Fin & Luke's Exocet Build Log

[snowbird1]

If all else fails - drill a hole in each side of the nut and split it with a chisel. If you are careful you should be able to reuse the bolt.

[Fin]

Turns out I had mistakenly used one of the bolts from the front dampers which had locked into the nut, and my trying to "unlock" it had damaged the retaining tabs you can see folded over the nut.

Had to remove the lower wishbone which mad it much easier to see it is a 17mm square nut. One released, I debated using epoxy resin to try to glue it back in place for the future, instead decided to leave it loose and hope I don't need to remove it again. Tried a flat 17mm spanner with bluetack to hold the nut, but it didn't quite work. What almost worked was a very old, thin adjustable Girder  "spanner" that was my dad's! Just couldn't quite get the angle.

Finally, having spent the day "getting my finger out" it was now time to "insert digit", and so pinkie power proved the answer, so all fixed and re-mounted.

[Fin]

Not the best of days as I decided to pop the cam cover back on. Checked the torque setting and order of the bolts, and found it was about 6 NMs (snug, but not over-tight). I struggled to set my manual torque wrench so low, and it just didn't feel right when I was nipping up number 1. Backed of and tested the setting on another bolt on the suspension, and it felt OK, but again just felt as thought I was exerting too much pressure before the click. Sure enough, bolt #1 snapped! Fortunately, the thread came out OK, so I just need to hunt down a replacement, but wish I had bought a digital wrench.

Being a hoarder who keeps all sorts of things "just in case" I was further teed off to discover I seem to have thrown away the steering column cowling(s). I've got every bit on plastic trim from the wheel arches to the boot, apart from the one thing I really do need. Not a good day.

[p5curly]

eBay mate it's good for getting lost pieces

[gwnwar]

Are you using a inch lb. wrench.. Not hard to miss the click when that low a torque.. If you grab the socket wrench above the socket and twist it should tighten enough.. Did you put a dab sealant at the corner of each front and rear cam tower and surface to seal the cover in place (6 places) 1/4" from tube is enough..

[Fin]

Torque wrench doesn't show in/pounds only ft/pounds and NM. Tried 5 ft/pounds which was hardly on the scale (first mark was 28) so may have missed it. But I felt it on the test bolt. Used some blue gasket seal around and in the corners

[Fin]

Feb 18, 2017 20:32:47 GMT p5curly said:

eBay mate it's good for getting lost pieces

I'm there ☺

[Fin]

Well, yesterday was spent spraying the steering wheel column and the brake/clutch pedal assembly, and the plan today was to whip the coilovers off, fettle the bananas and fill/paint the cut edges of the upper wishbones, then remove the chassis and mark out the flooring plan for cutting and fitting.

Maybe I'm naive, or missing something, but I expected the chassis to sit on the aluminium sheet and just to have to mark out the driver and passenger floors within overall the sheet. Turns out the sheet at 150 x 125cm is narrower than the widest belly point of the chassis (131cm), so I'd have to mark out one side, and then reposition by 6cm the other side within unused the central area leftover. Bit surprised for the sake of a couple of inches, but even more surprised that the length of the sheet was 150cm, whereas the outer length of the chassis is 152cm, and falls short of the chassis by the width of the rear bar.

Where am I going wrong?

[p5curly]

Don't you chop it in 2 our Mevster had 2 split pieces

[Fin]

Kinda expected it to be wide enough, for the sake of 2 inches worth if metal. Still short lengthways anyway

[eman]

Sheets are most probably 8x4 originally. As 3m x 1.5m would be more expensive for MEV? And that's if you can even get it in the bigger size.

[Fin]

Well, sheet floor replaced by one of the correct size, so no excuses now. Bought 2 seat mounts, so fibre-glassing will be the next skill to master, and the MEV bonnet/radiator hinge/mount. What with various other bits & pieces from eBay, it has been an expensive week.

[Stiggy]

Sorry you had to make the trip. I have been to Spec savers now and got sorted. Actually it must have been Julie that cut your floor wrongly, I have never made any mistakes in my entire life, honest.

[Fin]

insert quote here

These things happen. At least I no longer have to try to figure out where those two spare offcuts fit 

[donboy1983]

The sheet for the floor is designed to be cut in 2 pieces, you should not have any floor under the trans tunnel or directly in front of it, this is where the bell housing will sit.