Today, Pete has fitted the DAB antenna, hands free microphone and made adaptions to the way the stereo cage fits in the dash using some hand made rubber spacers. He has made a minor repair and location change to the sun visor clamp as this was sitting wonky and looks to have done so from factory.
We are awaiting an adapter for the DAB antenna connector to the back of the head unit and then this can be fitted in place for the final time. The Bluetooth, remote, and hands free functions are working as they should be. We are also chasing some interior parts for around the window switches and for the interior lights. Once these items have arrived that will conclude interior work on this big cat.
Amongst other things, the rear trailing arms have the new bushes fitted, have had a light shotblast, a fresh coat of paint and all now reassembled into the car. Pete had to fabricate new locking bolts to replace the worn ones and found a broken grease nipple so that was removed and replaced. The AC fan has finally come free of the old motor by drilling the shaft out and using a big hammer! It’s now mounted into the frame with it’s new motor and new fittings ready to go back in after we replace the condenser unit.
As Pete told us, a picture says a thousand words in this next section. Over the last couple of days he has been working on more rust repairs. The car has has had some extensive cosmetic and structural surgery. Removed a previous repair to the front of the nearside sill that was well below our standards and it highlighted just how poor this was done previously. We have found further rust holes behind it, this has now been cut out and new steel parts hand made to suit the shape of the car. Welded, dressed and primed. There has also been a lot of work replacing the lower rear quarter the same side. More rot was found on the inner panel, this has all been replaced and the new rear quarter welded into the car and trimmed/dressed to fit perfectly. He has even maintained the position of the original spot welds keeping this spots. Next we will be on the drivers side for similar repairs.
Much the same as the passenger side in fabrication needed, inner had slightly more rot than the passenger side but Pete has made replacement steel sections for this, all that remains is a final weld dress and then it onto the lower sill and jacking point repairs. Starting to be a very solid car now.
