Jeff and Emma Build a Car

[pikey]

Everything's sort of crammed in my garage at the moment (hence lifting the new chassis onto the old subframes, as we've got nowhere else to put it). This weekend we're going to remove the final few bits from the old shell (roof, fuel tank, filter, handbrake + cables) and take it for scrap using a friend's trailer, then I'll have space to lift off the Exocet chassis and once I've done that I'll unwrap the fibreglass parts and take a photo

[miket]

... and don't forget to keep your VIN plate too.

[pikey]

Yup - I've chopped the VIN out already

[freshp5]

Look good we're about are you

[pikey]

So the shell went for scrap today, and we still have the V5. We didn't get any money - instead we got a bit of a lecture! Anyway, it's out of the way

So we tried fitting the original seat rails to the new GRP seats from MEV - one fitted just fine and the second one needed the holes extending by a good 4mm because they were just in the wrong place!

So then we placed the fuel tank on the rear end - oh look, the front brackets are spot on but the rear brackets are in the wrong place. Must be out by at least an inch.

Not a good start, I hope this isn't indicative of how well the rest of it lines up :-|

[mikeeyboy]

For the fuel tab mounts you need to bend them in slightly to make them reach the tank

[pikey]

I have hammers and a welder, so I can fix most things

I was just disappointed that they were so far away from where they should be - the fuel tank barely rests on the drivers side tab by more than a few mm.

[p5curly]

You may want to weld longer tabs on
We had to lengthen ours

[NJ.]

Yup I had the same problem with a mk2 tank and had to extend the tabs.
Make sure a sharp corner doesn't put a hole in the tank as read someone had that happen...

[casesensitive]

At least 1 Rocket owner welded full rails to their chassis, while it's not powedercoated is as good a time as any.

[pikey]

So it looks like the brackets need a good thump with a hammer to push them into the correct position, plus maybe I'll round the corner off as well.

I gave the chassis its first coat of etch primer last night:



And this turned up in the post :

[Stiggy]

sorry about the tank brackets, entirely my fault. I normally tweak the 2 rear ones over to match the angle of the rear cover. You need 600 between the 2 inside edges as the rear tank bolts are 625 centres.

[pikey]

No problem, thanks for the measurement

[pikey]

First coat of primer finished:

[pikey]

General carnage in our garage on Saturday!:



We've got nearly all of the front suspension apart now, just need a 29mm socket for the hub nuts. All bushes are good, some have definitely been replaced recently. One of the exhaust manifold studs stripped its threads off, which is pretty standard really, I dont think I've ever taken a downpipe off without that happening! Both of the lower ball joint boots split, which again I suppose is pretty standard. Engine and gearbox drained of fluids, lifted off subframe, and set down for cleaning. So just the rear to take apart and I can take all the bits for soda blasting.

First application of the top coat of paint tonight, starting with the underside (just black, nothing interesting)