Scuttle Butt

The one thing I was not too happy about the spray job was the painters did not spray the firewall, I think they misinterpreted my instructions. Upshot was the wall where the washer bottle, radiator overflow bottle and the brake and clutch reservoirs was bright aluminium.

Off to the local Midas Auto hardware to pick up a tin of Signal Red Duco. I was figgering the colour would not be a total match for Ferrari Red, but I was surprised how close it was. A couple of coats and hey presto!

Original Ferrari Red on top, Signal Red on the wall - a slight difference - Signal Red is "Orangier". Here is the washer bottle bracket and zooty Stainless Steel capscrews nestling in their rivnuts - you can see the overflow bottle rivnut mounts to the right.

Huffing and puffing .... Not!!

So I head down to my favourite glue merchant but it being a public holiday in South Africa the shop is shut. So no chance to get in some thoroughly legal glue sniffing and incidental carpet fitting today. I did pick up a brand new pop rivet gun to replace my mangy old one, as well as 3 bottles of brake fluid.

So instead of doing carpets I decide to fit the stoneguards, which was pretty hectic because it involved me having to drill into my lovely red mudguards. Not a difficult job but be careful and have some extra pop rivets and washers on hand because sometimes you have to drill out one or two (OK five, if you insist on the amount). I forgot to put on the edge rubber both times!!

Having completed both sides the next move was to install the centre console. Again the rivnut tool was broken out and 4 rivnuts strategically placed - two on either side of the prop shaft tunnel. At this point I fitted the two safety belt stalks (loosely). They are not the type that has an electrical warning connection so the wires in the loom have been terminated and the seatbelt warning light will not feature on the console.

Having satisfied the mechanical urge to bolt stuff together I turned to the exhaust headers and muffler. I have elected to wrap the headers in DEI titanium lagging which is supposed to have some benefit power wise because it keeps the exhaust system running hotter. Now I failed thermodynamics as a subject at 'varsity (very badly, I might add) so I am unable to verify or disprove their claims to increased power output, reduced fuel consumption and general added longevity of the engine, but I will say their product looks really good looking on a car.

So I sprayed the headers and the muffler matte black with some heat resistant paint. I think the overall effect is going to be awesome - black headers wrapped in a gunmetal fiber set off with stainless steel hoseclamps and a red perforated exhaust shield.

I then called it quits for the day, and cleaned up all the pesky pop rivet wires, then my tools. It is starting to come together, I think. But there is a lot to do yet.

I am going to get a professional to do my wiring. When the car arrived all the wires had neat little tags on them saying what went where. After a year the tags are all faded!

 

Some real progress

Ok sometimes it is just as well to embrace the pain and go with the flow.

Today I fitted the headlights and man what a mission! The front struts came out first as I wasn't going to argue with the collective experience of other builders.

I am convinced that there is a special place in hell reservedfor whoever came up with the placing of the headlights. There must be a special tool for this - some sort of mutant box socket with a split in it and hex flats each end. Anyway the services of an extra length 19 socket and a pair of water pump pliers sufficed. Zero points for design, Mr Birkin.

I remembered to ground the earth wires from the rear light clusters, and while I was in an earthy mood, proceeded to do so for every earth wire I could find. Tested too!

The next item was the front fenders, and those went on with a minimum of fuss.

Tomorrow I paint the exhausts black and I fit the carpets.

Getting going again

Today was the first day in a long while I have actually had the chance to do something, so I did a bit of everything.

First bit of business was to replace the drilled out pop rivets on the bonnet catches which were removed by the painters. I've decided to use M4 riv nuts instead with stainless cap screws - much classier. These rivnut guns are very useful bits of kit.

Then I fitted the Webcon throttle bodies to the engine, and hooked up the fuel and return pipes, plus the breathers. The throttle cables were next. These cables will have to come off again when I fit the brake/clutch cylinder cover but for now it is fine. The throttle linkage seems to work pretty smoothly.

Last job for the day I fitted the rear mudguards, plus the rear light clusters. I must just remember to hook up the earth wire.

Here she is......

The dog has found some shade!

Paint Your Wagon.........

The deed is done. The car is painted. 15 large later I have a Ferrari Red Birkin. No pics as yet as the paint shop has not delivered it but I did have a sneak preview and she looks gorgeous. The builders are still busy renovating the house so the car for the meantime will stay at the paint shop. I will bring it back as soon as they are out of my hair and things get back to normal.

Also on the agenda is wrapping the exhaust headers with DEI Titanium fabric which will add a couple of ponies and keep both the engine and the engine bay cool. The stuff is a gunmetal grey so that fits in with the overall colour scheme.