Wot, not another '79 Targa resto thread

[PeterK]

Worried about the application of heat (potential distortion), so I guess even longer with wire brushes and maybe sandpaper in the tight spots

[Gary71]

Normal wallpaper stripping heat gun and a scraper will be fine. Makes a lot of smoke and smells but it will come off in sheets allowing a quick once over with the wire brush to finish.

Don’t wave a oxy/acetylene torch at them

[Phill]

Sandblasting doesn't work on the stone chip, you need heat and a scraper.......and a long, long time!

Looking good Peter

You need to find a new sandblaster. They managed fine on mine.

[911hillclimber]

Why not just remove the lifted areas as the majority of the coating was obviously very sound as it was so hard to get off.
Because of where I live, there are many providers of fine sand and soda blasting as well as chemical stripping. I would go chemical and save the time the effort and that dust everywhere.

That is a lot of time spent!

[PeterK]

Don't need to tell me that that was a lot of time spent

Most of the compromised areas actually looked sound and in some places the stone chip was more than 10mm thick. Yet in some corners and crevices there were clearly air gaps, previous moisture and now light corrosion.

Having uncovered some, it was either do it all properly or don't bother, risk it and just repair any issues that crop up in the next months and years. I have caused myself extra work by needing to re-flat the wing though, now that I have removed the skim of filler from places.

Stops me getting bored, I suppose

[911hillclimber]

10mm think!
I'm sure my 73 wings were all of 2 mm max except round the top of the bowls in side the wings, gave up on that tight pace a long time ago.
I assumed you had the same as mine.
Never a boring moment on this work, just a lot of boring hours!

Paint not too far away now.

[PeterK]

The stone chip was only 10mm thick in places, like on the top of the headlight bowl, under the mounting flange, long the joint between wing and inner panel and, believe it or not, even thicker up in the corner above.

It's the paint that is pushing me on at the moment, Graham. Last year I did too much sailing and missed my summer window. This year I am instructing as well (the season has already started for me, with last and next weekends out on the water), so things can only be busier this year. Just to help matters time-wise, elder twin's Fiesta did its clutch just before she went travelling. I managed to damage the ball joint covers getting the suspension apart, so had to replace them (take off lower arms, drill out the rivets and bolt replacement ball joints in). Then the OSF strut came loose (not the areas that I had worked on, but her boyfriend and his father had , so more work. Now the OS intermediate driveshaft bearing is making a lot of noise. I'll change both driveshafts completely - don't want any more issues for a while
Took 3 hours this morning to clean all the cr$p, that removing the stone chip had generated, out of the garage. This afternoon I broke out the welder - the OS wing is now cleaned, welded where necessary and the edges coated in rust converter (just in case). The previous patch under the headlight linished up a bit, but was paper thin in places, and when I cut it out, it was well rusty inside. Anyway, replaced now.

Alex, the Garage Bitch is planning to be here one day next week, and we will hopefully get the bumpers, winglets, etc fitted, just to prove that it all still fits. Just need to crack on with the NS wing now

[PeterK]

The stone chip was only 10mm thick in places, like on the top of the headlight bowl, under the mounting flange, long the joint between wing and inner panel and, believe it or not, even thicker up in the corner above.

It's the paint that is pushing me on at the moment, Graham. Last year I did too much sailing and missed my summer window. This year I am instructing as well (the season has already started for me, with last and next weekends out on the water), so things can only be busier this year. Just to help matters time-wise, elder twin's Fiesta did its clutch just before she went travelling. I managed to damage the ball joint covers getting the suspension apart, so had to replace them (take off lower arms, drill out the rivets and bolt replacement ball joints in). Then the OSF strut came loose (not the areas that I had worked on, but her boyfriend and his father had , so more work. Now the OS intermediate driveshaft bearing is making a lot of noise. I'll change both driveshafts completely - don't want any more issues for a while
Took 3 hours this morning to clean all the cr$p, that removing the stone chip had generated, out of the garage. This afternoon I broke out the welder - the OS wing is now cleaned, welded where necessary and the edges coated in rust converter (just in case). The previous patch under the headlight linished up a bit, but was paper thin in places, and when I cut it out, it was well rusty inside. Anyway, replaced now.

Alex, the Garage Bitch is planning to be here one day next week, and we will hopefully get the bumpers, winglets, etc fitted, just to prove that it all still fits. Just need to crack on with the NS wing now

[jjeffries]

Peter, I've done this same thing by similar means but I believe it went much faster.

I was using a decent electric 4.5" angle grinder and wire cup brushes. Maybe the electric motor provided more va-va-vroom that your pneumatic tool, and maybe cup brushes are tougher and have more resistance and bite? I'm the other side of the water but the consumables would either have been DeWalt or Milwaukee....ie, not discount stuff.

No criticsim of your tools, Sir!
John

[PeterK]

Thanks John
I too found (eventually) that twisted knot wire brushes in my angle grinders did the business best. Had to report to finger files, and small wire brushes in die grinders for the more restricted areas though. Having learned what works better & where the hard way, the second wing should go much faster (fingers crossed).

[PeterK]

No pictures today, sorry.
Well, next week turned in to the week after next. With barely any plausibity, the Garage Bitch rang to complain that he had tried to lift an empty bag and was now spasming on the floor. He further explained that he was waiting for an appointment with a chiro, and guess what, it just happened to be on the day planned for fitting of bumpers. Anyway, I think he just planned a duvet day, but don’t tell him I said that, or he might not come and help anymore .

So today was the re-planned day, and my collection of bumpers, valances, etc were laid out on the floor in anticipation. By the end of the day both bumpers are fitted, and valances, end plates etc check fitted . All light units are now awaiting fitting, then I can check my wiring with real electrickery, rather than just belling out wires. I even managed to find all the new rubber parts, except the bumper shox rubber base pads (big, thick rubber washers to you and me).

Having adjourned to a local place of feeding for luncheon (the very local bacon sarny shop around the corner has unfortunately shut down, so we have to go by car into Fleet & as SWMBO is not working, we have to take her too), we set to, making a high level table above the welders, engine stand, and other assorted toolage. With this extra surface, I have now got all the new rubber seals, targa parts, etc laid out. Hopefully I can locate the shox base pads soon. As I confirm that I have each new item, it is also allowing me to chuck the old parts in a big box, building quite a stash of pre-loved light and rubber parts, to go along with the big tail wing, wings, bonnet, front & rear bumpers, valances, CDI box, fuse panels, shox & strut inserts, etc, already awaiting to see if they can be of use to others. If I can get my act together I might list some here, or if not, I may just bring them all to the SwapMeet.

I’ll pick my calipers up from plating tomorrow, so I need to make & fit the brake lines soon, so that the Garage Bitch & I can complete all the brakes on his next visit (duvet days allowing).

[The Garage Bitch]

It was the truth oh worshipful master. Honest Injun (or should that be engine)

[PeterK]

So the last post finished with the ‘I’ll pick up my calipers from plating tomorrow’ comment. Hahahaha, well that didn’t happen, did it. There was delay after delay to them being plated, then they were rejected by the platers for poor quality, then more delays, then they were ready, but the plater had forgotten to heat treat the bolts after plating. Anyway, they are now home at last and looking quite nice thank you.

So, what did I get up to in the meantime. Well lots and lots, but only bitty things, so not much to show for it all. Lights are now fitted front and rear – few delays getting replacement heat resistant cable to run to the number plate lights and rear heat stats / whatever on the engine, plus new wires for rear fog lights. Horns are wired, but just hooked onto the front valance for now. Battery is installed, but with a fuse link for the earth connection, awaiting testing of circuits when I’m feeling brave.






Started removing the underseal from the nearside wing. I was more sensible with this wing, in that I started removing the crud outside, so much less mess in the garage. By the way, had another clear up and hoovered all (well let’s just say a lot) of the dust and cr*p off the car. The downside of stripping the wing outside, is that it gets dark, so I had to retire for a cup of tea. Still got about 1/3 of the inside and all of the outside to strip. Need to crack on with that, then prime them and start filling and flatting the car, just in case it gets warm anytime. Last year I got distracted with sailing and missed my painting window, so can’t afford to do that again.

The Garage Bitch came to play again today, so in preparation, I made and fitted new hard brake lines. I splashed out about £140 on a posh brake pipe flaring tool last year, my oh my, what a difference - put the pipe in, lock it in place, pull the handle and then remove the flared pipe. Simples.






And front



I also had a play with my Momo steering wheel. It fitted on the column splines, but wasn’t correct for the SC, so new boss procured and fitted.


Anyone know what this boss is for ?


In a moment of excitement, I then decided to spruce up the brake servo and master cylinder – not a proper job, just remove surface rust and spray with one-coat Hammerite.




Then onto today, and the arrival of the Garage Bitch (feel free to give him some ridicule here, as he had a Skoda courtesy car), and rear brakes were main target of the day.




As he will if I don’t, I’ll fess up to a wasted hour trying to get the handbrake system to play ball. Once you know how things go together then the diagrams in the Bentley manual make sense, but I did try lots and lots to get the handbrake to go together properly with both ‘springy finger things’ on the outside of the swinging arm. The second side fairly flew together, once I’d realised the error of my ways.


Then came the servo reassembly and fitting









Then, just because I found it while looking for something else (as you do), I ceremoniously refitted the VIN plate



Starting to look very much like a car again.

[The Garage Bitch]

It was not a Solus dealer hence the Skoda. But tbf fair to it I have driven worse things

Anyhoo. The brakes. That 2nd one can definitely be filed under "Easy when you know how" but we agreed the manuals could have been clearer. But of course we would say that to retain a modicum of credibility

Coming along nicely though

[PeterK]

Managed to play a bit recently, aka being sent to the garage to get out of SWMBO’s way - works for me .

However, not a lot to show for it. The electrics have been tidied up a fair bit, with most completed and ready to test now. While checking bulbs – I just can’t get over how many blown bulbs there were. When I back-fed power into the mini-light loom serving the ventilation controls, all the dash lights lit up, so that’s all working well.
I spent a while checking bulbs, and have now placed orders for some more of the capless bulbs, the LED dash bulbs, and a couple of bulb holders.

I ordered a Toad alarm on the 27th, with 48hour delivery. Still waiting. Did manage half a phone call with the supplier last week, who was blaming CV19 on delay on a component within the alarm. Since then I have been leaving voice & text messages without any response and getting frustrated now.

My headlight reflectors were in need of re-chroming, so I bought some LHD reflectors from Germany instead. For those that have asked about the difference, see here

The two headlights are oriented the same way. On the LHD reflector (top), the sidelight is facing right, whereas on the RHD (lower), the sidelight is about 30’ rotated. When fitted, the position of the sidelight is not noticeable through the lens. The H4 bulb will be turned relative to ‘normal’, but as the lens determines light cut off, etc, that shouldn’t matter either. Wonder how much my old reflectors would fetch on fleabay.

As a quick distraction, I fitted the brake line flexibles, along with new springy retainer things. I left the plastic shipping plugs in the other ends, so that should keep any dust out until I rebuild and refit the calipers.


I also rebuilt my drive shafts.

The boots that came off the car are in great condition, so given that modern rubber doesn’t have a particularly good reputation, I’ve reused them. The ones that came with the new CVs can sit on the shelf until I need to replace the ones fitted.
They're not filled with grease yet – that will have to wait until I fit them, as the bolts that hold the boots on are the bolts that attach the driveshafts to the car.
It is interesting (or maybe not), that all of the CV refitting instructions that I have seen or the Bently manual, do not mention the big spacers that go onto the driveshaft before the CV joints. They don't appear in the online exploded parts diagrams either. They do appear in a google search of forums though and they were fitted when I took my driveshafts apart a lifetime ago.


Fed up of having to climb up into the car, I lowered it, using the original cradle upstands.

It’s made it so much easier bolting in the pedal box, sorting the loose wires under the dash, etc. Unfortunately, I either have to climb up and into the froot, or go snake fashion under the car when playing with the front fuse box. Glad there are no photos of that particular maneuver.

Having fitted the brake master cylinder and servo, I bolted the pedal box in and went to connect the brake pedal. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the brake pedal to attach to the master cylinder. I didn’t want to adjust the rod that joins the pedal to cylinder, as it was the right length originally. Found the master cylinder was jammed. Took everything apart, the master cylinder was fine, the servo was fine, but wouldn’t work together. So I stripped the pivoting bar from the servo housing / mount thing. The bushes looked fine, apart from part of one top hat bush that looked a little worse for wear. Reassembled everything and all now fine. I now need (I think) to replace the seal between the master cylinder and servo, so I’ve also ordered new pivot bushes.


Today I managed to finish up wire-brushing off most of the underseal from the NSF wing. Where I couldn’t get the wire brushes in, I finally gave up and used heat and a scraper. Unfortunately it was lightly raining, and the wing looked like it was flash rusting as I worked. At least all of the crud is off and a light scuffing with a pad will hopefully get rid of the flash. I’ll then treat before priming.

I’m both looking forward to having the wings, and a couple of bits of the body that I’ve reworked, all in primer again. I can then focus on flatting the body. On the other hand, I’m certainly not looking forward to the fill, sand most off, fill again, sand most off again, etc, etc , etc.