My 1.6 coupe restoration (formerly back in red + rust)

[Nigel]

And the 1.6 (1585) engine is my favourite.

I concur Ian. An almost 'square' engine, smooth and quiet.
And probably very tuneable to silly figures.

[chrisc]

This deserves an update! after the initial burst to get it painted, a few things happened

• We discovered more rust (of course we did!)
• We found we needed some hard to find parts
• My restorer had a sudden death in the family
• My funds needed to regroup

These things meant it had to get off the front burner for the restorer to make way for other bits, and now we have the challenge of getting back into it, and to be honest it's borderline if it'll be ready for the 50th

I popped down today to deliver the hard to find bits (brake bias valve, cambelt tensioner pulley, tie rod link) and have a look at the car, as I've not seen it in the metal since it's been painted

Typically the rain came out, which delivered mixed blessings - never view a car in the rain as they say, but it turns out to be great for seeing if the roof curvature is right after the sunroof removal


That's turned out way way better than I expected




Most of the shiny bits still need to go on, and some panel gaps still need tweaking, but nice to see it, especially with the front valance damage sorted, and of course the rust sorted.

Dash is more or less back in, new brakes are on expect handbrake cables..

Immediate goals - new cambelt on, exhaust on, handbrake done, then it's on to the recommissioning side - hopefully as it was a runner before it won't be too painful, but we have still yet to figure out why it was left without any coolant in for 20 years (and what damage that's caused), plus I'm bracing myself for the 'need a new fuel tank' call.

[WestonE]

Hi Chris

Read with interest. I suggest no coolant for 20 years buy and fit a new water pump and change the core plugs in the block. They will have rusted from the inside and will probably leak later. Also you should have a full chemical coolant system flush very high on your list for just after start up. If possible use a garden hose to push water through the engine from the rear rail before you fit it and still with the old water pump and core plugs. You want to do all you can to shift rush scale and old antifreeze crystalised gel stuff. If you do not get a new water pump on there it will probably demand attention not long after first start up.

Good luck

Eric

[chrisc]

Agree with all that, and the flush needs to be soon, because if the heater matrix leaks I want to find out before the interior is fully back together.

Chances of doing the core plugs with the engine in?

[Neil-yaj396]

Hat eaten! Have to confess that when I first saw your car on here I was 90% that it would end up in the scrap yard once you found all the rust, even perhaps that the lower A pillars would be beyond economic repair....

Well done you and hope it does make it to the 50th.

[WestonE]

Hi Chris

Possible but nasty compared to doing them before fitting the engine. The GC manual tells you how if you are unsure and they are common to multiple TC blocks. The cheap plastic S2FL heater tap is the top candidate for leaking after installation. I remember thinking I had been stung by a wasp from the hot water on my foot! 

Back in the day I de-scaled the heater matrix core with Kettle de-scaler

Eric

[chrisc]

Hat eaten! Have to confess that when I first saw your car on here I was 90% that it would end up in the scrap yard once you found all the rust, even perhaps that the lower A pillars would be beyond economic repair....

Well done you and hope it does make it to the 50th.

Well, let's be honest, at the time I bought it, I'd been looking for a coupe for about 2 years and the choice was between this and some utter basket cases. Since then some lovely examples have come up for sale that make this project look like a fools errand, but that's spilt milk, under the bridge!

[peteracs]

Hi Chris

I have to sort of disagree on the fools errand, you now know for sure the state of your car, good and bad bits. What looks good from a buyers point of view can often be mediocre when you finally dig into it unless there is documented recent work etc. The cost side of it can however be less attractive of course!

Peter

[chrisc]

Slightly off topic, I'm off to the lake district at the end of the week and had in mind to pop over to see what ever happened to my old HPE VX - the guy who bought it isn't far away, but never used it or put it through another mot / tax, which surprised me as it was in excellent condition.

Had a nose on streetview to look at historic images, and what do you know..

July 2015 it was still there and someone was at least interested in it!

[chrisc]

Well.. I thought we were there. Last step short of refitting the interior, for some reason was a nice spot of deferred risk - refilling the cooling system. You already know what's coming next..

leaky core plugs.

I really want this car back on the road... I might go for the slightly nonsensical option of saying even if the engine has to come out for the core plugs, it's just the core plugs and nothing else that gets done before it goes back in. No head gasket, no clutch, no seals.

Dilemma. I'm definitely not doing the eventual fast road engine plans I had in mind - I want to drive the car as is for a while and see what's next.

[WestonE]

Hi Chris

I feel your pain! As I said before you can try to do this engine in place exhaust off. Patience and swearing essential. I would probably try given the work to pull and refit the engine.

Good Luck

Eric

 

[betabuoy]

Hi Chris

I feel your pain! As I said before you can try to do this engine in place exhaust off. Patience and swearing essential. I would probably try given the work to pull and refit the engine.

Good Luck

Eric

  

Hi Chris,  And since the exhaust has to come off to remove the engine/gearbox, its worth a try first.

If you do need to remove it, however, just crack on and get it done.  I remember a weekend a few years ago when I was using my Coupe as a daily driver and it is suddenly developed a horrible sound when in 5th gear.  I got back from work on Friday night, removed the bonnet, battery tray, radiator etc and started disconnecting things; on Saturday morning, after disconnecting the driveshafts the eng/g'box was out, gearbox separated, spare gearbox bolted up, did a bit of cleaning (very satisfying) then eng/g'box craned back in the car; all that remained for Sunday was to refit, reconnect and refill the fluids and I was back to work on Monday feeling a real sense of achievement.  Go on, you can do this!

Chris

[HFStuart]

I have a drift for the block core plugs that makes fitting them a lot easier. If you'd like me to post it to you let me know.

[chrisc]

Well. where were we. Core plugs. done.. then the thermostat needed replacing - a tricky one to find. Then the top water rail turned out to be toast...

But, after all that, eventually we have a car that starts, runs and stops.

Can I have it back please.. ah.. roof has microblisters, so that goes off to get redone and more waiting ensues.

Then yesterday I get a email.. how does tomorrow sound for drop off? Yes please is the instinctive reaction.. get it back under my direct control. When it arrived today in the pouring rain and howling wind, initially on my drive I began to question the wisdom of that rushed decision as the rain attempted to turn it into a paddling pool.



Next step was to erect a gazebo as a temporary cover until the windscreens were in - but this rapidly became apparent it was going to end up as a youtube fail video of a gazebo either taking off or damaging the car, so mission aborted and empty the car of everything that'll get immediately damaged by the rain



With that done I ended up popping out to buy a raincover as a temporary solution and looked at what I had brought inside. It's been 2 years since this car sat anywhere other than in a bodyshop / garage and everything is utterly swamped in sanding dust. Thank god the wife was away as she would have had a fit at what happened next as all the carpets came into the kitchen for a vacuum


followed by a proper clean - what came out was gross.


The main carpet has actually escaped this treatment as it's just too far gone at the drivers heel pad area. I think I'll end up using it anyway and just putting mats down in the meantime.

Anyway, damn shame I didn't have it for the restoration show as yeah.. there is still plenty of work to do - it feels slightly demoralising to have it back in pieces, but still, I have to keep reminding myself that it was a rotten car with stuck brakes, damaged suspension and no cooling system when I started.. it's come a long way.

So now I have several challenges to deal with. Most expected, some not

• Windscreens fitment
• Dry out the car
• Fix the rear wiring loom (original garage that flunked the job have literally lopped through the whole loom cable!)
• Get the wheels refurbished and new rubber put on
• Exterior trim fitment
• Put back together the jigsaw puzzle of the interior
• Underseal it
• Drive it!

I can also see some small bits of unrepaired grot, which is annoying, but at least it's very localised, for me to decide to live with it for now or not.

I can see the wife is going to be unamused as the car is on the drive, I was expecting to be able to just get the screens in, bolt in a seat and drive it to and from my lockup to work on it (its only a half mile away), but that plan has had to change as I'm not driving it on the road without any rear lights. My soldering skills are going to be getting some practice.

[WestonE]

Hi Chris

That looks like progress to me! On the wiring loom use good quality crimped connectors with real ratchet or cantilever crimpers. Not those awful single pivot things with pre insulated terminals that fall off quickly. Solder and movement equals broken wires and should only be used if ever in a very limited way. Pole Volt & Vehicle Wiring Products are your new friends. I actually made a new loom copying the original, but this takes dedication and a lot of time. Usually the engine bay, transfer and rear looms re-made will do the job.
I have a full car sized very strong full cover Gazebo I will be selling soon that allowed me to work through winters, summers and storms. I can tell you how to ensure it stays where you want it and have the ratchet straps and weights. Let me know if you are interested. 
I think I also have a Coupe Carpet fully wash hoovered in the garage roof space maybe 2 I will get around to selling as I continue to tidy and organize. They are not immaculate, but better than many.

I am in Waddesdon which comes with a National Trust Manor House and Vintage Steam railway as day out entertainment.

Cheers

Eric
 

[peteracs]

Hi Chris

You have come a long way. Always good to admit to yourself what is and not possible to do yourself.

Keep on going you will get there

Peter

[chrisc]

Thanks for the encouragement both

I have managed to find a person who can do the screens for me, so that'll be happening after easter.

In the meantime I've been doing little jobs to make progress where I can.
A mirror is on (other retaining nut has gone missing)

Investigating the wiring more showed actually not all the loom has been chopped, just lots of things left unplugged, so that's good news.

Rear lights are now off the car and disassembled, I have new frames but the lenses were a mixed bag and I had the happy times of dremeling + drilling out rusty screws.

Taken Eric's advice on crimp connectors but still had to get my soldering iron out for a detached fly lead in the lights.



Looking ahead to when it's time to put the interior together.. what's the right order to start in? main carpet, centre console, divide to the boot?

I'm dreading trying to get the headlining done without a template of an old one to work off.

[SanRemo78]

Sometime in the next month I hope to remove the headlining from my car. I'm not sure about refitting it yet and may have to use it as a pattern come the day as there are some raggedy bits by the sun visor mounts. Like yours mine is a S2 FL but is the 2000 with the sunroof. Should this be any help you're more than welcome to come and look/measure it when it's out.

I'm also going to be working on the rear lighting at some point in the future and will be attempting some LED lights. There is a red/white combination available and, with a BAY15 fitting and some careful work on the board I think I can persuade the two reversing lights to function as combined reverse/fog lights. I've never liked the aftermarket look of the bumper mounted ones...

Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Chris

I can probably also help out with pattern for headlining albeit like Guy with sunroof.

Peter

[chrisc]

Sunroof shouldn't be a problem - one less cut out for the trimmers

Are any of you planning on going to Mark W's get together in June? I'm just thinking about opportunities to pick up bits.

Having the normal resto headaches of small progress is hard today.. front indicator lens has cracked. Get a replacement.. wrong size! they must have sent the wrong one.. get another one.. ah no, it's the lamp unit itself that's wrong. Oh well! at least it'll poke me to get the bumper off and aligned properly