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SteveV8s V8 (Big project in a tiny garage)


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  • 2 weeks later...

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TIME versus MONEY

I don't have a lot of either, but SWMBO has made it quite clear that I should spend the former rather than any more of the latter. 

So renovation rather than new parts has become the way to go, and the results you can achieve are time consuming but really satisfying. This being the result of a few hours on my rather tatty rear top suspension links and a wire brush then a few hours soaking in metal prep.

Before and after.....ready for a new coat of POR15

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6 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

Congratulations on getting the wife to clean that up, Steve.

Good work, mate.

Believe me Ian, I would love her to muck in, but she hates cars, more specifically my cars.

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10 minutes ago, Steve V8 said:

Believe me Ian, I would love her to muck in, but she hates cars, more specifically my cars.

I have exactly the reverse: My missus has just chauffeured me up to Hethel in the Esprit, ready for the factory tour tomorrow.

Not sure which of us is more excited.

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Margate Exotics.

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Depends who's wearing the nurse outfit.

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British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland.  And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden.

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3 hours ago, Steve V8 said:

TIME versus MONEY

I don't have a lot of either, but SWMBO has made it quite clear that I should spend the former rather than any more of the latter. 

So renovation rather than new parts has become the way to go, and the results you can achieve are time consuming but really satisfying. This being the result of a few hours on my rather tatty rear top suspension links and a wire brush then a few hours soaking in metal prep.

Before and after.....ready for a new coat of POR15

DSC_0431.thumb.JPG.966ad466d27f189626111acbb0db75bf.JPG

Would have been easier to stick it all in the dishwasher on a hot cycle??

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Only here once

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  • 1 month later...
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Daughter married off and housed, so back to some me time in the tiny garage.

Someone (I think @Vanya)  recommended these spring compressors last week, the gaps between the front spring windings were too narrow to get my old clamps in, so I took the advice and invested £65.

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What a fantastic peice of kit, it makes what can be a risky job safe simple and spreads the load so doesn't damage the spring.

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They don't call me Steve Kingdom Brunel for nothing you know, off to the local engineering shop with these tomorrow, I'll be greeted with ffs what is it this time, he's usually on the phone a few hours later "all done mucker 40 quid alrite" we'll see!! 

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18 hours ago, Steve V8 said:

They don't call me Steve Kingdom Brunel for nothing you know, off to the local engineering shop with these tomorrow, I'll be greeted with ffs what is it this time, he's usually on the phone a few hours later "all done mucker 40 quid alrite" we'll see!! 

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This post should really go under what made you unhappy today.

I took my drawings down to the local engineers at 8 this morning to find it closed, note on the door "DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES P.A.LEAT & SONS HAS CEASED TRADING". 

One of the young employees then turned up, asked who I was looking for, "Clive Leat says I".... Unfortunately Clive had suddenly passed away 2 weeks ago.

Clive was an old skool engineer, working lathes, pillar drills and the like the old fashioned way. His work was precise, top quality, his prices half that of the new CAD boys, and I'm sure that had he still been with us I'd have had the parts I needed in my hands within hours, not in three weeks time. He now takes those irreplaceable skills with him to the grave, and will be another fine engineer greatly missed.

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It really is a bastard Steve. RIP old chap. There are so many old school small engineering workshops around Swindon that are follow ons from the GWR works days that evaporate year on year. Today's button pressing children, including mine, are just not interested in getting their hands dirty. We're losing our heritage. 

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I tempted fate...now my Esprit V8 IS in bits...(sob)

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STUPID IS WHAT STUPID DOES, I'll be the first to admit it...what a twat. !!!!! 

Suspension refurb well under way it was time to get the rusty old components refinished. I've been dead nervous about trying to remove the relatively new and f**king expensive front lower arm bushes for fear of damaging them, so decided to have them blasted with bushes in place, then mask and paint. Our local sand blaster is also a powder coatings specialist, and the office was like a Santa's grotto of absolutely beautifully finished components in all shapes sizes and colours, I needed, I mean really needed powder coating.

After a chat with the manager about the cost and difficulties I feared removing the bushes, he advised me of the low heat (220 degrees C) service they offered for delicate items, on line the melting point of polypropylene came back as around 265 degrees C. So should be OK shouldn't it? So we sent the LH arm to the oven for testing...........DSC_0444.thumb.JPG.fd67c3c0edebb4f9273cc12bb0b3a34a.JPG

I lesson here for anyone that may be as stupid as me. Total cost four new Lotac bushes £250 (they come in sets). Worst still, since I had new ones coming I thought it just as well to try to press out the RHS, they flew out no damage, no problem. 

Well at least I'll get my powder coating....

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I've measured the hole on the inside of my roll of insulation tape, I reckon by the time I've wrapped my spring retainers it should press in there just right😆

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  • 3 weeks later...
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3 hours ago, silverfrost said:

Spring compressor looks great and indeed will stop future brown trouser moments !

It's a fantastic peice of kit, glued some leather onto the compression plates to avoid damage to the new springs on reassembly.

Though had a near miss with the press pressing in the lower ball joint. Fired a socket across the garage at 6 tonnes of pressure narrowly missing my head before bouncing off the back wall and then into the empty engine bay. That was a lesson learned, a very brown trousers moment.

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I had the old ones in the past, where one had slipped off, to leave the spring bent like a bananna !   Felt like a bomb desposal chap going back near to it, to slowly and carefully put the other one back on !  I would entertain using the old style ones with the new kit that is much safer, either that or give a local garage a drink for doing it  :thumbup:

I like my teeth the way they are and do not wish them to be removed by a coil spring moving at speed  :P

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A

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