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| Joined: | 04-07-2022 |
| Location: | Oregon USA |
| Posts: | 52 |
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Another much delayed update on Rusty.
Since the last missive, I have rebuilt the front hubs, and installed them along with the new Spitfire/JH calipers from British Parts Northwest. Fitment, like so many things, was not quite trivial. For some reason the mounting holes in the new calipers were 7/16" instead of 3/8" so the mounting was sloppy. My solution was to cut some 7/16" stainless tubing to size, and use it as a bushing to resize the caliper mounts to 3/8". Worked like a champ.
On the back end, I installed the rear suspension with all new bushings, bearings, shocks, and brakes (photo attached). I also had to install new springs, as one spring had a free length 3/4" less than the other - indicating the springs were shot. It was the left spring that was shorter, which I have read in this forum is pretty typical (driver sits on that side in the US).
I put on a layer of undercoating on the new floor pans, using Dupli-color truck bed liner. I will be putting on at least one more coat. I got some plastic 5/8" sheet metal hole plugs from Ace Hardware, and popped them in all the holes. Are the holes supposed to be there for drainage? Dunno, but they had rotten rubber plugs in them when the car was delivered.
I have also spent many hours sorting out the wiring harness, which will be the next thing to be installed. I had to cut it open and replace some burned wires, and replace many of the multi-pin connector shells which had crumbled over time. British Wiring supplied the replacement shells, and I used some short lengths of brass tubing to facilitate the removal and reinstallation of the pins. I used harness tape (NOT electrical tape!) to rewrap the harness. The previous owner had cut several wires to disable the ignition interlock (mandated by Uncle Sam for one model year. Grrr.) so I had to sort through that and patch the wires. Turns out simply disconnecting the occupant switch in the seat will defeat the interlock, so why did he hack up the harness? Amateur...
Popped on a few of the badges, too. After the wiring harness I may start assembling the doors.
Oh, yeah, got my 0.030" over high compression pistons from Delta Motor Sports. Don't know when I will be taking on the engine. Plans are to raise the compression, and use a 104 cam on the exhaust. David Vizard (the go-to guru for horsepower) says that more duration on the exhaust is superior to using more duration on the intake. All modern cams are built this way, so why JHPS recommends more duration the intake is beyond my comprehension.
Stay tuned for more news about Rusty...
Vance
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