And So It Begins....

[SanRemo78]

Hi Peter, thanks for the info on the bobbins and the spare bar! Much appreciated!

The reason I go for the pins is so I can remove/replace the bonnet on my own. I used to push them out with a thinner pin (AKA a cut down nail), close the bonnet, remove the nails and lift the bonnet off. If the pins couldn't be moved in situ then it was a case of undoing the hinges from the slam panel and bonnet and dealing with them on the bench.

I'll find out what works in the coming days but always appreciate any input from anyone with experience! Mine is mainly with the later dogleg hinge that you could get at more easily than the earlier flat type (that I have now!)

Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

I tried to remove the pins on the IE Coupe with zero success and one of the bolts needed a welded on nut to remove it.

As you say it is much simpler if you can remove the pins, I managed to remove the bonnet on my own using tne bolts, but it is a scary process.

Peter

[SanRemo78]

This is going to need careful thinking! The pins are both stuck tight in the centre part of the hinge, attached to the bonnet. The screws in the body half of the hinges show damage from removal attempts. I haven't swung an impact driver at them yet and will carry on soaking the hinges in WD40 and try to get some PlusGas on them over the weekend. Or just leave things until it's under cover! I can see welding nuts to the screw heads to remove them (once it's under cover as I wouldn't be able to close the bonnet until they're out!) and replacing with stainless countersunk Allen bolts later on. Welding a nut to the hinge pin may also be a good plan. if I had a welder...
Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

Me neither, but the car was at the body guy’s who does have one.

Grope you have good luck with soaking the pins

Peter

[WestonE]

Hi Guy

I did get mashed bonnet screws out with a combination of air die grinder and a decent MIG Welder (RTech Inverter). You die grind the center of the bolt head with a carbide bit to create a recess for the weld to get more grip. Then it is high AMP mid wire speed to attach 10mm nuts. My first attempt did not have the welder settings right and the nut came off before the bolt cam out. A change of settings later and success.

A Classic car body shop will be used to doing this sort of stuff if MIG and Compressor ownership is beyond your personal desire to own expensive tools.

Eric       

[SanRemo78]

I'd love to be able to weld Peter but sadly that's probably going to be beyond me! Nightschool.... ooh there's a thought! I'll get them off somehow even if I have to design a tool to push them out - that should be easy enough!

Today was a first in Beta ownership for me. I managed to remove a hub nut without recourse to an ever increase sized drill bit. It did involve some surgery with a grinder to a 36mm socket to get it to fit inside the hub and securely over the nut and then all my weight on a breaker bar with a further tool (designed for this job but with a 5*98 PCD) to take the force generated! The 6 inner bolts were fairly straight forward after that and the nearside shaft now sits on the bench awaiting further disassembly, cleaning (I might have some use for that stale petrol after all), a coat of paint and re-assembly with new boots and grease if the bearing runs and bearings are good. One shaft at a time, carefully labelled so it eventually goes back on the right side in case there are any stress twists in it. The boots are all the original ones from Lancia judging by the securing bands.

Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

You normally take the disk off before undoing the nut.

Having suffered before with these nuts, I was pleasantly surprised after buying a high torque impact wrench (Dewalt 899) they came off without too much trying. Having now just taken an engine to pieces it also was child’s play with it having previously had a nightmare trying to get the bolt off the shaft which activates the mechanical fuel pump and having to wedge the flywheel before you can undo the crank nut, not necessary with the impact.

Peter

[SanRemo78]

Thanks Peter, I considered removing the disc and calliper but wanted to leave them in situ until the car is in the garage, plus the shoulder on the disc gave me a leverage point for the bolt on tool, grinding down the socket a little was the alternative method I chose. It worked so no need to remove the disc on this side. The shaft I removed yesterday was torn down to it's constituent components today and the worst of the crud removed. There is a little play in the outer CV joint, I'll strip it down for inspection next week to check the racers for wear and if they're undamaged I'll try a rebuild with new grease and boots and see if it's okay. I didn't check the inner one for play but will do. Last step will be to wire brush the shaft and give it a coat of paint before it goes into the done box! Then onto the second one.

I also have a design for a tool to remove the bonnet hinge pins! If it works it's not something I think i'll need again so it can be passed around others in need. Does the forum have a repository for special tools?

Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

No organised tool repository.

I have in the past enquired on the LMC for tool hire as they have a fair few I think for the Beta, but unless you really need it, I found the cost to be quite expensive by the time you pay for tne rental and shipping etc.

You will find that various folk have the odd special tool, eg bearing ring tool and some will lend them.

In my experience very few special tools are actually required which is useful. You can often find a work around eg for the rear anti roll bar I use a ratchet strap to compress it.

Peter

[SanRemo78]

Minor progress in the last few days. The tool I made for the bonnet pin removal wasn't strong enough and bent. A small modification next week may yield results but in the meantime the pins are getting sprayed with PlusGas (or Halfrauds equivalent) to loosen them. Perhaps.

Disassembly continues with a few more minor pieces removed and bagged. So far a few have been cleaned/polished and put away for the rebuild but this week saw the first part overhauled properly. The nearside driveshaft has been removed, disassembled, shaft cleaned, degreased and painted. The inner CV joint broken into it's 9 component parts, examined and appears healthy so it's been reassembled ready for grease. The outer CV joint was showing signs of wear and play but a good replacement has been dug out of 30 years of Stratos spares and assembled onto the shaft with a new boot and tie straps. I've placed my first order with Mark which includes a pair of inner boots and when they arrive that shaft will be boxed up and put away until it's needed again. Next week should see the same process with the other shaft. They'll go back on the side that they came off, I'll be able to tell by the direction I've put the straps on, exposed end trailing the direction of rotation.
The cover for the fuel pipes in the boot was also stripped of paint and rust, the surface treated with rust converter, primed and top coated again. Hopefully we'll get some nice days next week so spend a few hours tinkering!
Guy

[SanRemo78]

eBay trawling this week - an "unidentified" water pump looked like a Beta one to me so a punt at £15 could be a worthwhile gamble. Hopefully there's no difference across engine capacities?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132930597736
Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

I think the VX or a n other had larger impeller or higher capacity, but standard one for your carb 2l should be fine.

Peter

[WestonE]

VX and Monte have deeper impellor pumps

[SanRemo78]

Thanks for the information on pumps, it makes perfect sense that the Montecarlo would have a stronger pump, there's more fluid to me moved further. I wonder if there was real need on the VX or if they used surplus Montecarlo stocks up?
Looks like the one on the way will be suitable, I'm sure the gaskets I need for it will come in a full gasket set in due course.

[SanRemo78]

Another morning and the first snapped bolt. Clutch tripod front bolt let go. Guess the gearbox is coming out with it attached. Second driveshaft is now out ready to be cleaned and reassembled and put away pending it’s return! Gear lever and tunnel out, clutch cable out plus a few odds and ends. All callipers undone and hanging loose. At least the car rolls easily now.

And a horror story - this is why you shouldn’t put speakers in the door panels. The card is completely rotted out, the bottom six inches and more are just gone. 😢😢😢😢

[WestonE]

On the Door card somewhere on FB there is a guy in Italy doing a remanufacture service. The pattern is a mirror image so if the passenger side is OK you can copy that. I thought I was being clever changing to plywood but it made using the original pressed in top rail fixings impossible. So make them in hardboard and varnish the door side. BTW the damage is as likely because the door water membrane was not complete or stupidly fitted. This is usually a jobbing garage doing an electric window repair that is completely un familiar with Betas.

Good luck

Eric

[SanRemo78]

Thanks for the tip Eric - I may be able to use the drivers door one as a pattern as that has survived marginally better - despite having no plastic membranes to guide the water back into the door. All that remained were the plastic frames at the top of the door where the curtains should be. But at least I think I have a full set of those so it's not rocket science to remake them in suitable heavy duty plastic. Onwards!
Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

Not sure the speaker is at fault there. That membrane should be attached to the door, not the card and amusing to see the hole cut for the speaker, obviously the person doing it had no idea…….

I remade mine out of the black plastic used for flooring, nice and heavy duty and importantly will not disintegrate.

Peter

[SanRemo78]

Peter, I'm definitely not blaming the speaker.. It'll never have anything to say again. .

Definitely the muppet that installed it and saw the need to cut a hole in the sheeting and also "reinstall" the remains of the cover upside down, stuck to the door card. When you say flooring plastic are you talking about remaking the waterproofing curtains or the door cards themselves? If it's the door cards that sounds like a great idea (and clues to source material would be appreciated! I was planning on using some damp proof course material to replace the curtains. I have a roll of it lying around....

Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

No, sadly just the protective sheeting, it is called damp proof membrane or Visqueen.

Peter