Glad you got it back ok mate... where's this free bar???
lol
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Glad you got it back ok mate... where's this free bar???
lol
Take my hat off to you mate! this is a Ace project and gets better all the time!
Sunday 10/09/2006
Free bar was in a little place on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Cracking night - totally cheesey 80's music all night!
Anyway - slightly sore head today so havent really done much on the nova.
I cleaned up the cured excess liquid weld off the light housings and tinkered with the boot but wasnt up to bashing metal (too much noise!).
As promised, heres some pics of the welding I had done -
This pic shows the plates along the bottom I had put in - the underseal/sound proofing his a host of holes!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/weld5.jpg
This pic shows the new inner arch I've had added. I'll be extending it along the top and down the front too so as to protect the inner wing. Plan to stick some sound proofing in the gap.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/weld3.jpg
Same for the drivers side...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/weld2.jpg
The sill on the drivers side had started to corrode and thre were holes in places, so rather than replace the whole sill, I had a few plates added - these will be hidden from view with a side skirt/wing.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/repair.jpg
I'm on late shift all next week so wont be doing much else till next weekend. Plan then is to strip out the engine bay and front suspension elements...
Are you using red oxide to treat the places then undersealing them?
tbh the red was what the welder put on after he did the job. The plates will be primed and then sound deadened using rocker shutz, then undersealed to black.
I'm planning on giving them as much protection as I possibly can!
Mig Weld!
The possibilities are endless.
looks they they done a good job of it
can i have the name of the company that makes the rivets and liquid weld stuff i think buying some shares is a safe bet
Lmao /\/\/\/\/\/\/\
lol.
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
done a bit more over the last few days -
Saturday 07/10/2006
Went to my local Vauxhall dealer (where Nova Freak works - v handy!) and got a set of new front brake lines made up for next to nowt!
Stripped down and repainted the rest of my brake system including the master cylinder (big black disk thing) and my caliper sliders - nice and shiney and black now - really look the part!
Sunday 08/10/2006 - Tuesday 10/10/2006
Operation VW boot release!
As you may know I'm planning on installing a Golf MK5 boot release system in to my replacement Nova hatch. The Golf MK5 release system in concealed in the actual badge and lifts up with a very smooth sexy action. the mechanism is a simple micro switch and simply releases the solenoid when lifted. I need to work out the electrics re this linking it into my central locking at some point but thats much later down the line (and where the leccy boys on NL come in - he he!)
My task over the last few days was to work out how to fit the actual release mechanism (the badge) into my smoothed boot.
I'd already made the basic smoothed panel and it was treated and left ready for skimming with filler to make it nice and smooth.
For those that have seen a mk5 Golf, the badge sits a little proud of the surface of the boot and has a raised circle round it which is blended back into the bood surface. I need to try and replicate this in some way.
The 1st task was to cut the hole - the diameter ofthe badge to the outer support was 123mm - I drilled out a circle and spent most of Sunday filing it round. It didnt need to be 100% because the hole would be covered with a resin insert to secure the mechanism later on. The main thing to check for was that the badge itself fitted and protruded through the boot.
The next step was to make a support. I started by making a resin base which would sit on the inside of the boot around the hole. This would be the anchor point for the mechanism and will be secured by a suitable bonding material (probably sikaflex because its very strong).
The next step was to make a casing for the badge housing. This needed to be accurate because the mechanism itsel has a rubber ring which stops water getting into the boot insides. Therefore I had to ensure the resin housing was a snug fit and suitably sturdy. The best way to do this was to cover the entire mechanism in masking take and cover the whole thing in resin and fibreglass. There is the final result (after trimming and sanding)-
an inside view
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0016.jpg
from the outside
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0015-1.jpg
the mechanism in its housing
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0017.jpg
The outside didnt need to be pretty because you wouldnt see it - the main part was the inside - the circular housing section needed to be smooth. Ther are one or 2 air bubbles on the rim however these will be smoothed with filler prior to painting.
The next step was to join the base that would attach to the boot to the housing ensuring the badge was lined up correctly - both in the way it sat (it opens by pressing the top and lifting up so it needed to be level or it would look v stupid!) and in the amount it stuck out proud (it needed to be an equal distance all round).
Once set, chopped fibre matting (fibrol) was applied to the housing and it was then stuck to the base (which was secured in place by double sided tape as a temporary fix).
Heres the result just after bonding the 2 parts -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0031.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0029.jpg
and with the mechanism in situ -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0032-1.jpg
You can see from this pic how it protrudes - the idea now is to lay over a fibreglass matt up to the hole and bond it from the outside making s water tight seal then skim and smooth with filler - applying if necessary the raised edge that runs round the badge.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0033-1.jpg
This pic shows the badge in relation to the rest of the boot -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0024-2.jpg
Obviously I will be replacing the VW badge (whish is actually just held on by 2 small clips and some double sided tap!) with either a Vauxhall or Opel badge (probably the latter).
:thumb:
Tasks tomorrow (my day off) - providing the rain holds off - to seam seal my engine bay so I can plan the respray of the bay itself.
All good stuff ade.
Fibrol rocks!
another great days work ade. i wish the rain would hold off here so i could get on with some work.:thumb:
Nice to see its still comin on nicely!
L
looking good, liking the idea of the boot release.
really trick idea with the VW realise ade
lol iv just spent an hour and a half reading all of this - its really coming along ade! keep up the good work mate :)
cheers!
Tuesday 11/10/2006
Another day off - weather absolutely sh1te (so unable to get my engine bay seam sealed) however did a bit more work on the boot.
I cleaned up the inside of the housing for the boot mechanism - smoothing it and making it tighter to the actual badge section. I then sealed the rim of the hole using sikaflex and rivets and bondedthe resin constructed housing to the boot from the inside.
I'll post some pics of it done tomrrow once its cured.
Next task is to clean up the excess bonding material and then smooth the outer section making it a smoothed boot.
Once smooth I'll consider adding a grab handle type detail - not like the original one though but similar to the new grille badges on the latest models (minus the badge - see below). Where the V section is is where the boot badge will be...
I'm also looking at getting one of these for the front (although they currently retail at ?80 from vauxhall)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/1a_1.jpg
Prefer it with an opel badge though...
Be interesting to see what that will look like on the front of a nova, hmmmmmmmm
L
Thursday 12/10/2006
Started off this evening by fitting the new poly bushes into my suspension.
See earlier in the thread for how to remove the old bushes.
I'd painted up my track arms a few weeks ago with no rust satin black paint - several coats and its now fully cured.
Heres the bushes I'm using from Polyflex - nice and orange!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp7.jpg
They come in 2 halves for easy fitting
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp6.jpg
Theyre easy to fit - simply spray a litle wd40 or similar lubricating oil onto them to help get them in. Stick one half into the hole and push all the way in -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp5.jpg
Then part insert the other one and part insert the metal rod. Then using a G clamp and 2 bits of wood so as not to damage said bushes, clamp up the other side fully to get a nice tight fit -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp2.jpg
et voila -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp1.jpg
Takes about 5 minutes.
Also painted up mt Gmax strust - the spring seats were a tad rusty - just surface though so I degreased them and gave a coat of no rust -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/susp8.jpg
So with the exception of my new Astra ATE brake calipers and discs the whole inner arch will be nice and black - with anthracite alloys should look pretty cool.
:cool:
Thursday 12/10/2006 - pt2
With my suspension pretty much sorted, I continued work on my boot project.
Heres some pics of the boot with the new housing sikaflexed in place -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0004-2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0018-1.jpg
Sikaflex is a marine adhesive - incredibly tough and best of all water resistant so makes a perfect bolnding material.
The next task was to fill the edges with filler. Before doing this I cleaned off the excess sikaflex from the edges and degreased with panel wipe to ensure a strong bond. I then re-insterted the badge after applying 3 layers of masking tape round the edge so I could take the filler right up to the edge.
This image shows the filler after a light sanding -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0019-1.jpg
The next task was to layer up some resin and fibreglass to cover the metal insert. I started by making the lower section of the boot totally horizontal. Resin like water will sit flat if on a level surface. I measuring up a fibreglass insert -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0020.jpg
and to ensure this would be thoroughly soaked, I split the sheet into 3 sections (fibreglass is layered - split it up and you get 3 thinneer sheets). This will ensure a tight air free bond.
I started by applying a layer of resin right up and over the edges. I then added the 2st layer and srtippled it in place. This was followed up by more resin and another sheet and so on up to the 3rd. I then applied the rest of the resin and stippled away until all 3 sheets had been absorbed.
The final boot lid was then left to settle and set -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0023.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DSCF0025-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/DSCF0026.jpg
This is the 1st stage. Tere will obviously be ripples and divets in the surface and it will need a skim of filler and then sealing. The boot will cure over the weekend (I'm going away for a few days) and when I return I will sand back to a level surface (its slightly higher in some places), skim it and see what it looks like from there.
I then need to rebuild the small area cut away from the inside, backfill the entire thing with expanding foam to prevent water ingress and secure the boot mechanism.
Looks really good though
Nice ade.
Its good to see your thinking outside the box with this one.
I wish I'd fitted poly bushes when I did my suspension.
Excellent job Ade. It's the first time i've had a look at how this is going for several months.
I can't believe the amount of work you're putting into it, the wife must be breathing fire at you by now, not to mention the neighbours!
The ingenuity you've displayed with sheets of cardboard to create templates for pretty much everything on the car that needs to be custom made, from scratch is amazing. The headlight mounts, combined with the radiator mounting in particular i thing is an amazing job.
I'm holding back judgement on the smoothed tailgate until its finished, still lots of room for it all to horribly wrong yet :D
PS. I wont say keep up the good work, because... well, why would you suddenly start doing a shoddy job of it? lol
PPS. Bring back the expletives monitor to each report that was included in Ade's garage version 1. Don't try telling me you're doing all this without swearing, i don't believe you.
well ****ing done mate, this is looking mental, cant wait to see it in the flesh some time. keep us posted on further development, as iam sure you will matey.
wow jus gone through this thread and your a god mate with some top vision the lights are a real nice touch and then the boot jus tops it off,top work mate keep us posted.
chers guys will do!
Andy - lol re the swear section of the original ades garage. Found the wife very accomodating - seeing as how shes currently 200 miles up north in Elgin during the week! Means I can come in and just get on with it.
The neighbours are excellent too! Always popping in and seeing how its going - went away this weekend and for some unknown reason left my garage door wide open, lights on with all the tools out on display! Realised what I'd done on the motorway 1/2 way up to see the wife and couldnt do owt about it.
Got to wifes at about 10.30pm, told wife - she tutted (as they do) called her sister to see if she could help who just happened to have our next door neighbours telephone number who wass called and advised us that she'd seen me drive off and when she took dogs for a walk noticed garage open and went round and closed it all for us!
Will defo have to buy her a bottle of something!
:D
what a nice neighbour!
boots starting to take shape now, you figurd out how to wire it up yet? going to use the standard locking mech from the VW or create your own>
not too sure. I'll use a universal solenoid obviously but need to wire in some kind of relay so that you cant just walk up and open it.
Hoping to get an alarm with a remote boot release...
Anyone else got any suggestions?
Monday 16/10/2006
Not been too well today - woke up and was completely deaf in my left ear and my balance was all over the shop! Felt like I was p1ssed!
Went to the docs and He gave me some drops for ears and some sea sick tablets! An hour later I felt well enough to take the day in the garage. I just shoved some ear plugs in my head all day so the drops wouldnt fall out!
Started off by sealing up the engine bay and light housings with seam sealer. I used Greystripe brushable seam sealer - used it before and its very good -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/enginea5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/enginea4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/enginea1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/enginea3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/enginea2.jpg
Whilst this was curing I did a bit more on my boot - the resin had cured fully and it was very tough. I needed to sand it down though as it was too high. This too absolutely ages! Once down, I skimmed with a layer of filler to try and level if off (there were some low points) -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/boota1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/boota2.jpg
Whilst this cured, I started to paint my engine bay and under my wheel arches. I'm giving it a few coats of black no rust paint. I'm not too fussed about the finish at this stage as long as it looks relatively smooth - most of it's going to be hidden beneath the engine anyway. The type of paint I;m using is actually really good at self levelling anyway. The main focus is to try and reduce future rust problems for as long as possible.
I've applied the 1st coat but it needs at least one more (you can still see some of the original paint in places). I also need to treat the new light housings to a few coats of special metals primer too - galvanised steel needs primed 1st.
Once this cures fully I'll lightly smooth the visible areas and spray over it with some standard primer.
Once I'd finished painting my engine bay and surrounding bits, I sanded back the 1st layer of filler on the boot and then repeated the process.
Heres the 2nd payer curing -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/boota3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/boota4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/danga/boota5.jpg
this is already looking much smoother and the hole where the lock will go really adds a great big detail to the back end! I was never keen on smoothed boots - too much metal but breaking it up slightly should really make a big difference. Theres still a fair way to go - perhaps another layer or two before its ready for a light prime and then further rub downs...
Plans for Tuesday (its my day off conveniently!) -
- pick up my front hubs from local engineering firm after they've had new front bearings fitted as well as steering rack which theyre slackening tie rod mounts off of so I can fit new ones.
- paint another layer of paint on the engine bay/arches.
- paint light housings with special metals primer
- fit new CV boot to drive shaft
- continue smoothing boot
- look at applying rocker shutz sound deadening material to the arches...
How about using an immobiliser working on a bullet system in the boot, so that when your opening the boot with the key in your pocket it flips the relay and then alows the solenoid to activate?
I may be missing what your getting at though.
Good work matey, keep it up.