IainRS1700T

That's interesting. Good to know there's a viable back up - then again the T5 isn't the best either!
Who's the co. doing the adaptor plates?
I'm interested as I've often thought if my V8 doesn't go like I want then a Saab turbo or Volvo 5 pot conversion would tempt me, but I'd want to keep my Tremec TKO box..
Cheers
Iain

tonysierra4x4

hi iain,
i will get all the details for you over the weekend as a mate has them as he had one made for himself. i will see him sat pm and will send message.

IainRS1700T

Cheers fella!

SMILER258

Any updates Tony?

tonysierra4x4

hi nathan
flat out in work atm so no time to get on with anything. finished off electrics, spray booth all insulated and lined so any spare time now can be spent on shells.
hows is yours going?

SMILER258

Ah right. Out of curiosity, what do you do for a living?

And nice! More space than me lol. Wish I could make a spray booth. More than likely be a marque. And mine is going ok, slow progress, but inner arch done, rear quarter welded on. Just need to dress it all, then fit rear panel. Stripping donor ready to transfer everything, so will have your abs ready soon, and then it goes into storage.

tonysierra4x4

agricultural contractor. basically go around farms with our machinery as most farmers can't afford the type of machines we use.
sounds like you're getting more done than me. i am lucky to have enough room to build a spray booth. it will save trailering shells around the county to get them painted.
it's a pitty you weren't closer as you would be more than welcome to use the workshop.
since you were here last the whole site has been levelled and stoned so looks a lot different than it did before.

SMILER258

Ah right! Thought it would be something like that the way chris drove that fork thing lol. And yeah haha, shame. You're just a bit down south from me haha. And sounds better! It looked a mud bath before! You still got all the donors?

tonysierra4x4

at least you had a 4x4 lol. still got the donors but don't think they will be used. not 100% decided yet on what i will do.

SMILER258

Ah right. If you don't use them, definitely break them. I read rear estate door cards are worth a bomb in good condition! Very rare!

SMILER258

Haha, yeah. That frontera's gone now. Bought a van for transporting stuff round lol

SMILER258

Bump. Any updates?

tonysierra4x4

no updates at present mate. bought 2 donor cars for engines / boxes that i want to fit in one of the shells. keep buying parts when they become available so i suppose something is still being done. thats the trouble with my job. when the weather is good i get no time off. the site where my workshop is, is still being developed and is nearly finished so looks a hell of a lot better. chris is over there on a 360 digger and in fairness to him he is doing a very good job. i will send you a couple of pics to your email to see what you think in the next few days.

SMILER258

Oh right! That workshop will be getting full then I guess lol.

If any of the donors have leather seats do you mind keeping them? As I have a classic mini I want leather seats in and finding some local is for some reason proving difficult

Wicked. I swear he should have every driving licence known to man the way he drives that digger round lol

Cool, Cant be worse than when it was a mud bath lol. Gravel or tarmac drive?

tonysierra4x4

gravel drive. both cars have leather interiors one is black in good nick the other cream but not so good. both volvo v70's so not sure if any good to you due to size. be quite happy to take a few measurements for you.

SMILER258

Width is the only problem, but if you could take measurements that's be great! And the black ones would be better as I have a black interior.

Widths from the widest points, and the width of the rear about 50cm up from the base please, as the only problem can see is the rear bins in the mini being in the way, otherwise I will have to cut them.

tonysierra4x4

will do nathan as soon as i am over there.

SMILER258

Cheers

tonysierra4x4

decided to rally prep the white standard shell first so as not to cause to much damage to cossie shell. turns out the car had been damaged in accident and front ns wing pushed into bulk head by around 15mm. after a lot of thought decided to have it straightened out and keep going with original plan. had it back on saturday and looks pretty good. placed wing and bonnet on to check and looks like everything will now line up correctly.





spent the rest of the weekend removing the matting that gets stuck to the floor. slow job but getting there.








work is starting to quieten down a little so hopefully i will get more time sorting the car out. found a small rust hole under the matting and one seat anchor point rusting so will get these sorted before spraying begins. seam welding will also be done as shell will be cleaned right down so ideal opportunity.

SMILER258

Good stuff! Everything OK down your end of the world then?

IainRS1700T

Glad to see you're back on with them fellas!
Hopefully the winter will be a productive one in your workshop.
All the best,
Iain

tonysierra4x4

hi nathan, everything good mate. are your projects moving on atm.
cheers iain, hope to spend a lot more time on them than i have lately.

SBT83

Looks a good clean decent project you've got here mate! I've only just stumbled on it. Ill keep an eye on this.

tonysierra4x4

shell isn't perfect by a long way but for a 29yr old ford i can't complain. not much welding req'd but looking like both front wings, headlight bezels, slam panels and lower panel so pretty easy or atleast i hope it will be. originally all these were fitted new before i purchased the shell but were bodged to hide the damage. i should have realised before but we all make mistakes. i will see actual condition of shell when cleaned and blasted underneath so no nasty surprises under there and i will be quite pleased.

SMILER258

Well started my apprenticeship as a sheet metal fabricator and welder, so I've got income, and will buy some bits for H258, and the mini is getting closer to being ready to paint. Any news on them Sierras in that field?

tonysierra4x4

nothing happening with them yet but i am still trying.

SMILER258

Ah right.

Also, was the moonstone car painted white inside? As I guess you removed the sound deadening, but there are patches of both colours. It's confusing me haha

tonysierra4x4

tbh it is confusing me too. the moonstone shell is moonstone blue inside. the white shell is moonstone blue in most places except the boot and around the quarter lights and doors. i don't think it is a top coat but does look close to the colour. maybe all sierras were painted in this colour or the white shell has had a colour change during it's lifetime.
hope this makes sense as i'm more confused now than i was before.

tonysierra4x4

i am getting fed up taking underseal off the inner wings and underside of car. seem to have spent ages and not even half way through atm. anyone know of an easy/easier way of getting this crap off as i have been told by blaster it is better to remove it previous to blasting. inner wings means basically using a wood chisel as it is between 2 and 5mm thick. underneath is hot air stripper and scrape off. on a positive note all metal revealed so far is as new so very pleased with that.
960 sump and oil pick up pipe will be sent off to fabricator in scarborough who has done a few before and has the measurements to cut them down to fit the 5 cylinder engine. can't have engine mounts fabricated as he has never made these to fit a sierra, only various volvo's converted to rwd.
seems there will be a problem with the dash regards rev counter, speedo etc but will look into solving these.
decided to buy a new mig welder and do most of the welding, seams etc, myself as i realy want to do as much work on these as i can myself.
looking at the genuine shell myself and chris are looking into replacing any damaged areas with new panels. seems like the best option and so far it looks like rear panel, nsf wing, upper and lower slam panels (if that's what they are called) and headlight surrounds. the nsf inner wing will be repaired as i don't feel confident enough to tackle this myself. once blasted off the list may go up but fingers crossed.
will post pics once shells are cleaned.

SMILER258

You tried an aggressive wire wheel on a 9 inch grinder for underseal? Works wonders. An hour and it'll be gone

And inner wings, have you tried a hot air gun on max, and get it bubbling, then scrape it? Long process and messy but easier, and then just wipe it down with thinners.

tonysierra4x4

yeah i have tried wire wheel on big grinder but it wont be gone in an hour. found this is very good finish as majority of time it leaves the primer on the metal. find the vibration is a sod after a while. was hoping someone could tell me wether paint stripper etc would work.

The Youth.

iTrader: (1)

Mine walked off with a hot air gun (not a hairdryer lol) to soften it then used a scraper

steve

SMILER258

I tried paint stripper and I might as well have washed it with soap and water. It sucked

To get primer off use a nylon pad on a 4 1/2 inch grinder or a brillo grinding pad. They get a really good finish on the metal for a primer to key into it.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p181...FbIPtAodWj0A0Q

tonysierra4x4

cheers for the advice. i'm not worried about any paint as it is being soda blasted but they recommend getting the underseal off first. ironic realy as i only wanted it blasted to save removing all the crap myself.