Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

How did you get it out?

I have a 2T engine crane and it goes plenty high enough, what size are you using? Can you shorten the straps?

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Hi John, I had another read of your post. You need to strap the engine so it's balanced when lifting. Put the strap under the engine and around the back between 3&4 inlet manifold. Lift the engine horizontally over the front panel. Then manually lift the drivers side to tilt the gearbox down. Then you can lower the whole lot into place as described in my previous post.

[DarrenH]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

cool updates. that new water pump is actually the "good" type, with cast spiral impeller. the old one with square folded blades works ok but is inferior because of its shape and will cavitate at higher revs.

i used plain old hammerite smooth on my engine. bakes on fine.

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

cool updates. that new water pump is actually the "good" type,

Thanks, that's good to know as I wasn't sure ....

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Does anyone know if pistons cut with deeper valve pockets will save the valves if the cambelt should go? I'm thinking Omega pistons here.

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

No one?

I mean Omega as in SBD High comp deep valve pocket pistons not Vaux Omega (just in case anyone was wondering why I would fit those )

I've always wondered since I fitted them if the deeper valve pockets would save the valves if the cam belt ever goes?

I suppose not, but does anyone know?

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

A little update, started working on the rear hatch. Glass out and glad I did as some small amounts of rust was found lurking behind the mastic seal. How it gets there is beyond me but it's gone now.







Stripped all the paint off and had a go at some panel beating to remove a dink. My first go and it worked wonders, no filler needed. I wish I'd tried this before now but lesson learnt. This chap was my inspiration and he has a good set of videos to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdLDOkEPFgA

The dent was under the red primer, it's done in a flash and faster than it would take for filler to go off as he says in the vid.



Sprayed the whole thing in Epoxy Mastic 121 and then primed in 2K.





Then decided to have a go at replacing the rear brake lines, never done this before and it was a doddle I have to say.

Flanging the pipe



Looks neat with shiny new pipes..



Opps, made it a tad too long so made a coil as I'd fitted from the rear forwards, should have started at the front and then it would have been easy to have shortened the pipe ... never mind, another lesson learnt ..

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Fitted the fuel lines which someone had changed to 8mm copper sometime before I bought the car some 18yrs ago. They are still in good nick so back on they went.

Painted the top of the fuel tank yesterday, another coat will go on today and then will be re-fitted.

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Fitted the oil cooler, steering rack pipework and rad. Rubbed down the steel coolant pipes and as you can see they got a lick of blue paint that was left over from painting the engine..



Stripped the rear brakes for cleaning and unseizing of one piston. All looks ok so they will now get a dunk in the electrolysis bucket for de-rusting before painting.



The slider pins where badly corroded, could get new ones I suppose but decided to clean them up in the lathe and see how it goes first.



Fitted the rear hatch, looks OK but badly out of line, need to buy a 40 torx key to loosen the mounting brackets inside the car to make the adjustments.



Feel like it's getting there now!!

[astravanmk2]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Wow Darren it looks like a car again and in such a short time scale, you have done amazing work given the condition it was in when you got it back

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Thanks Liam, it's coming along ..... slowly ....
TBH I'm not hammering at it, at least it doesn't feel like it as I seem to be drinking more coffee than working on the car when I'm out there

Nothing done today, but I thought I might show these .. the callipers I got from Hayden have been stewing in the electrolysis tub. The callipers have been in for a few days but the carriers only overnight. On the carriers you can see the rust layer being lifted off and any paint along with it.

You might think crikey that rust is thick, well it is but it's also expanded as the electrickery casts its spell as it were.

As you can see the callipers have come up well, no rust survives this process and good steel is unharmed in any way. These are now ready for painting after a quick scrub with the wire brush.

I've chucked them back in for now to stop them rusting up, as I said good steel is unaffected by the process so they could stay in there forever and nothing would happen to them.

[astravanmk2]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Blimey the result is striking.

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Yes it does work well Liam, I've stripped some big machinery this way in the past for a re-furb.

Talking of machines I did some lathe work tonight and made some spacers for my Vectra disks. As many of you will know the bigger 288mm disks have a larger centre hole than the standard Astra disks.

So I chopped a length of 70mm dia from a larger bar and stuck it in the lathe.



Cleaned it up and drilled a hole on the centre with the biggest drill bit I have.



Bored the centre hole out to match the Astra hub. (this takes a while and would be better to start with a pipe, but gotta use what's at hand. Well that's what machines are for ....!)



Then parted off several pieces. The disk is 7mm thick so I made the spacers 6mm to make sure they didn't foul the wheel fitting.



Chamfered all the inner and outer edges to clean them up.



And here we are, well if you're gonna make a pair may as well make some more at the same time



Fits the disk nicely



And here we are fitted to the hub ... nice snug fit ....



Next job is to drill the disks to four stud ... another day ...



Now the keen eyed amongst you may have noticed I made enough for three cars.
One pair is obviously mine ....!
So the other two pairs are up for grabs, first shout goes to Liam who was kind enough to let me have a pair of doors for free, second shout goes to the forum owner. (I haven't a clue who that is btw)

If one or neither wants them, and they well may not, then it's a free for all. But on one condition, you must intend to make use of them and if not pass them on for free. That's all I ask.

I want nothing for them, they are only spacers after all ...

[BlackBox]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

Now to sort the bigger disks out.

Set-up the milling machine so that I could make four new holes at 100mm PCD and at 90deg to each other. I don't really like disturbing the mill as it takes ages to line it up true afterwards. But I couldn't do this vertically so horizontal she had to go!

I'm using the drill bit just to line things up on the old disk. The holes were cut using a milling cutter as one hole is elongated. Try that with a drill bit and you'd be in trouble !! Once you have one hole lined up then it's just a matter changing disks and rotating the dividing head 90deg each time.



Here I'm counter sinking the little 6mm disk retainer screw hole.



All fits nicely, done both sides so that's that job done ..




What do peeps do about the backplate? Leave it on, take it off or source a larger Vectra type to match, do they even fit?
Do you have to have them for the MOT?

[G.TERI.E]

Re: Introduction .... Got my Baby back !!

excellent progress were do you get all your enthusiasm from lol?
lost the mojo for my gte lately but still been buying little bits here and there,

do you think you will be having a special offer on resto projects for Astra mk2.com members in the near future.

keep up the good work