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slow progress tonight, the rear screen is now fitted, the new sealer that replaces Arbomast is not very user friendly. Arbomast was soft and really easy to scrape off the excess, and a little panel wipe removed the rest. The new stuff is more like soft chewing gum, sticky as anything but panel wipe does remove it.
Anyway, it's done now but the cleanup took far longer that with Arbomast.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...144be24556.jpg
There is just an open hole under the seat for the brake fluid reservoirs;
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...93315ff002.jpg
so I made up an aluminium cover - it will probably be fitted with Velcro as it's under the seat so screws or a hinge probably wont work. I'll have to see what the access is like once the seat is back in.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...0c3ddeea6e.jpg
After that it was the time consuming job of trying to trace the wiring for the wipers & the lights, the wiring seems nice and tidy but it's wired for the single toggle switch so it needs a bit of rejigging to work with the 2 position rotary switch. I've got the 2 speeds working but I need to separate out the park circuit as they have joined it in the loom somewhere.
I'm also trying to suss the headlamp column switch, they had wired it backwards so it was on dipped in the high beam position and high on the dipped. For the flash function it switched the headlamps off. Unfortunately itsc pretty tiny and I can't remove it from the column even though I'ver undone all of the clamps. So far I have to use a small mirror to see what is happening in conjunction with the multimeter.
83.5 hours
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not much progress this weekend as I've had to do work on the daily's brakes, bit of a new experience bleeding brakes by computer!
I had to rebuild the rear calipers as they had suffered the usual Mondeo issues of sticking on.
With that sorted I dug my car out of storage to go to a local morning meet - it's not been out since last november! It was absolutely filthy, but never mind.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...abfc0f31fc.jpg
Lovely Edsel there;
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...b9368e71ea.jpg
Just look at that dashboard - a work of art! I love the revolving speedo and the push button transmission in the middle of the steering wheel.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...047a1bdcec.jpg
Another lovely Galaxie;
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...bbc5c597c0.jpg
Somewhat less showy dash than the Edsel, but still looks great.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...5c71f72616.jpg
That only left me with this afternoon to look at Andy's car again.
The new switch panel is now finished and all switchgear working. The wipers gave me a bit of a headache to work out (and a few blown fuses) until I realised the new switch was not set up right for the park circuit. A bit of research and a changeover relay was required - a rummage in my relay drawer and I had one in stock. With that wired in the wipers now park properly and have both speeds available.
There is one switch that I have no idea of what it does. I thought it was the electric fan switch, but after I traced the fan wiring through the loom and the fuseboard I found it goes back out to the engine block and is triggered by a thermoswitch in the inlet manifold. I'll have to ask Andy if he knows what it does.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...871220221d.jpg
Well, I did not think I would have the radiator out again, but trying to get the nose lined up and I found the chassis wing supports no longer lined up with the inner wings how they should, so the bolt holes were no longer in line.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...15e05050fb.jpg
This meant I needed access to be able to drill and dress them out so the bolts could bolt through the nose and into the front wings. The wing supports are a nice touch by the original builder but the bodywork has moved with all the new engine fitting so needed altering. The upper hole had to be move to an 'L' shape, but the lower one was still in line.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...0cd874a81b.jpg
On the passenger side both holes needed altering, top was made 'L' shaped. bottom I got away with drilling a new hole.
The holes are now repainted (as is the big chipped edge at the back of the bracket) so hopefully I can reassemble it all tomorrow.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...55b1315a32.jpg
87.5 hours
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Last night the new screenwash jets arrived, loosely fitted one so far, fit's the existing hole nicely.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...b440b05a0d.jpg
Then it was on to the fun job of bolting the nose back on and setting the bonnet so it all (sort of) fits. The original bonnet support rod has been painted & refitted and the original radiator support bracket also still fits the new radiator.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...3b6e1f5cba.jpg
The original support rod and new rear mount fitted.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...c7fb7a8415.jpg
Sheet metal all back on and fitted. Some paint was harmed in this process https://storage.proboards.com/forum/...y/eyesroll.png as the fitting holes needed some adjustment to get it lined up. This is currently in primer and will be painted in gloss tonight. It mostly fits - they are a terrible fit from the factory, and I'd really like it to fit better but without metal surgery it's as good as I can manage.
The lazy eye is because I needed access for the drill to open up the bolt holes.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...847c57e9ff.jpg
90 hours.
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A good car made better. Much easier to have done that stuff during the build, But better late than never . Your doing a grand job :thumbs_up_smiley:
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Thanks Ian, you are dead right about it being easier during the build. That's the problem with Pro shops - they just want it out of the way fast, so don't take the time to do it right.
Not much photo worthy to show tonight, I finally managed to dismantle the dipped/main/flash switch off the coulmn and I worked out why it was not wired & working correctly. One of the insulators was missing so two contacts were permanently connected - hence why it was wired backwards.
I managed to make a new insulator out of some 3mm ABS sheet I have, not easy as they have pins & sockets in them to locate the metal connectors and to lock into each other - the rough edged one is the new one.
With this fitted the switch works as it should. Unfortunately there is a small problem, the 'flash' circuit requires a relay but there is no room to fit another set of wires down the column, ....................as I write this though I've just had an idea - I'm pretty sure I can do a workaround so it flashes dipped beam instead of main beam - I'll have to test this idea tomorrow.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...871fb0c7b9.jpg
Anyway, with the switch fixed I rewired it and reassembled the column & steering wheel.
While I was in that part of the car I had to remove the MSD ignition module so I could get to the screenwash jet to remove it, what a job that turned out to be - overlong bolts in wonky holes were a pain to remove but I got the new jets fitted and with shorter bolts and holes drilled straight it all went back together. Testing the jets and they work well, though they empty the reservoir fast as it's only a small bottle.
Bonnet nose section bolt holes got a coat of green paint as well, I'll probably put a second coat on them tomorrow and then they can be bolted up for good. Does not sound much for an evenings work, but some jobs eat time.
The roll cage padding arrived today too, so that can be cut to size & fitted soon.
93 hours.
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I do like using the old Ford / Vauxhall multi function stalks, and there just made so robust !
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How many degrees of 'professionalism' are there? Paid hacks through to anal perfectionists with all the skills and equipment necessary. It used to be good, cheap and quick, choose two, but in reality I think its good, cheap and quick, choose one.
Chris
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Time consuming stuff mate!
I have a triangle, cost time and quality.
pick your poison.
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The old saying, if it was easy everyone would be doing it! Great work as usual Mark, I'm going through the same sort of thing with mine, although not to quite the same standard as I just want to get it back on the road again. Trouble is, I come across an issue & feel I should address it now so I do & down the rabbit hole I go!!!
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John,
Yes I have Ford stalks in mine, easy to wire, got a box of spare ones 'just in case' and they work.
Chris/Tom indeed.
It's harder to explain to customers that you can fit a whole rear section of roll cage in 2 hours but it takes the best part of 3 hours to diagnose wiring & repair a switch.
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Thanks Mo, it's a slippery slope lol.
Had a quick play with the roll cage padding before dinner, ends mitred;
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...71561158d6.jpg
and the first 2 rolls are fitted, I'll do more later when I go out properly to work on it.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...39582c4020.jpg
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Nice work, been following this thread as I'm going through my Pop atm. Amazing what a difference all the little (and maybe not so little) things make -and how time consuming it can be.
Great job :thumbs_up_smiley:
Would love a cage in my Pop, might have to be bolt in as the interior is done. Maybe Wisbech Engineering could help as they're quite near me. Any other suggestions on that? Or maybe someones got one I could adapt?
Going for the Pro Street look if I can, without oversize rear arches etc
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Where abouts are you in the UK? OddRods in Uxbridge are good and reasonably priced.
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I'm in Upwell near Downham Market/Wisbech. Love your black Pop!
The one you're working on has a nice stance as well.
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Ah, Wisbech are close then - get a quote.
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Yes probably the best route I think you're right. Will give them a bell. Thanks.
Rick
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might be worth talking to tom marg? he has an ongoing thread here with what he's up to and he's a real nice guy too. :thumbs_up_smiley:
neil.
https://forum.nsra.org.uk/showthread...ms-Custom-Shop
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Good Shout Neil - or he could contact you?
The roll cage padding is now finished - forgot to take photo so will take one tomorrow.
Andy will be be very happy to see this photo, passenger side window is now fitted and sealed.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...7dcecbdb04.jpg
And another photo for Andy, how the seals should look when fitted properly.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...e2d5c2160f.jpg
Then it was on to other jobs, passenger seat is bolted back in and the seatbelt fitted - going to have a chat with Andy about those....... and about the seat heights in the car........
Door wedges finally got fitted in the passenger B post, and I made new bootlid straps & fitted them.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...777304567e.jpg
Andy dropped in some brown paint to touch in the door cards, so they got all the cut edges done, and last job of the night was the last coat of green on the bolt holes in the nose and any other marks I find when I look over the car. I did find a nice bare metal raw edge where they chopped out the inner wing for the steering box https://storage.proboards.com/forum/...superangry.png nice of them to not bother to finish it off properly.
It's good to be able to wipe off some of the jobs list on the whiteboard.
96 hours.
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Last night started really well,I went over to Phil's (Grey Pop) and collected his spare tinted side window, when I got home I tried it without the rubber and it was a reasonably loose fit so should be good.
After dinner I went out and with the help of mrs Blackpop we got it fitted.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...6cc2b97f73.jpg
Once that was in I could refit the drivers seat and seatbelt.
The last bit of glass that needs fitting properly is the windscreen. Now on Pops they are fitted from the inside, so I duly peeled the rubber back and popped the glass out. Except we have a problem, there is a cage in the way. This is as far as it will go.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...b8ea01e3b0.jpg
And this is the reason why.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...b20d8c9a39.jpg
On my pop I took great care with the cage to make sure there was enough room to slide the glass & rubber past the cage to fit it. On Andy's pop the only way the glass is coming out is if the cage is cut out. Lets hope he never breaks a windscreen........
This will mean fitting the new rubber with the sealant in it will be a real challenge, and probably quite messy *sigh*
Oh well, might as well fit the new rubber to the car so it takes the car shape and I can trim it to size.
Ah, problem number two, it appears the suppliers have given Andy two rear screen rubbers by mistake as its too short *sigh* I'll have to get a replacement shipped out ASAP & send this one back.
Moving on to the next job on the list I made a new bracket for the dipstick. It had been left with a tiny sh*t loose bracket bolted to the rear of the head, almost touching the header and twisted so you could not feed the dipstick back into the sump if you removed it.
After playing with positions I found this position was the best so its out of the way of the exhaust and the dipstick goes back in the sump smoothly. It's in rough form here, I'll trim the bracket back a bit & shape it tomorrow and give it a polish before it goes back.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...5312d0318e.jpg
And as promised, some photos of the cage padding now its all fitted. The headrests are no-where near as close as they look in the photos.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...b4aa1f60ae.jpg
A bit of a kink in the tight bend as its a 2" cage and that's the max the padding fits to.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...27b0f847a9.jpg
99 hours.
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I'm suprised no-one has commented on the screen not being able to be removed?
Anyway, I contacted Pop Browns about the incorrect rubber on Friday and the replacement rubber arrived this morning, amazing service, he did not even want me to post the other one back (I'll return it later in the year when I meet up with him) Top bloke https://storage.proboards.com/forum/...ley/smiley.png
So, today I did plan on refitting the screen, but Mrs Blackpop is not very well so I ended up doing lots of little jobs instead.
The sills had the holes opened up so I could get a washer & nut inside them to clamp the bottom of the wings properly so the wing piping did not fall out (as it has been doing). You can see the rust inside here! it's still wet so I can't treat it untill its dried out more.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...a8fda09003.jpg
With all 4 ends of the sills done I tidied up the dipstick tube mount. I removed the dipstick tube from the sump as it had been leaking, refitted with some PTFE tape so will see if the leak is fixed or not tomorrow.
Diupstick mount is now polished and refitted.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...5ad6315c59.jpg
The rear wing bolts now fitted and the redundant holes have a 3mm bit of ABS plastic bonded over them to stop water ingress.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...7ab52ae2c1.jpg
While I had the rear N/S wheel off I looked at the brakes as the inside of the wheel was very oily & dirty, they were very contaminated with possibly brake fluid dripping off the pads. I gave them a good clean with brake cleaner and will have to do a pressure test tomorrow to see what the issue is.
With the bonnet & nose section refitted the bonnet tape is now bonded on.
https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/blac...e3534c789a.jpg
Then I had a look in the clutch fluid reservoir - empty!! This was topped up - no obvious leaks and the clutch seems to be working ok, so maybe just not topped up after the initial bleed? I'll probably end up giving them a quick bleed anyway to make sure.
The roof gutters were then treated with rust killer so some new paint can go on tomorrow.
No photos today, but the hole in the floor where the original throttle pedal came through has now got an aluminium plate bolted over it.
103.5 hours.
