333 replies to this topic

[elecks76]

Just finished reading the whole build, excellent work mate. love aircon idea I was going to go down the vintage air route, but I like this one thanks for sharing.

[axistr]

Only got one comment today,

 

She finally has rego on it again.

 

I am very surprised how well it goes, a bit more power than I expected and with the T56 Magnum box and 3.9 diff ratio the gearing all round is perfect. The clutch is nice and light, and with the power steering the whole car feels and drives like a late model commodore. Every mod on the car has been listed on the engineers report so I am 100% legal. Even the speedo is 100% accurate, its a pleasure to drive knowing that every thing works and works properly. Although I was surprised how much it weighed. I had 1/2 tank of fuel but it come in at 1446 Kg The standard SLR was around 1290 Kg

 

The car will be forty years old next month, I think its now good for a further forty and have brought it back into the 21 century with creature comforts and E.F.I. but classic 70s styling which hasn't gone out of fashion.

 

I able to use the wheel alignment machine at my old workshop on Monday morning so I can align it properly myself, I am to fussy to let anyone else do it and I hope to get even better results after the alignment.  

 

Just got to do a couple of minor adjustment and make up the A/C hoses to the compressor and enjoy driving it. My family is look forward to driving it now, but my wife said she doesn't want to drive it just yet because she's a bit nervous about taking it the do the shopping and doesn't want to be the first to put a mark on it.

 

    

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[76lxhatch]

Sweet!

The weight is surprising, although I suppose the factory figures were probably dry.

[lxsstorana]

No wonder the cars getting heavy.

 

It now has power steering, air conditioning, alarm, central locking, cruise control with driver assist, and a heap more goodies, and now the wife wants to drive it. 

 

Get rid of all that luxury stuff and make the steering heavy, hot inside the car, and no mod cons and you'll be like the rest of us, and your wife won't drive it..

 

Cheers Mick.

 

P.S. I may have exaggerated a little bit or a lot, and perhaps a little bit jealous.  Enjoy mate..

[axistr]

Ha Ha thanks Mick, but I built this one for the whole family to enjoy and use it regularly. She won't drive the hatch because the clutch is to heavy, and a camed up 383 engine with a carby doesn't do it for her. I think she is worried about giving the hatch a stiletto full and turning it around. I suppose when you look at it the SLR is carrying the weight of a fat chick, and I would prefer the weight of all the mod cons than carting around a fat chick anyway. Still a lot lighter than a commodore, VEs are around 1850 Kg these days.

 

An interesting fact for every 5 Kg you loose is equal to .6 of a horse power gain. That gives me around 50hp gain on a commodore.

[lxsstorana]

I'm just jealous.  You've got a trophy car and trophy wife.  Hope you enjoy both. 

 

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[SmacT]

Well done Lenny, a brilliant car beautifully put together. I am definitely jealous!!

[BIG KEV]

Top job Lenny
is the drop tank legal ???

[SmacT]

I hope so Big Kev - mine is the same! It is legal departure-angle-wise, I.e you can run a straight edge from the rear contact patch of the tyres to the back of the bumper without hitting anything.

[axistr]

Yes Kev 100% legal, It just makes the departure angle. The rules say from the contact point of the rear tyre on the ground to the rear permanent body work and a direct straight line between the two points. The exhaust can be lower than this line but not the fuel tank. I had Torana bumper over riders to attach to the rear bumper bar if needed which would have allowed me a further 1 1/2" but didn't need them.   

[axistr]

What a difference a wheel alignment makes. I had to calibrate the machine first because the new owner of the business couldn't get the machine to work and hadn't used it for six months. The LED windows where too dirty to read the LEDs, simple fix.

 

The toe was set to 3.5mm in, and the camber/caster was out a bit on the right side but I only did the alignment on the bench at home before fitting the K-frame under the car, so it was close enough for the drive down to the old workshop for the alignment. Couldn't get the casters as high as I would have liked because increasing positive caster meant the 17" tyres hitting the fire wall on half lock. The car handles better again now aligned and it is amazing how much quicker the turn in is with the correct toe setting. I was going to trim the fire wall a bit more and add more caster but it steers so good I am just going to leave it as is. I will let every thing settle in and recheck & set the alignment in around six months time.

 

The drive thrust angle is pretty good to, so I won't need any adjustment back there either. The drive shaft angle isn't perfect but I have no vibrations what so ever. The T56 Magnum gear box shift and ratios are spot on, and it's like driving our M3 as far as gear boxes go anyway. 

 

     

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[Lima31]

The toe was set to 3.5mm in, and the camber/caster was out a bit on the right side but I only did the alignment on the bench at home before fitting the K-frame under the car, so it was close enough for the drive down to the old workshop for the alignment. Couldn't get the casters as high as I would have liked because increasing positive caster meant the 17" tyres hitting the fire wall on half lock.

 

 

Could a lower profile / reduced width tyres help you out there re caster, or is it too much of a difference?

[axistr]

Na, don't want to throw away my new 17" tyres for the sake of gaining only a couple of mm, and I don't like to low a profile tyre, they ride much harder and the amount of damaged rims I have seen over the years from hitting pot holes using low profile tyres its just not worth it. 

[axistr]

Finally finished the wiring for the A/C, and the wife wanted somewhere to put her gloves, so I made a new glove box out of the ABS plastic sheet I had left over from making the A/C ducts.

 

For those that want to replace the existing crappy cardboard unit or make a new one that can fit or suit your car this is how its done.

 

1) Measure the total dimensions of the space behind the dash and mark the sheet and cut out, I used tin snips easy as to cut. Mine was 370 mm x 450 from memory.

 

2) Measure the length from the top to the first bent of around 30 degrees, mine was approximately 170 mm long. I just clamped it to the bench, heated the plastic with a propane torch, only takes around 15 seconds, heating it along the edge of the steel guide plate. When the plastic starts to get shiny in appearance push the plastic sheet while still heating it along the line of the bend you want till it feels slightly floppy. Move to the desired angle and hold it there for around 30 seconds and it will  become solid again.

 

3) Continue to the second bend same procedure mine was 100 mm.

 

4) Trial fit the profiled plastic sheet to ensure its going to fit. The left side tappers in to clear the demister duct so you will need to mark and trim it a bit to suit the desired angle. Allow a bit extra per side so you can heat and fold over/up the side edges. see photo.

 

5) when your happy with the fit insert the new plastic glove box into place. I drilled three holes under the dash just below the plastic lip of the Torana dash and used self tappers, you can't see it once fitted . (Didn't need any screws in the top.)

 

6) Once happy with the fit I cut out two side pieces to shape for the side sections and used the original glove box fastening holes in the Torana steel dash, with an extra self tapper per side at the front and secure it through to the folded sections I previously bent.

 

7) Cut out a bit of left over carpet for the bottom so things don't slide and rattle. Cut a 21 mm hole for the light to go through, and there you have it. There is a quite a bit of room, mine will hold a few pairs of gloves, pens, radio remote, bits and pieces and still has room for porn if desired.  

      

 

 

 

  

 

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[UCgazman]

Room for porn? Im making one!

[BIG KEV]

Sounds like you said the magic word Lenny .....Porn now everyone will want one .....lol

[SmacT]

Mmmm - porn...

 

Top work as usual. On a slight aside, did you have to cut/modify your front flares to miss the wheel on full lock Lenny? 

[axistr]

Hi Sam, Yep big wheels are a bugger when it comes to clearance issues. I had to cut off around an inch on the rear of the front flares, trim the fire wall seam and push it back 1/2" to get them to clear.

[SmacT]

Ok, thanks mate. I have 17 x 8s up the front, and they fill the guards nicely, however as you say they need work!

[Neils LX]

Did you get to keep your old plates? or forced to get new ones

[axistr]

Yeah bugger, those original plates were on the car for the past 39 years, Because I deregister the car during the restoration they wouldn't let me use the original plates again or remakes. I have new personalised content plates on order, pick them up tomorrow. 

[Statler]

I need to go back & re read ........ & re read ........ & re read the bit about making the tacho work with the efi dizzy again ......... & again ....... & again until i understand it. 

[Mort]

Good, when you understand it you can do mine.