1145 replies to this topic

[Graeme Lambert]

I'll update the thread on Saturday Matty

 

STFU. I'll be there tonight, probably til around 10pm as usual. Work gets in the way - yesterday I had to drive a Mercedes 500ft underground.

 

 

Long lunch in Alconbury by any chance?

 

And yes, I haven't updated the thread with latest photos or details today as I did indeed spend my lunch hour looking at a purple VX in Alconbury.

 

G

[fezzasus]

Not sure if they've had a chance to buff it yet but hopefully it's happened by now as i'm collecting to tomorrow.

 

(let's see how long I can live with a black underside to the boot lid after telling them not to bother when I dropped it off...)

[rob999]

Coming via MB's on Saturday Tom?

[Graeme Lambert]

Ok due to popular demand (from Matty and Rob by the looks of it ) here's another quick update.

 

Been busy, and away with work, so not spent as much time at MBR as I have previously (or would have liked), but managed to get a few things done. Unfortunately I can't be there this weekend as taking Naomi away as a thank you for looking after me during and after my accident so well.

 

Actually just realised how out of date this thread is!

 

So without further ado

 

Bonnet off

 

 

Needed somewhere to put the damn thin. Thank god it's wrapped and I'm repainting - that way I don't have to care about scratching the paint, can just lay tools on top and everything without a second thought

 

 

Removed charcoal/EGR cannister and some other bits no longer needed from ther rear of the car

 

 

 

Clam almost released from the front

 

 

Some typical Welsh (and maybe some Swiss) countryside found within the clams

 

 

 

[Graeme Lambert]

Ready to release the front ARB

 

 

Of course the bottom bolt was easy

 

 

In my frustration at removing the top bolt - there's an access hole but helpfully the tools we had were slipping - I started to peel off some of the wrap on the screen surround. Better that than kicking the car off the axle stands and setting fire to it in frustration

 

 

Eventually got back to it and found a tool that was up to the job

 

 

And got the ARB brackets removed from the driver's side easy enough

 

 

And after lots more swearing, and cutting down one of Matt's tools we got the passenger side out as well. And then the ARB slid out beautifully. Took a long long time to get to this stage though, miuch like other jobs on this blasted car which seem to take 4Xtimes as long as I'd expect/like

 

 

Had to use a die grinder on some riveted on bits, to allow the ARB to slide out though. And unfortunately the compressor started to 'wander' while I was doing it. Result? The handle dug into the wrap (and deeper into the bodywork) and ate a chunk of clam as it shimmied past

 

 

Damper brackets coming off - think we're using new ones but thought we mayaswell get these blasted and coated anyway. And to keep JG happy we had to sort the nasty ABS bracket anyway

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Graeme Lambert]

Got more stuff cleared off the rear bulkhead/bay. First of all the OEM sound deadening

 

 

Most non-essential bits removed

 

 

Chris wanted the rear screen back from the car for the stickers, so some help from Mr LeeVx2.2 with the angle grinder made it easier to get to the tigerseal holding the damn glass in. As we're creating a new bulkhead it doesn't really matter, but still a bit disconcerting taking a power tool to the fabric of the car.

 

 

 

 

Screen for Chris

 

 

Once the screen was out, it was time for the bulkhead itself

 

 

Boom

 

 

There is a video of me cutting the bulkhead off - though it's not on Youtube so you'll have to visit this link to find it

 

http://s1139.photobu...tml?sort=3&o=27

 

 

[Graeme Lambert]

Then if was time to get the car outside, and get the chassis cleaned up. Mopeytitan also popped up and picked up the car's old Compomotives and Nitrons, so once that had been sorted it was time to wheel what was left of the thing outside and fire up the jetwash.

 

 

Bargi really 'helping' (my excuse is I'm holding the camera)

 

 

I think Lee want's to be Matt's apprentice

 

Outside, with the front clam just resting on

 

 

Cleaning up the build bay once car was moved (can you name the leaves Chris?    )

 

 

You could certainly tell it had lived in rural Wales for a while. JG look away now

 

 

Stripped

 

 

Some TFR helping to loosen the grime

 

 

And after some scrubbing, more TFR, and some jetwashing, and more TFR, and more scrubbing and more jetwashing, and more TFR, and more scrubbing and...

 

 

It's not perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better. I plan to  re-attack with a steamer and some tar remover etc to satisfy my OCD.

 

 

[Graeme Lambert]

And then we hit a turning point - I actually started to take stuff to MBR rather than juist remove things. Of course they're not yet fitted to the car, but we're edging ever closer. Pro alloy chargecooler rad and alloy main rad for the car. Excuse the exhaust smoke, that's what a 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine and a cold morning does.

 

 

Lee told me I needed to remove these bits so I could fit the above

 

 

So off they came

 

[Graeme Lambert]

Which brings us neatly to this week.

 

Got everything off the car that was needed to send to the blasters before being powdercoated. Though getting the bearings out of the hubs wasn't as easy as it could have been. Got there in the end, well MB did thanks to his press, and sent the stuff off to blasters.

 

Was away with work and managed to grab a few hours in the workshop last night and came back to find this box

 

 

Just need to get it powdercoated now

 

Realising that cleaning all the rest of the chassis but not touching the front 'bay' would have been criminal and my OCD would have gone off the scale, I decided everything needed to come out - the servo will be repainted and the Fezz heater tidied up and reinstalled. Will probably fit a new battery while at it, as would be a real pain for this one to fail after only a few months of use

 

 

Getting servo off was a bit of a pain, but got there in the end - again big thanks to Matt for this. He must have smaller hands than me

 

However, I can totally understand why people smashed up the old heaters when installing a Fezz item - getting this one out was a pain thanks to a spinning bolt on the bracket. Still, the angle grinder helped with that

 

 

State of the front 'bay' meant I was glad I persisted at this. Filth

 

 

But a quick wash and scrub with some car shampoo and a mop up with blue roll meant it was soon looking far better

 

 

 

 

Still not good enough for me, but will tackle this with the steamer in due course as well.

 

And that's it up until last night - think i left the workshop around 10pm (MB had already left the slacker. It's not like he's been putting in late finishes the rest of the time   ).

 

I also spent yesterday lunchtime, as Fezz alluded to, down at Alconbury speaking to a bodyshop and looking at Tom's freshly painted VX. Looked like a good job, and reasonable price(s) for the work when I saw it so they're hot contenders for doing mine as well. The owner used to have a VX and they've done a few Lotus' now, though they are a VXl and BMW approved bodyshop.

 

And before you ask Rob999 - I have chosen a Fcking colur. BMW Sakhir orange it is

 

Hopefully that'll keep you all satisfied for long enough. I've got a weekend with Naomi to get to.

[Gedi]

Post of the week!

Nice work Graeme, I just hope you can put it all back together again

[fezzasus]

That's a MK1 heater. I wouldn't put it back in, I think Chris did get a replacement MK2, looks like it didn't make it to the car.

 

In other news, this is much more work than I expected to happen in the time frame, great to see it's coming on so quickly.

Edited by fezzasus, 28 March 2014 - 02:45 PM.

[ChrisS1]

It took a lot of miles to get it to that state

 

Great progress Graeme.

 

Leaves are from the tree(s) at my parents place, I'll ask him if he wants them back.

[Matthew Bentley Racing Ltd]

 

Getting servo off was a bit of a pain, but got there in the end - again big thanks to Matt for this. He must have smaller hands than me

 

 

Might have smaller hands..............but it only makes some things look bigger to me..................

[vocky]

you missed the bonnet lock 

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

Can this lot be removed from my car

[Goosenka]

Amazing work GL.

[Ormes]

Great read

[Kart59]

Some good work going on there. Can the abs bracket be removed without having to disconect any of the brake pipes?

[Ormes]

Misunderstood your question so removed my answer

Edited by Ormes, 28 March 2014 - 07:20 PM.

[Graeme Lambert]

That's a MK1 heater. I wouldn't put it back in, I think Chris did get a replacement MK2, looks like it didn't make it to the car.   In other news, this is much more work than I expected to happen in the time frame, great to see it's coming on so quickly.

Any ideas Chris? If not can you do me a deal on an exchange tom?