The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Stu,

Gee, there seems to be a lot of "my quotes" in that last post of yours!

Something that might be worth considering. As I don't have a hoist, when I built the "new race car" it was stripped to a shell with nil running gear, wiring, plumbing etc. I sat the car on 4 stands on the jacking points with timber blocks to spread load, as high as i could get it, bottom of sill was approx 500mm from ground. At this height access to the underside wasn't to bad to clean and paint, as well as run all the new brake lines and fuel system etc. It also made it much easier to work in the engine bay and interior, as it saved all that back bending, as the old back is not as good as it was 20 years ago.

As it turned out I built the whole car like this (elevated position), including fitting all running gear, motor run up, brake bleed, exhaust check etc, and it was only lowered to the ground when it was finished and wheel alignment needed to be done. It certainly saved my back and made access very easy.

Your idea on build sounds right to me. Clean, prepare, paint. Wiring, plumbing, engine bay, dash. Don't rush to fit steering column, as it is a pain in the ar#e to work around. Leave it out until to you need to steer the car.

As stated before, a few weeks of "sickies" will push the car along nicely. Good luck, it will be all worth while when it is finished.

Mark

Looking Good Stu

Steve

Brings back memories Stu...




Invisible hoist!!

Good stuff mate, nows the easy part.

$10,000 For a panel and paint

Lee, you fitted the shocks and springs up after the engine/subframe were in ? And i take it you used a jack under the car to lift it ?

thanks again guys, the motivation and help from this forum is astounding. Whenever I've had a question someone has leapt forward. Ian particularly has been a font of knowledge.

stu

Stu,
Mine was a rolling shell on a 1500 subframe (purely so I could push it from a-b). So I set up all my suspension/subframe/engine while the car was being painted. When the car came back i jacked the car up (with caution and extra props) and lowered it into place gently, in stages. Took all afternoon but done in the day.

Can't wait for PFJ to be at that stage.

In the shade it definitely has a green tinge to it:-



One of the first jobs I do is to put the bulkhead sound-deadening panel on, then put the main wiring loom in place through the bulkhead.

Yellow does look very nice.

I have to decide on color very soon.

straylight wrote:Where to from here ? Actually I'm overwhelmed by what is ahead and I'm tentative about where to start. Probably a nice simple job like taking her out of the shed and hitting the underside with a pressure cleaner, wire brushing her down and spraying with stoneguard, then wiring loom, then brake/fuel lines. Take off the rear axle and do some routine maintenance. Something that is cheap !

Stu

Given the way that you have tackled things to get to this stage, you'll be fine at fittting it all back together.
Trust me, once you start putting it all back together, it is so absorbing it is hard to stop!
I suggest you read Mart's recent restoration thread for a guideline. Remember there is no set order to do things. Access on a Dolomite is good which means that the sequence you tackle jobs in is fairly flexible.

lookin good, this is going to be a stunner . George has done you proud.

I had to blink twice Mart, I thought I was looking at mine

oh, Stanpart, nice photoshop

time...I just need more time !

back at work, just circumvented the filter system so I can view these forums

stu

Hi Stu.

With the weather that you guys in SA have been having for the last week or so (no day under 40c and some pushing 45c) that new paint should be well and truly baked hard by now.

Mark

must be getting hot in sydney too yeah ?

for the record, 47 degrees celcius, official temp one day last week. Today is a mild 38.

I'm not game to take the stag out of the shed, she's overheating just standing there

got the fuel tank stripped, welded and now painted zinc black though.

racing this weekend Mark ?

stu

We have been lucky and not had the heat that SA and Vic have bee having, high 20's to low 30's for the city and, mid 35-37 for the west, the swimming pool is now like a warm bath. Hot but relatively low humidity so far but that will change soon now it is February.

I could have race last weekend but decide not to, to save money and because it is January, right decision as it was 42c on the Saturday, and COOLED to mid 30's Sunday.

My first meeting will be Eastern Creek March 21/22. Currently I am trying to work out how to fit a disc brake Borg Warner diff into the race car along with a an adjustable Watts Linkage system, this is another story with more info to follow IF IT WORKS.

I have the opportunity to run at Bathurst Easter Weekend, but am thinking of giving it a miss and spend the time and money to get some more pace out of the new car as well as start the rebuild of the "Group C" bodyshell.

Keep cool

Mark

You know stu, you have me thinking yellow and not blue now.

I have to decde in the morning.