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Hi all, update straight from Chris.
The 275 hardtop is available and will be exclusive through Old No7 production. The convertible/California version is planned and will be available when time allows the development of the backend.
Start saving for your deposits! Suggest you send an e-mail with interest as required. Thought you might appreciate the good news! Cheers.
It does look stunning, I do think it needs lowering slightly but this is obviously just on the mule.
Judging by the pallets in the background, Chris & Dan are expecting an overseas sales boom!
It has to be chrome, paint, wrap or a set of Vietnamese stainless steel bumpers.
You can't spend all that time and money on it and ruin it by being a tightwad!
WelshKiwi - Hope all goes well with your shipping.
Are you going to paint the bumpers body colour, or do something else?
Good luck, Paul.
Hi Paul, Terry from Evolution (who has shipped many kits before) set it all up so I am sure it is in good hands!
Bumpers are planned to be chrome wrapped. That way if I pick up any damage etc I can get them tidied up easily. Probably be one of the first things I do when the kit arrives so I can work out how it looks. Realise it will mean more maintenance every few years etc where they may need redoing, but I am not too convinced that chrome paint on plastic/gel coat will last too long anyway. So i’ll Start with wrapping.
Everything is planned for the vintage look, so chrome door handles/stainless mirrors/chrome or stainless trim where possible. Cheers!
This view of the headlights reminded me of a school ditty.
It could be the way the the sun lies, or maybe my eyesight's defective?
Is the east t*t the least bit the best of the west t*t?
Or is it a trick of perspective?
Hi Barber, no details yet unfortunately. It didn’t make the ship last week so got on one Tuesday this week. Once I know the vessel then I should know a bit more but estimate 7weeks from this point. Not a major as still trying to get the build space ready, the NZ weather is crapola and I have been an ill old dog for the last week! Sun is out tho this morning so building will continue! Cheers.
Jaguartvr wrote:
Hey, WelshKiwi, did Chris not give you the live shipping link?
You can track your container live
Most definitely you would Jag, but I never would take it personally! Great vid, those bloody sailors have it hard at times don’t they? It is very close to home actually, one of those ships is the Rena, which due to Greek captain and his shortcut, grounded itself on the Astrolabe reef out from Tauranga, NZ. It is still there as a partial artificial reef. As a boatie myself who enjoys a small belt of rum every once in a while (honest!) I am now hoping the vessel my shipment is on has no Greek Captains and no rum onboard! I will keep sweating! 😅
Thanks Geoff, Not immediately helping the blood pressure there, I have never been so interested in maritime traffic, not even when I shipped the house contents out to NZ! Yes the shipping is insured!
Jaguartvr wrote:
Don't worry, it will float
As long as it floats in the right direction Jag! I am not sure the mgbgt rear door will be in once piece after a smell of salt air tho!
Hi guys, been a while since an update so thought better let you know what’s happening.
Kit turns up in NZ supposedly next wed. Be about a week to clear customs and freight to Auckland so hopefully delivered around 11th July. I am testing the donor car this week so it has reg and testing thru till Jan next year when the car will be back on the road. Then donor is starting being stripped next weekend.
First jobs are checking all the exposed bits/discs and pads as req’d and extending/logging all the wiring/harnesses.
I am going to talk to og rims about wheels, but they don’t do 72 spoke 15” on their website, only 13” - so we’ll see.
Likely the fuel tank is coming out to do the filler extension, so sub frame etc has to come out for that work.
All going well, work starts next week! Cheers.
No haven’t talked to the plastic guys, how I didn’t find these considering I am 5 mins away but hey, thanks for finding them for me! Will see what they can do and update in case you are interested at all.
Pararubber seal looks good, again I need to explore those guys as to what they have once the panels get here and I know what exactly I need, but a great start thanks.
Yes found the Aussie wheels guys, I may drop them a line once I have heard back from ogrims in the us. Got a few questions in with them. The donor got wof’d today and is now officially off the road. Teardown starts in the next few days. If you had any trip ups or things to be careful of always happy to receive sage advice! Cheers hopefully full of luck for the challenges ahead.
Probably best to start with the wheel arch liners they are though to get out but there are a few bolts behind them for the side panels and sills. For the hood you'll need a second person but everything else you can do by yourself. Although I did not take the cabrio roof off....
PM me your email and I will send you my disassembly doc, only covers 10-15% at the moment but will be good if someone checks it
Probably best to start with the wheel arch liners they are though to get out but there are a few bolts behind them for the side panels and sills. For the hood you'll need a second person but everything else you can do by yourself. Although I did not take the cabrio roof off....
PM me your email and I will send you my disassembly doc, only covers 10-15% at the moment but will be good if someone checks it
Awesome fella, PM sent. Cheers really appreciated. Will log all those little bits like clips etc, really handy to know. Catch you soon.
Well guys I have put aside the disappointment that the kit panels are delayed during shipping and now not in the country yet and not expected until next Friday. So at least a week and a half until those get in my grubby hands.
So I started today anyway, managed about three hours on the car in amongst still trying to finish the build area. Reasonably easy start, assisted ably by NZ Idol's disassembly guide and the good condition of the car itself. Everything that has come off so far in good nick and the uncovered areas look pretty good. Black lines on the alloy bumper are the approx cut lines for the one piece clam to clear.
So how can people get things so wrong? Today I was made aware that the customs clearance and associated bill has been granted so happy days. Also during the process the ship is now arriving in NZ tomorrow so the "update" I had last Friday couldn't have been more wrong! Anyhoo, good news is I should get the kit early next week now.
Progress tonight after work has been good, all rear end stripped, including rear quarter panels. Condition is good underneath so minimal cleaning and protection will be required. Just the sills and the Fwd lower panels left and then the task of trying to work out how the roof comes out! Keep ya posted.
Hey guys, progress has been coming thick and fast, virtually stripped all the way now, only a few minor bits to tidy and remove.
Will get the cert guy around now to get stuck in to see how we are going to extend the fuel filler.
Really satisfying getting this far, however it doesn't matter how comfortable you are turning something roadworthy into this state does have it moments!
I would be tempted to fit the fuel filler and only show the examiner after the body has been fitted!
The pipe is only pushed down into the tank and glued in place with sealant, not the ideal solution but I can't think of an alternative.
If someone had a spare tank sitting on a table you might be able to see if some kind of adaptor could be machined up. Could then be sold to builders.
I would be tempted to fit the fuel filler and only show the examiner after the body has been fitted!
The pipe is only pushed down into the tank and glued in place with sealant, not the ideal solution but I can't think of an alternative.
If someone had a spare tank sitting on a table you might be able to see if some kind of adaptor could be machined up. Could then be sold to builders.
Fair thoughts jag, but over here fuel pipe extensions are part of the cert process so has been declared from the start. Reason we will discuss is whether we can work an adaptor that has an inner tube/outer sheath assy that can be bonded and clamped in place and without taking the tank out. 1st look at it seems to be tight so I may be taking the tank out anyway to do it. The only issue for me is disturbing all that may end up with reliability or failures down the road. We’ll see what happens. I have thought to see if I can find a tank to play with but won’t be cheap.
Hi guys, been slowly plodding along for the end of the week, spent time cleaning as I go as well as tidying the car for some of the "dis-established" systems. Have removed:
- Power roof and system including pump/reservoir and actuator
- Fwd headlight wash system
- Fwd screen upper rubber
Have been working on the rear light harnesses, for some reason can't get the reversing light to fire so that is my scratchy beard issue for tomorrow.
I am really lucky with the donor I bought, no signs of corrosion/rust or issues under any of the unearthed areas, it has been looked after during the 19 years it has been on the road. Once the panels arrive this week it will be full steam ahead when I can get to it, going to focus on the front clam/electrics etc to give me a good positive shot in the arm start before I get stuck into the heavier shifting of the rear and the bonding work/fuel filler and fuel tank work. I am not looking forward to the sub frame coming out if that is what it needs. Inner door skins coming off tomorrow so I can start scratching the grey matter on how I am going to marry the Mini door handles into the door mech. I also need to change the drivers seatbelt to meet the regs for removing an airbag, so a new webgrabbing belt will be fitted. I am happy with the condition and look of the interior rear (i.e. storage box and upholstery around the roll bar area) so am keeping that until I later on play with the interior in a few years.
Inner door skins coming off tomorrow so I can start scratching the grey matter on how I am going to marry the Mini door handles into the door mech. I also need to change the drivers seatbelt to meet the regs for removing an airbag, so a new webgrabbing belt will be fitted. I am happy with the condition and look of the interior rear (i.e. storage box and upholstery around the roll bar area) so am keeping that until I later on play with the interior in a few years. 
