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Mar 21, 2017 16:46:45 GMT
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^ good points by @outrun - I love the thought and effort that goes into body-swaps (old shell onto modern performance floorpan etc), but my first thought is often "how can you legally get that on the road in the UK" I'll admit I'm often guilty of assuming I'm looking at a road project, when it could well be a pure track/off-road/"fun" build. As said above - on with the build threads
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Mar 21, 2017 11:40:54 GMT
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I bought a Lancia Delta many years ago. Originally a Martini edition so it started with a white base. I got it as an ex-demonstrator from a marketing/graphics company - resprayed in red but with so many "waterfall" grapics in all colours on you could hardly see the base colour. Logbook said "Red" This thread needs moar pics
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Mar 21, 2017 11:26:58 GMT
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Info for SEB (& other XJS folk) There's an epsisode of TV show Wheeler Dealers coming up in a few days, where they restore an XJS.see Thursday 23rd 2pm on Quest (it looks like a 2-part show so more after 2pm / in the next couple of days) No comments needed about the show but this should give folk a look at what's under these cars, and what to expect when you start to work on them. Enjoy, hope you find it educational!
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Mar 21, 2017 11:18:04 GMT
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Dvla is not an issue since i'm Dutch. ;-) Our rules are not very clear so we can get away with more stuff. ^ That makes a big difference (and will make a lot of folk in the UK very jealous - we need to use a car that has a separate chassis or it is very difficult to do properly here) This might give you a few ideas retrorides.proboards.com/thread/179752/1973-volvo-p1800es-chassis-conversion
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Mar 20, 2017 23:31:55 GMT
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Mar 20, 2017 21:10:58 GMT
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Trying to keep things on track (or going downhill - depending on your view), I think we've just about got the Scottish & Northern England solution sorted. Not much else is needed but if I can help* in any way just let me know. * I can offer to transport essential supplies over the border to the Scottish "new order", and bring back any Scot refugees / English ex-pats as needed. ** Transport will be by tat-wagon, nominally rated at 1/2 ton but 1 ton is ok (we have tested this). I have plenty of experience at border crossings on "unpassable" back-roads (un-named farm tracks, A1 between Newcastle & Edinburgh etc). Always happy to help a worthy cause! Could I ask that you reconsider where to house the troublemakers? I like parts of Wales as it has the same unspoiled/unpopulated coutryside as my homelands - could I nominate somewhere South instead? Start small - Isle of Sheppy? Maybe draw a line across the Midlands or Home Counties and write off the area below the line? If it has to be Wales - just reinstate Offas Dyke? Apologies for drifting on-track (?), but as I'm in helpful mood would something like this help in the '38 pit-of-doom (just add a willing volunteer), it would save filling the cavern with smog?
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Mar 20, 2017 20:29:34 GMT
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Mar 20, 2017 20:17:21 GMT
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Latest news ... Our friendly postie delivered a box of goodies, including lots of DA disks so I can prep a set of doors for painting (when I decide which ones make up the best set), a mate has already said he will chuck some paint on them for me The pick-n-mix bag also included a load of LED panel bulbs, I've made a start replacing the dash idiot lights, still got a couple left to do. There's also a few spare if anyone needs any i.imgur.com/jD7iAGK.jpgNext job - tappets, and get a radiator sniff-test done to see if headgasket has gone (if not - try to find out why water keeps going down ) Never a dull day!
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Mar 19, 2017 23:10:11 GMT
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Ignoring costs, hindsight says the things that would have helped me when I was starting : * the option to bring my own mig setup (no point learning how your machines work when it's mine I need help with). Will your insurance allow this? * brief (30 minute?) 1-to-1 tuition showing how to set up a mig set and get started, and adjust for different thickness & types of metal. * maybe first lessons with clean metal - move to realistic ( rusty "real-world") asap. sheet / angle / box / curved car panels. * welding is the main "theme", but include tips on cutting out rust - surface prep - planning the repair sequence (so you don't plate over your access hole!) - making repair sections - fitting up (clamps/screws/molegrips etc) - finishing. Importance of rustproofing! * advise on lighting & ventiliation, equipment, auto-darken helmets, safety - how to avoid molten drops down your collar, fire, etc. Folk on this forum are petrolheads - how many "normal" folk these days repair cars or have any interest in welding? (are you wasting your time?) The dole and nanny state cover training costs for folk on benefits - lots of hoops to jump through but maybe worth asking them? (best avoided if you can't cope with bureaucracy) Premises, buildings & liability insurance? My insurance insist I have someone on "fire watch" if I need to use a hairdryer! "hotworks" etc Setup costs? ( 5 matching mig welders + masks etc) Boring legal stuff like maintenance records, pat testing, first-aid certification ... Accomodation? ( I'm up by the Scottish borders so would need to come down the day before, and stop at the end or long drive back overnight). Great idea, I learned *lots* when a mate spent an hour showing me how to use my mig set, I'm just not sure you'll get enough folk to make it work.
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Mar 19, 2017 15:22:16 GMT
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Mar 19, 2017 14:18:32 GMT
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^ pics work fine (the link opens a blank tapatalk page - just click the "download jpg" button to reveal all) Results look smart but I don't see a link for the app (or am I missing something obvious )
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Mar 19, 2017 11:13:01 GMT
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^ fad I move around occasionally but try to leave clues about where I'm currently living (in my profile left of this post), in my sig, in my ongoing housemoving ads (things like "collect from Morpeth"), but if none of that works folk often notice my scruffy green 70s daily parked on the drive or being used & abused around the area PM sent, I've not been to Newbiggin for a couple of months but it must be about time for icecreams at the seaside georgeb - maybe strap a solarcharger onto the batterypack, keep it in the house (in a sunny place) until needed
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I'd like to nominate fad and 93fxdl for UK Prime Minister and deputy (flip a coin to decide who gets which post - I'll happily vote for them both!) We have local elections scheduled for May - any chance one of you could move into my area before then and stand for election? *PLEASE* (footnote for georgeb & others - we had lots of police *inside* the council meeting last week to make sure the unpopular vote for planning in the town didn't got out of control www.morpethherald.co.uk/news/final-protest-before-planning-meeting-for-major-morpeth-applications-1-8426037 ) georgeb - I'm no expert but I suspect your 750v DC will be more than ample for most cars that normally operate with just 12v DC. Do you have a set of 750v jumpleads - or can you borrow a set? A couple of slightly more feeble sensible suggestions : can you borrow a multimeter (not locked in a random car boot) to check the voltage of the jumper pack - it might help you check if it the pack is charging or if you have a dead battery in it. can you beg/borrow/scavenge a 12v solar charger? (I have one that plugs into the cigarette lighter or direct to the battery to keep things charged when a car is parked up - I'm fairly confident that you get more sunlight than I do @uk - way oop North) ps. please keep the updates coming - entertaining and educational as always!
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Last Edit: Mar 19, 2017 2:01:10 GMT by nomad: Typos. Oops...
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Mar 18, 2017 20:24:24 GMT
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Hi, just a guess - maybe the short has burnt the contacts inside the control box? You should be able to remove the cover from the dynamo control box (not sure where it is on an Escort but Cortina used to be by the glovebox), and flick each set of contacts (3 seperate?) to make sure they are free to move. Gently clean the contacts with very fine emery paper when lid is off. It's personal choice but with my cars I've always replaced dynamo with alternator if it hadn't been done before I got it. Maybe worth thinking about?
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Mar 15, 2017 21:41:12 GMT
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Mar 14, 2017 21:45:12 GMT
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* Use the pin inside the jack handle to lower the jack - DO NOT use a screwdriver. * You should only be using the jack to lift & lower the car, make sure you put something (axle stands/old car wheels/wheel ramps) under the car to take the weight once it is in the air. It's important so that if the jack fails you won't get hurt. * Don't forget a heavy jag will drop a lot quicker than a light towncar when you start to lower a jack, any jack. * Make sure any jack you use can cope with the jag weight (avoid 1.5 ton jacks, 2 ton are common, maybe see if you can borrow a 3 ton jack to try?) * With no car on the jack undo the valve a few turns, lightly oil the threads on the valve and work it in and out a few times, it might make it less "sticky" * When you shut the value to use the jack, tighten it gently - avoid forcing it shut or it will "jump" open when you try to lower the car.
Ask if any questions...
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Last Edit: Mar 14, 2017 21:49:56 GMT by nomad
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Mar 14, 2017 16:09:14 GMT
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Have a look at the various websites (Gumtree, Preloved, Eb@y etc) up & over doors are normally standard sizes so you might get lucky. I found a near new door for my conversion a few years ago for about £50. Modern doors have multi-point locking systems, older door just have 1 catch. Maybe retro-fit modern locks onto your door? Look at the types of up & over, some come totally into the garage, others are 50/50 inside/outside so they don't need as much clearance inside Timber doors. I like them but beware if making your own it's easy for them to end up very heavy. Can also be insecure (remove panels and crawl through, or put a hand through and unlock from inside) A mate moved into a place with a roller shutter, impressive but I guess not a cheap option. The remote opener is a nice touch.
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^ As said above, more info please ...
Is it a weekend car that drains the battery when left for a few weeks, a Retro daily, or something modern? How long does it take to drain?
I suspect the relay you posted will be a drain on it's own, so it will (maybe) work for you but it will drain the battery quicker than it does now (spec says "breaks at 12.65 volt" which is a lot for a battery when the engine isn't running)
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The latest to-do job that got done? Stripping the bendix on the NOS starter I fitted a couple of months ago It has been fun playing the "will it engage or won't it" game every time I want to use the car but it got a bit silly and I need it reliable next month (boring but needs must...) A quick strip - clean - lube worked wonders (never failed yet! ) I guess the assembly oil/grease had fossilised over the past 30 years while it sat on a shelf and was causing the internals to stick. Graphite spray seems to have fixed things
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Mar 10, 2017 23:32:02 GMT
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I had a couple of E36s (325i / 328i) as long term dailys, love the straight 6 engines for grunt and smoothness Downsides for me were saloon body (I'm used to to hatch or estate for carrying tat), and rust was trying to come through. MPG on both was ok if you were sensible (I got 35mpg from the 328i once but it was a painfully slow trip). Notorious for eating front suspension bushes, otherwise great workhorses. If I was buying again I'd go for a newer model than the E36, a Touring would be high on my list. Merc are also on my radar but I know nothing abouth them
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