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Good day and bad day all rolled into one, managed to get one of the rear vertical links all stripped of its old paint down to shiny metal along with its matching trailing arm, also found a brand new rear trunnion in the tater box which is good because the one on the side I've been working on today has the bolt sheared inside it so I'm guessing that's why a new trunnion was purchased. Got all three parts all painted up and hanging up drying.
Managed to get the near side hub assembled as one bearing kit arrived from Canleys, I ordered another from Rimmer Brothers and it was here when I got back tonight so no reason the other side won't be done tomorrow. Have dropped a bit of a goolie as I forgot to order the copper washer that goes between the front brake flexi and the calliper and in addition my comprehensive polybush kit was missing the rear diff bushes so both ordered today, hopefully arriving tomorrow by first class mail so I can get the front end totally signed off early Monday.
Finished assembling the rear spring with new over length studs, a 1inch Ali spacer new rubber buttons etc, even though the spring looks brand new I stripped it and greased the leaves to ensure everything moves the way it should.
Biggest disappointment of the day was trying to get the near side hub off so I could recon it all, lots of thumping and swearing and regretting not buying the special tool for the job but I begrudge over £60 for a tool I will hopefully only ever use once. Popped into halfords and bought a hub puller on the way back home that might do the job but if not the scrap pile and welder will come into play tomorrow and ill make my own DIY version of the tool. Quite frustrated as if the hub had come off I could have had one side stripped reconditioned and ready to go back on in the morning grrrrrrr.
Still waiting to hear from the local tyre place where I dropped off my 4 steel wheels last week in the hope they could find 4 scrap tyres that hold air to use as build wheels but will pop in on the way to the unit in the morning and see what's what, without wheels it won't make Preston on Monday......
Well getting to Preston for Monday is a bust, heat a puller, nothing will move either of my rear hubs, looking closely at them I think both rear corners were stored outside underneath a salty water waterfall so have admitted defeat and ordered a pair of reconditioned rear uprights with reconditioned trunnions and driveshafts already fitted, at the very reasonable price of £90 each which considering what I spent on trunnion kits, bearings, uj's etc isn't bad at all, hoping that Canley will take them back for a credit. I know it's seems a cop out but my time is now limited as I'm booked solid for the next month so apart from Saturdays I will be a bit stuffed and this way I should still be able to make delivery next Monday so ill only be a week out.
On a lighter note we did get the rest of the brake lines in place and the offside hub fitted with the new bearings so apart from the calipers which I couldn't fit because I had forgotten to order the copper sealing washer between the flexi and the caliper the front is done and dusted.
When I got home last night the copper sealing washers and the missing rear diff bushes had arrived so I will have the diff and rear spring assembly fitted tomorrow morning as very kindly my customer is paying me for the day just to trave to Bolton so I can be on site for 08:30 Tuesday morning so I can get a pretty much full day in at the unit and then tootle up late afternoon and maybe pop into Preston on the way for a looksie.
One interesting fact came to light when ordering my recon shafts is that there were 2 different sized bolts used when joing the driveshaft flanges to the diff flanges 1/2" on earlier cars and 9/16" on later ones. On investigation te 3.9 diff I had selected had 9/16" flanges fitted but my driveshafts had the 1/2" ones so even if I could have gotten the driveshafts stripped and rebuilt I would have been a bit knackered, every cloud has a silver lining I suppose.
Should also be able to get the gearbox joined up to the bell housing tomorrow in readiness to connect to the engine when I collect it next Saturday. Also planning to strip, clean reprint and rebuild the pedals as Ribble will need those at some stage for the frame redesign and fitting. A few not very good pics:
We are at a very similar stage but you are now pulling away. I fitted driveshafts yesterday and discovered the same issue with the bolts, although Canley's parts listings show 5/16 and 3/8 rather than 1/2 and 9/16.
I'd refitted the 13/60 flangesto the driveshafts and then discovered that the flanges on the new 3.89 diff were larger. Fortunately I had a spare Vitesse axle under the bench and cannibalised that. It was then that I noticed that the new bolts were a little small. I had a set for the propshaft that are the correct size, so I go them on in the end.
When I build my next Ribble I shall definitely buy the reconditioned rear units. I am pleased to have done mine and everything turns beautifully smoothly, but I did have to buy the hub puller and a decent press (to remove old UJs), plus the new bearings and UJs. Never mind the cleaning/blasting and priming.
Thanks, that's the look I'm going for, my thinking is that the car itself is period inspired so I think to keep the underpinnings looking period suites. I am still a bit miffed that I won't have rebuilt the rear uprights myself but time is against me and this is a side project to the Tiger GTA Dave and I are rebuilding so it wouldn't be fair to delay that project when Dave has put so much into it. I'm also conscious that if I am to have any bum in seat time in it this year then I will need to sub out parts of the build, it's just a matter of practicality really. I have made a lot of progress in a short time as I am fortunate enough to be able to predict a slack period in business around this time every year to be able to hit th spinners!
We are at a very similar stage but you are now pulling away. I fitted driveshafts yesterday and discovered the same issue with the bolts, although Canley's parts listings show 5/16 and 3/8 rather than 1/2 and 9/16.
5/16 and 3/8 are the diameters of the bolt in imperial (inches) 1/2 and 9/16 is the spanner size. Nuts and bolts are sold bolt diameters.
Good news is that I picked up my recon upright/driveshaft assemblies tonight and they look spot on and everything moves as it should, the bad news is that looking at the weather I might not make it back at the weekend to fit them......bugger!
Good day today, basically the chassis is done, it would be a roller but deite a mid week call to remind him my local tyre boutique failed to have obtained some worn but air holding 13" tyres for fitting to the steel rims he has had for over 2 weeks now!
Only part not fitted are the rear shocks as they are on back order, we have made some temporary sports shocks out of 1" box section :-) also the Alain drums are on back order so have fitted the new adjuster and brake cylinder but am leaving off the shoes etc.
Front calipers are all done now but am leaving the pads for now and have also left the transit coating on the discs.
Fitted the bell housing to the gearbox after Dave attacked it with the rotary wire brush and would have had that fitted as well but discovered that the tater box parts dept was lacking overdrive gearbox mounts, they are on order now so the gearbox should be in before its now rescheduled delivery to Ribble sometime next weekend.
Called Andy to relay the tale of woe rear tyres and he has kindly offered to lend me a set of spit wheels with tyres so am picking them up on my way north on Monday.
Oh before I forget the recon rear uprights and driveshafts I bought were spot on, a tad heavy on the paint in places but everything has been renewed and moves as it should so a good buy at £175 the pair.
Glad it found a good home. The car actually made it onto its wheels today and rolled across the workshop! It's ready now for definite delivery to Ribble on Tuesday, big sigh of relief!
Well, finally delivered the rolling chassis to Andy this morning bright and early so its over to team Ribble, hoping for regular updates from Andy on this thread as the frame etc. takes shape. Will have to pop up in the next week or so anyway as I need to drop in the engine and box and drop off the pedals and column.
Had a look at the new Colani beast and have to say that although its not to my taste the body finish is excellent and the pint job looked very very nice.
Doing the interior myself haven't decided whether to go Ali or fibreglass sheet on the interior, I do like the period look the Ali gives but don't fancy the amount of work required to keep it looking nice.
I don't mind patina but its the horrible white powdery ali rot I don't fancy, waiting to hear from my paint man on the possibility of scotching it and them matt lacquering it.
Progress is starting to pick up now, with the rolling chassis at Ribble HQ i got the chance to collect the engine from the engine builder yesterday, typical engine builder, had sprayed everything black....
30 minutes this morning sees the block in silver smoothrite which at least isnt black, once i get the rocker changed out for the alloy one it will start to look a bit better. Off to RHQ tomorrow to drop of the now mated engine and OD gearbox so we can drop it onto the chassis so Ribble have more idea about clearances etc.
Spec for those that are interested in such things, its a 1300 with new pistons and rings,
Compression is 9.85 to 1
Bradbury Engineerings own Fast road Cam
Stage 2 ported head which I picked up brand new of ebay for £80, its off a Triumph 1500 FWD so has larger valves than the 1300 allowing better breathing.
Complete bottom end has been dynamically blanced.
New sheels and bearing all round.
High flow oil pump
Uprated vlave springs
Well went into RHQ this morning bright and early and with the assistance of Andy and Gaz we managed to drop the Engine and Box into place, also fitted the rear spax whilst i was there. Was going to fit my braided brake flexis whilst i was there but fitted the rear one and it was about 3" too short, it fitted but left no slack at all for movement so will be on the phone to Rimmers in the morning. On the up side managed to finally find someone with a rotten shell who will cut out the trans tiunel for me so that should be delivered to Andy sometime this week, he now has or will have this week all the parts required to get the frame etc underway
