House's ITB XE build and re-build

[House]

Well, it was quite a delicate situation Craigy as said chap had a substantial amount of my money for another engine, £4,000 to be exact, paid up front (never ever will I do that again, too much trust). Needless to say once I found the issues with the shells I didn't feel that my money was being as wisely spent as I had previously thought, I have now retrieved the parts I have paid for I am still awaiting confirmation of the costs of said parts and the refund I will be receiving as the engine hasn't been built.

[24sevenslacker]

I have also had major problems with said engine builder. 4k+ to pick up an unfinished engine with parts missing. 2 months after picking the engine up i am still yet to recieve any parts i am owed.

I have now wrote these parts off and realise i am never going to see them no matter how much ask. Its just not going to happen. I can sort these out myself.

Also after knowing about these problems i am having my engine checked over before it goes in the car as i do not trust the work that has been done.

My 1p worth. That is all

[Andy]

Unbelievable

[House]

Andy,

Are you questioning my integrity?!?!?

As said engine builder did the same, even when shown photographic evidence, he refused to admit the mistake, stating that the crank had all been plastigauged to 2 thou and there were photos to prove this had been done. When I asked why standard shells were in a ground crank he insisted that the shells must have "worn the crank away" despite the shells being pristine (apart from a few light scratches) and there being no real material in the oil!! I'm not sure how a set of soft shells would wear 0.22mm off the big ends of a double hard crank?!? Obviously someone who didn't know much about engines might have taken this as what had happened.

The photos never arrived and after 6 weeks of denial I finally got an admission that he "must have put the wrong shells in it".

It was at that point I pulled the plug, if he'd held his hands up straight away and admitted it then I'd have said "ok, we're only human".

[Andy]

Absolutely not mate.im good friends with 24/7slacker and know how much this chancer of a builder has messed you both around.

[House]

Absolutely not mate.im good friends with 24/7slacker and know how much this chancer of a builder has messed you both around.

I wish I'd just stuck with what I know best and built it myself!! What bothers me most is that people pay good money for a service and then get what??? Dicked around and lied to, I've no doubt a page of excuses are simply copied and pasted whenever someone has a grievance.

As it stands he has 6 days and 9 hours to contact me or it'll be off to the small claims court, that'll be even more expensive than paying me what I'm owed!!

[Andy]

He needs a proper thread up.

[House]

No point mate, people who know nothing about it will pipe up saying, "he's busy" and "he's not trying to rip anyone off" or "give the guy s break" or "when he built my engine he was spot on and answered my calls and txts straight away"

[House]

Finally got my hands on a welder.



Got the passenger side cut open, I'm not expert but as I've come to expect with this car this was bad, seam sealer and filler used to fill rusty holes, I would say unbelievable
but this car never fails to suprise!!



Cut it all out.



Made a plate, boshed it in.













Job jobbed, first time I've ever tried welding a car!! It's never win any concourse prizes but It's off to be sprayed and tidied up in 2 weeks, Andy'll sort it so it looks respectable, I'm not after showroom, just a bit tidier!!

Monday, I'll be tackling behind the drive shock tower, bit of skank developing there similar to the passenger side that was previously repaired.

All my new AN6 fuel lines are here, with bulkhead fittings and one way valve, ready to go.

Now I've got the welder I can get the oil cooler fitted aswell which will be a step forward.

[Benn]

Good work on fixing the rust. Looks much better.