The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

thanks for the pic stew, but it doesn't show me the subframe mounting points, particularly the rear ones.

Thanks Mike, I suspect we'll be welding in a new one tomorrow.

stu

ah, I spy them now sorry stew, couldn't see for looking too hard.

Huh your not Blind are you? Haha

I thought the one that you had looked a bit long, my memory aint to bad after all aye.

My donor is at the grave yard i am going there early next week if no one else is able to measure theirs i will when i go there so you know what length to cut em/make em.

As the others have said, there should be tubes for the rear subframe mountings on both chassis legs.

When you fit the bushes, ensure that the upper ones (between subframe and chassis) are in compression. If they are not, the tubes on the chassis need shortening. However, as you are fitting polybushes, this probably doesn't apply because these bushes are a better fit than the original type, in my opinion.
If these bushes are not in compression, some movement of the subframe is possible giving a certain vagueness to the steering.


You are coming to the good bit, Stu. Building a shell up into a car is very rewarding.
I'm delighted to see this good project progressing.

thanks Ian. A solution presents itself. The polybush set comes with new (lower) steel bushes for the front mountings, which will be the same diameter (inner and outer) as the rear fixed ones. The old front bushes can therefore be used to weld in place of the broken one. I'll check the length before I weld it up, since I have one still intact. Thanks for the offer stew, probably not a lot of point in measuring up your old shell.

Makes me wonder what I did to cuase so much damage to the mountings and the floor pan. I think bottomming the car out many times on bush tracks/hooning will be the culprit.

Thanks for the tip on reinstalling the bushes Ian. The new poly bushes come with packets of beige grease. I needed it to get the fulcrum bolt bushes on, but not sure if it is needed for bolting the subframe back on. Should I be smearing this liberally across all surfaces where the bush comes into contact with metal ? My first tangle with poly bushes.

Had a good look at the donor too, in trying to figure out exactly how these things mount up. The donor rear mounts cupped dish plates had rusted through and had simply fallen off, taking the lower (cupped) rubber with them and the rear of the subframe isn't attached at all to the chassis.

My excuse for not seeing the tubes on stew's pic was the crappy gamma correction on this computer. I was looking at the dark corner, set the gamma up so I could get a clearer picture, but washed out the more obvious tube on the left

while we are welding today, should get the fuel tank done

Beautiful morning here. I normally get up around 8.00am, got woken by a flock of Corellas at 6.00am so set to ! lazy I know

stu

All good news glad you can see again.

Do you still like my car now the gammar is clear???

Cars coming off the road as of next week for panel and paint and brake upgrade, now most likly including a new master cylinder. Knowing me ill probably beat ya hehehehe

Go hard Stu

we went hard again today

got the tubes sorted, cut up two front subframe mounting bushes, enlarged the inner hole (it shouldn't be a tight fit with the bolt, the lateral force is taken by the poly bush, not the steel tube against the bolt. The other tube I had sawn almost all the way through, but it was good enough to take a measurement from. Welded them in place, ground them back flush and hey presto.

Welded up the floor around the seat mounts. Cleaned up the interior, wire brushed and prepped under the guards, rubbed the whole car down again, "prepsol'd" it and final undercoat on back end.

Then, finally, some colour. George painted up the interior of the doors, boot and bonnet. It was a good feeling watching the colour go on. Only a bit, but still awesome.

Tomorrow we start with stoneguard, then a rub back of a few patches, 800 rub back of the undercoat followed by tack-rag and colour.

Funny moment when George left to work on an Auger, he told me to continue brushing down the guards and then wheel the car onto jacks so we could drop the back off. I thought he meant the whole lot, diff, axle, everything. He came back just in the nick of time before I'd started removing the swing arms.

stu

Good to see things coming together Stu. It'll be a buzz when the colour goes on, well it was for me!

straylight wrote: Should I be smearing this liberally across all surfaces where the bush comes into contact with metal ? My first tangle with poly bushes.

The grease is to facilitate fitting of the bushes.
I use copper grease on the bolts.
When you assemble the suspension, please remember that the various bolts should be fully tightened with the suspension in the normal load position (rather than hanging low, as it does if the car is supported on the subframe for example).


Keep up the good work!

almost there, tantalisingly close to seeing mimosa yellow being sprayed over the car, but not quite.


all the bits and pieces for the doors.



Hinge mounting points




inside edges of doors.

This was all done so we could mount the doors. I had assumed would just take the doors off and refit all the glass and furniture to them, but george is adamant the doors now stay on the car. He wants all the hinges and door stops to be in yellow and we spent a good 2 hours lining up the doors, got the big mallet out and fiddled with height adjustments to get them all lined up.





Doors swing nicely, no slop in hinges


Hitting the underside of the guards with stoneguard. Colour goes over this.


spent friday rubbing back again. 800 followed by a blow and wipe, followed by a clean. Time consuming !


finally ready for painting. Without a baking oven, George judges the day and waits for the right temperature and wind. Hoses down the floor to stop the dust and fights the number one enemy, flies and midges. Monday should be that day.

We are using a two pack paint and he wants to wait about three weeks before he does the final rub back with 1500 grit and cuts it back for final polishing. He'll do the black spray when he does the final rub back. That means the car comes home on wednesday for me to fit it out, everything except some of the chrome trim. Bit of a hurry up needed on the subframe which I had been stalled on waiting for upper balljoints.

Traditional friday night drinks to end the day.

stu

that looks a fine job

Absolutely loving that work.......

That really looks top work. Good to see George digging his toes in about the doors and not being rushed into spraying. Thats the mark of someone who really knows his trade. Get ready to give your retina a full work out when that paint goes on, it's gonna be gorgeous

cheers guys, yeah, George is worth his weight in Gold I reckon. The final cost is up in the air somewhat, but his work is class.

getting lots of people through his workshop, asking what the car is. Had stabs at a Viva and an Anglia. The other comment is "are you really going to paint it yellow, well you won't need headlights"

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess, but I agree with you Tin, this will be something to remember. She is looking magnificent.

Forecast for our area:

Monday : Fine. Warm to hot and sunny with moderate northeast to northwest
winds shifting fresh southwesterly late morning or early afternoon.

FIRE DANGER RATINGS for Monday.
Upper South East - Extreme
Lower South East - Extreme

TOWNS AND CITIES for Monday.
Keith 13 to 37 Dry. Sunny.
Robe 14 to 25 Fine. Mostly sunny.
Naracoorte 10 to 35 Fine. Sunny.
Coonawarra 10 to 33 Fine. Sunny.
Mount Gambier 11 to 30 Fine. Mostly sunny.

35 degrees with hot northerly, change due about lunchtime, total fire bans have been declared, I think it will be a goer

stu