Meatballs 1988 Tech 2 Sport

[Jim320i]

Was feeling quite unlucky this time yesterday!!

Jim's right hand not working properly then

The pen knife finger gets into the places most can't reach!

And just for those who havent a clue to what hes on about...




That is the shape of my index finger

[scott180gtb]

Jim's right hand not working properly then

The pen knife finger gets into the places most can't reach!

And just for those who havent a clue to what hes on about...




That is the shape of my index finger

That looks like the ultimate prostate massage finger.

Time to get saving Mat. Looks like you need inner and outer sills and a new floor.

At least the inners are good.

[bss325i]

While i'm here and thinking about this...

@bss325 - The carpet, how hard is it gonna be getting it back in with the aircon matrix box still in place? I remember reading something you commented on about the same kinda thing, I think...
Is there a way of getting it all back in without having to move the box? I assume dashout and just gentle loosen off a few of the holding brackets/nuts/bolts of the matrix assembley to give it a little give?

Forget it. Take the heater box out as near impossible to get it back in and also to check for bulkhead rot.

[Jim320i]

Ta boss, i'll tackle that next time i'm over there

[G-Bear]

And just for those who havent a clue to what hes on about...




That is the shape of my index finger

Christ, that looks like a result of too much time spent poking at cars and then typing about them on here.. I'm impressed

[Jim320i]

And just for those who havent a clue to what hes on about...




That is the shape of my index finger

Christ, that looks like a result of too much time spent poking at cars and then typing about them on here.. I'm impressed

Aha, unfortunately it was due to a accident with a knife when I was much younger so had it a good 13 years like it. Cut the ligament and thats how it sat ever since

[Meatballs82]

Money now received from Hurst Automotive

Should get a few hours in the garage tonight if I'm lucky, gonna start stripping the dash ready for it to come out and possibly uncover some more of the bodgery on the floor

[Kedge]

Good news on the cash!

A couple of hours should allow you go get the dash out, it's really not very hard - http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/imag ... d_Swap.pdf

[Meatballs82]

I've printed that out already, thanks Dave

Everyones told me its not a hard job to do, but every job I do I'm doing for the first time, so it takes me a lot longer than it would for you guys to do.

The wiki was great when I fitted my furbed injectors earlier this year, made it very easy for a noobie like me, but the dash does look a little more daunting tbh!

[Duke137]

Putting it back is the hard part Matt

[Kedge]

It's easy enough to get out and there's no rush. Refitting is the trickier part, I've only ever done that once.

[Jim320i]

I'm glad your tackling it

Not sure it says it in the wiki but word of advise, take off both a pillar trims, or be very careful when moving the dash as they can get easily damaged. To remove them, pull the door seal back and lift the flapped over material of the seam of the car, then kinda pull then from the top until they pop out then slid them upwards so you don't snap the base

Also, get some sticky labels of some sort and label all the wires just so it's a bit easier when it goes back together... Only the ones on the fascia though as everything else is straight forward. Ring me if you get stuck

[Meatballs82]

Putting it back is the hard part Matt

I figured it would be Ferg, I'm counting on Jims finger for that one

[Cloggy Saint]

That is the shape of my index finger

Sure it's been done before, but ...

[Meatballs82]

I'm glad your tackling it

Not sure it says it in the wiki but word of advise, take off both a pillar trims, or be very careful when moving the dash as they can get easily damaged. To remove them, pull the door seal back and lift the flapped over material of the seam of the car, then kinda pull then from the top until they pop out then slid them upwards so you don't snap the base

Also, get some sticky labels of some sort and label all the wires just so it's a bit easier when it goes back together... Only the ones on the fascia though as everything else is straight forward. Ring me if you get stuck

I wanna get stuck in now, want to find all the rot and get it sorted way before xmas if possible, so in the new year I can put all the shiny new bits on

I'd read about those bits of the dash that damage the trim, will def take them out then first. Need to have a bit of a tidy up and organise sesh too, before I start losing the little bits!

[G-Bear]

Everyones told me its not a hard job to do, but every job I do I'm doing for the first time, so it takes me a lot longer than it would for you guys to do.

I hear you. I've read through loads of stuff before I set off with my spaners on the car. But if its the first time, I'll always spend ages on something that says will only take 20mins.

If it makes you feel any better; Recently went to change the belts, was going to head down to a Surrey meet. Thought I'd squeeze the job in 'quickly'... spent the best part on 1-2 hours looking for the right bolts on the power steering pump to loosen it to get the belts off.. Then realised I had left the tail gate up and drained the battery..

[Meatballs82]

Everyones told me its not a hard job to do, but every job I do I'm doing for the first time, so it takes me a lot longer than it would for you guys to do.

I hear you. I've read through loads of stuff before I set off with my spaners on the car. But if its the first time, I'll always spend ages on something that says will only take 20mins.

If it makes you feel any better; Recently went to change the belts, was going to head down to a Surrey meet. Thought I'd squeeze the job in 'quickly'... spent the best part on 1-2 hours looking for the right bolts on the power steering pump to loosen it to get the belts off.. Then realised I had left the tail gate up and drained the battery..

Sucks doesn't it! I managed the injectors well within the quoted time so was chuffed with that, but then last week I attempted for an hour to fix a dodgy earth on the touring headlamp and ended up breaking the sport headlamp in the process!

[capri_rob]

Refitting the dash is a coont of a job

Enjoy

[Meatballs82]

Thanks Rob!

Got stuff organised and a few bits done lastnight but the dash is still in, then had a mate who can weld turn up to have a look at the floor, he's into building hotrods and Yank muscle, when he had a look the first thing he said was ''I thought you said you had some rust!''

dug out some pics of his previous projects...

This was just a fibreglass body when he got it, took him 2 years and 6 grand to build, sold it for 15 grand 6 months ago



This is his brothers mustang, they converted it to 5spd manual, 380 bhp, it goes like stink!


'56 Chevy with race tuned big block, this thing was too fast for its own good, I left many a brown stain on the front bench


This is someone elses car, but he helped make the chassis and built the engine for the guy I think, the best of the lot

[McGoo]

This was just a fibreglass body when he got it, took him 2 years and 6 grand to build, sold it for 15 grand 6 months ago



This is his brothers mustang, they converted it to 5spd manual, 380 bhp, it goes like stink!


'56 Chevy with race tuned big block, this thing was too fast for its own good, I left many a brown stain on the front bench


This is someone elses car, but he helped make the chassis and built the engine for the guy I think, the best of the lot

the mustang and that ford pickup! just immense!

[Meatballs82]

That Mustang might be up for sale soon, its been down to bare shell and back just over a year ago too. Snatched another pic of that truck off his facebook page, not seen it in the flesh myself but I love it


Spent an hour tonight removing more trim bits and the clocks etc, trying to go slow and not break stuff. So far so good


Rear floor and behind ecu bracket



Not much to show yet but I'm just gonna keep chippping away at my own pace until Jim comes and fingers my car to bits again.

[Kedge]

Who's helping you put it back together, me and Jim only know how to take rotten turds apart

[Duke137]

Good work Matt

[capri_rob]

Who's helping you put it back together, me and Jim only know how to take rotten turds apart

[Meatballs82]

Who's helping you put it back together, me and Jim only know how to take rotten turds apart

Pretty sure Rob offered to come over and do it all while I eat biscuits

[G-Bear]

All in all, going by the pics its not looking too bad. Enjoying the thread..

[Meatballs82]

All in all, going by the pics its not looking too bad. Enjoying the thread..

Thanks mate

[Meatballs82]

So, tomorrow I should get all day in the garage. I'm going to jetwash the carpet first thing then crack on.

Once the dash is out, whats the next job I should attack? more investigating with a wire brush/grinder?

[Jim320i]

I'd start sweeping the garage, your gonna be there for a while

[Meatballs82]

The welder is ready as soon as I am dude, if we can get the Floor cut next time your over he will get on it straight away

[Jim320i]

Arrr man I well wanna come and chop your car up as well but cant make it this weekend.

[Meatballs82]

No worries, I wanted the car done by March and we're already moving faster than I thought we would.

[Rav335uk]

I can come over this weekend Matt

With this

[Meatballs82]

Fortunately I know you well enough to know you're too tight to spend the fuel money

[Rav335uk]

Well "Red " Diesel is all the rage nowadays