MOTOR CHAT
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highlandsflyer
Retro Wizard
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k-rod":l1offavg said:
They get completed. Did anyone say they don't?
Just one project would be incredibly boring, and inefficient.
Economies of scale regarding time and everything else figure.
Often becomes apparent a part is needed once at a certain stage of stripping or rebuilding, and your one project is on hold until you source it; which often means ordering parts from very, very far, and taking parts to people who take very, very long processing them. That is not 'down time' when you have something else sitting there to work on.
I also have more than a half dozen project vehicles, as well as many other things I would describe as in 'project' stage.
It is a way of life. I would expect many users of this forum have a similar tendency.
Give you one example. Few years ago bought an old Argocat from neighbours. Bought another non runner for the mechanicals I needed. Ended up buying a third at a bargain price for use meanwhile, which I sold on after cleaning, servicing and painting it.
So I had three 'projects', and then sold one, made another good one from remaining two, and finally had local expert repair what was left and make a third. Played with it for a year and now it is living on cousins' farm. Technically all three were 'projects' at one point, but it was much easier have three projects than just fixing one at a time. Time spent tracking down parts was not 'duplicated', and what can be fairly complex work was repeated in short order, so skills were not lost over time, and routines were fresh in the mind. Ended up with a 'free' vehicle at the end of it too.
Four of the motorbikes I am stripping and rebuilding are more or less the same.
They will all be finished around the same time. No duplicate trips to the paint shop, no additional postage for parts I can order all together. Even the MOTS can all be booked the same morning. I just got a van I can put them all in together in to transport them.
Perhaps the question should be, why only one project people?
Yeah, big cheese, sounds like your in for a big weekend sorting that front end out. Is it just the one side or is one of those jobs that should be done in pairs? You know the type, if ones gone the others not far behind, type thing.
Jamie
Jamie
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The fen roads are just awful. Ironically it was the same section where, in the opposite direction (and considerably faster), I took out the sump on my Passat in 2010.
The roads sink and no amount of repairs fixes them. Two died in an M3 on the same road after a test drive too far!
The roads sink and no amount of repairs fixes them. Two died in an M3 on the same road after a test drive too far!
jimihendrix
MacRetro Rider
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So bought this in May :facepalm:
It's a 72 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400, the "400" is the engine size in cubic inches which is 6600 cc's or 6.6 Litres, being a 72 it's pre smog so puts out around 340 bhp.
It's a recent import and is rust free but it sat out in the desert in Texas for 10 years so its absolutely baked.
I prefer the look of these early 2nd gen "Bullnose" Firebirds to the later Smokey and the Bandit Trans-Am's with the T-tops and huge screaming chicken on the bonnet.
Interior has some wear and tear
Engine bay was horrible, i've ditched all the A/C junk in the top left corner, A/C compressor was missing anyway, if i want fresh air i'll open a window..
Home in the garage, car ran just about enough to get it in but was very rough.
Shame i wont be able to keep this cool plate, car will hopefully get an age related UK number (1972 K reg)
There was loads of surface rust and baked on sand in the rad core support, inner wings and bulkhead, also i had work to do on the engine so i pulled the whole front end off.
Fitted new head gaskets and engine mounts.
Fabricated new rear exhaust sections retaining the original slash cut tailpipes.
This was it out the garage for the first time a week ago, rad-core support cleaned and repainted, starts and runs great and the motor sounds superb
Ditched the original Rochester carb and cast iron manifold for a new Edelbrock carb and (used) alloy intake, also fitted the vintage alloy M/T valve covers bought off US E-bay. Also notice the chrome cover covering the hole left by the A/C unit.
Here it is as it sits at the moment, got the O/S wing back on over the weekend and have started work cleaning up the front bumper/nosecone.
Every suspension bush will need replaced, have already bought a full pollybush kit, (will get all the arms etc powdercoated too), all the door seals and window rubbers need replaced, the only things salvageable from the interior were the lower door cards (plastic), the headcloth, the rear side trim panels and the sun visors, everything else had been literally baked to a crisp, i have already bought a good dash (from Wales), a good used steering wheel and centre console (from America) and have ordered new vinyl seat covers and foams (very expensive :roll: ) to rebuild the original seats.
Mechanically it seems not too bad, engine and box (TH400 auto) seem fine, there is a lot of wear in the back axle though so recon that will need rebuilt.
Car will obviously need painted but will worry about that once everything else is done, will be going back to as original as possible, will be re-done Solar Gold with Saddle (brown) interior.
Hope to have it MOT'd for the end of the year, on the road and legal next year.
So bought this in May :facepalm:
It's a 72 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400, the "400" is the engine size in cubic inches which is 6600 cc's or 6.6 Litres, being a 72 it's pre smog so puts out around 340 bhp.
It's a recent import and is rust free but it sat out in the desert in Texas for 10 years so its absolutely baked.
I prefer the look of these early 2nd gen "Bullnose" Firebirds to the later Smokey and the Bandit Trans-Am's with the T-tops and huge screaming chicken on the bonnet.
Interior has some wear and tear
Engine bay was horrible, i've ditched all the A/C junk in the top left corner, A/C compressor was missing anyway, if i want fresh air i'll open a window..
Home in the garage, car ran just about enough to get it in but was very rough.
Shame i wont be able to keep this cool plate, car will hopefully get an age related UK number (1972 K reg)
There was loads of surface rust and baked on sand in the rad core support, inner wings and bulkhead, also i had work to do on the engine so i pulled the whole front end off.
Fitted new head gaskets and engine mounts.
Fabricated new rear exhaust sections retaining the original slash cut tailpipes.
This was it out the garage for the first time a week ago, rad-core support cleaned and repainted, starts and runs great and the motor sounds superb
Ditched the original Rochester carb and cast iron manifold for a new Edelbrock carb and (used) alloy intake, also fitted the vintage alloy M/T valve covers bought off US E-bay. Also notice the chrome cover covering the hole left by the A/C unit.
Here it is as it sits at the moment, got the O/S wing back on over the weekend and have started work cleaning up the front bumper/nosecone.
Every suspension bush will need replaced, have already bought a full pollybush kit, (will get all the arms etc powdercoated too), all the door seals and window rubbers need replaced, the only things salvageable from the interior were the lower door cards (plastic), the headcloth, the rear side trim panels and the sun visors, everything else had been literally baked to a crisp, i have already bought a good dash (from Wales), a good used steering wheel and centre console (from America) and have ordered new vinyl seat covers and foams (very expensive :roll: ) to rebuild the original seats.
Mechanically it seems not too bad, engine and box (TH400 auto) seem fine, there is a lot of wear in the back axle though so recon that will need rebuilt.
Car will obviously need painted but will worry about that once everything else is done, will be going back to as original as possible, will be re-done Solar Gold with Saddle (brown) interior.
Hope to have it MOT'd for the end of the year, on the road and legal next year.
kenaltobelli
Retrobike Rider
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Jeez nice,you must be some mechanic ,be cool rideing about in that
Jeez nice,you must be some mechanic ,be cool rideing about in that
highlandsflyer
Retro Wizard
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Damn!
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