BRAVE or just FOOLISH RM RESTO

[arceye]

Thanks Fred,

It is actually up on just the one at the moment, it did until a day or two ago have an axle stand as well, but we borrowed it for another job so I will rectify that situation in the morning

Cheers

[Neil MG]

How are things progressing?

[arceye]

Well, still moving forward Neil, though never as fast as I like, life keeps getting in the way.

Anyway, update time. After finishing the last wheel cylinder and de rusting one of the back wheels, polishing and painting a hub cap to see what it will look like, Rusty came out of the garage for a swilling off of all the dust and debris that had accumulated.

So, I took the chance of getting a few photos.













Since then I have got the drivers door welded up, painted and on, all glass, window rubbers, exterior handles are on and winding mechanisms in place. I still have to finish trimming up the front doors which means making a new door card for the drivers door but I think pretty good progress.

I've also de rusted and painted / fitted the number plate panel and cleaned up / painted the number plate.

Lights are fitted and after chasing some electrical gremlins seem to be doing all they should, and I made a couple of tell tales that go on top of the sidelights. Being my usual skinflint self, these were made from an old Range Rover reversing light lens.

I also fitted the nearside filler pipe so they are both on now which may keep some fuel in the tank.

Here are a couple of pics of Rusty today,







The dust is settling again, so I had better get moving. Still need to try and repair the "sill" panels and spats. Get the wheels cleaned up and painted, but Rusty will be getting closer.

I've just popped an order in to the club for a couple of bump stops, master cylinder kit and a couple of other pieces, if I can sort the master cylinder I might be able to give her a trial run at last.

All this leaves me getting nearer to the bumpers, and what to do about them until the time comes that I can afford to buy some. I'm thinking the old fall back of silver paint for the time being, at least its nice thinking I might be getting towards that stage. Though I'm sure I will find at least one or two more jobs elsewhere first.

[rich.]

is it the same car?

[mach1rob]

Coming on nicely, fingers crossed you may get some use out of her before the summer is out!

[alfaSleep]

.... just watching.....

keep it up!

alfaSleep

[junkyarddog]

Thats looking damn good

[TerryG]

That is looking rather superb. I honestly can't believe that is the same car you started with. You should consider doing it for a living.

[arceye]

Cheers Chaps

Not too much to show really, the wheel spats are now sorted and in paint, so just the sill panels to do and that will be the bodywork sorted for the time being. That said there are a few areas I want to re-visit and give another sand and paint etc but they will wait.

I've sorted one of the sill panels and just need to bolt that on, I'll wait until I sort the other one first, its in a very rusty twisted state so I'll get some piccies of the repair of that one.

All wheels are now de-rusted and painted, hubcaps sorted, so looking somewhat better.

Piccies with spats fitted





Other than that over the past couple of weeks I've been back at the brakes having put new seals in the Master Cylinder, a lot of time was spent bleeding the system and adjusting everything before I finally got a decent pedal with acceptable travel. Brake linings are on the soon to do list, they are fine for now and far from worn out but getting a little thinner than I would prefer.

and so, today, off into the drizzle and murk of the Scottish summer.









One benefit of no longer needing an MOT, meant a nice legal run up our lane and along the B road for some snagging, ending up five miles away at the garage the lad works at.

All went well, Rusty drives straight as an arrow and corners like a dream, speed was limited to 45 mph on the run due to a bit of missing on one cylinder which after another play with points etc seems to be fixed. Not bad after around 44 years off the road.

Anyway, the purpose of all this was to road test the car, beg a go on the garage ramps and get the car looked over, other than split steering gaiters and a bloody useless handbrake she seems pretty much there. So they will be got too soon, and then a little more testing / fettling, the idea being that when I'm happy she is going to another local garage / testing station where I'll have her checked to MOT standard.

The main reason though for borrowing the ramp was to get a job done a little easier. Thanks to advice received over at the RM Club forum it was decided to clean the sump and oil strainer after all the years stood. The thought of begging a ramp and getting the lad to do some spannering rather than laying in the gravel on my back was appealing. A good job too by the look of things.

I knew Id got water in the oil when I'd been working on the old girl early on, and there was almost certainly water down in there when I got her, I'd thought a quick oil change would have got the worst but the emulsified gunk of black sludge and water lurking in the bottom end would not have been very good at all....The sludge in the bottom of the sump under the baffle plate was a good half inch thick, this wasn't going to be relieved by a couple of quick oil changes.






It all looks a little worrying really, but the water level remains constant, there is no boiling up and no pressurising of the system, so I think, or at least hope its just from the work and standing.. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, it's nice to know all that gunge isn't going to be making its way around the engine now everything is cleaned up and back together.

Feels like a milestone has been reached, there is still work to be done, and starting to get some light use may reveal a spanner in the works yet, but I've finally driven Rusty on the open road and it feels good after all the work to now

[TerryG]

You need to change her name from Rusty to Shiny!
I am still amazed you have managed to revive it to such a high standard.