On 27/11/2021 at 07:22, setch said:

I don’t know if it’s too late as you have already fitted them but I saw a YouTube video this week of a guy soaking a yellowed header tank in sulphamic acid and it came up like new. 
https://youtu.be/JqCN7VHMtfQ

I tried everything chief - the discoloration goes right through the plastic. Keeping my eyes peeled for a new one!

Got a couple of hours on it this evening. 

The coil has been spruced up and put back on.

The plumbing in and wiring is coming along, once I've fitted the engine loom and connected up the fuel lines, I can get  on with fitting the sub frame and suspension. 

Should get a bit more done over the week.    

I've left the re-fitting of the engine loom for now, and got on with getting the front suspension back together. It's been sat on the four bolts which hold the centre of the sub frame arms to the chassis, so first I had to move the axle stands from there to the jacking points at the front of the sills. Once that was done, the anti roll bar was bolted on.

With that in position, the sub frame arms could go back on, closely followed by the wishbone.

Once I'd fitted the anti roll bar links, time had run out.

Should get back on it some time over the weekend. 

Bit more done today, the offside driveshaft didn't want to go back in to the gearbox, so suspecting that the circlip thing in the splined end was at fault....

another one was sourced from a random pile of driveshafts next door. The offending item didn't look too distorted....

But the "new" one allowed the driveshaft to flop back in with a couple of gentle taps.

Once the driveshafts were in position, the strut assemblies were put back where they belong.

 

Should hopefully get the engine loom buttoned up next.

 

Time has been scarce this week, but I still managed to get a few odd jobs done. The clutch and speedo cables have gone back on, as has the engine loom.

I finally got round to chucking on the oil filter - it's been sat in a box for two years patiently waiting.

I torqued up the front suspension fasteners, then checked all the wiring was in the right place, then fitted the bonnet and gapped it up before running out of time.

Once the exhaust, brakes and wheels are fitted, it should be ready for firing up.   

Edited 8 December, 20214 yr by sleag40

Luck was on my side today, difficult chores ended up being easy ones, so I got a couple of hours in the shed. 

I checked that the caliper sliders still slid, and that the pistons were still mobile (it's been a while since my DIY refurb). All in order, so they went on with the new discs...

new pads and fitting kit...

and new caliper bolt covers.

After repeating on the other side, 

I got to have a drive in a couple of my other heaps before teatime.   

Although the exhaust system is perfectly serviceable, it looks a bit shabby against the rest of the car. I could try painting it, but ideally would like a new one. I've tried asking local exhaust suppliers, but all that has yielded is a new back box. I managed to find a mid section in Poland, so I'll paint the rest as the front and rear parts are pretty recent.

Front wheels now on, should hopefully be sourcing oil, coolant and a battery over the weekend.  

Bit of catching up to do - 

All vital fluids have now been procured, but they're still in their containers. I want to bleed the brakes, then fit the exhaust so I can drop the car on the deck before attempting to start it. The gear shift linkage is now connected and adjusted up.

Tidying up the front and rear sections of the exhaust was next on the list. They were cleaned up with a wire wheel and drill attachments (missed those guys!) Then given a good clean with thinners.

 

So far, the front part has received a coating of exhaust paint at work (where its warmer than my shed!).

I'll paint the back box next. Hopefully the new mid section I've ordered doesn't take too long to arrive.  

Got a few more bits done on this, the brakes are now fully functional with a nice pedal, the throttle cable is now connected up and adjusted, and the freshened up front pipe is in position.

The rear section is ready to fit....

Just waiting for the new mid section to arrive. Once fitted, I can drop the car on the deck and hopefully run it up.   🙂

Exhaust arrived yesterday  - pretty good going taking just over a week from Poland.  A side by side comparison shows the new item is a better quality product.

The bends are nicer, and the hangers are actually positioned correctly. 

The only down side was they had to cut it to get the package size down, but they did supply a joining piece to make up for it!

It's now in position, but suspended by cable ties until the correct rubbers arrive.

The fit isn't bad at all considering it's all pattern parts.  

Its alive!

 

  

 

Sounds just as terrible on my phone as it did before! So far just a small leak from one of the pipes to the fuel filter, an easy fix. Was running for about an hour and a half, then ran out of fuel. 

Hopefully I'll make a start on putting the dash and interior  back in over the Christmas break.  

 

I found some grill grommets on Ebay (after none being available for months) No need for my improvised ones any more!

They arrived on Christmas Eve, along with a couple of these exhaust rubbers.

I'm gonna leave fitting these until I can get the car up in the air - exhaust fettling is so much easier when you can do it standing up!

Finally got round to fitting the front bumper today.

Then dug these out for fettling.

I'm hoping to get a bit more done soon!    

Edited 5 January, 20224 yr by sleag40

Got the carpets and a few interior trim pieces back in this morning. 

I decided to have a search for the other two mudflaps in my assorted storage facilities - I found them, but one of the Griffins has escaped!

On the hunt for a replacement now.  

In the afternoon I gathered up a load of interior stuff from home, and carted it all over to the shed.

I wasn't planning to put the dash back in today, but thought that I may as well get it started.

Plonked in loosely to work out where the spaghetti needs to go.

Hardest part done now, even managed to tuck the dash under the screen rubber.

After a few more bits went back on, my time had run out.

Should be back on it tomorrow  with a little luck. 

 

The rest of the dash gubbins are now back in.

I surprised myself by remembering how it all goes together!

A quick check of all electrical features revealed that everything functions as intended (for which I was most grateful!).

 

Not a right lot of jobs left to do now, I can take my time getting everything finished up as I have no intention of getting it back on the road until the Spring.

Found a little more time for this today, all the load compartment and rear seat belts went back in.

 

 

Just seats and door cards left to go back in here now, but I want to give them a decent clean before that happens. 

A little more was cleaned and put back where it belongs. First up the rear seat backs were fitted, closely followed by the boot floor carpet and load cover/parcel shelf.

 

I've got so used to seeing the spare wheel through the hatch window that it looks odd to me with all this stuff back in position. 

Time was short on it today, so once the bits you sit on were fitted, I had to vacate.

Hopefully I'll get some more bits cleaned and refitted soon.   

Nice work Steve, it's really coming together now.

 

Door cards were given a good clean yesterday evening,  and went back on this afternoon. 

Membranes fitted first with double sided tape.

Door cards and mirrors back where they came from. 

 

Front seats still need cleaning before they can be reinstated. 

Next, I finally got round to filling the gearbox with oil. Once done, I got it down off the bricks and pieces of wood it's been stood on, and now it sits on the deck. It's been at a raised level for a fair while, and it seems stupidly low down now.

I'll hopefully be cleaning the front seats this week.   

Drivers' seat went back in first this afternoon.

Obviously the passenger side was next!

I got them reasonably clean using bathroom wipes (to avoid getting them too wet), but when the ambient temperature is considerably higher I'll be wet vacuuming the seats and door cards to finish the cleaning off. The worst of the muck has gone though. 

A little mudflap fettling was akso done this afternoon.  Emblems and metal bits were removed first.

The rubbery bits were then relieved of many years worth of muck (and bodge overspray!)

These will be receiving a bit of treatment from the paint bloke to restore the shine lost by the deep clean.

The metal bits then got straightened and cleaned back to the point where Hydrate 80 can be applied prior to black paint.

Still looking for the missing emblem. 

 

getting very close now! I am hoping to make a good chunk of progress on 2 of my project in the next few weeks. There are a pair of NOS mudlfaps on fleabay atm. £60 though

Awesome work!!! 😎

Not had the chance to do anything on this until yesterday,  so got a few small jobs sorted.

A pair of old fashioned tracking gauges were borrowed from a neighbor to enable me to get the wheels pointing in roughly the same direction. 

 

A new pair of number plates were drilled and flung on.

And the rear view mirror was stuck to the new windscreen, completing the interior. 

No idea when I'll get back at it, but theres no rush, as the general saltiness of the roads means I'll not be driving it any time soon anyway.   

Some genuine GM NOS goodness arrived this week. I'd forgotten all about breaking the nearside mirror (nearly six years ago) whilst backing the car into a garage. It's still useable, but the aluminium structure had cracked, and it wobbled slightly as a result. A replacement was sourced, and it was unboxed today.

 

The rear bumper, although in reasonable condition, did let the car down a little. I treated it to a new genuine GM replacement, and this was swapped over this afternoon. 

No unsightly marks on this one, just need to fit the GL and I badges to finish off the rear end now. 

Started putting the mudflaps back together today...

No idea when I'll get back on it - hopefully it'll be the coming weekend. 

Edited 7 February, 20224 yr by sleag40

Got cracking with a few jobs this afternoon - the new nearside mirror was fitted first. The rear mudflaps were then fitted.

The stormy weather then took out the electricity supply to the farm, ending play for today.

@sleag40 I liken your restoration thread to a good book, which I try to pick up at least once a week. I've enjoyed every minute and your attention to detail is inspiring. Although I don't have nearly the same level of patience as yourself, it is refreshing to see so many original parts restored (generally to a higher standard than when new) rather than replaced.