[car_overhaul] Chris's Miami Restoration

[CosKev 16]

 

http://309ownersclub.com/Community/viewtop...;p=13606#p13606

 

[miamichris 9]

Sorry i've had no updates, i've been so busy with work and other stuff so the 205 has been neglected slightly!

 

I've been gathering up parts still (slowly but surely!) and fixing up bits if I get any spare time..I now have a "fixed up parts box" which is full of cleaned up and repainted parts that i've been working on in my shed! My rear calipers had snapped nipples and I tried to get them out but it just wasn't happening so i've bought another set from gtiracer on here (thanks Alex) and the bonus is they came with a new set of mintex pads too Also got a nissens radiator from another member on here.

 

I was working at the gti today, changed the rear wheel bearings in my trailing arms (which now have the new shafts pressed in) so just waiting on my dad to sandblast my other beam parts and i'll get them all painted up and the beam re-assembled

 

by the way, beams are not cheap to work at, i've spent about £350 in parts to get this beam sorted out! but i'm trying to buy parts for this build as and when I can afford them so it spreads the cost out but the build takes longer.

 

trailing arms:

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...railingarms.jpg

 

Also today I started to get the car ready for doing repairs to the bodywork before painting. This involved stripping off even more stuff like locks, wing mirrors, door seals, weather strips etc etc. So the cars nearly a bare shell! I also went round with a marker circling all the dents I can find so they all get fixed.

 

Hopefully get a good bit of work done over the xmas holidays, if I can get my dad to work at the car with me for a few days to do the repairs and we may even get it painted!

 

Cheers, Chris

[miamichris 9]

couple more pics..

 

the parts hoard:

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi.../partsstash.jpg

 

current engine state:

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...gineonstand.jpg

 

not much progress on the engine front, i've just degreased it and stripped it down. My brother is a plant fitter so he's doing the engine build for me, he's a good wee mechanic so I trust him with my gti's engine hopefully get him to strip the head off for me soon and i'll send that off for a light skim, clean, test and get the seats re-cut, not got much else planned for it.

 

After that i'll paint it and he can build the engine up with new seals, bearings, gaskets, belts etc.

 

....all of which I have to buy yet well, I have a head set and bolts but thats about it!

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Sounds good. I'd get the liners took out and put new o rings in if I were you. When you have the engine down that far you might as well for the sake of a few quid. Nothing worse you building it up to find one of them go on it. Thats what im doing to mine at the minuite. Said i'd just do a head gasket and check the head but have ended up doing literally a re-build.

[miamichris 9]

Sounds good. I'd get the liners took out and put new o rings in if I were you. When you have the engine down that far you might as well for the sake of a few quid. Nothing worse you building it up to find one of them go on it. Thats what im doing to mine at the minuite. Said i'd just do a head gasket and check the head but have ended up doing literally a re-build.

 

Will do Richard, thanks mate. Engine building isn't my thing at all so i'll let my brother sort that out, i'm sure he'll know what to do!

[supersub14 1]

Loving the overhaul chris!

 

Was reading through this tread with great interest, then realised you were from Norn Iron too lol Where abouts did you find her at?

 

Keep the photos coming!! Cant wait to see this out and about!!

[miamichris 9]

Loving the overhaul chris!

 

Was reading through this tread with great interest, then realised you were from Norn Iron too lol Where abouts did you find her at?

 

Keep the photos coming!! Cant wait to see this out and about!!

 

Thanks mate I found the car on the way to my dad's one day, just outside Ballygowan/Saintfield sitting there with a for sale sign and looking a bit sorry for itself, so i decided to save it! always wanted a miami blue one..i'm aiming to have it back on the road for next summer, whether I make it or not is another story!

[miamichris 9]

* SLIGHT UPDATE *

 

Well I was working at the car at the weekend, I keep forgetting to take photos so I'll try and make more of an effort when i'm working at it next weekend and over the holidays

 

So my first task was to somehow get a rounded, rusted on fuel tank nut off after I got fed up trying last weekend. I'd sprayed it with plusgas and left it, so I climbed under the car expecting the worst, stuck a set of vise grips on it turned it and it loosened plusgas is great stuff!

 

With the nut off I dropped the fuel tank and binned the brake/fuel lines because I'm putting new ones on. Then I found a good bit of rust either side of where the tank was, I started grinding it off with the grinder but it was a soul-destroying task so I gave up

 

My dad has a sandblaster so we reckon that to properly cure the rust it needs blasted, theres a few bits around the shell (sills, front panel, underneath) that need done so the easiest thing to do is build a spit for the shell then blast the rusty parts in one go and then do any metalwork repairs and paint the shell underneath..we can re-use the spit for the mk1 escort build that we're doing next so something like this :

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...ebuild/spit.jpg

 

doesn't look too hard!

 

This was in to get the roof re-sprayed, when I turned up my dad was just unmasking it and when he moved it out of the shed the exhaust/engine note off the quattro was f**kin awesome!!

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...ild/quattro.jpg

[miamichris 9]

* TONIGHT'S UPDATE - 15/12/08 *

 

I've been out in my shed tonight fixing up parts, its freezing outside but i've rigged up a wee heater and lamp so I can work in there for an hour or 2. I feel like an old guy in his potting shed!

 

Anyway, these are the last of the engine parts as everything else has been painted and cleaned up.

 

Inlet manifold and "the part from the side of the head that I don't know the name of but the thermostat and sensors live there" (thermostat housing??) :

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...engineparts.jpg

 

And also sprayed the rear brake calipers with hammerite gold for that OE coolness look they need another coat then I have a bigg red seal kit for them and new stainless bleed nipples, so i'll rebuild them another night this week.

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...earcalipers.jpg

 

That's it until I do more work on the pug, I finish for xmas holidays on friday for 2 weeks so i'm sure I'll find more time during then!

 

Cheers, Chris

[miamichris 9]

I'm attempting to put up a thumbnail type photo here so god only knows if it will work!

 

Got the 205 a few christmas presents today :

 

 

happy days that worked!! Thanks to Paintguy's guide I found on here

Edited December 23, 2008 by miamichris

[miamichris 9]

more presents for the 205

 

[omega 82]

looking very nice

[miamichris 9]

Well its been a while since I updated this but i'm still working at it when I can..

 

the main problem is I keep buying parts then running out of money and having to down tools for a while untill I get more money gathered up!

 

I've moved house too which put the project on hold for a bit, although we have a couple of sheds at the new house which gives me somewhere to work! The larger shed is basicaly a motorbike workshop (not me, my brothers are into them) but I have a decent sized shed that needed a bit of work like floor painting, repairing doors, rotten timbers and leaks etc which i've mostly done now.

 

I haven't done anymore work on the shell, its still at my dads, but brought the engine down home and have cracked on with the engine rebuild, its going well!

 

Engine Rebuild - Done so far

 

1. Stripped the engine down, cleaned it and the gearbox casing, then painted them both. Ideally they need another coat.

 

2. The head went off to the engine builders and is being reconditioned; pressure test, light skim, clean, valves re-cut, guides checked, new seals and re-shimmed. So I can just set the head straight on to the rebuilt block. Was supposed to get this back today but its not finished yet.

 

3. Liners were left at the engine builders to be honed today.

 

4. Crank is with the engine man too for the journals to be polished.

 

5. Piston rings, main bearings, big end bearings, thrust bearings, head bolts and a decent head gasket are all ordered from the engine place today so I should be collecting all of the above next friday (and the bill ) then the rebuild can start!

 

Went to peugeot and ordered all the gearbox and engine seals/gaskets (cost me £100! ) I can't get from my parts place, so i'll collect them next friday. I only have a head set, crank seals and sump gasket at the minute.

[miamichris 9]

Painted block:

 

 

Liner seats:

 

 

Box of parts (spot the well seal and graphogen tip taken from Tom's bottom end build!):

 

 

Liners out:

 

 

Liners cleaned up a bit, pistons not done yet!:

 

 

More to come when I get the head, crank, liners and parts next week!

Edited January 30, 2009 by miamichris

[Rupertfinch 6]

Keep going....you know she needs to come out and play at Easter!

[miamichris 9]

i'll do my best mate, i'm working flat out at it in my spare time at the minute!

 

with a bit of luck i'll have the engine built and finished in the next 2weeks then I need to give my dad a kick up the arse to get it painted..

 

once its painted I can throw the wheels and suspension on, trailer the shell down home and build it here in the evenings so i'll keep updating this and see how I get on!! what date is easter??

[Rupertfinch 6]

i'll do my best mate, i'm working flat out at it in my spare time at the minute!

 

with a bit of luck i'll have the engine built and finished in the next 2weeks then I need to give my dad a kick up the arse to get it painted..

 

once its painted I can throw the wheels and suspension on, trailer the shell down home and build it here in the evenings so i'll keep updating this and see how I get on!! what date is easter??

 

April! You've got ages yet!

[miamichris 9]

UPDATE TIME!

 

Got my engine parts back today, so the rebuild can begin

 

Re-conditioned head:

 

Polished crank:

 

Honed liners, cleaned and de-greased caps/bolts/nuts:

 

Head bolts, head gasket, thrust washers, main bearings & big end bearings (piston rings are on the way, should have them early next week):

 

Engine and gearbox seals/gaskets and few other things like new dipstick & tube:

 

Also took my block to a specialist welders to get welded as someone before me must have forgotten the water pump headbolt spacer, so when I took the water pump out the piece of the block was stuck back in with silicone or something

 

I chose to get it welded because these engines are hard enough to come by over here and my liner seats were ok so i reckoned this was worth a try. Only time will tell I suppose but it looks like they've done a great job so I think it will be alright.

 

the welded up block:

[miamichris 9]

Also rebuilt my oil pump, changed the spring for a 6bar one as it seems to be a good upgrade and cheap to do! Found a load of metal shavings in the oil pump catcher which im assuming came from my bearing as some were pretty scored when I took them out

 

 

Degreased the pistons and cleaned them up with wire wool (another Tom Fenton tip that works very well, along with the degreasing method too!), managed to get the rings off without breaking any which must be good seeing as i've never even seen a piston ring before, let alone take any off! its a good learning process this restoring cars you know, best way to learn is to pick up some tools and get stuck in I reckon, and ask lots of questions!

 

 

And here's a final photo for tonight of my painted up gearbox, got new seals to go in and fork bearings ordered, i'm hoping I can get the bloody pin out!

 

Next time, all these parts should be put together to make up the engine for my 205!

 

Thanks for reading & comments are welcome, Chris.

[miamichris 9]

few problems...

 

1. couldn't get the clutch fork pin out, I drilled it, beat it with punches and BFH's but no chance was it coming out!

 

So in a fit of rage I chopped the clutch fork in half with the grinder so I need a new one now

 

2. Got my piston rings from the engine man on friday, managed to get them all fitted to the pistons and then 3 pistons fitted into the liners but I broke the new oil control ring on the 4th one trying to get it into the liner, I closed up the garage in disgust and haven't been back in since

 

So I need another set of rings for one piston, i'll order them tomorrow. I'll just call that a learning experience!

[platty 1]

Head up mate, if these things were easy, everybody would be doing it.....good progress

[miamichris 9]

haha tell me about it mate, takes a lot of patience this restoring cars business...

 

been keeping an eye on your progress too, you're doing well, keep it up!

[miamichris 9]

Finally, a good bit of progress!

 

Got the new piston ring to replace the one I broke, from the engine man on Friday so cracked on with the engine build this weekend.

 

1. I had checked the main bearing clearances with plastigauge, found them all to be ok with the new bearings in so stuck graphogen on the bearings and torqued the caps down. Checked the end float and it was fine with the new thrust washers in.

 

2. Then I put well seal round the bottom of the liners and new O-rings, got them in and clamped down.

 

 

3. Put the engine back onto the engine stand and checked the big ends, these were ok too so got them graphogen'd and torqued down, then started fitting the oil pump. I just worked through the haynes guide step by step, it covers all this really well! Although my brother kept me right on anything I wasn't sure about.

 

 

4. Then the sump and spacer went back on with plenty of siligasket on the spacer and a new gasket for the sump.

 

 

5. Put a new water pump and tensioner into it and started to figure out how the hell the belt covers go back on!

Which left me with this pretty much:

 

 

Need to do something with that rusty crankshaft pulley bolt!

[miamichris 9]

So..

 

Next step is, get a lend of a 1/2" torque wrench to do the head bolts and I also need a small headbolt spacer as my bolt above the water pump only has a big spacer, which I think is why it had broken through the block and I had to get it welded!

 

The head is sitting on the bench all built, painted and ready to go on:

 

 

Got these in the post duriing the week too, from Stew's group buy. I have the full coolant set and the heat exchanger hose in there too:

 

 

Also, on Saturday I went up to my dad's and in between hooning around fields on a quadbike I loaded up the 306 with most of the interior parts from the 205 and other bits I could bring down home since i'm going to rebuild the 205 down here once the shell is painted! (no more progress on the shell unfortunately, dad's too busy at the minute to do it )

 

 

 

The plan is to clean up the interior plastics and carpet, fix up the seats and store them in the roofspace so that when I need them I can just lift them out and fit them straight into the 205. Well thats the plan anyway.

 

Cheers for reading!

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

I like the peugeot specialist tool to keep the liners in place. I have the same one too . I see your gearbox in the pic too. Did it need any attention internally or was it all ok gear wise before you stripped the car bar your clutch for and bushes?