Ivan's coupe: bodywork is done

[Ivan141]

Updated TODO list:

-Check parking brake cables, fix up if required, mount them.
-Finish up steering rack (install new joints, boots and lock spacer) and mount it.
-Mount steering column.
-Mount crusty old front struts.
-Mount crusty old rear axle.
-Put it back on its wheels.

Other things to keep me occupied:
-Fit fuel filler door cable release components to shell (some body modifications required)
-Clean up and paint prop shaft.
-Move the hood & passenger door from my basement to the garage

[Ivan141]

Progress:
Last weeks todo list:
-Check parking brake cables Need new cables and some TLC.
-Finish up steering rack (install new joints, boots and lock spacer) and mount it.
-Mount steering column.
-Mount crusty old front struts.
-Mount crusty old rear axle.
-Put it back on its wheels.

Other things to keep me occupied:
-Fit fuel filler door cable release components to shell (some body modifications required)
-Clean up and paint prop shaft.
-Move the hood & passenger door from my basement to the garage

The (somewhat boring) story:
Swapped out 3 of the 4 joints for new ones on my steering assembly and assembled everything including lock spacers and new boots.


Installed the steering arms loosely for now. After taking this picture I also replaced the tension rod bolts for the studs that are supposed to be in there.


Dug up my parking brake cables and drew my conclusions. Will be ordering 2 new ones soon.


Gave the parking brake some 2k black and emptied the rest on an assortment of brackets again.



Had a go at fitting the remotely operated fuel filler lid.

Had to drill off the old lock tab and drill a new hole for the popper:



Didnt get the tab off quite cleanly and I didnt want to weld any more at this stage (risk setting paint on fire). So I drilled the rest of the spotweld out, painted it and put a rubber plug in the hole. That will do.

To end things, I roughly cleaned up the prop shaft and threw it in the boot of the daily. Will see what to do with it once the new carrier bearing arrives. Might take it to a shop for a refresh, if rates are acceptable.

[Ivan141]

Just because it helps keep me on track, updated (short term) TODO list:

Things to move to garage (in order of importance):
-steering joint
-panhard rod
-interior plug & grommet assortments
-Door
-Hood

Things to do
-Order new parking brake cablesdone
-Mount steering column.
-Make new holes where required for fuel tank splash shield and mount it.
-Clean up fuel tank debris shield (found it!) and mount it.
-Clean up original damper heat shield (found it) and perhaps cover it with the aluminium stuff
-Mount parking brake & cables.
-Install roof skin supports (pre-req: buy some anti-flutter sealant)
-Mount crusty old front struts.
-Mount crusty old rear axle.

Non-critical path stuff to keep me occupied:
-Get prop shaft refurbed & mount new carrier bearing (once it arrives). Paint it (I have special plans for this).
-Cut up & extend side skirt (one needs a tiny adjustment due to DIY rear arch replacement).
-Start work on the original engine block (all hail the mighty 3-rib 16v).

[pack]

Wow!

The car is amazing man!

I also have those cable for the trunk and gasoline lid.... issue is the RHD knobs..... Do you have the LHD one?

[Ivan141]

Thanks, I got the cables from a friend's father, it belongs on a LHD carina-e.
Looks a bit 90's but it fits. Just needs a bit of imagination to lock the handles in place, they bolt in but sit a bit loose.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Pixel 4a met Tapatalk

[Ivan141]

Had some Breaking Bad like practices going on in the basement tonight:





DIY Zinc-Nickel plated the handbrake cable parts and the steering coupling.

Next time I'm at the car again I intend to fit the rear axle + brake cables & lines on it.

[banpei]

Nice!
I take it that the numbers on the tins tell you the order of operation? First Alkaline cleaner, then rinse with water, then acid dip, then rinse with water, then the zync-nickel plating, then rinse with water, then acid dip number two and finally rinse with water again?

[Ivan141]

Yes, you spotted that correctly. Although I messed up somewhere near the end. After the second acid pickle there is another rinse and then passivation + final rinse.

[Ivan141]

Steering joint assembled with a new u-joint.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Pixel 4a met Tapatalk

[Ivan141]

Got lots of work done today, thanks in no small part to Thomas' assistance (the Doctor). Most of the rear axle is now mounted in place (woo, and might I add: hoo).



I still have to put the half shafts in, but I'm saving that for later since all this weight is not easy on the rotisserie.
Also got my new parking brake cables in the mail recently so I mounted those with some electroplated bracketry as well.


Some afterthoughts:

Not looking at the clearance of large bolts near custom reinforcements was not very smart. I can now only get the lower 4-link bolts in from the inside due to my bigass jacking platforms. Well, as long as no cutting or grinding is required I will live with the minor inconvenience.

My fully custom rear shock towers seem to be doing their job. The shocks are mounted without issue. In hindsight the top of the towers needed a bit more inward slant to account for the angle of the shocks but I'm confident the rubber donuts will take up this offset in angle.

Dont worry about all the contrasting crusty bits I have now slapped onto the car. I cannot be bothered to go suspension shopping until the car is finished, and the axle will eventually get a matching fully rebuilt pumpkin. I just havent gotten around to building it yet.