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The first batch of items from the donor finished their sale on eBay yesterday so as promised, here's a quick run down:
Upper dash Millboard: £6.00
Wooden Cap Strips: £34.00
Rear side trim panels: £10.01
Door trim panels: £10.01
Seats: £21.98 (A bit disappointing but heigh ho!)
Boot lid: £30.00
Number plate Light: £3.76
Fuel Tank: £26.17
Wheel trims: £20.00
Next batch will include dashboard, doors, bonnet, glass, bumpers, body tub and assorted trim. Will update as it goes. This is as much a record for myself as interest for readers so excuse the detail if it's overwhelming.
All the interior has now gone, the exterior has been stripped of its shiny bits and there are a heap more parts for sale on eBay.
In the engine bay I've removed the shrouds for access, taken the front valance (Rotten) off and as it looked very exposed, took the radiator out. I've stripped off the (rotten) master cylinders and all other bits and bobs from the bulkhead so I'm good to go there.
Nothing but sticky stuff is now holding the roof on, the nuts and stays are off the bonnet and there's only two loose bolts holding the doors on. All six bolts holding the tub on in the boot are out but as none of the four bolts holding it onto the chassis were up for playing, I had to grind their little heads off. I nearly forgot the two seat belt ring bolts at the tunnel though as they weren't referred to in my book but looking at other folk's photos I noticed the brackets and luckily figured what they were. As I see it, there should be nothing holding the tub down now but firm shaking of it doesn't seem to move . Is there anything I've missed or does it need a good lever?
Now making room for the car behind the house rather than the currently exposed area at the front before removing the big assemblies. Then the fun can start!
Is there anything I've missed or does it need a good lever?
I also found that after all the bolts were out things still wouldn't move and when i finally did get it apart i could see that for me it was due to all the sticky gloop and sealing strips that had been applied over the years!
If memory serves me right, the front edge where it connects to the driver/passenger footwells is sealed/joined as well as bolted and while the back end of the tub all lifted up fine, i had to cut/saw through the cr@p along the front edge before i could finally get it out.
Don't forget the handbrake cable compensator under the tub. Mine wouldn't budge so I had to cut through the handbrake cable that runs between the rear wheels before I could move the tub more than an inch or two.
It looks like I'm in the same boat with the handbrake. It won't move so I'll do the same as you and cut the cable. I assume I'm right in that as long as the rear cable isn't wrapped around the hoop the tub can be freed?
It looks like I'm in the same boat with the handbrake. It won't move so I'll do the same as you and cut the cable. I assume I'm right in that as long as the rear cable isn't wrapped around the hoop the tub can be freed?
Yep, so long as you've undone all the other bolts holding the tub to the chassis there's just the handbrake cable routed through the compensator holding it on.
You should be able to move the tub about if all the bolts are undone, but not backwards by more than an inch or two before meeting resistance. With hindsight I'd have undone the handbrake cable at one end and threaded it through or cut the compensator off to save the cost of a new cable later.
Thanks. So by way of a quick check list, the six bolts in the boot, four under the outriggers, the row joining either side rear to footwells, two anchor bolts into the tunnel for seat belts, disconnect the brake cables from compensator and pull like hell ?
Thanks. So by way of a quick check list, the six bolts in the boot, four under the outriggers, the row joining either side rear to footwells, two anchor bolts into the tunnel for seat belts, disconnect the brake cables from compensator and pull like hell ?
Yep, as I recall that's about it assuming you've already removed the loom.
I didn't have to worry about the bolts in the boot floor as my donor had no boot floor left to speak of. Once you've undone all the relevant bolts and broken any seal between the front and rear floors the rear tub should be free to move.
I managed to lift mine off on my own and I then cut the handbrake compensator off so I can re-use it on the Sammio.
Don't go weighing in the rear tub btw, mine went for two hundred pounds even with a rusted out boot floor.
I thought it would be nice to let you all know that the Preston Sammio is now....IN PROFIT!
Yes, with some items still to go that came with my Donor purchase, the tally is now standing at -£100. Yes, you heard it right in that having sold most of the items, it has more than paid the purchase cost of a fairly reasonable conditioned set of running gear with engine. To say I'm pleased with it is a major understatement.
The Tub is loose now and having sold, it will be a matter of days and I'll post a photo or two of what lurks below. First sight isn't too bad but until then it's a mystery
After a little effort helped by my lad, we can now see the wood for the trees and a first assessment of the chassis now I've pressure washed the muck off.
The engine came out with no problems though even the application of heat didn't separate the manifold from the exhaust pipe so it got cut off.
Front chassis is quite clean with no repairs required that I can see:
A towbar has obviously needed this strengthening. That should come off easily enough but the left hand extension has a hole in it. Whether to repair it or as it's likely to come off anyway, just clean it up and leave it?
Left hand rear outrigger has a hole in it. I'll change that:
Right hand outrigger has had a crack in it that someone has tried to stop extending by a 'stop drill hole'. As a result it's visibly weak so that will be changed too.
But overall, it's not bad at all and now I can get at it, the suspension strip starts here.
I've promised myself a 'nut and bolt upward' rebuild of all the running gear so the suspension strip will be first followed by all parts being sand blasted and powder coated whilst the chassis gets its new outriggers. I'm hoping to get a full set of bushes, trunnions and bolts from the Triumph show in March and start reassembling from then. The Engine is getting a lot of attention too so when it comes time to run it and get the all important MoT, it shouldn't have any excuses why it shouldn't pass.
It's been a productive day
Starting with a very rainy windy day, I hid in the shed and have completely dismantled all the front suspension components and half the rear.
Brightening up a bit this afternoon, I set to on the bulkhead and cut it down:
Then removed it altogether. All but one of the bolts needed grinding off unfortunately and on removal, it seems one of the feet need replacing too.
I've been around the chassis completely now and there are no more attached parts so I've hit the place I wanted to be in. Being picky, I reckon I'll change both rear outriggers along with the Left hand centre one. The Left hand Boot extension has a hole in it but knowing it's going to be at best shortened and possibly cut off altogether, I'll use that for a practice weld or two.
I have to admit that my greatest tools in this build up to now have been the angle grinder and an impact wrench. Without them I'd be stuck
Having got to where I am in the Spyder build, I've gone and bought a good donor for a future Cordite build
A 1981 Spitfire 1500 which has already had most of the hard work done on brakes and engine (Got a nice stainless exhaust too). You probably won't hear much about this car until I'm much further down the road with the Spyder but it will be the subject of a new thread sometime during the summer (Probably once the MoT has run out)
That's a great looking car and I bet it will be great fun to drive as is until you are ready to make into a Cordite.
I was very close to buying a Scimtar recently to turn into a G46. The only reason I didn't buy the car is because of the size of it, it just wouldn't have fit into my single garage. Maybe once the Spyder has been built and I've had the time to convince the wife that's it would be a good idea.
. Is there anything I've missed or does it need a good lever?
