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Got close to giving up without even trying on this one, just because work and everything else got on top of me! Decided instead to make a start on sorting the water pump and maybe doing little bits of cosmetic stuff: Now the headlights are out, the support panels for these are the first new bit of obvious welding needed. Meanwhile removing the front bumper looks like some sort of magical trick, with concealed screws, that will need a lot more patience that the incredibly easy bonnet and radiator support/filler panel removal. Front wing removal is the goal; then the inner wings, lower edges of the sill can be judged. Water pump etc. removed. The pump's impellers look okay, maybe it just needs a new bearing somewhere. BC: I caught the thread during the "weight reduction" stage; I can see you've done a lot of work on the car, I'm a big fan of Monzas but haven't owned one due to the propensity of the inner wings to go and not having the budget to get a decent one. Without reading the preceding pages, it looked like a nice tidy car I like being gutted in a very non-easily-reversed way.
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Last Edit: Jul 20, 2011 16:00:14 GMT by Deleted
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,917
Club RR Member Number: 71
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BC: I caught the thread during the "weight reduction" stage; I can see you've done a lot of work on the car, I'm a big fan of Monzas but haven't owned one due to the propensity of the inner wings to go and not having the budget to get a decent one. Without reading the preceding pages, it looked like a nice tidy car I like being gutted in a very non-easily-reversed way. I can see how you could come to that conclusion looking at the last few pages - I saved it from the scrap dealer 10 year ago and for a long while it was a tidy usable car even if a log way from perfect. I'm not a concours person never have been but my Monza was never going to win any prizes (seriously when they say the camera never lies it's complete rubbish) and plenty of other club members are keeping much much nicer examples in tip top condition for future generations so there is absolutely no point in me doing the same. I never expected it to last as long as it has to be totally honest I expected to get 2 years out of it max before the inevitable "I run out talent" moment meant I put it on it's roof and that would have been the end of that. However it hasn't happened yet - so I've continued along a path to improve it that has raised the profile of the Opel Monza whilst not suggesting that everyone should buy one and do the same - more a you can use something less obvious as a track car and still have fun. Yes the last few mods have been non reversable - sorry but it's reached that point and I've avoided it for too long - if I looked back an 8 point weld in cage to stop the shell twisting was probably not that reversable but boy did that shell have some flex it it till the cage was fitted. Pretty much every part removed or replaced has gone on to save other Monzas - either free or for next to nothing as I don't like to see servicable parts wasted Like I said in another thread - conversations in a pub - your round
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Your engine only has one plug per rotor? How quaint.. ;D
Looking forwards to watching this car progress- i'm hoping you don't find it too bad if only so we can all see it hit the road sooner.
I think an engine like this might be a goer...
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Jul 21, 2011 11:21:52 GMT
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I think it's survived by the skin of its rotortips, tbh - it's only been "no longer road legal" for 4 months or so! Welding is going to be the big one; I will want to run before I can crawl. May have to offer beer tokens for the skilled artisans of RR to do some stuff to the car to inspire me and reassure me that it is possible to save it.
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Jul 21, 2011 11:31:50 GMT
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maybe pay beer to someone to do the underside welding which is always awkward to do. Then you learn to weld and do the welding topside where you can get comfortable and take time. Remember- grinder is a learner welders best friend. oh- and filler. As long as its strong then you can later bother to make it pretty.
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Jul 21, 2011 17:58:57 GMT
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I'm in Derby and am an apprentice trained welder, been welding up a TX1 london taxi today!!
Need any advice let me know mate
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Sept 26, 2011 12:56:12 GMT
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Great looking car mate.
I will be keeping an eye on progress.
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1985 Mercedes W123 230E - 5 speed manual & 2011 BMW F11 520d Touring - 8 speed automatic.
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Sept 26, 2011 13:32:35 GMT
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There'll be some one day! I still need to get the front wing off, lost my impact-driver bits and nothing I have is big enough to remove the bumper screws. Cunningly put together, these NSUs...
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Sept 26, 2011 13:48:03 GMT
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Get yourself a W123 Merc, they're much easier to work on!
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1985 Mercedes W123 230E - 5 speed manual & 2011 BMW F11 520d Touring - 8 speed automatic.
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Sept 26, 2011 14:16:21 GMT
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Been there, done that - nearly lost an eye, as I couldn't obtain the special tool for the front coil (which is a doddle with the right tool, beautifully designed) - was trying to do it with regular compressors and BANG, it came out towards the front of the car, took a chunk out of the front valance and missed my face by about an inch.
I think all the Mercs I like originate from the W124 - I'm always torn between W124 drophead or R129 SL; I'd probably be sold on an E500 Convertible!
I've been inspired to go and sort out my tools, see if I can find the impact driver bits or source new MASSIVE crosshead screwdriver bits to undo the bumpers. Once they're off, wings can come off and I'll feel like I am making progress...
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Finally got the bumper off, but the wings are filled so much I'm going to have to chisel them off at the leading edge behind the bumper. It's an amazing feat of engineering, but has been bodged a little too much! Inner wings are complex and not looking too clever, but I'll press on for now. The bumpers are secured at the back by long bolts, about 8" long, which look like something out of an archeological dig.
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Last Edit: Oct 3, 2011 16:52:28 GMT by Deleted
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brc76
RR Helper
Posts: 1,107
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Keep thinking about what it'll be like when you have removed all the bodge and filler and made it how you want it to be. Don't let it get you down! If you want to be cheered up and laugh, come look at my K70 with chicken wire strut turrets!!
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Dear Santa.
I want a welder.
And the NOS wings I found.
But a welder, mostly.
Seriously, this car could be more than I can handle with the lack of experience I have welding. It looks complex. If NSU could double-skin something, they did - is the K70 like that?
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The limitations of characters in the title...
So I'm knocking bits of filler off at the moment, and pulling off the rubbery underseal to reveal the thoroughly expected horrors.
I understand how areas like that section of inner wing can be remade... but the car's front apron is very unusual in that it's effectively left like a big scoop when you get the bolt-on panels off. Double-skinned, of course.
With the filler removed, there's not much metal on the edges, including the arches. And there are complex curves involved.
So how do you go about making something, if there are no reference points? You can be sure as hell I'm going to try and find a replacement panel - even if it involves a trip to Germany with an angle grinder in search of a scrap car - but if that fails - how can something like this be recreated?
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Oct 11, 2011 16:38:27 GMT
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The Ro80 has a friend visiting...
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,872
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Oct 11, 2011 17:08:32 GMT
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Seriously, this car could be more than I can handle with the lack of experience I have welding. It looks complex. If NSU could double-skin something, they did Keep the faith! Similarly to yourself, I bought my welder in order to tackle my rotary engined rust bucket and it was one of the best purchases I've ever made. I agree with Yoeddynz's sentiments, but in a slightly round about way. I started by getting to grips with the welder on panels that were hidden from view and not very structural, for example, bottom corners of bumpers. No strength needed, if its a bit ropey it's not like its in full view of the world as it's tucked under the car. As said, prep and grinder time is everything. I may seem like £££ but a few quid spent on various different types of grinding discs/wire wheel/flap discs make life easier. When you feel happy you can make strong joints, tackle the under side, and by the time you've finished that it'll seem so nice to be actually able to see what you're doing that doing the cosmetic & strength important topside bits is a doddle. Don't let complex shapes and double thicknesses of metal put you off, just break it down in to easy steps. Build each section with cereal boxes and masking tape and then transfer to metal. If its double skinned then just treat it as two separate panels. If I can do it, and my self taught/trial and error efforts have held up for 6,000miles with no issues so far, anyone can! Also check out this thread, I only wish I'd read it before I embarked on my project! retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=usetharch&action=display&thread=70135
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Oct 11, 2011 18:21:58 GMT
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A car I have huge respect for. What a fabulous piece of design! I do also agree about stupid lowering and tidy cars being butchered. However, I am happy to see any old car kept on the road Oh and BTW, what's the deal with the Series 1 SD1 in your garage? Looks very tidy? V8?
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Oct 11, 2011 20:19:03 GMT
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Oh and BTW, what's the deal with the Series 1 SD1 in your garage? Looks very tidy? V8? That Rover's the property of the one and only Keith Adams, founder of Retro-afficionado website mecca "AROnline" - it's having a visit and hiding from the elements whilst I get to pootle about in it (I've been told off for pootling, rather than hooning, but I'm being gentle with respect for the car's age). I'm doing a bit of trim fettling and OCD tweaking, but it's one of the oldest V8s and was restored in 2008/9 in Poland. I'd put more stuff about it, but it's not mine, hence the visitor bit - I think Keith's on here sometimes, and it's his story to tell! The Ro80 used to be his. Here's a more revealing pic of it
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Last Edit: Oct 11, 2011 20:19:59 GMT by Deleted
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Oct 11, 2011 21:27:57 GMT
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That's beautiful The series one cars have a real purity. Hopefully SD1s are worth enough now that people have stopped scrapping them just to get a donor engine and gearbox I'm sure I've heard about that car being restored in Poland, and possibly even seen pictures of it being done. I have a real soft spot for SD1s, I've always fancied a Vitesse or a nice Vanden Plas. As it happens though there's a lot of SD1 Vitesse in my TVR. Engine and box are Vitesse spec items, plus it has an SD1 steering column and switch gear! ;D
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funkyhunk
Part of things
Old Ford's R Us
Posts: 265
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Oct 12, 2011 13:11:27 GMT
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That Rover's the property of the one and only Keith Adams, founder of Retro-afficionado website mecca "AROnline" - it's having a visit and hiding from the elements whilst I get to pootle about in it (I've been told off for pootling, rather than hooning, but I'm being gentle with respect for the car's age). I'm doing a bit of trim fettling and OCD tweaking, but it's one of the oldest V8s and was restored in 2008/9 in Poland. I'd put more stuff about it, but it's not mine, hence the visitor bit - I think Keith's on here sometimes, and it's his story to tell! The Ro80 used to be his. Here's a more revealing pic of it [omg]http://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/317548_10150483692497586_544157585_11289459_1987857452_n.jpg[/omg] How was the result on the restoration in Poland? I have my '75 Ford Taunus for restoration in Poland as we speak and I am anxious about the results, altough I've only heard good things about them.
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