a workshop setup you have, I'm very jealous of that.
Hi Thanks for the comments, the workshop is only my garage at my house, ok I had it built a bit bigger than a normal one (In fact I wanted it 2 meters longer) I can get two wedge in just, plus the race car lives on the ramp above. At times its a bit narrow and as I am a bit restricted in my movements I do struggle at times getting things done. But I have learnt ways to get round that and things are improving.
Andy
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