The repros I am looking at (Stafford) are the same price with or without the tribar, so no reason not to really.
Will use the marine pipe that you flagged.
As the car is not intended to be a replica of a particular model, so e practical features can be taken on board. This will probably be one of them.
PaulL: No signs of water damage under the carpets, and the gaffer tape is doing its job for the time being. As it is not too cold today, I may try and get the sealant installed.
I had a good thrash up and down the M4 over the past couple of days. On the way back, the warning triangle light started flashing intermittently, then came on together with the brake warning light. Is this something i can sort myself or should I have an independent repairer look at?
Maintenance is on the last green, roughly how many miles before the Service 2 is required?
Great, thanks for the information and the tip.
I have been speccing up a DIY kit utilising the top syphon pump. I know is uses an extra couple of litres of oil, but it means I won't have to be scrabbling around under the car. However, if the front break pads need changing, then I may have to get it up on some ramps. Is there really an issue about front skirt clearance with the Z3?
For that price, it is definitely worth a punt.
Sadly, the containers of Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Remedy do not have such a lurid description on the label. Ah well, that is the joke Christmas present idea out of the window. I have just ordered marine fuel pipe and bends, with a short stretch of stainless steel pipe to assemble the new fuel line "a la JagTVR". And waiting on quotations for wheels and tyres - I am going the ericholm route here.
brake warning light
It looks like the front brake pads are iffy, as suggested. The brake fluid level is fine. The car came with a bunch of repair and maintenance invoices, and it looks like the pads front and rear have been replaced in the past, but not for some time.
I aim to do some work on the car this week - but this is only maintenance type stuff, not to do with the rebuild. Once the fuel pipework comes in, I will commence trial fitting the pieces, so expect a request for more advice.
Re-fuelling system
Now I have all of the bits except the petrol resistant sealant, that should arrive in the next couple of days. The rivnut tool arrived today.
I also ordered a pair of black defrost vents (the little triangular ones on the top near the quarterlights). They are really difficult to find. As my interior trim is tan, and I want the dash to be black, I had to find these vents to fit into the new dash front piece that Chris is going to make for me very soon.
Dashboard
I decided to buy a black dashboard as my interior is babypoo beige. £75 plus delivery off fleabay. Hopefully I can get something similar for mine when i remove it. I just need chris to make my new dash front so i can crack on.
The delivery driver thought it must be a mummy.
Here are pics of the top and bottom for anyone thinking of doing something on their dash.
Getting this means that I can paint the new front instead of covering it if I want to.
My consul is brushed aluminium, so if I get Rover 75 seats, I could use the leather off the rear seats to re-trim the consul sides.
I will likely replace the door cards with black (if i want arm rests) and could use the rear seats as per above to re-trim the insert panels on the door cards if need be. It give me wider choice on parts sourcing, and hopefully better prices.
I am great at planning ......... I will soon have to actually do something.
Parts
The front brakes and discs on the Z3 are now sorted. I have been slow to get around to identifying the battery drain issue, though it isn't the boot light as I left the bulb out after last time. It happened again whilst i was away for last week. I will have to get one of the solar charges that was suggested previously as well.
I have received the coil overs (I have the spacers already), and am waiting for delivery of the Calibre Vintage wheels (today - after shenanigans with Parcelforce) so after Christmas I can get the tyres fitted, then get them down to Chris. The panels can then be modified to suit. I'll get the coil overs fitted to the front before taking the car down to be re-panelled.
Chris has begun the work to covert the Frari type dash to my re-design, not a lot to show at present. Panelwork for the new buck should commence in January. More to come then.
Update
I spoke to Chris and we are agreed that using the z3 vents in the dash is clumsy, and will go for Scimitar round ones instead. The cut and shut of panels and subsequent remodelling was scheduled for sometime in January, and this will commence on time. The top is tied to the 275 windows rework per Welsh Kiwi. Then that needs to be melded with a different rear.
I have the wheels and tyres so that Chris can tailor the panels to suit. Gone for the Calibre ones per Andy's build. This is an everyday car and think they will be more practical. I have got the adjustable coil overs to fit also.
Hopefully another update at the end of the month, and during February, some pics of the buck in progress.
My new shed is up and about ready - just needs weather treatment and the door put on. Then I can fill it with garage junk and free up space for a workshop area in the garage, next to the car port. Unbelievably, this project is kicking into gear. Hooray.
When I said the shed was about ready......
It said in the instructions that you need to spend as long treating it as you do building it. It is one of these log cabin types, with more substantial boards than your regular shed. I prepared the base before Christmas, and did the assembly last weekend. 2 hours to sort the parts and read instructions, 6 man hours to put the thing up. But it took 4 hours more to put the floor in and i have spent about the total of that lot treating with insecticide and weather treatment. Just got to glue the membrane on the roof over the weekend. It will be worth it though, as i can then use the car port and part of the garage as a workshop. Paul, I have renewed admiration for your weather dodging build after only a week of faffing on with the shed.
MX5 based Zagato
I am committed to the Z3 based car that Chris is working on, else I would have been tempted by this.
https://jalopnik.com/i-somehow-like-these-custom-bodied-mazda-miatas-a-whole-1822603912
Hi,
A few niggles also. Still not resolved the power drain. I thought I had, so didn't go through the whole diagnostic process. I plan to check all the fuses for draw today. It has been parked outside, and the rag top is struggling a bit. I plan to swap out the suspension for coil overs next week. I have them ready. I hope to collect my dash next week, and drop the wheels off for Chris.
We'll have to be patient re the reworked top. I'd rather it was right, and a bit late than the alternative.
Smash, I think that they read this forum an pick up levels of interest from over there. ;-) There were quite a few positive comments on the Zagmad thread when he had a good basis on the MX5.
As stated previously, the Zagmad model sparked my interest, along with a whole load of other Zagato marque designs. I can say for definite that the Zagato idea was derived completely separately from both Simpson, and the Evanta, which I didn't see until Gary posted it on this thread. (It is lovely too).
Sadly, I don't do twitter (what with Facebook, snapchat, whatsapp etc) I can't face any more passwords, but the car looks good.
I am guessing that there are a lot more MX5s than Z3s in the USA. But you are right, starting from scratch, why wouldn't you go for the Z4?
I asked Chris about Z4 for the Zagato when we were kicking the possibilities around, but it was too much incremental work at this time.
