New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L

[Tony Burd]

Thanks Shaun, yes the good weather is spurring me on to get this done.

As I said before this is not a concours resto like yours but I am trying to make it as good as possible.

The tank is used but seems to be in good condition, there was a few flakes of rust which I shook out, the outlet is clear & I blew it through. i will fit an inline filter to catch any debris, but if it becomes a problem will need to look at some kind of coating.

I think James treated one of the tanks on a car he did, would need to look at that.

Where are you up to with yours?

[shaunroche]

Hi Tony, cheers for that!

Well its got it's vinyl roof done and headlining and all the seats retrimmed and now I'm concentrating on the brake lines....It looks like I'll need to redo the engine side bulk head sound deadening pad as the one I bought from Robsport is wrong and doesn't have the cut out in it for the exhaust heat shield.

I'm in negotiation with a carpet manufacturer who is looking at making a carpet set that is a faithful recreation of the one piece carpet that originally came with the car rather than the three piece that you get from Rimmers et al...he's looking at recreating the gearbox carpet with the integral carpet gear lever gator which was a feature of the earlier cars which is currently something you can't buy yet...

The car's taken a step back again as I've found a crack in the panhard rod mounting which will need welding up and then will need repainting...ah, there's a word...paint!

The sprayers have sorted some of the problems they created but then have created more problems in other places....they've managed to eliminate some runs only to replace them with others elsewhere.....and for some reason, they've decided to respray the black part of the boot lid in matt paint rather than satin, so not only is it a different shade of black, it's even got a different texture, it's a real sh*t show and will have to be taken somewhere else to get sorted...

After the brakes have been fitted I'll start on the sound deadening and then add the loom and then get the engine in....it shouldn't take long...but it does!

[Tony Burd]

RPJ 7L was built on this day 50 years ago.

[Tony Burd]

Really not done much over the past year on the car. I am pretty determined to get it finished this year!

One thing I am struggling with is finding someone to glue up the new Headlining & fit the vinyl roof, if anyone knows someone in Hampshire please let me know.

Anyway here's a few photos for you:

Period numberplate, needs a gentle bend added to fit the front panel, I used spacers & double side adhesive to fit it.



Headlights fitted up, with 75W inner sealed beams



Bought a lovely set of early carbs & manifold off ebay




Front Bumper Fitted




NOS inner front wing baffles powder coated, new seals & fitted.




Will try to update this a bit more regularly.

[Tony Burd]

Small repair to the original early type gearbox tunnel. Will send it away for powder coating now.

[RichardHyde]

Not used then myself Tony, but they’re not too far away…

https://www.trimmania.com/

[Tony Burd]

Thanks for the reply Richard.

I found these guys, it is booked in for early March.

http://www.gsearle-autotrimmers.co.uk/

[DJP]

Looking fantastic Tony. Can’t wait to see it finished.
A brilliant effort. Well done.

[Tony Burd]

Cheers Dave

[RSi]

Small repair to the original early type gearbox tunnel. Will send it away for powder coating now.

Did gearbox tunnels have any protection on them, paint?

[Tony Burd]

I think they were zinc plated, still rusted unfortunately. I getting it powder coated gloss black for protection after all it's not on show.

[new to this]

I think they were zinc plated, still rusted unfortunately. I getting it powder coated gloss black for protection after all it's not on show.

Tony

How do you tell an early gearbox tunnel ? I had my gearbox tunnel powder coated red but they did it the wrong red it came out post box red, but I've stuck sound insulation over it now
What seal are you going to use, gearbox tunnel to car body ? i bought a u type seal to fit over the lip and are planning to bolt through it

Dave

[RSi]

I think they were zinc plated, still rusted unfortunately. I getting it powder coated gloss black for protection after all it's not on show.

It's a miracle they've survived as well at they have, with so little protection.

Car is looking great!

[Tony Burd]

I think they were zinc plated, still rusted unfortunately. I getting it powder coated gloss black for protection after all it's not on show.

Tony

How do you tell an early gearbox tunnel ? I had my gearbox tunnel powder coated red but they did it the wrong red it came out post box red, but I've stuck sound insulation over it now
What seal are you going to use, gearbox tunnel to car body ? i bought a u type seal to fit over the lip and are planning to bolt through it

Dave

The early tunnel doesn't have the fixings for the coin tray around the gear lever and I think the heat shieldisa different fixing.
I will probably use a 5mm thick closed cell self adhesive foam.

[Tony Burd]

Dropped the car off at the trimmers yesterday, not ideal as the weather was terrible, but used some pallet wrap & a car cover so kept most of the rain out. Should be ready in 2 weeks.