Pedal Box Restoration

Ok – here we go again.  Started to clean up the under dash wiring and now I find myself removing the pedal box.  This will be stripped apart with some parts sandblasted and powder coated.  Already have the new bronze bushes.

You can see why I pulled this out...

Another assembly update

A bit more progress.  It’s getting close to getting off the jacks now.  Just a bit more work on the brakes (front RHS hub needs machining as the run out was too much).  Rear RHS brake lines still to be fitted and then Stevo can come over with his bleeder kit and secret but special brake fluid.  Some A/C hoses need cleaning and then we’re pretty right to get it rolling.

Here’s the pics as at today.

Front suspension coming together

Now that I’m starting to put this together the project is much more enjoyable.  Everything is so clean I almost don’t need to put the overalls on!  I had to muck around a bit with the steering rack and when it was finally in I realised that the notch out of the steering shaft was out 180 degrees!  The rack had been rebuilt and I suppose it;s an easy mistake to make.  Anyway, no big deal – only took about 15 minutes to rectify.

The front end is almost all done.  Just got to get the 3 hard lines made up then install.  The fuel pump bracket also needs mounting and when this is complete I can fit the stone tray and move to the rear.  I’d better get the wheels ready!

Refinished Parts

Not a paint booth but good enough for this job!

It’s been a while since the last post.  Since the most recent update I have been slowly completing the refinishing of  all the various bits and pieces.  I’ve done alot of it myself but in the end I had Phil at Auto Coupe look after the important mechanical parts.  In particular he did the following:

• Split calipers, blasted, replated, assembles, baked and fitted rebuild kit.  One piston was replaced but the others were OK.  These will work like brand new.
• Blasted front hubs and coated with clear.  New wheel bearings packed and greased. New rotors to finish off.
• Blasted trailing arms and coated with clear.  New wheel bearings, new handbrakes shoes.  Hubs also blasted and new bushes fitted where the trailing arm attached to the torsion bar tube.  Again, as good as new.
• Spring plates blasted and replated.  Old bushes removed and new urethane ones fitted.  I had asked about squeaking for this style of bush but Phil assures me that use of the correct grease and they’ll be no issues.  There was a bit of surface corrosion that you can’t completely remove but the performance is not affected.  To me they’re still an 8.5 out of 10.
• Camber plates cleaned and painted.  Not replated because of the attached rubber bush.
• Front control arms blasted and repainted.  New bushes (urethane) fitted.  Phil also fitted the ball joints to make my life a bit easier on the assembly.
• Blasted, cleaned and replated bolts, clips and various other hardware items.  Phil then bagged and labelled which I assure you is much appreciated!

Still to come from Phil are the powdercoated sway bars, stone tray, crash bar and tow plate.  He is also supplying urethane sway bar bushes all round.

All the other parts are close to done.  I have stripped and repainted the struts.  My first real project with 2K paint and the results are pretty good – certainly good enough for the struts and rear shocks.

Other parts such as the washer bottle, fuel overflow bottle, fuel filler pipe, rear fender brackets have been done.  No pics but they’ll be shown when I start putting the car back together.

At the moment I am refinishing the oil tank (in POR15) and at the same time will replace some of the oil lines – the old ones are looking every bit of their 27 years!  I need new ones when the SSI’s go on so I am doing it now while everything is apart.  Yet another ‘while you’re there’ project.

Enough words for now. The pics do the talking anyway.

Not a paint booth but good enough for this job!

Close up of front strut. Not bad for 1st ever 2K paint job.

Front hubs came up the best. Look new to me. Very happy!

A Arm blasted and painted. New urethane bushes fitted and ball joints torqued up.

Trailing arms blasted and coated. New bushes pressed in.

Rear hub looks great. New handbrakes shows as well.

Sprin plates blasted and replated. New bushes!

Bolts and hardware bagged up. Camber plates and drop links painted.

Brakes split, blasted, plated, baked and new seal kit.