2118 replies to this topic

[Peter UC]

Hmm, I think I'm going have to check this out and potentially copy this idea. It's a bit better than the bonnet prop that I ended up using.

[76lxhatch]

Nice, perfect solution.

 

And I for one appreciate the written version, thanks.

[Heath]

Hmm, I think I'm going have to check this out and potentially copy this idea. It's a bit better than the bonnet prop that I ended up using.

 

Well don't buy a new stay, because I have a spare here that's yours for a few beers. And you can use the rough old red hinge I dummied it up with to get it set up nicely before you pull your bonnet off.

[LXCHEV]

That's seriously cool - nicely done.

[Bullet]

That’s brilliant Heath, I’d put a patent on that if I were you.
Awesome stuff

[SHEEL]

neato!!!

 

really clever and resourceful!

[claysummers]

Sheer genius. I reckon that would work with a steel bonnet if you used one each side.

Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk

[myss427]

Great idea, think I will copy it too, have a steel bonnet scoop now and with the extra weight the gas struts will not hold the bonnet, had to revert to a metal stay which is always in the way when working on the motor!

[Heath]

Haha, I'm blown away by the enthusiastic positivity.

 

I wasn't sure if people would like it much because it isn't super great looking. I mean... I think it looks okay but it was sorely needed and actually did take a fair bit of work to execute the idea, so I did want to share it.

 

The only warning I'll put out there is that the bonnet hinges (I haven't tried the repro ones which may be different, I'm only talking 40 year old ones) are a design that looks a lot more robust when they've always got a spring holding them tight one way. Once you do this modification, they do actually move around a lot more than you'd expect! A bit loosey goosey when you're moving it, but fine once you're in a position.

 

Brett, Might be worth seeing if you can get a bit more gas pressure in those gas struts before you go re-inventing everything. They can be re-charged/topped up, and they'll hold that new pressure if they are in good condition.

[MRLXSS]

Love the video mate - awesome work - I just subscribed so I don't miss any in the future!

 

You should have been making these the whole time with the build - you would be a YouTube star by now!

[Shiney005]

And I for one appreciate the written version, thanks.

^^^^

[Heath]

So... the gearbox was just a dis-assembled pile of parts for ages. Took yonks to get one of the bearings but that is all sorted now.
 
So the four new tapered rollers were fitted, and I finished some work on the cases.
 
I got rid of the electronic speedo trigger wheel on the output shaft, and removed the sensor itself.

Bit of ally on the lathe and a smal sheet-metal piece.

Welded together, and marked out where the case was a bit ugly around the sensor:

Got busy cutting off and grinding away redundant pieces of the casing, tidying it up, drilling holes etc.

 
This is what the front looked like before.

I ground some areas away and drilled and tapped two small holes for countersunk screws to retain the sandwich plate (much better to assemble that way)

 
Also, the case had some really ugly shapes where all the ejector pins sat on the left hand side and stuff, so I got rid of all that ugly stuff and just gave it a nice consistent ribbed look:


 
The marks from all the linishing stood out really badly compared to the natural cast finish:

 
So I had the cases bead blasted and hydro blasted, which really looked fantastic.

 

All of the shifter forks had an awful finish on them, so just went over everything fettling them nicely until they looked like the ones on the left of the frame, before installing some new shift fork pads, and assembling:



 
Put the countershaft and reverse gear in, ft. more holes in reverse linkage. Extension housing in place to check bearing crush.

I then carefully stacked all the bits onto the mainshaft and test fitted everything to check the end play:

Had to make a custom shim for this one... combining holesaws and engineering, my favourite:

 
Then the tricky job of installing the synchro assembly on 5th gear, where you can only get access to one side.


I used:

• three screwdrivers
• a big cable tie
• lots of expletives
• a generous amount of time trying other shit that didn't work, first

Gotcha!
 

Internal shift mechanism in place:

I'm sure somebody made a joke once about me wanting to put holes in an oil drain plug. So for good measure I drilled holes in my fill and drain plugs of the gearbox:

 

Sealed up, ready for installation:

[sibhs]

Love your work Heath, it's 'next level' or even from another planet!

 

Marty

[Peter UC]

You should tell the story on the saga of getting those holes in the reverse linkage.

[myss427]

Hi Heath, tried getting the struts re-gassed, but no luck, had them done to max pressure they were capable of and did not come close to holding the bonnet. The guy at the strut shop said I would probably need to go to a much heavier diameter shaft, but we could not find the same length bigger diameter shaft (1/2 inch)

[Heath]

You should tell the story on the saga of getting those holes in the reverse linkage.

lol, I elected not to bore everyone with that.

 

But since you asked... I wanted holes in it (duh!) but being hardened, it was difficult to add these.
A machine shop said they can drill holes in hardened stuff, so I handed it to them to give it a go. Someone there apparently stuffed up the job (how? I do not quite know) and cracked the linkage. 

So a new one was drawn, and machined from billet, and then sent off to be hardened.

This took ages, and it didn't fit properly, so I had to do some adjustment on it, as well, which may have even compromised the case hardening.

 

 

How embarrassing.

 

Hi Heath, tried getting the struts re-gassed, but no luck, had them done to max pressure they were capable of and did not come close to holding the bonnet. The guy at the strut shop said I would probably need to go to a much heavier diameter shaft, but we could not find the same length bigger diameter shaft (1/2 inch)

Bummer. Yep, that is certainly a thing that happens. There is a maximum pressure, and then to get more force, you need a larger shaft/piston. But a larger shaft/piston is never available in the short length that you want.

[hawk]

Good to see a bit more progress, Looking forward to seeing it out and about.

The big question is what's left to do once you get the box back in (if it isn't already)

[axistr]

Ha Ha, good to see your still carrying on with the theme of drill holes in everything Heath. I reckon your car must have more holes in it than a girls high school. 

[madtoranajzedded]

That casing came up wicked heath.

[Heath]

Jesus Lenny. Fucken hell haha.

 

Steve, there are still some things on the list although there aren't many "critical" things left to do. I could make it run tomorrow if I wanted to, but I still need to get the ride height a bit better with the new springs, I still want to fit my brake ducts, which I never did, I still need to do a lot of paint correction on the car after my rushed wet-sanding at Xmas, I still want to fit the graphics package, and a rear spoiler, restore those mesh headrests, etc. etc.

Yeah Maz, I'm kind of glad it had to come apart just so I could get the cases looking so much nicer. I think the gearbox looks really handsome now.

 

Gearbox is back in the car:

 

Which meant the motor was back in the position it's supposed to be, so I connected up the wiring loom, heater and gas converter coolant plumbing, vapour lines, installed the gas filters.

 

Also changed the pushrods to a new set of Crow Cams ones in the right length to perfect the geometry:

 

Nice to see it finally going together with those little changes like the rocker cover I had to re-paint 50 times to get the wrinkle nice, super neat spark plug wires with the new bracket separator, the necked down trumpet spacers, better looking bonnet catch, etc.

 

Also noticed that the diff pinion was spinning without the wheels moving, and after investigating this more thoroughly, I realised I had installed my axles left-to-right! Whoops, haha. Didn't realise that was possible. The splines were just totally in the wrong spot and neither was engaging with the centre. The True-Trac doesn't have a "cross-pin" so I guess the axle can just slide straight through the middle, lol.

Anyway, pulled them out to swap them over and also saw that the hex-headed spacer bolt was already not being very friendly to the aluminium end piece in the opposite axle.

Picked up some stainless countersunk bolts and carefully adjusted the holes in the end of the axles until each bolt protruded half the "height" of the one hex-headed bolt I used earlier. With a bigger surface area, and a nice flat hard material, I hope these are happy to run against one another around corners without wearing anything out.

[sibhs]

Congrats on getting a good finish with the wrinkle paint. I've done my glove box lid about 7 times and just can't get it to work. This was in summer and I've given up until next summer. Shit of a product to get right. There must be a knack to it.

Marty

[Heath]

My track record is very poor, but I'm going to say, one tack coat then go heavy.
If it works, it should work after one heavy coat.

Then one more and call it done.

If it doesn't work, don't keep going.
I was also heating the part up with a heat gun and putting the can in a small pot of hot water, as it was a winter's day.

[ozyozyozy]

So uuumm Heath, you have a dorian timer mount under the car,
Whats going on there sunshine

[RIM-010]

Did you think he was building this car to trailer around to static shows?

[ozyozyozy]

Did you think he was building this car to trailer around to static shows?

Know it's built to drive, just a gentle shit stir.
Think its awesome