Benn's on going build

[Benn]

I had some in my nova gte I have some in my golf now they are so much better they look good benn

Which are we talking?

possibly try slightly longer bolts and two nuts, ain't going anywhere then!

Gonna get squshed end nuts with loctight.

Lock wire them

Someone did suggest that, could be a good way to help.

Oh, I run some on mine & think they're really bright / clear on a 6k (after ditching the projector lenses) and that's only with a 35w bulb ~ the ballasts are designed to take upto 55w.

I had 8k as i liked the cleaner/hint of blue light. But never got what i class a good beam paton (used the mot bay light machine abut 8 times)
Found these uprated bulbs to be just as good...

[Benn]

As the cold has set in and the gritters are out. It's the perfect time to have the car off the road.
So it was time to tackle the gearbox removal and rebuild. Due to it crunchling badly in to 2nd gear (up and down)


Got the car in and started stripping.





Got it almost all unbolted when Dan and Peter turned up to help me wriggle the box off as it's bloody tight in a Nova.








Now i remember where it's very tight!





One F28 dropping oil, even tho i drained it!





When it was drained, the magnet had quite a bit metal on it and a circlip...


Big thanks to Dan for helping me get the box off/out.


After a big of a tidy in the garage. I've got space to strip box boxes and swap the diffs over. To have a nice non crunching box with a nice Quaife diff in it.


Next i wanted to tidy up the bottom of the bottom of the chassis leg up in the engine bay. Now some of you will think i'm crazy as you can only see it a tiny bit. But i notice it all the time as it was welded and ground off then painted back when the bay was first done (2004 ish) since then it's been painted over again twice. Second time the finish wasn't as good as i hopped. So i thought while i can get to it make it a bit better.
I was thinking a sand back and re paint. Guess what happened......*


Bit dirty, due to the last test drive being in the semi rain and i've scrapped it a bit when removing the box and while deciding what to do.





10mins later... You can see the untidyness more now.





Bit of surface rust in that dip bit too. Think it's just a water trap. At the bottom you can see i've welded that seam up too, as when it was first built it wasn't done. (around the hole for the arm bolt was and the join on the top was) So i welded the seam that wasn't and ground all the welds back to make tidyer. Welded the small hole up too just for tidyness too.





Then a rather untidy skim of stopper to make smooth. Will knock that back and primer it tomoz.

[Iain]

Filler on a lower suspension mount, Benn sir you are insane.

[Benn]

It will be sanded right back so only a very thin skin is left. So cracking i hope won't be an issue. And it's just something i always see and wasn't happy with.

[M Sutton]

Awesome attention to detail as usual Benn!

[craig green]

That area used to bug me on mine, I also think you should either, weld & plate over the oval hole in the member behind it (at the base of the firewall) or paint inside the cavity black.

See where I mean in your pic?

[kevster]

This makes mine look like a shed !!!!


good work mate

[The Simps]

MORE smoothing?!?!? Is that even possible?

[Benn]

Awesome attention to detail as usual Benn!

Thank you Sir.

That area used to bug me on mine, I also think you should either, weld & plate over the oval hole in the member behind it (at the base of the firewall) or paint inside the cavity black.

See where I mean in your pic?

It's a very untidy area isn't it. I was looking at the oval holes. I wish i had welded them over when i had the engine out last year, just time run out.
I templed to plate it while i have the chance. But i might have a small plan in hand...

This makes mine look like a shed !!!!


good work mate

haha whatever!

Cheers dude. I should come see yours come time.

MORE smoothing?!?!? Is that even possible?

haha you know me. Never seen to be happy!

[Benn]

Just a boring update.


Sanded the filled back to leave as little as poss as its the arm mount.





masked and primerd.





While doing that i took my rack out.. That was surprisingly not that hard.





Out, ready to be swapped for a nice shiney one....





Gonna sand and re-primer tonight. I've also filled using a sealant the dip/gap in the middle. As it's a panel join i didn't wanna fill it.