Ever woke up in the middle of the night knowing there was something you forgot to do and not quite knowing what it is. When I got up it dawned on me that I hadn't fed the wiring thru for the sender unit when I fitted the tank yesterday, so first job this morning was to check
and my dream came true. There was the wire still in the filler hole where I had tucked it away to prevent it falling down, easy you would think, just feed a bit of wire thru, tape the ends on and pull it, na; I had to drop the tank to make room which meant removing the brackets again then feeding the wire thru.
I fitted the sender yesterday but when I tried to fit the rubber gasket it had shrunk quite a fair bit, I have stocked up on gasket material so I made a new one and it fit in nicely.
Once the petrol tank was back in position I masked off the rest of the area and set up the Tetra spray gun, I had already bought a new tin and just had to heat it up in boiling water for ten minutes, the result is quite impressive.
Hell it comes out so good I may have the whole car done in Tetra Shutz black although it goes a little dull when dry.
When buying the Tetra I also stocked up on oils and brake fluid, I still had to finish filling the diff so I bought another liter of Comma gear oil and topped it of till it came out off the fill hole. I have also bought 2 Lt of semi synthetic gearbox oil, I have drained the gearbox and its just sitting there dry inside, I am a bit worried about moisture getting in so I'll fill it tomorrow and give it a turn by hand every now and then to coat what gears I can in oil.
My main task today was to get the car on its wheels so it can be turned around, 2 jobs to accomplish first.
The engine was being supported by a axle stand which had to go, so I strapped the engine to the inner frame and tightened up hard.
I then jacked up the engine to release the stand and it held quite well.
Next was the brakes, although the handbrake works independently of the hydraulics I still wanted it all up and running while the wheels were of to save future wheel removal. I still have not found the nuts to secure the brake pipe to the new brackets or the old brackets either, but to future proof and to save losing the new bracket I have fitted it. When I eventually get nuts I shall just clamp the brake pipe and fit it.
I have a auto brake bleeder that works of my compressor and make single handed bleeding a doddle.
I started at the rear drivers using DOT 4 and sucked it through until the bubbles started to go, I then moved to each side of the front doing the same topping up the reservoir as it dropped and worked my way around to the rear again. To test the brakes I jammed a piece of wood under the steering wheel holding down the brake pedal then went round each wheel hub trying to turn it. All tight and would not turn.
Nice and simple now just 4 wheels to bolt on and I was ready to lower, it was at this point that I remembered doing the suspension on my MX5 and that I had left the bolts slack until it was down on its wheels, I know this is the procedure for void bushes but was not willing to take any chances with my poly's. So back under the car and everything got slackened off.
I had forgotten just how high I had the car jacked up and had to lower it in stages but eventually I had it on the garage floor, now the difficult bit of getting back under the car and tightening all the bolts again, this is one low sitting car. Once tight all round I moved onto the tie rods, the front subframe had to be jacked up a little and the 2 bolts slackened off to center the rod and bushes then tightened until the bushes where held in the small sockets for them although one of mine was mostly rusted away it still tightened Ok.
Now it is back on its wheels I can see that my efforts the other day trying to straighten the steering wheel was in vain as it is still out of alignment so another job on the list.
I have given a friend a call and he is coming round tomorrow morning before college to help me push the car around so the engine faces into the garage, when its out of the garage I can get the pressure washer out as both the car and the garage floor / walls are desperate for a clean, you can also see the oil under the car from not tightening the drain plug hard, this will have to be gunked.
So now that the suspension and underside are all finished/ish its time to move onto stage 2, the engine.
I have, after discussion's watered down my engine re-build plans and the reason is the reason I sought and bought a low millage car. It just don't need it
So the plan is still to remove the engine as it needs the oil leak found and sorted, the oil pan and removable parts taken off for powder coating or painting.
The heads will remain on and they will stay un-leaded.
The rest of the engine block will get the same treatment as the gearbox, a lot of hard cleaning work with wire brushes and elbow grease and painted with engine enamel.
The carburetor will just be cleaned up and re-fitted, if and when it don't work then its byby Solex hello Webber.
New plugs and leads
New hoses.
New K&N round intake
So new challenges and plenty of mistakes to make ahead of me.
See ya
Paul
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