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We've all done it !!
I have had my engineer mate make me up a couple of 'cheat rings' to go round the gauges like a big washer before to deal with it ...I got him to match the other gauges too , so it all looks deliberate !!
Some days you're the dog, some days you're the lamp-post.
I was making up a new kunifer pipe to go to the rear of the car..... Used a piece of string placed along the desired route (and did it twice), to get a reasonably close measurement. Plan was to make it 100mm longer(just in case), put flare in one end and connect it, go the route (clipping to chassis on the way) and then do a minor shortening and the final flare whilst under the car. To this day I don't know why it ended up 600mm too long!
Amazing how quickly time can pass and nothing gets done. Nothing with the car anyway. Main reasons for doing very little in the last 12 months was finishing off a degree and doing an Ironman. Both in the bag so ready to start again.
Managed to get back up to the unit last weekend to find out it had been broken into and a few things stolen - my bikes and tools so about 5k's worth altogether. I had been up a week before to drop some stuff off so it was recent enough. Still, nothing that cant be replaced.
All the car stuff is still there and I'll be making a go at getting a fair bit done over Christmas. Plan is to get there this weekend and sit down and make a list of everything that needs completing and go again.
Brackets to fit seats are done so they may even get fitted this weekend after I put the new carpet in. I'll try and get dashboard reglassed over Christmas - needs to be done at home really where its dry and warm and then I'll line someone up to do the electrics in the early new year.
Then I'm starting another masters and I've entered another Ironman so who knows what else will get done.
Well done with your 'target items', but sorry to hear of the theft. Possibly not much help, but putting messages on the various cycling forums may help, also put searches on Ebay and Gumtree (and any others) that will send you a message if key words are listed - always worth a try!
Probably teaching you to suck eggs, but you might want to beef up your security at the unit now. Sadly it's common practice for burglars to return a few weeks later to steal the new items that they know you'll have bought to replace what they stole before.
Made a beautiful template and measured everything up perfectly. Checked, rechecked and checked again.
Then carefully cut 4 holes perfectly into the dash. Holesaw was slightly smaller than needed but decided I could file it out to right size.
Same again for the big dials. This time hole saw was perfect size. Two beautiful holes cut...
Offered up the Speedo to check and it fell through. Vibrations had made hole too big. Shit.
Checked smaller holes and they fit perfect. Decided to trial fit gauges to check. Oil temp, oil pressure, water temp, fuel and bollox, the clock. 5 dials. 4 holes.
Many moons ago, a friend of mine had a customers car in to fit a sun roof, he ironed the paper template, measured carefully and taped the template in place, went away, came back and re-measured. He took a deep breath and made the cut, the sunroof dropped straight through the hole!
It turned out that it wasn't the template at all, but the protective paper covering to stop it getting scratched.....
Still not had chance to do much but have been picking up a few things to keep me interested.
Rear window - MGB GT rear screen obtained - got one with the rear heating element - might end up going with lexan though / still thinking about the bigger window option....
Foglights - got Marchal ones - will need some restoring but love the look of them.
Wing mirrors - bought some from GT Classiche - no longer on their site so can't show till they arrive - they looked pretty good on the photos though.
Dashboard is ready to be cut - I'll be measuring and marking and double checking 3-4 times this time!
I'd advise anyone who is thinking of building a kit car whilst studying a BSc and then a MSc not to bother!
Finally handed in my thesis and successfully defended it today (I hope!) - so back to the build!
I've not been up to even see the car in a while so having to read my own thread to work out where I am.
First job is going to be getting the seats in. Oder the metal I need to fabricate mounts and going to get them done asap. I'm not even worried about going for sliding - I always have the seat back as far as it goes so no need. Yes, might be a problem if I sell on. But c'est la vie for now.
Interesting developments in the world of replicas I see, but this was never going to be an attempt to look the same - will likely get some badges made that "recreate the spirit".
Other than that - expect lots of questions as I try to remember what the chuff I was doing and struggle to find posts I read before.
Great to see this on the go again! Question for you - you don't happen to have the front wings that you removed from the Z3 do you? If so are they rust free?
My dad has a Z3 and the front wings have gone rusty from the inside out along that horizontal panel at the rear of the wing. He is in Co Wicklow so not too far from you.
Great to see this on the go again! Question for you - you don't happen to have the front wings that you removed from the Z3 do you? If so are they rust free?
My dad has a Z3 and the front wings have gone rusty from the inside out along that horizontal panel at the rear of the wing. He is in Co Wicklow so not too far from you.
I'm 99% positive I have - I'm hoping to get up to the unit this weekend so will let you know for definite. From memory they were in good condition.
