Ariel Atom 3.5 - back from the dead
Discussion
Hi everyone,
In April this year my Dad and I purchased a crashed Ariel Atom 3.5 on TradeMe the New Zealand equivalent of Ebay.
We originally purchased it for the engine to use it in our EP3 CTR. But when it arrived on the back of the truck we realised it had some good bits, Ohlins at all four corners and big Alcons front and back, so the decision was made to save it.
Dad managed to secure a new chassis from Ariel in the UK and thus began the rebuild, the chassis and the other replacement parts (tub, seat unit and some suspension bits) arrived from the UK last week. Once completed we will put it through the compliance process and road register it.
Below are some photos of it as it arrived:
The replacement chassis is black instead of the original gunmetal grey and the wheels will also be black, we also ordered the optional windscreen kit, Alcon handbrake kit which is required for road registration here and the optional side pods.
It was quite a long wait for the chassis to arrive but then last week it happened, we used our car trailer and my Mum's Honda Crossroad to collect it in Auckland.
All our Christmases came at once with the unboxing:
Assembly has started and it is a pretty fun job!
l
Today was a big day, fitted the fuel tank and the engine, took all day, had to be careful not to scratch the chassis, but it wasn't easy.
Washed the engine first, the exhaust is manifold is at place in Auckland getting ceramic coated, back next week hopefully.
There are still quite a few jobs left to do, I will keep thread updated with progress photos if anyone is interested.
Excited to drive it but I think it is going to be a wild ride!
Thanks for looking
In April this year my Dad and I purchased a crashed Ariel Atom 3.5 on TradeMe the New Zealand equivalent of Ebay.
We originally purchased it for the engine to use it in our EP3 CTR. But when it arrived on the back of the truck we realised it had some good bits, Ohlins at all four corners and big Alcons front and back, so the decision was made to save it.
Dad managed to secure a new chassis from Ariel in the UK and thus began the rebuild, the chassis and the other replacement parts (tub, seat unit and some suspension bits) arrived from the UK last week. Once completed we will put it through the compliance process and road register it.
Below are some photos of it as it arrived:
The replacement chassis is black instead of the original gunmetal grey and the wheels will also be black, we also ordered the optional windscreen kit, Alcon handbrake kit which is required for road registration here and the optional side pods.
It was quite a long wait for the chassis to arrive but then last week it happened, we used our car trailer and my Mum's Honda Crossroad to collect it in Auckland.
All our Christmases came at once with the unboxing:
Assembly has started and it is a pretty fun job!
lToday was a big day, fitted the fuel tank and the engine, took all day, had to be careful not to scratch the chassis, but it wasn't easy.
Washed the engine first, the exhaust is manifold is at place in Auckland getting ceramic coated, back next week hopefully.
There are still quite a few jobs left to do, I will keep thread updated with progress photos if anyone is interested.
Excited to drive it but I think it is going to be a wild ride!
Thanks for looking
Alucidnation said:
Good save!
Is the cost justifiable though?
Absolutely, once it is done it will have cost much less than a new one. When we got the dash going today we found out that it has only done 6,000km, that is virtually new.Is the cost justifiable though?
Cost is also much less because we are doing all the work ourselves. Labour cost is what usually kills a project like this I reckon.
superkarl said:
Is the Gti-R and clio V6 yours aswell??
Yes, we love cars and I reckon if you buy right they are reasonably good investments. We have a bit of a collection The Clio has done 20,000km and the Pulsar just over 30,000km both pretty mint, so we will see if it the values go up. Clio prices have gone mad in the UK and you simply never see Pulsars like these for sale, all have been modified or rusted to bits.
k me, what did it hit??
Krikkit said:
Glad I wasn't the passenger when that had its smash, I quite like my feet!
Looks like a great project, must make it a touch easier having easy access to most bits.
Yes, everything is there which makes it a right treat! As we put it back together we are reconditioning everything that doesn't look new so when it is done we will have a brand spanker Atom! Looks like a great project, must make it a touch easier having easy access to most bits.
avenger286 said:
Good luck with this and nice Clio v6 in the workshop also!
Thanks, yeah the Clio is pretty nice it is unmodified except for the horrible factory seats, we replaced them wirh Recaro Pole Positions, so much nicer to drive now.It does need a bit of work because the first few owners neglected it
Todays progress, hung the front suspension units, still have to fit the lights too, chucked a Alcon on to see what it would like it, and colour me impressed. The yellow and black really pops.
Behold!!!!!!
Will hang the rear suspension arms during the week and post more updates as we go.
Behold!!!!!!
Will hang the rear suspension arms during the week and post more updates as we go.
Good day all,
So there has been some more progress, rear suspension on, some lights fitted to check what works and what doesn't.
Body work is off to be painted and the wheels will be back from the sandblaster hopefully before the weekend so they can be painted too. Black is the name of the game.
We will cover the sides, anyone have any recommendations as to what to use? I've seen some Atoms with it and without, prefer to have it covered because it will be used in winter too, I know it doesn't provide much protection from the elements but every bit helps.
Had the silencer polished back to its original gleam and hopefully the exhaust manifold will be back from the coaters by the weekend so we can see if it starts! Still have to put in the water pipes etc too but we are getting there!
Will post more over the weekend
Some photos:
So there has been some more progress, rear suspension on, some lights fitted to check what works and what doesn't.
Body work is off to be painted and the wheels will be back from the sandblaster hopefully before the weekend so they can be painted too. Black is the name of the game.
We will cover the sides, anyone have any recommendations as to what to use? I've seen some Atoms with it and without, prefer to have it covered because it will be used in winter too, I know it doesn't provide much protection from the elements but every bit helps.
Had the silencer polished back to its original gleam and hopefully the exhaust manifold will be back from the coaters by the weekend so we can see if it starts! Still have to put in the water pipes etc too but we are getting there!
Will post more over the weekend
Some photos:
ChocolateFrog said:
Atom's do not crash well, we've seen a couple on here that have folded pretty badly. I imagine it's because the chassis is all pre-bent so a crash just gives it a helping hand to fold.
I'd still have one and surely putting this one back on the road is the right decision. It must have been cheap to begin with if you bought it for the engine.
I don't know what values are like over there but here they're virtually depreciation proof.
There aren't many of them in New Zealand and even fewer are road registered. It is quite the process to get something strange complied for road use. It will be worth a bit probably, but I am just happy that we could save it.I'd still have one and surely putting this one back on the road is the right decision. It must have been cheap to begin with if you bought it for the engine.
I don't know what values are like over there but here they're virtually depreciation proof.
We have a SPF GT40 and the process which inluded a number of modifications took us 15 months, worth it though, it is the only road registered SPF GT40 in NZ as far as I know and the only MK1, the other two in NZ are both MK2's and neither are road registered.
We absolutely love cars, working on them or driving them, both bring great pleasure
firemunki said:
I love Atoms but please tell me there is a thread on the Sunny.
I have such a soft spot for them, I had a 1.4 as my first car and always wanted one, still can't afford one 15= years down the line!
I will have to start a thread on the Sunny too, when we found it, it had been freshly imported albeit 2 years before we found it, it just stood in a guy's carport for those two years. Paint faded but all there.I have such a soft spot for them, I had a 1.4 as my first car and always wanted one, still can't afford one 15= years down the line!
The bonus was that it had only done 27,000km, had a pod filter in place of the airbox, ligjtweight CP Hart wheels in white, a different steering wheel and lilely from new GAB shocks and a GAB strut brace plus a Momo steering wheel.
It is a series 2 and had a horrible steering wheel from new so I understand why it was replaced. I have since found a steering wheel out of a normal GTI Sunny/Pulsar which we put in but need the center GTIR emblem which I can't find anywhere.
We have also got the standard wheels for it. Inside is a timewarp, it is amazing, we have a R32 that is similar but with only 20,000km on it. Nissan people really but all cars are welcome.
Edited by celger7 on Wednesday 13th December 06:40
Yet more progress!
While I am at work Dad is working full steam on the Atom.
Rotors have been skimmed, calipers fitted including the handbrake calipers, rotor centers painted with heat resistent black paint all looking good, getting the exhaust back tomorrow so will hopefully be able to start it this weekend maybe even do an oil change!
Also test fitting the mudguards, will be off to paint shortly too.
Will post some more photos when there is more progress.
While I am at work Dad is working full steam on the Atom.
Rotors have been skimmed, calipers fitted including the handbrake calipers, rotor centers painted with heat resistent black paint all looking good, getting the exhaust back tomorrow so will hopefully be able to start it this weekend maybe even do an oil change!
Also test fitting the mudguards, will be off to paint shortly too.
Will post some more photos when there is more progress.
FlyingTrotter said:
Really impressive - if you have not already done so I would also post or send a link to the Atom Club forum - lot of owners on there and they would love this excellent thread
Really like what you are doing save for the white wings and mud guards but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Miss mine when I see threads like this - with the side pods you can take it up to 350bhp with their upgrade kit when you get used to the performance - did it have the standard size wheels or the wider ones ? I ask as the wider are supposed to really help in handling the power - I always fancied getting some and now the higher performance models all seem to have them
Well done for saving the car - I am sure it will give you lots of fun
Thanks very much, we are having a great time putting it together.Really like what you are doing save for the white wings and mud guards but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Miss mine when I see threads like this - with the side pods you can take it up to 350bhp with their upgrade kit when you get used to the performance - did it have the standard size wheels or the wider ones ? I ask as the wider are supposed to really help in handling the power - I always fancied getting some and now the higher performance models all seem to have them
Well done for saving the car - I am sure it will give you lots of fun
Re the wings and the guards, they will be gloss black, still in the unpainted fibreglass at the moment, wanted to test fit everything first to make sure it all fits well before paint, the white would look quite horrid
Tonight we put the guards on the frames with the adhesive, once completely cured we will paint them.
The pods are only for the looks at the moment, no charge cooler and no oil cooler, maybe in the future.
Wheels are 16 inch in the rear and 15 in the front, 225 out back, not sure if they are the wider wheels, the original car was very well optioned, so maybe
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff