The E9 Eating Rust Project

Lotus at BCCH tech day, hard starting diagnosed

2012-01-21T17:30:00.000-10:00

I volunteered my Lotus for the January BCCH tech session. We met at the Boys Club on the 21st, which was perfect for me because Patrick works on his cars there. Patrick has just restored a Jag, but he also has three Europas under restoration. (See, I'm not so crazy!)

My main issue was the hard starting. Ever since I put the car back on the road it has been hard to start. When I turn the key the starter makes a lot of noise, but it is reluctant to catch.

My original cure was to replace the original starter with a geared down Denso, specially prepared for the Twin Cam. I got mine from Dave Bean. Still had the catch problem, but it cranked with a lot more authority.

Every once in a while I noticed another thing. The starter would not turn the engine over at all. The only sign of action was the pitch coming from the Holly fuel pump dropped a bit. Wait a bit and it would be back to normal.

All this time I thought I had a bad ground or a faulty relay. Saturday's session revealed two things. First, the starter is being cooked by the exhaust pipe that runs directly under it, which causes it to stick. Once it cools, it comes back to life. I wrapped the starter in a heat shield for just this reason, but to do it right I need to fabricate one out of aluminum. Second, the teeth on the flywheel ring gear are hammered flat, making it difficult for the pinion to engage. The rattling sound is the pinion bouncing back and forth.

At this point I need to mention that lately the engine has been making a noise that sounds like a failing water pump. Could be the timing chain tensioner, but the water pump is much more likely. To fix that I will need to pull the engine and transmission, remove the head and oil pan. (Did that back around 1979, just before the car went into the barn.) Time to restore the engine color back to the proper grey. New clutch and throw-out bearing. New timing chain. Install the new coolant pipes I bought a few years back. There goes my summer.

I want to thank all the guys from BCCH who participated in chasing after this daemon. Special thanks to Patrick, a wealth of knowledge. Good pizza, too.

Heater blower, part 1

2012-01-14T18:14:00.000-10:00

I started on deconstructing the dash and glove box area in order to safely repair the rust-throughs at the rear of the engine compartment. Having gotten this far I decided I should extend my reach by removing the hard plastic coating in that location (same stuff as on the floor?) and to the rust breaking out around the blower motor mount.

According to the manual, removing the blower requires removing the blower duct under the dash, and to do that requires removing some of the controls. Unfortunately the manual was not entirely clear as to what gets removed.

The control panel was attached to brackets on each side with a single bolt, head facing outboard. I thought I needed to disconnect the control cables, and did disconnect one, but in the end I left the assembly in the car. The blower duct was coming apart at the upper seam on the LH side. Looks like it can be glued.

RH front floorpan out, more underneath

2012-01-07T17:49:00.000-10:00

After spending so much time removing that mystery goo from the passenger side front floor it turned out I needed to remove the entire patch panel. That's what I did today, and that piece of sheet metal will not be going back in.

As I was drilling out pop rivets I realized the seat had to come out. One 10mm bolt at the front of each rail, one on the outboard rear, two on the inboard. So many things are missing a fastener on this car I wonder if there should have been two on both sides. Note bracket on inboard bolt that goes up from underneath.

It is the nature of allure that what is hidden under a skirt is much more intriguing that what it is visible. I could say the same about this floor panel. When at last I had peeled off the patch panel the exposed surface seemed at first to be in terrible condition. After a few minutes poking around it turned out to be rather basic, if a bit rusty.

I was surprised to find so many layers of stuff underneath. A layer of rubbery plastic, reminds me of tar paper. Thin foam rubber. A thick layer (1/8 in.) of a black plastic that was poured on wet, looks like Bakelite. Under that is the original floor pan.

Have to find an efficient way to remove that coating.

posted from Bloggeroid

Floorpan not so good

2011-12-30T20:39:00.001-10:00

My respiratory system showed no unusual effects after Wednesday's session. Today was all about finishing; removing the last of the goo and paint and the usual wash and metal prep cycle, maybe even a coat of POR-15 paint.

I tried using a scrub pad in combination with acetone, without much success. What did work well was to spread a "clean" rag flat, soak it with acetone, wait a minute then move it around just a bit, working the wet down into the goo. That plus some scraping on the thick spots and slowly it came off.

When the goo was gone I used a flap disk in the 4" grinder to remove most of the paint and some light corrosion. To finish off the last bits I switched to a wire brush in a die grinder.

I was working on a rough spot with the die grinder when the brush broke through a spot, and underneath was all rust. The only way to be sure it gets taken care of is to remove the repair panel floor pan. Good news, if it can be called that, is that it is pop riveted in. I can't wait to see what's lurking underneath.

I did finish with a POR-15 clean and prep, if only to prevent any more damage.

posted from Bloggeroid

Ripping out old carpet

2011-12-28T22:42:00.001-10:00

I will not be surprised if my asthma acts up tonight, or if my allergies go haywire. I pulled out a bunch of old carpet from the passenger's side of the E9 today. Filthy, rotten carpet. The bottom layer actually looked original, which would make it 38 years old. Dust. Mildew. Candy wrappers from my kids when they were in elementary school, which was, say, fifteen years ago.

It was not my plan to remove the carpet. I started out to work in the engine compartment, where I need to weld in a patch along the gutter by the rear RH corner. To do that I needed to check what was behind the panel. That was behind the glove box, so that had to come out. Except the glove box hinge was blocked by a pile of old carpet.

I had no idea the carpet had been glued to the floorboard. The mystery glue looks like creosote; hard, tacky, sticks to skin and hard to wash off. Softened by naphtha, better removed with acetone and a wire brush. The brush breaks off tiny balls which dry and can be vacuumed. I must have wasted an hour removing this stuff and the job is still unfinished. It has to come off for the POR-15 to stick.

The floor pan and part of the firewall have been replaced using galvanized steel, which appears to be in good shape. The edges were smoothed with some kind of filler, which has dried and shrunken considerably. That has to be re-done. Even the new floor has a few small rust holes, so it will get a layer of fiberglass as part of the POR-15 process.

I did remove the glove box. The inboard support still had the original pin and snap ring, but the outboard support was a bolt and nut. Only two lag bolts attached the hinge even though there are holes for three. Had to disconnect the light wires.

posted from Bloggeroid

E-34 clock lights and mystery radio

2011-12-11T16:27:00.001-10:00

Yesterday was too full of schedule conflicts for me to go to the shop or gamelan rehearsal. One of those conflicts was the Honolulu Marathon. The marathon was today, but my wife and I have for many years volunteered to be on the timing clock team and yesterday morning was orientation and clock synchronization.

The race went off prefect despite rain and thunderstorms throughout the night before. After breakfast I decided that due to the lousy weather I could not work on the Lotus, but I could work inside the E-34.

My recently acquired E-34 does not have an original radio. I had deduced as much because the front panel does not match the manual. I used my special, five sided "penta" wrench to release the lock tabs, pulled out the radio, flipped it over and found this label:

So, this radio is from a 97 318. What I need to find out are 1) the security code and 2) why my CD player is not recognized.

While I had the radio out I replaced two of the three light bulbs in the One Board Computer (OBC). All three were out but last week BMW Honolulu only had two in stock. Now I can actually read the clock!

Last Friday the car got new window tinting from T&T. Tomorrow it will spend the day at Dent Doctors having a bunch of little door dings removed. Next will come a good polish, them some touch up paint. Should turn out looking a lot better than I had expected.

posted from Bloggeroid

Dirty kick panels

2011-12-03T20:15:00.001-10:00

Today I got dirty. My goal was to soak both kick panels with POR-15 Metal Ready. To do that I had clean them with Marine Clean.

I used my garden sprayer to shoot the Marine Clean, then rinsed with a garden hose. Used an air nozzle to blow dry, and muck blew everywhere. When things were dry I knocked off the lose paint and rusty bits with a wire brush in the die grinder. More muck. Eventually I got it all done.

Need to return to this area and continue with the floor and firewall. Need to find a way to seal the gap between the original metal and the replacement floor.

posted from Bloggeroid

Left door deconstruction

2011-11-26T21:48:00.000-10:00

Finished deconstructing the LH door. Took a lot longer than the RH door due to a frozen lock nut on the upper stud that supports the heavy vertical section. Ended up splitting both with a die grinder. The stud was spinning anyway because the tapped hole was stripped. Another thing to repair when it goes together.

The rear bolt that holds the rear window bracket is extra short. Probably by design, to clear something.

Finally got RH nose under control

2011-11-05T17:30:00.000-10:00

I never did make it in during the week, as I had hoped, so I had to start by applying filler on the low spot I found last week.

While the filler set I worked on the LH door. I discovered there were no fasteners holding on the wood trim panel. I just tapped it up and free with a candy hammer. I also removed the window lift motor. Note the one short bolt in the photo.

When the filler was ready I spent what time I had smoothing it and the surrounding area. I went ahead and applied a coat of etching primer and a coat of white enamel even though the area is not ready or finish paint. This coat is there as a moisture barrier, to prevent new rust while I work elsewhere.

On the way ... '94 E34 wagon

2011-11-04T14:45:00.001-10:00

Just a quick note to announce a new addition to my stable, a '94 E34 wagon. Not nearly as lovely as the E9, a beast to the coupe's beauty, but a grand replacement for my dilapidated van. I plan to pick it up Sunday and pick up some plastic storage boxes to take the place of the cardboard boxes in the van. Everything works except the A/C, and with a little luck I can get that going.

posted from Bloggeroid

RH nose, air dam, almost ready

2011-10-29T14:23:00.000-10:00

My goal for the day was to duplicate on the right side what I had done on the left, namely bring the repairs to a close and put down a coat of real paint to block moisture as I continue working elsewhere. This does not mean the area is finished and ready for paint. More like ready to start wet sanding as prep for paint.

Well, I didn't get that far. There are some tricky spots remaining. Most notably a deep groove along the joint between the panel beneath the grill opening and the air dam, caused by a fiberglass patch. In the close-up pic it is below the black fiberglass patch in the center of the pic. I got as far as being ready to apply filler but was out of time. Hopefully I'll do that during the week.

posted from Bloggeroid

LH door off, LH nose painted

2011-10-15T21:28:00.000-10:00

Had a good day today. The kind of day where everything just works. Finished everything I planned to do with time to spare, so I had a relaxed lunch with my wife.

I bounced back and forth between painting the nose ... what I wanted to do last week ... and removing the LH door.

I used a #6 metric hex wrench on that special hinge bolt, and to get better grip I cleaned off the paint with a small, pointy wire brush in a die grinder. Came out easy.

On the RH side the door window motor ground wire on the inboard end was attached to the frame with a screw. On the LH side things were different. The original ground wire was extended with a sliced in section, then went to a multi-terminal ground point which was not connected to anything. Odd.

Wiped down the nose with acetone, applied two coates of acid etch primer, them two coats of white finish paint. This area is not finished, I just want to keep moisture out.

Next week I need to get the RH nose to the same level of completeness and disassemble the LH door.

posted from Bloggeroid

Bad shoulder brings me back to nose

2011-10-09T18:42:00.001-10:00

On Friday I had an acupuncture session on my shoulder to treat an old issue that was aggravated by the century ride. That meant I was resting, so no hard efforts or heavy lifting. I decided to put off working on the left door and instead returned to the nose.

After my Friday appointment I stopped by BMW of Honolulu to walk the lot and get a price quote on rubber bits for the doors. Saw a super clean used 3 series wagon, too new, too expensive, and a great looking new Mini Cooper Coupe. Not what I need. The quote came to $2,000. The expensive pieces are the door seals at $400 and change each side. Seems excessive, but what can you do? Still no word from the guys in England.

My goal for Saturday was to get a coat of etching primer and a coat of enamel on at least the LH side, including the bumper mount and the top side of the air dam. I would have made it were it not for the car in the bay next to mine -- late model, pure white -- and wind -- not blowing away from that bay. I plan on going back Wednesday long enough to shoot it. I did do the POR-15 wash anf prep drill.

Since I had a little time I decided to get started on the LH door by removing the outer window trim piece. It just lifts of, no screws. Between the rusty clips and the rusty sheetmetal underneath, it was a bit of a fight. Previously I left the RH piece alone, but my curiosity got the netter of me so I tried to remove the part with the fabric and fuzzy stuff that rubs against the glass. Turns out it bends really easily. That, and the lack of rust, suggests it is made of aluminum. I wonder where I can source that felt fabric?

I spent Sunday afternoon shopping for a car to replace my van. Stopped by Servo to look at a 328IS (I am really looking for a wagon) and the salesman turned out to be my old friend Eddie Higa. What a small town. Also checked out a private party 5 series wagon, turned out the mechanic is a cycling buddy. Might be the perfect car. I'll call him Monday.

posted from Bloggeroid

Door deconstruction

2011-10-01T12:04:00.000-10:00

Learned a lot about E9 doors today. Some things seem really well thought out, others seem haphazard. Obviously a side effect of being hand made. I also learned that one of this car's POs was a careless mechanic, because the guy I bought it from told me he swapped out the doors from some he bought on the mainland, and I found lots of missing hardware. Why use two bolts when one will do?

I decided to start with the vent window gearbox, but that was a mistake. Need to remove the entire window frame first, as it slides down into the gearbox drive shaft.

Removing the window only required two bolts, both in the rear. Appears a third bolt in the rear lift bracket was missing. The glass is passable, but not all that good. Has a long scratch along one edge (as if a rock got jammed in the window opening), and there is a chip near the upper edge. I am not going to replace it until everything else is nice. Which may be never.

The forward window rail carries all of the weight. Along with one or two normal looking bolts that go into tapped holes, there are two unusual mounts made up from slotted studs and nuts. Remove the nuts and washers, then "tighten" the studs if necessary until they slide up through the slots.

I took a series of five pictures of to detail the rust damage along the top edge. The inner panel will need some repairs before new skins can be attached. I plan to do that before removing the old skin.

The vent window connects to the gearbox via a flat tang and slotted shaft. Looks like a bolt belongs here, but nothing present.

Two quick shots of bottom edge rust damage. May need to repair inner panel but does not appear as severe as the top edge.

Removed the outer door handle and the lock.

The rear lift rail was only attached by two thin nuts at top of door. Note thin adjustment plate between nuts and door. Bottom end appears to be missing a bolt.

Removed all of the trim retaining nuts, but unable to remove trim strip because one stud was rusted to its washers. Shot with PB Blaster.

All in all a very satisfying day. Do need to get back to the nose, it needs a little more work and a coat of paint to stave off more rust.

posted from Bloggeroid

Moved my storage stuff

2011-09-24T18:48:00.001-10:00

Just a note to say that I didn't work on the E9 today because I moved all the bits and pieces to a different storage shed. The old shed is next to a structure that is being torn down before the wind carries it off to Kauai.

I had a few minutes after the move, but the Honolulu Century Ride is tomorrow so I decided to take it easy. Had more time to eat lunch before gamelan.

posted from Bloggeroid

Door window lift motor

2011-09-21T20:22:00.000-10:00

Started the day fiddling with the nose. Sanded some filler along the bottom edge, still had some pits so added more red glazing putty.

Sanded a spot on the RH side, still had a low spot about the size of a quarter (grey in the photo), sanded off the primer and applied Technifill.

While waiting for filler to set I got started dismantling the door removed last week. The book describes a Bravaria, which is just different enough to be useless. The trick is to raise the window (used a booster battery), remove four motor mount bolts, pull out wire harness, remove lift arm from window, then, and here's the trick, run the motor as if lowering the window to fold it into a small enough package to extract through the opening in the door.

Some details. There is a rubber grommet where the harness passes through the door frame. Inside the door the harness is secured with a bend-over clamp. A ground wire from the motor attaches at the motor bount bolt.

All that took so long I never got back to the nose. No problem, it'll be there next week. By the way, Honolulu Century Ride is Sunday the 25th. I'll be doing the full hundred miles.

posted from Bloggeroid

RH Door Off

2011-09-21T19:43:00.000-10:00

Last week I was trying to create some visual progress and got stuck removing an odd looking bolt. Today I succeeded. Anyone who has been watching will see the change, a gaping hole where the passenger door used to be.

XXbolt

I tried a number of tools on the bolt but nothing held. It seemed to be unusually tight. Finally resorted to a special extration tool with sharp inward-facing teeth that bite into and grip the head. Destroyed the bolt, but got it out.

I got right to work disassembling the innards, to get the door ready for its new skin (which I have yet to order). The example in the book is from a Bavaria, so it took some head scratching to figure out how to remove the innear trim piece and window molding. The vent window knob retaining screw become accessible after popping off the plastic insert; stick something through the hole in the back. This was not mentioned at all in the book.

I took a series of pictures of the window molding where it attaches to the door because I think I'll need to remove all those clips to replace the felt.

Right away I can see I will need to do some welding to repair the top inner edge.

posted from Bloggeroid

Door Skins, day 1

2011-09-03T21:09:00.001-10:00

I never got around to writing last week's blog. On Saturday night we attended the 50th anniversary concert of the Hawaii Gagaku Ensemble, and Sunday was taken up by a long bike ride. It's been busy.

Last week was unusual in that the shop was full to overflowing. My E9 was overshadowed by a row of trucks.

Smoothed out the Epoxy Filler applied to the RH corner last time.

Underside of LH grill opening after grinding down the excess POR-15 from the fiberglass patch. To be filled in with TECHNIFILL.

This is to remind me to work on the RH side.

RH corner after shooting with POR-15 Etching Primer.

The bump in the middle of the curved is a weld seam from when the car was made, or old repairs. Cannot get that any lower.

Last thing done was to apply TECHNIFILL on the underside of the LH grill opening.

It's been a couple weeks now since I started looking for door skins. So far the most promising source has been Classic Heros, an English shop specializing in BMWs. Hey, they use an E9 on their web site, so they must be okay. I got a nice reply from Barney Halse saying they probably have them in stock, but he was out of town on vacation. I worry that the shipping will exceed the purchase price.

Now the the nose is just about done I decided it was time to make a big step forward, so today I focused on getting ready to fix the doors. Step 1, remove the inner panel on the RH door. Remove the latch handle, then the arm rest. The book described clips around the edge, but mine had screws. Typical old BMW shop manual.

Found the connector for the window motor in a recess behind the kick panel. Also found a lot of light surface rust, which I will need to treat. The two hot wires were easy, just a couple of push-on terminals connected to a large plastic block. The ground wire was another story. First, it was loose. The connector is a ring terminal attached to the frame with a screw. The screw has not been tightened, possibly because it is next to inaccessible, but it is now rusted solidly in place. I ended up cutting the wire ... I would never put it where it was. This might explain why I had a ground problem with the door windows.

I lost a lot of time fiddling with that ground wire, but I was determined to get the door off. I call it "visual progress." I ran into a stone wall when I discovered the FWD upper hinge bolt does not have a standard hex head. It looks like a Torx head, but my Torx tool did not fit tight enough to turn it. That was my day.

Bad paint

2011-08-20T21:59:00.003-10:00

When I arrived at the shop this morning the door to my stall was open. No doubt this was because of the heat we have had the past few days, but since it has probably been a year since the last time it was open, the sight of the exposed rear end was a bit of a shock. It made me realize that I did a lot of nice work back there, but I moved to the front long before the back was anywhere close to finished. Now at the front, my progress has slowed because I am trying to achieve "paint ready." I did not go that far in the rear because I was worried about my ability to repair the nose.

The only real challenge left is the doors. Everything else is time and money. Replacing doors skins sounds straightforward, but since I have never done one it remains a challenge. Right now the challenge consists of finding them -- nobody I have contacted by mail had replied.

I spent some time today on the lower front panels, sanding and filling small voids with putty. Very close to paint ready.

The last part of the session was spent fixing the alligator skin primer on the LH corner. I wet sanded it smooth with #150, and went a little deeper just to be sure. I thought perhaps the problem was a layer of oil from sitting in the shop so long, so before painting I scrubbed the area well with Marine Clean, then treated the exposed metal with Metal Prep. When that was dry I shot it with POR-15 Etching Primer, because beneath this area is a fiberglass patch. I thought the poor adhesion may have been due to the POR-15, even though the bad paint covered a much wider area. The result looked good, but I had to go before it was completely dry.

A couple of notes. First, I don't think it is a good idea to paint directly over an application of Metal Prep. A better method would be to rub the dried surface with Scotch Brite, to improve adhesion. Second, in places like this where oily dust may have settled on the surface, wash it with Marine Clean and use Scotch Brite rather than just a brush.

posted from Bloggeroid

Sand, sand, sand

2011-08-06T20:26:00.002-10:00

If I feel like I didn't accomplish much today it's because all I did was sand. That and a spot of TECHNIFILL. Now my arms are sore!

The center grill opening is very close to done. In the last set of pics you see that the arches need a little more work. I could stop now and the car would look pretty good ... but I jwant it to look "wow."

More nose, a little buffing

2011-07-30T16:07:00.005-10:00

Before getting to this week's work, I want to share a nice YouTube video I picked up on Twitter via @classicheroes. It captures the classy side of the coupe beautifully.

I got started today with that blob of filler in the center grill opening. A while back I bought a new rotary file bit to use in the die grinder, because the shop's is worn out. Today was my first time using it. Worked great on those concave curves. I had some work to do to center the downward pointing dip. I wanted to take more off on the RH side but am down to bare metal, so I have to extend the LH section downward to balance it. I also noticed a low spot on the LH side, on the forward facing section bordering the grill opening. For these places I decided to switch to TECHNIFILL, because the amount to fill is small and I could do more than one cycle today.

While working here I noticed that I had lost some of the indent where the upper panel joins the front panel. I decided to see if I could re-create it, but I ran into metal right below the primer, so I'll just leave it alone. This area is covered by the trim strip.

While the filler set I decided to experiment with cleaning up the grill, with the help of my Makita buffer. I started with the compound I got for cleaning up the Lotus after I repaired the scratched paint, Meguire Fine Cut Cleaner . When that did not work a miracle I tried Griot's Mag Wheel polish, the stuff I used to polish the carbs on the Lotus. This is a more traditional metal polish, the kind that stinks and needs a good stir before using. Again, no miracles. I decided to bring all that stuff home and work on it by hand after dinner, while watching TV.

Back to the nose. After a round of sanding I could see I was getting close, but I needed a little more thickness in a couple places. I added another layer and called it a day.

posted from Bloggeroid

Center grill

2011-07-23T21:31:00.003-10:00

This morning I concentrated on the center grill and grill opening. I'll get back to the bad primer when I locate more wet/dry sandpaper.

The LH side of my replacement grill opening came out slightly higher than the RH side. So the gap between the grill and the opening is too large on that side. After grinding off all the primer I added some POR-15 Epoxy Filler. Ran out of time to shape it, mostly because I started working on the grill.

The grill has two issues. One of the studs is missing, and it has three small dents about two inches from the top, in the verticle bars. Right behind the upper mounting brackets. Couldn't find a replacement stud, but I did smooth out the dents. Not perfect, but a big improvement. Didn't get a picture, yet. And it needs a good polishing.

I spent time on the panel below the LH grill opening, applying two layers of TECHNIFILL in the process.Still not done, but a lot better. Before leaving I applied POR Patch to the fiberglass patch from last week. I like that technique.

posted from Bloggeroid

Spotting putty, upper grill opening flange

2011-07-17T07:30:00.005-10:00

I went back to the NAPA paint center in Pearl City to pick up some wet/dry sandpaper and some spotting putty. Good news, one of the guys from the old Redline in Kalihi was working. Maybe things will work out after all. The bad news: out of anything near #100. The shop is much too small.

I am back to my short Saturday morning schedule. I really need to take some time off to make any progress. I think the Navy Seals were on the ground in Pakistan longer than I worked on the E9.

There is a series of small rust-through spots on the upper edge of both grill openings. More so on the LH side. I patched the LH side with fiberglass and POR Patch. This time I covered the metal with POR Patch and laid down the cloth, then stopped. Next time I'll saturate the cloth, maybe with POR paint. My goal is to avoid pulling the cloth out of position, especially pushing it through the holes.

Tried out the spotting putty on several places, worked well. Also bought a new can of primer, had the same aligator skin result. Could be incompatible with POR-15 Etching Primer. Next time I'll wipe the area with PPG thinner before spraying to see if that helps.

Spent more time on the LH lower front, just above the air dam. Almost there, finally.

posted from Bloggeroid

Long day on the nose

2011-07-10T23:02:00.003-10:00

Saturday was another "long" day. Long in that I was able to work on the E9 for more than three hours. Like the week before, I got a lot done even though it does not look like it.

The first thing to do was to sand off the last coat of primer applied the week before. I noticed a little breakup last week but it was more extensive after thorough drying.

As I worked the RH side I spotted a small high spot. Strange that I didn't see it before. I suppose that explains why the PO put so much bondo on the fender. I was surprised to discover that the area was lead, thick enough to file down most of the high spot. Working lead is so easy.

Over on the LH side I found a low spot just above the side marker light. It turned out to be a high spot a little further back, where the concave curve below the trim line blends into the front of the fender, all convex curves. I considered taking a hammer to it but was afraid of distorting the marker light opening. Besides, it is not all that visible. I decided to do what the PO did, use a little filler to fix the blend.

I did some more work along the bottom of the grill opening, especially where it meets the air dam, and around the bottom of the center opening. Slow going due to the bumper bracket.

The last thing I did was open up the rusted spot at the back of the hood opening, while thinking about how to repair it. I was going to weld it, but access to the back is blocked by the inner fender, and the curves are wicked. Besides, this is not structural. I think the best solution will be two layers of fiberglass cloth; I just need to figure out how to mold it. Note to self: buy a new set of rotory files, because the shop's are shot.

The last last thing I did was shoot all the bare places with etching primer. A thin coat, no dry mud effect.

posted from Bloggeroid

Still on the nose, regret the loss of Redline

2011-07-03T23:10:00.007-10:00

Took Friday off and spent much of it on the E9. Stopped off at what used to be Redline in Kalihi for a wedge shaped sanding block and some wet paper. The paint section looked worse than ever, and still no new Redline oil. I asked about the block and was told to try the "paint center" in Pearl City. Since I had the whole day I decided to undertake the adventure.

Turns out Redline is no more, bought out by NAPA. The paint center does have PPG paint, but the situation with my sanding block is cause for concern. I was told that since it is not a NAPA item it would be 6-8 weeks before it came in, if ever. So what used to be the only professional automotive paint store in Honolulu is now just another NAPA. What a shame. On balance, NAPA is the only store I trust with repair components for average cars, like my van -- water pumps and such. The others sell nothing but junk. For me it is factory original, or NAPA. Anything else is a waste of time. For specialized cars like my E9 and my Lotus there are reputable sources, just nowhere near Honolulu.

Just for fun I decided to locate the new store on Google Maps. Check the comments ... my feelings exactly. The exact opposite of the old Redline.

My Saturday session was longer due to no Gamelan rehearsal. Over the two days I got a lot done, but not much "visual progress." Sanding, a little more filler, another coat of primer. Tweaks everywhere. One place that is taking a lot of time is the area below the grill opening on the LH side. Trying to even out some old impact damage and deal with the acute angle at the joint with the air dam.

Exposed a new spot under the LH side light. Not rusted, just pitted, like old damage. Wire brushed, POR-15 clean and prep, filled with Technifill.

One new thing I did was to start grinding out some rusty spots in the underside of the hood and near the windshield opening. Nothing big. Looks like I'll have to weld a patch along the corner of the water gutter, just like the rear trunk opening. Gave all of the exposed areas the POR-15 clean and prep treatment.

I exchanged mail with Coupe King concerning door skins. Apparently he has steel for one side and aluminum (CSL style) for the other. Guess I'll keep looking. I'd like to add one of his air dams, but I'm sure I'd knock it off at the first parking lot.

posted from Bloggeroid

Nose - all that's left is tweaking

2011-06-25T16:44:00.003-10:00

After a little look-over and fine sanding, the first thing I did today was add some TECHNIFILL to the low spots. Well, actually, the first thing I did was apply Metal Prep too all the bare places, because in just one week of rainy weather, surface rust had set it. In Hawaii you just can't leave steel unprotected for long.

While waiting for the filler to set I removed the two grills from the hood. This was easier than expected because the screws go into plastic. For the car to look good these will need to be replaced. I wonder how other E9 owners deal with this.

When the filler was set I did a lot of sanding, trying to blend the new stuff with the surrounding surface. I actually started using 100# paper. I added the radius at the top edge of the roundel mount using a spongy sanding block. I removed the jig and smoothed the filler even though it will be hidden, mostly to ensure good water drainage. When everything was good I shot it all with POR-15 Etching Primer. I used this instead of the 3M product because of the fiberglass patches applied with POR-15. As it turned out, two of those patches had pin holes. I tried smoothing the paint with a fingertip the fill the holes, but of course the surface ended up a mess.

The last thing I did was add some filler on the lower LH side and the upper RH side.

posted from Bloggeroid

Fathers Day Ride

2011-06-19T13:42:00.002-10:00

I usually think of a ride as a group activity. The annual Toys for Tots motorcycle ride, or the HBL Honolulu Century Ride for bicycles. If I waited for such a ride to take out my Lotus I doubt it would ever move.

Today is a beautiful day, and I decided as soon as I got up to take the Lotus out for a spin. I had to clean it up a little, mostly the wheels and windshield, then we were off on a south shore loop. "We" being me and the car.

I pulled over in Hawaii Kai to take some pictures. As soon as I got out of the car I was set upon by a delightful family; mom, dad, son and grandfather. Obviously out to celebrate Fathers Day. I said hi, and the questions began.

"What kind of car is that?"

"A Lotus? What year?"

"Is that the first model?"

"Why does it have two gas fillers?"

"What kind of engine does it have?"

"That must be the only one in Hawaii."

"What is it made of?"

I love it when that happens. Total strangers see my car and feel compelled to react. They wave. They honk. Or, like today, they overcome their deeply ingrained conditioning to mind their own business.

I sure hope that family will remember this Fathers Day as the time they saw that little yellow car.

posted from Bloggeroid

Roundel mount looking good

2011-06-18T20:23:00.008-10:00

There are few things more satisfying for a mechanic than the first time an engine starts. We had one of those today, a Subaru in for an engine swap, all shiny and tricked out. The happiness on that guy's face was unmistakable. Every long term project needs some milestones like that. Otherwise, it just turns into an endless grind. I know I'll celebrate the first time I shoot my E9 with primer, in the paint booth. Maybe I should not wait so long. Like, when the nose is finished.

Every Saturday I inch a little closer. Today was all about shaping the Epoxy Filler I applied last week. As expected, it was easy due to the filler being rough shaped when applied.

As the first round of roundel shaping progressed I could see where I had a few low spots. Being minor imperfections, and not wanting to wait another week, I applied some TECHNIFILL. I also applied a bit more along the top, above the roundel, where it seemed necessary to flow into the sheet metal on either side. While that set I worked on the top on the RH side, and along the bottom of the LH grill.

When the TECHNIFILL was set I used my tool again to sand it smooth, and the long blocks to blend in the top surface. There is a bit more shaping to do, so I did not add any more filler. I took these pictures at the end of today's session. The first three are without flash, so that the shadows highlight the shape. The last three are with flash.

For comparison:

Before work began:

After initial stripping:

Reconstruction:

Seeing these photos all in one place really brings home how much work has gone into this.

Roundel mount shaping tool

2011-06-11T21:05:00.005-10:00

For a long time I planned to shape the circular, recessed roundel mount with a self made tool. During that time the design changed several times. Today I made the tool, so it was time for all the alternative universes to collapse.

I knew I needed a tight grained wood ... plain old pine from a 2x4 just wouldn't. I ended up buying a piece of Popular from Home Depot. A bit expensive, more than what I usually spend on lunch, but a nice piece of wood and mostly left over for future projects.

I decided to use the wood on edge. After cutting out the piece of wood I needed I had to drill a hole for a 0.25 in. pin, which will keep the tool centered. My new Craftsmen drill was perfect for this (okay, a good drill press would have been better but I don't have one) because it has a spirit level in the handdle. Thank the bathroom renovation project for the new drill. I clamped the wood in the vise, clean length-wise edge up, leveled it, then drilled successively bigger holes which keeping the bubbled centered in its circle. I stopped one size short of 0.25 but the fit was so tight I was afraid I would split the wood, but after drilling out with a 0.25 bit the pin was not as tight as I wanted. Oh well.

The block rotates around like the hand of a clock. I had to cut away most of the underside to clear the steel plate and bolts that go through the holes used to mount the roundel. The last step was to shape the working end to for the curve that will creat the radius at the edge of the recess. File and check, file and check. You can remove wodd, but you can't add more.

When at last it was done I used it so sand off the filler that already extended too far into the mount. More than half would need more. I sanded off the primer and was applying a new batch of POR Epoxy Putty when I was struck by an inspiration. I could use the tool to mold the fresh putty. Worked like a charm. There will still be some sanding, but I will be starting much closer to the end point.

posted from Bloggeroid

Nose and Grill

2011-06-04T20:21:00.003-10:00

I examined the contours on the nose and found some slight undulations on the RH side. Sanded a lot with 40# on the long and short blocks down to bare metal on the high spots. Checked fit of bright work trim piece. Added more Technifill.

While filler was setting I worked on the roundel mount tool. Found a long 0.25 in. bolt. Cut off head, filed end flat and smooth. Looked around for some wood, nothing useful.

After another round of sanding there were a couple small low spots so I applied another small bit of filler.

Ended the morning working on the fit of thee grill. More to do there.

posted from Bloggeroid

All British Car Day 2011

2011-05-29T22:48:00.007-10:00

This is just a quick note that today was All British Car Day. I barely got the Lotus back on the road in time. Weather was nice, as always. Every year there seems to be a few less cars. I suppose as we get older that we eventually give up the hobby, while very few young guys take it up. Sure would be sad if some of these cars ended up homeless. A big mahalo to all the guys at British Car Club of Hawaii for putting on the show, and to the JN Group and Moss Motors, and anyone else I failed to mention, for sponsoring the event. And congratulations to my good friend Patrick Casey, who won Best in Show for his freshly restored Jag. Patrick has a whole stable of Lotus Europas, and has helped me with mine on several occasions. One of the replacement lower links came from him.

Pics on my Flickr site in a set: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjuLyqcT

Back to the E9 nose

2011-05-29T16:38:00.003-10:00

With the Lotus back on the road I can once again turn my attention to the subject of this blog. But time is running out on the van. It needs a new belt idler pulley and again the fans are not coming on. I'll try to do those things at home.

Before I went to the shop I checked here to see what I had last done on the E9. My starting point was sanding down the filler applied at the end of the last session. So many weeks have passed that I had to wash the nose down with soap and water to prevent grinding oily dirt into what I sanding.

The good news is that after a lot of sanding I finally started to feel the contours emerge. This is hard to explain. You start with rust or collision damaged sheet metal, cut holes, weld patches. It is a mess. As the fillers go on and are shaped, something special happens. The long, smooth contours of the original panel begin to emerge. Sanding is not just about smoothing, it is about exposing the original shape.

At the end of the session I could feel this happening. Many contrasting layers and colors of paint and filler interfere with the discovery, so I ended the session with a coat of etching primer. I will try to stop in one afternoon and shoot some sanding primer on top, to make next Saturday more productive.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus back on the road

2011-05-21T17:34:00.007-10:00

At long last the Lotus is finished. I took some time off this week to get it done.

Installed the LH backing plate, steering link, caliper mount. Packed hub bearings, installed hub.

That all went without a hitch, but there are always things that take a lot longer than they ought to. Installing the new tie rod bellows (the English call them gaiters) was a battle. These are genuine, made in England replacements. Problem was, they were a tight fit on the inboard end. I wasted a lot of time getting them on.

It was now time for paint. Having already washed the frame cross member inside and out with POR-15 Marine Clean and waited a few days for it to dry, I stopped by Thursday afternoon to brush on a coat of Metal Prep to some rusty places, especially on the bottom where it attaches to the body. Mostly it was still good from the last time I painted it. When that was dry I applied a generous coat of Rustoleum.

On Friday, with the paint dry I could finish attaching the new brake lines. Very nice set from Dave Bean. Next I used the shop's dandy vacuum brake bleeder on all four wheels, making sure to keep the master cylinder topped off.

I decided to take some time to raise the rear spring mounts. I did not want to make a mess of the handling so I just raised them 0.75 in. I also adjusted the new front spring to match the RH side.

Spring length

Front, free: 10 in.

Front, mounted: 8.25 in.

Rear, mounted: 12.5 in.

I decided to soften the front damper settings from 22 clicks clockwise to 15.

The last time I went through the front suspension I tightened everything with the car on the jack stands. I was told that this was why the front seemed too high even with the AVO shocks at their lowest setting. This time I used a pair of jacks to lift the front wheels until the body was clear of the jack stands before tightening everything. Pulling 50 Ft. Lbs. with the car teetering in the air was nerve racking.

The last thing to do was treat the inside of the frame cross member. Paint was out of the question because of over spray, and brushing would be useless. I chose to blast it with LPS-3. I lost two of the little red tubes inside the frame until I figured out than the cool WD-40 top could fit. I emptied the entire can in there. After shooting the LPS-3 I cleaned the area around the openings with naphtha, then covered them with black Gorilla 200 m.p.h. tape. At that point the car was ready, but I decided to sleep on it. Sometimes something will come to me after I get away from the job at hand.

Today, nothing new came to mind so I put on the wheels, took it off the jack stands, and went for a test drive. I like the softer shock settings but that needs more tweaking. Brakes are good, but the pedal is still lower than I like. Need to adjust the MC push rod. Steering is a bit stiffer, but with new ball joints and tie rod bearings this should be expected. Suspension worked fine. The front is a little lower, but still not as low as I would like.

Nice to have the car back on the road in time for All British Car Show at the end of the month.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus lower bolt in place

2011-05-15T13:56:00.003-10:00

This was a battle I did not see coming. The new bolt came last week (thanks Dave Bean!) . I expected it to slide right in. No gamelan yesterday due to graduation, so I figured the car would be rolling around by the end of the day.

The bolt went in maybe an inch and stuck. Thinking it was just snug I gave it a tap. Stuck hard, could not pull it out. I had to resort to my bolt pulling setup; this time I took a picture.

I tried to run a 0.5 in. drill through the tube. This got stuck, too. I could turn it with pliers and it felt like a burr. The pliers were slow going. At this point I would have used an electric drill, but there was no room -- the bottom of the nose hangs too low. I wasted most of an hour with the pliers with no light at the end of the tunnel. Then I asked Carl. Turned our the shop does have a right-angle drill.

After a substantial amout of drilling the hole finally got free. The bolt still needed some help from a hammer, but it went clear through.

I installed the lower links and the upright. Getting the anti-roll bar installed was a trick, but despite all the bending it fit perfectly. The backing plate is next and ready to go. I do not see any more road blocks.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus: Lower LH inboard link bolt

2011-05-07T11:21:00.002-10:00

My goal for yesterday was to finish as much as possible without the replacement bolt or tie rod bellows, to include painting the front of the frame. Didn't come close. I spent three hours getting the bolt out.

The process was simple. Put thick, oversize 0.5in. washer on first, so the force is applied to the tubing that the bolt passes through and not the frame. The tubing extends about 0.5in. from the frame. Add some 0.5in. drive sockets as spacers, one or more of those robust washers and a plain 0.5 x 20 nut. As the nut pulls tight the end of the bolt should be coming through; do not torque with less than a nut's thicknesses or the threads could be damaged. Tighten until about 0.5in. of thread extends, then disassemble and add more spacers.

I honestly thought I would only have to do this once or twice for the bolt to break free. It never did. I thought that the bolt would spin free, it never did. The torque was high enough to cause me to switch from a standard ratchet to one with a longer handle. Not that the force was really high, it was the repetition that was killing me.

I spent over three hours on this endeavor. Sure, some of that was spent searching for odd ball spacers -- an old ball bearing outer race worked well. Midway through, the bolt threads started to go bad and I had to clean them up with a die.

There was not much to make the bolt so tight. A grove where it extended from the frame. A little corrosion where the bushing went. It IS a precision fit, and maybe those things were enough. But I think the problem was the bend. This sifted the center of force well off center.

posted from Bloggeroid

Bent lower inboard link bolt

2011-05-05T16:15:00.002-10:00

Worked on the Lotus today. Goal was to get the LH suspension built up same as the RH. First challenge: my funky spring compressor. Turned out the solution was easy, remove the short strap, cut a couple feet off the long strap, and use that to tie the ratchet to the spring. Worked great. Exiting when tension is released because it lets go with a bang.

While I was attaching the lower links I discovered the front lower link was cocked aft. A closer look revealed that the bolt is bent. This is the 10 in. long 0.5 in. bolt that runs through the frame. So I ordered a new one from Dave Bean.

I also worked on the anti-roll bar. Clamped the end in a big vise, and me and Carl pushed and pulled. The shock mount hole needed to move inboard 1.5in. Got it.

Had to drop the front bottom cover plate to work on the suspension bolt. Looked for rust, didn't find much. Will hit it with Metal-Prep followed by brushed-on Rustoleum. Oh, and all that hardware needs to be replaced, with stainless.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus RH suspension mostly done

2011-04-30T18:20:00.003-10:00

Last week was the UH Manoa Gamelan concert so no time to work on cars. On balance, Dave Bean shipped my shock and anti-roll bar bushings, so today I had all the big stuff. I still only had three hours today, so if I want the car on the ground in time for All British Car Day I need to take a few days off from work.

Recently I bought new grease to pack the hub bearings, but I still needed gear oil for the trunnions and new zerk fittings, so I stopped at Redline. They had the oil, but no zerk fittings. Why is it always little things are what hold you up?

The guys on the Europa mailing list recommended liquid dish detergent to lube the bushings, so I brought along some. Hard to find plain dish soap! I expected a battle but they went together easily. I gently clamped the bar in the vise and used the jaws to backup the bushing.

While working on the bushings I noticed the angle of the bend at each end was different. Not the little bend, the big one. Probably a side effect of the crash impact. I won't be able to set it straight until the shocks are in place, because I need to know the distance between the bottoms of the shocks where the bar attaches.

I finished assembling the RH upright -- the steering link and backing plate. Greased up the hub bearings and added the hub. Couldn't do the tie-rod because I still don't have the steering rack bellows.

Since I got the new shock I thought I'd spend what little time remained getting out my home-made spring compressor. Made an interesting discovery. I have to compress the spring to even get the top mount point even with the top of the spring, but the nylon strap will not fit between the spring and the mount. Catch-22. That will take some thought.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus RH upright

2011-04-16T18:10:00.004-10:00

It's amazing what you don't know.

I was talking to Ken at Dave Bean about my springs, and he said that at 10 in. I was already low. Then he asked me if I had tightened the inboard bolts with the suspension in static ride position. I knew I had to do that with the rear lower links, but not the front. Duh. That saved a bunch of money!

Still waiting for parts (shock and anti-roll bar bushings) but I went ahead and assembled both uprights. Attached the upper ball joints, and lower trunnions, with new rubber bushings for the trunnions. Coated the inside of the trunnions with gear oil -- same Red Line 75W90NS I use in the transaxle. Applied light grease where upright contacts rubber seal. Note: trunnion with LH thread goes on LH side of car. Why would that matter, with so little rotation? Another note: fill trunnions before putting back on the road.

Removed the old brake hose, which was a fight. Loosened the lower inboard bolt, so that suspension will settle.

Installed the RH upright. Used my hardware on the ball joint instead of what came with the kit from Moss, because mine looks like better quality. Did use their bolt on the bottom, because for whatever reason I had used the original the last time I had it apart. Would have done the whole thing but the steering links needed another coat of paint.

Lotus tie rods

2011-04-09T20:48:00.004-10:00

Yet another short session today. But the good news is that the shop was even open.

First order of business was to remove the tie rod end bearings. Easier said than done. I had to use a really big crescent wrench across the top and bottom of the bearing and a long 3/4 open end on the lock nut to break the nut loose.

In the midst of that battle I was distracted by the arrival of a very nice BMW, a Z4 M coupe. I offered to trade for my E9 but the owner turned me down. Just as well. The trunk is too small to store the junk in my van.

Before I forget I need to record the number of turns to remove the rod end bearings. LH 22, RH 21.5. Surprisingly similar.

I wanted to remove the tie rods for painting and to lube the ball and socket, but the RH was so tight (yes I folded back the locking tab) that I decided it was not worth the risk of breaking something else. I ended up cleaning and painting in place, after slipping a sheet of plastic over the ball and socket to keep it clean. Same for both sides. After studying these photos I realize I should touch up the frame here, too.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus parts painting

2011-04-02T22:16:00.001-10:00

No photos today because nothing photogenic happened. Cleaned (media blaster) the other caliper mount and both backing plates. Sanded the LH upper links. Shot everything with Rustolium Primer followed by grey or black depending on the part.

Discovered I need new steering rack boots. Could not loosen tie-rod ends, shot with PB Blaster. Need to pick up small can of black Rustolium.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus spring compressor

2011-03-26T18:17:00.006-10:00

The goal for today was to experiment with the cargo tie down spring compressor idea recommended by several list members. I picked up a pair of 1,000 lb. ratchet cargo straps from Home Depot -- I chose the ones with hooks thinking they would hook onto the springs. Well, that didn't work out. The hooks are too big to fit between the coils, as well as the gap between the spring and the shock body. Besides, even if the hooks fit the springs are too short. So, I tied the straps to the springs. Easy on the long end, just use the end without the hook and use a double half hitch. The short end took some creative threading, with only enough room for s single half hitch.

The ratchets worked, but not quite enough to get the collar off. I think the knots were pulling into the take-up winch. I could compress the spring enough before reaching the next click, so I asked a buddy -- Mike, working on his Miyata -- to help out. He pulled and I grabbed the collar with pliers. My advise: do not grab the collar with your fingers.

The ratchet worked well enough compressing the spring. When it comes to uncompressing this technique leaves something to be desired. All you can do is fully rotate the ratchet and pull on the release. Bamb, it lets go all at once. Good thing I had the end tightly clamped in the vise.

The result: my front springs are 10" long. I plan to get shorter, stiffer springs to get the nose down where it belongs.

I got the upper links off last week, so after the spring was done I pressed out the bushings. I was going to press in the new ones but the paint needs touching up. I also wanted to get a second coat on the anti-roll bar, and a first coat on the steering arms. I did the bar and the arms, but ran out of time to finish the upper links. Next time.

Lotus anti-roll bar

2011-03-19T21:05:00.003-10:00

I got my Moss Motors order this week, tie rod end bearings and upright rebuild kits, so I was going to take Friday off to work on the car, but things got complicated. A bunch of folks heading to Japan, and they need laptops and BlackBerrys. Not only did I have to come in, I had to work late, which blew away my chance to attend the First Hawaiian Bank Auto Show. Oh well, at least I felt like I was doing my little part to help Japan.

Would you believe it takes longer to set up a BlackBerry than a web server? Four hours minimum!

Today began with taking pictures of the Lotus fuel lines, something I promised the mailing list. The Europa Twin Cam has two fuel tanks. Lotus ran 1/4 in. hard plastic lines through rubber grommets in the frame, with press-on rubber fittings. Those fittings eventually deteriorate, causing fuel leaks. Many a Europa has met its doom from fuel fires. I replaced the plastic hoses with stainless steel brake lines, connected by short lengths of fuel line and clamps.

The consensus of the mailing list was that I should be able to straighten my bent anti-roll bar. It took longer to set up the press than it did to straighten the bar. I did it in many small steps, moving the support blocks to avoid too much stress at any one point. Piece of cake.

I spent the remainder of the morning between painting the bar and disassembling the LH suspension. Before painting the bar I had to remove the remaining drop link. I cut away as much of the rubber bushing as possible, at which point the link practically fell off. The picture only shows the bar painted primer, but I did shoot one color coat before leaving.

My goal for the suspension was to measure the length of the spring, so that I can order shorter replacements. I bought a pair of rachet tie-downs to use as spring compressors (another list recommendation). Maybe I can cut out at lunch time next week and see if this works.

posted from Blo

Lotus lower links, part 4

2011-03-12T21:24:00.005-10:00

What a week. A bunch of parts arrived for the Lotus so like I mentioned last time I put in for some leave, the idea being to bring the car in, put it up on jack stands, and get it done without it becoming a permanent shop fixture. On Sunday I hurt my back replacing a toilet, and was not up for working on the car until Friday. Then Thursday night the tsunami hit Japan, setting off Civil Defence sirens all over the island to get people to evacuate low-lying areas. The whole family stayed up to watch the outcome on TV. So Friday did not get started much before noon. I did spend what was left of Friday at the shop.

After putting the car up on jack stands and removing the front wheels I got to work disassembling the suspension to see if there were any surprises. There were. Getting the anti-roll bar off was a challenge typical of crash damage, the bottom end of the damper is bent aft so much the bar would not swing down.

Upper bolts are 1/2 in., bottom two are 9/16. Bottom forward is long and takes a nut, the other three tap into the upright and take split washers. Note seal on inboard side of caliper mount.

Trunnion threads onto bottom of upright until just snug. Washers and bushings are a maze. Rubber boots missing from the ball joint and tie rod end. Not a trace.

Removing the ball joint is easy on the bench. I painted the caliper mount and the ball joint before deciding to order new ball joints.

Saturday was the usual three hour run.

I started out taking pictures of some parts to ensure the LH and RH versions do not get mixed up during painting.

The caliper mount is positioned with raised bosses and gasket inboard, felt seal outboard.

With the anti-roll bar finally off the car I could tell it was too bent to re-use as is. Could not find a way to get rubber bushings on and off. Just for fun I split open the damaged drop-link, its bushing was already split and unusable.

Looks like I'll need a new anti-roll bar, the bushings, and new front shocks. Might change the springs while I'm there, to lower the ride height.

Lotus lower links, part 3

2011-03-05T17:45:00.003-10:00

I'm calling this part three because last week counts as part two.

During the week I got two more parts shipments, a nice set of anti-roll bar drop links from a Lotus Europa list member and four new bushings from Dave Bean Engineering. I also purchased front brake lines from Bean, having done the rear when I replaced the hub bearings.

On Thursday I stopped by the shop after work to spray the links with black Rustoleum. On Friday I went back for a second coat even though it was raining. For whatever reason -- I suspect the humidity -- I got runs. Oh well, the links are not out in the open.

All I did to the Lotus was replace the bushings and touch up the paint. Even that consumed most of my time slot. I plan on taking at least one day off to do the whole job.

After that I sanded down the filler applied to the E9 nose last week. In the process I exposed a joint where the lower nose section is joined to the upper. This could be from the factory, as these panels would be difficult to form in one piece. I spent the last thirty minutes treating the exposed metal with POR-15 Metal Ready and filling with Technifill. I did not have time to get a last picture.

E9 nose patch continued, and Lotus lower links.

2011-02-27T11:10:00.004-10:00

When I arrived at the shop yesterday my car cover, the new one, was as far off the car as the lock cable would allow. Meaning mostly on the ground. Sorry, no photo, but you can imagine. Then Carl tells me that on Friday a mini-tornado circled the building, spinning rubbish up into the air and blowing all the loose papers off his desk. Yet all this time it has been dead calm. Weird. At least the Lotus didn't go airborne.

I began by unpacking the Lotus parts shipment that arrived this week, two lower links and spindles for both sides. while they look good, one link, the front I think, is slightly bent. I am thinking there are no straight links left on the planet. I checked it with a straight edge, the bottom is perfect, the top is slightly concave. Much straighter than mine.

Next I turned to the E9. Ground last week's welds, checked for a tight weld, and wire brushed clean. I decided to apply filler at the end of the session, in case something else needed doing.

Next came the Lotus lower links. The outside had been wire brushed but the inside were still painted and funky so it was off to the media blaster for some glass bead action. After a wipe down with acetone I shot them with acid etching primer.

While the paint dried I applied POR-15 Epoxy Filler to the new E9 nose patch. After the second coat of primer was shot I used POR Patch to add a fiberglass patch the the small line of rust holes just inboard.

By next week I should have new inboard bushings to press in and the anti-roll bar drop links. Maybe I'll take a day off and do the whole lob in one session. We'll see.

posted from Bloggeroid

Still nosing around

2011-02-20T15:31:00.003-10:00

Saturday was the usual short day, just three hours. I was able to focus on the E9 and got a lot done, given the time. A great follow-on the Friday's long session.

Started with roughing up the POR-15 applied yesterday, followed by a layer of Technifill. While that set I cut out the patch for the big gap in the RH edge. Once I got started I just kept going -- I do enjoy working steel. Session ended with welding the patch in place.

My new car cover for the Lotus arrived. Put in on over the old one, just until the suspension parts arrive. Didn't get to work on the punch list.

posted from Bloggeroid

All BMW

2011-02-18T17:15:00.003-10:00

Since Monday is a holiday and I never take enough vacation I decided to take today off (it's Friday) and work on the E9.

On my way I stopped in at Redline for a fresh can of Technifill. Later when I used it I noticed right away how much smoother it went on. Old, lumpy filler just isn't worth it.

I found more rusty spots on the bottom edge of the RH nose, so after a round of sanding the LH side I dug around with a wire brush in the die grinder, then treated the exposed holes with POR-15 clean and prep while a fresh batch of Technifill set on the other side.

After lunch I finally started working on a jig for the roundel mount. Now I just need a block of fine grained wood.

After another round of sanding and filling I finished by patching all the little holes with POR Patch and fiberglass. That will be set up by tomorrow morning.

posted from Bloggeroid

E9 nose, Lotus ground

2011-02-12T18:54:00.003-10:00

My plan was to get a batch of Technifill on top of the fiberglass put on the E9's nose last week, then work on the Lotus ground issue. Maybe even jump back and forth. It sort of went that way, but now there is so little time.

Trimmed the glass cloth and blended the edges with a sanding block. Roughed up the area with Scotch Brite pad. That's when I discovered my big can of Technifill is going bad. Last week I bought new activator, now I need the filler. Mixed up a batch with what I had and the new activator did its thing.

Switched to the Lotus. Jacked the rear, found the engine ground strap at the RH engine mount. Removed, wire brushed the connectors and the chassis connection points, reassembled. No improvement, starter only cranks enthusiastically with the booster grounded to the alternator mount.

The next link in the chain is the engine mount. I don't way to remove that, so I am considering adding a second ground connection directly to the bell housing.

At that point I was out of time. Bummer. I guess three hours is better than no hours.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus lower links, part 1

2011-02-05T23:52:00.003-10:00

On the way to the shop I stopped off at Redline Automotive for a new tube of POR Patch. The last one set up solid.

At the shop Tom showed me his latest find, an early Toyota Celica with an eight valve twin cam motor sold only in Japan. Hemi heads, twin Dellorto carbs, a lot in common with the Lotus twin cam. Not exactly running.

I started with the lower links I picked up last Monday from Patrick. One is almost straight, the other is bent back 0.25" at the shock mount tube. After pressing out a rubber bushing I straightened the link in the press. Ended up pretty straight, but the edges buckled in. With a bolt through the shock mount the inboard ends are a long way from parallel. I have another set on order, so I'll wait for those.

Next I patched some small holes in the E9's nose with fiberglass cloth and POR Patch. Next week I can continue filling and shaping this area.

I did work on one of the Lotus punch list items, curing the hard starting. My previous tests suggest a bad ground. I removed the bolt the battery ground cable attaches to and wire brushed the mating surfaces, but no improvement. The next thing to try is the ground strap at the bell housing.

posted from Bloggeroid

Lotus damage assessment

2011-01-29T20:50:00.004-10:00

Week before last I hit a curb while turning left onto Kuhio Street in Waikiki. I heard a loud bang as the car lept into the air, and when it came down the steering pulled to the left.

I went back today to get a photo of the evil curb. Looks innocent enough, but at the time it was a dark and stormy morning. Unpainted, no lights, no reflectors. Left turn from left lane of a one-way street onto a wide street. You can see the island just to the left of the crosswalk. Today I cold see a lot of black scuff marks where cars have hit it. Traffic engineers are supposed to make safer roads, not obstacle courses.

The first thing I checked was wheel movement. LH slight vertical wobble, RH perfect. Could be hub bearing play.

Next came wheel runout. Both prefect. Off came the wheels. The photo sequence shows the damage visible without disassembly. (I usually reduce to 800x600 but I left these full size to allow zoom-in.)

Anti-roll bar - slight bend near LH end. Looks serviceable.

LH bar mount - badly bent. This is what hit the curb. Also need new bushings.

Both LH lower A-arms bent.

Tie rod boot - torn.

Tie rod end - lose.

The bottom of the LH shock is 2" aft of hub center. The RH side is slightly foreward, could be due to raised front.

Hub bearings - good.

A-arm inner bolts - no sign of damage, check when apart.

Frame - no damage.

Body - no damage, but one photo revealed possible hit inside air intake, not from this.

Trunnions - nothing obvious but should be checked after disassembly. Both sides should be painted.

Should replace those original brake hoses.

Put the wheels back on and parked. Now to find some parts.

posted from Bloggeroid

A return to E9 nose sculpture

2011-01-22T23:51:00.001-10:00

After eight weeks doing something else on Saturday morning I finally got back to work on the E9. The advantage to having this blog and a smart phone is that I could go back and read my last E9 post to see where to begin.

One of the things I was doing was raising some low spots around the center grill opening, using POR-15 Epoxy Filler and Technifill. I had a problem with the Technifill hardener being old, so on my way to the shop I stopped by Redline for a new tube.

As it turned out I never got to use it. I spent the whole morning sanding.

I was afraid that some of the Technifill would not set up. Eight weeks is a long time, but there was a spot above the LH bumper mount that was sticky. It took awhile but I got it off.

Other than that it was a matter of sculpting away the lumps and bumps to reveal the correct shape lurking within.

posted from Bloggeroid

New cooling fan relay for the van

2011-01-21T14:49:00.001-10:00

My 97 Dodge Caravan, the rolling paint locker, had its cooling fans stop working. Since both went out at the same time I figured it was the relay. The relay is located under the air cleaner box, bolted to the frame for better cooling.

The first air box attaches with two bolts. The second part attaches to the third with two spring clips. The last part attaches to the frame with one bolt at the top; two pins fit into holes at the bottom.

The only hard part was removing the connector. When these get old the nifty spring lock piece usually breaks, and this one did. Easier to remove the connector after removing the relay from the frame.

posted from Bloggeroid

Got the van safety checked

2011-01-15T23:54:00.000-10:00

After a week of stormy weather that left parts of Maui and leeward Oahu flooded, the morning was nice enough to finish up the van and take it in for its annual safety inspection. To prepare I installed new wiper blades and a left brake light bulb.

The plan was to do that early, then spend a couple hours on the E9. Got a late start after breakfast with the family at the new Koa's in Hawaii Kai, but what really derailed the plan was the van refusing to start. Sounded like a dead battery, turned out to be corrosion on the negative terminal wires ... long ago I had to replace both connectors with the clamp-on type, due to corrosion.

I mentioned the rain. This week we hosted a conference in Waikiki and since the van was not road worthy I thought it would be nice to give the Lotus a little more road time. Tuesday was beautiful. Wednesday was dark and rainy, so knowing I would get wet getting it started I took my nice clothes in a plastic garbage bag. My plan was working perfectly until I failed to see a traffic island while turning left onto Kuhio. Bam! Bent something in the left front suspension. So, work on the E9 will be interrupted some more.

Remember the shower? The epoxy patch is working perfectly. Tomorrow work begins on the upstairs bathroom renovation, to continue through Monday.

Home Repairs

2011-01-09T19:06:00.001-10:00

Yesterday I finally finished the van's windshield wipers. Picked up a brake light bulb and wiper blades from Larry's Auto Parts. Not enough time for a safety check, so the van stays put.

Drove the Lotus around as bit, so it's ready for next week.

Spent all day today looking for the source of a water leak in our town house. I thought it was a crack in the foundation, but it appears to be coming from the shower.

I mention the leak because for a temporary fix I used POR-15 Epoxy Putty. It has a one hour cure time, vs. twenty-four for plumbing grade silicone sealant.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-27T21:21:00.002-10:00

Despite taking some time off these past two weeks have been crazy busy. I did spend some time working on the Caravan's windshield wipers, but no work on the E9. With New Year's Day falling on Saturday I doubt anything will get done for another week.

I am writing this on my Android phone using a blogger app called Bloggeroid. It uses Picasa to store photos, which will require me to change my habits. I'll see how it goes.

The initial problem was the motor not working. It was slow and noisy when I installed it last year. This time it was sitting in a pool of water -- the drains for the plastic tub were plugged. While replacing the motor I discovered that the ball joint at the end of the crank was really stiff. Maybe that is why the last motor was so noisy.

Nobody has a suitable replacement ... the dealer did not know what parts I would need, so I took it apart, cleaned it, and greased it up with axle grease. Still not put back together.

Also need to fix the van's radiator fans.

Still not quite winter

2010-12-05T16:46:00.006-10:00

I am writing this on Sunday because Saturday was too crazy. But I did work on the E9.

Started off sanding down the POR-15 Epoxy Putty applied last week to fill in the welded patch. Not much to say except it takes time, even with #40 paper. Tough stuff. Eventually I could see I had some low spots, so I decided to use TECHNIFILL, because I didn't need much thickness, and it sets fast.

What I finally concluded is that the hardener has, well, hardened. After a lot of kneading it still came out a thin blue liquid, when it used to look like blue toothpaste. But I could feel a big lump in the tube. And, like the last couple batches, it was slow to harden.

While waiting for the filler to set I used my CP grinder to expose the rust damage along the lower RH grill opening. One spot might need a welded patch. After that I worked on the top of the center grill opening, getting the opening equal on both sides. I discovered the the RH side needed to be built out a little more, so I mixed up what was supposed to be a hot batch of TECHNILL and put some on top of what was still not set. Hopefully next time will not begin with removing a bunch of half-dry filler.

The LH column of the center grill opening is pushed back a little. I tried bending and hammering, but the "U"-shaped cross sections makes this difficult. Rather than risk distorting or breaking this delicate piece I decided to try building it out with Epoxy Putty. After that I treated all the newly exposed areas with Marine Clean and Metal Prep.

More lower nose

2010-11-27T17:04:00.003-10:00

Another short day, had to pick up our Christmas tree this morning.

Last time I covered the welded patch with POR-15 Epoxy Putty. Today began with sanding it down. For starters I used my CP grinder, then switched to #50 paper on a sanding block. Tight spot, so it took longer than normal.

What this revealed was a low spot to the right (of the car) extending to the start of the vertical piece. I decided I had to fill this, too,but before that I had to patch a small hole with fiberglass and POR Patch. Too my surprise, my brand new tube had already kicked off. Well, I bought it a couple of months ago, I just opened it today. Still, that was a disappointment. What came out was really thick, but soft enough to work into the woven glass.

With the hole patched I opened up my new Epoxy Putty, which was still good, and filled in the low spot. Naturally I stuck my finger in the POR-15 and now have black finger tips.

Patch welded and filled

2010-11-13T18:51:00.006-10:00

From time to time an interesting car turns up at the shop. Today it was a very clean 1967 Ford Mustang, driven by a guy about my sons' age. I hope he did not get tired of me yakking about it reminding me of my youth. I was a senior in high school when that car was first sold.

I replaced the battery in the E-9 wall clock, and in my Miller welding helmet. Both were a success. I also changed the bulb in my work light, but it still does not light up. How much can go wrong with a halogen light? Time for a new one already?

With the helmet working I got right to welding. Everything went perfectly except for the grill mounting tab. I had to do it three times before it stuck to the patch, drilling and grinding through the bad weld each time. Must have wasted thirty minutes on that one spot weld. It did end up rock solid.

After grinding I wire brushed everything, especially the exposed weld-thru primer, then just as a precaution applied a generous coat of POR-15 Prep and Ready. When that was dry I filled everything in with POR-15 Epoxy Putty, as usual.

Next week we have a gamelan performance, so I may not make it to the shop.

Ready to weld, but helmet battery died

2010-11-06T22:39:00.005-10:00

I would of had the new patch welded in were it not for the battery in my helmet being dead. What a surprise when I struck a bead and the glass did not dim. My eyes hurt for hours.

I decided to open up and smooth out the opening a bit, one cut on each side. ( Compare with this .) When the shape was finalized I drilled holes to weld through. Two were where the electric drill could not reach, on and just below the grill mounting tab, but I was able to use a right-angled die grinder and a tapered file. Took a while, but turned out rather well.

I washed everything with POR-15 Marine Clean and ran a wire brush in the die grinder along the edges and over the holes to remove all the paint. Painted the inside of the patch with weld-thru primer.

I left the patch clamped in place so next time I can start with welding in on.

At last, back to patch making

2010-10-30T23:16:00.005-10:00

After weeks of distraction I finally got to work on the E9 today. I did get a late start because I had to help my wife with her bike, and I am still constrained by short hours, but I did get something done. Even a little progress is better than no progress. What I need is more "visual progress," something dramatic. Like painting that car ... imagine that!

In the last E9 session I had started working on the next patch, on the lower edge of the LH grill opening. It was rough cut outline, still flat. Today was all about bending and trimming. Along the way I had to determine how much warp was in the body and work that out with a hammer and dolly. I got to where I was ready to weld, but experience has taught me two things: 1) do not weld at the end of a session when you are tired and rushed, and 2) with fresh eyes I will spot more places where the fit is off and needs a tweak. So, next time will begin with touch-up fitting and shaping, then move into welding.

As an aside, the places where I left steel naked along the top edge have still not started to rust. Naked, but treated with POR-15 prep. I see where they changed the name to Prep and Ready. Whatever they call it, it's great stuff.

The Lotus runs again!

2010-10-23T22:59:00.004-10:00

I was right. I had the static timing completely wrong. Probably because I was "thinking" about the distributor going the other way. Sort of like when you are trying to loosen a bolt upside down. This puts the points on the wrong side of the cam lobe, which puts the body out of position, which is why the primary wire connector was close up against the intake runner.

The ironic thing is, setting up the distributor on this engine is easy. Pull the plugs, raise the rear end, put a 4x4 under the LH wheel and lower the rear so that the tire sits on the board. Select 4th and use the RH wheel to turn the engine. Stick a clean Craftsman screwdriver into #1 spark plug hole and turn until screw driver starts to rise. Turn the screw driver around so that the end of the grip is sitting in the spark plug hole and turn the wheel some more. If air chuffs out of the spark plug hole #1 is coming up on compression. If not, watch the large alternator drive pulley and turn the engine until the pulley has gone half way around. Looking at the flywheel timing mark, set the engine at 9 deg. BTDC.

I position the distributor body with the primary connector at about 2 o'clock and the notch on the shaft at 12 o'clock. This puts the #1 lead at 6 o'clock. Connect a continuity meter to ground and the primary connector, then turn the distributor body until the points just open. Snug down the clamp and double check buy turning engine once around and slowly up to where the points open and check the timing at the flywheel. Repeat until it's right. DO NOT start with more than 9 deg. static advance or you could find yourself in the pre-ignition zone. DO road test and listen carefully for pinging.

The car started right up and flew around the test road with plenty of power. The idle was up, just over 1500, so I dropped it down. The thing about old ignition systems is that the deteriorate slowly. I am the kind of guy who will drive the car as long as it runs, and with this car just being a little off means it won't run. In other words, it needs regular attention.

Got Lotus spark, but no Lotus love

2010-10-16T18:20:00.007-10:00

Last week I checked for spark without turning on the ignition. The first thing to do today was to repeat that test, the right way. Still no spark.

Not surprised, I jacked up the rear end, blocked the LH wheel and with the trans in forth and the spark plugs out I turned the RH wheel until #1 was coming up on compression and the flywheel mark was just past the 10 deg mark, around 8 or 9. Then I pulled out the distributor cap and rotor. Both looked perfect. I pulled the distributor and noticed right away that the point gap was nearly gone. Not from badly worn points, but more likely from wear on the plastic cam follower.

After resetting the point gap to .015 in. I installed the distributor, but during an initial position setup discovered the points were not making good contact -- my multi-meter beeper was reluctant to beep as the points closed. Out came the distributor. Removed the points and sanded with #180 wet/dry even though the points were not burned or pitted. After that they were fine.

I had a hard time getting the distributor body oriented the way I wanted. I ended up with the ignition lead way up near the intake runner, where it usually is around two o'clock. I recall having a similar problem the last time I did this, coming out of restoration, and that the cause was I was on the wrong side of the cam lobe. At this point I was running out of time, so I tested for spark and had it, nice and strong. I figured either it would run or it wouldn't, so I put in the new NKG spark plugs I picked up at Larry's and gave it a go. Not a sputter. Net week begins with checking the static timing setup procedure.

Lotus - Not the carbs

2010-10-09T23:32:00.007-10:00

It's rough only having three hours to work Saturday morning. The last time the Lotus ran poorly it was one carb -- the rear one -- with a stuck air piston. The difference was that this time it quit cold, while last time it limped along on two cylinders.

I pulled the spark plugs and they all looked wet. #1 looked especially bad, but not terrible. I cleaned them up but I'll look for new ones this week. N7Y.

I went through the Zenith Stromberg carburetors and they look perfect. Pistons dropped without sticking, no tears in the diaphragms. Definite odor of gas on the needles. Very clean.

In order to use the shop's remote starter switch I had to make an extension out of a quick disconnect terminal, because the Denso starter has a male terminal inside a hard plastic housing where the alligator clip on the switch couldn't reach. I should buy one and modify it. Anyway, without plugs the starter turned nicely on the car battery.

I stuck a phillips screwdriver into the #1 spark plug lead, held it close to one of the cam cover studs, and cranked. No spark. There was not enough time to raise the rear end, set TDC and tear into the distributor, so I gave it a quick wash, pushed it back outside and put on the cover. Besides, it could be the vintage 70's MSD box. Or the tach wiring. The coil. It's all about elimination, one step at a time.

It was not until later this evening that I realized that I forgot to turn on the ignition switch while checking for spark. Doh! Fooled by the remote starter. So the spark status is still undetermined.

Great support from my pit crew

2010-10-03T23:08:00.008-10:00

This will be a very odd entry. To start things off I changed my profile photo, from my Samurai Champloo character to a current, very plain head shot. At least it looks like me.

The big news is a schedule change. The shop will be closed on Sundays, leaving me only Saturday morning to work on cars. I'll just have to make the most of it.

My wife's Toyota Camry wagon finally died. I have been saying for months that the next big thing to go out will be the end. It turned out to be the steering rack, which I replaced once already. The reason it failed was the poor quality aftermarket parts that are available. The windshield wiper motor I replaced recently in the van is failing, same story. Hard to find quality parts these days.

For a replacement I have been focused on two cars, a BMW 5-series wagon, or a Honda Element. My wife was not excited about either, which is why we put off replacing the Toyota until it actually died. The key criteria was that she could put her road bike inside, without taking it apart, and she did not want a van or a big SUV. This car functions as our "nice" family car, and I thought it was time we showed up looking less like the Beverly Hillbillies.

The Toyota died Monday before last, at Costco. I had it towed back to our place for troubleshooting. When I determined it was the rack I jumped on Craigslist and confirmed what I already knew, there were no suitable 5-series wagons for sale. A nice one in Kona, but too much hassle to bring it home (you can't drive across the ocean). A couple of nice Elements, one real pretty but manual and I want an automatic. Then I stumbled upon a Subaru Legacy wagon. My wife has always had a thing for Foresters and the Legacy wagon. 2001, a little older than I wanted, but when I went to see it I could tell at once that this was an extremely clean, well kept car, worth every penny. Got a great deal on it, too, so all the better.

I decided to donate the Toyota to the shop. Yesterday was the day to tow it in, which they do for free. The Lotus needed a safety check, so my first Saturday would be getting those things done.

The last time I drove the Lotus I noticed the brakes were dragging. This has always been an issue with this car, due to a problem with the design of the rear brakes. The fix is to ratchet back the adjusters by hand. I did that, got the paperwork in order, and drove out to the shop. Passed the inspection without a hitch. The tow truck was supposed to follow me home, hook up the Toyota, and that would be my day. Just as we were about to get onto the freeway the Lotus quit. I rolled to a stop on the shoulder with the tow truck behind me, and after a quick check to make sure the primary wire had not fallen off of the distributor (that has happened before) and that the Holly fuel pump was still running (it was) we towed it back to the shop. It was funny to see; we left with the tow truck following me and returned a few minutes latter with the tow truck towing me.

I am almost certain the problem is with the carburetors. The air pistons get sticky. Old age. I'll figure it out next Saturday.

We did get the Toyota, so my wife can park in our stall, but the Lotus is still at the shop and nothing got done on the E9. The strange thing is I had my phone with me but never thought to take some pictures of all this. I should hand in my journalist card.

Feeling better, worked hard on nose and new grill patch

2010-09-19T22:25:00.004-10:00

At the end of last week's shortened session I did not apply any filler, so that is where I started today. In between filling and sanding I worked on the next patch, at the bottom of the LH grill opening.

I finally got the area around the right-front corner of the hood high enough, and the run towards the center smooth. It will take primer to see if it is still wavy. The area around the RH side of the center, forward facing, is a lot better now, but it will need several more rounds of sand-and-fill.

I took the patch as far as bending, saved that for next time. The tab at the upper left corner (as viewed) is to reinforce the grill bracket, which has almost rusted off.

Next Sunday is the Honolulu Century Ride, which I plan on doing as long as I feel like it. By then I think I'll be just good enough, which is all I need.

Sick day, just a little done

2010-09-12T21:23:00.005-10:00

Last week I came down with a flu bug. I've had worse. Previously I had decided to attend a friend's music school recital, so I got a late start on the car and quit early.

As if that weren't bad enough, the last batch of TECHNIFILL I applied last week did not quite kick off. Sanding it just produced balls of sticky stuff that clogged the sandpaper. It all had to come off.

I think I finally have the height right. There is a tricky high spot just to the right of the roundel recess. Still need to fabricate the roundel recess shaper.

The next patch should be easy. Two or three parallel bends. It will need to extend to reinforce the grill mounting tab.

This is how it looked at the end of the day, and a detail of the roundel recess.

Still on the nose

2010-09-05T20:04:00.004-10:00

Football season is back. When I arrived at the shop I tweeted that nobody was there. (You can follow me @garydunn808.) Later on a couple of guys showed up. Maybe it makes sense to close on Sundays.

Very little to write about today, only because it was a lot like last week. Sand, fill, sand some more. By the end of the day I was covered in dust and my arms were sore. I guess that's what days off are for.

In the end, both sides looked a lot nicer.

Starting to design a tool to shape the roundel opening. Looked around for raw materials but the shop was cleaned recently and all sorts of cool junk was tossed. One piece should bolt to the roundel mounting holes and establish a center, a second piece should turn on the center and establish the edge. What to use for that, given I have no lathe?

Nice to be back, still on the nose

2010-08-29T23:26:00.007-10:00

The road trip was a blast. You can see my picks on Facebook. Great to be back.

Today was about finding the correct shape for all those compound curves at the nose. Along the way I decided to remove all of the remaining rusty bolts from the aluminum trim piece. Before I began I did a left - center - right photo sequence to document my starting point.

The first thing to do was shape the curves at the LH corner. I took a serious of photos to show how the shape gradually appears.

I have been using the aluminum trim piece as a guide for shaping the nose, which appears to have been moved rearward here and there. Getting the bolts to line up with the holes was a time waster, so I decided to remove them. They slide along the grove to a wide spat midway between center and each end. All the bolts are rusty and the aluminum is corroded. In some cases it took a shot of PB Blaster. One had to be ground out.

After getting the LH side as good as I could I worked on the rest of the nose. There are some ups and downs on both sides, but the RH side especially.

I ended the day with an application of TECHNIFILL in some places and POR-15 Epoxy Filler in others.

Still raining in August, more nose work

2010-08-01T22:55:00.006-10:00

This certainly has been an odd summer. Drought all winter, and finally some rain in July which continued into August. Not much, but enough to help.

I picked up some etching primer and a new tube of Por Patch at Redline Automotive, then spent my day sanding and filling. When the filler was hardening on one side I worked on the other.

I dug out the front body trim to use as a guide for shaping the curves at the corners, both of which have some old damage. Today I was only far enough along to check the LH side, but I did discover that I had to build out the front and side to get a good fit. I applied the POR-15 Epoxy Filler just before leaving.

Redline had a can of etching primer they claim goes on over POR-15 paint, so I used that to cover the fiberglass patch on the RH corner. Went on thin but no hassles. Did a lot of sanding and filling with TECHNIFILL to level the RH side.

Spent a lot of time sculpting the top of the center grill opening, at least on the LH side. The trick is to find the original planes, then soften the curves. The two major planes are the vertical face at the front edge, and the angled plane of the grill openings. As I got those developed I found a low spot at the top of the pillar, and on the inside of the upper, curved opening. Added some TECHNIFILL there.

Would you hire this guy to work on your car?

LH nose sand and primer

2010-07-25T21:03:00.005-10:00

Spent a lot of time on the E9 today, even though it doesn't seem like much.

Began with smoothing out the filler applied last week, using sanding blocks and #50 paper. Important thing was to establish the height at the hood cutout corner. This would establish the shape of the concave curve between the hood opening and the top of fender and how the shape progresses towards the roundel mount. Shaping the cutout at the hood opening corner took some work.

After applying a little more filler I ran the headlight buckets through the POR-15 clean and prep drill. All that black means the Metal Ready is working. I can't decide whether to leave them the way they are or weld in some patches.

Did more sanding, found more low spots, especially at the LH corner. Add more TECHNIFILL.

The contours finally began to come into focus. Spent a lot of time working out the curves at the LH corner, were multiple curve planes converge.

Eventually I reached the point where I had to paint the entire area to get a better look at the contours. Began with Evercoat #720 Acid-Etch Primer, and after a thirty minute dry time a few coats of High Build Primer. I'll start sanding that next week.

Shaping the nose

2010-07-18T23:14:00.005-10:00

Today's shop session was short because my wife and I attended a concert by Jeff Peterson and Riley Lee. It was a great performance.

I started by smoothing out the epoxy filler sections, first with my grinder and later by my orbital sander and hand sanding block. The goal was to lope off the high spots but not too much, as these areas were filling low spots. The area around the RH side of the roundel recess needed Epoxy Filler to blend in the fiberglass patch, so I decided to proceed only on the LH side.

I sanded away the protective layer of paint I had covered the area with, back to bare metal. Then came an initial application of TECHNIFILL. When that had set I sanded it a bit, then added a second batch, which is how I left it. I was able to shape the filler around the roundel recess using a ball-shaped grinding stone.

Happy July 4th

2010-07-11T22:54:00.005-10:00

Actually July 4th was last Sunday, which is why I did not work on the car. Quit early today to attend a dinner party for the Red Hot Ladies, my wife's cycling club. Crazy weekend: Lance is out of contention in the TdF, Lotus had two cars run the entire race at Silverstone, and Spain beat Netherlands in the World Cup final game. Tweets coming thick and fast.

Most of the week it has been overcast with light rain. I've been riding my bike to work, and getting wet every day. Today it finally felt like July.

I checked the POR-15 paint applied two weeks ago. Found no ill effects of thinning with solvent.Even so I would not recommend that combination.

Applied POR-15 Epoxy Filler to the welded-in patches at the center and RH side of the nose, including the top of the center grill opening. When filling small holes I try to apply from behind, to create a rivet effect. If the back side is inaccessible I just press really hard to get the filler to squish out.

Filled three small rust-through holes with fiberglass and POR Patch. Managed to do it without getting any on me.

Used my CP grinder and disc sander to smooth out the fiberglass patch and filler applied several sessions ago on the LH side. I added a second layer of cloth after the first had set. Today I discovered that adhesion of the second layer was weak. Getting anything to stick to POR-15 is tricky.

That last thing I did was apply filler over the smoothed down fiberglass, because by design the cloth sags down a little into the hole.

Some stripping, and application trial

2010-06-27T19:48:00.008-10:00

(or my search for stripper proof gloves)

Began the day watching Argentina beating Mexico, at least the first half. Mexico can always be counted on to resort to dirty play and today was was no exception. I saw a half dozen Mexicans foul Messi, the idea being that each could get no more than a yellow. Once the pattern became obvious the referee could have shown a red.

I had three goals for today. Strip the paint from the headlight buckets, try out the sprayer on POR-15, and start filling the welded areas at the nose. I wanted to try stripping the buckets because sandblasting would remove too much at the rusted areas, and as it turns out the shop's media blaster is busted.

Next stop, Redline for supplies. Paint stripper, rubber gloves, two small cans of POR-15, Epoxy Filler.

As I prepared to strip the headlight buckets I noticed that one of the parts that sit behinds the light had a different design. Why?

The stripping went very well, except after about fifteen minutes I could feel my hands burning. I paid $15.00 for professional gloves, and they did not protect against paint stripper. It turns out I tossed my plastic sheeting when I painted the Lotus, so for lunch I went to Home Depot for plastic and more gloves.

After lunch I did a second round of stripping. Most of the paint was gone, but the new gloves were no better, despite being labeled for stripping.

As expected the painting took longer to set up for than to do. I masked some places I did not want painted, laid out the plastic as a drop cloth, put on my painters coveralls, the heavy latex gloves from Home Depot, loaded one can of POR-15 in the sprayer, put on my mask and goggles.

The sprayer would not spray. I thought the paint was too thick, so to continue the experiment I added some POR-15 solvent. Still no luck. I called it a failure. Since I was all dressed and had maybe four ounces of paint left so I brushed it on, making a terrific mess in the process.

Now I am waiting to see if the solvent messes up the paint. The shop is closed next week for the Fourth of July holiday, so in two weeks we'll know.

I now had droplets of paint where I wanted to put filler, so that was out. I ended the day wire brushing the last of the paint from the headlight buckets.

I wonder if anyone makes gloves that protect against real paint stripper?

Finish welding the nose

2010-06-20T21:13:00.004-10:00

Today I finished welding the nose. By nose I mean just the top edge, there is more to be done lower down.

Last week I started working on a little patch to finish the center section. Today started with refining its fit and welding it in place. Tricky because it has so many twists and bends.

After lunch I whipped out the last patch, on the RH side. This one was relatively easy, just a little curve to match the original. Had enough room to slip in from underneath due to the doubler having rusted away there. I wanted a flange along the front but I had to scale it back due to the extra layers of sheet metal already there.

If finish up with some photos of the front as it looks now. To me it looks a lot better, but the condition compares well to that of an accident victim right after surgery. Next week I should be able to start filling these areas, and then it will begin to look like its old self. At the same time I can get started repairing some rust damage lower down, especially along the lower LH grill opening.

Just for fun, compare that last photo of the center grill and roundel section with these:

Roundel mount patch #2

2010-06-13T20:29:00.006-10:00

After a bit more head scratching I decided to slide the patch towards the LH side of the car (to the right as viewed). Trimmed the patch and the opening to make it happen.

After lunch I went outside to take a picture of the day (summer is finally here) and happened across these two sorrowful members of our junk yard. A Rolls? Really?

At last it was time to weld. Painted the back side of the patch with 3M Weld-Thru primer but this time I left the mating surfaces clean. Drilled holes to weld through. Wire brushed all weld areas.

Ginned up a way to hold patch in place using a punch, a screw driver and vise grips.

Welding was my best ever. The trick is to focus the heat on the thicker patch material then let it ooze over into the adjoining body panel.

I had enough time to get started on the next patch. This one will close the hole below the RH side of the new patch and stabilize that side.

Roundel mount patch

2010-06-06T20:44:00.010-10:00

As I worked on getting the Lotus ready for last week's show I started a list of a the little things it needs. Turned out to be a pretty long list. I decided to try taking the Lotus to the shop on Sundays and knocking off a few at a time as I work on the E9, but before I do that I want to improve its starting. Currently it only cranks from the booster battery, and when the engine is hot even the booster has a hard time getting it going. Funny thing is, once it starts to crank it turns very fast. I already changed out the original starter with a Denso reduction gear model from Dave Bean (see photos). I brought home my toolbox today and plan on checking all of the grounds in the starting circuit. I don't think it's heat from the headers, because it also happens, to a lesser extent, from a cold start.

Today was just a continuation of the E9 nose job, which has progressed to the roundel mount. I hand formed one several months ago and since it turned out better than expected I decided to use it. To get started I had to measure everything very carefully and come up with a way to position the patch after the original is removed. In the process I discovered that the existing mount is offset to the right (to the left in the photos, which are upside down), about 1/8 in.

After getting the alignment worked out and a rough cut on the rear edge it was time to put some bend in the patch. This does not need to be perfect, just good enough to slip under the existing good metal. For this I held it in the vise and whacked it with a hammer on a hardwood block, moving 1/8 in. at a time, then a little smoothing witha convex faced hammer on a sand bag.

Finally the time had come to cut away the old roundel mount. A bit nerve racking, because I had to be able to position the replacement without it. With the rusty pieces removed I went in with tapered and straight file tips in the die grinder to remove a few damaged places underneath and the smooth out the cut edges.

I finally got to where I could slide on side underneath, so that I have a better feel for how this will end up. Not sure which side will get cut down, maybe both. It's good to sleep on it. I finished by giving everything a fresh coat of Metal Prep.

All British Car Day

2010-05-30T23:31:00.003-10:00

Today was All British Car Day, so I was there showing my Lotus. Another perfect Spring day. My photos are in a set on Flickr. A big mahalo to the British Car Club of Hawaii, president Brett Pruitt and all of the sponsors.

Patch for nose center top, #3

2010-05-23T21:43:00.004-10:00

Continued working on the LH side of the patch to lower it. Drilled holes to weld through. Wire brushed inside surfaces to remove paint. Painted patch and inside surfaces with Weld-Thru primer. Welded on patch. Ground welds. Applied light coat of acid-etch primer.

While was waiting for paint to dry I removed the LH front fender vent ornament. All four holes were cracked. Maybe by design?

Next Sunday is All British Car Day so I will be showing the Lotus at Kapiolani Park. I might drop by the shop in the afternoon.

Patch for nose center top, #2

2010-05-16T21:09:00.004-10:00

Last week was Mother's Day, so no work done on the car. Had a nice day, breakfast at Anytime Cafe, dinner at grandma's. Using my new MyTouch 3G tethered to my laptop to Skype my son on the mainland and celebrated his birthday, which was Monday.

My last session ended needing fire bricks. After many phone calls revealed there were non to be had at the expected places -- building supply stores -- the good folks at the Hawaii Potters Guild directed me to Ceramics Hawaii on Kokea Street in Kalihi. I got three because they are fragile.

The first thing I did was practice setting up the weld so that the pieces would not move and so that I had room to weld. After practicing on scrap I set up the real thing, using metal plates as extra weight. The bricks isolate the work from the table, and attaching the ground lead without distorting the work was a challenge.

I decided to leave the piece flat to make welding easier. Now it was time to add the bend. To do this I clamped it in the vise with a piece on edge at the center line, then to do the bend I tapped a screwdriver as a wedge between the piece and the jaws. Worked great ... too bad I didn't get a pic.

After trimming away the extra material I started refining the fit. Soon the crumpled rusty metal at the nose was in the way, especially on RH side, so I cut it away. Sort of a turning point. With that removed I discovered a bump caused by a thick lap seam on the RH side. This required a deep flange to clear it.

As I ground away the curves at the ends I checked the fit with the grill. The last pic shows it best. I still have a little too much gap, but I plan on adding a layer of Epoxy Putty to soften the curves, so I need some room.

It looks to me like I need to remove a little more on the LH side, but it was getting late so I'll have to finish up next week.

Patch for nose center top

2010-05-02T21:07:00.006-10:00

Last week was the Haleiwa Century Ride and the weather was perfect. Good thing it wasn't today because it rained.

Continuing work on the nose, I got started making the patch for the top of the nose center section. This will go behind the outer skin. Basically it will be one 16 in. wide strip that extends down a bit along the edges of the center opening.

The original sheet metal here has deeply flanged edges. Mine will have extra curved pieces welded on. I stopped at welding because I need to buy a fire brick.

The fiberglass patch applied last time had some "dry" spots, so I roughed it up with #100 sandpaper and appled another coat of POR Patch.