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| Moderated by: Greg Fletcher | Page:   1 2 3 |
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| Darth V8Rs project | Rating: 
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| Posted: 04-30-2024 02:51 pm |
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41st Post |
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noomg Member
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Vance, Long way to go but you've reached the point where every step is a step forward. The first thing I'd do is get rid of that hood prop it's the cause of the "dreaded hood crease" which almost every J/H suffers from to one degree or another. I use a telescopic prop rod mounted on that self in front of the radiator. The cool thing which you may have noticed is you can raise the hood quite a bit higher than the stock hood prop allows which is nice since you'll be spending a lot of time under that hood. Make sure the shop dealing with your head knows the 907, there is a specific procedure for doing the head. West Coast Racing Heads used to be the go to but they no longer work on them. I believe there's a place in San Diego area that does them, a trip to one of the many Lotus websites can probably get you a name and address or maybe even a shop closer to you. Crack on Mate!
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| Posted: 04-30-2024 06:13 pm |
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42nd Post |
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vnavaret Member 
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noomg wrote: Vance, I just read a thread discussing the hood crease, and I had noticed it on the unrestored hood before it went off to paint. The PO had completely disconnected the prop after it had apparently jammed. A little oil got it working again, and I assume the PO was too lazy to oil the damn thing, hence the crease. It seems that converting the hood to dual gas struts would be the way to go, as the hood is a bit wobbly with just the single original strut. It is now on the list of things to do at some point - I will need to track down some info on doing the conversion. The relevant hyperlinks I have found to date no longer work. I doubt I will need to spend much time under the hood, as of course the car will start and idle perfectly on the first try. Not. To infinity, and beyond!!! Vance
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| Posted: 04-30-2024 10:26 pm |
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43rd Post |
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redracer Member
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Vance: somewhere on this site I've written about fixing the "bend" in the bonnet. I first saw this repair on Clay Gleason's car(he named it "LUCY" , from the comic strip Peanuts, and even had his driver's door jam on the rear steel plate "engraved" with her picture!). This was at the 2nd Jensen National in Carmel Valley in 1990. Clay stated a body man in Seattle had cut the lower part out(intending to straighten that and weld it back in later) in order to get at the main hood for straightening. The body man also welding in a piece of steel under the opening, about 1 1/2" X 15" X 1/8" thick to strengthen this area. He then carefully welded the the outer piece back in(stressing the parts in the opposite direction so the heat would not "shrink" the the area), ground down the welds, and repainted. The 2 original #10X32thds/inch holds can be reused for the hood support! Unless you knew, you would never notice the repair plus this area is now MUCH stiffer than the original!(I did this exact repair in the late '90s here in Atlanta, and it came out extremely well)
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| Posted: 05-01-2024 01:16 am |
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44th Post |
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noomg Member
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Vance, I know some guys have done the twin gas strut arrangement but I'm not a fan aside from the expense the problem for me is they're still supporting the hood from the middle which is where the crease lives. What I like about the prop rod is by supporting the hood from the front it takes it takes stress off the middle hood and you don't have to work around it when working on the motor. Of course your car, your choice. As far as the motor goes some years ago I rebuilt the motor in my TR7. I started from the bare block replacing all the usual stuff. Once assembled and installed with everything hooked up I charged the battery in preparation of a couple of days of cranking and tweeking. I steeled myself for the chore ahead. I put the key in the ignition and turned it, the motor cranked for maybe 5 seconds immediately fired up and ran great!
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| Posted: 06-08-2024 07:01 pm |
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45th Post |
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vnavaret Member
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Folks: Another much delayed update on Rusty. Since the last missive, I have rebuilt the front hubs, and installed them along with the new Spitfire/JH calipers from British Parts Northwest. Fitment, like so many things, was not quite trivial. For some reason the mounting holes in the new calipers were 7/16" instead of 3/8" so the mounting was sloppy. My solution was to cut some 7/16" stainless tubing to size, and use it as a bushing to resize the caliper mounts to 3/8". Worked like a champ. On the back end, I installed the rear suspension with all new bushings, bearings, shocks, and brakes (photo attached). I also had to install new springs, as one spring had a free length 3/4" less than the other - indicating the springs were shot. It was the left spring that was shorter, which I have read in this forum is pretty typical (driver sits on that side in the US). I put on a layer of undercoating on the new floor pans, using Dupli-color truck bed liner. I will be putting on at least one more coat. I got some plastic 5/8" sheet metal hole plugs from Ace Hardware, and popped them in all the holes. Are the holes supposed to be there for drainage? Dunno, but they had rotten rubber plugs in them when the car was delivered. I have also spent many hours sorting out the wiring harness, which will be the next thing to be installed. I had to cut it open and replace some burned wires, and replace many of the multi-pin connector shells which had crumbled over time. British Wiring supplied the replacement shells, and I used some short lengths of brass tubing to facilitate the removal and reinstallation of the pins. I used harness tape (NOT electrical tape!) to rewrap the harness. The previous owner had cut several wires to disable the ignition interlock (mandated by Uncle Sam for one model year. Grrr.) so I had to sort through that and patch the wires. Turns out simply disconnecting the occupant switch in the seat will defeat the interlock, so why did he hack up the harness? Amateur... Popped on a few of the badges, too. After the wiring harness I may start assembling the doors. Oh, yeah, got my 0.030" over high compression pistons from Delta Motor Sports. Don't know when I will be taking on the engine. Plans are to raise the compression, and use a 104 cam on the exhaust. David Vizard (the go-to guru for horsepower) says that more duration on the exhaust is superior to using more duration on the intake. All modern cams are built this way, so why JHPS recommends more duration the intake is beyond my comprehension. Stay tuned for more news about Rusty... Vance Attachment: IMG_0397_small.jpg (Downloaded 86 times)
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| Posted: 06-09-2024 04:40 pm |
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46th Post |
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noomg Member
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Vance, The question of drainage holes in the floorpans is one that has come up on any number of message boards. The general consensus is that they are alignment holes. There are alignment pegs on the jig that the car sits on during assembly. The stamped floorboards with the holes are simply placed on the pegs then it can be welded into place and down the line some gomer pops the plugs into the holes. If you think about it drain holes in a car don't make much sense and if that was their purpose why would they plug them.
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| Posted: 06-09-2024 10:32 pm |
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47th Post |
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JH12947 Member
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On other message boards to which I belong the consensus has generally been that the holes are for drainage for when a body shell is dipped at the factory for rust protection. The holes allow for the treatment to drain and are not for general drainage during life on the road. They are therefor plugged.
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| Posted: 08-07-2024 06:16 pm |
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48th Post |
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vnavaret Member
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Folks: Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. The journey continues as I slowly restore "Rusty" the car. Lots of stuff to talk about since my last update. I have cleaned, repaired and painted the windscreen frame. In the photo I have reinstalled it, along with a new windscreen and repainted header pad. I broke the original windscreen during removal (grrr!) so had to get a new one from Martin Robey. New side view mirrors are in, and the reconditioned heater box and scuttle plate are in as well. The fuel tank has been painted and installed, along with the fuel pump. No fuel plumbing yet, however. In a fit of OCD, I have carpeted the trunk which turned out very nice, but is definitely gilding the Lilly. I also installed a power antenna for the planned Retro Sound radio. I got the radio on eBay, where the prices are much lower than outfits like Moss. I also put the third layer of truck bed liner on the underside of the new floor pans, so the rustproofing is done (?). I have ordered the interior carpet, and new brake booster. The current booster is in horrible cosmetic shape, having leaked, shed its paint, and become badly corroded. I am not willing to trust my life to it, but was hesitating since a rebuild is $300, and new units are about $250 US. Moss Europe is currently having a 20% off sale for TR6 brake components, and it turns out that the JH and TR6 used the same brake booster. Even with the extortionate shipping, it is 25% less than any domestic supplier. Screaming deal. I have not yet reassembled the doors, as I want to install new window seals first - and they are on order. As you can see in the photo, the wiring has been roughed in and I am in the process of installing the dash. The original mounting T-bolts had disappeared (the ones at the base of the windscreen) and are NLA. I could make some from sheet metal and screws, but discovered that elevator bolts are a nice replacement. The engine is still untouched, being last on my list of tasks. That will be started sometime this coming winter. Cheers, Vance Addendum: I said the boosters were identical in the above post. That is not quite true, at least for my car. The stock booster is 7" in diameter, the TR6 is 6". So it is slightly smaller. Others have used the TR6 booster and say it is very satisfactory. Caveat Emptor. Attachment: IMG_0552[1].JPG (Downloaded 54 times) Last edited on 08-08-2024 12:17 am by vnavaret |
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| Posted: 08-07-2024 08:03 pm |
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49th Post |
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JH12947 Member
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vnavaret wrote:Folks: Vance - I installed the TR6 booster when I did my restoration - works great. Just be aware that it is very finicky on having the internal rod clearance set properly. I neglected this and ended up locking up the front right brake. Lots of resources on TR6 sites and I think mentioned here somewhere as well. Corey
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| Posted: 09-09-2024 02:08 am |
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50th Post |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: Another update on Rusty the car. I decided to guild the lily and had the valve covers powder coated in wrinkle Blue to match the car. I then used my belt sander to highlight the logo on the covers. Didn't turn out too bad, although given what the powder coating cost, I was more than a little nervous about botching the whole thing. Anyway, photo attached for your amusement. Brand new Automec brake lines installed, but not without a minor hiccup. The right hand drive cars do not have the PDWA assembly, and Automec shipped me a LHD set based on a measurements I sent them. Everything worked except when I tried to connect to the PDWA. Three fittings were 7/16" while the pipe set used 3/8" pipe nuts - correct for a RHD car, but not a LHD car. I scrounged some 7/16" fittings from a wrecked MGB at my local British car shop and used those with no issues. I also sent a detailed note to Automec so the next pipe set they ship will have the correct fittings. The new servo and master cylinder are also in place. While installing the brake pipes, I discovered that the front wheels were not clearing the front suspension. A little research showed that I had installed the upper control arms upside down. Doh! =:-o It turned out to be a nit, as flipping the arms over with the suspension in the car was easily done. Much easier when everything is clean and the fasteners are not rusted in place. Didn't even need a spring compressor as the spring is firmly held in place when the suspension is at full droop. The parking brake is back in the car, and it actually works. I have also installed the dash (facia) after many test fittings. The original fasteners for the section adjacent to the windscreen were long gone, so the dash was pretty floppy when I removed it. I tack welded some short bolts to small pieces of sheet metal, and glued them in place. After a couple of tries, I got everything lined up and it is now installed. Woo Hoo! Picked up a working clock on eBay. The 1980s Jaguars (among others) used a clock with an identical form factor, and the movements were quartz so they keep excellent time. The original clock said "Jensen" on the face but used an electro-mechanical movement that probably kept time miserably. So except that the face says "Quartz", you would never know the difference. Score! That's it for this episode of "The adventures of Rusty the car". Tune in next week, same time, same channel! Vance Attachment: Valve Covers.JPG (Downloaded 39 times) Last edited on 09-09-2024 02:13 am by vnavaret |
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| Posted: 11-02-2024 11:22 pm |
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51st Post |
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vnavaret Member
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OK, sports fans... Latest and greatest on Rusty the car. I have installed the Martin Robey carpet kit with some felt I got from eBay. I used snaps to hold the floor coverings in place so that they can be removed and cleaned when necessary. I reassembled the door regulators and window glass, along with the exterior window seal. I also derusted the door lock mechanisms but had a heck of a time getting the exterior door handles to work. The parts manual was useless in terms of showing me how to attach the handle, so I went to the web and found a picture showing how the latch needed to be assembled. Turns out I was attaching the handle linkage to the wrong point on the latch. They work great now. I also installed my home made panel kit. I tried to install it with the plastic fasteners the factory used, but I had difficulties getting the pins to align and in place without breaking, so I threw in the towel and installed the panels with automotive finishing screws. Sorry originality aficionados, I let you down. =:-( I still need to install the end caps on the door skins, as well as the map light on the passenger door. I painted the door handles with vinyl dye to match the light tan of the panels. The speakers for the stereo are not installed yet either. I will not be reinstalling the pathetic 4" OEM speakers. I have 5" 2-way Infinity speakers in the TR8 and they work well, so I will possibly be getting another pair. They will handle the much higher output of the Retro Sound radio. I will have blue tooth so I can play the music I keep on my phone... I found a couple of occupant seat switches at British Auto Works, so the seat belt interlock can be reconnected should I wish to. My 1974 TR6 had the same setup, and simply unplugging the occupant switch disabled the seat belt interlock. Federal law required that in 1974 the car be startable with no occupant to facilitate tuneups and the like, so if the switch is disconnected it drops into the tuneup mode. Ha! Fuel and vapor hard lines are installed, and I will be moving on to recovering the seats. The seat foam is in great shape, but the covers are ugly IMO and the webbing is shot. The covers are from Riverbourne Classics in vinyl that matches the trim panels. Tune in next time boys and girls for the further adventures of Rusty the car! Vance Attachment: New Interior.JPG (Downloaded 20 times) Last edited on 11-03-2024 06:36 pm by vnavaret |
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| Posted: 12-10-2024 12:48 am |
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52nd Post |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: Another pointless update on "Rusty" the car. Can't say that progress has been quick, but I have gotten some stuff done. This big step is that I have rewebbed and recovered my seats and installed them in the car. I had to glue extra foam on the seat bolsters, because the car had had the seats previously recovered. The replacement foam was a slightly different shape than original, but was still in decent shape, so I added foam where needed to fill out the covers. I was gratified to see that the replacement seat mounts were correctly positioned so that everything lined up with a minimum of pushing and shoving. Installing the seats with socket screws 1/6 of a turn at a time was tedious. The factory must have had some sort of special tool, otherwise it would take two hours for a tech to install those seats on the line. Grrr. I also installed my new speakers. I wanted to upsize the speakers from the pathetic 4" factory units, but the steel in the door simply would not allow it, so I opted from some 4" 2 way 4 ohm speakers, so I have some hope of hearing the radio with the top down. The remaining door hardware (catch releases, window winders, door pulls) are also in. Vance Attachment: Completed Interior [small].JPG (Downloaded 8 times) Last edited on 12-10-2024 12:51 am by vnavaret |
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| Posted: 12-10-2024 01:08 am |
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53rd Post |
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vnavaret Member
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A bit more on my recent update (I wish we could post more than one photo per reply). I worked a bit on my instruments. Clearly the car had been left exposed to the weather with no cover for an extended period, despite being a southern CA car. The instruments were heavily rusted, and some dirt had migrated inside the instruments. I tore them down, thinking a wash and wax would get them looking presentable. Once they were disassembled, the paint began flaking off the dials and the cans were rusted internally. <sigh> I investigated getting them refurbished, but nixed that idea when I learned it cost $100-200 US per gauge. I was going to buy some used gauges, and hope that they had not been abused. But then I found a supplier on eBay that offered a set of four Smiths reproduction gauges including shipping. Cost $40 US for all four, made in India. Well, $40 won't get a weeks worth of Starbucks (miserable coffee BTW, but ubiquitous) so I thought "what the heck." OK, no one will get fooled into thinking they are real Smiths gauges, but they do look the part of a little British car. So I will be installing them and seeing how they perform. They are cadmium plated, so they have a tad bit of rust protection - the only issue I see is that the oil pressure gauge is electric, so I will need to get a sender for it. The original gauge uses a capillary and is mechanical. I believe I will tear down my motor as the next job. I will be porting the head, installing 9.6:1, 0.030" over pistons and a performance cam. To start with I will only cam the exhaust. David Vizard (my HP hero!!) says that dual pattern cams with more duration on the exhaust are the hot ticket. So I will have about 10o more duration on the exhaust. From there I can add more duration and experiment with 110o or 115o lobe centers and perhaps add more intake duration until I find a combination that pleases me. Stay tuned for more inane information on my restoration. Vance Attachment: repop gauges [small].JPG (Downloaded 8 times) Last edited on 12-10-2024 01:14 am by vnavaret |
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