Restoration & Modification Projects > Modification Projects
My Black Bitza
Scott:
Yesterday I put the fuel pump back in, only to find that the bolt through the engine mount was too long, causing it to hit the fuel pump. So I pulled the bolt out and cut 10mm off it. I had a die wound onto the bolt so after making the cut, I just wound the die off and the threads were ready to go.
Now there is plenty of clearance.
The other job done was installing the ceramic coated headers.
The first side went on fine. The second side was a bit of a pain. I had to remove the oil dipstick and tube to get the header in place, then knock it back in when I was finished.
The new pipes look much better than the old ones, and as a bonus, they don't hit the firewall :hammer: unlike the ones that were on there...
I'll have to try modify the exhaust a little to fit the new headers now. And replace the cut fuel lines.
Scott:
Well, once again I have bought a batch of parts, and once again, I couldn't help myself. I now have new tierods and tubes, ball joints, lower arm bushes, a few other bits, and a set of tubular control arms! These have 5 degrees of castor ove the std 3 degrees. VBandP had their february sale, and since the top arms have new bushes and ball joints, I got them to leave out the duplicate items from the front end rebuild kit. All in all, it came out at a very decent price.
Last night I set the car up and removed the wheels. Tonight the fun started. First step, caliper and rotor off. I also dropped the shock out.
Next I spent the best part of an hour trying to get the tie-rod off. Using a separator (that I bought on the way home this afternoon), a hammer, the oxy, a bigger hammer and it didn't budge, so I gave up on it for now and moved onto the upper ball joint. A few easy hits of the hammer on the separator and the ball joint popped off. I think removing the split pin took the most time.
Then I removed the top arm, making sure i taped the alignment shims together and labeled them.
and Lastly, I wrestled the spring out. It is almost impossible to get the spring compressors in there, but eventually I got them on the spring just enough to get the spring out. Luckily it's completely un-compressed once the lower arm is dropped.
So that'll keep me busy for a while, especially since I'll have to clean up and paint the chassis as I go along :shake: I just can't help myself.
demonx:
--- Quote from: Scott link=topic=6964.msg1045936916#msg1045936916 ---
So that'll keep me busy for a while, especially since I'll have to clean up and paint the chassis as I go along :shake: I just can't help myself.
--- End quote ---
Thats one thing that bugs me about mine - when I rebuilt the front end I wasn't planning on going into as much detail as I am now so I never cleaned it right up, I just rebuilt it.
I'm half minded about pulling it all apart and doing it again but thats a lot of work to do twice. You may as well do it while it's all out.
Seeing those new bolt on A arms - that'd save a lot of work!
Scott:
I'm suprised you have left your car body on the chassis, considering how much work you are doing on it. Sometimes I think it may have been easier doing half the things I have done without the body on there.
demonx:
--- Quote from: Scott link=topic=6964.msg1045936920#msg1045936920 ---I'm suprised you have left your car body on the chassis, considering how much work you are doing on it. Sometimes I think it may have been easier doing half the things I have done without the body on there.
--- End quote ---
Like I said before - I never planned on the car needing that much detail.
BUT - like you said - rebuilding the rear end would have been soooo much better with the body off. The front end a bit easier also.
Hind sight is a wonderful thing.
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