Every one makes mistakes, the trick is to hide them or put them right before anyone sees them!
I will list some of my 'Build Cock up's here if only
to:-
a) Give you a laugh.
b) Show how I got out of the hole.
c) Help some avoid the same problem.
1
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November 2000.
Task - Fit boot hinge. -
I checked the position made a mark, turned the boot over, applied the masking tape, marked the positions of the holes. I DID NOT DOUBLE CHECK. I had put the tape to the l/h rather than r/h of the mark.
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I drilled 2 holes in the boot & 1 in the body in the wrong place . . . . 2 grand :-(
I put the tools down and did not touch the car again for 3 months. -
Thanks to some gel colour from Pilgrim, masking tape and wet 'n dry they have gone and 98% of people will not see them. Also I will have to get a spray job.:-)
2
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June 2001.
Task - Fit body. -
I read the manual, looked through plenty on web sites, I was ready.
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Align front/back, check wheel position.
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All OK, now fit.
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Drill holes through the GRP & steel chassis.
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Back fine, front Oh S##t the chuck key on the drill just caught the rad and holed it, nice growing pool of blue anti freeze water.
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More expletives and in the house for a stiff drink [well a few actually].
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Change the rad £180, body off, more delays.
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NO. . nice clean hole. Flux, blow lamp & solder from central heating.
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Repair OK, we'll see how it lasts under pressure though. . . . .
[It's fine - following my first drives. . . . . phew ...]
3
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Ideally I'd have checked out the brakes fully while in bare chassis stage.
But I changed my mind through the project..
a. Refurbish the front calipers from the Sierra donor - Not happy with that.
b. Buy new 4 pot calipers as you need good brakes - pig to find at a reasonable price.
c. Buy refurbished Sierra calipers - This was my final choice.
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So I had the body fitted and I had this brake problem..... too much pedal travel. Bled brakes 4-6 times, checked every joint for leaks, looked for slack in the pedal-master cylinder assembly, ensured handbrake fully adjusted, checked brake shoe fitting.
Could it be that I'm just used to the great brakes on my BMW??
Sod it try the MOT and lets check it out with a pro...
FAIL - Excess brake travel LL -
Re check every pipe, join & flexi, sleep on it. 3:00 am. . . I wonder if?..
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Check the caliper fittings... Oh S##t they are inverted, r/h on l/h side, so the bleed valve is at the bottom and a nice pocket of air is inside each caliper to give that pedal travel.
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Drain the fluid, swap the calipers over, re-bleed... Nice solid brakes.
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Feel like a prat, what a stupid error and why did it take so long to find??
There are more to come so keep an eye open!