cock-ups

[AndyH]

Not sure if there has been a previous thread on this before, but I wondered if anyone was willing to reveal all and admit to any cock-ups during their build.

I'll start the ball rolling...

When I first got the kit (last September), I quickly became fed-up with a number of bits and pieces that didn't go together properly.
This was typically:-

Hole for steering rack coupling too small and in the wrong place
Rear Leda suspension strut didn't have enough thread to secure the beta top mount.
Front suspension spacers needed machined to fit
etc etc

So I firmly believed that nothing was right and all was wrong... bad frame of mind.

I went to fit the bottom wishbone to chassis and found that the bolt hole appeared to be much smaller than the bolt. I knew it needed to be 1/2" so used my electric hand drill with 1/2" drill bit to "open-up" the hole.

This not only took off the paint (which in hindsight was all that was needed), but also managed to open up the hole a bit more than I needed.. I've now got a nice bit of play and still considering options to fix.

Anyone else care to add??

[guy mayers]

Learning to work with fibreglass......... the hard way.

Well, there are two options when you make a mess of it.
1. Repair it.
2. Replace it.

And I am guilty on both counts.

I managed to trim way too much material off the trailing edge of the nose panel after completely misaligning it (Measure twice cut once syndrome failure) and ended up having to rebuild about half an inch around the rear edge. Fortunately it all worked out ok and has never shown! Part of that must be because the panel is now so much thicker than original due to installing the strengthening ribs seen on the original cars.

I also made a real pigs ear of the louvre panel, removed the fixing flange, forced it into the aperture, trimmed too much off the sides to get a not so tight fit and generally b******d it up. Ended up getting a new one from Gerry.

But repairing the nose section teaches you new skills which allowed me to attempt building the door lining panels out to meet the swage line around the inside of the door so it looked really neat!

The hole in the roof for the aerial is in the wrong place....... It's half way between the back of the roof and the back edge of the roof scoop. Look right but it ain't. It will sit right where a "Pirelli World Rally Champion" sticker has to go so it will need moving forwards to the centre of the roof. Good job the car will be painted anyway so that one won't be seen!

And the biggest cock up of all?

Has to be ordering a right hand drive chassis........... it's the only regret I've got about the car!

Cheers
Guy

[roger001]

Originally posted by AndyH

.

This not only took off the paint (which in hindsight was all that was needed), but also managed to open up the hole a bit more than I needed.. I've now got a nice bit of play and still considering options to fix.



Option to fix - use the two large washers as normally supplied and weld them in place, this is often used on competition cars as a means of adjusting non adjustable geometry.

[CorseChris]

Can't quite decide which one wins, but it would be either;

a) Starting the build in the first place

or

b) Everything I say & do.

[Sando]

Plenty of ups and downs along the way...........

Worst was breaking the glass fitting my lovely refurbished Speedo, by just being impatient.

Funniest though was last week, I'd removed a couple of innocent looking studs on a meaty part of the block a week or so before, so that the SVA man would be able see the Engine number. Started work early Sat morning so I pushed it out onto the drive to not upset the neighbours, all was fine until I started her up to get it back in the garage quick when the rain came. Left a lovely line of oil up my drive and in the garage especially where I stalled it and gave it a few more revs the next time. Heart attack and quick head scratch later......................... the studs were not in blind holes, they went all the way through the block! Doh!

More speed less haste
Nottingham

PS the Mrs was really pleased with the new patterned tarmac too........................

[chris.richard]

Step 1 Drill a hole through the inner front wing.
Step 2 Forget about nice expensive Samco hose on the other side.
Step 3 Admire new cooling system bleed site.

:rolleyes:

And I did something similar on my RS2000 years ago when drilling a hole for a spotlight steady bar in the slam panel, except it was the oil cooler that took it, and I didn't notice until we started the engine. The car was outside, and a graceful arc of oil went 5m in the air and lubricated the garage roof. Of course, after that I'm older and wiser!:D

[David May]

1) Install lovely new copper radiator
2) Drill small hole in cooling fan support to clip wires in place
3) Stand back and admire new (heated) windscreen washer jet

Dave May

[guy mayers]

Only mine was on the Fiat Spider, converting to RHD I drilled a hole through the bulkhead for a choke cable and straight through the wiring loom...............
Fortunately the battery was disconnected or that would have been the cars third attempt to burn!
Guy

[Jeff Davison]

I never make mistakes.
Once I thought I did, but I was wrong.

:D

Jeff Davison

[roger001]

When using an angle grinder to cut out the old beta engine mounts - Makes for very pretty sparks - however said sparks are hot enough to prmanently embed themselves in glass. End result the inside of my windscreen looks as if some one took a pepper grinder to it. Except they dont brush off. oops!

[David May]

While we're on the (familiar) subject of rare and expensive glass:
1) Fabricate a new bracket to stop the interior mirror vibrating.
2) Attach new bracket below the windscreen surround with sharp, short (but not quite short enough) self-tapping screws.
3) Move the tax disc to cover up the crack coming down from the top of the windscreen.

Dave May

[guy mayers]

And on behalf of Austin Smith..........
Fit Screen 1. Ok!
Fit ally surround which won't stick down satisfactorily. Drill hole in surround and secure temporarily with a self tapper.
Remove said screw after curing and crack screen.

Take car to Bob Pilott at Courtney Garage to have screen no 2 fitted. Car left.
Return to collect car to find it has been left underneath a car lift from which a screwdriver has fallen and cracked screen 2.

Bob Pilott fits screen 3.

Saga to be continued............

Guy

[guy mayers]

Discover small crack at base of screen at Abingdon 2003. No idea how/when/where but it's there.

Live with it until MOT time.

Last week took car for MOT. Screen is a little dirty but the swept area has been cleaned by the blade ok and the screen is wet showing recent signs of the use of the washer jets. Wiper blade strategically place over the crack.

MOT man fails to spot it. I can live with the small crack until I can afford the paintjob in a couple of months!

and that was one cockup that wasn't mine!

[vojx]

Originally posted by roger001
When using an angle grinder to cut out the old beta engine mounts - Makes for very pretty sparks - however said sparks are hot enough to prmanently embed themselves in glass. End result the inside of my windscreen looks as if some one took a pepper grinder to it. Except they dont brush off. oops!

same result when i modified the steering column bracket. 10 years later still picking the bits out (now they're rusty, easier to see)