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Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > General Build Chat

General Build Chat Area for general build chat, questions, tips, tricks and progress

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  #1  
Old 20th April 2012, 20:34
martin butler martin butler is offline
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Default Am i mad to even be thinking about this

I am thinking about getting a dutton, to overhaul and put on the road, Now as far as the seller thinks, it hasnt been on the road, but reading up the Dutton owners club have an agreement with DVLA that matches up the chassis number to a registration if it was registered im hoping that as these kits pre date iva that the chassis number will enable me get it registered and they think that it might have been on the road at some point because they have very good records on all the cars produced

it doesnt help that people nowadays are using dutton registrations to get out of putting their car though iva , i have a suspition that this might be what has happened, if it is someone might soon get a shock
so assuming that some low life doesnt out bid me at the last second whilst these cars are simple, very simple in fact, does the chassis require additional bracing because there isnt much to them
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  #2  
Old 10th May 2012, 13:06
martin butler martin butler is offline
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Well i did get it for £230 so even if its pants , its not going to be too bad,
got it trailored from near portsmouth to Kent, luckily i have a storage depot next door to work who are very accomodating so ive started the strip down its got a standard escort back axle and used the single leaf spring ive got the drums off everything looks ok there , drums cleaned up ok , adjusters after a soak of wd40 worked the cylinders are almost new one wheel bearing is rumbling , but at £14.00 its not going to break the bank

the fronts are a different kettle of fish though , they are basically scrap , i need new TCR's and coilovers these mount via brackets welded to the arms its been fitted with motorbike adjustable dampers , i understand this is normal for duttons?? im going to look out for some cheap avo's ,But at least the discs and calipers look to be ok just a bit of light rust the calipers work using an air line , i got an pinto 2.0 with the car but need a box, does the 1600 pinto box have the same ratios? because ive noticed one going for silly money rather than the £200 you normally pay
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  #3  
Old 10th May 2012, 13:48
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davecymru davecymru is offline
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Sounds like an interesting project! Post some photos as i know that there's a few of us on here who'd be interested in seeing how you progress, and best of luck to you!

Dave
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  #4  
Old 10th May 2012, 14:13
mashtun mashtun is offline
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Is it a Type 9 that you've seen going cheap? I don't know the complete range fitted to the Pinto over the years, but the Type 9 'boxes fitted to 1.6 and 2.0 Pinto-engined Sierras had the same ratios - it was the diff ratio that varied to change the overall gearing.

Mark.
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  #5  
Old 10th May 2012, 15:36
martin butler martin butler is offline
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I think so, all it said was ford 1600 ohc gearbox its either a 9 or an E, thats the only two types that were fitted . plus im not sure about the ratios on my 1300 rear axle so i might have to have a rethink if the back axle isnt suitable ,maybe sell the pinto and get a crossflow

its going to be a while yet before i have to get one, ive more pressing needs on my wallet such things as suspension parts
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  #6  
Old 17th May 2012, 08:42
martin butler martin butler is offline
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Ive not been able to trace anyprevious owners so far, so does anyone live in the Hayling island area because the car was advertised for sale july last year if i cant find out the idenity then i will have to put it though IVA

There is differing schools of thought , some tell me it wont pass where as others tell me that in theory a melos should be ok , as you can tell im confused and being told different things by members of the DOC i understand that body edges have to have a return lip, is this just on wings or on sides also and an collapible steering coloum so far no one has put a melos though IVA, things like light bessles are still availible so what would need to be done / changed at the moment its got the body off so putting in return edges whilst time consuming isnt impossible , how do the locosts passs with their expossed wings?
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  #7  
Old 13th July 2012, 16:00
martin butler martin butler is offline
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Default Progress report

Well everything is now stripped down ready for rebuilding

Ive stripped both coil overs and they are re usable, the rust was just on the bodies not on the pistons , a touch with the wire brush and they came up great, pumped the shockers and they will be ok for a few years yet no leakage what so ever, renewed every suspention bush, i managed to get another set of TCA's brand new for £10.00 welded on new shock mountings overhauled both calipers with new kits, seems ive got the later M16 type everything is now wire brushed off, primered and painted up and re assembled .
Back axle also stripped and repainted, hub bearing changed now awaiting re assembly and brakes re fitting, new rear dampers fitted .
Steering rack cleaned off checked , new boots and track rod ends repainted , ready to go on chassis once ive got new alloy mountings , ive lost one rubber and original mounts are missing so its cheaper to do away with rubbers and use the alloy mounts .

Chassis Cleaned down to bare metal, all welds checked everything checked for corrosion , In very good condition no further work needed repainted in primer and now top coated whilst stripping bottom rail found chassis number very roughly etched into metal very hard to tell first two numbers , but it looks like 2867 which tallys up with the dutton records but its still to be confermed

Over the next week end i hope to start the brake pipe runs and fit the rear springs and back axle before fitting the front assemblys minus steering rack,I,ve either got all the parts , or have on order all the bits needed to compleat the chassis

On the mechanical front, ive decided to go with a crossflow, ive now got a 1300 gearbox and an 1300 gt Engine, which ive got to pick up once i'm ready for it its complete so should not need too much work, but will be stripped once ive finished the chassis
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  #8  
Old 15th July 2012, 15:06
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Chris Cussen Chris Cussen is offline
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On the radiused edge problem Marlin Cabrios/Sportsters get through with U section rubber trim stuck all around the exposed edges. My examiner evern suggested I glue only the back so it didn't damage the paintwork if it should happen to fall off later.

Otherwise I can only recommend you get the IVA manual (its available on-line) and work you way through it.
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  #9  
Old 15th July 2012, 18:14
martin butler martin butler is offline
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I've already downloaded the IVA manual, and im doing the brake pipe runs to that spec anyway, ive got a second UJ for the steering column, and i'm modifying my column to use this so i meet the requirements
There is a very real chance that i might avoid IVA but i'm working to that standard just in case i do have to have it examined

I've refitted the rear springs and once the paint has dried the rear axle can go in , as its now completed apart from new brake shoes ive made and fitted the rear hydralic lines and flexible , once the new metric unions have arrived i can complete the making and routing of the pipework , i need metric as well as UNF because i have M16 calipers and a mk2 tandem master cylinder both of which are metric where as the rest is unf its very confusing
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  #10  
Old 19th October 2012, 14:24
martin butler martin butler is offline
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It been a few months since my last post, so here goes
The body is now back on the chassis and bolted down the car was transported to my home some 2 weeks ago, i had to abandon my plans , throw everything back together how it was because everything had to be moved and i'm now installing carpets and seats, wiring loom is in place for sidelights and indicators just needs sticking down under the carpet where it runs inside the tub , a few things have come to light since my last post, concerning the registration, it was on the road and the registration has been lost , but the owners club are sure it can be retreaved so its likily that i will avoid IVA .
Iv'e got an crossflow 1300 for it, this is currenty stripped down and is in very good condition , needing only new gaskets and seals .the previous engine i lost out to someone else
At the moment i am quite advanced, and the outstanding work is as follows,
finish dash, needs wiring up and switches putting in, engine to be installed,
rear springs have to come out again for rebushing, as one bush was found to have worn oval , upper spring shackle bush set needs to be changed .
my time span now is to complete it at home, and have it ready for april next year
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  #11  
Old 7th June 2013, 20:44
martin butler martin butler is offline
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i thought i had better update progress , its been a few months,
Well the original time plan has slipped, due to presures on my wallet, so the car will not be on the road till the end of the summer,
i was able to get the registration reclaimed for the car, the chassis number did match up, and the v5 arrived christmas eve, hows that for a pressent),
the engine had to be rebuilt twice, i along with a friend put it in, only to discover it was partially seized, i had to remove the head ,and found that rust had formed in the bore and had stuck thepistons to the bore, i removed the engine again ,stripped everything again, and honed the bores , luckily there was no damage, so everything went back together and engine was reunited with car, since then, its been a slow though build up to the point where by engine start up is due in the next 2 weeks to a month, the wiring is now complete, and outstanding items are to fit fuel filters, change extended rear studs for metric 66mm, as the imperial 55 are not long enough, fill and bleed the brakes then double check all systems, i have missed this years shows but will be at detling with it,and stoneleigh next year in the time when i was unable to do any mechanical work, i rubbed down and prepared the body for painting, and the car is now in gloss black , and looks nice
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  #12  
Old 7th June 2013, 21:33
garyh garyh is offline
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how about posting some pictures!
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  #13  
Old 7th June 2013, 21:36
martin butler martin butler is offline
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they are in the pictures section, waiting to be verified
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  #14  
Old 20th August 2014, 17:14
Marc F Marc F is offline
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Any updates? I am curious what handbrake cable fits a Melos - Escort base, but shorter, so the standard Ford would be too long - or can the cable be shortened?
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  #15  
Old 20th August 2014, 18:28
martin butler martin butler is offline
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oh christ, yes its now on the road, had a few set backs, and other things that slowed me down, but as of May it passed an MOT, I hope to get some use out of it , but upto now, its only done very limited milage
Handbrake, standard escort mk 1 cable should be ok i used a standard one,and its ok,
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  #16  
Old 21st August 2014, 10:08
Marc F Marc F is offline
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Cheers for that - it is my BiL's new toy, and he was given two with the car (neither fitted) so it has caused us a bit of head scratching. Be good to see some photos - whereabouts in the country are you - we are in Essex
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  #17  
Old 21st August 2014, 10:25
martin butler martin butler is offline
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its a tight fit and a right pig unles you drop the prop , there should be a bit of tube welded to the chassis, the cable is retained by it, just before it turns down and round onto the axle, the mk 2 escort axle, has a different set up, so check your set up,
Im in East Sussex if you need further help try the Dutton owners club, ning site, its free, and most of us active owners are on it
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  #18  
Old 21st August 2014, 10:30
Marc F Marc F is offline
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I figured the Dutton owners were elsewhere as this site seems a bit empty of Dutton commentary. BiL has checked out the DoC site already - I will encourage him to partake :-)

Thanks for your reply though - much appreciated, I reckon it is an "up on stands" job at the weekend
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  #19  
Old 21st August 2014, 10:45
martin butler martin butler is offline
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thats ok, so what state is your Melos in, it cant be worse than mine was, but they are easy cars to work on, they have their limitations, they were made cheap, and it shows, but are ok, as long as you remember that, for instance the chassis was designed to take anything upto a v4 essex unit, if you are fitting anything more powerfull you need to look at adding some further strength , the fibreglass can need looking at, but on the upside, they are good cars once sorted out and are capible of surprising a few people a friend of mine has a v8 pheaton, and it goes like *** of a shovel you can make a great dutton for the price of a very basic locost
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  #20  
Old 21st August 2014, 10:49
Marc F Marc F is offline
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It is not bad actually - £700 and road going (except for the handbrake) - if you have an email address I could try and send you some pics I took. It is nice and shiny, 1600 ohc Ford lump, runs well, hood has seen better days, sidescreens good, bodywork needs a bit of love but it is not bad from 10 foot away. All in all a lot of car for the money. I would have liked it if I was buying.
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