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My GT6 restoration thread -updated 7/3/08


byakk0

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sbarc wrote:
Hey.....I just noticed you installed the new windshield as well!!!  

Where do you find the time?  I'm trapped doing endless house repairs.  


I had a good buddy over for the day, and he likes working on my old cars (since his 2 cars are both very new), so we just drank beer, ate pizza, cranked the music, and worked in the garage all day saturday :)

As for the house projects....I bought a house that was built in 1983 and previous/original owner was a home repair contractor...so before we bought the house, he did all the drywall, crown moulding, redid all bathrooms, installed new lighting everywhere, new wood floors, new closet doors, new roof, new appliances, and other things. So basically we bought a like-new house that is 25 years old. Paid extra for it, but it was worth not having to do stuff myself...I like working on the house, but working on the cars is much more fun!i

I've done a good number of house projects (especially on our old townhouse before this one), but I do them in the winter when it's too cold to be in the garage (garage insulation and heater will be a future "house project" as well, haha...)

Also credit my wife and baby daughter, who humour my need to spend a couple hours in the garage each evening (ususally after they go to bed)

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rotoflex wrote:
Got the windshield trim on!
But not the finishing clip?  
ARE YOU CHICKEN?  Afraid it will all come out again?
bok bok bok chicken bok bok


you mean the little connector between the two ends of the trim? if so...it's not on because I "misplaced" it the day I was installing, and that small little bugger is impossible to find in the huge mess in my garage :)

I'll pick up another one next time I order parts and install it....easy to do without all the trim coming off again (did it with the back hatch glass, which I installed a couple weeks ago)...

8)

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irish44j wrote:


you mean the little connector between the two ends of the trim? if so...it's not on because I "misplaced" it the day I was installing, and that small little bugger is impossible to find in the huge mess in my garage :)
8)


Speaking of messy garages.  I got a flyer in the mail the other day.......this company specializes in redoing garages....new flooring and ultra heavy duty cabinets.  I suspect the price is more than I'm willing to pay as I could do the cabinets myself........but they do have some interesting photos and videos on their website which might give you  a few ideas for garage de-cluttering.  I have been seriously pondering  installing cabinets in ym garage to keep things tidy.
Here's the linka dn I will give the usual disclaimer.....I have no interest in this company etc.
http://www.premiergarage.com  btw....website has sound.

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  • 7 months later...

well, it's been a while since I updated things (sorry, I'm lazy). The car has been on stands for the last month as the differential was rebuilt and I took the opportunity to do some other things while it was sitting.

- Installed Miata seats
- Drilled out/enlarged/retapped door hinge mount with larger bolts (the old ones were stripped and couln't hold the door straight)
- Relocated oil pres gauge to where the right side dash vent used to be
- Installed the oiriginal am/fm radio (not wired yet)
- Installed Rover Freelander lugs...MUCH thicker and longer
- New drum shoes in the rear and also one new drum cylinder (old one was leaking)
- Installed teh new rear 14x6 Minilites (+12 offset).....still waiting on the fronts to arrive (+26 offset)
- Installed Mk3 mirrors...the bullet style ones were too small and too useless. I need to SEE!
- Put the "cover" on the hole for the front SU dashpot in the bonnet
- took apart and reinstalled entire rear suspension while the diff was out
- undercoated the rear wheel wells
- put the interior back together to some extent


Still need a good alignment, and some exhaust work where the exhaust hooks up with the header..

A few current pics:








looks so tiny even next to the small WRX


also assembled a very large playset that my daughter won't be old enough to use for another year...took 3 days!

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  • 2 weeks later...

You do love the colour black....even you mail box is black. ;)  Good looking playset.  I built a permanent one at our old house.....6 months before my wife decided we should move.

Your car is looking very good.  I'm hoping to get to mine next year.....this year is a write off with all my time being drained away on more pressing issues.

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  • 5 months later...
  • 4 months later...

booley wrote:
I find it interesting where the ignition key is on your mkII. I had a '69 mkII, and the key was directly opposite from yours, just under the tach.
That dash Does look good though!


the original key was under the column with the steering wheel lock, but that switch broke and didn't care for the location anyhow (or having the wheel lock). So when I had the dash made, I just picked that spot for the switch since there is room behind the dash and the back of the switch is easily accessable through the parcel tray..

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  • 7 months later...

No real new news on the car this summer. I had my hands full getting my WRX setup for some track work (and my budget full), so didn't do much of anything to the GT6. Still having some issues with the Canley rear CV conversion in terms of fitament to the hubs (much tighter fit than the stock axles), and while trying to get them in I found that my bearings are probably no good anyhow, so need to take care of that. So the car only drove a few times this summer, and now it's time to go away for winter so I can use my garage for other things.

I also sold the Mk3 to a local guy who restores muscle cars....he wanted to do a Brit car. It had alot of rust to deal with and I'm not much on bodywork, so I'll let him have at it and see how it turns out. He just is going to fix it up and sell it again.

The Plus going to hibernation for the winter int he backyard shed...


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  • 8 months later...

a bit of an update.....car is finally back on the road again after all this time. One of the rear bearings was totally shot so it was rebuilt, and I decided to sell off the Canley C/V axles since I'll never get around to getting the hubs bored out correctly, and need the money for other projects. And I have some almost-perfect rotoflex axles. So put those back on with the newly-rebuilt hubs.

Also did a bit of minor interior work, got 98% of the electricals working right (the left flashers still don't flash with the hazard switch turned on...can't figure out why!), and did a home alignment of the car which I figure is 95% as good as a shop would charge to do it, so that's good enough for this car.

Also rolled the fender inner lips a bit since the rear tires were rubbing a slight bit on big dips, and did a full brake system bleed with ATE Blue fluid. Now the car handles better and brakes better, and makes less noise.

Still have a bit of a whiney diff as well as a kinda noisy gearbox, but the gearbox has never been rebuilt, so that's no surprise!

more pics when I can take some :)

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  • 8 months later...

Wow, so it's been forever since I posted anything. The GT6 has been in storage all winter while I worked on another project: my 1985 BMW 318i, which I built for rallycross :)

American rallycross, that is. Not as hardcore as European rallycross (sadly).

If anyone would like to see THAT build thread, it's here: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?p=2791749&posted=1#post2791749

A couple quick pics and then back on-topic

with my other "fun car" and daily driver


at an event last month






in street trim

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WHen I got my e30 momo race steering wheel (a steal deal) I also picked up another Momo, classic-style in a slightly larger size, for the GT6. Needed to replace the crappy Mountney wheel currently on it, which is pretty flexy and I very much dislike. Only problem is the Momo won't fit the Mountney hub, and Momo doesn't make a hub these days that fits the small Triumphs, or at least I can't find any.

But, thanks to some tips from the guys on GRM, I found a place that makes hubs for the small Triumphs that fit Momo (and other 6-hole) steering wheels. So for about $75 got a great hub from Crowder's Customizing (in Summerville SC). Awesome quality and look, with the contact for the horn as well (which the Mountney was missing).



compared to the old Mountney



While I was at it, decided to rebuild the steering column, which had a bit of play in the bushings. I replaced the bushings last summer, but they're cheap aftermarket ones that didn't fit perfectly or snugly. I did some improvisation (no comment) and got everything snugged up, and now the steering feels good and tight.





And then re-installed everything and set up the new wheel. Sexy.





And since now I have a working horn button, decided to actually install some horns. Luckily last time at the junkyard I picked up a pair of stock BMW Fiamm horns (which I like the sound of). They fit perfectly in the GT6's stock mounting locations on left and right of the grille



for the wiring, I used some off of my spare e30 harness, lol.

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  • 5 months later...

so it's been a while. I was busy doing an e30 BMW race/rally build this year and didn't do much on the GT6 other than scour up some parts and drive it here and there. Hopefully will have some time this winter to do some other things on it! Hope all is well here :)

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  • 11 months later...
  • 1 year later...

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