Esprit Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 Well time marches on and progress of late has been slow. Still working insane hours and been suffering a bit of ill health lately (damned viruses), which have kept me outta the garage. Have been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work though getting fasteners sorted (I've now got a full compliment of all the right ones I need to finish the rolling chassis) and also sourcing the glue / primers to bond the rear longerons back on again. I WAS going to bond the Longerons back on this afternoon but I didn't have a rivet gun large enough for the 1/4 stainless rivets that clamp the longerons down. I borrowed my boss's industrial lazy-tong rivet gun and duly broke that (oops, sorry boss) so I didn't manage to get it done today. Off to Hirepool first thing in the morning though to hire a compressor and a 1/4" pneumatic rivet gun so that'll deal to the bastards. Got everything mocked up though and it all fits together! (I shouldn't sound so surprised). Fingers crossed by the end of play tomorrow I should have the rear end structure including the boot floor all bonded in place and finally sorted, the rollbar backstays bolted and torqued and all of the wishbones (bar one, which needs a new balljoint after I accidentally buggered one of the threads.... (don't ask) hung on the chassis and torqued on. All of the shock mounts should also be hung on the chassis as well as the front ARB.... tomorrow will be a busy day! On the engine front, the wonderful Mr DVA had just about finished my head. It's now fully ported with Colisbro Bronze valve guides, new stem seals, larger Paul Ivey valves, dual valve springs with stock VHPD solid lifters. Everything's all ready to bolt together although I decided to have the camshafts (Piper ARK1444s) and vernier pulleys balanced as a precautionary measure... I know balancing cams is complete overkill, but given how much I'm spending on balancing the bottom end, the paltry sum to balance the cams too seemed like a complete no-brainer. Crankshaft has been drilled and now tungsten inserted by Mr Steve Smith at Vibration Free and is just awaiting balancing with the lower assembly (Crank, Flywheel, Clutch Cover, Crank Pulley, Cam Drive Sprocket, plus rods and pistons). Once this is done, my head will be built up, and then I'll be getting everything back to NZ along with a full engine rebuild kit (including new liners, uprated oil-rail etc) so that i can begin engine reassembly. Still a long ways to go, but as we enter autumn here, I'm not too worried about deadlines so long as it's ready for springtime In another couple of weeks it'll have been a year since I started what was going to be "just a suspension refresh"..... my how these things get out of hand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 Well it's been a frustrating week (yes, another one!). I made preparations to hire a suitably-sized rivet gun and the required compressor this weekend, all sure that I'd have this infernal rear subframe job FINALLY finished this weekend come hell or high water, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Predicatably, all mother of cock-ups has resulted in it still being unfinished. This morning I started in the garage, full of hope. Tested the rivet gun on a spare rivet and it worked perfectly, FINALLY I was going to finish the job. I loaded the sikaflex in the caulking gun and applied a bead as described in the Lotus Service Notes, I hooked on the longeron and then installed the boot floor and then shot in three rivets.... easy, job done! But... then I noticed the boot floor was still free to move about a little. Inspecting the rivets (that I'd sized from the Lotus Parts catalogue) were too long to grip and were loose in the holes as a consequence. So now I had sikaflex going off, with an improperly clamped joint! I had some shorter rivets I bought as a backup (but only had four instead of the six required for the job), so I tested them when I installed the left-hand Longeron. I again applied the requisite bead of sikaflex and shot three rivets through and voilà ! Perfection! Now, I had to then drill out the too-long rivets on the otherside and find a way to temporarily clamp the longeron so the glue would bond correctly. Now these rivets are stainless (read, HARD) and since they were loose in the holes they just spun... GAH! However, after much swearing, I dug out the trusty Dremel and with a small cutting disc attached, I managed to gradually mangulate (yes that is a word dammit!) the head enough so that I could punch it through. This took at least an hour to do all three rivets as it took GREAT care to cut the rivets without touching the boot floor.... today I had hands like a neurosurgeon! With the rivets finally removed, I was able to temporarily install some M6 machine screws to clamp the joint sufficiently to allow the bonded joint to form properly. Now I need to waste MORE time (and money) tracking down further supply of the shorter rivets during a lunch break this week as well as popping back next Friday to re-hire the pneumatic rivet gun (at a cost of about $100 (that's about 35 quid to you Brits) and compressor to bang in the final two rivets to complete the job! F*$#ing annoying! This rear subframe re-galving has turned out to be one of the worst bits of the whole job so far. It wasn't really a necessary (the subframe was in fair shape, but I decided to do it because it was easy and accessible only in the current state of disassembly. The job was budgeted at about $150 (50 quid) all up, but I think the costs add up to the following: Acid-Stripping $50 Galvanising $40 Sikaflex and Primers $130 Rivets $35 Rivet Gun ($65x2 = $130) Compressor ($35x2 = $70) Petrol and running around to various places (2 tanks in all, @$70 per tank = $140) = $595 total which is about 200 quid. This assumes I WILL actually finish the job next weekend (bear in mind I've not reattached the heat shield yet) and bills my time out at $0... so not really the cheap and easy job I've hoped for. Still, I'm sure that when the car's finished, it'll be something I won't have regretted doing and the extra bling of a nice shiny, new-looking subframe will allow me to sleep well at night.... I hope. Still, chin up eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Well I've got it sorted... FINALLY!!! SEXIGE now has fully structural rear subframe, longerons and boot floor, all shiny, as new and ready to take many years of abuse Thanks to James and Scott at RivTec in Otahuhu, if I'd known about you guys I don't think I'd have had half the issues I did getting the riveting bit sorted. The longerons and boot floor are now all riveted down with 1/4" Stainless rivets (through the subframe) and bonded with Sikaflex221, all properly primed and prepped. With this job finally behind me I can get on with getting the rollbar backstays bolted down and the suspension hung. But for now, pretty pictures of this week's progress.... I HAVE A BOOT AND SEXIGE FINALLY STARTS TO BECOME A CAR AGAIN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testament Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I see you have the lotus trayback ute option! sorry I couldn't help myself. its coming along well though, much better than any of my stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Only the english would think of riveting a car together! nah just kidding good to see some progress after the epic dismantling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I see you have the lotus trayback ute option! sorry I couldn't help myself. its coming along well though, much better than any of my stuff I'm half thinking of rebuilding the front then entering it in a minitrucking show before the rear clam goes back on Only the english would think of riveting a car together! nah just kidding good to see some progress after the epic dismantling. Rivets are just there for impact stress relief and for holding the join while the adhesive goes off. The strength of the join comes from the bond area. The whole chassis is held together this way, although with a slightly more high-tech glue and rivets than the ones that are used in the rear subframe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 Well here 'tis, the first update in AGES... the last month and a half I've barely even LOOKED at the car. I've been working insane hours then spent best part of 3 weeks in the states with work, so only now back to it. It's taking a while to get back into things. Spent early this week chasing up e-mails etc and paying for engine bits (ouch!). Good news s that everythig's finished over there now and will be shipped back here in a couple of weeks, should be ready to start engine reassembly in a month! Spent saturday pressing my front hubs back together and torquing them up. All went pretty smoothly in the end, which was nice. Spent this evening in the garage and while I've not made any great progress, tonight I FINALLY got my first suspension corner hung on the car! I've got the driveshaft torqued in and the upright bolted on. I've yet to torque in the wishbones or toelinks as I've got to get the toelink heatshields powdercoated first (in heat reflective ceramic). Going to get my powdercoating done this week so hopefully if I get a good run at it next weekend, I'll have the bulk of the suspension hung on the chassis! I'm stoked because it'll then start to look like a disassembled car rather than a bathtub on axle-stands. But for now, a couple of photos of gratuitous rear suspension porn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Another cheeky hour or two out in the garage tonight... now have the right rear looking suspiciously like the left rear! Note toelink boots missing from this side as they're currently in transit. These will be added later. Also snapped this pic to show that after about 11 months, my engine bay is now officially no longer empty! It contains driveshafts! (and an old, dirty tee-shirt) Of course these will be removed prior to the engine going in, but will sit there until then to hold the hubs together while it's being wheeled around. Next job is to measure up the wheels and tyres to get some idea of what the wishbone angles will be at ride height. This weekend when my powdercoating is back, I'll be able to torque the wishbones in place. Then I can move on to the front as I'll have my missing balljoint by then to press in. Then attention will shift to cleaning up the brakes so that they can be bolted on and then the old LSS shocks will then go back on as a placeholder until Randy can get me some nice shiny Nitrons sorted *hint hint Chris* This will allow me to put some air in the tyres and then drop it down off the axle stands and she'll be a roller! God that is going to be a momentous day! will give me a chance to clean the garage out! One thing I've noticed (happily) is that my hands are staying a LOT cleaner bolting all this together as they were when it was coming apart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 17, 2009 Author Share Posted May 17, 2009 Right, not quite as much progress as I'd hoped this weekend due to the garage being a bit of a mess and also because I spent a lot of the weekend tinkering with my new toy, a Peugeot 306 GTi6. This will take the daily driving / Lotus parts-hauling duties from now on I DID however get the left front corner hung on the car. This took a bit of mucking around as anyone who's done it before will attest to. Getting the castor shims in just right was a little bit tricky, but I managed it in the end, the anti-roll bar mounting particularly proving to be a pain in my asshole. But a few hours work yielded a VERY fine-looking front left corner and it's turned out looking even better than I thought it ever would! I'll do the FR corner another night as that's currently buried in a very packed corner of the garage and I should clear some space first. One of the bits in the way is the fuel tank, which can now go back in so that might be a job one night after work this week as I can't think of any good reason not to get that done. Pick my powdercoating up tomorrow, although in typical fashion, I found one bit that I left out of the consignment that I'll have to get done this week... such is life On with the pics! (ignore the random crowbar... it was just there to brace against while I was torquing up the plinths and anti-roll bar drop-links) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 MORE BLING! Got a batch of stuff back from the powdercoaters today. Here's a random assortment. The silvery stuff is ceramic coating (for heat shielding/retention purposes) and the black stuff is all done in satin black Came up nice.... although I think I may need to hack apart my exhaust flexi and weld in a new flexi section (and re-coat) as it looks a bit fragile in one place... had hoped to make it go again, but I guess it'll need to be replaced... ho hum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 Another night and more chipping away at the Exige. Right front suspension is now hung on the car so all four corners are now hanging off the tub. Some calculations and measurements are now necessary and I'll have to jack and torque the wishbones up at the correct angles and that's that done! In typical fashion though, it's all finished BAR ONE NUT! I realised that one of my steering balljoints didn't have the nyloc nut on it that it should have. Now either it didn't come with one or I've pulled it off at some point (for god knows what reason) and put it somewhere. Bugger is that it's a fine-pitch one so I'm going to have the devil's own job to find a replacement. Does anyone have any idea where I might find a M10x1.25 nyloc nut? Will have to have a ring-around the fastener suppliers tomorrow I guess. No huge hurry for it I guess but I'd like to get it signed off Given that everything's gone so smoothly so far, I should be thankful that this is the first truly missing bit that I've had thus far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLAWLES Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Dont worry to much about that nylock nut comin as and most fastner shop will have it on there shelves man i love reading you updates keep up the good work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 20, 2009 Author Share Posted May 20, 2009 Cheers for the positive comments I've ordered the nuts in from EDL.. tried a few places, none had them on the shelves but most could get them in pronto. Should be here well before I need it. I've got a stock of them too in case I ever need more (Car uses them on the tie rod ends and the drop links). Back in a "good" period with the car now... making decent progress again after months of inaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 21, 2009 Author Share Posted May 21, 2009 Got my fine-pitched nyloc nuts now so should be able to finish off the suspension this weekend. This weekend's job-list (not sure if I'll get through all of it): - Finish suspension assembly - Calculate and torque wishbone pivots to correct height - Finish off corrosion-proofing fuel tank cavity - Run oil gauge sensor lines to engine bay (through fuel tank cavity) - Install fuel tank - Begin cleaning up brake assembly and begin hanging brakes on car - Install old LSS shocks - Reinflate tyres - Install wheels - Get car back on ground! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 Well today, thus far, I've been cleaning up the brakes. Like everything this is turning into a slightly bigger job than I'd imagined, but meh, I'll get there in the end Discs have been cleaned up/degreased and are sitting on the car. I've spent a few hours cleaning up the front callipers and have used the excellent POR15 "Marine Clean" product for this... it does a great job at removing all the in-ground brake dust, grease and road-grime that builds up on the calliper. Here's some before/after shots: I've made the decision to rebuild the callipers with new seals as they've been off the car a year and I've made the mistake of not rebuilding callipers in the past when they've been sitting empty for a while. For the $80 or so a seal kit costs, it's worth doing while they're off the car. I'll have to wait a month or so for the kit, but that's no biggie, don't need the callipers on the car right now anyway. I'll give the callipers a second bath tonight to get them really clean before giving them an external acid bath (vinegar!) to brighten the alloy on them and de-scale them. I'll then pop the pistons out and remove the seals in preparation for giving them a rebuild once the kit arrives. Front right suspension is now finished and tonight's job is to reinstall the fuel tank.... wish me luck.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 Well, tonight I've got carried away with cleaning up the front callipers.... now they're as shiny as I can be bothered getting them. I don't want them to look bling (hence why I've not painted them), just like new.... so that also rules out polishing (I like the cast look). So after several hours of careful acid and alkalai baths, followed by a few hours of light scotch-briteing and then filing and buffing (of the LOTUS and AP Racing emblems to make them stand out a little, the callipers are now clean! All that remains now is to pop the pistons out and put a new seal kit in them. I'll probably also replace the bleed-nipples as well, just because I can get these at the same time as the seal kit and it's easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 Hmm... funny thing. Was working in the garage tonight and something just looked different.... I couldn't quite put my finger on it!!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 Well more progress this weekend (although not a lot to show). I got the towing eye post mounted up today and in place, was just one of those little jobs I couldn't see any reason not to. I will blast and repaint the eye at the end of the job most likely, no point doing it before then as it's going to get used to haul the chassis around a bit in the interim. Other job of the day was to get the inside of the fuel tank cavity prepped with ACF-50 and get the fuel tank in. The ACF-50 is just a precaution. Since I had the corrosion problem on the other side of this panel and because this area is impossible to access with the tank in place I decided to just give it a good wipe-down with ACF before the tank went in. It was then just a case of digging the tank out of the corner of the workshop (see posts from last year where I stripped and re-coated it) and to jack it up into place. Job's a good'un. I bought a new shear-panel warning lable to go on the tank underside (the old one was destroyed before repainting) Then voilà ! One freshly installed and shiny looking fuel tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted June 30, 2009 Author Share Posted June 30, 2009 Just had news.... engine parts have touched down in the country!!!! Few days and I should have them! It's like bloody Christmas Eve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 Right... well I'll be getting my engine gears in a week... due to it arriving a week sooner than I expected I don't have the wedge handy to pay the full shipping bill! Bloody expensive this freight business (especially when it includes tax on almost 5,000 pounds worth of engine work!). Given that I'm going to be skint for a good few weeks while I let the bank account recover, I've decided to focus on a few little jobs that shouldn't cost much to complete, other than my time. I've ordered the brake refurb kits and my PRRT (Pressure Release Remote Thermostat) kit, which will be arriving from Eliseparts in a week. Brakes will then have their refurb completed and be bolted on the car I've got my new brake lines, all shiny, new NZ-compliant HEL braided lines. Shown here with the Goodridge lines that came off... note the rust on the end-fittings, honestly I don't know how you Brits drive in the stuff over there it rots your cars so bad! Another job that's been on long term hold is the manufacture of te gauge-pod for the dashboard. Given I'm going to be skint for a while and can't do much spendy stuff on the car, finishing the dash stuff, which shouldn't cost much at all is a good idea First step in this is making the plug to take the moulds from. This will be a block of wood that's formed into the shape I want the final part to be. This will then be dressed, bogged and sanded and finally painted. This then gets fibreglass laid over it, which will set and form the mould that I can then lay up the final part inside. So the plug... I started with what I had, a couple of sheets of MDF-sandwiched industrial chipboard. I used PVA adhesive to bond them together (I needed the thickness of two sheets) and leave to set. Then cut the very basic shape out of them using a radial arm saw I happened to have handy. The results you can see below alongside the radio blanking plate: So follows a couple of hours with the wood-rasp to begin hand-shaping this to approximately the right shape. Details aren't too important as the whole thing will end up getting bogged and finish-sanded (much like the panelwork on a car) to form the final shape. You really just want a rough shape to form an armature on which to lay the final surface. The end result will look something similar to this: You can see the shape starting to look more like the profile of the blanking plate. That was enough for one night so I left it there... will probably attack it more in the weekend and start drawing on some details so that I can figure where more shaping needs to occur. Bear in mind I've never done anything like this before so I'm really just feeling my way in the dark! Self-taught experimentation FTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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