Keltiks latest doomed project

[keltik]

Discussion Thread

 

Before anyone starts, i want to clear up the following;  To those who say i never finish projects, yeah you're probably right....but i do have a lot of fun with them before i sell them.  But hey this is Oldschool.  Nothing ever gets finished and many people swap projects like they got ADHD.

 

So heres a brumby.

 

Basically im going to use the lessons from my hatchback to build this car the right way.  Those lessons are;

 

1) Buy something with reg on hold.  Re-vinning something is above the amount of effort im willing to put into a weekend toy.

2) Get something with minimal rust or at least simple shaped panels that are easy to repair.  This thing is pretty square and only requires 3-4 patches to get a wof.

3) A modern 2.2 was possibly overkill....and speed isnt the fun part of owning a car like this.  So just get it legal first THEN worry about drivetrain upgrades.

4)  Accept from the start that the body is going to look like shit for quite a while.  I cant afford panelbeaters to do the job and i suck at it myself.

5) Buy a Subaru and accept that you really are a disgusting fanboy who likes pretty shit cars.

 

The plan;

* Reassemble

* Paint all one color

* Get a wof

* Roll with the T-tops open and get a sunburned face

 

I think all of the parts i really need are there.  Might need to find some bumpers and maybe seat belts but that shouldnt be difficult.  At this point, im imagining something dirty, low and matte black.

[keltik]

So ive had a tinker with this thing.  Very first job was to see if it would run.  Previous owner assured me it was a goer but couldnt get it to start at his place.  So i cranked it a bit, found no spark.  So I rigged up a fuel pump from a jerry can in the engine bay to eliminate fuel being a problem.  Primed the carb with a few squirts of gas, stuck some power to the coil then bumped the starter.  Results as seen below.

 

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/keltickiwi/media/VID_20130929_142438_zps3a28ce9b.mp4.html

 

With a bit of investigation, one of the fusible links was broken from corrosion at the end crimp joint, so i cut it shorter and rigged it back together.  Then I managed to hook up the fuse box, ignition switch and get it to start with a spoon.  Good enough!

 

Next job was to make the ute reasonably watertight since my flatmates refuse to let it live in the ample 2 car garage.  It would mean moving the pool table and pingpong table and thats not a sacrifice anyones willing to make (other than me).

 

So i sanded back the edge bit and found mostly steel.  Cleaned off all of the old sealant and primed it with some 6 year old marine etch primer i found lying in the shed.  Stuck a top coat over it using some grey color i had left over from the Jag and it came out looking rather good.  Should be nicely cured by tomorrow when mr window man comes to fit the front screen.

 

 

Then i realised it was going to be a bitch to fit the dash with the windscreen in place, so slammed it in there.  I've decided to forgo the luxury of a heater since it was in a hundred pieces and given my time limitation before the window man came, i couldnt put it back together.  Think of it as weight saving.  Brumby Super-Leggera or something.

 

 

Discovered the thermostat was stuck shut so bought a new one of those and will fit it whilst i remove the heater hoses.

 

Next weekends goal is to remove the bonnet and gaurds, prime underneath them and start sanding them down.  Will probably do that round at my old mans place to keep the flatmates happy.  Damn these people and their fancy houses they dont want to ruin!

[keltik]

Got lots of progress, might post a picture when i get home.  Car basically has a windscreen in it now and thats the only noticeable difference.

 

Popped a new thermostat in and deleted the heater tap and coolant hoses.  Put on a few hose clamps that were missing, filled with coolant and tried to start it.  Bloody thing wouldnt go!  It would run for about 10 seconds with some pumping of the throttle and some careful footwork, but died soon after.

 

Plugs were all nigerian and the wires i robbed from a motor in Johns paddock probably werent in the best nick.  So i went crazy and fitted up some new new parts.  Slammed on some new leads, new rotor, new plugs, new points and set the gap.  Popped the top off the carb, cleaned the float bowl, checked the float height, checked the bleed screws adjustments, reclocked the distributor as we thought it might have been off one tooth.

 

Fired up first turn!  Success.  Runs mint now.  Had a play with the timing by ear and it seems happiest about 80% towards the advanced end of the adjustment.  Will get a timing light and set it properly next.  Even took it for a trip down the driveway and back just because i was so happy everything worked.

 

Popped off the passengers guard and undersealed the shit out of the body.  Painted the guard half-assedly and slammed it back on.  Now i need to buy a bit more paint and underseal...and bolts so i can do likewise to the drivers side.

 

Got a couple of snapped off bolts to remove so ive brought my mig welder home.  First time ive been able to use one for this job so i hope its easier than drilling/grinding and swearing.  Will get some gas in a couple weeks and i can tackle the 3-4 patches that need doing.

[keltik]

Oh also before i forget....the temp gauge seems wildly inaccurate.  Was showing a billion degrees after idling for 10mins but i couldnt hear any boiling going on.   4WD light wont go off either.  In fact all of the lights came on for a bit.

 

I suspect shitty diodes in the alternator.

[johnnyfive]

Parts were required, enter this.

 

 

Which now looks like this.

 

 

A welsh man hard at work/getting tetanus.

 

Me, already having tetanus/stuck.

 

Why so droopy?

 

You know why.

 

stuff

Things

 

Pictures. 

[keltik]

Today i fixed some more things.  Just a small update.

 

Replaced the sawn off gear shifter.

Hooked up the windscreen washer bottle and got the wipers working again.

Replaced the rotary wiper and headlight switches so now they work properly.

Threw a couple fuses at it and now the turn signals and headlamps work correctly.

Gave the bonnet a coat of matty B.  Still got the passenger side guard to do but its all undersealed and ready for some paint.

 

Things I need from the donor car still;

• Tail lights if better than my ones
• Bit around the indicator stalk that bolts it to the column....dont even know what it is or how it goes on.
• Rust cut of lower RH valence if its not turbo fucked
• As much exhaust as possible
• Seat belts if good
• Drivers door inner armrest/handle and screws
• Window winder
• Some chrome trims for around the bed
• Wheels
• Tailgate hinge bits
• Washer motor wiring harness bit

Would be nice to grab the engine and box but its a lot of effort for something i dont really need.

 

Question for the experts:  Today i used my welder for the first time to remove snapped bolts.  The first 2 or 3 were a bit messy...especially since i dont have any shielding gas but it worked a treat.  For ones that are snapped off below flush, how do you keep the puddle centered and build it up without just filling the hole with weld?  I think i might have been letting it get too hot and so my built up bead was just sagging down into the hole.  Maybe it would be a lot easier with gas...

[keltik]

 

Things I need from the donor car still;

• Tail lights if better than my ones (They arent)
• Bit around the indicator stalk that bolts it to the column....dont even know what it is or how it goes on.  (Fixed!)
• Rust cut of lower RH valence if its not turbo fucked (Its turbo fucked)
• As much exhaust as possible (Fuck it was hot, next time)
• Seat belts if good (My ones were in better condition and should pass)
• Drivers door inner armrest/handle and screws (Done)
• Window winder (Sorted)
• Some chrome trims for around the bed (Done, just need the clips now or some tape)
• Wheels (Maybe later)
• Tailgate hinge bits (Still need these so if anyone knows anyone....)
• Washer motor wiring harness bit (Done)

 

Got the headlights and turn signals all working nicely.  Voltage regulator in the alternator is pretty lazy but springs into life after a bit of idling.  Got a spare alternator just in case i need to change it.  Heres a couple pics to keep the progress interesting.

 

Rust free tailgate is on but still needs some hinges.  Check strap and latches are all there.  Got a couple spare handles for it so thats no worries.

 

Need to fix this hole in the floor.

 

And this one in the front bit.

 

And this one in the even more fronter bit.

 

But overall, its starting to look more like a car.  Rescued a passenger seat out of the rustfucked brumby.  Still need a drivers seat but will have a look at pickapart to get a nice comfy Mazda one.

 

Looking at it from this corner makes me happy.

 

Next weekends goals:

• Jack up the rear suspension back to the correct height
• Paint the RHF guard and maybe the A-pillars and roof.
• Get the fuel tank fully finished.  Hose clamps and bolts on the filler neck need sorting.
• Figure out what to do about the fuel return pipes.  The weber carb doesnt run a return so I guess i could just remove the pipes altogether?
• Paint around tail lights and fit them.

[keltik]

So i did a bit more shitty painting, reclocked the rear torsion bars to a more acceptable height.  Might go one click higher when i get a chance.  Put the chrome trim around the bed back on and started fitting side trims.

 

Next goal is to do a couple of patches and get the front bumper reinstalled.

[keltik]

Cannonball run madmax edition entered.  Never managed it in the hatchback, now its time to fix that historical error.

 

Time to do some work.

[keltik]

Where once there was a hole, now there is metal!  Im not exactly proud of my repair tho.  It started as a splayed out crack so i hammered the ends flat again and started shoving a few spot welds over it.  The metal was the thickness of bog roll so i just ended up making a mess and blowing it all out onto the floor.  So i gave up and put a patch on it, did some tacking, some welding then some grinding.  I may have overdone the griding bit as the patch ended up a bit thin but fuck it, some underseal and she's good to go.  Need some tin snips before i tackle the next section.  It might be slow progress, but if i can do a little bit each night, it wont be long before I can go to fail a WOF.  

 

 

Then it was time to add some horsepower, last time i bolted in a 2.2, this time i decided to take a more conventional approach.

 

Next milestone is to get an exhaust made up next week.  Im thinking unbalanced x design through a 2in-2out muffler then side exits in front of each rear wheel.  I have absolutely no idea what im doing, but i get the feeling that will give me a nice rancid exhaust note.  Pretty much trying to replicate this with less misfires

http://youtu.be/NU5Ishf056E?t=31s

[keltik]

I MENDED IT!

 

Well....a bit of it.  Where once there was rust, now there is steel!

 

Not entirely proud of my welding but it got the job done and with a bit/lot of flapwheel it looks decent enough.  Especially when obscured with textured underseal.

 

Next mission is to figure out why shit doesnt charge.  One terminal on the alternator has battery voltage, the big chargy looking one.  Another terminal has 12v with the ignition on and the last terminal has nothing.  No voltage at all.  The charge fuse isnt blown and everything appears to be connected.  Verified that the charge light isnt blown either.  Tried a different alternator and had the same result.  I wonder what that last terminal is supposed to do or have on it.

[keltik]

An ounce of progress tonight, managed to mend the charging system.

 

Problem ended up being a broken wire up under the dash somewhere between the instrument cluster and the fuse panel.  Luckily im missing most of the dashboard so it only took an hour to trace everything and solve the problem.

 

Goal for the weekend is to get the fuel filler either removed and ready for repair or fully reinstalled, the evap lines re-routed and the fuel return plugged.  Whats an appropriate way to plug the return at the tank?

[keltik]

Its been a good day of progress.

 

Got the lighting system mostly working. So the original cars harness had a 5 wire headlight switch....i had accidently installed a 6 wire one so did some re-pinning and a spot of soldering and i think ive got it sorted.  Headlights and park lights are all good, tail lights work again and rego lights go....but the one wire left which should supply 12v to the dash light circuit isnt playing the game.

 

With the tail light circuit plugged in, the dash lights wont go, i forgot to measure the voltage at the dash light terminal.  So i slam 12v on it and the lights work, with the park lights on or tail lights, it wont illuminate.  More investigation tomorrow.

 

Was getting all sorts of weird funk happening on one tail light.  Brake would flash faintly with the indicator, and with the lights on, only the brake light flashed.  I popped the light out and found a mess a few inches down the harness from Mr towbar installer.  Photograph turned out shit so imagine lots of rotten punch down connectors and strip connectors full of spider guts.  After cutting out that bollocks and cleaning everything up, i still had the same problem.  So grabbed another light off the parts brumby, swapped the lenses, washed it all in the sink and cleaned it up real nice.  Now it works properly.

 

Also rebuilt my radiator fan.  It was making all kinds of shithouse noises and not going nearly hard enough.  Popped the motor casing apart which was crimped together in a very annoying way.  Found one of the magnets had detached from the housing so threw it away since its got 3 more.  The brushes were frozen so freed them up, cleaned the whole lot out with contact cleaner and popped it back together with appropriate grease and so forth, works lovely now! 

 

Fully loaded up with headlights and rad fans, ive got an appriate amount of volts.  Had to rev 'er up to 1500rpm to get a decent output.  Voltage is possibly a little high getting up to 14.2 at times, but i think it will be ok.  Got my spare alternator here to throw back on if things get scary.

 

Finished bolting the chrome on, made some new clip/attachment block things for it out of knead-it and screwed it into place.  An excellent trick if i do say so myself.

 

Tomorrows goal is to get the fuel tank sealed up, the filler neck off and maybe put on the new front rotors and pads.  Managed to mash up my hand courtesy of a ratchet slipping off a nut and some jagged sheet metal getting punched.  Going to recover with a beer and tackle more things tomorrow.

[keltik]

Cell phone camera has the worst audio quality ever but this thing does sound kinda tough at the moment.  New exhaust has been planned out and is going ahead on Thursday.  Also took a front brake hose off the parts brumby while i remembered so i can send it away to get some new ones made for mine.
 

[keltik]

A checklist post.

 

Things that work which didnt before;

• Engine runs
• Clutch engages
• 4x4 and lo-range work
• All warning lamps and indicators work
• Headlights, turn signals, park lamps, tail lights and rego lights all work
• Seatbelts should be of acceptable standard
• Doors all open and close reasonably well
• Suspension is set to a reasonable height so there is some clearance before the bumpstops
• Shocks arent leaking and seem to work ok
• Handbrake works, service brake works well too
• Horn, windscreen wipers and squirty washers work

Things that still need to be ficksed;

• Exhaust to be fitted
• Rust holes in cab to be tackled
• Rust in front valence to be removed
• Brake hoses to be replaced
• Drivers seat base needs to be unmodified.  Think someone has bolted a bracket on upside down.
• I suspect secondary jets need some unblocking.  Will investigate once everything is drivable.

[keltik]

Found a few pics of this thing back in 2007ish when it was last on the road.  Saw a potential problem on the windscreen and had a wee panic.  After further investigation, it looks like its either been taken care of or forgotten since VTNZ / LTSA have no record of it.  Looks kinda tough with no springs tho...

 

 

Also hit up the local wrecker and snagged a fuel filler from a Hilux.  It should be nicely modifiable to go into brumby with just a little bit of tube required.

 

Tonight, might have a go at bleeding brakes and fitting new parts.

 

[keltik]

Heres how we currently sit;

 

Got my Hilux fuel filler modified quite nicely, only needed to tweak one bend and slam a few extra inches of pipe on it.  Mr Muffler man did it while he was sorting out the exhaust.  On the way to the muffler shop, i discovered a slippy clutch.  So i put my massive twin pipes of doom dream on hold and settled for a functional pipe that i can feck with later.

 

Heres the filler

 

Good as a bought one!  And heres the Coby i had stitched on the back end.  Also got the leaks sorted throughout so now the exhaust is nicely wofable.

 

Also picked up all new brake hoses....so sometime this weekend i might go mad and install all that lot.  Which leaves us with a bit more rust to sort, a little bit of paint, some rhinoline type stuff in the tray and some underseal underneath.

 

Then wheel alignment and Robert's your mothers brother.

[keltik]

Oh yeah and fit clutch and sort out wonky electrics. The temp gauge likes to go up into the hot if you use the brakes or any decent electrical drain.  No idea what ive done wrong but it cant be that difficult to sort out since this thing is simple.

[keltik]

Got home today at about 5:15, started working and whistling away.  Engine was sitting on my floor jack in the engine bay ready to lift out at 5:50.  J5 arrived at 6:05.  Lets see you do that with a Vectra!

 

Anyways, it looked too hard to lift the engine out.  It might have only weighed 80kg, but was at an awkward bastard angle....so i decided to leave it in there and just do the clutch in place.  I did however leave the clutch at work.  So now its time to have some tea and leave everything until tomorrow.

 

Old clutch didnt look half bad, spring in the pressure plate is probably piss weak from years of sitting.

 

The good thing about a tiny engine in a relatively large engine bay.  Just sitting with an axle stand under each head.

 

So tomorrow i can slam it all back together, diagnose the random rubbing noise that has appeared in the LHR wheel, try to nail the light combination switch wiring and then have a cup of tea before the serious work begins doing the last bits of rust.

[keltik]

Put another hour in after work tonight.  Wouldve done 2 hours, but accidently read the time wrong and washed up at 7pm instead of 8.  One day ill learn what each hand means and be able to interpret that into a time more accurately.

 

Anyways, i couldve gone back to work, but i got hungry and really need an offset 12mm spanner preferably ratcheting to go any further.  Those pressure plate bolts are just ever so slightly too offset to get through the starter hole with a socket.

 

So ive slammed on the new clutch.  Got the engine back onto the transmission after a bit of faffing about.  Got it all the way on there, seated to about 8mm gap....and it didnt want to go any further no matter how much jiggling i did.  So i slowly and gently squared it up with the bolts, gave it a shunt and it popped on a bit further to the point where i was satisfied everything was aligned. 

 

Once a few of the bolts were torqued down on the pressure plate and the bell housing bolts were snugged up, i went to give the clutch fork a wiggle to make sure it was seated ok and it was tight as!! Then i remembered that the previous person in here had installed 2 spacer nuts on the clutch cable, so i whipped those off and everything settled into the right kind of adjustment with the rangi spacers.  So i reckon the extra effort to get the bell housing to mate up was due to the clutch fork pressing on the plate.

 

 

Fuck knows why the other clutch needed these spacers, but this one shouldnt.  Could be something to do with why it slipped.  Im not a mechanic.

 

Tomorrow night i can slam all the other shit back in the engine bay (the radiator) and do the other things i was going to do tonight.  I remember hearing somewhere that EA82 clutches and EA81 are very similar except for a 10mm throw difference....since repco ONLY list this brumby as having an EA81, i think i know what happened here.  OR the 10mm thing could be bollocks and something entirely different was wrong.