Are you madabout kit cars      
 "We've Got Kit Cars Covered" Information about Madabout-Kitcars.com Contact Madabout-Kitcars.com         Home of UK kit cars - madabout-kitcars.com Various kit car write ups All the latest kit car news Kit car related and general discussion

Search
Manufacturers
Kit Cars
Kit Car Data sheets
Picture Gallery
SVA Knowledgebase
Clubs & Communities
Build cost estimator
Kit cars for sale
Knowledge Base 
KitcarUSA.com
Classic-Kitcars.com
 

Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Sammio Builds and discussions

Sammio Builds and discussions Sammio bodied car builds and specials

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #2681  
Old 25th August 2016, 17:40
deggsy deggsy is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 395
deggsy is on a distinguished road
Default

Looking really goo Paul glad to see you've sorted out that fuse box I have the same problem on mine which I will have to sort out eventually??
Reply With Quote
  #2682  
Old 25th August 2016, 21:06
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Deggsy - Cheers.

I really should have decided to swap the fuse box out right from the start.

But I am still happy that it was the root cause of my electrical problems.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thursday:

Daytime
Spend most of the day doing real work.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Early Evening
Went out for a family "celebration" meal, as…

[Proud Dad]

My eldest daughter passed all 10 of her GCSEs.

[/Proud Dad]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Late Evening:
The sun was setting in the West by the time we got home.



But I was given permission to sneak outside anyway to get a little bit more done.

Yesterday, I spent far too long crawling around in the footwells when fitting the gearbox cover.

So, even if it seemed like a step backwards, I removed the centre section of the dash.



Mind you, even when I could see what I was doing, it was a fiddly job to get the two heat control panel bolts back in.



Eventually, the panel was secure.



And the centre dash section could be refitted.



Then I went around the underside of the joins around the gearbox cover to smooth out the sealing compound.

Now this was a messy job when I could see what I was doing, let alone crawling under the car in the dark.

Still, I managed to smooth out all the edges I could reach with my fingers.

I also collected any excess sealant that had been squeezed out when the cover was fitted.



I really hope that was the last job requiring me to be under the car before the MOT.

So I jacked the car up, removed the wooden blocks and the car is now back sitting on its wheels.



I've got some more real work to do tomorrow, but I hope to get the seats bolted in at some point.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Last edited by Paul L; 25th August 2016 at 21:16.. Reason: Typo
Reply With Quote
  #2683  
Old 25th August 2016, 21:32
froggyman's Avatar
froggyman froggyman is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 550
froggyman is on a distinguished road
Default

Just returned from a family 'Celebration meal' with our son passing all his GCSE exams as well so know how proud you feel.
Only an Mot for you to get a pass with then Paul! (no pressure)
Reply With Quote
  #2684  
Old 26th August 2016, 21:07
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Froggyman - Well done to your lad too.

With a bit of luck, my car's big "exam" should be happening in the next few weeks.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Long Slow Friday - Part 1:
Started "working from home" just after 7am, so I would have some car time available in the afternoon…

First job was fitting the rubber gaiter for the gear lever opening.





At some point I will make a gaiter for the gear stick, but that is on the list of "Post MOT" jobs.

So for now, the front end of the cockpit is now complete.



Next the seat belts were fitted…

I started by laying one out, so I could make sure it went in the right way.



There is a small split pin that helps keep everything attached.





Passenger side went in first.



Quickly followed by the driver's side.



End of Part 1…
Reply With Quote
  #2685  
Old 26th August 2016, 21:08
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

The Long Slow Friday - Part 2:
Then it was finally time to bolt the seats into position…

So I set up the spacers, thinner at the front…



And thicker at the rear.



With the same set up on both sides.



Although for some reason, one of the spacers needed to be filed out a bit so it would clear the bolt.



I spent ages struggling to fit the seats by myself and it was just not possible single handed.

So I roped in my wife to help me when she got back from work and it was still a struggle.

In the end, I removed the fibreglass spacer from the rear, in case this was causing the problem.

I also enlarged the holes in the floor slightly to give me a bit of wiggle room.

I didn't want to waste my wife's time, so I agreed to call it a day at 7.30pm, win, lose or draw.

By now I had abandoned the passenger seat to see if I would have more luck with the driver's one.

I'd got three bolts in eventually, but the last one juts wouldn't catch cleanly.

Typically, my final attempt before giving up for the night worked.

So I my wife could go back inside, while I tightened all four bolts up.



I used a normal allen key and my super sized one.



So 4 hours and 30 minutes after I started putting the spacers on the floor, I had finally managed to fit one seat.





Hopefully I will have the energy to do this all again tomorrow, when I attempt to fit the other one.

Until next time, take care, Paul.
Reply With Quote
  #2686  
Old 27th August 2016, 22:14
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Epic Saturday - Part 1:
To be honest, I just couldn't face tackling the passenger seat, as yesterday's efforts really tested all of my resolve.

So I decided to start with some cleaning instead…

Found the old fuse box cover.



Once that was cleaner it was fitted over the redundant box attached to the bulkhead.



The front suspension and the engine bay were next.

Before:



After:





I also zip tied the oil pressure gauge wires out of the way.



Yesterday, I had jacked up the car to get better access for fitting the seats.

So I cleaned up the chassis and rear exhaust pipes.



The wheels & tyres were next.



As they had picked up a few marks along the way.



Unfortunately, I discovered some of the dirt was actually overspray of blue paint from the original donor car!

So I will come back to that another day.

Then the wheel centres could be fitted.



And I was surprised at the difference these make .



At this point, there were no more little cleaning jobs to do, so I had to face fitting the passenger seat…

End of Part 1…

Last edited by Paul L; 27th August 2016 at 22:36..
Reply With Quote
  #2687  
Old 27th August 2016, 22:36
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Epic Saturday - Part 2:
As before, the bolts were taped into position from underneath.
( With the spacers and washers taped to each other to stop them moving around too. )



Then my wife helped me with the tricky job of trying to get the bolts to line up with the holes in the seat.

Thankfully, this time the job could be measured in minutes, rather than hours, as all 4 bolts went in.



Meaning the passenger seat was now secure.



Unfortunately, in true 'Ying & Yang' fashion, Mr Lucky was quickly replaced by Mr Clumbsy.

I decided to top up the petrol and managed to spill a load over the boot lid.

Which I then made worse by trying to rub it and therefore smudging/lifting the etch primer.



The next job on the list was to fit the steering wheel and I ran into two problems.

The first was that I finally worked out why this centre section never stays in.



There appears to be 3 small lugs that would provide a friction fit, but they are all broken.

So I need to order a replacement at some point, but I don't actually need this for the MOT.

The second problem was I didn't have a socket/spanner big enough for the nut itself.

I could get it tight enough with an adjustable spanner, so the steering wheel wouldn't come off by accident, but not fully fitted.

At this point, I suddenly realised that my MOT "To Do" list was actually complete.

Now the promised rain hadn't arrived, the MOT station was open, so what is a boy to do...

End of Part 2…
Reply With Quote
  #2688  
Old 27th August 2016, 22:37
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Epic Saturday - Part 3:
OK, I am being a bit of a tease now, as the first thing I needed to do was take some photos for the insurance company.

This was a condition of the policy when I finally got on the road and this included the engine bay photos you saw earlier.

So here she is...

Triumph Swordfish 1500















Now I figured if I didn't bring any tools then I would need something on the way,

So, logically, if I threw a load of tools in a bag, then the car would be fine.



I also wanted to follow Mister Towed's example of dressing appropriately for the occasion.

So I wore one of these for the first time today.



Then, with my MOT appointment booked in advance, I went for my first legal drive!

End of Part 3…
Reply With Quote
  #2689  
Old 27th August 2016, 22:38
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Epic Saturday - Part 4:
The MOT station was 4 miles away and I barely made it into 3rd gear and certainly not 4th.

The car clearly hasn't been driven any distance in over 10 years (it was an abandoned project when I bought it).

So it was a bit jerky in places and the route there is a pot-holed / speed bump invested mess.

I was being uber-careful, yet I still had to try very hard not to be grinning like a demented lunatic.

The rear view mirror is excellent, the driver's side mirror is OK & the passenger side mirror is shiny.

I quite like the way you have to man-handle the steering, it seems to add to the overall experience.

But I was very happy to arrive at my destination, safe & sound.



Which also came me my first car park photo.



I was given permission to watch/help with the test.
( E.g. Operating the brakes, as the tester worked the rollers. )



While it was on the ramp I managed to get a couple of photos too.





As for the test itself, there is good news and bad news.

Bad News
- It was a fail.

Good News
- It only failed on two items, which were exhaust emissions (which was to be expected I guess) and the anti-roll bar linkage was insecure (something I hadn't really looked at).
- I got to drive it home again and I will be able to drive it back when I book it in for them to set the carbs to pass the test.

Unfortunately, no sooner had I got back from the MOT, but it was a family trip to IKEA.

I was still building flat packs at 9.30pm, with more to be done tomorrow.

So I am a bit frazzled at the moment and will provide some more feedback another day.

Until next time, take care, Paul.
Reply With Quote
  #2690  
Old 27th August 2016, 23:03
froggyman's Avatar
froggyman froggyman is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 550
froggyman is on a distinguished road
Default

Well done, nearly there!!!
Reply With Quote
  #2691  
Old 27th August 2016, 23:40
molleur molleur is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,401
molleur is on a distinguished road
Default

Congratulations Paul, almost there!
Great job of "sticking to it".
Reply With Quote
  #2692  
Old 28th August 2016, 06:50
MikeD's Avatar
MikeD MikeD is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wellington, Somerset
Posts: 51
MikeD is on a distinguished road
Default

Paul great news really well done. Surely emmisions are just visual? I fear the end of my daily read is fast approaching, what will I do for inspiration when you finish??? I look forward to that 1st drive - must feel like when you pass your driving test and go out alone.
Reply With Quote
  #2693  
Old 28th August 2016, 08:25
Roadster's Avatar
Roadster Roadster is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 935
Roadster is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD View Post
Paul great news really well done. Surely emmisions are just visual? I fear the end of my daily read is fast approaching, what will I do for inspiration when you finish??? I look forward to that 1st drive - must feel like when you pass your driving test and go out alone.
Congratulations Paul
It looks great and the fails are small obstacles.

You've reached that point where its no longer a heap of parts you go and fight with and instead it becomes the thing that will put a smile on your face no matter how bad a day you've had.

Mike's right though.
Many of us have been with you from the beginning ( you even mentioned me being inspiration at the start of the build-so I am overjoyed that you have not only achieved your goal but you exceeded your expectations) So what will we do when this build thread is no longer updated?

Maybe a sequel or a series of "Swordfish tales" - including the trip to Norfolk.
Reply With Quote
  #2694  
Old 28th August 2016, 09:12
Mister Towed's Avatar
Mister Towed Mister Towed is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,328
Mister Towed is on a distinguished road
Default

Well done Paul, shame it failed but it's mostly only minor things (apart from the emissions...) and mine did the same. If you recall - I had a leaky rear wheel cylinder and a split steering gaiter.

Mike D, the visual smoke emissions test only applies to pre August 1975 (petrol) cars and Paul's is a '79, so it needs to pass the particulate test. Bummer. https://www.gov.uk/emissions-testing

Love the picture of your car parked outside the test station - it always makes me smile when the highest point on these cars sits below the door handles of a modern.

See you on the road real soon
Reply With Quote
  #2695  
Old 28th August 2016, 10:08
DaveP DaveP is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Reading, Berkshire
Posts: 688
DaveP is on a distinguished road
Default

Paul,

Well done ! Yes it did not get through first attempt but when you consider the journey you have gone through so far two items is absolutely stunning.

Loving the look of the swordfish too. Design aspects you have stuck with make it unique and bl@@dy attractive.

I cannot wait for the prepping for paint next installments

Dave
Reply With Quote
  #2696  
Old 28th August 2016, 13:44
redratbike's Avatar
redratbike redratbike is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,446
redratbike is on a distinguished road
Default

This is going to sound silly but in my eyes the fail is a pass as it's only on 2 minor items rather than a huge list that would have demoralised you ...just a retest and you are on the road woo hoo!!!!

Recently rebuilt my motorbike down to a bare frame and back up and took it to the Isle of man for TT.

The gear linkage came loose ..that's the only thing that went wrong ..I was expecting more niggles and issues

..so in my eyes you are a winner Paul....well done

I bet you had a huge grin whilst driving it
Reply With Quote
  #2697  
Old 28th August 2016, 20:17
Tribute Automotive's Avatar
Tribute Automotive Tribute Automotive is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,622
Tribute Automotive is on a distinguished road
Default

Good stuff Paul, give yourself a big pat on the back. That first drive after all that work will leave you buzzing for days. Enjoy.
Reply With Quote
  #2698  
Old 28th August 2016, 20:17
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Froggyman, Molleur, Mike D, Roadster, Mister Towed, Dave P & RedRatBike Thanks gentlemen.

It really was an epic day yesterday, so I will cover a bit more of it below, but just a couple of reply points first.

Mike D - Welcome to my build thread.

MOT Fail - I absolutely agree that the two points were minor and I am very happy everything else was OK.

Emissions - A 1980 donor makes mine one of the "youngest" Sammio builds, so there is a carbon monoxide limit.
( Thankfully, the garage will be able to fine tune the carbs until the car sits on the right side of that limit. )

Car Park - I am still amazed at just how small it is compared to everything else.

On The Road Thread - Should this start when the MOT is passed, or when the car is painted?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was all a bit of a blur…
To put Saturday into context, I have to go back to Friday first.

I didn't want to 'count my chickens', but I knew that once the seats were in, I would be very close for the MOT.

So as the hours ticked by and I still hadn't managed to get 4 bolts into one seat, I was losing the will to live.

Regular readers will know this has been a roller coaster of a build, yet Friday night was actually one of the lowest points.

Honestly, if I hadn't got the first seat in before packing up for the night, I would have needed a long break from the car to recover.

So when things went so much better on Saturday, I started to get my hopes up.

But I only had a small time window available, as I had promised my family the trip to IKEA.

So there was a lot of running around, packing things away and getting myself cleaned up and changed, so I would look presentable too.

Made the phone call to CarDoc and they took my details so the journey would be legal.

Then before I really knew what was happening, I was driving the car down the street.

There was so much to take in, it was almost sensory overload.

So here are a few more random thoughts / memories from the day:

- I usually climb in the car when it is sitting on my driveway.
When I climbed in from the kerb is was even easier to get in.

- The 3 point harness is a reassuringly snug fit and I can reach everything when buckled up.

- My elbow sits nicely on the side of the cockpit and the driving position is pretty good.
Which is a bit relief as there is no way to adjust the seat.

- At the end of my street there were people gathering for a wedding.
One of the guests was chatting and stepping backwards into the road without looking.
I was taking so much care to avoid hitting him, I "photo bombed" the bride around the corner.
Still, I got a "Nice car!" comment from the professional photographer.
( As I passed between him on one side of the road and the bride on the other. )

- I did see some people stop and stare and turn completely around as I went past.

- The indicator switch is on the opposite side to the cars I normally drive.
Plus I've removed the original indicator switch completely.
So the good news was I wasn't turning the wipers on, just grabbing for thin air.
I was also grabbing thin air when I reached for the gear lever.
( As that is miles further forward than what I am used to. )

- I was very conscious of trying to take in what the car felt like to drive.
Plus listening out for any noises that might indicate a problem.
So I had to keep reminding myself to watch out for traffic lights & speed cameras.

- I was initially nervous about revving the car, as I am used to a "lazy" diesel.
( Which sits below 2,000 revs at 70mph in 6th gear. )
But I think the engine would benefit from a decent run to clear it out a bit.

- Everyone at the MOT garage were very positive about the car and willing it to pass.
But I really wanted a strict review, as I'd like to take my wife & daughters for a spin.
They can't wait to fix it, so that I can enjoy it on the road.

- The oil leak is still there and if anything it has got worse.
So I will ask them to have a look for me as the ramp make access underneath so much easier.

- When I was looking underneath I realised that the original donor parts are a bit rough.
Obviously, they looked a lot better when I first bough the car, but that was 4 years ago.

- There were a few spots of rain on the way home.
Which gave me my first experience of the panic that comes with trying to beat the weather.
Who thought it would be a good idea to build a car with no roof in the UK?

Anyway, I am sure there was more to tell, but I really was bewildered by the end of the day.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Next Steps:
I will fit the headlight rims, as the beams were adjusted as part of the test.
Then I just need to co-ordinate the garage with my real work to drop the car in.
The re-test is free within two weeks and I'd like to get it done this week if possible.
But I am actually quite relaxed now, as I know it will be leaving the garage with a pass.
Then I just need to get it taxed (too young for tax free status) and I am good to go.

So until next time, take care, Paul.
Reply With Quote
  #2699  
Old 28th August 2016, 20:21
Paul L's Avatar
Paul L Paul L is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wembley, London
Posts: 5,056
Paul L is on a distinguished road
Default

Tribute - Oops, sorry we cross posted, so cheers Chris.

The great skills you and Dan display "next door" have been a real inspiration for all the "cut & shut" work I did.

Given how much I was buzzing after an 8 mile round trip, I dread to think what I will be like after a long journey!

Take care, Paul.
Reply With Quote
  #2700  
Old 29th August 2016, 11:17
deggsy deggsy is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 395
deggsy is on a distinguished road
Default

Wonderful stuff Paul you won't believe the fun you are going to have driving the car don't worry about the weather you will appreciate it so much more when the sun comes out I know from experience. all the best Derek
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 2 (0 members and 2 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +0. The time now is 19:06.

copyright © madabout-kitcars.com 2000-2024
terms and conditions | privacy policy