irish44j
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Everything posted by irish44j
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Actually, it's just matte black rattle-can, not BRG. Looks great in photos and from a distance. Looks so-so up close :)
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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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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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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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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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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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booley wrote:every garage should have 2 GT6's my wife disagrees, since the right side is where her 4Runner usually goes! The white Mk3 will be moving to the small 1-car garage in the backyard this weekend before I really get in the doghouse!
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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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well, I'll bump this off to show off its new little brother....
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a few updates, since I haven't updated this thread in about a year! new custom rosewood dash with spots for extra gauges engine bay is finally looking almost complete new routing of fuel lines, and new throttle linkage (my own design, using an MG bracket I think)
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lol, this is practically a shanty house in this area....
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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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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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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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booley wrote:lookin good !! i can't decide if i like that style turn signal or not.... i noticed the 2 piece lenses available through vicky-brit, might order them so i can see for myself... i've toyed with the idea of those gas hood struts, but don't know if the right side strut will clear my webers actually the passenger-side one actually rubs the front of my K&N filter (front one), since they have the 2 sets of manifold spacers/adaptors that push the SUs outward. That said, when I only had ONE gas strut on (driver's side) it held the hood up just fine, no problem. Just took more effort to open it (like). I might actually just go back to having on if I can't figure out a way to clear the filter better. I think in your case, you'd be just fine with only one of them. You can get the strut part number on Paul tegler's site and they cost about $20/each from RockAuto.com. Let me know if you need a link. Highly suggested mod!
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besides a 40-mph run up my local street 1-3 gears and pulled very strong, did some work today on the car with the help of my buddy Brendon. been a while since I posted up pics (sorry, camera has been acting up), so I'm sure I missed a bunch of other things got rid of the old folding support for the bonnet and installed a pair of hydraulic supports. These came from the tailgate of an old Subaru DL wagon (credit: Paul Tegler for the idea) it's nice because it will hold the hood open at any angle, makes it easy to raise and lower, and gets rid of the dreaded "twist" when lifting from one side. installed new windshield glass and trim Installed british-spec Spitfire parking/signal lights goofing around a bit, we took some old tweed fabric and made new door panels. Had to do something other than black vinyl, which is what everything else in the car is! the interior is almost done (well, not done, but at least functional!) having a small car is nice...lots of spare room in the garage!
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Had a bit of a setback today...bollocks.. Putting the windshield in...was going smoothly, using the string method and following the FSM to a tee....came to the upper passenger corner and string wouldn't come out, even with all my weight behind it, so I (per the FSM) used a rubber mallet to seat the seal all the way around. Got to the very last couple of taps (and I mean I was tapping it, not hitting it) and.....CRACK. Guess it's a good thing I have a spare windscreen from my parts car. DOH! Unfortunately it does mean I have to order a new rubber seal....
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rotoflex wrote:You have not only painted the radiator overflow bottle, but the damn lid as well. I point this out in case you are unaware of it. as you can see, I am attempting to finish off about 20 cans of various colors of automotive spray paint that have somehow accumulated in my garage over the last 5 years or so.... something needs painting...I just grab whatever color is at hand (alot of reds, silvers, bronzes, and 20 varieties of black). Paint is expensive!! Not gonna waste "good" colors on a damn overflow bottle!!!
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sbarc wrote: Very nice.....but those front marker lights just won't do.... ;) Come on....you know you want to.... I just checked out that link you posted. Price is great (about $30US for a pair of them) but shipping is the killer (about $45US for the pair of them!!). Anyone in the UK want to buy them for me and ship them cheaper, or I'll pick em up when I'm in the UK in December? :)
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a few more things done last night and today, and a couple "botches" the botches: 1. when installing the mirror, forgot to put it where the front vent window wouldn't hit it....so I have two holes to fill (relocated the mirror) 2. moving a hand truck full of boxes to my shed, I clipped the front of the GT6 and broke my driver's side front turn signal (it was already cracked). Dammit! otherwise, did some body work touchups today, and few other things: Got all the headlights, taillights, and dash lights wired and working. Waiting for a new turn signal switch, but those lights are all wired up too. also I am making an effort to replace as many of the original crappy bullet connectors as possible with flat connectors did the insides of the wheel wells...stripped and undercoated and did a bit of detail work on the support attachments finally finished my new rear deck made of MDF and a couple steel supports. Much stronger than the originals engine shot as it sits today car with the new tires and new mirrors my posse
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sbarc wrote:This thread drives me nuts......I wish I had time to work on my car. I do envy you. Thanks for the update. my wife is awaiting the day I finish it, as she thinks that at that time I will then help her clean the house and take care of the baby.... :-/ Really I just want to get it on the road before winter gets here. Then I can work on the "details" over the winter in my unheated garage.... note that almost all of my work is done either on Saturdays ("my" day to do "my" stuff) or after about 9pm on weeknights (when the wife and baby go to bed)... I will also on occasion take afternoons off work so I can come home and work on the car without interruption by the wife (who works also) and without disturbing my neighbors when i'm doing "loud" stuff... It's been over 12 years since I drove this car, so I'm a bit anxious and will admit to taking some shortcuts here and there. You, on the other hand, get to drive your car rather than work on it...which I envy!
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Just some updates....coming along on body work, some rattle-can painting, and installing most of the exterior lighting (still have to wire it). Also got the new tires put on today and cleaned up the wheels. Also bled the brakes tonight with no issues (speed-bleeders are great) Issue of the week: After assembling 80% of the interior, including tranny tunnel and center console, I go to bleed the clutch and find that the slave cylinder is shot and spewing brake fluid all over the frame and a bit dripped down into the bellhousing as well...so will be installing a new one this weekend after rippping out the interior again and cleaning the inside of the bellhousing...grr. As to the engine, it is running great. The timing is set and carbs are synced pretty good. With the pertronix ignition the engine fires up immediately (it never did that before!), idles great, and the new SU 1.75s are easy as hell to adjust. Engine is powerful and smooth up to redline with no misses or sputters, though I haven't had it under load yet. anyhow, some pics: new tires - Sumitomo HTR 200 175/60/13 trying out some red turn signals in place of the amber...I think I like the look some FIAMM horns from a buddy's Miata that he wasn't using up in the air
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booley wrote:sorry steve, i figured irish would get it because he's got a maxima.... anything jdm makes your car go faster!?! i don't think i've ever seen those marker lites, must be ukdm? i have to admit i like them though lol, yes I got it. On the Nissan forums, any silly "mod" usually gets referred to as "mAD tYTe JDM yO!" My maxima has no JDM parts or modifications on it that I can think of...
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sbarc wrote: Very nice.....but those front marker lights just won't do.... ;) Come on....you know you want to.... yeah,,, I certainly DO. you want to sell those to me?? ;)
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moving along with some interior, carpeting, got one side of the car sanded and rattle-canned, put some trim and lighting back on..... Once I rebuild the clutch m/c and bleed the brakes I may be ready to take it around the block (fingers crossed) interior as it looks at the moment, inluding the radio bracket, transmission tunnel, and new "parcel shelf" installed some exterior shots on the "good" side of the car. The other side and hood are still primer and have more sanding to do on them... bought a new toy the other day too, since my Aluminum race jack is broken and my other floor jack is just too puny! This monster weighs a hefty 99lbs!