4676 Refurb

Author
Discussion

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Saturday 2nd January 2016
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If you have the callipers that far down I would be thinking about adding a spacer kit and switching to vented discs?
N.

DAKOTAstorm

Original Poster:

419 posts

156 months

Saturday 2nd January 2016
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I was pleased with the blasting, as the car had so many layers of paint having previously been resprayed differing colours, I don't think I could have achieved the same level of removal by sanding. It needs finishing touches, the guy was able to use a very fine glass bead for the majority, switching to soda when needed. His advice was to go over the full car with 180 and then a finer finishing grit. A lot of the rear was mainly filler or 'high rise' he called it. The rear had been in a shunt and the new end molded on perfectly well, but instead of sanding down the high points, they seem to have built up the low points.

Regards the vented discs, when I started this project I had all sorts of fabulous ideas such as wilwoods, a roll cage, flared arches, high lift cams, but then had a stop and think, I'd be altering everything I loved about the driving experience, I loved it for exactly what it was. The Tuscan does a fine job of delivering the thrilling sports car performance, but I liked stepping back in time with the M, so decided to leave everything standard but give a new lease of life and a tart up!

chris52

1,560 posts

182 months

Sunday 3rd January 2016
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Sounds like you have had a god result with the blasting and a good company that did it. When I had mine done it was a bit more aggressive but that was ok with me as there was so many gel cracks it needed a lot more work.
Looking forward to your next update
Chris

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Sunday 3rd January 2016
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DAKOTAstorm said:
I was pleased with the blasting, as the car had so many layers of paint having previously been resprayed differing colours, I don't think I could have achieved the same level of removal by sanding. It needs finishing touches, the guy was able to use a very fine glass bead for the majority, switching to soda when needed. His advice was to go over the full car with 180 and then a finer finishing grit. A lot of the rear was mainly filler or 'high rise' he called it. The rear had been in a shunt and the new end molded on perfectly well, but instead of sanding down the high points, they seem to have built up the low points.

Regards the vented discs, when I started this project I had all sorts of fabulous ideas such as wilwoods, a roll cage, flared arches, high lift cams, but then had a stop and think, I'd be altering everything I loved about the driving experience, I loved it for exactly what it was. The Tuscan does a fine job of delivering the thrilling sports car performance, but I liked stepping back in time with the M, so decided to leave everything standard but give a new lease of life and a tart up!
It'll go (and stop) perfectly well on std stuff. Make sure you keep an eye on the drilled discs though. I personally hate them and see more cracks emanating from aftermarket drilled discs than I would like. If you did want to switch to a vented disc, There is a way of doing it relatively cheaply with std diss from a production car and a little bit of machining. My racer runs a pretty std type set up. I am not one for spending lots of money..
Are you in the Low Fell area bye the way. The houses in the pics look familiar??

Neil.


phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Sunday 3rd January 2016
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Dollyman1850 said:
If you did want to switch to a vented disc, There is a way of doing it relatively cheaply with std diss from a production car and a little bit of machining.
While fitting the CDD stub axle kit I went for vented disc's. Used a pair of VW disc's just needed the centre bore opening out a bit and four new fixing holes drilled. caliper spacers widely available thanks to Ford using same calipers on Escorts and Capri's wink

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Sunday 3rd January 2016
quotequote all
phillpot said:
Dollyman1850 said:
If you did want to switch to a vented disc, There is a way of doing it relatively cheaply with std diss from a production car and a little bit of machining.
While fitting the CDD stub axle kit I went for vented disc's. Used a pair of VW disc's just needed the centre bore opening out a bit and four new fixing holes drilled. caliper spacers widely available thanks to Ford using same calipers on Escorts and Capri's wink
Mine were ford discs as well. same procedure.
N.

Andrew Gray

4,969 posts

148 months

Sunday 3rd January 2016
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DAKOTAstorm said:
I was pleased with the blasting, as the car had so many layers of paint having previously been resprayed differing colours, I don't think I could have achieved the same level of removal by sanding. It needs finishing touches, the guy was able to use a very fine glass bead for the majority, switching to soda when needed. His advice was to go over the full car with 180 and then a finer finishing grit. A lot of the rear was mainly filler or 'high rise' he called it. The rear had been in a shunt and the new end molded on perfectly well, but instead of sanding down the high points, they seem to have built up the low points.

Regards the vented discs, when I started this project I had all sorts of fabulous ideas such as wilwoods, a roll cage, flared arches, high lift cams, but then had a stop and think, I'd be altering everything I loved about the driving experience, I loved it for exactly what it was. The Tuscan does a fine job of delivering the thrilling sports car performance, but I liked stepping back in time with the M, so decided to leave everything standard but give a new lease of life and a tart up!
+1 Nice to hear someone who understands the joys of driving a Classic with its inevitable characteristics its what makes many of us love them so much looking forward to seeing more progress top work
Andrew

DAKOTAstorm

Original Poster:

419 posts

156 months

Tuesday 16th August 2016
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Well after two years finally got the chassis in a position to receive the body. Dropped it off today for the paint process. Still a few things to smarten up on the chassis such as each front corner upright assembly needs refreshing and may route some pipes differently when weight settles.






Andrew Gray

4,969 posts

148 months

Tuesday 16th August 2016
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Looking great well done
A

Slow M

2,726 posts

205 months

Wednesday 17th August 2016
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DAKOTAstorm said:
Well after two years finally got the chassis in a position to receive the body. Dropped it off today for the paint process. Still a few things to smarten up on the chassis such as each front corner upright assembly needs refreshing and may route some pipes differently when weight settles.





clap

Best regards,
Bernard.

DAKOTAstorm

Original Poster:

419 posts

156 months

Monday 26th December 2016
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I am hoping to get the body back completed with the chassis in the next few month and just starting to plan ahead. What would be the best way to progress with the next steps. It requires a full new wiring loom, the fuel lines plumbed to tank and the interior upholstery fitted.

I am thinking it would be best to fit minimal of interior such as dash and centre console, fit and plumb in the fuel tank and then start the wiring? Seen as the wiring will run under the carpets and behind the dash and require the gauges. Then once wiring is done I can start a full interior fit.

Looking for advice from those with experience which is the best order. My target for completion is the Spa Classic, May. This will be tight.

chris52

1,560 posts

182 months

Monday 26th December 2016
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Are you using a best spoke loom or making it from scratch? I would wire the dash and switch panel etc on a bench and then fit it as it's a pain to try and wire up in situ. You can then fit the dash and run the wires through the bulk head to the front and down the transmission tunnel to where they go. I also found it easier on the Vixen to have all fuses relays etc located in the cabin behind or under the dash but easily accessible this also keeps the undenonnet area a bit tidier. All the bonnet electrics lights indicators I fitted with quick release plugs locates just at the end of the chassis two five pin plugs was enough one for all the lives and the other for dedicated earths for each fitting this makes it much easier when removing the bonnet for whatever reason. Once the wiring and plumbing is all fitted and working then start on the interior. Last thing to fit will be your windscreen and rear window.
Have fun
Chris

Andrew Gray

4,969 posts

148 months

Monday 26th December 2016
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The Nicest way is to start from scratch
If you make 4 separate looms the Bonnet one then engine bay Dash and rear adding extra to the back so you can have a socket for charging items in the back a double socket even better.
The Bonnet loom use connectors like this neater than the trailer ones often used
https://www.autosparks.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/...
As Chris says fuses and extra relays behind the dash i did 7 relays on the Tuscan
You may wish to put dummy fuse box old style flasher and relays in the engine bay to give the appearance of OE but thats a personel thing
By doing it this way you can do the Dash as Chris says on the bench and then connect everything up when tested.
I added extra Earth points inside the car front and back so there are 4 earthing points 2 front two back and these are linked so if one front one fails it picks up the other.

If doing your own loom when ordering the wire remember to get the right size for the item old style wire has thicker core etc so with adding extra fuses and relays thin outer cover is an advantage as it gets tight in the fuse box are when connecting up.

Worth adding extra wires in engine bay loom as well as in future you may want to add things and then they are there if needed.

If you create the loom as you go in the engine bay then once tested and lengths are neat and tidy its actually not hard to disconnect and take off the car then wrap and re fit.

Sounds a lot of work and yes it is but its fun and worth it in the end.

Andrew



DAKOTAstorm

Original Poster:

419 posts

156 months

Monday 26th December 2016
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Ok, thank you. My idea for the wiring was to create separate looms as you said. Quick release plugs a plenty. I aiming for all items to be plug and play style so if anything needs to be removed in future it's done with ease. For example a rear light cluster on its own plug, so this can be simply unplugged, unscrewed and then it's out. I may also try this with engine harness so effectively it's a plug and play item. I will most likely locate fuse box in footwell and try to keep wires hidden and tidy in engine bay, I'm not particularly bothered regards keeping it looking period electrical wise, I'd prefer ease of use and efficiency.

Another thing to think of is I am based Oxfordshire and the car north east, travelling back and forth to the car, buying tools and materials and the rarity of time off work, it maybe more cost effective and a better use of time, given the deadline, to give it to an expert at the obvious loss of money. What a garage could accomplish in a few weeks can well take me a few month just to get the time off!

Andrew Gray

4,969 posts

148 months

Monday 26th December 2016
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DAKOTAstorm said:
Ok, thank you. My idea for the wiring was to create separate looms as you said. Quick release plugs a plenty. I aiming for all items to be plug and play style so if anything needs to be removed in future it's done with ease. For example a rear light cluster on its own plug, so this can be simply unplugged, unscrewed and then it's out. I may also try this with engine harness so effectively it's a plug and play item. I will most likely locate fuse box in footwell and try to keep wires hidden and tidy in engine bay, I'm not particularly bothered regards keeping it looking period electrical wise, I'd prefer ease of use and efficiency.

Another thing to think of is I am based Oxfordshire and the car north east, travelling back and forth to the car, buying tools and materials and the rarity of time off work, it maybe more cost effective and a better use of time, given the deadline, to give it to an expert at the obvious loss of money. What a garage could accomplish in a few weeks can well take me a few month just to get the time off!
I agree i must say though doing what you say as we suggested adds a lot of time to the process in ways at least doubling the time to bo the work.
I agree in some ways although what you could do is to do a section on the car where you simply put all the wires in place no connectors.
Then take it home and work on building that section at your leisure at home.
There are a host of tools needed and good ones rather than cheap ones plus materials from wrap to connectors to different sizes of heat shrink.
Expect to pay anything from £1OOO TO £1500 to get someone to do it for you plus then you wont have the intimate knowledge you gain of your cars wiring by doing it yourself
Decisions Decisions Scott wink
Andrew

DAKOTAstorm

Original Poster:

419 posts

156 months

Monday 26th December 2016
quotequote all
I'm ok with soldering, crimping, plug assembly etc. It's the actual knowledge, like you mentioned, of what needs to go where, what requires what and so on that I have very little of. I have been reading and researching a lot but the penny yet to drop. My father is an electrician by trade, his advice was 'I can tell you two things about electricity. The first is it flows like water and takes the path of least resistance. The second is ... it's magic'.

I like your idea of getting a rather standard wiring completed and then in my own time adding the plugs and connectors as I have time. In fact as I typed that and re read it, my head nodded, so some part of my brain somewhere is happy with that!

The project is over two years in now, mainly due to lack of time off work to get stuff done. I think I'd rather be in a position in the future hundreds of pounds down, lacking knowledge, but the windows down, exhaust burbling, engine revving, blasting through Belgium in a convoy of classic TVRs.

I'll email around and get a few quotes and see who can fit me in! Thanks for taking time to reply.

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Monday 26th December 2016
quotequote all
DAKOTAstorm said:
I'm ok with soldering, crimping, plug assembly etc. It's the actual knowledge, like you mentioned, of what needs to go where, what requires what and so on that I have very little of. I have been reading and researching a lot but the penny yet to drop. My father is an electrician by trade, his advice was 'I can tell you two things about electricity. The first is it flows like water and takes the path of least resistance. The second is ... it's magic'.

I like your idea of getting a rather standard wiring completed and then in my own time adding the plugs and connectors as I have time. In fact as I typed that and re read it, my head nodded, so some part of my brain somewhere is happy with that!

The project is over two years in now, mainly due to lack of time off work to get stuff done. I think I'd rather be in a position in the future hundreds of pounds down, lacking knowledge, but the windows down, exhaust burbling, engine revving, blasting through Belgium in a convoy of classic TVRs.

I'll email around and get a few quotes and see who can fit me in! Thanks for taking time to reply.
I would recommend a Car Builder Solutions pre-wired module which allows you to join the dots.
N.


DAKOTAstorm

Original Poster:

419 posts

156 months

Monday 26th December 2016
quotequote all
I've just had a browse on their website, something like this . . .



I watched the accompanying video on their website and it does seem a good bit of kit. Have you used one before?

Looks as though it would save a lot of time and is another very good option. I still need to explore and research further the basics of wiring, to get a better understanding as I have a lot of questions in my head I don't have answers too.

Andrew Gray

4,969 posts

148 months

Monday 26th December 2016
quotequote all
Dollyman1850 said:
DAKOTAstorm said:
I'm ok with soldering, crimping, plug assembly etc. It's the actual knowledge, like you mentioned, of what needs to go where, what requires what and so on that I have very little of. I have been reading and researching a lot but the penny yet to drop. My father is an electrician by trade, his advice was 'I can tell you two things about electricity. The first is it flows like water and takes the path of least resistance. The second is ... it's magic'.

I like your idea of getting a rather standard wiring completed and then in my own time adding the plugs and connectors as I have time. In fact as I typed that and re read it, my head nodded, so some part of my brain somewhere is happy with that!

The project is over two years in now, mainly due to lack of time off work to get stuff done. I think I'd rather be in a position in the future hundreds of pounds down, lacking knowledge, but the windows down, exhaust burbling, engine revving, blasting through Belgium in a convoy of classic TVRs.

I'll email around and get a few quotes and see who can fit me in! Thanks for taking time to reply.
I would recommend a Car Builder Solutions pre-wired module which allows you to join the dots.
N.
Neils suggestion is not a bad idea if you have not got any knowledge as that should come with some instructions that way you can split that loom and use that as a basis and add wires where needed make longer or shorten to neaten up etc.
I had zero knowledge when i started and still feel my knowledge is limited but i had a great friend who did it with me and guided me.
The best bit of advice he gave be was think one wire at a time and it becomes so much simpler
Andrew

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 26th December 2016
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Why would you not buy a loom from autosparks with additional capacity?

The more breaks in a loom, the more problems in the future. Keep it simple surely??