Page 1 of 7 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 62

Thread: F215NPO toms cabrio-LET project

  1. #1
    Senior User tommy8252's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    askam in furness, cumbria
    Posts
    1,761
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default F215NPO toms cabrio-LET project

    Well here we are again, a new project to start from scratch.

    As a few may know my first ever car was a Hutchinsons cabriolet.



    well that was 9 years ago and I've been itching for another ever since.

    I got put on to this one in northern Ireland but it sold before I could get over for it :-(



    so that left me trawling the Internet once again.

    By chance I searched eBay a few weeks ago to find one being advertised for breaking and only a few ropey pictures, a phone number and 2 minutes remaining (this was at 8 o'clock on a Sunday morning) so I quickly scribbled the number down and sent the seller a message asking to view the car and to get a rough price.







    An hour later no response so I figured I'd gather the missus and boy up and head out for the day (somewhere that if I got a text back would be a relatively short distance away from the car).

    Just as we were trundeling down the m6 I got a phone call offering to view the car and that everything except the brand new Gaz golds and the disc rear axle.

    So off I trotted to Rotherham to have a look over it myself (got stung on a rotten piece of **** cavalier 4x4 because it was 'what I wanted'), got there and was greeted by the same view as the pictures.

    A neglected cabby half stripped with a let and f28 slung in, untreated stitch welded bay, new sills with unprotected welds and new wings half rubbed down and, as with the welds, sporting a nice covering of surface rust. After a good poke round to determine how solid the car was overall and what parts were there etc the inevitable question popped up.

    Are you interested in the lot?

    I've never been overly keen on having a nova turbo, I've always preferred 1600 8v b road fun, but as with everything if the price was right I'd take the lot. He gave up what the engine owed him and a deal was done for not much more than what he paid for the engine. That was a month ago and today it finally got delivered :-) .

    so here's some pics of it out in the daylight, clearing out years worth of dust and grime etc ready to start a full strip back and rebuild.














  2. #2
    Senior User tommy8252's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    askam in furness, cumbria
    Posts
    1,761
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default




















  3. #3
    Senior User tommy8252's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    askam in furness, cumbria
    Posts
    1,761
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    Now it did come with a whole host of spares which made the deal just that bit sweeter :D







    as you can tell this isn't a small or quick project but I hope to be able to make quite a few updates so keep an eye out

  4. #4
    Senior User
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    West Yorkshire lad
    Posts
    22,243
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    6 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)

    Default

    This looks like it's going to be a bloody hard build, good look on it and when you pull it off you'll be bloody proud

  5. #5
    Senior User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Manchester Drives: 911 Carrera 2, MR2 Roadster turbo
    Posts
    4,633
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    Is it definitely a LET as that top hat makes it look like one of the old Courtenay XE conversions?

    plus it has dispack which no LET had.

  6. #6
    Senior User tommy8252's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    askam in furness, cumbria
    Posts
    1,761
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    I do believe it could be an old xe turbo conversion but not 100%, the top hats definitely an old skool item that was never a 'to buy' option. I'll have to pull some numbers off the block and get in touch with courteny to see if they have any record of work that's been done or what is likely to have been done during a conversion and check it out.

    Plan is gas monkey style, get engine running, pull it, weld new bits in and correct previous welding and send off for bodywork, refit engine neatly, fit upgraded suspension parts, source and fit suitable wheels, fit upgraded interior parts and new roof, sort out fine details like vinyl, correctly fitting plexiglass windows, tonneau cover and new press studs. Enjoy sounds easier than it'll be I'm sure.

  7. #7
    Senior User tommy8252's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    askam in furness, cumbria
    Posts
    1,761
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    I've began the search for more rot this week, stripping off as much stuff like lights, window surrounds and vinyl.

    found a few bits where some plating will be needed, nsr window surround, the boot seem and the rear panel/boot floor. Also started sanding back the surface rust (roped the girlfriend and my son in to this too )

    I've also been temp fitting stuff like intake hoses, rad and cooler to find out what pipework I need to get and just getting a basic idea of where everything should be routed.

    removed the wings and glad to say when they've been fitted they have had a healthy dose of underseal thrown at them. Everything's solid enough to withstand a good blow from a flathead screwdriver so just need to sand the exterior down and give them a good dose of rust treatment, then some oxide primer until it's ready to go to the body shop.

    checked the engine code and it is indeed a Courtenay xe turbo conversion. Not sure how I feel about that but that's what's in there and what I will be working with. I've emailed Courtenay to see what info they can provide me about the conversion but I'm still waiting to hear back from them.

    also made a start deciphering the loom, this has me a tad confused as there's an awful lot of plugs that don't seem to do anything and there is main power and earth cables within it. Can anyone shed any light as to whether this would be an xe loom?

    Although the front gearbox mount has been moved for the f28 I still have to shorten the selector arm, get and fit the rear mount spacer, notch the os chassis leg for the bottom pulley, source a single v alternator and have a turbo oil feed pipe made up.

    It also seems that the f28 in it is an electronic speedo type and the clutch is either seized on or non existent so this will all need sorting when the engine is pulled out

    I've swapped the wheels for ones that actually hold air which makes it so much easier to push in and out of the garage.
























  8. #8
    Senior User tommy8252's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    askam in furness, cumbria
    Posts
    1,761
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default






























  9. #9
    User
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Ash vale, Hampshire
    Posts
    1,471
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    Looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you, good luck mate.

  10. #10
    Junior User
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Villanueva de Córdoba-Spain
    Posts
    52
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    It need a lot of hours working on but the result would be awesome.

    I love de hutchinson saloon, and I know there is one in the east of Spain, but I haven't found good pics yet

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •