Russ D
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The 70's! It's the future.
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 6:53:10 GMT
Thought i'd start a thread on this....story in short...... Jeff, having sold his Cobra bought himself a Stag, said stag smoked, Big D's was the order of the day, engine out, Engine nackered. Spare Rover kicking about and so the build begins. Jeff has rightly decided to do a mild job on it over winter now, thankfully Big D has a spare inch or two of room, so weve a bit of welding to do, a bit of fabrication to get the RV8 in, fresh exhaust to make, new arches, a few subtle body mods and then paint. (ill keep that to myself for now ;D) The old stag engine will be built back up and stashed with gearbox and stainless exhaust sytem it has, then when sale time comes its all still there to put back to standard. On the cards are as I say a few mild body mods, full paint, new arches, wheels tyres and engine paint and dress up. Photos to follow, the Engine came out last week work starts in earnest this next week - watch this space.  A few custom touches to boot, itll look real a real sweet street car! Well Sat 29th nand five hours saw the car just about stripped and all the scary bits uncovered. Thy Hydraulic pipes diss connected and the wiring taken as far back as we dare, headlamps out trim off, and exhaust stripped out. Theres a bit of clagg and a few bits of steel work to be done but all in all I think we got on pretty well, considering Tims home brew and a hangover! Anyhow down at Big D's the spanners were out......  The wiring was a rea lold hornets nest....     [ Sump cut and shut for X mamber clerance...    All screws it seems were bought from ''Long Screws R Us!''  Tim assumes the position for ''Entry''  Ahhwell, someone had to crack on with it, im the one outside the window with the camera!!  Seems Tim likes this bent over thing, but he does do it very well!! ''So Tim, can I put mi drive in your socket?''  Stripped...  So to underneath...  Be gone you black shite...    Ehausts go throught chassis with some real intricate brackets and bushing..    So that was Saturday, 5 hrs and almost all the bad bits identifed, next installment Tuesday...... |
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Russ D
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 6:54:24 GMT
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Russ D
Full NHRC Member
Site Cleaner & General Baffoon.
The 70's! It's the future.
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Signature: The 70's is tha future!
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 6:55:34 GMT
Well we've reached the point where the new metal is going in. We wheeled out the welder......  and the grinder...........    Vallance and wing bottoms done.....  always a nice point when you can start adding instead of taking out. |
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Russ D
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The 70's! It's the future.
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Signature: The 70's is tha future!
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 6:56:37 GMT
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Russ D
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Site Cleaner & General Baffoon.
The 70's! It's the future.
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 6:59:05 GMT
So with the floors in and the body being prepped, we turned to the lights. We've new buckets and Angel Eye head lights which are the same diameter but the grille may need an attack with the die grinder a ;ittle bit. The rear lights we stripped, not wanting to detract from the original too much we toyed with 'smoked' lenses but when we stripped them they have coloured inserts that can be removed, so with a little effort we took them apart and removed the fillets and stripped and cleaned the innards and outer clear lens. A quick waft of silver paint and some L.E.D amber and red bulbs as opposed to clear bulbs and coloured lenses and we ended up settling on this, leaving just the reflector's in.  So what to do with the front wing Indicators and the Stag badges in the side of the rear wings. Well the apatures are the same, the rear badges are red lights on export models, so we got to thinking... We had amber pespex cut to fit the apatures and we are going to set 4 x 3volt LED's behind them in series (making 12volt) and hey presto. Just waiting for the LED's to arrive now. Lenses below still have the film on so look dull at the moment.   Were thinking we might wire them so they come on with the side lights, but the front amber ones will flash when the indicator is used, with side lights on or not. Saturday will be body work....again.....oh how we laughed!!!  |
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Russ D
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 6:59:53 GMT
So at -2 degrees and with a good snow covering, us northern lads arent easily put off out came the 4x4's and down to D's it was. And it was F*-=*n cold!!! As can be seen Big D got frozen to the floor in a kind of suspended animation thing!! ;D  I had collected the manifold with the new adaptor plate in, it still needs finishing but just to get an idea of where the height of the carb was going to be we took the old SU unit off and dropped in the new one, ill take it back to the machine shop and have it finished next week.    Bugger, too high - time for the grinder.....again. So we measured up and I set to....  Not knowing at this point what scoop we were going to go for, I just cut a hole to let the carb in.   Then with a flsh of inspiration we turned to the Aston sat in the corner of the garage, I asked Damian if I could just cut the Aston scoop off, Its just what we need, dont know why but he didn't seem to keen  So this is what were gonna make out of steel. What dya think?     So manifold sorted, Bonnet cut, next week with a following wind we may have some pics of a new scoop. Its too bloody cold to filler any final bits so if we can get the scoop made, we've one header to finish then the motor and box can come back out final bit of body prep can be done, and over to Ronnies for some paint> sounds easy if you say it quick enough doesn't it!!  Then it was playtime.......     D went Green Laning and I got sideways outside Tesco's!! ;D Well ya just gotta go play in it aint ya!!! ;D |
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Russ D
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 7:01:14 GMT
This is the one we've gone for.....  |
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Russ D
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 7:02:26 GMT
Well a bit of jiggery pokery and we got the scoop on today, and manageed to push the body work on a bit further.   Next if Shaun has time to finish the headers off, its engine bay and flat the whole thing then we can think about some paint. |
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Russ D
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 7:03:21 GMT
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Russ D
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The 70's! It's the future.
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 7:04:47 GMT
Well, after Ronnie had fought the reactions off, we finally got it back on friday proudly dressed in its new coat. So we set about putting the old fella back together, looks cool in its new hue - BMW Seabring Grey.. Time to put together the new side led marker lights we made, not easy when you've got fingers like cows tits.   Shiney bits and reworked back lights in on the back.....    next job motor and front end.......... |
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Russ D
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The 70's! It's the future.
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 7:05:44 GMT
Ok, exhaust done, tail pipes may need to e a bit larger, Wheels on order, lights wired, plummed, motor runs, weve got gear selector linkage to do (read make, we lost the other!!), new throttle cable, kick down cable to attach, Wipers and Washers & horns to wire, expansion tank to sort, fans and respective switches and thermostat control to fit , few pipes to sort, suspension to alter a bit and were nearly ready for a right good old MOT fail!!!     Shaun got his Austin Ruby Special going   .....and Someone ate all the sarnies!!! Seen here cought in the act looking remarkably guilty and hamster like!!    Its been a long old haul doing this in and amongst everything else and I know Jeffs chomping at the bit, were really not that far off at all, nearly there mate, chin up o'l boy and you'll be out with us all real soon. |
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Russ D
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The 70's! It's the future.
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 7:07:13 GMT
Well another 12 or so man hours last night and the old slag, err Stag was piloted up the road with all eight Rover cylinders doing their stuff once again, that right there was a moment in time after 10 months of Saturdays and Tuesday's I can tel ya. Then after an extreem test run at full chat round the block ala Big D, he pulled it back into the workshop ant it subsequently blew its top hose to bits!! Here come the Gremlins!   Anyhow we quickly fixed that, checked the lights, got the horn wipers and washers working, it shifts through the gears with its new linkage, box filler was slightly modded, and its on the MOT ramp charging as i type this. We need the wheels to come, a new oil cooler we had to bypass it due to a gremlin attack on that aswell  we need a new electric fan relay a speedo cable as its all stag, box and clock, a power steering fluid top up and some universal fan ties, so it may just be on the road for Saturday, then back down to Big D's for for the big bore exhaust ends to be fitted (its too quiet, but it always was the plan to swop em out) we need to cut the front springs yet to drop the front an inch and a half or so, then one or two remedial bits and pieces and thats it. Its been the usual roller coaster as you get with any rebuild, but I think we can make Sat possibly and then just play with it and iron out the final few bugs, and Jeff can (in the nicest possible way) bugger off and play! Pics when we have wheels suspension and bits sorted. Stag saved, looking good, job done, thank feck!!! |
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Russ D
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The 70's! It's the future.
Posts: 2,235
Signature: The 70's is tha future!
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Post by Russ D on Dec 6, 2013 7:08:18 GMT
Sat 22nd June, washed and out for a shake down run.....  Made it......  Says it all.....  Stll got suspension to sort, new wheels n tyres to fit, and a few leaks to sort, Shifter linkage to adjust and a few odd jobs but a couple of weeks and were there, oh and we cut the silencers out..... thats better!! ;D |
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32sedan
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Post by 32sedan on Dec 6, 2013 20:39:00 GMT
Damm you Russ, i'd nearly forgotten about that horrific part of my year.
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) this morning we'd get the old girl outside and do a bit of body prep.
we need a new electric fan relay a speedo cable as its all stag, box and clock, a power steering fluid top up and some universal fan ties, so it may just be on the road for Saturday, then back down to Big D's for for the big bore exhaust ends to be fitted (its too quiet, but it always was the plan to swop em out) we need to cut the front springs yet to drop the front an inch and a half or so, then one or two remedial bits and pieces and thats it. Its been the usual roller coaster as you get with any rebuild, but I think we can make Sat possibly and then just play with it and iron out the final few bugs, and Jeff can (in the nicest possible way) bugger off and play!
