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Right then better start my '77 S1 project...


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  • Gold FFM

But the upright could have been stressed due to an historical poor trunnion issue.

just replace the lot and move onwards - could be worse - you could have been daft enough to sell a nice running car to buy a shed 

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  • Gold FFM

Never had any doubts that she would be gone for long Charlie, as with everyone else. We all look to see the next outcome of the Prowling Panther as everytime something goes, we know there will be an improvement of some kind will come out of the box.

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Cheers JW, just been for a couple of shakedown tests, and I have to say my confidence has suffered a little, really didn't want to push her too hard, but after a few long straights and a couple of round-a-bouts all in all seems to be fine, tracking has moved slightly so a couple of turns needed to pull that back. What a week, glad that's out the way, running all over the place for parts, (massive thanks to Dan once again for hooking me up so quickly) and hard graft in the garage and we're back rolling again. All the best, Charlie ;-) 

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15 minutes ago, CharlieCroker said:

Cheers JW, just been for a couple of shakedown tests, and I have to say my confidence has suffered a little, really didn't want to push her too hard, but after a few long straights and a couple of round-a-bouts all in all seems to be fine, tracking has moved slightly so a couple of turns needed to pull that back. What a week, glad that's out the way, running all over the place for parts, (massive thanks to Dan once again for hooking me up so quickly) and hard graft in the garage and we're back rolling again. All the best, Charlie ;-) 

Great to hear you're back on the road. And these things can knock your confidence quite a bit; I've had a few of them myself with previous cars (front wheel coming off one car at 60-70ph on a motorway, bonnet flipping up on a shakedown drive at about 70mph, bringing the windscreen to about 6" from my face and denting the roof... you get the point!). You just get your confidence back through driving it and hopefully having problem free runs.

Got me thinking that this winter I'll try to overhaul the front suspension (trunions and bushes) and then I'll have done most of the front and back. Try to reduce the chances of the same thing happening to me.

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Cheers lads, the encouragement will help for sure, I suppose it's much like a racing driver after an incident, get back in the car as soon as possible don't give the demons time to fester in your head. Honestly anyone who has a single doubt about the upright and trunnion on their car, GET THEM CHANGED and the only way to really check is by taking them off the car and inspecting them, I'll post a photo of my knackered upright, if your threads look anything like this, change it. Also oiling not greasing is the way to go, and actually very easy to do with a grease gun, clear the old grease from the canister, fill it with e80/90 and go as normal on your grease nipple, wait for it to flow over the top, very easy and satisfying to see them done. I've also changed antiroll bar bushes, greased the hell either side of the trunnion, make sure that moves with minimal drag and cleaned everywhere possible, calipers, pads the lot. Practically a new front end now, just have to keep telling myself, 'all new, all new' 

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well done charlie nice to see your up and about again I have always greased my trunnions but now going down the oil route after replacing mine

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A Burgess

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Thanks, this is what happens if you don't look after your trunnions. 

20160514_160821_zpsw6nq4svx.jpg

It's obvious that water has got past the seal and steadily eaten away at the thread weakening the upright, but without taking it all apart how can you tell before your flipping wheels fall off?! Joking aside, it's a serious problem and has knocked my confidence a bit so for anyone with doubt on theirs I would get them looked at straight away. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Epic pairing with the P1800 - love the styling of those as well. I looked at a Scimitar S5 before I plumbed for the Elite - it is amazing how close they all are in style but the Elite wins every time for me - it's like CC took the idea and just made it better! Actually didn't like the Scimitar when I sat in it but the guy who was selling it had an Éclat in his shed and let me have a look at that (not for sale and buried in a shed full of rusty classics - such a shame!). I was then sold on the Lotus!

Good work on the uprights - keep the faith, I know what the brain gremlins are like - especially when you do the work yourself but soon there will be nothing left that you haven't sorted :) :)

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Is the price for that bit in Yen or £?

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Cheers Ant, definitely getting my confidence back especially after a couple of long 2 hour runs, it's nice to know everything is now new upfront. That P1800 has just been featured in a well known web blogg, very cool car, mostly original and looks so cool in the flesh and that gold! Not much left to do with the Panther now, just keep it on the road maintenance. 

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  • Gold FFM

Charlie. I know you will have something loitering somewhere ready to burst out. As for the P1800, craking car especially in Gold, suits it too the ground, as in real low.

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  • Gold FFM

Haha @CharlieCroker you NEED a suasage dog and a skateboard to make the panther just perfect :hrhr:

Wouldn't recommend using the wife's dildo as a gear change though

 

nice retro motor for sure

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^^ Haha, made me chuckle that! Ragley hall this weekend, possible that all 3 cars will be present, that volvo, the panther and the v6 alfa esprit, worth a visit me thinks. 

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  • Gold FFM

 Now there's a challenge Charlie. The Princess would be good as the wedge shape would suit it. Or go really radical and do a Princess 4Lt R.

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It's been done before....

We popped a hydrolastic seal cresting a bump in the road outside Oban with the family's wildly overloaded sandglow beige 1.7HL Princess wedge.

eh voila: slammed Princess.... It still didn't quite manage to look like Harris Mann's initial radical styling sketches tho....

It just looked a bit shit. and it was beige. :ermm:

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Someone on the Retro Rides forums is currently looking at modifying one, started asking me loads of questions on how to put it on air, sent me diagrams and everything. It could be done but would need a hell of a lot of fabrication as they don't use a spring in a conventional way, needes a pivotal system. Anyway I did this photoshop for him.

slammedPrincess_zps1sg9wc14.png

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10 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

Would look a load better with a piano dropped on it

Didn't most Princesses end up looking like this anyway  :lol:

Those that didn't disintegrate into brown dust that is?

In their defence though, they were well ahead of their time and I have to admit quite liking them now :ermm: Imagine a 2 door version and you aren't a million miles away from the Eclat! :sofa:

Luke, just a quick question - how firm is the suspension when at the 'low' setting.

I can imagine getting in and denting the floor! 6'5" and 17 stone.............:angry:

Is the price for that bit in Yen or £?

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60psi - drive height 1 - firm comfortable, no worries. 

50psi - drive height 2 - Slightly less firm comfortable, start to think.

40psi - drive height 3 - Still firm very comfortable, but eyes out.

30psi - drive height 4 - Less firm, ass starting to squeak a bit.

20psi - f'king low!

0psi - touchdown. 

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14 hours ago, oilmagnet477 said:

In their defence though, they were well ahead of their time and I have to admit quite liking them now :ermm: Imagine a 2 door version and you aren't a million miles away from the Eclat! :sofa:

No....

Just no, not in any sense.

The Princess was one big comfy car however thats all it had going for it apart from the decent brakes.

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