SOLD - 1600 TURBO + oval + downunder

[buguy]

Pete I was thinking about you today. I put on some Joe Satriani and wondered if that was something you liked? I remember reading you are a guitar guy.

[petew]

Course not. That involves motivation and a lack of procrastination. It's sitting next my desk here on top of the new injectors.

[petew]

Checking the oil on the car today and it occurred to me that having...
1. No venting
2. Huge oil scavenge pump
Both on right hand rocker cover is not a particularly awesome plan. So, I'll be changing that with the next oil change and hopefully that will sort a few piddly oil leaks.

[madmike]

I'm no longer a 'Sumpaholic' all's well ,so far so good ,, until I test drive it

[petew]

You know it!

[andy198712]

i do sometimes wonder if we actually need them...... or its just the internet telling us we do?

[petew]

Need what? Deep sumps or leaks?

Deep sumps do help.

[andy198712]

leaks hold off rust too though lol

[petew]

Oh how I hate welding body shells. Still, it only caught on fire once... and I managed to put it out. Pics of the drama soon.

[buguy]

Once isn't too bad!

[petew]

In retrospect now, I think it was twice. Yesterday I spent the day cutting up steel and making these... The bits on top are anchor for the frame. The plates underneath are backing plates for the seatbelt mount structure.

seatbelt anchors 1.jpg

At the same time I was keen to sort out the "swiss cheese" firewall the PO had left. I also needed to re-stick broken welds on the RHS of the firewall. I assume this was from the PO having it so low the car was bottom out and beating itself to death on every bump during 4000km from Brisbane to Melbourne and back. I won't tell you my welding was amazing, but maybe now I won't be breathing in engine fumes all the time. I went hunting for a copper welding "spoon" but couldn't find one locally. Local welding should had, "never been asked for one of them". Stupid provincial Australia. Harbour fright sells them cheap to you guys but they're impossible to get here and even small pieces of copper pipe are prized by scavengers and recyclers. So making my own was impossible too.

IMG20180607170545.jpg

The grey insulation caught fire on literally the first tack. I had wet rags and an extinguisher and managed to put it out straight away with my glove, but MAN! How fast did that catch! There's also a smoke mark on the mohair in the bottom right corner of the rooflining. No will see it though, there's a speaker panel going there.

This is what I'm making BTW, so the back of the car has inertia reel seatbelts... stupid local regulations...

IMG20180525152752.jpg

Would you believe rollcages are illegal, but this has to be installed for the car to be road legal. Ridiculous.

[buguy]

That's crazy. I just bought a piece of copper plumbing tube at my local home store and hammered one end flat for my spoon. Cost almost nothing.

[66brm]

Yep me to, local bunnings rolls of copper plumbers pipe, cut and smash to shape required

[petew]

So, the final structure is done. I fear it's over-engineered and over heavy too. I'd fill it full of speed holes, but I don't want my engineering signatory saying, "that's too weak! make a new one!"

seatbelt anchors 2.jpg

I would much rather have spent the time fixing oil leaks... yes, that's how much I hated it and I usually like welding. Anyhow, it's done and I need to do get it going to ferry kids around tomorrow. Painting and installation are all that's waiting it now. Ie. cutting holes in the carpet. The good news is it will all be hidden behind the back seat and I can put a top speaker panel on it to hide the ECU and electrics for the motor. Should clean things right up nicely.

[buguy]

That's so nuts to me. That they can make you modify your car like that. I don't have seat belts in my car at all!