Another NA ***RESTORATION***

[Mazda Mender]

Check that bud
M-m

[Natehd9]

Check that bud
M-m

You're a star!

[Natehd9]

So since my last post I finished making up the rotisserie, and whilst it's a little rough around the edges it's definitely doing the job!

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Since I've got it up and rotated I've welded on both the chassis rails, this was a bit tricky as the sections i had made didn't quite align with the floor pan. This meant I had to drill holes through the floor and pull the pan and the rail together using some M6 nuts and bolts and tack welding along the joins.
Once tacked into place I stitch welded the rails so now they should provide the whole chassis much more rigidity, the only really tricky bit is the section that runs under the seat mounting box section so that will just have to be left as is (maybe with some seam sealer to prevent too much muck getting in! I'll also need to fill the holes made through the pan with some weld.

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Whilst doing this I've been trying to work out the best way forward in terms of the underside, I'd specced up a compressor, only to get a call from my dad asking him to go round and help unload his new one! It's a 200 litre unit and I think it's capable of 18cfm, definitely enough for air tools and spraying!
So following on from that I've planned up a hard-line install for an air ringmain around the garage with the intention of shot blasting the underside of the car to bare metal

Once clean I'll be seam sealing and etch priming then use a couple of coats of raptor and top off with some flexible stone chip (belts and braces!)

I've had apart the rear hubs so I'll be shotblasting those tomorrow, they'll be treated to some POR15 and then a full bearing replacement.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to spend some time this evening cleaning the front and rear subframes up and get them in their first coat of POR15.

Once that little lot is done I'll be most of the way there in terms of chassis overhaul which means I'll have no choice but to turn my hand to the scary stuff - bodywork...

Thanks for reading!

[blackyb]

Plenty to keep you occupied then but for ne my fear is auto electrics !

[Lumphammer]

Very nice, looks very good. Nice frame rail repair too!

Fantastic you've got air available - it'll come in handy for loads of things

I don't know if this is useful but if you put POR15 in the fridge it keeps way longer, especially if you have to mangle to lid with mole grips to get it off!

[Mazda Mender]

Plenty to keep you occupied then but for ne my fear is auto electrics !

I love Auto electrics....= Challenge ;0)
M-m


I know you like a challenge, that's obvious by the way you approach everything and why I keep your phone number nice and handy, just in case.

[Natehd9]

Plenty to keep you occupied then but for ne my fear is auto electrics !

The electrics are a nightmare for future!
Planning to make up a pin board on a sheet of 2440x1220 ply to lay it all out as it is in the car and then start stripping it back in sections and rebuilding with Delphi plugs and proper bulkhead fittings, that's the plan anyway...

[Natehd9]

Plenty to keep you occupied then but for ne my fear is auto electrics !

The electrics are a nightmare for future!
Planning to make up a pin board on a sheet of 2440x1220 ply to lay it all out as it is in the car and then start stripping it back in sections and rebuilding with Delphi plugs and proper bulkhead fittings, that's the plan anyway...

Very nice, looks very good. Nice frame rail repair too!

Fantastic you've got air available - it'll come in handy for loads of things

I don't know if this is useful but if you put POR15 in the fridge it keeps way longer, especially if you have to mangle to lid with mole grips to get it off!

Thanks, good idea! I ended up buying the 6 pack of 110ml tins from Frost to make sure I minimise waste, should be enough for most of the leftover bits

[Lumphammer]

The 6 pack mini tins are good, much less waste! For a single coat on both subframes and all wishbones it took me 5 of those tins but I did waste the last 1/2" of a couple before I read about putting them in the fridge

[Lumphammer]

I've got the full loom out of mine at the moment if there's anything you want buzzing out

[Natehd9]

I've got the full loom out of mine at the moment if there's anything you want buzzing out

Same, mines all in a box on the garage floor. That's a job for another day I think, thanks for the offer though!

[John&Luke]

This is a great restoration, very high quality.

Just a thought re the underside. By all means remove any suspect under seal. Otherwise, you are just making more work for yourself. To put this into context most NA are 20+ years old. Have covered 50,000+ miles (at least) and historically have been used in all conditions. In fairness they hold up well.

For my car I have asked myself the following;
Will I be taking mine out in the winter when salt is on the road? No
Will I be leaving outside all year round? No

So whilst protection is important, IMO I would suggest most underseal products are suitable. Underseal needs to be flexible, it needs to take stone chip impact. I’ve used Raptor, on some areas that either are not on in direct contact with road debris, for other areas I’ve used cheaper standard, rubberised underseal.

Keep posting progress, your doing a great job.

[Natehd9]

Fair point John&Luke! I'll see how i get on with the shot blaster on the underside, if it makes light work of the current under seal then I'll strip it all and start from bare metal, if not I'll just hit the problem areas - sills and arches.

Been spending the past few days plumbing in 15mm copper lines for the air ring main, I thought it was going to be a nice weekend job, should've known these things take far longer than anticipated... Just my bag to get distracted by a 'side-project' in the interest of making the 'main' project easier! I'm half-way round the garage now, I think I've done the complex bits, but I'm sure the rest of the install will have other ideas...

Will get some photos up of the installation later, hoping to get that all done over the long weekend, then get cracking with the shot blaster

Would be good to start making some progress with the actual car again at some point!

Nathan

[Lumphammer]

Really like the idea of having air plumbed in, means you can put the compressor out of the way too!

Blasting the underside sounds good but i'd be careful of getting blast media stuck in crevices, if you mask it off well should be manageable tho

[Mazda Mender]

The 50 ltr are good for the price from Aldi , well worth getting one.
M-m