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Darth V8R Member 
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Lads, just a shot showing the floor of my car. I will be replacing both floors. I will be updating photos occasionally. Vance Attachment: JH_0286[small].jpg (Downloaded 305 times) |
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noomg Member
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Hard to tell from the photo how extensive the corrosion is but if you have to replace the floor pans the cross members (both front and rear) will probably need replacement as well. Mine looked worse and I ended up replacing the passenger floor pan and patching the driver's side along with replacement of a couple of cross members. Those really nice original black rubber floor mats were largely responsible for most of the rust damage. They were very good at trapping moisture under them when the car got wet. I see orange was the original color which even back then was an acquired taste, as in usually the last one on the lot. Which is probably why like yours most of them were repainted at some point. Just a recommendation, I assume the dash is coming out before paint. When reassembling after paint install the windshield before the dash. I did it the other way and it was a real PIA. Not to mention the windshield with no bottom support is very fragile and can be easily cracked if you're not careful. |
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Darth V8R Member
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After I removed one floor. A Fred Flintstone car! Attachment: IMG_0312[floor].jpg (Downloaded 298 times) |
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Darth V8R Member
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noomg wrote: Hard to tell from the photo how extensive the corrosion is but if you have to replace the floor pans the cross members (both front and rear) will probably need replacement as well. Mine looked worse and I ended up replacing the passenger floor pan and patching the driver's side along with replacement of a couple of cross members. Yes, it is very hard to tell, mainly because the JHPS board limits the resolution of the picture. Careful examination (and a lot of squinting) show that the driver's floor just to the rear of the front seat support is completely perforated. When I removed the interior the only thing left in that location was undercoating. <sigh> Last edited on 04-16-2023 10:19 pm by Darth V8R |
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Art DeKneef Member
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Hopefully you took lots of measurements before removing the floor pan. When I did that to one of my cars I took lots of measurements, made some braces for the door openings and for side to side and made everything to be as level as possible in the garage. Also, I made new floor pans before I cut anything. There are a lot of spot welds to go through. Like any kind of surgery like this, it's go slow and keep checking as you proceed. As for the 5-speed replacement you might have to check the rear joint to make sure it mates with your current rear axle. I have heard some of them had a smaller joint connection that needed to be fixed. I was lucky that mine replaced with little extra drama. |
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noomg Member
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Vance, Looks like it was originally red then painted black, what color are you going to paint it? |
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Darth V8R Member
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I was thinking conifer (a.k.a. British Racing Green) with a biscuit interior. I would need to source the materials for the retrim. Black is so unimaginative, but I want to be careful not to do something too personal - it would make the car harder to sell down the road should I get bored with it. I am not committed to this scheme however. |
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noomg Member
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I don't think there's a better color combo for any LBC than BRG and tan interior IMHO. But I'd take it one step farther and go with leather interior. It's a decision you won't regret. The fact that you're concerned about getting bored with the car tells me you haven't driven one yet. As an example only two friends have driven my Jensen-Healey, they both own one now. |
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Darth V8R Member
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Here is a picture of the first floor installed and seam sealed, along with the beginning effort on the second floor. My welding is truly awful, which I am blaming on inexperience and a welding helmet that is much too dark for me to see clearly when I am welding. The dimmer setting on it seems not to work, so no matter where I set the dimmer, it always goes full on dark. I am virtually blind when I strike the arc. <Argh> Attachment: IMG_0327[floor2].jpg (Downloaded 239 times) Last edited on 05-06-2023 06:27 pm by Darth V8R |
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Darth V8R Member
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A picture of some of the damage on my dash, which I just shipped off to "Just Dashes" in Van Nuys. The estimate to reskin the dash was terrifying, but at least the UPS charge to get it there was extortionate as well. Apparently a large, light box is an invitation to ream, steam, and clean the unsuspecting car enthusiast. As a friend of mine retorted when I complained about the cost of tires for my Corvette, "If you wanna play, ya gotta pay". Jerk. He could have handed me a hanky to cry on, at least. Attachment: IMG_0320.JPG (Downloaded 239 times) Last edited on 05-06-2023 06:26 pm by Darth V8R |
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noomg Member
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Vance, I've seen Just Dashes work I'd rate it mediocre at best especially considering their outrageous pricing, I took a pass. You'd be better off using a dash cap from Delta. I was fortunate that I was able to get a pristine example from a buddy's wrecked J/H. Another option I've seen guys have their's recovered in leather at an upholstery shop and the one's I've seen look rather fantastic. I don't know what they paid but I'm willing to bet it was far less than anything Just Dashes does and looks way better. Also I've heard they have a very long turn around time. Hopefully things go better for you. |
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Darth V8R Member
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Lads: Got my wheels back from the Wheel Doctor in NE Portland. Wheels were media blasted, powder coated in gloss black, diamond cut on the faces, and clear coated. Lastly, some inexpensive radials were mounted. They turned out better than new, and will look terrific on the car if I ever get the body work done. =:-o Cheers, Vance Attachment: Restored Wheels.jpg (Downloaded 229 times) Last edited on 05-17-2023 08:43 pm by Darth V8R |
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noomg Member
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Vance, I'm glad you choose a rescue dog over a turnkey. It means they'll be one more back on the road. That's a good thing since they only made about 10,000 in the first place. I'd guestimate there are at best somewhere between 1,000 to 2,000 survivors and that includes everything from mint condition to just barely still restoreable. The wheels turned out very nicely which is good news because the question of where to get original wheels restored pops up from time to time. |
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vnavaret Member 
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Lads: A few photos of the project, making slow progress. The passenger floor is in, although I could not install the seat rails as Robey mistakenly sent me two left hand rails instead of a right and left. I contacted them via email, and they are dispatching a correct right hand rail. So for now I am done with the passenger floor... Anyway, here is a shot of both floors welded into place. Attachment: IMG_0344[2].jpg (Downloaded 200 times) Last edited on 06-19-2023 03:38 am by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Here is a shot of the repairs I have started on the right front inner fender. After I ground away layers of bondo and paint in the engine bay, I discovered that at some point the nose of a parts car had been crudely grafted on to the front of my car. I can tell this because the paint is a different color, a sort of ocher (visible under the orange paint in the top left corner). Anyway, the nose was poorly welded on, the horrific body work hidden under bondo and black paint. In this photo I have straightened and reattached the frame with some short strips of steel, and cut away some of the wrinkled sheet metal. I have started welding in some new sheet metal to replace some of the repaired section, which had cracked and rusted through. The front section of the car was being held on only by the outer fenders, since the inner fenders were completely perforated/torn/cracked, and the frame welds had broken through completely. <heavy sigh> Attachment: IMG_0343[1].jpg (Downloaded 201 times) Last edited on 06-19-2023 01:43 am by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Lastly, here is the front left inner fender showing the state of the repairs made by my PO. Note that the front of the frame is free floating by virtue of its completely failed welds. Also note the ragged attachment of the inner fender, and many (not shown) perforations from rust. The frame will be cleaned up, reattached, and receive welded reinforcements. The tip of the frame is also badly misaligned, so I will be using a hydraulic jack before reattachment to push it back into alignment. The inner fender bodges will be cut away and replaced with new metal. I had never welded before, but I have been forced to learn on this car. It is a real challenge! I am using a $250 flux MIG welder which is messy, but is getting the job done. After cleanup the work actually looks decent. Stay tuned for more updates in the near future. After this, I will be tackling the rust in the quarter panels, and by then I expect to be pretty dang good at welding with my cheapo welder. Vance Attachment: IMG_0342[1].jpg (Downloaded 202 times) Last edited on 06-19-2023 02:10 am by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Cut out the bad welds on the driver side front frame rail, and used a porta-power hydraulic ram to straighten it out. Worked very well, and I can now proceed with cutting out rotten sheet metal and welding in new steel. My welding skills are slowly improving, so by the time I start to work on the fenders (wings) I should be able to make some pretty much invisible repairs. Attachment: IMG_0345_small.jpg (Downloaded 180 times) Last edited on 07-12-2023 07:01 pm by vnavaret |
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redracer Member
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Vance: I didn't look closely the first time, but I see what you're talking about upon further enlarging. The front "clip" slides into that portion(I have 2 of them I cut out years ago) so hopefully, they are welded way back into that opening and not just at the frontal area shown? |
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vnavaret Member
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redracer wrote: Vance: I didn't look closely the first time, but I see what you're talking about upon further enlarging. The front "clip" slides into that portion(I have 2 of them I cut out years ago) so hopefully, they are welded way back into that opening and not just at the frontal area shown? I used strips of 1/8" steel and reinforced the joins on three sides (the fourth side is not enclosed from the factory). Suffice to say that front clip is not going anywhere. Although not as pretty, it is stronger than the original factory joins. Vance Last edited on 08-06-2023 06:31 pm by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: Just wanted to show the completed repairs on the driver side inner fender. I have a couple of pinholes to touch up, but it is done and I am moving on to the quarter panels. In other news, Just Dashes has had my dash for four months now, and I am still waiting. Not recommended not to mention the high cost of getting the dash reskinned in the first place. Ordered seat covers from a UK supplier with a 4 week lead time. Selected biscuit as the color, so I am now committed to my BRG/Biscuit color combo. I also received precut panel pieces (ordered on eBay) that I will cover in matching vinyl. I am thinking a medium brown for the carpet, but have not committed to that yet. The quarter panel repairs will be very sensitive to good welds and fitment, which is why I am doing them last - I have had lots of practice on repairing sections that are not cosmetic. Vance Attachment: IMG_0346[1].jpg (Downloaded 159 times) |
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vnavaret Member
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Here is my first quarter panel repair. There were a couple of dime sized holes, and a several BB sized ones. Cut out the area, and out fell a pound of dirt. Guess I know now how the quarter panel came to be rusted. This makes me wonder if this is a flood car, as I don't know how that much dirt could get in there in daily driving. The fitch panel in the wheel well closing off this area is intact and not rusted. There are rubber seals around the panel, but maybe there is some way it could get in there that I have not discovered yet. Enjoy... Attachment: RRQtrPanel.jpg (Downloaded 176 times) |
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vnavaret Member
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Here is the completed repair on the LR quarter panel. Two more quarter panels to repair. Attachment: repair.jpg (Downloaded 177 times) Last edited on 08-15-2023 04:40 pm by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: I have a surplus 4 speed available for free to a good home. Located in the Portland Oregon area, text me at (503)608-8206 if interested. The car was inoperative when I acquired it, so the state of the transmission is unknown and it should be regarded as a core. If no one claims it, it is going to the scrap yard. Vance Attachment: IMG_0354[1].jpg (Downloaded 160 times) |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: Been quite a while since I posted an update. Well here it is. All the cutting and welding is done, and I am getting the car ready to paint. I have borrowed a large cart, and in the attached image, I am getting ready to deposit it on the cart. I will drop the suspension, and using my chain hoist lift it on to the cart. My welding is not the best, but a thin skim of filler over the areas I have repaired and the new steel will be invisible. Three quarter panels required new steel due to extensive rust perforations in the lower 5 inches. Both front inner fenders required extensive patching due to botched previous repairs, and both front frame rails need aligning and reinforcing where previous repairs had failed completely. Important tip: Do not use brazing to section a car. It has poor fatigue resistance and lower strength than welding. The previous body tech did not heed this important information. Doh! I have ordered seat covers and vinyl from Riverbourne classics in the UK, in biscuit. I am therefore committed to my original plans for a biscuit interior and British Racing Green exterior. I have not committed to carpet color yet, but I am thinking a cocoa powder brown to highlight the biscuit seats and door skins. I have not committed to this, however. Biscuit carpet would give the interior a totally matching look, but I am partial to things like accent walls in houses that make rooms pop, so am considering a similar concept for the interior. Just Dashes in CA still have my dash, estimated total turn around time is about 8 months, so I cannot recommend them to anyone. A long lead time, and a demand for payment before they even start the work leaves me feeling little sympathy for their business model. Oh well, at least they are outrageously expensive. Those guys should wear a mask and hold a gun when giving estimates. Sheesh. Well, stay tuned for further (snail like) progress reports. Vance Attachment: IMG_0356[2].jpg (Downloaded 151 times) Last edited on 09-30-2023 08:06 pm by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Status update on "Rusty" the car. I received my seat covers from Riverbourne classics, Allison answers the phones there and she is terrific. I also ordered some extra vinyl to cover the bare panels I got some time back. I was going to make my own, but found a set of die cut panels on eBay for less than $200, so decided to go that route. I also got my dash back from Just Dashes. They had my dash for 8 months and I finally gave up and sent them an email (they do answer their emails, a small plus) demanding the return of my dash and a refund. I did not hear from them for two business days, then voila! An email saying the work was complete and the dash had been shipped. I don't believe they touched it until they received my request for a refund. The work is of good quality, but gruesomely overpriced, and the lead time is, well... ridiculous. Not recommended. Picture is attached. They painted and recovered the dash and instrument binnacle, and installed new silver piping on the binnacle. The body is getting shipped off on Monday for paint. I have changed my mind on the color, too many LBCs get either British Racing Green or red. So I am going with Triumph Delft Blue. Call me crazy. I have started pressing the bushings out of the suspension, and am tearing down the front chassis assembly. Bought some cheap spring compressors from Harbor Freight, and KYB front and rear shocks. I am thinking that the front assembly will be powder coated, but have not committed to that yet. That's it for now. Vance Attachment: Just Dashes.jpg (Downloaded 138 times) Last edited on 11-03-2023 04:28 am by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Just an update of recent work. I have completed the tear down of the front suspension, and disassembled the hubs. I am planning on new wheel bearings and seals. I ended up pressing the centers out of all the bushings. The metal inserts and the shells are all vulcanized together, which means that you cannot just press out the rubber (upper control arms are an exception). This left rubber sticking to the inside of the shells. From there I used a hacksaw to cut the shell from the inside, then a hammer and a drift to drive out the shells. Pretty crude, but it got the job done. I have stripped the front calipers, but the pistons seem to be rusted into place despite the rubber dust seals being intact. This is pretty common if the brake fluid does not get changed as it is hygroscopic and absorbs water. From there the water rusts everything from the inside out. After the brakes get rebuilt, DOT5 fluid will be used as it does not absorb water and rust things. Plus, it does not damage paint if things leak. Many people claim that seals fail when DOT5 is used, but I have used it on my last 3 restorations without a problem. I suspect that people convert an existing system to DOT5 and their old seals give up the ghost, so they blame the fluid. I will probably need to replace the pistons (when I manage to get them out) as they are likely to be pitted, but we shall see. Oh yeah, the car is off for paint. I had to delay painting as when I refitted the bonnet the panel gaps were horriffic. The PO had sectioned the nose, and was not watching the dimension between the outer fenders. He got it about 1/2" too wide, so he used filler to build up the inner fender lips to get the panel gaps reasonable. Arrgh! So I ended up slicing out a ribbon of steel from the left inner fender, then used ratcheting straps to pull the outer fenders closer together. I then welded the inner fender to lock the outer fender in place. The panel gaps are now fixed. Anyway, that took me a couple of weekends of fiddling, so paint got delayed a bit. Stay tuned for more news. Vance Last edited on 04-08-2024 06:52 pm by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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Latest news on Rusty the car... I decided to toss my old brake calipers as I could not get the pistons out. Compressed air popped one out, but he rest, well, not so much. I asked a buddy what he does for this, and he welds a bolt to the piston and uses a slide hammer. I felt that if I was that desperate, the bores would be pitted so I tossed the old calipers and bought new ones for $90 each. They are the same calipers that the early Spitfires use, so they are readily available stateside. The rear slave cylinders appear to be the same ones that the TR7 4 speed and the TR8 use, so these are not an issue either. I got some photos back from the body shop, and the car has had all the dents removed and is now in primer. So progress is being made. In the meantime I have rebuilt the heater (removed a wasp nest, bead blasted, painted with new gaskets), torn down the rear axle, painted the brake drums, powder coated the bumpers, and acquired a bunch more parts. I even got a spare engine so I can replace a cracked cam gallery that the PO had patched with silicone (it didn't work, BTW) The trailing arms have been cleaned and painted, and I got the last bushings in the rear axle removed. They were the worst to get out - argh. A tip of the hat to Bruce Madden, who has supplied me with some difficult to find parts for very reasonable prices. Stay tuned for more news... Vance Attachment: IMG_6052.jpg (Downloaded 109 times) |
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redracer Member
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Glad to hear you're making progress on your car--hopefully you'll have it ready for spring? I made a puller for the caliper pistons(looked all over for one but no one has one??). You need to pull the 2 halves apart(DON'T LOSE THE FLAT WASHER THAT GOES BETWEEN THE 2 WHERE THE BRAKE FLUID GOES), and make some type of a puller with small jaws 90 degrees to the shafts. Anyway, you've already found suitable replacements, but I probably have around 20 sets, so it was a good addition to the tool collection! |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: Latest update on Rusty. I have finally completed the rebuild of my front suspension. Powder coated (expensive, will not be doing that on my next project), all new bushings, new KYB shocks, gaitors, tie rod ends, etc. I rotated the lower suspension arms so that I can add a front sway bar should I feel that the car needs it. I spent some time waiting for the UPS man on a couple of occasions. I had failed to order a couple of bushings with a big order placed a couple of months ago, and I needed an internal spring compressor to reinstall the springs. I had some MacPherson spring compressors, but they were not up to the job. For the most part I used my vise to press in the bushings, but used some threaded rod and sockets in a couple of cases. BTW, getting tools from Amazon is much less expensive than Harbor freight, and if you are a Prime member they are delivered in two days. Recommended. The rear axle has new bearings, a drain plug, and is fully painted so it should not rust for a while at least. I have the new bushings in the trailing and radius arms, but they are not yet attached to the axle. I have been promised that my car will be back from paint "any minute now" for about 4 weeks. I am not in any rush as I still have lots of cleanup and prep to do on many small pieces. I may tackle the glove box next, it is in very rough shape as the felt has separated from the press board, and there are some tears that need work, as well as redyeing the felt, which is badly faded. Vance Attachment: JH Front Susp [1].jpg (Downloaded 91 times) Last edited on 03-28-2024 01:17 am by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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A quick update on the project: The paint is finally going on the body. I have attached a photo of the paint - Triumph Delft Blue. I have started work on some of the interior bits. I rebuilt the glove box which had totally fallen apart. The felt had fallen loose from the hardboard, the front of the glove box had fallen off, and the hardboard was badly warped and faded. I cut an aluminum strip and glued it to the inside of the glove box to restore the shape, then used spray adhesive to reattach the felt, which I recolored using spray on fabric dye. I painted the hardboard, and stapled and screwed the front of the glove box to the hardboard. Looks almost new. Here is that photo of the paint going on. Vance Attachment: IMG_6324.jpg (Downloaded 78 times) Last edited on 04-07-2024 02:59 am by vnavaret |
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noomg Member
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Vance, I don't think that dirt in post #21 was from a flood, when I redid my J/H I removed the fenders and found some dirt back there, not as much but my car has lived it's whole life in SoCal. So while those inner panels do seal out most of the dirty road water some does get past. When I restored my Austin-Healey (no inner panels) I found two to three pounds of dirt in the back of the rear fenders on each side! Your experience with Just Dashes is about normal, outrageously expensive, incredibly long wait times. They do dashes for a lot of 60s muscle cars so a dash for a $100,000 restoration probably takes priority over your $5,000 Jensen-Healey and I agree it's a lousy way to do business. Swapping the lower suspension arms while out of the car was a good idea it's a real PITA when it's on the car. And yes you will want to add both front and rear anti-sway bars as they will make a significant difference in handling. The paint turned out beautifully, I'm just curious which Triumph cars they used Delft Blue on? The TR7 I test drove was blue but as I recall it was a lighter blue similar to the Malaga Blue offered originally on the Jensen-Healey. I'm just curious especially at this level of restoration, have you ever driven a Jensen-Healey? |
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noomg Member
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Vance, I forgot to mention now that you're reaching the point where reassembly is going to begin I highly recommend when you get to that point you install the dash first THEN the windshield. While it seems counterintuitive since you'll have better access to the dash for the install (which you will) without the windshield in place, it's a real bitch getting the windshield over the dash and into place. Plus you run the risk of cracking the unsupported windshield while trying to get it over the dash. |
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noomg Member
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Vance, Sorry for the mix up on the last post, it should read install the windshield FIRST then the dash. It probably makes more sense now. |
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vnavaret Member
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noomg wrote: Vance, I figured that is what you meant, that the windshield should go in first, but thank you for the clarification/confirmation. To answer your question, no I have never driven a JH. I like the styling, the motor tech, and the fact that it is a relatively obscure British marque. I seem to need a restoration project in my life to keep me busy, and the JH filled all my requirements. I have not touched the motor yet, but I have acquired a few parts such as performance camshafts and a set of high compression pistons. I intend to keep the Zenith carburetors, as I have found them to be an excellent blend of performance and economy and they keep the car more original. Cheers, Vance |
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JH12947 Member
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I certainly don't want to portray myself as an expert on this, having only done it once, but in my current restoration I completely finished the interior, including the dash, prior to putting in the windshield. I had absolutely no issue installing the windshield and can't really see where fitment would be a problem. I'd prefer to leave the windshield in a nice safe place while doing other work around the car, including the engine and bonnet. JM2CW |
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noomg Member
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JM2CW, I'm glad to hear your install went off without a hitch as mine didn't. The only reason I can think of for that is maybe all restorations are all a bit different. On mine with the dash in place and the windshield posts in their holes the bottom of the windshield was obstructed by the dash and couldn't be rotated into place. Eventually with a lot of lube, jiggling, and some minor paint scratching I worked it into place. I was about ready to pull the dash before it slipped into finally place. Vance, I too was drawn to the elegant simplicity of the design. Once you get it on the road I think you'll find the driving experience to be delightful. In comparison to the Wedge the steering is quick and very light and the overall feeling of the lightness of the car will become readily apparent. Looking at motor upgrades you're probably finding the tuning options for the 907 are almost infinite. The most common upgrades for the motor include the 2.2 stroker kit, Dellortos and either 104 or 107 cams plus a few other bits. This combo will push you up to around the 190hp range. That's a lot more HP than Lee Mueller had when he won the SCCA national championship in '73 driving a J/H. While some guys on our Wedge website think they're crap I really like the Zeniths, they're easy to maintain and tune and very reliable. Since I've got to smog test every two years the carbs need to be up to snuff which is easy with the Zeniths. |
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vnavaret Member
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noomg wrote: While some guys on our Wedge website think they're crap I really like the Zeniths, they're easy to maintain and tune and very reliable. Since I've got to smog test every two years the carbs need to be up to snuff which is easy with the Zeniths. I think the reason so many disparage the Zeniths is that there are several adjustments on the carb, and if you do not know which adjustment to make, you can get them pretty messed up. The SUs by comparison are elegant in their simplicity, and more difficult to fubar. Hence the near universal praise for them. I get tested every two years for emissions, and having worked with both SUs and Zeniths, I can say that the Zeniths are superior in that regard, while giving up nothing in terms of performance. And despite claims to the contrary, there are many (I counted over 100) needle profiles available from Burlen Fuel. I recommend that people find a copy of the Haynes book "Zenith/Stromberg CD Carburetors" and READ it. Zeniths will make perfect sense and maintenance is a snap after perusing that reference. Vance |
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vnavaret Member
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Paint is finished, so now I need to get the car home and start reassembly. I am starting to get excited, but still MUCH work to do. Vance Attachment: IMG_6334.jpg (Downloaded 52 times) |
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redracer Member
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Vance: the Stromberg carbs are very easy to adjust, especially if one has a CO meter(my Heathkit from 1983). Also, I happened to get a reference book in the late'70s made by INTERAUTO, entitled "STROMBERG CARBURETTER", which is 4"X8" soft covered, that explains every little component that goes on it. It has been very useful. Here is more info if you can find one: ISBN 0-903192-52-7 LONDON 1973 |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: Latest on "Rusty". Car was dropped off a couple of weeks ago after paint. I spent some time seam sealing the fender wells, and giving the undercoating a refresh. Just finished installing the front suspension/Engine cradle into the car - picture is attached. Attended a local swap meet on Sunday and picked up some new horns. Still haven't touched the engine, but I did order a set of pistons from Delta. 9.5:1 +0.030". The higher compression should add a few ponies and some torque when I finally work on the motor. Other plans include more duration on the exhaust cam, 3 angle valve job, etc. Next is to reinstall the rear suspension, and get the body off the dolly. Reassembly has begun! Woo-hoo! Vance Attachment: JH Suspension.JPG (Downloaded 27 times) Last edited on 04-29-2024 11:33 pm by vnavaret |
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noomg Member
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Vance, Long way to go but you've reached the point where every step is a step forward. The first thing I'd do is get rid of that hood prop it's the cause of the "dreaded hood crease" which almost every J/H suffers from to one degree or another. I use a telescopic prop rod mounted on that self in front of the radiator. The cool thing which you may have noticed is you can raise the hood quite a bit higher than the stock hood prop allows which is nice since you'll be spending a lot of time under that hood. Make sure the shop dealing with your head knows the 907, there is a specific procedure for doing the head. West Coast Racing Heads used to be the go to but they no longer work on them. I believe there's a place in San Diego area that does them, a trip to one of the many Lotus websites can probably get you a name and address or maybe even a shop closer to you. Crack on Mate! |
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vnavaret Member
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noomg wrote: Vance, I just read a thread discussing the hood crease, and I had noticed it on the unrestored hood before it went off to paint. The PO had completely disconnected the prop after it had apparently jammed. A little oil got it working again, and I assume the PO was too lazy to oil the damn thing, hence the crease. It seems that converting the hood to dual gas struts would be the way to go, as the hood is a bit wobbly with just the single original strut. It is now on the list of things to do at some point - I will need to track down some info on doing the conversion. The relevant hyperlinks I have found to date no longer work. I doubt I will need to spend much time under the hood, as of course the car will start and idle perfectly on the first try. Not. To infinity, and beyond!!! Vance |
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redracer Member
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Vance: somewhere on this site I've written about fixing the "bend" in the bonnet. I first saw this repair on Clay Gleason's car(he named it "LUCY" , from the comic strip Peanuts, and even had his driver's door jam on the rear steel plate "engraved" with her picture!). This was at the 2nd Jensen National in Carmel Valley in 1990. Clay stated a body man in Seattle had cut the lower part out(intending to straighten that and weld it back in later) in order to get at the main hood for straightening. The body man also welding in a piece of steel under the opening, about 1 1/2" X 15" X 1/8" thick to strengthen this area. He then carefully welded the the outer piece back in(stressing the parts in the opposite direction so the heat would not "shrink" the the area), ground down the welds, and repainted. The 2 original #10X32thds/inch holds can be reused for the hood support! Unless you knew, you would never notice the repair plus this area is now MUCH stiffer than the original!(I did this exact repair in the late '90s here in Atlanta, and it came out extremely well) |
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noomg Member
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Vance, I know some guys have done the twin gas strut arrangement but I'm not a fan aside from the expense the problem for me is they're still supporting the hood from the middle which is where the crease lives. What I like about the prop rod is by supporting the hood from the front it takes it takes stress off the middle hood and you don't have to work around it when working on the motor. Of course your car, your choice. As far as the motor goes some years ago I rebuilt the motor in my TR7. I started from the bare block replacing all the usual stuff. Once assembled and installed with everything hooked up I charged the battery in preparation of a couple of days of cranking and tweeking. I steeled myself for the chore ahead. I put the key in the ignition and turned it, the motor cranked for maybe 5 seconds immediately fired up and ran great! |
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vnavaret Member
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Folks: 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 Attachment: IMG_0397_small.jpg (Downloaded 77 times) |
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noomg Member
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Vance, The question of drainage holes in the floorpans is one that has come up on any number of message boards. The general consensus is that they are alignment holes. There are alignment pegs on the jig that the car sits on during assembly. The stamped floorboards with the holes are simply placed on the pegs then it can be welded into place and down the line some gomer pops the plugs into the holes. If you think about it drain holes in a car don't make much sense and if that was their purpose why would they plug them. |
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JH12947 Member
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On other message boards to which I belong the consensus has generally been that the holes are for drainage for when a body shell is dipped at the factory for rust protection. The holes allow for the treatment to drain and are not for general drainage during life on the road. They are therefor plugged. |
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vnavaret Member
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Folks: Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. The journey continues as I slowly restore "Rusty" the car. Lots of stuff to talk about since my last update. I have cleaned, repaired and painted the windscreen frame. In the photo I have reinstalled it, along with a new windscreen and repainted header pad. I broke the original windscreen during removal (grrr!) so had to get a new one from Martin Robey. New side view mirrors are in, and the reconditioned heater box and scuttle plate are in as well. The fuel tank has been painted and installed, along with the fuel pump. No fuel plumbing yet, however. In a fit of OCD, I have carpeted the trunk which turned out very nice, but is definitely gilding the Lilly. I also installed a power antenna for the planned Retro Sound radio. I got the radio on eBay, where the prices are much lower than outfits like Moss. I also put the third layer of truck bed liner on the underside of the new floor pans, so the rustproofing is done (?). I have ordered the interior carpet, and new brake booster. The current booster is in horrible cosmetic shape, having leaked, shed its paint, and become badly corroded. I am not willing to trust my life to it, but was hesitating since a rebuild is $300, and new units are about $250 US. Moss Europe is currently having a 20% off sale for TR6 brake components, and it turns out that the JH and TR6 used the same brake booster. Even with the extortionate shipping, it is 25% less than any domestic supplier. Screaming deal. I have not yet reassembled the doors, as I want to install new window seals first - and they are on order. As you can see in the photo, the wiring has been roughed in and I am in the process of installing the dash. The original mounting T-bolts had disappeared (the ones at the base of the windscreen) and are NLA. I could make some from sheet metal and screws, but discovered that elevator bolts are a nice replacement. The engine is still untouched, being last on my list of tasks. That will be started sometime this coming winter. Cheers, Vance Addendum: I said the boosters were identical in the above post. That is not quite true, at least for my car. The stock booster is 7" in diameter, the TR6 is 6". So it is slightly smaller. Others have used the TR6 booster and say it is very satisfactory. Caveat Emptor. Attachment: IMG_0552[1].JPG (Downloaded 45 times) Last edited on 08-08-2024 12:17 am by vnavaret |
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JH12947 Member
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vnavaret wrote:Folks: Vance - I installed the TR6 booster when I did my restoration - works great. Just be aware that it is very finicky on having the internal rod clearance set properly. I neglected this and ended up locking up the front right brake. Lots of resources on TR6 sites and I think mentioned here somewhere as well. Corey |
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vnavaret Member
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Lads: Another update on Rusty the car. I decided to guild the lily and had the valve covers powder coated in wrinkle Blue to match the car. I then used my belt sander to highlight the logo on the covers. Didn't turn out too bad, although given what the powder coating cost, I was more than a little nervous about botching the whole thing. Anyway, photo attached for your amusement. Brand new Automec brake lines installed, but not without a minor hiccup. The right hand drive cars do not have the PDWA assembly, and Automec shipped me a LHD set based on a measurements I sent them. Everything worked except when I tried to connect to the PDWA. Three fittings were 7/16" while the pipe set used 3/8" pipe nuts - correct for a RHD car, but not a LHD car. I scrounged some 7/16" fittings from a wrecked MGB at my local British car shop and used those with no issues. I also sent a detailed note to Automec so the next pipe set they ship will have the correct fittings. The new servo and master cylinder are also in place. While installing the brake pipes, I discovered that the front wheels were not clearing the front suspension. A little research showed that I had installed the upper control arms upside down. Doh! =:-o It turned out to be a nit, as flipping the arms over with the suspension in the car was easily done. Much easier when everything is clean and the fasteners are not rusted in place. Didn't even need a spring compressor as the spring is firmly held in place when the suspension is at full droop. The parking brake is back in the car, and it actually works. I have also installed the dash (facia) after many test fittings. The original fasteners for the section adjacent to the windscreen were long gone, so the dash was pretty floppy when I removed it. I tack welded some short bolts to small pieces of sheet metal, and glued them in place. After a couple of tries, I got everything lined up and it is now installed. Woo Hoo! Picked up a working clock on eBay. The 1980s Jaguars (among others) used a clock with an identical form factor, and the movements were quartz so they keep excellent time. The original clock said "Jensen" on the face but used an electro-mechanical movement that probably kept time miserably. So except that the face says "Quartz", you would never know the difference. Score! That's it for this episode of "The adventures of Rusty the car". Tune in next week, same time, same channel! Vance Attachment: Valve Covers.JPG (Downloaded 30 times) Last edited on 09-09-2024 02:13 am by vnavaret |
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vnavaret Member
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OK, sports fans... Latest and greatest on Rusty the car. I have installed the Martin Robey carpet kit with some felt I got from eBay. I used snaps to hold the floor coverings in place so that they can be removed and cleaned when necessary. I reassembled the door regulators and window glass, along with the exterior window seal. I also derusted the door lock mechanisms but had a heck of a time getting the exterior door handles to work. The parts manual was useless in terms of showing me how to attach the handle, so I went to the web and found a picture showing how the latch needed to be assembled. Turns out I was attaching the handle linkage to the wrong point on the latch. They work great now. I also installed my home made panel kit. I tried to install it with the plastic fasteners the factory used, but I had difficulties getting the pins to align and in place without breaking, so I threw in the towel and installed the panels with automotive finishing screws. Sorry originality aficionados, I let you down. =:-( I still need to install the end caps on the door skins, as well as the map light on the passenger door. I painted the door handles with vinyl dye to match the light tan of the panels. The speakers for the stereo are not installed yet either. I will not be reinstalling the pathetic 4" OEM speakers. I have 5" 2-way Infinity speakers in the TR8 and they work well, so I will possibly be getting another pair. They will handle the much higher output of the Retro Sound radio. I will have blue tooth so I can play the music I keep on my phone... I found a couple of occupant seat switches at British Auto Works, so the seat belt interlock can be reconnected should I wish to. My 1974 TR6 had the same setup, and simply unplugging the occupant switch disabled the seat belt interlock. Federal law required that in 1974 the car be startable with no occupant to facilitate tuneups and the like, so if the switch is disconnected it drops into the tuneup mode. Ha! Fuel and vapor hard lines are installed, and I will be moving on to recovering the seats. The seat foam is in great shape, but the covers are ugly IMO and the webbing is shot. The covers are from Riverbourne Classics in vinyl that matches the trim panels. Tune in next time boys and girls for the further adventures of Rusty the car! Vance Attachment: New Interior.JPG (Downloaded 11 times) Last edited on 11-03-2024 06:36 pm by vnavaret |
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