Unique bits!

Been a bit quiet here............. no work on Libby, waiting for its slot at the bodyshop. Hopefully will be going in the next couple of weeks.

I managed to finally find out what the missing badges were off the rear wings. From the pictures out of "Motor", I could see that it should be a small chrome badge with "stag" on it......... just couldn't work out what it was!

After some research I discovered that Federal Spec MKI Stags (USA Market) had rear cruise lights fitted to the rear wings with a small stag badge underneath........ like below!

Now I knew what they were, it was just a case of finding them! Tracked down a supplier in America who could get me a set......... just don't ask how much including shipping, VAT and Import Duties!! They arrived this morning, so that is now all the unique difficult to find bits done, everything else is either 2000 or Stag bits now! Also, managed to find a MKI airbox and some cam covers, already blasted and powder coated........

Playing with Moderns and spending money!

Managed to get in from work at a sensible time today, so I thought I would take advantage of the nice weather and get some work done outside.

We bought Sam a new Focus and collected it last week. Time for another set of my excellent parking sensors. I've done this job on about 12 different cars now, but I was nervous about this one as its the first brand spanking new car I attempted to drill holes in! I spent longer than usual measuring to make sure I got it right, then got the drill out.................. gulp!

But, it all worked ok in the end! The set of sensors are my usual £20.00 ebay specials, but they work so well! chose the silver ones to match the paintwork, and they are 100% perfect match!!

Ford Option, £400.00, Hour and a half and £20.00............. job done.

Also, recovering from the Triumph show at Stoneleigh on Sunday. Excellent show, great to catch up with so many friends and meet some new ones. Made a few purchases for Libby. Managed to find a set of Monroe Gas shocks and Load Levelers for the rears......... £120 for the lot! Bargain, and should help keep the back end steady when towing.

The best buy has to be the badges. I needed the special 3 Litre badge which is off an Austin 3 Litre......... very rare car and the badge seems to be rarer. I did buy one off ebay, but it was quite grotty. Found this along with 2 brand new Triumph badges and the Chrome V8 badge all at the same stall!! How lucky is that?

No more progress with Libby at the moment, I'm waiting for my "slot" at the bodyshop. Was due to go last Saturday, but it got put back a while................

Aha........... Floors!

Finally found the floors!! Seats and carpets out, bit of fiddling to get the C post trims off and hey presto, we have a floor!

Amazingly, its perfect!!........ not a spec of rust in sight. Just crying out for some "Dyna-mat".

Started sanding the exterior paintwork. Deal with the bodyshop was for me to do most of the prep........... well, 2 hours later I decided I would rather pay more money and have them do it....... I HATE bodywork!!

So, got the glass out of the rear door on the n/s.......... total pain to do, but just got to do the other side, and then its ready to go to the bodyshop. Aiming for the 6th March...... pending on another car being finished on time.

Bit more

Did a bit more today..... only an hour or so, but every little helps! Took out the passengers side parcel shelf (what a swine!!) and the side trims so that I could get to the wiring in the door (interior light, electric windows and speakers) to pull it back inside the car.

Then continued under the bonnet and removed the airhorns and brake PDA assembly, so this side is now ready for the bodyshop.

Engine Pt1

Just had an email from Andy Roberts, he is very kindly rebuilding the engine for Libby. He sent me some photos and an update on the initial strip down and assessment of the engine. I've just copied and pasted his email and pictures.................... thanks Andy!

I thought you might like to know how I’m getting on with the engine – LF25961HE.

I’ve removed the heads. ALL the studs came out!! Just had a brief worry with the last one (there’s always one) but after a bit of gentle persuasion it unscrewed. Three cheers for Churchill tool S350. There’s lots of gasket goo everywhere, and the heads have been well skimmed, but they don’t look (at first sight) to be too bad.

One of the plugs (No. 7) was almost half way out, and from the gloop all around it I would say it had been running like that for a while. Four of the bores had water in them, but I think that was probably a result of the previous owner’s attempts at cleaning things. Some of the plugs were oily (one of them was very bad) but from looking at the state of the combustion chambers it seems likely that it was running OK. However there were signs of a gasket leak into the water way at the rear of the LH head and impending leaks elsewhere, so it’s just as well that you decided to overhaul it. The bucket tappets all seem to be reasonably good but I haven’t inspected them in any great detail yet. Both cams look good, although there is slight wear in the camshaft bearing housings – not unusual, – but I might try to get them scraped.

I then stripped the rest of the engine down to just a block assembly. The right hand timing chain was on its last legs, but the left hand one is OK! All the chain guides are OK. Both tensioners are OK too, so why one chain should be worn out is a bit of a mystery. All the sprockets seem to be OK, but I’ll be double-checking the right hand ones just in case that’s the problem. Rear oil seal is shot. There’s a bad wear ridge on the rear of the crank where the oil seal runs, so we might have to do something about that – fit a sleeve, perhaps. I haven’t inspected the oil pump yet, but I have taken it off.

I’m guessing that it hasn’t been rebored, and I’m also guessing that it still doesn’t need to be. But that will become clearer once I’ve stripped the bottom end. I’m pretty sure we’ll want to fit new rings though.

Oh, I almost forgot… there’s loads of crap in the sump – but I’ve seen worse.

....... and yet still more!

I hope this is getting close to finishing stripping............. I'm running out of room to put things!!!

Rear estate glass today. Nasty job, convinced I was going to break the glass, but a bit of percy, and lots of time drilling out hidden rivets in weird places soon had them out. Then the inside trim round each wing and the tailgate........ fiddly work today!

Having learnt on one side, the other was much easier.

Seats next, 4 bolts and out they come. Very neat frame that have obviously been made just for this car. Seat themselves are sound, just need re-trimming. I think, due to space, the front and rear seats might have to get thrown up in the loft!!!............ you just don't expect this much stuff when stripping a car!!!!

The moved onto the rest of the boot. Lock, trim etc... then the tank. Amazingly, it was half full of fuel!! Genuine 1979 stuff!! Bit of fiddling and out it came to be emptied into Jerry cans......... trip to the oil dump in the morning I think.

Tried to start getting the rear bumper off but the captives have gone and are well rusted. Angle grinder time I think!

.......and still more!

Same old same old............ taking more trim and bits off. Carried on with the rear today. Lights, trim, loads more rivets to drill out...... good job I bought a new rivet gun the other day.......... going to have to put loads back after the paint is done!

The side panels are in very good  condition. These are usually rot-spots in estates, so I'm very pleasantly surprised to find these are perfect.

Found another piece of unique trim.... the estate glass window trims are satin black to match the black headlining rather than the usual cream. Bit tatty, so they'll need redoing. They seem to just be painted, but I think powder coating them will get a better finish.

Back onto doors, nearside now. Easier than last time as I now know exactly how to take everything apart. front ones flew apart.............

Rear didn't take too long either!

Getting close now. Estate glass, seats, carpets and minor bits of trim and a few more bits under the bonnet and it'll be ready to go to the bodyshop.......... running out of room to store bits now!