Neil's Incident

nhazelwood wrote:

Some good news, today is the last day at work due to redundancy....starting my new job, doing basically the same job, at the same company, on monday. Now i've got full access to the machine shop as i' not just designing, but also doing all the machining too......result.

Neil

Fantastic! Great news

Great news Neil. Very pleased for you

That is such great news Neil

Cheers Guy's & Gal's,

Knuckled down today after dropping the munchkin home this morning.

Started about 12:00 & finished at 22:00.

Got the scrapyard at the front of the scamp all cleaned up ready for the engine juggling this a/noon.
Engine cleaned, degreased & old paint removed. Engine is now fully painted (just some assembly scratches to touch up).
Sub-frame & engine mounts have had another coat of satin black, prior to installing the engine into it.
Engine removed as i'd forgot to fit the top suspension arms, suspension arms fitted again & engine dropped back into sub-frame again.
Bottom half of the bulkhead & the inner wing area's have had their 1st coat of Schultz.
Felt a bit light headed after all the paint & thinner fumes as at 20:00 i decided to bolt the engine in to the sub-frame & bolt the sub-frame in place.

So current state of play is:~

Front of Walle approx 2 foot in the air, with it's sub-frame & engine combo in for hopefully the last time.
(Just depends on my ability to get the steering rack back in....knew i'd forgotten something but couldn't remember what...it was out of site, hung up in the garage after painting).
Just got suspension / driveshafts to assemble this week, after i've found the lost items that must be floating around the garage somewhere

Neil

I need a bit of help with a big decision........

Do I fit indicators with clear lenses & orange bulbs, or orange lensels with normal bulbs !!!!

Help, I can't decide, do I go retro orange, or "ultra-sickage" clear ?

Neil

Which are cheaper

Hurry up i'm catching you up

I'm working at my slow steady pace Rob, You'll be pootling very slowly up the M42 before i'm on the road

With regard to the indicators, the lenses are the same price, but the orange bulbs are a couple of quid dearer.

Now my job is secure, i'm starting to spend more time working on Walle.
Once the front suspension is on (hopefully this w/end) it'll start to come together.

Last night made the 1st of 4 inner wing panels. (You'll understand why there's 4 when you see it in the flesh, sorry steel).

Had a lazy night tnt, & managed to salvage the only part of the front not too badly mangled in the accident.

Shortened the old grille down to fit the new slimmer front power bulge.
Mitred the ends of the RHS tubes to match the shape of the bulge, & capped the ends off.
After a quick fettle & a test fit, its ready for a coat of rust inhibitor tmrw night & painting on sunday.

Yes the panel looks green in places, it's only had 2 coats of paint so far. But boy is it shiny

Another job crossed off the list.

Tmrw i might look at utilising the nice length of tube i acquired from our fabricators skip, Walle needs a BIG front bumper

Neil

Do I fit indicators with clear lenses & orange bulbs, or orange lensels with normal bulbs !!!!

My experience with orange bulbs was that after some years, they had to be replaced when the orange coating flaked off. That was a few years ago though, and technology has moved on since - nowadays there's the LED option.

Although personally, I've always thought clear indicator & tail lensels look anaemic.

MUUHHHAAAAAA....british summer weather you can't touch me now......MUUUUHHHHAAAAAA
You can shout at me with your thunder, scare me with your lightning & drown me with your rain......I DON'T CARE..

I'm tucked up nice & dry at work spraying the final coats of 2 pack paint on all the removable panels.

2 roof panels - Painted
2 side doors - Painted
Pass door window surround - Painted
Pass door window retainer - Painted
Front Headlight Panel - Painted
Front Lower Panel - Painted
Roof frame - Half Painted
Wing Mirror brackets - Painted
Radiator - Sort of Painted

Front Grille - Powdercoated
Front Bumper - Powdercoated

Engine is in for the final time.
Exhaust is connected up (Not Clamped)
Wiring 90% done (Just ECU wires to shorten)
Suspension Assembled, (Ball joints need adjusting)
Return Fuel line re-piped.
Dashboard is being mocked up.

BOy aRe TheSee paINt FumEs GREeeeeaaAAttttTTTTT......(Even with a respirator !!!!)

Well done Neil your getting there.

I'm on a rain break myself.
Front lights and horn just wired up and tested, only one dodgy LH ind connector, so now all working ok.

Looking goooooood

6 hours of painting later.... mucho shiny yellow panels.





Not sure where this bit came from....must have been the fumes....certainly don't remember doing this bit...


Just 1 niggling little question.......Did i put enough hardener in the paint ????

Got to take all the bits home tonight !!!!!

Hopefully this week i can start re-assembling the front panels, fit new headlights & indicators (the cheaper orange lens ones, Rob ).
A bit of alfresco painting to do on the main chassis & the front panel can go in.
Got some gaskets, so a bit more of the engine can be put back together, just waiting on Vauxhall for the last gasket.

Still need to think about the bonnet.....

Neil

Looking good Neil

I love the smiley.

Now the long hours start....17 days left to get Walle to Stourport .

Roof frame is back in the car, with a temporary bolted in windscreen.
Forgot to mod the roof panels before i went mad & painted them, so they've got to be carefully modified.
Roof panel location piece is yet another part to make...

Got the front panel finished with the headlights, indicators, grille & bottom panel all finish painted & fitted.



Just need to set the headlights, crimp a few wires & get a new number plate.
Can't fit it yet as there's still a bit of paint to spray around the front of the hoop.

Still got a massive list of jobs yet to do, but their getting crossed off....slowly...

Tomorrows job is to hopefully adjust the balljoints (so they actually move ), touch the paint up on the hubs & sort out brake calipers.
Then refit suspension with new shiny Nyloc bolts.
(Plans for fiesta brake conversion are being put on hold till after Stourport.)

James, the smiley's are a result of 8 hours painting in a factory unit, with 2 pack....i didn't realise i'd done them till after the paint was dry !!
The filters on my mask are bright yellow ! Not even going to mention the amount of time i spent cleaning a yellow sheen off stuff in the factory !
Plan was to do 1 concealed smiley....now there's a few of them

Neil

I think i an see a 'Best of the Bunch' award heading your way this year.

James, you've posted this on the wrong thread

Its got to get there yet

Good point Rob, lets hope theres no Freelanders on Neil's route to the campsite

By hook or by crook, Walle will be there....even if i have to make an A-frame !!!! (Astra's already got a tow bar fitted to it )

One thing you can guarantee....i won't be driving up the M42...

Got the week before Stourport off work to try & get the little scamp running.
Unfortunately i've got to work this sunday, which means less time to work on him, but should have a bit more money for the week off to buy some desperately needed parts....(Like engine & gearbox oil & distributor)

Neil

2 working days & counting...

Having decided to A-Frame Walle, i've had to do a lot of head scratching & welding.
One A-Frame & mounting points almost finished (Just got some bushes for the pivot pins to make).

Rob, you'll be proud of me for this bit of work....
Mounting points on the scamp, made from some old garage door hinges (1/4" folded plate type), cost - £0.00
5mm steel plate for reinforcing mounting points. from scrap bin at our local fabricators, cost £0.00
Strips of 10x50mm steel strip, from scrap bin at our local fabricators, cost £0.00
Length of 50x100x5mm RHS, from scrap bin at our local fabricators, cost £0.00
3 various lengths of 70x70x5 RHS, from scrap bin at our local fabricators, cost £0.00
Had to buy some more welding rods & a Hitch
Final result.....(Needs painting)



All other bits are progressing slowly...

Sat on all 4 wheels at the moment.
Suspension angles to check & adjust.
Gear linkage to re-weld up.
Foot pedals to tweak & fettle.
Replacement dizzy to fit (Was panicking on this, as it only arrived this afternoon).
Engine to finish wiring up, fill with fluids & fire up.
Still waiting on ignition barrel & keys....bloody slow courier.

James, just a quick teaser pic for you...



Hopefully see you on Friday...

Neil

Its taken you long enough, but your finally learning

Got some box-section you can have

Mein Got! Is the A Frame allowed to weigh more than the car it's towing?

I Know where your coming from James....It looks bloody huge !! (weighs about 25kg)

There is a reason tho'...when i've got time & money (2032 seems likely) i'll be altering it into a towing cradle.
Plus the bits (except the hitch) were FREEEEEE...

Just got back from spending the evening at work.
Turned the bushes for the A-frame & 4 bonnet securing devices.

Today's jobs :-
Replacement distributor cleaned, painted & fitted.
Fuel lines connected up, re-run the return line underneath the car instead of thro' the cab.
Radiator refitted & coolant pipes connected up (& no water leaks).
Bonnet made (just needs painting & maybe some mild flaming if time & weather allow).
Rear bonnet mounting brackets make, painted & fitted.
Other miscellaneous bits & bobs painted.

Tomorrows jobs:-
Wire up & refit the ECU.
Find the throttle cable & fit.
Refit the brake callipers, mount the end of the flexi hoses & finish piping up.
Bleed the brakes.
Tweak the pedal positions & make pedal plates.
Repair drivers side door hinges & refit door.
Find windscreen wipers swear when i can't find them, then add them to the growing list of things to buy on friday morning.
Top up engine oil.
Pull battery off Astra & start praying I've got the wiring correct
Set gear linkage position & extend the linkage.
Clear the crap out of the inside of the car....might even get to see the chequer plate floor !
Refit mirrors.
Clean over-spray & weld splatter off windscreen.
Etc...
Etc...

Looks like another very late night tomorrow

Neil

Just a quick update, even tho I have'nt been boring you with loads of posts.....work has been slowly progressing :-) .

Finished the mockup of the dashboard, & was so suprised with the outcome...that i've now reinforced it with fibreglass & vinyl trimmed it. Job done, apart from some slight tweaks to do :-)




Started work this morning on the gearbox tunnel & got the front part roughed out in plywood, then reinforced with fibreglass, filled & sanded.
Also managed to find somewhere for the heater matrix to go, result.



Time for a quick coffee before I vinyl trim the lower side panels & work outhow to mount the heater fans :-(

Neil

Just a quick update....I think I've reached the stage with Walle where i'm wearing my pants on my head The plot has definitely been lost......

Making the dashboard has led me on to even greater feats of lunacy...After mounting the heater, I've noticed there's nowhere to fit the stereo...so the stereo is going in the centre console & the heater is now going behind the seats !!
Mix up a golf mk3 blower motor, golf mk3 heater matrix, some polycarb floating around the garage, some superglue (awesome fumes in a confined space), fibreglass resin & some aluminium coated bubble wrap....


God knows if it'll create much heat, but with the heater pipes running through the gearbox tunnel i'll at least have a warm handbrake lever

Having decided to mount the heater behind the seats, i now need something to cover it, plus mount the speakers into.....so break out some plywood, superglue, fibreglass resin, bits of laminate floor underlay foam, black vinyl & some salvaged chequer plate angle strips.......



Only made one side so far, but with the other panels retrimmed in black, it should look a bit like this....shame its behind the seats & will never be seen



Next task, door cards & central locking Yep REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING IN A SCAMP

£19.99 remote central locking kit off eBay & some fibreglass fumes generates....


This leads on to even more lunacy......the old dilemma of somewhere for the munchkin to dump all her crap into...sorry i mean storage space for essentials....
2 hours wandering round the local scrap yard, 1 can of black flexible bumper paint & a nice tidy factory to paint in creates.....storage space galore...


(2 on left from Leyland/DAF van & 2 on right from Shitreon AX).....do i get any points for bodging initiative yet Rob ?

Some 6mm ply for the door card, plus 6 pieces laminated together & cut out to clear the solenoid & make an armrest....



Some cheap handles from Screwfix & some door pockets later...



Just needs foam covering & vinyl trimming, but run out of spray glue so i've given up for the night....

Just got time to change the underpants on my head & have a quick runaround before bed.

Neil

I like the Skopian machine pistols.

I will score it when i see it in the flesh 0 to -10 for bodginess

although as every good bodger knows...........its what you cant see that counts

The detailing looks stunning Neil. This has got to be the most complete, production car like Scamp ever. Superb!