Autoshite GT

[garethj]

hey I just caught up with this. Looks great, wheels aside ofcourse. Manual flippy headlights get a lol, though.

Didn't they have manual flippy headlights on the Opel GT too? Although they rotate instead of pop up.More stuff today - Years ago I was designing machines and I got some samples of gas struts to open a door. They were from the Wan Der Full gas strut company in Taiwan (I shit you not with the company name). I brought one home about five years ago, convinced it would come in handy and it's stayed in the kitchen drawer ever since. This morning it went on the Ginetta to hold the boot open I also took the carb apart and gave it a clean, one of the accelerator jets was blocked, the filter was a bit gooey and I wound down the choke fast idle screw so it's no longer doing 3500rpm while I wait at a junction.I then replaced the feeble croaky horn with one I bought last week. I noticed on the packaging it said "High tone" and it sounds very camp indeed, think I need to get a low tone one to go with it.

[Gompo]

What carb is on it at the moment? I had a 38DGAS on my mildy tuned Pinto and it went very well. It's possibly still in the garage doing nothing but would need re-jetting..

[dollywobbler]

When was it first registered as side repeaters are only needed from 1986 onwards. Methinks the MOT tester was being a bit pedantic.

First registered in 1987, first used in 1971 according to the MoT computer. The holes were already there so he was only being a bit pedantic

Hmmm. That's interesting. There's a chap selling a 2CV on Ebay claiming you can apply for tax free because the MoT system says it was first used in 1971! All absolute bollocks of course - the car is clearly an early Eighties one.

[garethj]

What carb is on it at the moment? I had a 38DGAS on my mildy tuned Pinto and it went very well. It's possibly still in the garage doing nothing but would need re-jetting..

I think it's a 38DGAS, I took it apart and gave things a clean on the weekend, other than the choke being badly adjusted it seems in fair condition.

Hmmm. That's interesting. There's a chap selling a 2CV on Ebay claiming you can apply for tax free because the MoT system says it was first used in 1971! All absolute bollocks of course - the car is clearly an early Eighties one.

If he ever comes up with proof of how to do it, please let me know

[garethj]

Friday evening: fix passenger door lock. I was pleasantly surprised how easy a Ford door lock comes apart, and not just for thieves.Saturday morning: fix heated rear window. I’m not sure the screen actually clears but at least there’s current getting to it, which was more than it had.Saturday afternoon, evening, most of Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening: swap the dashboard gauges from the L spec to Ghia spec which means I get a revcounter instead of a clock and enormous fuel gauge. This should be a simple enough job, I found one on ebay a couple of weeks ago and even though it looked like it had spent years in someone’s garage, it should clean up ok. First stage of cleanup – empty all the dead spiders from inside. Then I swapped the speedometer from my old dash, put in some lights and plugged it in.I am such a cock-eyed optimist sometimes; I had a working revcounter (hoorah) and the oil light. That is all. An hour cleaning up all the contacts and soldering a new copper pad where the connector fits and all the lights are working. Taking the dash out was fairly simple, 20 minutes work or so. Putting it all back together should be quicker right? Unfortunately the Mk4 clocks don’t quite line up with the Mk3 dash so I had to make some subtle adjustments with a hacksaw, pausing briefly to wipe up the blood.Some hours later, the dash is back in and works. On this morning’s trip to work it seems the car is doing about 20mph/1000 revs in 4th gear, which is higher than the Polo’s 5th gear. 5th in the Ginetta is very tall indeed, and if it wasn’t for the clonking exhaust it could be quite a peaceful way to travel.I’ve ordered some springs so the rear suspension should be lower and the front should be higher when I fit them – a job I’m not particularly looking forwards to. I’ve also ordered some speakers so I can fit a radio, croozin wid da bangin choons. And the clonking exhaust of course.I’m still without most of the interior, and no sunvisors means I arrive at work squinting like Clint Eastwood, but it’s nothing that can’t be overcome by moving house so I’m driving west in the morning and east in the evening

[whitevanman]

If you want I'll talk you through the front spring change over, there is a technique to it

[Minimad5]

Sounds like the Ginetta is coming along nicely !Enjoyed reading your little taleKeep us updated please

[garethj]

If you want I'll talk you through the front spring change over, there is a technique to it

Hmmm, Haynes manual says to remove the front tie bar, the shock absorber and it should come out, although this is with the subframe off the car. Is there an easier way?For the rear springs, the Haynes says to drop the rear antiroll bar then the lower link and take the spring out. Can I take it out with some coil spring compressors?

[whitevanman]

If you want I'll talk you through the front spring change over, there is a technique to it

Hmmm, Haynes manual says to remove the front tie bar, the shock absorber and it should come out, although this is with the subframe off the car. Is there an easier way?For the rear springs, the Haynes says to drop the rear antiroll bar then the lower link and take the spring out. Can I take it out with some coil spring compressors?

assuming its standard Cortina, the rear is just a case of undoing the shocks and remove springs....it is that easy front is a bit more complex and depends on the spring clamps you havethe short version is -unbolt back 2 bolts of the lower ball jointremove shock ( bottom bolts will probably snap)disconect lower ball joint from hublower the lower arm on a trolley jack pop spring off with a crow barnow refitting is another matter all together

[garethj]

Is it supposed to have such comedic under-wheeling??

Part of this is because of the ride height, which was this morning's job. I got some rear springs which drop the Mk5 Cortina by 2 inches, and I believe the Mk5 is lower than the Mk3 and 4 anyway. The result is quite good

 

 

Still needs spacers though

 

I've looked inside the door to see why the passenger's window isn't very good at ups and downs. The channel that grips the bottom of the glass and attaches to the mechanism is missing.

 

Is there a Fiesta forum where these things are broken for spares, or anyone know what one would be called on ebay?

[CIH]

getting better, just needs decent whels now 'eh ?

[barrett]

I dunno, now the Wheel Silver has been broken out and the ride height is a bit more sensible, it doesn't look half bad on the steelies. I'd like to see it with some spacers on, reckon it'd look great then. Saying that though, I think it would really suit some Celica alloys like the ones Aled is trying to get for his one.

[seth]

I think it would need huuuuge spacers to push those wheels out enough. I think an inch or two bigger diameter and more width are definitely neededLooking good though!

[Pete-M]

About 3" more width...

[M'coli]

I think it would suit 7-spoke Capri wheels and 205/60HR13s - and the offset shouldn't be too bad either.

[Guest]

[Minimad5]

Hirst is a man with great ideas.

 

As for a fiesta forum for your window problems ..

http://www.fiesta-mk1.co.uk/forum/index.php

Sign up there

 

Good luck

and it's nice seing this progress

[garethj]

Good work, Hirst san. What I’d love: Lotus Elite / Eclat wheels. But it probably means redrilling the hubs which is a real pain. And the wheels are pricey. And I’m not 100% sure they’d fit but zowee they’d look good.What I’d be satisfied with: Peugeot 16†steel wheels, off a Peugeot Partner or something. And spacers to shove them outwards at least an inch.What I can find right now: nothing

[seth]

Good work, Hirst san.

 

What I’d love: Lotus Elite / Eclat wheels. But it probably means redrilling the hubs which is a real pain. And the wheels are pricey. And I’m not 100% sure they’d fit but zowee they’d look good.

I'm sure there's one model of that era Lotus that had Ford stud pattern. I don't think those smooth wheels came in it but I think the four spoke-ish type ones did.

 

These:

 

[garethj]

I'm sure there's one model of that era Lotus that had Ford stud pattern. I don't think those smooth wheels came in it but I think the four spoke-ish type ones did.

Computer says no?

[garethj]

Citroen BX wheels could be futuristic enough, and they're the 4x108PCD. These are on RetroRides. Does anyone drive from Lincoln to Luton?

[garethj]

I'm getting the hang of it with the lowered suspension, and the narrow tyres make it pleasantly easy to punt around without going fast

 

Lesson 1: The aggressive corner entry. Note the understeer.

 

Lesson 2: Then apply some power and wind off some lock, you can see the rear tyre being peeled off the rim, thank goodness they don't give any grip

 

Lesson 3: Easy does it, steady now, steady.... oh, it's gone too far

 

Lesson 4: That's a bit better

 

Lesson 5: And pick your exit

[Minimad5]

Drifting in a suit and with skinny rims ... you sir are crazy Great pictues thou'

[garethj]

When your car was made in the 80s, you can get away with a lot, in terms of bad taste

 

Some Ginetta stickers from the owners club and some white stripes... mmmmmmm

 

 

At least they're straight, and I didn't go for the Starsky & Hutch effect that was so popular at the time

 

As photographed by Seth at Stondon Motor Museum last weekend

[Minimad5]

I like that, "pop" on some nice alloy wheels and bring the height down a small bit =

 

Good to see how your car is progressing