427 replies to this topic

[Duncan VXR]

At this rate I can see me trailoring your car to mine to finish Chop chop, just because you have no time spare........it's not an excuse Be warned it may leave mine with a vag lump, you know how I am getting as of late or in fact get a vag lump and never leave LOL DG

[theolodian]

At this rate I can see me trailoring your car to mine to finish

Chop chop, just because you have no time spare........it's not an excuse

Be warned it may leave mine with a vag lump, you know how I am getting as of late or in fact get a vag lump and never leave LOL

DG

I know someone that drove a Sport 160 with a 2.0 TFSi in it over the weekend. They 'ed it!

I might actually be getting close to sending off the IVA paperwork on mine . . .

[theolodian]

Managed to work on the VX the other day before the snow hit. Adjusted the driver's window and the door pin, and installed the main door trim and shoulder pad. Need to either paint the silver trim panels or do the CF film thing. Duncan has the pushrod for the lock button for me, so I should be able to leave the window rolled up soon. I really need to go back and adjust the hinge bolts though. Then do the other door . . . and so on and so forth.

[Duncan VXR]

I have the famous part sir And no excuses to not getting out in the fine fresh weather to finish some jobs - I had to fix the barge outside in the freezing cold due to a certain vx in my garage Was not fun though lol - but the ice and snow on surrounding roads made up for it - got to love big rwd cars, comody oversteer DG

[theolodian]

Put the hard top on yesterday when there was a break in the cold weather. I thought that it was warped, but it looks fine now. I had left it leaning against the wall with the passenger's side edge on the floor. Last time I tried to fit it there was a 5-10mm bulge just over the passenger's head where it had bent. Left it resting on the back edge for the last few months. Put it on yesterday and it fits fine! Still tempted to do helmet bubbles in the hard top.

[theolodian]

Major progress, I was able to lock the car! Both windows rolled up and the doors locked for the first time. All for want of a £2 wire pushrod that I must have thrown away by mistake. Off to warmer shores, so VX wrapped up snug until next year.

[Mangham54]

Major progress, I was able to lock the car! Both windows rolled up and the doors locked for the first time. All for want of a £2 wire pushrod that I must have thrown away by mistake.

Off to warmer shores, so VX wrapped up snug until next year.

You had better be referring to 2011.

[theolodian]

Depressing milestone this week. Got a letter from DVLA asking me if I was still working on this or had given up. It's a sad day when the DVLA works faster than you do. Even worse, what should I tell them about the expected completion date? 2012? Wish I was being sarcastic . . .

[theolodian]

Have been delayed by a surprise forced house move. Moving the VX was more time than I had worked on it in almost 6 months! However, the good news is that I now have a garage - and even better it has been out of the garage 5 or 6 times in the last 3 weeks to actually get worked on! Getting a lot of little jobs out of the way, at this rate of progress I need to get the IVA paperwork off pronto! The sprogs are abroad the weekend of 7 - 8 May. Plan to take it back to the workshop then to wrap up final items on a ramp. Cue Duncan and Vocky . . . Current challenge is adjusting the doors slightly, and installing the sill covers. Theo p.s. I have an unhealthy interest in using that silver CF film on my door cards and centre console . . .

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

just read this from start to finish great project!

[theolodian]

Thanks for the support guys! Nice to know people still read this. Made decent progress today. Got lights sorted out. Got lucky, swapped 2 connectors on the relays behind the light switches and now the running lights work correctly. Good guess. Also tried to get the alarm working again, see my post in the general forum for more details. Read off the motor serial number with a mirror, hope to get IVA paperwork off soon but who knows. Figured out all of the U-channel edging that kinda follows the roll bar cover. Need to order replacement. Anywhere else that I need it for? Someone mentioned on the arch liners recently! Zipped back and forth across the parking lot. Brakes actually feel OK. May not need the desperate bleeding that I was worried about. Bubbles coming out of pipe into expansion tank when over 100 deg. How much air can this still have in it?!? Or should I be looking for something more serious? No hints of leaks that I can find, other than the level keeps dropping a bit. Main things left to be done: - Move doors forwards 3-4mm and double-check window alignment before putting on door cards. - Install sill covers (dremel out sills to accept turbo pockets) - Stamp in VIN and install wheel arch liners - Sort out bonnet strike pin - Centre rearview mirror - Sort alarm - Remove turbo sound deadening in footwells and install foot rest and floor mat anchors - Make sure seats are bolted down tight That's all for now . . . Cheers, Theo

[theolodian]

OK, biggie missing from my list is the manufacturer's plate! Also need to snug up the parking brake cable a bit and the undertrays.

[vocky]

I think it was only the last turbo cars which had the arch liners, I've not seen a single NA with them same as the headlight inner liners, a lardy vxT thingy

[theolodian]

I think it was only the last turbo cars which had the arch liners, I've not seen a single NA with them

same as the headlight inner liners, a lardy vxT thingy

You must be referring to something more than the basic plastic liners.

[theolodian]

Well, it turns out that the siren works. And the alarm. And the microwave sensor. Reached into the car in the garage and the alarm went off, in a tiny breeze block garage - with me in the garage! Only thing that doesn't work is the LED, and my recollection of how many blinks mean armed and disarmed!

[vocky]

I think it was only the last turbo cars which had the arch liners, I've not seen a single NA with them

same as the headlight inner liners, a lardy vxT thingy

You must be referring to something more than the basic plastic liners.

sorry I missed out a few words

I think it was only the last turbo cars which had the edging strip on the arch liners

[theolodian]

Update to the punch list: - Move doors forwards 3-4mm and double-check window alignment before putting on door cards - Install sill covers (dremel out sills to accept turbo pockets) and glue down soft top mounts - Final install of dash cover and dash plates - Stamp in VIN and install wheel arch liners - Manufacturer's plate - Sort out bonnet strike pin - Centre rearview mirror and edging behind seats - Alarm LED and final install of centre console - Remove turbo sound deadening in footwells and install foot rest and floor mat anchors - Snug up parking brake cable and undertrays - Make sure seats are bolted down tight Oh, and I have a target week for the IVA of 23-27 May.

[theolodian]

Major work day today. Got the Geo done at Scared Stiff yesterday. Did the arch liners and undertrays on a ramp today. Only the bonnet pin, wiper blade, and centre rearview mirror remain in terms of 'roadworthiness'. In fact I thrashed it down a long parking lot and it did quite well. So it is almost 100% mechanically, all of the electrics work. Friggin alarm went off on me again. Also got the driver's sill dremeled out for the turbo coin pocket, so now the sill covers can go on. Ideally I would like to rehang the doors, but after that just a bit of interior trim to do. I couldn't do the NA footrest because the Turbo tub does not have the holes and measuring them up was beyond my level of motivation for the day. Not critical, see below. Bad news is that VOSA has refused to do an IVA on it. They are quick to admit that is is not illegal to use a Cat B chassis, but they aren't willing to contravene the insurance industry code of conduct that says I am a naughty boy. There are a couple of possible routes with DVLA to get it back on the road, but since I started this project I have gone from newly married to family of four. I can't afford or justify the £2K it would cost just to get it on the road for a year, more if I actually had time for track days or trips. Interestingly, I figure that rebuilding it over the last 3 years has not cost much more than running it, considering that I probably would have done some mods I doubt there is any difference at all. It is a shame because it is such a pretty and thoroughly sorted car, but it is worth almost as much in parts as it is intact so no great loss there. My current plan is to take it to Bruntingthorpe for a few thrashes this summer and a bit of driver training. Of course I will do some video logs for posterity. After that I will probably sell it for parts unless someone wants a track-only vehicle. Don't feel sorry for me. I have no regrets, and I have achieved a lifelong ambition of building or rebuilding an interesting car. This is a far more relevant car than a Caterham in that respect, due to being a more complete car and more of a challenge to build. It is going to be several years before the kids are old enough for me to be able to enjoy a sportscar again, so I am happy to pursue other interests for a while. It has been an intense experience!

[vocky]

I suppose at the end of the day if you can get sell it as a cat B repaired track toy then it was still worth the effort, but if you can get a Q plate on it you will have more potential buyers either way it was fun rebuilding it and you did rebuild it perfectly, nothing bodged, you should be proud

[theolodian]

I suppose at the end of the day if you can get sell it as a cat B repaired track toy then it was still worth the effort, but if you can get a Q plate on it you will have more potential buyers

either way it was fun rebuilding it and you did rebuild it perfectly, nothing bodged, you should be proud

Cheers, that's how I feel. You were a big part of that too!

No rush to sell it.

Edited by theolodian, 07 May 2011 - 08:11 PM.