1987 Lotus Excel SE

[captain_70s]

My Dad had a green Excel SE in the early 90s, probably identical to yours. To this day he still complains about the cost of the tyres...

[sierraman]

I once had a lift in an Eclat which I think was the same sort of shape but late 70’s era? 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

1 hour ago, captain_70s said:

My Dad had a green Excel SE in the early 90s, probably identical to yours. To this day he still complains about the cost of the tyres...

I bet! Honestly - they are 215/50/15's as standard...................https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/tyres/215-50-15.html  scroll down and wince.........!

Even Camskill don't have a 215/50/15 choice at the moment (and when they do it's usually a vredestein at £250 a tyre).  They do offer 215/45/15........but I understand that the slight decrease on the sidewall makes for less compliance, hence me choosing to go down the 205/50/15 route instead.  Keep the compliance but sacrifice some width.  I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere............

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m53b0s308p0/Car_Tyres_-_MPV_Tyres_-_People_Carrier_Tyres_-_15_inch_R15_inch_-_215_45_15_215_45R15

My choice(s);

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m53b0s93p0/Car_Tyres_-_MPV_Tyres_-_People_Carrier_Tyres_-_15_inch_R15_inch_-_205_50_15_205_50R15

 

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

5 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I once had a lift in an Eclat which I think was the same sort of shape but late 70’s era? 

Yes - a prescursor to the Excel (the Elite became the Eclat became the Excel).  In fact Lotus didn't type approve the Excel they simply called it the Eclat Excel to get around it.  They're both galvanised chassis with a glassfibre body (v v similar in build/execution) but the Excel does move things on a little bit.  

If you look at the Esprit interior compared to the Excel, you wonder why they didn't do the same for the excel - there's a real sense of an 'event' when you get into an esprit.  Not so the Excel imo.  

I'm trying to think of ways to bring my Excel up - changing the seats is one option (Alfa 147 seats pop straight in apparently - as do RX8's..........but the passenger seat in rx8's doesn't tilt which is a proper issue bearing in mind each rear passenger in an excel can't clamber over the gearbox/transmission tunnel that runs through to the back - unless you're an absolute beast of a gymnast with the flexibility of Captain Flexible.........fighting determinedly-compliant people everywhere.............so for me it'll be 147 seats.............but again...........budget............arghhhhhh.

[grogee]

Goodyear Eagle used to be one of the only 215/50 15s you could get, they were still available when I had mine 2004ish.

My mate who has a Quattro needs same size and shares your frustration. I would definitely go down to 205/50 15, I'm not sure the 10mm of width will make a huge difference. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

3 hours ago, grogee said:

Goodyear Eagle used to be one of the only 215/50 15s you could get, they were still available when I had mine 2004ish.

My mate who has a Quattro needs same size and shares your frustration. I would definitely go down to 205/50 15, I'm not sure the 10mm of width will make a huge difference. 

Grogee

I saw this website on another forum and I always have it to hand or hand it out when people might need it.

 

https://tiresize.com/comparison/  

 

I'm sure you've seen it before but perhaps your friend hasn't?  There are some surprising choices that get you within 1% speedwise of the original size (but they might not look right in the wheel arch you know?)

[grogee]

10 hours ago, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Grogee

I saw this website on another forum and I always have it to hand or hand it out when people might need it.

 

https://tiresize.com/comparison/  

 

I'm sure you've seen it before but perhaps your friend hasn't?  There are some surprising choices that get you within 1% speedwise of the original size (but they might not look right in the wheel arch you know?)

Yeah I've seen that and used it, very useful for checking wheel and tyre combos. I'm not sure I passed it onto my mate though so I'll let him know, thanks. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

And so another instalment of minor steps forward (and more stuff to the add to the list..........)  

I got turned down for a job today and I'm absolutely gutted; so in order to try and disassociate from that and enable me to move on (got to, got to get revved up again for plan q.........we're way past plan b..........). 

So to the Lotus then.  Limited time meant I needed to get in, get on with it and er, get out!  So I chose to tackle the exhausts................now most of the system is rusty and I'm going to take it off ..........at some point and sort it..........but for the moment it's fine (to get that MOT) apart from the two pipes that go over the suspension at the back of the car.

It's at this point I'm going to have to ask you to forgive the rust everywhere.  The car sat on grass for 3 years...........yep, I know, but PO had a terminally ill wife to look after.........he really didn't give a number 2 about the car.  So yes, need to tackle that lot too.  Alot of it is surface rust and just needs some time and elbow grease.........but I'm not tackling any of it (unless absolutely necessary.......until after the MOT.  New dampers at the back excepting.

But to the exhaust bits. With a hole in one side and looking like they were bad replacements, made by a short-sighted and talentless bob-a-job welder................I thought I should get them off the car and have a proper look.  Well, one is totally buggered, the other is sound (but really not pretty).  

SJ Cars sell them for £47+vat each...........which is alot of money right now.  I was thinking - could I buy some off the shelf exhaust flexible and fix them that way?  Bit of a worry I'd buy the wrong size though..........so instead I've taken them off and am going to see a fabrication shop - see if they can do something.  Even patch it for a temporary (mot) short term fix.

In situ;

And off the car;

And closerrrrrr (Hannibal speak);

And sort of tidied up;

The Y piece is in er, one piece;

But looks like it's had a repair perhaps?  Or been welded by said YTS trainee..............with their eyes closed.

Whilst under the car I spotted some broken exhaust rubbers;

 

(zoom in on that one)

and another on the floor;

I've cable tied the exhaust up (no pics) and left the ends on deliberately as an aide memoire to change them.

You'll note the state of the back boxes - they're actually sound but need tidying up.  I will do that - can't stand the thought of stuff under the car not being in great condition.

Looking under the car and over everything - I see areas that are going to possibly need attention.  Need to get the springs off and tidied up for a start.  But..........I might just buy (standard) new ones.  Might have to.  They really don't look amazing close up.  But then...........what does a v v poor spring look like?  They're currently sound and whole.  Dampers are leaking and definitely need changing..........which says to me that perhaps I should do the fronts too to ensure balance (new on the back, tired still on the front, can't help?)

But the fronts look fine in truth.

So I'm off to a fabrication shop tomorrow (literally 5 mins away to see if they can help).  the long middle silencer looks v v tired..........and whisper it (because, perhaps, some of you wont approve) but I might just do away with it and fit a straight through pipe and see how we get on.  Didn't take a picture of the current one but has lots of surface rust.  Bolts came loose fine however.  The car isn't going to be doing mega mileage (3,000 miles tops perhaps? depending if it's reliable of course!)

And don't talk to me about bushes.........all of them look like they need changing (or in an ideal world where my budget was endless and my energy bountiful I'd change the lot across the entire car.........but at what cost - £ and energy)?  A worry for another day tbh.  I can't spend £500 on bushes so lets see how things are once it's on 4 new tyres and moving under it's own steam.

Unless it handles like bambi they can stay as is and allow me to get to know the car.  There are far more issues to tackle.  Got a bad feeling about the heater box too (at the front of the car) for some reason.........but a worry for another day.  At least the wiper motor works - it looks like Lotus fitted that first and then built the car around it..........

I also WD40'd alot of the bolts (and used penetrating oil on some of the ones I think I'm going to mucking about with - dampers - shortly). 

And half-heartedly wire brushed bits too...........but as soon as i got a bit in my eye I spat the dummy and gave it up for the night.  I just feel so lethargic.  I'm 52 this year and feel like I've possibly truly hit the wall with my career.............realised that perhaps I'm past it (in other people's eyes) and that as much as I love the career (land and development) perhaps I should be doing something else.  Bit worrying.  Need a proper income to get the kids where they need to be........and it's just not happening.

Duck (with a capital F) and double duck.  

 

Onwards to tomorrow mes amis.

 

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Forgot to mention that the diff looks like it's leaking as well.  But will check that once we've got the engine going. No point til then (we've had the engine going previously, not a problem, but it needs to be built back up with the new waterpump - pnm engineering -and fired up once again.)

Tomorrow and Friday is interior and sort the petrol tank out with it's new pump and the fuel sender hopefully fixed.  I also plan to drill a small hole so I can get some amp wire (for the small sub and amp I'm putting in) through to the boot.  Currently the main loom goes up the seatbelt pillar (b pillar) and along and down through the c pillar into the boot.............but I've got to be honest-  I just don't have the energy or skills to take the interior apart .........and put it back together again without it looking 2nd hand.  

I've already got the back of the rear seats out - 3 tabs - and then it's the rear seat belts - that need to come undone anyway as I've got to replace a bar that sits under the car and gives extra bracing for the rear seat belt each side.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

.......and we keep on going.  Not masses done today..........but whilst the car is up in the air I've decided to take the entire exhaust off (not the manifold however; I'll leave that in situ for the moment........its got nothing to do with the fact that it looks like an absolute shocker to get off...........).  Some of the nuts are very tight to the top of the exhaust and with the chassis rail not allowing much movement (and no room for a ratchet) I used a grinder to make one of my poorer 13mm spanners a little slimmer so I could get in and hold the nut as I unwound  the bolt.

Kids activities stopped any further play but I should have the entire exhaust off tomorrow and then I'm going to polish it............or rather sand off the grottiness and then paint it with high temperature paint to make it look presentable.  Will try and tidy up the ends and reattach with all new bolts and nuts and exhaust clamps etc etc.  

 

Note the horrid chunks of exhaust paste.........that's all going to be removed and nothing like that is going to be re-applied.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Part 1

It's not quite groundhog day ...............but it feels like it! 

I spent another day in the shed with the car.  It's the only way I'm going to get the car on the road so it's got to be done.  I'm skirting around some of the major things that need to be done (like putting the radiator back - it's a two man job) but there's lots to get on with.

A mechanic friend is coming over tomorrow and the plan is to start the car.  Which means there's a bucket load to be done (and be done tomorrow too).

I started off by taking the exhaust off (i know - why the hell do that when you're going to start the car tomorrow?  I didn't know we were going to do that until he came over this afternoon..........and I'd whipped 'ole rusty' off before 9am..............!)

 

Yeasssss................

And then I needed to move on to the fuel tank at the rear - had to get it out to get the fuel sender working (had a hunch it was stuck and just needed cleaning up.  I was right).  But what a palaver getting it out.  But got there in the end.  Painted the end where the filler cap is and need to remind myself that a small vent hose is missing (crumbled away when I tried to move it). 

original fuel sender

sorry that this one is out of focus but you can see it was tres crusted up.......but sorted that, got the arm swinging again and it went back in;

Then we got on with putting the seat back in - that meant I curtailed my carpet shenanigans and literally cut some old car mats to size and used a bit of horse mat where my feet are going to rest for the moment.  Looks neat enough and it'll do.

Et voila;

I need to clean the seat and it'll have to come out again but for the purposes of tomorrow it'll do.  Really need a wet vac thing and I have a friend whom runs a carpet cleaning business - will have a word in his shell-like and see if we can work something out.

Part 2 coming up

 

 

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Part 2

 

In one of the photos above (footwell) it looks like it's wet - it isn't but it has been, for quite some time until I got it dry.  I think it's either a glue the PO has used or some sort of spray that makes it look wet.  Am going to keep an eye on things however and see if everything is watertight as I start to drive it.  It's a very tight foot well.  Feels very racecar.  Getting the seat in was a massive win - hadn't realised it would be but sitting and imagining driving has been very good, especially as all 3 kids came out and sat in too.  My eldest (17 yr old boy, drives tractors for a living).........first question was whether the hand brake works!!

I don't know but lets find out was my answer............

Also - I'm going to cover up the foil sound deadening, but again, for tomorrow - it doesn't matter.  I've got the side carpet for it safely stored.

So once I'd got the fuel tank out and hoovered and tidied the boot, energies turned to the In car entertainment...............Oh yes.

Opinions will differ here...........some will like this, others wont.  but it's all pretty much reversible apart from the hole I drilled in the boot back...........but I can't face fiddling with B and C Pillar wire run.  Having already got the rear seat back loose (3 tabs to twist and you can pull it forward towards the front of the car.  to get it out you need to undo the rear seat belts - not done that but there's enough room to see what's happening and do stuff - not easy but doable).  when the tank is in you can't see what I've done anyway.  

I bought this about 3 years ago - a mighty £10 on the joy of FB mktplace.  It's a bit of fun (and actually would suit a VW of some description or perhaps some rear -wheel driven french turdiness - which I love by the way ) but I thought I'd add to the Excel for the moment.  The port is the open spout!  

I've got a load of 80's v high end Kenwood and Alpine kit that I'm going to put in this.  It was originally my dad's and he had it in his cosworth sapphire (bought new 1987, from dundee, E525TCS, burnt to the ground after a servicing at Ford but nothing could be proved) and a saab 900 turbo ENF812Y......long gone I think that was quick.............but the cosworth had been to BBR and was pushing just shy of 320bhp which back in 88/89/90..........well, I've never forgotten it.  Anyhoo.  The stereo - it's all going into the Excel.  currently the stereo consists of the original clarion (not amazing) and some poky 3.5" speakers in the doors and rear panels.......so the 10" sub should do just enough to bulk things out a bit. 

I'd really like to put some bigger speakers into the doors..............but I've got to prioritise right now so........there're staying as is......the fronts are actually being changed (same size) as the cones have gone in them but in time..........they'll be changed for something just a tad bigger.

I also thought I'd add some sound deadening to the rear panel (that'll be behind the fuel tank) whilst i was there.  Part way through here.  I used a paint roller to get it to adhere to the roof element too.  It's definitely added weight but perhaps it'll make a difference.  

There's a massive wheel well that is just begging for an absolutely massive bass-bin..........but I'm not going there for the moment! 

I then finished for the day and came in to try and scribe a new gasket for the waterpump..................but failed miserably (I looked like I'd cut it out with my left foot).............so will try tomorrow morning early.  Need a sharper knife.........and me specs...........no pictures of my abortionate attempt.............😁

It's another fairly full on day tomorrow and then it's going to be evenings too next week.  Time's apressing.  And I'm getting to the point where I'm going to have to start spending money.  tyres.........alloy refurb............exhaust patch.........2 x dampers, 2 x anti-roll bar bushes and perhaps some others, maybe 4 new springs too (and even 2 x front dampers).....needs investigating further.......and the passenger door hasn't come off yet.  my friend and i are going to do that in one day in the next 3 weeks.  Should be interesting and I'm wondering If I can get the car out for 2nd May.  Trying to.

Have been taking a long hard look at all the brake lines too and anything under the car.............and so far..........it all looks v safe and sound.  Oh, going to take the back boxes off too and sort them out aswell - looking a bit sorry for themselves.

 

Onwards mes amis!!

It wont be perfect but it'll be roadworthy 

 

 

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

You might be wondering why on earth the hole in the boot back is about 8 inches up and not directly in the middle.........well, I'm going to run the wires along the transmission tunnel (which is very pronounced in an Excel - there are only two seats in the rear of an Excel) and so I'm running them along this pronounced tunnel/interior and my positioning makes it easy to run the wires.  I didn't want to go too low for fear of hitting the tunnel or worse........just drilling into the void or something.  

I've still got the clarion safely stored away..........but bear in mind it was open to the elements for 3 years........not sure if it's dead or not...........but it's not an amazing/top end bit of kit anyway.  It's OE  of course so I'll keep it but it's not exciting in any way.  

 

And the seats........I'm seriously considering changing the seats - i think it'll give the interior a massive lift.  It's not just that they both need a really good clean but they both suffered from the elements - I've tried to leather feed the shoulder (it's leather) but it's just past it I'm afraid.  Perhaps someone knows a trick or two to revitalise - I'm not exactly Craig from Tyrrell's classic workshop!!  

[grogee]

I have a vague memory of there being room for 6x9" speakers under the rear seat base, it does require cutting though. 

I think mine had that Clarion. I remember squinting at it on a dark motorway as I drove home after buying it, then seeing stationary traffic in front of me. 

The brakes were really good, and there's no ABS either. 

When it finally becomes mobile, you'll notice the front tyres scrubbing when you're manoeuvring at full lock - this is normal and a result of Chapman's steering geometry. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

You're spurring me on Grogee!  I've got some 6x9's, I'll have a look tomorrow.  Do you mean actually cut out the seat base and drop the speakers in there?  And then put the seat back on top?  Or do you mean to open up the side panel?  Or perhaps the rear area where it joins up with the rear window?  That shelf?  

Yeah.........the Clarion..........looks alot like the one I took out of mum's montego estate (the 2.0 litre lxi I think(?) not the countryman sadly) bout 40 years ago!  

 

 

 

[brownnova]

Just caught up on this thread, what great work! You’re making good progress and at a good pace! Deadlines are always good, so fingers crossed for 2nd May!

And then I’ll keep an eye out for it if you do bring it up to North Wales! 

[grogee]

10 hours ago, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

You're spurring me on Grogee!  I've got some 6x9's, I'll have a look tomorrow.  Do you mean actually cut out the seat base and drop the speakers in there?  And then put the seat back on top?  Or do you mean to open up the side panel?  Or perhaps the rear area where it joins up with the rear window?  That shelf?  

Yeah.........the Clarion..........looks alot like the one I took out of mum's montego estate (the 2.0 litre lxi I think(?) not the countryman sadly) bout 40 years ago!  

 

 

 

The vertical panel that sits under the front of the rear seat base and either side of the transmission tunnel. So nearly at floor level. If you were sitting in the rear seats, it would be behind your calves. 

(I may have dreamt this of course so be aware). 

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

3 hours ago, brownnova said:

Just caught up on this thread, what great work! You’re making good progress and at a good pace! Deadlines are always good, so fingers crossed for 2nd May!

And then I’ll keep an eye out for it if you do bring it up to North Wales! 

Where you on Anglesey chap?  I grew up on Anglesey (near Beaumaris) and my dad still lives there - fantastic place............but my god, shocking to get to from Pembrokeshire........But I am definitely coming up, to show it to my dad (and stay with him and be with him and his wonderful wife - my stepmum).  

I'll definitely let you know when I'm going to make the trip.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

The vertical panel that sits under the front of the rear seat base and either side of the transmission tunnel. So nearly at floor level. If you were sitting in the rear seats, it would be behind your calves. 

(I may have dreamt this of course so be aware). 

 

Inspired!  

I've got the car on the ramps at the moment - re-attaching the exhaust that I've cleaned up a bit (at the ends of each section).  

Am going to have a gander - but got a bad feeling that that panel simply exits directly underneath the car - might have to think of someway of protecting things.  

[grogee]

30 minutes ago, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Inspired!  

I've got the car on the ramps at the moment - re-attaching the exhaust that I've cleaned up a bit (at the ends of each section).  

Am going to have a gander - but got a bad feeling that that panel simply exits directly underneath the car - might have to think of someway of protecting things.  

Yes. Need a brave pill to cut into the floor. I guess a wooden box behind the speaker might be OK (marine ply)? 

Cutting a smooth oval will be a challenge, I always manage to fuck things like that up. I have had some success using various hole saws to approximate an oval. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Run out of time today to get the car started...........have done loads but got to take the daughter to rock band practice now.  No photos today......but just inched every area of the car (that I've been working on over the last 3 days) forward a little bit.  Like putting the rusty exhaust back on and painting the end of the fuel tank and then getting it back in the car (quite heavy, quite awkward) but not hooked up yet.........painting the water reservoir (needs another coat) and cutting out various gaskets (oh my lord, showing up my inability to cut things accurately!)..........and also trying to oil all the cables for the heater matrix, fan and vents so that they work freely.  One of the levers has lost a crucial bit of the pivot which means it's moving around too much and therefore not moving the cable in it's sleeve.  that needs some lateral thinking.  can't imagine I'll be able to get another.  All these things are sent to try us!  

Onwards!

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Oh............and the 6x9.............it's a big hole comparative to that panel grogee - haven't got under the car yet (because I lowered it before I'd thought 'what next'!) but will do and report in.........but it does look big in that space.  I'll take photos next time.

 

It'll be this week in the evening at some point.

[brownnova]

5 hours ago, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Where you on Anglesey chap?  I grew up on Anglesey (near Beaumaris) and my dad still lives there - fantastic place............but my god, shocking to get to from Pembrokeshire

Ah- only saw North Wales not Anglesey! I’m in Flintshire. Used to live in Bangor, but spent as much of my time as I could on Ynys Môn when I did - I do love it there! Bought my most recent car purchase last week from Menai Bridge! 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I know that area too - lots of the family are from Mold/Wrexham so lots of A55!  Nice part of the world with Chester/Liverpool/Manchester one way and then the sea the other! (and the mountains of course)

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Just pottering on the car tonight (wanted to do more but one of the kids got our garden tractor stuck in the field...............oh joy).

 

Noticed, at the top of the engine, a clamp for a hose that joins to the water pump looking distinctly sorry for itself........so I changed it........don't think it had been touched in years and years.

 

Got it off, chucked it, put a new one, cleaned up the engine hose end (is that the word?) and the actual pipe itself and popped it all back on...........next!

You'll note that a wire had been cable tied to it - I'm going to change the dodgy looking spade end on that too, hence no new cable tie.

Onwards!  To Glory!  .........Or a night in front of the gogglebox anyway.

 

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

looks like 225/50-r15 are a somewhat cheaper with 205/55-r15 slightly moar but both are a better option for keeping the speedo & gearing about the same than 205/50-r15

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

The 225's rub on full lock on the front's Noel I think (not driven it yet so can't say absolutely if that internet lore is correct!)  - it's what I've got on the car at the moment and the wheels look a bit overwhelmed by the tyres imo.  

I'll have another look - perhaps it's a 195/55/15 or something that get's you within 1% 

I've been playing around with this website - already posted above of course - https://tiresize.com/comparison/

And there are plenty of choices at 205/55/15 too - will have a proper gander at these -would love to have classic pirelli's (or goodyears) with the same tread pattern as they had back in the day but sadly not to be.

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m53b0s289p0/Car_Tyres_-_MPV_Tyres_-_People_Carrier_Tyres_-_15_inch_R15_inch_-_205_55_15_205_55R15

I think 195/55/15 are closest ...........but I can't get excited about the width!  (said the actress to the bishop!) 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I spent alot of time in the vicinity of the Lotus this weekend.  I say vicinity because I was no more than 4 foot away from it for quite alot of saturday and sunday..............but much of it was spent thinking about the jobs that need to be done rather than actually doing them.

I'm a natural procrastinator (plus an absolute pessimist for most the time) at the best of times but what really hit me this weekend is that my friend, a mechanic (and a really good on at that) isn't going to realistically be able to help me with the car.

He's got too much on his own plate (wife has been v ill, now better, but still isn't and never will be, back to 100%) and he's got his own life you know?  He's got sh*t going on that I won't speak about on here but he'd help if he could.

Trouble is, in my own mind, I'd been falling back on him (he'll sort that, or he'll know what to do there, or he'll have a shortcut/know exactly how to do that job) so I hadn't been putting as much thought into the car as I should have been.

I'm not a mechanic..........and I grew up with a dad that did all the jobs on the car, without wanting me around (slowed him down!). I've always been into cars however..........but practical experience?  None really. I know the theory, and I'm mechanically sympathetic....................but actually doing the complicated stuff?  It takes me ages to work through a job, before actually tackling it. Part of the fear is getting it wrong.  And then having to buy more parts to fix it.  I just can't afford to do that right now.  Once I get a job, the pressure of that element will lessen, and speed will pick up.

It's the realisation that I'm on my own on the job that is the Lotus tbh, that has hit me.  

I've got to get on and fix it and I guess the satisfaction will be immense when I do sort it..................but in all honesty I'd rather have the help and know that the car is sorted (because he's worked on it).

I've got to get on though.

So I spent alot of time working out when I'm going to tackle the various outstanding jobs, and in what order.  

The priority is to make sure the engine works (we know it did 3 years ago) but it's been sat here for that time and............if it doesn't, there's no point tackling the door (frame needs changing) and other interior bits, if the engine doesn't work.

So this weekend I put the tank back in, sorted out the new fuel pump (needed bits transferring over from the old one, which I'd kept, thank god) and making sure I had all the bits for some of the ancillaries on the engine (they'd been taken off by my friend and put safely away.......so safely in fact I'd forgotten where..........found now..........they were in an awkward safe place........not using it again!)

I've just got to hook everything up back there in the boot (I'd not done this bit thinking mechanic friend would be over to tell me if I needed to put some of the white plumbers string (?) around the fuel pipe connectors to help stop leaks etc etc (a small thing, but again it slows things down as I have to think about that, whereas mechanic friend just knows.  It's a minor thing.........but the thinking time adds up to quite an amount as each job I tackle takes up unnecessary thinking time.......) and then I can move on to fitting the waterpump...........and putting the dash back together temporarily and then it should be ready to fire (I'll run the engine for a minute or so - it's not going to overheat) before I put the radiator and fans back in (needs a bit of fettling that - not an easy job at all).  And it's heavy as a package too).

 

Onwards!  (with slight trepidation).

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

In the shed again this evening and I've drawn up a plan.  Had a think about the interior too.

The passenger-side dashboard area above the glovebox that runs up to the windscreen is in an awful state, after it saw 3 years worth of weather before I bought it. 

The PO sadly left the window half open - with the prevailing elements literally hitting that side of the car.

But there was good reason for this - he was a very thoughtful bloke and it clearly didn't sit well with him.....but he had far more to worry about than the car.

He had a terminally ill wife to look after.   I think he just pushed it out of the garage, put an indoor cover on it (it's what he had to hand) and then left it.  Just didn't have the capacity for it, which goes without saying......and then afterwards he freely admitted he lost all oomph for life/for anything really.  Totally understandable.  He was clearly attached to the car however.  It took him about 2 years just to get to the point he was willing/accepting of selling it.  

Anyway - I've hatched a plan for the dashboard - I can't leave it as it is - first impressions (for the family) and all that, when they actually ride with me in the car. BUT it'll come after the MOT.   I'll detail what I do (so you guys don't make the same mistakes I might do..........or not use my solution, depending on how it turns out 😉.........)

Over the next few nights I'm going to hook the fuel tank area up so it's all ready to receive petrol, then head towards the engine bay and fit the waterpump, ancillaries and perhaps the radiator too then put the trumpets on the DHLA's but not the air box for the moment - I'm only starting it  and running it for a minute and ............the noise eh? 

I'll need someone to film that so have roped my middle daughter in for that role and then hopefully fire her up.   It's only got half an exhaust on too so it'll be loud both ends (said the actress to the.........you catch me drift!)

And then it'll be down to sorting all the jobs needed to get that MOT.  So rear lower seat belt bracing (need a new one on the drivers side - £50), tyres x4 (£400), 4 x tyre refurbs, do a couple of bulbs (one at the rear, with the SD1 light housing having been sikaflexed in.........nice, not an easy job to do well when buttoning it all back up) and then fit the headlights (needs wires cutting and sorting - bit daunting that) and the bonnet (sans soundproofing at this stage - although might buy some reflective sheeting to protect the fibreglass - thinking gold at this stage - gold and green go together and bling you know?) and i also need two rear dampers (£180 ish) and two bottom ball joints (£12 each) at the front.  

Oh and sort the door frame (passenger) - not difficult but a total bollocks of a job and also sort out the dash and the lower lip of the front valence needs a fibreglass repair and putting back on.  will have to drill through the screws that used to hold it on - another hassle of a job (do I have good enough drill bits I wonder).

Going to have to work at proper pace this week.  And it's a v v tight deadline.  

 

[egg]

43 minutes ago, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

afterwards he freely admitted he lost all oomph for life/for anything really.  Totally understandable.  He was clearly attached to the car however.  It took him about 2 years just to get to the point he was willing/accepting of selling it.  

Yes I can understand that, is he local enough to show him it once back on the road? He may not want to see it - but if he does that's a great incentive for you as well I spose - but you seem v. motivated anyway!