I also cut the shroud bottom corners off and glued on black plactic blanks as they fouled the splash pans.
Edited by The Baron, 03 February 2010 - 10:00 PM.
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Fixing my brothers UC hatch
Started by
_dirtbag_
, Dec 30 2009 01:19 PM
1690 replies to this topic
#276
_The Baron_
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Posted 03 February 2010 - 09:56 PM
With the AU fans, I found that if you cut off all the fraud brackets and sit the assembly upside down but below the top radiator hose connection. It all sat quite well. I then used 1" aluminimum right angle to attach the shroud to the radiator.
I also cut the shroud bottom corners off and glued on black plactic blanks as they fouled the splash pans.
I also cut the shroud bottom corners off and glued on black plactic blanks as they fouled the splash pans.
#277
orangeLJ
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Posted 04 February 2010 - 07:23 AM
You need to invest in a glass blaster.
Mate has one at his work, absolutely awesome bit of gear, only fits things up to about 80x50 in it (could do wheels etc)
but it strips plastic back to brand new, he did his LX heater box and it came up a treat.
Mate has one at his work, absolutely awesome bit of gear, only fits things up to about 80x50 in it (could do wheels etc)
but it strips plastic back to brand new, he did his LX heater box and it came up a treat.
#278
_dirtbag_
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Posted 05 February 2010 - 07:45 PM
Well after a day in the gunk, the side vents are coming along nicely. It can take up to a week depending on how stubborn the paint is.
I gave them a quick hose down to see how it looked.
Even though I'm here most days by myself I do have a friend who comes and lends a hand. he's got a bloody nice hatch that he's had for over 15 years.
Now that's a bonnet scoop : )
Here's the shifter surround getting made. I was going to make this a bolt in piece, but there's really no need. The shifter can fit out through the hole, so that's the main thing.
I was quoted $90 to get the new bearings fitted, which is ridiculous as I was supplying the bearings. So I took one off myself as it's not hat hard. I was going to do the usual piece of tube to knock the bearing into place then heat the collet red hot and slide it into place to cool. I did a quick trial fit with the seal and bearing to make sure it was right, then as I was about to pull them back off and grease the seal I noticed the collet had a red sticker on it saying "do not heat to install". Bugger. I guess I'll have to find a press after all.
The hatch is finally ready for a decent coat of primer.
Looks like a ton of bog, but again, it isn't very thick. Unlike me : )
Next job was to mount the VY booster and master cylinder. I thought I read somewhere that VT boosters fit straight on. I then thought VY would be the same as VT. Well either way, it didn't fit at all. So I made it fit.
The bolt pattern is a tad different as seen here where I've drilled the pilot holes.
It also hit the chassis rail. I wasn't too concerned about that though as I've reskinned them to make them smooth, so I could just tap it down a bit.
This is how much it was holding the booster away until the chassis was reshaped.
Once the chassis had a few taps it fitted like a glove.
I did have to move the last coil pack, just like ls2lxhatch said. He's an information super highway. Thanks Andy : )
With the booster in place I marked the connecting rod where the pedal had to mount. I ended up cutting 62mm out of the rod.
I fitted it back in to find it still didn't work. I dug the old UC booster out and found why. he hole for the brake pedal isn't in line with the rest of the rod. I simply cut about 2 thirds of the way through where the rod flares out and bent it, then welded it back up. Lucky that was an easy fix : )
Now it fits like a bought one.
The Mal Wood hydraulic clutch pedal arrived today. For the cost you'd think some instructions or mounting brackets wouldn't hurt.
I'll figure out a mounting system next week. Anybody else used one of these?
I picked up the new door mirrors today as well. They're nice and compact.
Oh no, look, it's an auto. No clutch pedal. What a waste of a good car : )
I figured I'd better give you all a better look at the green hatch.
Pretty.
It's a 383 small block, brodix heads, big roller cam blah blah just under 600hp at the flywheel, built by widowmaker engines. Backed by a muncie 4 speed and spooled 4.11 9 inch. 10 inch front and 12 inch rear wheels with 245 and 295 tyres. Lovely : )
Anyway, back to this much better, more interesting car.
Here's the shifter surround welded in.
And after a bit of rust converter.
I gave them a quick hose down to see how it looked.
Even though I'm here most days by myself I do have a friend who comes and lends a hand. he's got a bloody nice hatch that he's had for over 15 years.
Now that's a bonnet scoop : )
Here's the shifter surround getting made. I was going to make this a bolt in piece, but there's really no need. The shifter can fit out through the hole, so that's the main thing.
I was quoted $90 to get the new bearings fitted, which is ridiculous as I was supplying the bearings. So I took one off myself as it's not hat hard. I was going to do the usual piece of tube to knock the bearing into place then heat the collet red hot and slide it into place to cool. I did a quick trial fit with the seal and bearing to make sure it was right, then as I was about to pull them back off and grease the seal I noticed the collet had a red sticker on it saying "do not heat to install". Bugger. I guess I'll have to find a press after all.
The hatch is finally ready for a decent coat of primer.
Looks like a ton of bog, but again, it isn't very thick. Unlike me : )
Next job was to mount the VY booster and master cylinder. I thought I read somewhere that VT boosters fit straight on. I then thought VY would be the same as VT. Well either way, it didn't fit at all. So I made it fit.
The bolt pattern is a tad different as seen here where I've drilled the pilot holes.
It also hit the chassis rail. I wasn't too concerned about that though as I've reskinned them to make them smooth, so I could just tap it down a bit.
This is how much it was holding the booster away until the chassis was reshaped.
Once the chassis had a few taps it fitted like a glove.
I did have to move the last coil pack, just like ls2lxhatch said. He's an information super highway. Thanks Andy : )
With the booster in place I marked the connecting rod where the pedal had to mount. I ended up cutting 62mm out of the rod.
I fitted it back in to find it still didn't work. I dug the old UC booster out and found why. he hole for the brake pedal isn't in line with the rest of the rod. I simply cut about 2 thirds of the way through where the rod flares out and bent it, then welded it back up. Lucky that was an easy fix : )
Now it fits like a bought one.
The Mal Wood hydraulic clutch pedal arrived today. For the cost you'd think some instructions or mounting brackets wouldn't hurt.
I'll figure out a mounting system next week. Anybody else used one of these?
I picked up the new door mirrors today as well. They're nice and compact.
Oh no, look, it's an auto. No clutch pedal. What a waste of a good car : )
I figured I'd better give you all a better look at the green hatch.
Pretty.
It's a 383 small block, brodix heads, big roller cam blah blah just under 600hp at the flywheel, built by widowmaker engines. Backed by a muncie 4 speed and spooled 4.11 9 inch. 10 inch front and 12 inch rear wheels with 245 and 295 tyres. Lovely : )
Anyway, back to this much better, more interesting car.
Here's the shifter surround welded in.
And after a bit of rust converter.
#279
_dirtbag_
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Posted 05 February 2010 - 08:07 PM
I finally got to work on the rear bumper. To be honest I was putting this off, as it's a painful job.
There were a few little dings that needed to be tapped out before I welded all the holes up.
I used a pin hammer and a lump hammer to knock these little dents out. Put the pin hammer against the inside of the dent and hit the pin hammer with the lump hammer. Lots of smaller taps rather than one big one. I then sanded the area and it's all good.
This is where one of the jacking point slots used to be.
I find when doing this to make sure you over weld the area. All the holes are punched out, not drilled, so they curl in a bit around the edges. Make sure you weld over this section so it can be ground and sanded smooth.
Even on the smaller holes, weld a larger area.
Then it can be sanded down and end up like this.
Here's the rear bumper smoothed out.
I welded the mounts to the bumper one bolt at a time. This means the mounts will be in the right place. I welded the hole up fom the outside, then flipped the bar and plug welded it to the mount.
The bonnet scoop got a dry sand today. There was only a couple of tiny pinholes that needed fixing before the next lot of primer could go on.
This is the bigger hole I had to fill. Massive, isn't it? I usually try to sand all of this stuff out, rather than filling it, but the surrounding area was already nearly back to the gel coat, so it had to be filled to keep the area level.
The modified heater box and scoop then got some primer.
Once the primer had dried a bit, I could see the scoop had turned out pretty nicely. Good stuff.
The hatch also finally got a good coat or three of primer. It looks really good even if I do say so myself : )
There were a few little dings that needed to be tapped out before I welded all the holes up.
I used a pin hammer and a lump hammer to knock these little dents out. Put the pin hammer against the inside of the dent and hit the pin hammer with the lump hammer. Lots of smaller taps rather than one big one. I then sanded the area and it's all good.
This is where one of the jacking point slots used to be.
I find when doing this to make sure you over weld the area. All the holes are punched out, not drilled, so they curl in a bit around the edges. Make sure you weld over this section so it can be ground and sanded smooth.
Even on the smaller holes, weld a larger area.
Then it can be sanded down and end up like this.
Here's the rear bumper smoothed out.
I welded the mounts to the bumper one bolt at a time. This means the mounts will be in the right place. I welded the hole up fom the outside, then flipped the bar and plug welded it to the mount.
The bonnet scoop got a dry sand today. There was only a couple of tiny pinholes that needed fixing before the next lot of primer could go on.
This is the bigger hole I had to fill. Massive, isn't it? I usually try to sand all of this stuff out, rather than filling it, but the surrounding area was already nearly back to the gel coat, so it had to be filled to keep the area level.
The modified heater box and scoop then got some primer.
Once the primer had dried a bit, I could see the scoop had turned out pretty nicely. Good stuff.
The hatch also finally got a good coat or three of primer. It looks really good even if I do say so myself : )
#280
_LJ355_
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Posted 05 February 2010 - 08:25 PM
Love your work dirtbag 
Nice looking hatch also whats with those big hoses running across the motor ?
Nice looking hatch also whats with those big hoses running across the motor ?
#281
_dirtbag_
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Posted 05 February 2010 - 08:43 PM
Hi LJ355. Those hoses are the fuel lines, with a little bit of insulation.
#282
_Yella SLuR_
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 06 February 2010 - 08:01 AM
Good to see it is all still going well.
^ the reason why I don't like black bonnets, or black cars. Cause I'm lazy and have better things to do than clean cars.
Is your mate going to put a rear spoiler on the car? Sits pretty well on the road for a hatch.
^ the reason why I don't like black bonnets, or black cars. Cause I'm lazy and have better things to do than clean cars.
Is your mate going to put a rear spoiler on the car? Sits pretty well on the road for a hatch.
Edited by Yella SLuR, 06 February 2010 - 08:02 AM.
#283
_dirtbag_
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Posted 06 February 2010 - 08:17 AM
Yeah, black is a pain in the bum buy it looks sooo good 
No rear spoiler for either of these hatches.
No rear spoiler for either of these hatches.
#284
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 06 February 2010 - 08:21 AM
Edited by Yella SLuR, 06 February 2010 - 08:22 AM.
#285
_bradman_
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Posted 06 February 2010 - 06:45 PM
Have you thought about charging people for the smooth engine bay job? and if so what would something like that cost?
It looks fantastic!!! The whole car.....Your job makes jo blows like me wonder why i even bother!!!
When you weld the brackets to the bumpers are they in the smae place or do you bring them closer to the body for a smoother fit?
Cheers Brad
It looks fantastic!!! The whole car.....Your job makes jo blows like me wonder why i even bother!!!
When you weld the brackets to the bumpers are they in the smae place or do you bring them closer to the body for a smoother fit?
Cheers Brad
#286
turbo76lx
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Posted 06 February 2010 - 08:20 PM
The man has skills, but more importantly you have motivation. ( If you have any spare will you send it down to me)
Keep doing what you are doing.
Keep doing what you are doing.
#287
mitchg
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Posted 06 February 2010 - 08:43 PM
What do you use for grinding and how do you do it. I understand that with such good welds you dont need to do much but how do you get your welds looking so good?
#288
_dirtbag_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 03:22 AM
Hi Brad. Thanks for the good comments.
I'm just a nobody, so don't have the "why bother" blues
As for the engine bay, it took about 2 weeks to have it in the primered stage I guess. About 1 week of that was metalwork, the next week filler and sanding. Nothing really hard about it, just a lot of work. I'd guess around the $1500 mark?
As for the bumpers, they're pretty much in the same place they were. The front bumper had to have the mounts fiddled with a bit, but the bar is still where it should be. I did think about bringing them closer, but I'd have had to cut them in half and shorten them too as the sides stick out a fair bit as well, and I'm just too lazy
Thanks turbo76lx. I'll swap you some motivation for one of your hatches hahahaha
Mitch, all I use to clean up welds are your garden variety grinding discs on either a 4 inch or 5 inch grinder, (sometimes te 5 inch wont fit in tight areas, so the 4 inch is good) followed by a quick sand with a 36 grit sanding disc on the grinder just to smooth it out a little and clean it for rust converter and etch primer.
I hope that helps.
I'm just a nobody, so don't have the "why bother" blues
As for the engine bay, it took about 2 weeks to have it in the primered stage I guess. About 1 week of that was metalwork, the next week filler and sanding. Nothing really hard about it, just a lot of work. I'd guess around the $1500 mark?
As for the bumpers, they're pretty much in the same place they were. The front bumper had to have the mounts fiddled with a bit, but the bar is still where it should be. I did think about bringing them closer, but I'd have had to cut them in half and shorten them too as the sides stick out a fair bit as well, and I'm just too lazy
Thanks turbo76lx. I'll swap you some motivation for one of your hatches hahahaha
Mitch, all I use to clean up welds are your garden variety grinding discs on either a 4 inch or 5 inch grinder, (sometimes te 5 inch wont fit in tight areas, so the 4 inch is good) followed by a quick sand with a 36 grit sanding disc on the grinder just to smooth it out a little and clean it for rust converter and etch primer.
I hope that helps.
#289
_cruiza_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 08:45 AM
Mitch, all I use to clean up welds are your garden variety grinding discs on either a 4 inch or 5 inch grinder, (sometimes te 5 inch wont fit in tight areas, so the 4 inch is good) followed by a quick sand with a 36 grit sanding disc on the grinder just to smooth it out a little and clean it for rust converter and etch primer.
I hope that helps.
Yeah right, that is a bit like a master panel beater saying its easy I just use a hammer and hit stuff until it is the right shape, anyone can do it.
It takes talent and some have it and some don't. I don't but then when you are as good looking as me even Zoolander is jealous
#290
_eh-buddy_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 08:56 AM
it's coming along nice
are you rechroming the bars or painting them?
are you rechroming the bars or painting them?
#291
_dirtbag_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 01:15 PM
cruiza - hahahahaha. That's awesome. Good one :badabing:Can you also do the Blue steel?
Hi Paul. Bars will be getting rechromed. Lots of work but worth the effort for all that shiny stuff : )
Hi Paul. Bars will be getting rechromed. Lots of work but worth the effort for all that shiny stuff : )
#292
_cruiza_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 03:52 PM
Hi Mr Dirt me again just my humble opinion but painted bumbers look so much better makes them fit in with the body better, crome is too retro for my tastes
#293
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 04:04 PM
Hey michael. Each to their own. I think painting them is a bit of a cop out. Too easy. I like doing things the hard way : )
As for them looking retro, that's the whole point of building a 70s car.
Having said that, I've seen lots of torries with painted bars and think they look fine. We just prefer chrome.
As for them looking retro, that's the whole point of building a 70s car.
Having said that, I've seen lots of torries with painted bars and think they look fine. We just prefer chrome.
#294
_AD_75_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 04:15 PM
Woah fair bit of progress happening tim! love that green LX hatch too what a beast!..one thing i did notice were no mod plates in the engine bay!!? 
but anyways regarding the chrome bars its the only way to go for a tuff streeter i rekon..painted bars look a bit too modernised it is a muscle car after all! and the chrome breaks up the body color nicely. I must say i've never heard of anyone welding up the holes on an LX bar to get the LH trimless bar look but i like it! i guess good LH bars arn't as easy to find as they used to be.
but anyways regarding the chrome bars its the only way to go for a tuff streeter i rekon..painted bars look a bit too modernised it is a muscle car after all! and the chrome breaks up the body color nicely. I must say i've never heard of anyone welding up the holes on an LX bar to get the LH trimless bar look but i like it! i guess good LH bars arn't as easy to find as they used to be.
#295
_dirtbag_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 04:36 PM
Hi aido. The green hatch has 2 mod plates, with lots of codes, and they're mounted in the back of the radiator support panel, between the headlights and radiator. Nice and out of sight, but still on a non removable part of the car.
#296
Heath
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 04:47 PM
The obvious problem with painted bars in theory is that there is nothing for the chrome/polished wheels to be complemented by! That said, in practise, painted bars can still look awesome in some instances - in the same way a modern car with chrome/polished wheels can look good
#298
_cruiza_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 08:21 PM
Don't let anyone talk you out of chrome bumpers!
Try and stop me lol
I think chrome verses paint is like flares verses stright each to their own
ofcause I know I am right though and paint is better like mine
#299
_mick74lh_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 08:38 PM
G'day good to see this build progressing so quickly. This thread has been really informative and the finished car should be bloody unreal! I noticed that the reskinned chassis rails on your bro's UC and your mate's green LX had the holes deleted where you would otherwise access the front end mounting bolts. How do you then access them?
Good on ya, this car is amazing. Just a real shame you can't keep it!
Oh and just wondering whether there's any legal issues in creating a removable section in the radiator support panel? Does that sort of mod require engineer aproval? After scraping (and swearing at) Brad's motor and gearbox over his radiator support panel last week it seems like such a useful mod.
Good on ya, this car is amazing. Just a real shame you can't keep it!
Oh and just wondering whether there's any legal issues in creating a removable section in the radiator support panel? Does that sort of mod require engineer aproval? After scraping (and swearing at) Brad's motor and gearbox over his radiator support panel last week it seems like such a useful mod.
#300
_dirtbag_
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Posted 07 February 2010 - 08:53 PM
Hi Mick74lh. As for the chassis being reskinned, you just have to cut the new crossmember bolt access holes in the sides of the chassis rail in the wheel wells, so they're still out of sight.
No probs with the removable top section of the radiator support. He classes that as a rust repair.
No probs with the removable top section of the radiator support. He classes that as a rust repair.
Edited by dirtbag, 07 February 2010 - 08:54 PM.
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