Torquesport
Part of things
Astras all the way!
Posts: 453
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Oct 21, 2011 11:06:50 GMT
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Didn't realize you can buy foam rubber tape in rolls like that.
I'm not sure if it is readily available here, given that license plates are attached with screws here.
I'll have to stop in at one of the local body shops and ask.
Thanks
-Phil
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Oct 22, 2011 17:46:49 GMT
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Bought some paint brushes in town last night.  Started putting the red on the badge.  ARGH.  --Phil |
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Oct 22, 2011 18:28:47 GMT
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 Rubbed the paint on the top of the letters off, working on the premise that if there isn't any paint there, hopefully there's nothing to react with. Watch me be wrong. |
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Oct 22, 2011 19:05:59 GMT
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 That came out satisfactorily. Got one run where it shouldn't be though. Still better than it was  --Phil |
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Went to AutoZone and bought a five foot roll of foam tape stuff. $8. Yech.  Cut it to length and adhered it to the badge. It stuck firmly, thankfully.  Stuck the badge to the grille. Looks good now it's all tidied up  Now I just have to attach it to the car. --Phil |
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Torquesport
Part of things
Astras all the way!
Posts: 453
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Nice work on the badge. I'm glad you managed to source some foam tape, even though it was a bit pricey!
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Oct 23, 2011 19:31:19 GMT
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Thanks. That stuff grips like the glue you see in Wile E Coyote / Roadrunner cartoons. No sooner had it touched the surface, it was stuck.
I don't think it's coming off any time soon.
I'm stuck at work this weekend, it's really nice weather outside and I'd love to be working on the car but I can't.
That and the wife has gone to work too and has taken the stuff I needed to do an oil change on the GTA with...
--Phil
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Oct 23, 2011 19:44:08 GMT
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That and the wife has gone to work too and has taken the stuff I needed to do an oil change on the GTA with... You mean like the oil...and the filter? (Sorry, couldn't resist!) I really ought to post in this thread more often. I always read it but completely fail when it comes to commenting on anything. I love this build - a real labour of love and a real testament to one mans determination and attention to detail. It's great to see it all coming together and I can't wait to see it 'finished' (is there such a thing?) Keep at it Phil and just console yourself with the fact that we all have those times when the weather is nice and we'd like nothing more than to be working on our cars when life, instead, is getting in the way. At least you get more of the nice weather than we tend to get over here. ;D |
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Oct 23, 2011 21:44:01 GMT
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That and the wife has gone to work too and has taken the stuff I needed to do an oil change on the GTA with... You mean like the oil...and the filter? (Sorry, couldn't resist!) I really ought to post in this thread more often. I always read it but completely fail when it comes to commenting on anything. I love this build - a real labour of love and a real testament to one mans determination and attention to detail. It's great to see it all coming together and I can't wait to see it 'finished' (is there such a thing?) Keep at it Phil and just console yourself with the fact that we all have those times when the weather is nice and we'd like nothing more than to be working on our cars when life, instead, is getting in the way. At least you get more of the nice weather than we tend to get over here. ;D Well, particularly the filter. I had bought a new one (they only had Fram, and it was in a very dusty box in a corner of the rack that nobody ever went to) and 5 quarts of the finest unbranded 20w/50 the Dollar Store had. Grand total $12. That is the kind of oil change price I like. Consider that if I were to bring it somewhere that would be a charge upwards of $65 for the convenience. I did have time to briefly stop in on the way to the hardware store- the house called for plumbing, the toilet wouldn't quit running, I think that is the source of my high water bill- and took a very shoddy video of it. For some reason my phone decided that everything was blue. The auto white balance doesn't like bright sunshine backdrops. That is the first time it has been run since yesterday. It is a bit more lively now too. Also note the correctly-reading fuel gauge. I had misaligned the pump last time and the float was resting on the edge of the swirl pot in the tank, and wouldn't go below 1/4 full. I'm not sure if the "Low Fuel" light is working properly. Probably not. I need to fine tune the off-lambda mixture. The fuel pressure isn't quite right. I spoke today with my old man and he said that Halfords have a 14mm Colortune that they sell and he would probably pick it up for me for Christmas. Isn't that nice of him? With that, a vacuum gauge and the laptop I should be able to get this fuel injection system into rude health. That's the plan. Finally no, a Retro is never "finished". It is just at a stage where you stopped doing much to it to actually enjoy driving it  --Phil |
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Last Edit: Oct 23, 2011 21:48:13 GMT by PhilA
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Regarding the oil, I drove my original GTA over 192,000 km and the only time it ever complained was when I used cheap oil. Here in Canada, Canadian Tire had a brand called Nugold and the car ran so bad I ended up replacing that oil immediately with my normal grade and it ran fine after. Especially if the car was just rebuilt, you might want to use a bit better oil.
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Oct 24, 2011 10:44:25 GMT
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Regarding the oil, I drove my original GTA over 192,000 km and the only time it ever complained was when I used cheap oil. Here in Canada, Canadian Tire had a brand called Nugold and the car ran so bad I ended up replacing that oil immediately with my normal grade and it ran fine after. Especially if the car was just rebuilt, you might want to use a bit better oil. This is just to flush it through a few times after rebuilding the motor. It will be getting a basic name brand once it sees the street. I just don't see much point using expensive oil to put in and drain out -Phil |
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Colortune is in the mail; waiting for that to arrive. My dad took the box apart before he sent it to check it was good. Apparently the design of the plug has changed quite radically from the one he bought several decades ago. Unable to get to the house because of all the Halloween stuff going on around here, I decided to don my thinking cap and put the ole grey matter to work. I came up with this:  A nice reminder for me, as I need to rebuild the circuit I built a few pages back, including a few refinements and a minor modification. The cool weather is looking to stay for a few more days so I might get it built later in the week. I'm working an overnight shift at work tomorrow which is going to be killer, so don't hold your breath on an update lol --Phil |
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Since my GTA convertible won't serve as an everyday driver, I went to a car auction on the weekend trying to find something that I could get parts for. I watched a lot of cars go for too much before I broke down at an unloved 98 Saab 900S that nobody would touch. I just noticed that Torquespeed also has one, so I guess the need to own one of the orphaned marques is a common disease. Mine has 75000 km on it, no rust and all it needs is a head gasket (I hope). Cost me $1000 and a little research shows it was a one owner vehicle owned by a retired music professor. It all sounds too good to be true, so I'll LYK if it is.
As for my GTA, just bought a new battery and I'll attempt to start it for the first time in over a year.
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Had some spare time as SWMBO has to work weekend shift. Decided to finally do the oil change on the Renault and fit its face back on. First order was to fit the grille.   Looks good, now spoiled by the leading edge of the bonnet being all flaky and the bumper being all pocked from stones. Jacked it up and drained out the oil   Spun on a new filter, orange Fram  Filled the sump with some of the finest cheap 20W/50  Starts and runs, although I forgot the computer so I couldn't make any adjustments today.  More later on. --Phil |
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Good work dude, but, i see the big rig is in the background. Any chance of some pics, perphaps with your car next to it for size reference? Lol!
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That's looking excellent, well worth the effort.
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Good work dude, but, I see the big rig is in the background. Any chance of some pics, perphaps with your car next to it for size reference? Lol! Yeah, about that. The new neighbors aren't all that friendly. I'm going to have to pass on that. However, there are other rigs on the road. Once I get it going I shall try photograph it next to a Peterbilt sleeper. How's about that? Volksangyl: Thanks, it has a raccoon face now lol |
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iant
Part of things
Posts: 155
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Like the new fresh nose. Nice work!
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Aaaargh.
I spent a little time today re-puzzling the interface between the car's ecu and the computer.
The circuit I drew up doesn't work, and I see now where I went wrong. Spent a few times in the car tearing everything off the prototyping board and trying again.
Needless to say, the results were not very promising.
I'm getting a whole lot of junk in amongst the data, and at one point managed to get the data inverted.
The computer program doesn't much like that.
Back to the drawing board; I may have to refine the circuit further. My main problem with it last time was that the engine wasn't running- now it is.
Still, if I can't get much sensible off this I should at least have the colortune in the mail soon which will help to a certain extent.
I'd still like to be able to gather data off it. That will let me know the computer is seeing everything it should be. (Or not, as the case may be).
More when it happens.
-Phil
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