427 replies to this topic

[theolodian]

OK, project is mothballed for 2-3 weeks while I am away. Since my brain will also be mothballed, please excuse me using this place to list what I need to do when I start up again.

Suspension work:

Tap HCBs
Rear toe link kit (drill brackets?)
drop links and TREs

Dash and interior:

Master cylinders
Remove sound deadening panels
Clean dash and floor
Rivet in bracket

Underneath:

Shift linkages
Parking brake
Scrub floor
Footrest
Oil change
Gear oil
Fuel filter

Sills:

Foam blocks
Dremel repaired sill
Tighten roll bar stays


Well, that should keep me busy for a while.

[theolodian]

OK, two important things to do soon that I missed off the list are; - Front engine mount - Finish prepping the rear clam for the paint shop A welded up engine mount won't impress the IVA folk, and I hope to have the sills and rear clam on by mid-April at the latest. Then I can get the windscreen in and finish the interior. I am sure that the crash box will be last at this rate. Btw, does anyone know what aerosol or brushed paint matches the windscreen support reasonably well? I don't have any scratches that will be visible, but would like to seal the fibreglass against water. If the paint matches reasonably then I won't have to worry about my touch-ups being obvious if I'm a little messy. If not then I will just use medium thickness superglue and leave it at that. Cheers.

[theolodian]

A few things done: - Touched up the paint on the windscreen surround. Err, a lot of touching up. - Brake booster, master cylinder, clutch master, brake resevoir, bonnet catch, and ABS unit installed. I used 2 of the big silver return springs on the pedals. Really fiddly access to some of the bolts on the master cylinders. - Tapped the HCBs on the rear suspension. Man they were rough! Still need to do the fronts. Except for things that depend on the crash box, the front is coming together really well. Nothing really left to do until it is time for the last touches. Also just need to do me braided brake lines and the brakes and clutch can be bled. I'm sure that I can spend next weekend on fiddly bits, but the next big step forward will be the shifter with cables and parking brake. Then I will have a car that will completely run and drive, except for the complete lack of coolant until I do the crashbox of course.

[theolodian]

Spent 2 hours on the project today. Most of it was sorting through the bits that are left over. Enough stuff has gone back on the car at this point that it was time for a clearout of the junk. See the For Sale forum for a list of stuff that might be useful to someone. I also put the front swaybar back on. Forgot that it goes on before the lower wishbone of course! What a pain, and the lower OS bolt still isn't tight. This is with bu&&er all else on the front of the car at the moment. Separately I thought that I was finally getting close to sorting out what dampers and springs to put on this thing, but the issue just refuses to die.

[theolodian]

Had to use most of my pass out on work related stuff today, so only got 45 minutes on the car. Nevertheless, another milestone reached: the next batch of parts is ready to go to the paint shop (rear clam and roll bar cover). I just wish there wasn't so much to do to get the car ready for when they come back from the paint shop. I really need to get the sills on, and I would really prefer to get the shifter/parking brake stuff and a few other bits done before that. It would only take a few weekends, but there aren't very many in a month.

[theolodian]

Slight update to the list:

Suspension work:

Tap front HCBs
Tighten front ARB o/s lower bolt
Brake lines
Rear toe links
Drop links and TREs?

Dash and interior:

Hammerite roll bar
Remove sound deadening panels
Clean dash and floor
Rivet in bracket

Underneath:

Shift linkages
Parking brake
Scrub floor
Footrest
Front engine mount
Oil change
Gear oil
Fuel filter

Sills:

Foam blocks
Dremel repaired sill
Tighten roll bar stays

[theolodian]

2.5 hrs spent on it today, and not many things crossed off the list. Tapped the front HCBs. Those were fine because they are blind holes, but full of blue loctite so still good to do. Left them with 2 camber shims per cnrandall's advice. Also did the front brake lines. Man that one by the ABS unit is a PITA! Couldn't do the rear brake lines because the big flat nut that holds the line to the bracket has gone AWOL. Will need to source a new one. I have ordered new drop links and TREs from the new Elise-Shop UK warehouse. Therefore I tried to loosen the old ones in preparation. The TREs loosened fine, but the nuts would not back up due to dirty threads. Also, the bit that comes out of the rack had a flat for a spanner on the n/s but not on the o/s. I spent half an hour taking one nut off of one drop link, and it was really warm to the touch after I got it off! It loosened fine initially, but the exposed threads were a nightmare. I am glad that I am not putting on drop links that do not have flats in them, that would be a disaster. Get that brake line nut, some plus-gas, etc. and I should be good to go for next time. Getting there, slowly.

[oakmere]

2.5 hrs spent on it today, and not many things crossed off the list. Tapped the front HCBs. Those were fine because they are blind holes, but full of blue loctite so still good to do. Left them with 2 camber shims per cnrandall's advice. Also did the front brake lines. Man that one by the ABS unit is a PITA! Couldn't do the rear brake lines because the big flat nut that holds the line to the bracket has gone AWOL. Will need to source a new one.

I have ordered new drop links and TREs from the new Elise-Shop UK warehouse. Therefore I tried to loosen the old ones in preparation. The TREs loosened fine, but the nuts would not back up due to dirty threads. Also, the bit that comes out of the rack had a flat for a spanner on the n/s but not on the o/s.

I spent half an hour taking one nut off of one drop link, and it was really warm to the touch after I got it off! It loosened fine initially, but the exposed threads were a nightmare. I am glad that I am not putting on drop links that do not have flats in them, that would be a disaster.

Get that brake line nut, some plus-gas, etc. and I should be good to go for next time. Getting there, slowly.

The drop links I fitted with no flats have an Allen key fitting in the end of the bolt I only noticed the other day. I found that a thread file has been great for cleaning up the exposed threads. Tectyl should prevent it from happening again.

Cheers Oakmere

Edited by oakmere, 14 April 2010 - 03:21 PM.

[theolodian]

The drop links I fitted with no flats have an Allen key fitting in the end of the bolt I only noticed the other day. I found that a thread file has been great for cleaning up the exposed threads. Tectyl should prevent it from happening again.

Cheers Oakmere

Yeah, I need to attack the threads directly when I do the other side. An allen key would not have survived the level of force I had to use to get that one off. I'll look up tectyl. Cheers.

[theolodian]

Big to Vocky! Helped me for about 3hrs today. We got the shifter cables, parking brake cable, mechanism, centre console, and what not installed. Vocky also finished the braided brake lines and bled everything. Unfortunately, the brakes refused to bleed fully. Must be the ABS, will have to blag a Tech2 and try again. At least the clutch is bled, and we drained the gearbox. All of half a litre of oil in it. Also replaced the transmission mount that had broken and had been welded back together. Really trying to not give the IVA guys a reason to pull the whole thing apart during the test. Thanks again Vocky!

[theolodian]

Another slight update to the list:

Suspension work:

Tighten front ARB o/s lower bolt
Rear toe links
Drop links and TREs
Caster shims

Dash and interior:

Hammerite roll bar
Remove sound deadening panels
Clean dash and floor
Rivet in bracket

Underneath:

Scrub floor
Footrest
Oil change

Engine bay:

Refill gear oil
Gearbox breather
Expansion tank
Fuel filter

Sills:

Foam blocks
Dremel repaired sill
Tighten roll bar stays

[Duncan VXR]

Good stuf Theo Neil think I will book you in for some work on mine with me - don't worry Theo your helping also lol DG

[theolodian]

Cheers. I'll worry about helping you on yours when you catch up on everyone else's cars, so not anytime soon. Do you remember how much oil to put in the grearbox? I am running a breather. Speaking of which, where should I get the little filter thing for the top of the breather? Just use one fo those eBay ones?

[vocky]

you have forgotten one item from your 'to do' list

fit the crashbox - which is now ready

[theolodian]

OMFG!!! You are a T-total effing mentalist! X 1 Gajillion! I need a lie down just from the excitement of seeing that.

[vocky]

it was just a case of removing the alloy a bit at a time, only took 4 hours

[theolodian]

it was just a case of removing the alloy a bit at a time, only took 4 hours

Only 4 hrs of bloody hard work, since yesterday afternoon! You are an absolute star! You have no idea how much that was stressing me out. Taking the old bits apart has been the nightmare of this project, and that thing miles more than anything else.

So how big does my surprise gift need to be to be bigger than Joe's?

[theolodian]

Honestly, I may be happier about this than I was about the engine running for the first time. It is more of a surprise for sure.

[The Batman]

[vocky]

It was hard work, but it's in perfect condition, so worth the effort Joe's surprise gift that will be hard to beat

Edited by vocky, 19 April 2010 - 11:31 AM.