ADES GARAGE V2! **now with pics! **

The red stuff should be zinc based etch primer. It gives a good base to begin prepping as it stops any reaction from impurities generated by the weld.

anymore updates?

not read one for a while

sorry guys - been busy doing other stuff (like visiting the wife in Elgin, fixing the horse box and working lates!). Plus the weathers been absolutely sh1te.

Monday 25/10/2006 - Thursday 28/10/2006
Started to remove all the extra bits from the engine bay so I could clean it up, de-rust it and spray it with an anti rust treatment.

Started by removing the remaining components on my suspension - took off the main hub, lower control arm, tie bar and then the strut/shock.

Havent been able to dismantle the strut yet as I cant find a decent enough drop neck spanner to fit into the feckin top!

However have worked on derusting and painting up the rest of the suspension components. Some of them were in a sorry state however after several hours with a wire headed drill and some elbow greese theyve all come up trumps. Treated each section with krust after removing all the loose stuff then painted with a no rust metal paint. Several coats later and they look the business.

Current parts painted incluid the hubs, tie bars, lower control arm, replacement components for my shocks (the strut tops).

Alsdo started cleaning up the inner arch and inside the strut top turrets. Mostly dirt but one or two spots of rust. Wire drill bit worked wonders here!

Thursday I started to dismantle my brake servo/master cylinder. I actually have a the GSi replacement servo and master cylinder to give the brakes (Astra ATE ones) the necessary oomph! Prob was though the lower nuts that secure the 2 front brake lines were absolutely seized shut and I couldnt get them off so I had to hacksaw the feckers off.

Not happy about that one bit because I now need to get 2 replacement front brake lines. Not a major problem at the moment but will need to sort out soon.

Also took out the washer motor and fan unit and housings. That just leaves miles of loom and the steering rack - which I also have a replacement one of (mines a tad loose apparantly!).

SO - once all that's out I'll then start stripping down the bay ready for re seam sealing and spraying.

I have some pics - will post later...

Ade


Next tack is to remove the remaining

Sunday 01/10/2006
As promised, heres some pics of the suspension reconditioning...(Monday to Thursday last week)

I started off by dismantling my suspension - removed the whole lot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0019.jpg

Started buy cleaning up the front hubs - they were shocking and had what was left of the dust guards on them. These soon got removed. I degreased each one.

I then sanded then down using a drill with a wire brush adapter -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0018.jpg

These were subsequently treated with krust rust inhinitor and after curing for 24 hrs painted with a No Rust paint - 3 coats should to the trick for a while -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0025.jpg

I repeated the process with my tie bars -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0028.jpg

I also did the lower tracking arms - however before I did them I cut out the old rubber bushes. These will be replaced with poly ones. Absolute feckers to get out - 1st thing I did was cut off the ends -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0021.jpg

Then drill out the remaining section leaving nice clean arms -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0024-1.jpg

Once these were hoisted up and left to dry I started on the strut tops -

My current G-Max 60mm suspension has only done about 3000miles if that but its absolutely black with muck. So 1st task was to clean it and dismantle it -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0007.jpg

I knew the strut tops on my current suspension had gone and needed replacing (the rubber parts had detatched in places from the metal) so I sourced some 2nd hand ones -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0002.jpg

These needed cleaning up - before

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0003-1.jpg

After -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0004-1.jpg

cotinued...

all the strut top sections were treated (except the 2 aluminium cone sections) with rust inhibitor and then painted -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0005-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0006.jpg

The only bit left to do now is treat and paint my shocks (just the seats and the areas where the bolts go need doing) and thats the suspension done...

:cool:

Sunday 01/10/2006 - operation engine bay clean...

The above bits were done last week - but today I set about the rest of my engine bay. I'd previously removed the brake servo and master cylinder and started by removing the 2 front brake lines. I need new ones of these as I had to cut off the ends to get the feckin servo out!

Not too happy re this however I later discovered the other ends were just as shagged so figure I may as well invest in some new ones...

Once these were removed, I removed the steering rack. This was fairly straight forward however you have to start by disconecting a flexible rubber joint right at the bottom of the steering column. You need to be able to dislocate your fecking spine to do this!

Finally got it out and then stuffed the 2 loom sections back through into the cabin area. I was left with a pretty skanking enging bay and a couple of cables -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0008.jpg

Time to bring out the jet washer. After about 15 minutes the bay was much cleaner (although I was soaked!). dried off the bay and then sanded down the rusty sections with a drill and wire brush. Heres the result -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0012.jpg

sorted out the battery area too -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0013.jpg

I then spent the next 2 hours scraping off all the loose paint (and red hamerite Id painted on years ago), sanding down with 120 grit to roughen up the whole bay and arches and then applied rust inhibitor to the metal exposed areas.

It then started to rain so I called it a day.

Pretty chuffed based on what Ive done so far. the next task is to seam seal all the old failed seams, spray paint the whole bay and arches with satin black no rust metal paint. I may actually leave it satin black as looking at the way the suspension sections have some out it looks pretty cool. I'll also be painting the light housings at the same time.

Looking good ade. In another thread apparently goodridge now do coloured braided brake lines :thumb:.

another good days work ade

looks very good again!

is that rust inhibitor (sp) a spray on product? think i could do with some of it, where did you find it from?

the red oxide is painted on although I'm sure you can get it in a can. The welder painted it on when I had the welding done although I picked up a small can in B&Q for ?3.

you can only use it on ferrous metalss (not aluminium/galvanizes etc) - need special metals primer for these