Don & Gary's Exocet build

[donboy1983]

Perfect, cheers gwnwar. I will get that lot done on Tuesday. Also has any one got a better pic of the 200mm stays that they use to prop up the PPF? I can work out what position the should be mounted and what part they need to support.

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2014 21:12:27 GMT donboy1983 said:

Perfect, cheers gwnwar. I will get that lot done on Tuesday. Also has any one got a better pic of the 200mm stays that they use to prop up the PPF? I can work out what position the should be mounted and what part they need to support.

I dont have any pictures but once you strip the car it will be apparent, its not complicated and if one drops you'll realise straight away. Youre looking to stop the moving parts of the suspension moving too far. It will become very apparent and simple. Take a look at the MEV build guide but there is no definitive, theres a multitude of positions mate

[gwnwar]

I put mine inward on the top end by sub frame and outward on bottom end into the lower shock bracket..After you get body off and rolled were you want it jack up the rear of the front sub to level it and put a block of wood or block under it to take the strain off the twisted engine mounts. You can do the same under the rear of the rear sub frame..

[donboy1983]

Things are going quite well and I'm ready to get take the body off, well nearly..

the one thing I have left to do is remove the shaft for the steering rack where it goes through the bulk head. So far I have split the rack inside the car and removed the top section of the steering wheel and this has left the shaft that goes through the bulk head and into the rack, I have removed the 1 bolt that clamps around the shaft at the rack end but can't get it out. Am I missing a bolt or is it normal for the splined shaft to be hard to remove?



The only other issue was my brother stripped the thread on the top of the shock so had to leave the sping compressed and will get a spring clamp to get it off later, we plan to replace the shocks so not a major issue.

all the bolts came out fine and managed to get the hub nuts off with a big scaffold pole :-)


next step is is to borrow my mates engine hoist and lift the body.

[gwnwar]

Spray the splines with rust spray take a fat chisel the put it between the ears of the clamp and hit it a couple of times..
You can insert from the side of the joint same a shaft to split joint if you don't have a fat chisel.. you just want to break the joint loose not spread it a lot.. Save the bolt that goes to that clamp/joint it is a graded bolt not a run of the mill.. Some with bolts for drive shaft.. I always leave my steering shaft in one piece just split at U joint
at rack and remove the bolts and cover on the inside of car on the firewall 3 or 4 of them.. A good pull and it is loose and out in one long piece..

[tomaff]

I had huge problems getting my steering rack disconnected. I gave up trying to do it and decided to try lifting the body and see if the rAck would fit through the hole. It didn't but the body acted like a massive hammer and it came out in the tiniest movement.

[biggunz]

I had this problem with the rack so put it all back together so you can use the steering wheel as something to hold on to and 'jiggle'! It came easy then!

[donboy1983]

I will have another go over the weekend and hopefully get it out :-) thanks for the tips.

[donboy1983]

Well with a bit of initiative and a hammer I managed to get the steering shaft out :-) I put the hook from a ratchet strap in the coupling that separates the lower and upper part of the column and put the other hook in the old seat belt mount and tightened the strap to put tension on the shaft and a few taps with the hammer and It popped out :-)

i then started to try and lift the body and realised I had missed a few bolts that still kept the rear subframe attached to the body. Undone them and that was it :-) well nearly. I was on my own without a hoist so I got the body off as much as I could with a trolley jack and some pieces of wood.




so now I need a hoist or some mates to give me a hand. Any idea on how many people it would take to lift the body?

[mrjingles705]

If you can, hire a hoist - not a huge cost and the shell is surprisingly heavy.

[stubbers]

sorry if youve already got them sorted but a few of us (including me) have not realized about the handbrake cables being attached under the center tunnel. They cause a real pain when lifting the body.

Rich

[mrjingles705]

Alternatively - I'm in Spencers Wood... happy to lend you my hoist if you can transport? (it's the 2 ton SGS one - www.sgs-engineering.com/garage-equipment/engine-cranes/ec2000-2-ton-folding-engine-crane - folds down pretty well).

[gwnwar]

Looks like you still have the exhaust/muffler attached to the body by rubber donuts.. Pull the emer. brake cables off the rear calipers.. You only have another foot to go.. At least 6 to 8 warm bodies.. I would rent a hoist.. It would be a lot safer and you can stop when you have to..

[donboy1983]

You are right the exhaust was still attached but I realised this after I took the pic and have now removed these. The hand brake is disconnected from the rear calipers is this connected to the chassis anywhere else? Also what do you mean by pull the emer??

[donboy1983]

Thanks for the offer Mr Jingles but I have managed to borrow one locally that I can get this weekend. I'm just being impatient and want to lift it tonight :-)