Not quite DustyC

[griffter]

But not far off...

Although I've been PHing for over 12 months, and owned my Griff for over 6 of those, it's been in the garage for 5! After a painstaking , patience-bending , rust-reducing , wife-testing chassis restoration and engine/electrics overhaul (thank you bible) I finally get to DRIVE MY CAR! And what a weekend for it!

Until now I'd only done 130 miles in total (and that was enough to keep my spirits up through cold winter scraping/painting sessions). Now 130 miles each day is more like it...

Thanks for the support PH, and here's to many more Grifftastic sunny weekends

[DustyC]

Well done

Something to be really proud of after putting all that hard work in.

Why only 130 miles a day though?

I've now done over 2000miles in my 3 weeks of ownership! I have got to stop myself but I just cant.
I even went again yesterday after the TVRCC meet and did another 62 miles. Was too good an evening to miss out on.

[DustyC]

Well, where are the pics then?

[catretriever]

DustyC said:

Why only 130 miles a day though? I've now done over 2000miles in my 3 weeks of ownership!

Pssssst, Dusty...that works out around 95 miles a day mate

[DustyC]

but I only use it at weekends!

(apart form the day I drove to work and then out for a meal. I can see evening use getting more if the weather stays this good too!)

[Podie]

DustyC said:

Why only 130 miles a day though? I've now done over 2000miles in my 3 weeks of ownership!

Nearly six services a year at that rate... ouch...

[jigs]

Griffter - sounds like an interesting project - tell us all more with photos if possible.

[DustyC]

Podie said:

DustyC said: Why only 130 miles a day though? I've now done over 2000miles in my 3 weeks of ownership! Nearly six services a year at that rate... ouch...

Thats what will probably slow me down a bit!
Still in the honeymoon period though.
Does it ever end?

[griffter]

jigs said:

Griffter - sounds like an interesting project - tell us all more with photos if possible.

All in good time!

Sadly I have neither digital camera nor PC (this is the work one )

Potted summary though:

'92 4.3 55k, FSH. Good sound car but in need of TLC.
Bought as a project (not sure the vendor saw it that way though - rose tinted specs etc !!). When I bought it it had an intermittent misfire (they all get one sooner or later, I figured I might as well get one with!), and a 500 front end due to a shunt earlier in its life. I've spoken to the owner at the time and he satisfied me all is OK (it wasn't serious enough to be recorded). The hood basically needs replacing, and the chassis had never seen a can of waxoyl in its life ('til now). But that's the way I like 'em! Waxoyl can hide a multitude of sins.

The chassis was at least exposed for me to see and whilst hardly A1 has turned out to be sound. The engine fired and idled OK and when not misfiring went really well - it's got a Mark Adams chip. 'box dripped a bit but the back axle seemed fine. No nasty clonks, knocks or pulling to either side, so I deemed it a good starting point and drove it home (that was the first 127 miles!). Essentially, everything worked and the vital signs were OK.

Well, once up on the stands I determined three days with the wire brush and the waxoyl should do it...then 5 months later it emerged!

2x coats of zinc primer, silver smoothrite to the wishbones, plastic stoneguard to the exposed chassis underside and waxoyl everywhere. I had neither the time (!) nor the resources to do body off, but I really do think that with a vast array of homemade tools, patience and remarkable feats of contortion that I got to all the necessary places.

Full overhaul of all the external electrics - ie all connections cleaned and remade, some re-wiring, new rocker cover gaskets, new fuel pipe, new injector connector (I suspect the duff one had been duff since leaving the factory), vac pipes etc etc loads of little fiddly jobs. It's going to Peninsula for a big service, 4 wheel geo and to get the drippy box (oo-er) sorted, exhaust mounts and brakes.

Then next winter it'll be off the road again while I do the bodywork (touch up, cut, polish) and interior - full leather so a good clean and feed. New roof and bob ought to be my uncle. One sorted pre cat!

I really should have put all this in my profile shouldn't I?...

>> Edited by griffter on Monday 26th April 14:10

[DustyC]

griffter said:

2x coats of zinc primer, silver smoothrite to the wishbones, plastic stoneguard to the exposed chassis underside and waxoyl everywhere.

I read about the zinc primer stuff in the Frost catalogue.
Can you put a rust remove/preventer on first (such as POR15) or do you have to rub it all down?

[griffter]

I used Davids ZINC 182. I rigourously abused the chassis everywhere I could with a screwdriver, wire brush, drill attachments etc, then degreased it with white spirit. If there was original coating on the chassis I left it well alone. Then the ZINC 182 went on. I've always found hammerite to chip too easily and have previously had good results with ZINC 182 (ie no rust coming through). I'd read about POR 15 and was impressed, but was put off by the fact that apparently it's disgusting stuff and if you're painting a chassis whilst lying on your back swearing, it's going to get everywhere. Believe me, this is a job you don't want to do twice. The other good thing about ZINC 182 is that you can get small aerosols of it, fit a straw attachement to the nozzle, and get it in/under/behind all sorts of places inaccessible to a paintbrush.