Week 11.2 - More Dashboard

A little bit more work on the dashboard today. Having got it out of the car its now easier to remove the other two airbags. The car's previous owner had kindly set them off so it's safer but less fun. The steering wheel bag was removed earlier so its just the drivers knee bag and the front passenger ones to go. The knee bag comes out easy enough - just some nuts on the back. The front passenger one was a different story. It was installed into the dashboard before a lot of other stuff and so needed to get it out without further dismantling. Mr. A Grinder and Ms. R Saw to the rescue!

Not sure which way this photo is supposed to be! Rather disorienting.

 While I'm there I took out the instrument panel. I'll be taking that apart so I can blank off some of the warning lights I don't need.

Here it is whole..

.. and it the three bits that allows access to the lights.

Week 11 - More Cambelt

Very pleased that my cambelt pully locking tool arrived today! Here it is;

The problem is that I think it's going to be completely useless. Looking at the pullys with the variable valve timing stuff ...

.... there is no way to attach the tool! The pulleys are too close together for a start.

So, another tool on order.

Week 10.4 The Dashboard

Today's job is getting the dashboard out. Quite a lot to disconnect. Five big electrical connectors, the gearlever, various bolts in the engine bay and a fair few inside the car as well. Need to take the drivers door off to get at one of them. As this is all happening in a bodyshop the door went straight back on again to stop the car filling up with filler dust! Also had to take out the light by the rear view mirror, sunvisor and radio aerial.

Having got everything disconnect it just lifts out in one bit including the steering wheel and column.

Its beginning to look a bit empty inside the car now! 'Just' the wiring loom, pedals, ABS and brakes, fuel tank and a few bits I haven't thought of yet to go!

Week 10.1 The Cambelt

Having got all the bits Dutton need its time for a bit of maintenance on the engine. Today its the cambelt change. The kit for this contains a new water pump and belt tensioner as well.

First thing to come off is the auxillary belt. This is stretchy so has no tensioner.

This photo shows how its routed in case I forget!

Taking the water pump pulley off allows the old belt to be removed. The next step is to remove the crankshaft pulley, the top engine mount and the plastic covers.

Looks like this now.

I'm now waiting for the camshaft pulley locking device to arrive. Hope this works OK as the crank won't turn at all as the flywheel is jammed on the engine stand (or the engine is seized)

Week 9,4

Finally time to take bits down to Littlehampton. These are for modification and or preinstallation by timdutton.com

Great to talk through some of the details with Tim

The deck is almost ready to come out of the mould

and I'm making some of the metal bits off the donor that I dont need available to my local itinerant waste collectors.

Week 9,2

Engine clean today. Gunk, driveway cleaner and Flash seemed to do the trick.

Taking these photos while its still wet makes it look even better!

Week 9

A bit of a post Christmas and New Year quiet time so far!

On the inside I've taken out a lot of the interior trim and taken off the front seat belts.I've replaced the cable the connects to drivers door handle to the lock. Also got a spare key cut, but only the blade without the chip - can be used to operate the door and steering locks but not to start the engine.

On the outside its just been a case of washing the various bits that are going to Dutton in the coming week.

Week 8,3

Getting to the end of the list of bits I need to send off to Dutton now. Todays job is to remove the front part of the handbrake cable. I had to remove the adjustment nut to feed the the cable out of the handbrake lever. At the other end the pastic rivet that fills the elongated hole need to be removed. Then the plate that forms the gasket between the inside and outside just needs to be unscrewed. All that after taking off the cross brace and heat shield then disconnecting the exhaust from the rear and  centre mounting points.
Just the boot struts left now!

The inside is looking pretty sparse now!