Mr Simmonds 3B lite project.

[K Simmonds]

Alex, I'm not planning on going on the track at ADI this year, I still have the rack to change and alignment to get done again, not to mention getting the Alcons fitted. I may well get all that done before but not with enough spare time to get used to the car unfortunately. I also need to spend at least this weekend putting pay to the final bit's of bodgery in my G60 MK2's engine bay so it's in a condition I'm happy presenting for MOT.

[K Simmonds]

HOWEVER!!! I've banned myself from refueling the car till the steering rack/brakes have been fitted and the alignment done for the last time this year. ATM it's not safe at high speed.

Then once all that's finished I'm going to do the body justice, sod it, I've got a really really early HPI clear car with a mint interior and perfect mechanical's so it's going to be repaired and straightened then painted to a very high standard. My work mate has started getting ready to put down the concrete pad in his new workshop, once that's down I'll have access to a spray booth

[Error404]

Sounds great, the old girl deserves some fresh paint now you've spent so much time getting it running just how you want it.
Are you going to do all the bodywork yourself?

[TimE-J]

Looks like you've certainly done a lot to it since the last time I saw it Kit, good luck with the test drive tomorrow!

[K Simmonds]

Cheer's guys

I think it was looking pretty sorry for itself when you visited Tim, I was up your way last week picking up an interior from Ted, forgot how stunning the scenery is up there.

Yes Alex I plan on doing all the bodywork myself, apart from perhaps the colour and lacquer, I'm happy to put the primer on but I'll have to practice with the paint on some old bonnets etc and be happy with the results before I let myself loose on the car.

Weighing up my options with sills, every jacking point has a corresponding dent and they really bug me, not sure whether to replace them whole sale or cut, slide hammer, weld up and fill the damaged areas, then inject them with a serious amount of cavity wax.

What are you thinking of doing with yours mate?

[TimE-J]

I think it was looking pretty sorry for itself when you visited Tim, I was up your way last week picking up an interior from Ted, forgot how stunning the scenery is up there.

Yeh saw that you had been up this end, you should have said you could have popped over to my workshop for a coffee. The road from north to south certainly is a beautiful road!

[K Simmonds]

Yeh saw that you had been up this end, you should have said you could have popped over to my workshop for a coffee. The road from north to south certainly is a beautiful road!

If I had more time I would have done buddy, I knocked off work a couple of hours early then blasted up and down as quickly as I could last Wednesday, got back in very good time but the drive up took four hours. The A470 is a cracking road both for driving and views, it's very likely I'll head up that way again fairly soon for a proper day out in which case I'll give you a shout.

[K Simmonds]

I've only got enough fuel left to get too the closest Shell station so for the next week or so she'll be off the road while I spend my spare evenings fighting the old steering rack out with the engine in situ and installing the ABY one Will reconditioned for me.

I'm also going to have to fit my spare rear diff, the current one has started to clunk on fast gear changes and the spare I have feels much better, not a major job though especially compared the the bloody rack.

I've put the Alcon brakes on my work bench so their in my way and staring me in the face, the stock brakes are woefully inadequate at this power level so I need to get them changed ASAP.

Want to get it all done for ADI.

[kibby]

I'm really glad your love in your new set up.when I first had that chipset installed I was really impressed !!!!!!!!

[K Simmonds]

I'm seriously impressed.

[K Simmonds]

Today I will mostly be fighting my steering rack.

Made a start on the job yesterday, removed the old radiator and most of the water hose's as their all being replaced as well as anything else in the way. Going to try and do it without removing anything else, though the inlet manifold may have to come off.

Not having Procon ten the battery tray or air-con pipe's help's with access.

My engine bay this morning.



Loads of room to work in.





New stuff.

[s2driveruk]

steering rack change with engine in situ, you have my sympathy for a tough days grafting. On my 3b I ripped the engine out to change it due to a total lack of access. At least on an aby you dont have the battery tray in the way too but general access around the back of the engine make it a tough job - Good luck, the beer will taste all the better once its done

[K Simmonds]

steering rack change with engine in situ, you have my sympathy for a tough days grafting. On my 3b I ripped the engine out to change it due to a total lack of access. At least on an aby you dont have the battery tray in the way too but general access around the back of the engine make it a tough job - Good luck, the beer will taste all the better once its done

Cheers, I can see why you removed the engine, with the battery tray and Procon 10 in place the job would be well nigh impossible. I've been putting it off for weeks but there's no turning back now, I'll deserve a drink this evening I reckon.

[Error404]

Hope you still have some skin on your knuckles mate
Having done this job you have my sympathies. Getting it off the steering column joint was the hardest part. Easiest just to unbolt it and remove it with the rack
It is a wriggle getting it out once you have it free from the bulhead though

[K Simmonds]

It's going OK so far, not hurt my hands too badly but they are bleeding, got everything undo in the engine bay, just the UJ inside to disconect which I know is a complete sod. So the drivers seat is out and I'm ready to be very uncomfy for the next hour or so.

The only thing I have a query about is which banjo bolt goes where when conecting an ABY rack, ie which union does the one with a one way valve type thing connect to on the rack? I was expecting the 3B one's to be same and make me aware of orentation but both the banjo bolts I just removed are straight through.

I really wouldn't want to doing this on a stock 3B with all crap I've gotten rid of still in place, I think it would make more sense to remove the engine and try and tye it in with a clutch change.