dmcsweeney
Active Member
Hi all,
a drunken night out with a few old college friends a few months ago has resulted in a resent flurry of panic works. Along with being asked to be a grooms man by one of my friends I was also asked to provide 2 wedding cars. Being drunk I agreed right away, but panic soon set in when I eventually sobered up. Due to work committments in the UK, a demanding other half, and various other issues I decided the best course of action was to use one P6 and my modern car (and prepare another P6 if time allowed). The list began as follows;
White 3500S -
Front calliper dragging and over heating badly
No head lights or dip beams
Wipers stopping
No fuel or temp gauges
No dash warning lights
No instrument back lights
Exhaust blowing
Minor areas of paint repair required
Gear linkage worn leading to the car getting stuck in gear if not careful
Wheel trims slightly grotty
Interior in need of a clean
Electric fan to be fitted
Fit rear seat belts.
Jag -
Sounding like a transit - same engine fitted
, crank pulley, drive belt and tensioner to be relaced
Thorough cleaning required
Progress so far:
As posted elsewhere on the form we dismantled the exhaust system, repaired a crack, remade all the joints and reskinned the now empty back box.
This made a huge difference to the cars performance for obvious reasons, and has changed the exhaust note for the better. Apologies, the video got cut short for some reason http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe6SPNXrkuk .
Electrics were the next item on the list. The fuse box was showing the early signs of issues with the headlight fuse (had melted slightly) so I decided to more the main load away from it, without tampering with any of the existing wiring. I've installed a 4 way fuse box, relays and made up a new wiring loom. The loom plugs into the existing light bullet connectors behind the offside headlights, and switch the relays, which will be powered from the solinoid main feed. Rather than get robbed buying small rolls of cable I visited a company just over the road from where the car is stored. They manufacture large distribution and control panels, and are supplying all the distribution boards for the job I'm working on in London. There store is full of assorted flex in various colours, from 0.5mm up to 300mmsq so I helped myself .
The twin 4mm sq feed cables from the solinoid (protected by flexible conduit (coplex) and fitted with water proof inline fuses at the solinoid end) to the aux fuse box has yet to be fitted.
I've also cabled for the fogs (the same way as the head lights) and have installed a coplex protected supply and an earth for the electric fan. A fourth relay will be installed to serve this (operated by an old style lucas toddle near the HRW switch). The head lights are now fully rewired from the relays, and again connected in bullet connectors to avoid any alteration to the original wiring. I've tested the switching of the relays and found I'm getting no power at them (apart from when I flash the headlights) so that is on the list for next weekend. The main light switch was always a little tempremental, and I have a spare so I'll start there.
I stripped the wiper motor to find the bushings badly worn, so shoud have new ones in todays post, and hoping to get them in Saturday morning before I have to leave for the stag night :twisted: .
The instrument situation was not good. The fuel gauge had never worked as long as I've had the car, then the temp gauge died, followed closely by all the warning lights and backlights. I had previously replaced the fuel sender, and replaced a faulty voltage regulator. I had a TC dash, and got my hands on a 3500S panel, which turned out to be butchered so I worked my way through mine. Fixed the back lights, choke light, replaced the temp sender to fix the guage, have a new oil pressure switch to fit, rewired from the fuel gauge to the tank fixing the guage. Just the ignition and brake lights to sort now. Just as well, need to clear the inside out!
Next came the brakes. The nearside calliper was in a terrible state having been badly over heated a few times, the offside looked pretty good, but as advised on here I did them as a pair, an just as well!
Invasion of small Fiats resulted in work being carried out in a shed this week rather than on the lift in a warm workshop.
The big piston on the offside calliper came out quite easily with a little compressed air, however the 5 remaining pistons became a rear problem. We had to resort to welding pieces of metal to each one in turn and hammering them out :shock: .
Luckily, despite the conditions of the pistons, the bores had survived perfectly, and after a throught clean where fitted with new pistons and seals.
These were refitted yesterday and a rushed bleed (not done properly!) had the car rolling nicely again, if not stopping terribly quickly. A thorough bleed is first on the list for saturday morning, before we go off for a day of ale . She even managed to make it out for a quick picture.
With the wedding coming up soon (18th June), and the fact I'm not going to be home every weekend inbetween, pressure is really on. The compound matters my brother in law's nephew and his fiancee spotted the car Saturday and have asked for it for their wedding in July as well . The only good news is my credit card may be finally getting a break, with only the bush kit for the gearbox remote to buy now, hopefully.
Will keep you posted with progress.
Regards,
Dave
a drunken night out with a few old college friends a few months ago has resulted in a resent flurry of panic works. Along with being asked to be a grooms man by one of my friends I was also asked to provide 2 wedding cars. Being drunk I agreed right away, but panic soon set in when I eventually sobered up. Due to work committments in the UK, a demanding other half, and various other issues I decided the best course of action was to use one P6 and my modern car (and prepare another P6 if time allowed). The list began as follows;
White 3500S -
Front calliper dragging and over heating badly
No head lights or dip beams
Wipers stopping
No fuel or temp gauges
No dash warning lights
No instrument back lights
Exhaust blowing
Minor areas of paint repair required
Gear linkage worn leading to the car getting stuck in gear if not careful
Wheel trims slightly grotty
Interior in need of a clean
Electric fan to be fitted
Fit rear seat belts.
Jag -
Sounding like a transit - same engine fitted
, crank pulley, drive belt and tensioner to be relacedThorough cleaning required
Progress so far:
As posted elsewhere on the form we dismantled the exhaust system, repaired a crack, remade all the joints and reskinned the now empty back box.
This made a huge difference to the cars performance for obvious reasons, and has changed the exhaust note for the better. Apologies, the video got cut short for some reason http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe6SPNXrkuk .
Electrics were the next item on the list. The fuse box was showing the early signs of issues with the headlight fuse (had melted slightly) so I decided to more the main load away from it, without tampering with any of the existing wiring. I've installed a 4 way fuse box, relays and made up a new wiring loom. The loom plugs into the existing light bullet connectors behind the offside headlights, and switch the relays, which will be powered from the solinoid main feed. Rather than get robbed buying small rolls of cable I visited a company just over the road from where the car is stored. They manufacture large distribution and control panels, and are supplying all the distribution boards for the job I'm working on in London. There store is full of assorted flex in various colours, from 0.5mm up to 300mmsq so I helped myself
.
The twin 4mm sq feed cables from the solinoid (protected by flexible conduit (coplex) and fitted with water proof inline fuses at the solinoid end) to the aux fuse box has yet to be fitted.
I've also cabled for the fogs (the same way as the head lights) and have installed a coplex protected supply and an earth for the electric fan. A fourth relay will be installed to serve this (operated by an old style lucas toddle near the HRW switch). The head lights are now fully rewired from the relays, and again connected in bullet connectors to avoid any alteration to the original wiring. I've tested the switching of the relays and found I'm getting no power at them (apart from when I flash the headlights) so that is on the list for next weekend. The main light switch was always a little tempremental, and I have a spare so I'll start there.
I stripped the wiper motor to find the bushings badly worn, so shoud have new ones in todays post, and hoping to get them in Saturday morning before I have to leave for the stag night :twisted: .
The instrument situation was not good. The fuel gauge had never worked as long as I've had the car, then the temp gauge died, followed closely by all the warning lights and backlights. I had previously replaced the fuel sender, and replaced a faulty voltage regulator. I had a TC dash, and got my hands on a 3500S panel, which turned out to be butchered so I worked my way through mine. Fixed the back lights, choke light, replaced the temp sender to fix the guage, have a new oil pressure switch to fit, rewired from the fuel gauge to the tank fixing the guage. Just the ignition and brake lights to sort now. Just as well, need to clear the inside out!
Next came the brakes. The nearside calliper was in a terrible state having been badly over heated a few times, the offside looked pretty good, but as advised on here I did them as a pair, an just as well!
Invasion of small Fiats resulted in work being carried out in a shed this week rather than on the lift in a warm workshop.
The big piston on the offside calliper came out quite easily with a little compressed air, however the 5 remaining pistons became a rear problem. We had to resort to welding pieces of metal to each one in turn and hammering them out :shock: .
Luckily, despite the conditions of the pistons, the bores had survived perfectly, and after a throught clean where fitted with new pistons and seals.
These were refitted yesterday and a rushed bleed (not done properly!) had the car rolling nicely again, if not stopping terribly quickly. A thorough bleed is first on the list for saturday morning, before we go off for a day of ale
. She even managed to make it out for a quick picture.
With the wedding coming up soon (18th June), and the fact I'm not going to be home every weekend inbetween, pressure is really on. The compound matters my brother in law's nephew and his fiancee spotted the car Saturday and have asked for it for their wedding in July as well
. The only good news is my credit card may be finally getting a break, with only the bush kit for the gearbox remote to buy now, hopefully. Will keep you posted with progress.
Regards,
Dave
