Lottie, a 79 full restoration Part 1/2/3/4/5

I am having a great time emptying my store of parts reconditioned a year or two ago and refitting. Front and rear suspension, steering rods and servo now done. The aim is to get proper wheels fitted and remove trolley wheels so that I can start to add the heavy bits. Hopefully I will still be able to get her in and out of the garage, but there are only a few millimeters to spare so tyre deflation may be required. The routeing for the throttle cable is still a bit of a mystery; the plastic conduit seems to fit through the floor supports nicely on the right of the gearbox rod tube and I feel sure the short Bowden cable outer takes it to the metal tube through the fan casing, grateful if anyone could advise. Also the front end of the plastic conduit stops behind the front beam? should there be another bit of conduit in front of that?

 

Back to the brake system and I have make up a new push rod from the lever to servo. Some odd sizes here; the clevis fork lock nut is 9mm fine thread (1mm pitch) and the female thread in the front of the brazil servo is 14 x 1.5 mm pitch. This servo front lug is rotatable so I have elected to have my adjustment at this end and fortunately I had a stocky 8.8 high tensile bolt whose head I turned down to fit inside the steel tube. I turned a lug with a shoulder for the other end and both ends were plug welded to the tube, 4 stout welds for the rear where there is no shoulder. Piccies; push rod, a re-purposed return spring and a lug for the spring, to go under a steering box bolt. There is also a second clevis fork to go outside the rod fork (with a longer pin) and take the end of the spring.

Here is the spring installed, there is nice soft consistent pedal resistance throughout travel and a positive seating of the pedal against its stop:

Also did some nice clean jobs inside the cab, fitted some closed cell self adhesive insulation to the front panel before the the 'eagle has landed' vent tube went in and before the next job which is the handbrake assy:


I have a feeling the order of assembly will be important from here on and I am in uncharted territory as all ahead was dismantled when I got Lottie. I have fitted wiper assy and washer jets but the rear half of the dash will be removed again to recover in vinyl probably and fit instruments etc. I also fitted the airbox drain and noted it just let the water drop onto the inside of the pedal guard-tray which sure enough was quite rusty below the vent. There is a nice hole in the tray but biased to the NS and not below the OS biased vent (LHD Vs RHD??) fortunately in my 'come in handy' box I had a suitable double angled tube that will fit the hole nicely and be trimmed when the tray is fitted:

 

tidy work

 

Many thanks for looking, 'likes' and support. Most assembly work so far involved metal, amiable stuff; a couple of fasteners or tack welds and it stays in place. Headlining is not so compliant and we enter a world of wobble and crease. I got some excellent VW like stuff from Martrim (sometimes seen in Car SOS) whom I can well recommend for their samples service, great materials and prices. Fortunately the old lining was sound enough to use as a template and Granny's treadle did some pockets for the support wires with strong thread, if anyone wants the dimensions give me a shout. Piccies:

The rear edge of the original had a stout cardboard stiffener sewn on, to tuck into the retaining tabs. I tried a couple of folds with some scrim sewn in but it was not that great given that this was going to be my master reference as the first located edge. So I searched for a stiffener and found I had a long thin hard steel strip that slipped perfectly through the folded seam from end to end:

I am quite conscious that the finished layer is important but did pause a moment to ponder the work it obscures; orange to grey epoxy to cellulose pastel white and then a layer of insulation to boot all about to disappear. I also added a couple of extra hoops and some gorilla tape for the joints to make sure gravity did not get the better of the insulation adhesive. Note, Solar Bay for this Late Bay from E-Bay of course!

So a couple of careful hours and clean hands later:

I also fitted some dove grey vinyl to the inside of the A pillars, and plan to follow this pastel blue/white/grey theme elsewhere inside.
I have not used any adhesive on the side edges and plan to do a further tug and tuck when Summer heat returns and after the visors/mirror/internal light are fitted.
So finally I have got to the point where I can fit some glass, a major milestone towards getting Lottie watertight as she is going to be too tall for the garage when the pop top goes back on:


Never done this before but have read many times about putting string into the outer seal groove and pulling the lip over the aperture edge. I watched the video and read all the advice here and in the manual and I was amazed how well it went. The only different thing I did was to fit a webbing strap around the A pillars and screen to hold/force it gently into place as I was working alone. I have a "best quality" German seal set but I am wondering if the X section is slightly smaller than original or maybe the Brazil new front not exactly true as there is a slight gap between the metal and outer lip on the bottom corners. I think I need some advice on the use of sealants or not, as we know this downward sloping recess is a bad place for rain to fester.

 

Try a warm air gun on those headliner creases... gently at first and they may well disappear

 

...and good job btw

 

Martin, when it comes to fitting windows, don't struggle alone give me a shout. I've got suction cup handles, trim tools and the insert tool too. I'm happy to lend a hand and/or tools I know what a PITA window fitting alone can be.
Paul

 

Thanks Andy I will keep that tip in the back pocket ready for the final adjustments just before I fit curtain rail below the headlining sides. Many thanks Paul that's a kind offer and I may give you a call. VMT Martin

 

Still high on the suspension and I need to get some weight added and have fitted the front dash and vents and some glass with new rubbers. I would like to exit the garage without deflating the tyres.

Talking of tyres Lottie has 5 hardly used Michelin boots but the date code seem to be 2002 and they are 195xR14 C rated so an excellent set with no sign of any crazing or cracks but perhaps one or 2 sizes too big and I will replace with something that has a smaller rolling circumference and lowers the overall height a bit. I might do a separate thread to seek advice on boots. Next the fuel tank but first some Waxoyl into the voids either side and above the wheel arch. I warmed up a tin and decanted a pint into an empty stone-chip tin and used the suction gun than that it screws onto. Then I made a mistake and attached a plastic tube with end jets in place of the usual nozzle. The back pressure was too much, the tin pressurised and I got a nice squirt of waxoyl on the garage roof from the vent hole! So then I reduced the pressure and added a rubber washer to the tin to blank the vent and the juice went where it was needed and quite swiftly too. This a messy business and I will delay doing the rest of the voids until I have done a bit more assembly. Tank in on fresh felt:

Next the breathers refitted with new R9 J30 pipe. Some time in the long past a hatch was fitted over the engine and someone had a very narrow escape with their life!! Have a look at this:



This the plastic pipe clipped to the underside of the deck below where a lug for the the hatch was welded, its melted though not holed. It contains something much more dangerous than petrol, yes petrol vapour and I guess the dummy above with the torch was a only second away from an exploding fuel tank.

 

Looking good Martin. Hoping to get our tank back in tonight too.


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looking good each piece you put on changes its look

 

Thanks James and shielsy. Perhaps a bit late with this advice but do connect up the plastic breathers to the welded in metal tube before the tank goes in, I didn't and it was a fiddle to do afterwards. Also took me some time to find where the fuel sender unit earth goes, on my 79er a self tapper into the transverse box section just in front of the firewall. Then I was a bit puzzled by Haynes resto manual ref to another earth 'strap' and figure there should be electrical bonding to guard against static in bits not otherwise grounded to the chassis. The tank seems to be earthed via the sender unit and checked out fine with an AVO, so I have added a lead to the filler pipe which will go to that same self tapper.

 

keep her lite

 

I made the same mistake and had lots of fun fitting the breather pipes with the tank in!


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Hi James it is sure tempting to get the big bits fitted and I am trying to hold off fitting the gearbox until all around it is sorted. Earlier I was perplexed about the rear end of the accelerator cable conduit but have since found the bent bit of tube that I should have tack welded to the real floor supports it runs through. Not so easy with Y piece fitted! and then I also found the white plastic cleat that grips a flooring flange and secures the conduit and brake line was nowhere to be found so decided to solve both issues with a pair of brackets, self tappers and lots of Bonda/Rustoleum paint:


I am sure the bracket arrowed has a purpose apart from ripping skin from knuckles, but cannot figure it out, enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.
I have the rebuilt gearbox prepped, with new oil and reverse switch fitted but it will wait until I have sorted the flexi hoses from heat exchangers to Y piece.

 

So I now believe the bracket arrowed above is like a human coccyx, a redundant rear end bit, previously used for the throttle cable. I had a day long battle fitting the fuel filler hose to the tank, metal pipe used on this 79er and worst of all getting a jubilee clip on the top end to clamp the inlet rubber to the hose. These are obviously difficult tasks as the rubbers removed had witness marks of being badly aligned with the tank and pipe and may have leaked. It was nice to fit the firewall and thanks James I used neoprene rubber tape as well rather than mastic. Next the flexible couplings twixt heat exchangers and Y piece. These had been put on the scrap shelf but having read about and experienced the poor quality of repro and even "German quality" I had another look and discovered there were largely undamaged; just some distortion of the rear plastic where they wad been over-tightened to a crumbling Y piece and the internal rusty steel collars were beyond use. The insulation, supporting mesh and end rings were good so I fashioned some new collars from stainless steel. I used a piece of furnace flue and some simple formers with a Jubilee clip to form the flanges. Photo shows formers, old collar, and 2 in SS, one finished:


I used a bit of SS to make a support bracket to tie wrap a larger size fuel filter out of harms way and now feel we are ready for the box to be fitted.

 

Looking goood! Neoprene seemed like a neat solution to me. I’m hoping to finish up the mechanicals in ours over the next few weeks. Guy opposite has an aqua blaster so is cleaning up some bits for me.


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Lucky you, a friendly blast merchant on site, is a real bonus. I see you have painted the front vent flaps do you have a picture of whatever connects the pair, I am assuming plastic with slots. Mine either long lost or well hidden in the few remaining crates of bits.
I got the box in yesterday and today the gear stick, plus brake system filled and bled. I also and had a second go at the accelerator pedal with a new return spring but not happy with the look and feel so following all the chatter on TLB I am going to fit a light extension spring to the lever under the floor where the cable attaches to.

 

Hmm might have a pic. Will try and dig it out.


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Decided to do something that does not involve lying on the ground or grease and oil so cracked on with the dash. There was no way I was going to be able to replicate the textured black paint effect so I decided to cover it in grey vinyl to match the A posts. Some double curvature meant at least one seam each side and there was also the problem of getting the vinyl to stay in the recess where the light and hazard switches live, contact adhesive has its limits. So I made a couple of "bling strips" to finish it off in the colours the upholstery will eventually sport. I tried strips padded with scrim (first phot top) but was not happy and went for flat metal strips (bottom) with welded csk screws:



Finished apart from the need to source or make some slightly longer collars for the switches: