Massive, uneconomical, rusty project
Turbo Mini Forums

Well done, the car is getting there!

I thought I'd post just to show I haven't given up completely. There are various reasons why I haven't achieved much in the last few months. The first is I went to Sweden and bought a 1963 Volvo Amazon with a friend and although it isn't mine I have spent a lot of time working on it. The second is I'm getting really pissed off with the prices I am having to pay for original parts either NOS or good used where repro stuff is not available or the quality is poor. It's been months since I've had any money and I've just had enough of it, I have 4 other cars which aren't at all cheap to run and I can't justify spending so much on this one.

Despite this, I have still managed to collect the following
A pair of NOS Britax 3 point static seat belts and a good used pair of 2 point ones

NOS Lucas 34322 7 1/4" push switch as used for the headlamp flasher on Mk1 works cars

NOS Lucas 31696 pull switch with white illuminated end
NOS Casco cigar lighter
Lucas L494 fog light, fits neatly under the rear bumper.
IMG_0454 by Matt4475, on Flickr
2 x Lucas WFT 576 fog lights and 3 x Lucas SLR 700 driving lights
IMG_0472 by Matt4475, on Flickr
There are other bits as well but I won't list them all.

I drilled the bootlid for the badges, it came from a morris so I had to drill all new ones and weld up all the old.
IMG_0463 by Matt4475, on Flickr
IMG_0462 by Matt4475, on Flickr

I have also refurbished almost all the running gear, I just need to finish the front hubs once I get enough shims to do the ball joints, the kit comes with not even half as many as I need.
IMG_0476 by Matt4475, on Flickr

I haven't touched the shell in months, If the last bits turn up to fix the Volvo this week then I should be able to get that done then clear a bit of space and get on with the last bits which need doing. I think it is just the modifications which are needed to get the engine and rad to fit but it's been so long I've forgotten myself.

PS I'm still looking for a 5.5 gallon tank, post 63 pre 76 type if anyone has one.

Edited by Flame Red on 12th Jul, 2017.

Ive got a post 63 tank if you've got a pre 63?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Thats the type I need! 0-90 ohm sender?

This is my tank, I stripped all of the paint off back to bare metal, etch primed the painted black. The sender doesn't work anymore, as I was trying to get it to work with my gauge.

If you're interested in a p/x let me know.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Edited by Flame Red on 12th Jul, 2017.

Yep ive got a non voltage stabiliser gauge, tank looks spot on what im after too.

Mine doesn't have a drain on it, I thought they were abandoned in '63...could be wrong though!

Im definitely intersted in a p/x, send me a pm with what you have in mind. I might be able to deliver mine and collect as I quite often work around Bristol if you're not in too much of a hurry?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

The drain plug changed to the long type in Feb 63 but I'm not sure there was any end point. My guess would be they were phased out around 66. It's not really important I was just wondering if I would have to put a hole in my boot floor, if you don't have the hole it shouldn't be a problem with the early type anyway. I'll PM you now.

I've actually done something!

I got the shell out of the garage, took it off the spit, turned it round and put it back in on axle stands. I've just spent 3 hours getting the engine out of the shed and back in the car so I can dry build the engine bay.

DSC_0613 by Matt4475, on Flickr

The first issue I have is that I was using a front mounted radiator from a Nova 1.2. I had to cut a lot of metal from the front panel but that wasn't a problem because it was covered by the Mk3 grille. Now I've got a Mk1 grille things are a lot tighter. I'm going to see if I can get a shorter and taller rad so that I don't have the clearance problem with the starter motor housing, I might still have issues with the alternator though. I can't go back to side mount as I have put an MPI inner wing on. I'll have to give it some thought.

DSC_0614 by Matt4475, on Flickr

Edited by Flame Red on 12th Jul, 2017.

I've spent some time looking at the radiator today. With my current radiator the only option would be to cut the starter motor housing back at least 10mm, I don't want to do that. I could also space the grille out, but unless I can roll the bottom edge of the front panel, which I don't think I can, I would have to cut it and the cut will go lower than the bottom of the grille. Again, something that I'm trying to avoid as I want to keep the outside looking as tidy as possible.

I've bought a Maestro 1.3 radiator, it looks about the right size to fit in the space I have and the inlet/outlet are in a useful place. If that does fit I expect I will have to find a smaller alternator, I have a Matiz one at the moment but even that doesn't look small enough. I can't wait to try and fit a fan in as well!

If you do decide to go back to side mount, you could do what I have done to my MPI inner wing, cut a neat circle out and fit the SPI type electric fan there. Done neatly with some Rayrim edging it looks factory.

I've considered something like that Tom. I did think about getting a radiator shroud like the early cars had, that way you'd never see the cut out from the inside. Then I'd fit an electric fan under the wheel arch and you'd never know.

I'm going to try and get a decent size rad to fit in the front before going down that route, I don't want the mechanical fan and the boost hose routing is much easier with out the rad in the way.

top work mate gr8 pics true dedication on this build

give em hell

The Maestro radiator has arrived, I'm really pleased with the fit. I'm going to notch the front panel for the crimp on the end tanks but hopefully that will be it. I think I need an even smaller alternator and the slimmest blow through fan I can find, I know a suck through is more efficient but I just don't think there is space for one.

DSC_0622 by Matt4475, on Flickr

DSC_0623 by Matt4475, on Flickr

DSC_0624 by Matt4475, on Flickr

Edited by Flame Red on 12th Jul, 2017.

No useful update I'm afraid, I'm actually amazed it's almost a year since the last one.

Anyway, the last that happened was that I got one of the small alternators (Suzuki Swift IIRC) and the Brize mounting kit for it. They sent me the wrong offset pulley and numerous phone calls and emails did not ever resolve it, they said they would send the correct one out but never did, I just got so pissed off with it, their customer service is appalling. I couldn't mount the rad without the alternator in place so that was that. After that I spent quite a bit of time on my daily MGB and all my money went to building my RS2 saloon. At least it did until November when I decided I'd had enough of the tedium of everything and bought a one way ticket to Bangkok. 5 months on and I'm sitting in Kuala Lumpa longing to be able to get this car finished, there's no imidiate hope of that though, I have no plans to come back to the UK for the moment. I've had an incredible time out here and there isn't a lot that I miss, but cars and especially my cars, I miss a huge amount.

So that's the story for anyone who wondered.

Ok, so I'm back in the UK after working in Australia, New Zealand and France. I'm only here for a couple of weeks, but as I'm briefly unemployed I thought I'd try and finally get this rad sorted. First of all, I had to give in and pay Brise even more money so I could get the correct pulley which I'm still waiting for. Secondly, I'm concerned that my rad is too small and as I have to heavily modify the front panel to get it to fit, I'm seriously considering other options. Maestro/Montego rads are the perfect height but the supply of NOS ones seems to have dried up so I'm open to options. Space is very tight and going back to side mount is an option I would like to avoid for a number of reasons, especially as it would mean re routing the intercooler pipework.

Fiat cinquecento is a good fit and cheap!

Get a flat slat one not a tube one as they're not as efficient.

I'm not a huge fan of the cinq rad as the inlet/outlet point the wrong way and are both on the same side. I'd consider having 2 rads in series as the curve of the front panel is what presents the problem for having one radiator across the whole panel. The maestro 1.3 rad I have is larger than the MPI rad, but I'd still like to get the biggest rad possible in there.

i really like that rear fog lite and the attention to detail you put in this project. no half arse bodging an a real honest restoration, it all looks very nice

I'm here for my biennial thread update. Unfortunately, despite being 2 years in the making, I've just returned to the UK for the first time in almost 2 years, so there's only about 2 hours of progress.

Anyway, I finally decided on a radiator, and gone with an MGF. It's thin and fills the front panel nicely, hopefully will provide adequate cooling and the inlet and outlet are perfect. It didn't go in quite as easily as I'd hoped, but it's not a bad fit. The Mk1 grille will need to be spaced out at the bottom or some of the slats trimmed, I'm yet to decide.

C58602B8-6A45-4721-B600-9BF992A8F040 by Matt4475, on Flickr

I need to fill in the cuts in the front panel, I've no doubt there is a neater way I could've done it, but I spent a long time thinking about it and just couldn't decide, so this is the best I could come up with.

3582B80A-0D11-4890-8ADD-F5DEA53B75B3 by Matt4475, on Flickr

The fan is my next problem, I have a 10" blow through, it fits, but the grille doesn't, so it looks like I'll have to go with a 8" suck through and hope it doesn't overheat.

Edited by Flame Red on 12th Jul, 2017.

I've put quite a few hours into this without a huge amount to show for it, but I think I can finally say that I have a front mounted radiator which clears the front panel, starter, alternator and bonnet. I made the decision that the blow through fan wasn't going to work without spacing the grille out too far, so the biggest compromise I've made is to run with a 7.5" suck through fan. As I wouldn't be mounting anything in front of the radiator I had to make a new slam panel to fill the gap. It looked simple, but with no shrinker I really struggled to get the shape, eventually I had this. I fitted captive nuts for radiator mounts and there are wiring loom tags spot welded underneath.

FF749855-490D-4201-9A77-B919E2D4D56E by Matt4475, on Flickr

Radiator mounts were more troublesome than expected, I bought MGF mounts and hadn't expected them to be so large which gave me multiple problems getting it all to fit and the clear the bonnet. These are what I came up with, they still need a little finishing, but it all works well.

DAF22538-90A4-4DD0-91AB-538F062A722E by Matt4475, on Flickr

All fitted;

51EA021A-1F6E-4155-BE45-75412BCB0D04_1 by Matt4475, on Flickr

92C9B446-0474-471E-B4C3-2DF8E8D897F8 by Matt4475, on Flickr

The lower mounts are still to have captive nuts welded on so they can be bolted through the subframe, but the engine gets in the way too much to work that out. Also, the subframe is solid mounted in case anyone was concerned about mounting the top to the body. The engine has 4 steady bars so there is very little movement which is essential with how tight my clearances are.

The lower edge of the front panel has been finished off, but I don't have the light to photograph it.

The next challenge is the intercooler, I wanted to buy something new and shiny, but I just can't find anything that will work. The Cosworth one fits perfectly so I might just stick with it.

Edited by Flame Red on 12th Jul, 2017.