Winter Projects

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

.

good for warmimng up freezing cold tools !

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Wood chisel and hammer. It came off better when temps were sub zero

You've probably got something there- freeze it. Like removing chewing gum from upholstery......

Feeling guilty with all this talk of scraping sealant off, so got various polish stuff out and tackled my grotty rear hatch. One area looks like has had something spilled on it that has etched surface. Resorted to 1200 wet and dry followed by T cut followed by wax polish. 'Better' is best I can say! Must google for plastic window polish- know it is available for soft tops. Also fitted water temp sensor- it isn't matched to gauge but gives a reading. If it isn't 'near enough' will have to get the correct instrument as well.

Also tackled all the glue left on bonnet from old stickers. Where do they get that stuff! Some came off with 'just' several pounds worth of brake cleaner but what was left had to be tackled with 99 octane and a feeler gauge. The latter did the trick.

Still, at least all that polishing kept me warm for a change.

Whats next? Tyres off and paint old wheels. Order spray cans of 'Continental Orange' for headlamp panel and bumper. (Then hope I have chosen right colour!) Oh, and some mesh for rad opening. Interesting that can't find in normal places, but luckily 'modern' accessory shops sell nice stainless stuff. And while at NEC on thursday need to talk to some people about tyres.......

[terence]

Mike,have you tried RS components,they do an excellent 'Aerodynamic' 'honeycombe' type mesh. it doe's actually work. Lets air through rather than bouncing it off a causing,in effect,a barrier. Used it on an overheating Bug Replica after trying all of the usual suspects,problem solved! Its in Stainless as well and doe's look very good.

[delta]

Friend of mine and fellow dog walker who lives around the corner has this Austin Seven Special in his garage. I called round at Christmas and am smitten. Going to help him as much as i can on the build.Ian the owner plans to get his ARDS and race the little car may be later this year.For me this is a very nice little project ,something different. Who knows i might join up with JR soon. Speeking of where is our vintage friend.

[delta]

.
Thought it was about time to update or bore you with the Escort progress. As you might know i did get struck down with flu and did not get on as much as i would of liked over Christmas and the New Year,hey ho we are all still alive and kicking so i will stop grumberling.The shell has gone to my friends paint shop and me and Martin plan to spend Saturday fitting the roll cage at his shop and helping with the paint preperation.I am also going to fit the suspension down there to get the shell rolling to make it easier to move around.
I did however finnish the engine and here are some pics and details.I think i said earlier that i had the block linnered so as to bring the cc back to 1998cc.Found a good crank that is now ground to plus 10 mains and big ends so thats good. You will see later that i like to have the flywheel pined onto the crank and use high quality flywheel bolts.On the FF2000 if you miss a gear or select 1st instead of 3rd you can easily loose the flywheel.The clutch,crank,flywheel where all sent off and balanced and supplied with heavy duty bearings.I tend to spend a fair bit of time cleaning and taking any casting edges of the block then a couple of coats of engine sealer paint.This takes time but im convinced it helps in the long run with getting the oil back down to the sump quicker. " who knows"

[delta]

Block finnished.

[Al Weyman]

Looks pretty but I wouldnt paint the inside of a block incase it starts peeling and chipping and gets into the bearings.

[delta]

Flywheel pined twice to crank using the ARP bolts.Let me know if this is getting tyresom.

[delta]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Looks pretty but I wouldnt paint the inside of a block incase it starts peeling and chipping and gets into the bearings.

I use a special paint Al thats for this job. I get it from Frost.Been painting all the blocks for some years now.

[delta]

.Bottom end built up. I did not plastic gauge this engine as the crank felt very nice.Sometimes if im not happy with the way the carnk spins i will spend some time and check and have in the past taken cranks back to machine shop and had them polished then rechecked.BTW never ever had a pinto crank break.O dear what have i said.

[Al Weyman]

I read you can use a product called Glypol I think it is and used for painting something on electric motors and guys used to do in the valley area in the Chevy V8 but most thinking has gone away from that now but each to their own thing. Sure look purdy though!

[delta]

Some years ago i built a pinto for a customer who did a bit of rallying.He brought over a load of bits and said i could keep whatever i did not use. Low and behold i found this RS sump. The sump is a very good design all i have done in put some anti surge foam in the pan around the oil pick up.

[Alan Morgan]

This is all very "Cars and Car Conversions"!

...and very enjoyable!

[Al Weyman]

Here is my progress, the newly built engine in the IROC-Z. Hoping to fire up this weekend.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Also tackled all the glue left on bonnet from old stickers. Where do they get that stuff! Some came off with 'just' several pounds worth of brake cleaner but what was left had to be tackled with 99 octane and a feeler gauge. The latter did the trick.

WD 40 types of spray lubricant are brilliant for getting sticker glue off of panels without sodding the paintwork up.
Just keep spraying it on now and then between rubbing with a soft cloth.

[Al Weyman]

I have a nice tool for that, cost 300 quid though!

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

........ Must google for plastic window polish- know it is available for soft tops. ......)

sorry meant to reply last time you mentioned this; try Greygate plastic polish, that's what we use on softop windows, it's really good.

[GORDON STREETER]

While you old boys are playing in your centrally heated garages spare a thought for us having to "put up" with sights like this just down the road !

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Mike,have you tried RS components,they do an excellent 'Aerodynamic' 'honeycombe' type mesh. it doe's actually work. Lets air through rather than bouncing it off a causing,in effect,a barrier. Used it on an overheating Bug Replica after trying all of the usual suspects,problem solved! Its in Stainless as well and doe's look very good.

Thanks Terry- will have a look. Tend to forget RS as they don't advertise themselves as motorsport suppliers!

Iain, what rods you using in the Pinto, or are they a secret

The Seven looks great- have a friend with a Chummy and he loves it. His first 'classic'!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

sorry meant to reply last time you mentioned this; try Greygate plastic polish, that's what we use on softop windows, it's really good.

Cheers David- they only one could find was Renovo so will look for Greygate now!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

While you old boys are playing in your centrally heated garages spare a thought for us having to "put up" with sights like this just down the road !

Was really excited yesterday- temp was up to +7 degrees in workshop without heater on! On w/end had one of those nasty weather fronts that change temp very quickly- it went from zero to humid double figures- and everything inside started to sweat- including the floor. Hate it!

Its events like that that make me think workshop may eventually be your end of Europe..........

[zefarelly]

never painted the inside of a blcleanock, always worried it'll come off! I have relieved one for rod clearance before on a stroked motor, then went the extra mile with a grinding stone and cleaned up all the casting flashes etc . . . .

you can get a spray for vinyl removing . . . the heat gun helps as well, warm them up a bit. most modern vinyl comes off easy.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

you can get a spray for vinyl removing . . . the heat gun helps as well, warm them up a bit. most modern vinyl comes off easy.

Thanks Joe. The vinyl came off with heat gun as usual but some of the very old stickers left a deposit so hard that had to scrape it off......

[Al Weyman]

If the car has been painted in two pack then cellelouse thinners is a good thing to get the goo off with, there is also a product availble from most sign maker suppliers but its not cheap and 3M do a glue removal product or as previously said good old petrol will work. If you know someone with a steam cleaner turned up hot that will do it but again watch the paintwork. I have some little heat proof plastic scrapers here I bought from the US that are good as well as dont scratch the bodywork and can be resharpened and will not melt with the heat gun.

[terence]

Or to put it another way,use petrol.