Hi Alan,
welcome to the world of kitcars!!
How to 'clean up' donor parts, well that's a long subject worthy of it's own thread but I'll briefly describe what I do....
If it's really oily and greasy the most effective and fast cleaner is just neat petrol. Not very environmentally friendly or safe but it is the most effective. (I think garages use a paraffin based parts cleaner.)

If the item is just dirty and not too oily I use Bilt Hamber 'Surfex HD' which works very well.
For de-rusting I use Hammerite 'Rust remover gel' (thanks Robin!) but if it's small enough to immerse the part I use Bilt Hamber 'Deox-C'. I just mix up a bucket full and pop them in overnight and they come out the next day with no rust. You must clean them with Surfex HD first or it doesn't work so well. I call it my magic potion!!

On my chassis it was just a case of lots of elbow grease. Basically a variety of wire brushes in an electric drill and lots of emery paper on a rubber sanding block.
For degreasing before painting and for cleaning small parts like bearings, engine parts, CV joints, etc, I use Brake Cleaner.
There are lots of exotic anti-corrosion paint coverings available but most are very expensive. For this build I'm just sticking to black Hammerite Satin. It will probably last longer than me!!

Finally, if you are a complete novice then I can recommend you start buying a couple of the kitcar mags as they have lots of articles and reviews of the various preparation methods, etc.

Good luck.....


....peter

Week 17 update......

As the festive preparations start, car building has slowed down but here's a small update and hopefully useful for any other Sierra based kitcar builders.

The Sierra suspension rear cross-member, or beam, is mounted to the chassis with too very large rubber bushes that are nearly 4" in diameter.
You can see them here at the top of the picture...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8358/8...080dac43_c.jpg
Rear suspension by marlinpeter, on Flickr

The Haynes manual doesn't cover how to replace these bushes and a trawl of internet forums suggested that these are notoriously difficult to remove with suggestions ranging from drilling them out to burning them out with oxy acetylene torches!!

Now normally I remove rubber bushes with a large socket, a length of threaded studding and some nuts and washers. Obviously I don't have a 4" socket but I did have a length of 4" ventilation pipe left over which is just the right size.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8075/8...dd07157c_c.jpg
Cross-member bush removal by marlinpeter, on Flickr

An old crush tube and a nut on the other side.....

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8497/8...58c1b65c_c.jpg
Cross-member bush removal by marlinpeter, on Flickr

Just wind up the nuts and the bush just popped out without any effort.

Note: new Internet folklore = these bushes are really easy to remove!! :lol:

Here's a picture of one of the old bushes and a new poly bush version.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8079/8...19dd0824_c.jpg
Rear Crossmember bushes by marlinpeter, on Flickr

So as this is my last update before the festivities begin, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and and a productive kitcar building and driving in 2013!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8352/8...284d24e8_c.jpg
Christmas 2012 by marlinpeter, on Flickr

The Christmas card is courtesy of the Royale Owners Club - nice one!

:smile:.....peter

Nicely popped Peter.
Merry Christmas!:party:

From your report so far, Peter, the Sabre looks like a well made kit and the finished car should be a pleasure to own. I have always thought it has really good lines.

Hopefully, I will be able to get back into the garage one of these days but at the moment I am fully occupied taking care of her indoors.

To all readers of this super forum, Happy Christmas and good building in 2013.

Thanks guys, have a nice Christmas!

Week 18 update.........

I managed a couple of hours down at the lock up today between showers and while Pauline was off to the 'sales' :wink:

Before Christmas I managed to clean up and repaint the rear beam.
Replacing the rear beam bushes with the new poly bushes was a bit more of a challenge than getting the old rubber ones out, but this arrangement finally forced the bush into place. (The nuts you can see are just acting as spacers to allow the top edge of the bush to pop into place.)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8071/8...f816bf42_c.jpg
Rear beam - bush replacement by marlinpeter, on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8077/8...af3e8165_c.jpg
Rear beam - bush replacement by marlinpeter, on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8497/8...405ba66e_c.jpg
Rear beam - bush replacement by marlinpeter, on Flickr

I've started to paint the rear end of the chassis. This is the second coat and is still wet.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/8...3579aa50_c.jpg
Chassis - rear end repainting by marlinpeter, on Flickr



So that's the last update this year.....

:wave: .....peter

Week 20 update.....

well to be honest, I don't have a lot to show for the last couple of weeks due to a combination of the weather and 'domestic things' taking up my spare time.
But I have reached a significant milestone.... I've finished painting the chassis and the build can now begin:whoo:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8076/8...969a341c_c.jpg
Chassis - painted! by marlinpeter, on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8...bc0f378a_c.jpg
Chassis - painted! by marlinpeter, on Flickr


:smile:.......peter

Will you be keeping the same body colour?

Probably not as my Marlin Sportster is almost the same colour.
I quite like the 'two-tones' but really that decision is a long way off :smile:

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6072/6...64fde73a_z.jpg
Royale Sabre kit-car by Albert S. Bite, on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6185/6...44fc6261_z.jpg
Vintage Car - Royale Sabre [RSX 45M] 110710 Leighton Hall by maljoe, on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6209/6...ebc8969e_z.jpg
Vintage Car - Royale Sabre [LSV 877] 110710 Leighton Hall by maljoe, on Flickr

So, will it be one of these above? Or have you come up with a different combination?

I really like wire wheels on period cars - I think the blue one looks lovely, - but I do get the steel wheels too, as they are just as appropriate.
Wires are just so damn expensive - and several people have told me they are high maintenanace: not a good combination - high price and lots of after care!

I agree, the alloys don't do anything for it.

It'll be on steel wheels or or maybe wires, but the colour options are still wide open.
I hope to see some finished cars at shows this year before making up my mind.

Fun down at the lockup
 

It was fun down at the lockups this morning.....

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8235/8...74e8e453_z.jpg
Fun in the snow by marlinpeter, on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8072/8...8431fcee_z.jpg
Fun in the snow by marlinpeter, on Flickr

Week 21 update......

After finishing the painting last week meant that I could get back to spannering and start bolting bits back together.:smile:

First up was refitting the rear beam followed by the two trailing arms and (temporarily) the shock absorbers.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8...ee9551a3_c.jpg
Rear beam and trailing arms by marlinpeter, on Flickr

The rear bump stops are as rare as 'hens teeth'.

Unfortunately, the shocks that came with the kit were for a Granada and the wrong length for the Sabre, so I decided to try these Japanese KYB shock absorbers.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8336/8...e043bacd_c.jpg
Shock absorbers by marlinpeter, on Flickr

After a trial fit of the rear beam, it became clear that I needed the top part of the bush.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8219/8...5b9648cc_c.jpg
Rear beam poly bush by marlinpeter, on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8361/8...b20b7ea0_c.jpg
Rear beam poly bush by marlinpeter, on Flickr

View from below. The smaller bolts are 7/16 inch UNF but I have no idea why.

Rear hubs have been refurbished with new bearings and grease seals.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8234/8...5b5d47d7_c.jpg
Rear hubs fitted by marlinpeter, on Flickr


I've fitted the differential/final drive but the bad news was that the Floflex mount didn't fit so I've put the Ford part back.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8...a0e384da_c.jpg
Final Drive fitted by marlinpeter, on Flickr

Next up will be the rear springs, half shafts and then a quick go round with the torque wrench before putting the rear wheels back on.


:smile:........peter

Peter,

What a great re-build you are doing.

Well done :)

Can't wait to see this one on the road, I forget, has it been registered yet or needs IVA?

I have that joy this year :(

Keep up the good work :)
Cheers

Steve

Thanks for the feedback.
A quick summary for you and anyone else joining the story late.....

The Royale Sabre Chassis was made in 1994 and the build presumably started shortly after. The car was upholstered in 1997 but the car was never finished or registered. The story I was told was that the guy building it didn't put any antifreeze in the cooling water which froze and split the engine block. After that he lost heart and never finished it. It then languished in garages or under tarpaulins until I bought it last August (2012).

So yes, it will now need IVA testing before I can register it.

Enjoy your IVA :madgrin:


...peter

Good stuff, it's looking great :D

Thanks, Patrick.It's certainly coming along nicely now but I can't wait to start playing with engines again :madgrin:

Week 22 update.

This week I've refitted the rear springs and drive shafts.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8191/8...e4bd70fe_c.jpg
Rear springs and drive shafts by marlinpeter, on Flickr

Which means that I now have a rolling chassis again!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8089/8...f7fa58e3_c.jpg
Rolling Chassis complete by marlinpeter, on Flickr

Now I can get back to engine fitting trials :madgrin:


:smile:........peter