'The Old Hound' 1986 Tech 1

[bab-91]

Indeed Pat, I have a good bit of work to put into them seats. *sigh*

So Bab, you were the lucky buyer of that sweet looking car?! I recall seeing the ad and thought it looked stunning.

Good work so far. subscribed to your thread..!

Not a word I would have used but I love it nonetheless

what stash

[bab-91]

Thought I would throw an update on this:

Went to see the chaps at Arek car design as they had been recommended by several people.

http://arekcardesign.com/

I brought the recaros, told them what I needed.

Seats stripped (so I could powder coat frames)

& a full re-trim (recaros, back seat and door cards)

I would be providing all the materials. Bolsters, Bolster cloth, Houndstooth cloth, heated seat elements.

A few of the chaps looked them over, an elderly polish gent (who I assume is Arek) came out. He was clearly unhappy, raised voices & all the rest.

They disappeared inside and came back with a quote of £1000-£1200 for the re-trim.

I don't feel this is a realistic quote considering all is being provided, clearly its work they weren't happy doing.

We had a look around the premises and there was some horrible leather interiors they where knocking out. Unfortunately didn't get any pictures but Grey and blue Porsche tombstones with a massive embroidered Porsche emblem stitched into the headrest

So probably for the best!

The hunt for a good trimmer this side of the water continues! If all else fails Ill bring them over to the Motherland.

[Kedge]

They either didn't want the job or thought they could take you for a mug!

Surely you can strip and rebuild the recaros yourself? Not like any sowing needs to be done if you're going to be using the material you bought off me.

[bab-91]

They either didn't want the job or thought they could take you for a mug!

Surely you can strip and rebuild the recaros yourself? Not like any sowing needs to be done if you're going to be using the material you bought off me.

That was the impression I was left with. He kept saying "you sure you don't want them retrimmed in leather" and the fact they had a three way bitchfest in Polish.


I could strip the recaros myself but seeing as I was there with the seats, it would have saved me having to come back up the road with them.

I'm not planning on using them covers but you never know. I might have too!

[Kedge]

I'm not planning on using them covers but you never know. I might have too!

You got some unused cloth then?

[darren_mk]

Nightmare!

But best to go with your gut instinct.....

[bab-91]

I'm not planning on using them covers but you never know. I might have too!

You got some unused cloth then?

Pending. I might have something sorted but time will tell.

Nightmare!

But best to go with your gut instinct.....

I'm going to try an old chap I've been told about who restores classic cars. This might be my best bet.

[bab-91]

I have been the victim of a intervention by friends (some of which zoners) and have been forced to come to the conclusion that this project will be long term.

After stripping back more layers, I have found more surprises lurking. Those that know the car, will know it was 'restored' by a previous owner 5-6 years ago. The work can be described as slap dash at best, shoddy at worst.

So to do right by the car, I have decided to put it on the back burner, take my time and make sure the car is restored to a level I would be happy with.

On a brighter note, I treated myself to a impact wrench. It is an absolutely brilliant piece of kit. Sell your children, wives and/or gaming consoles. This snap on gun is a lot more rewarding!


Also the BBTB courtesy of Byron.



The lurking nasty for Mr Pete's arousal!!


^This had been covered by some lovely fiberglass....



All the glass has been removed, as has the headliner. All four of the sunroof drain pipes look like they where salvaged from the titanic. I removed the wings as they have started to rust behind the kit. I will just be replacing them.






The rear sub frame has been pulled off and replaced for a scrap one. I would like a bigger garage so this sort of annoyance was someone else's problem.


This snapped, I sulked and 'Friend Stefan' fixed it.



Started stripping engine bay and had a nosey under the rocker cover. Suspicious about it not being full of cr*p!




Also need to ID the diff!?

Hopefully more progress in the next update! The recaros go for their re-trim at the end of July.

Watch this space!

[Topblag]

Looks like a 3.64 LSD.

[pacerpete]

Luckily you did not call into my place after you collected the turd, I'd still be sweeping !

[Kedge]

Good luck mate...................................................you're going to need it

[quote="bab-91"]/quote]

[Gert_8]

Bab, I have to retract my earlier comment about you being the lucky buyer.....having seen that, that's pretty unlucky..

[bab-91]

Looks like a 3.64 LSD.

I had secretly hoped it was a 4.10....

Luckily you did not call into my place after you collected the turd, I'd still be sweeping !

Why!? what did you plan to do to me or my car!!



Cheers Dave & Gert, I think you are right on the luck front. I'm stuck in a position where I can't afford NOT too restore the car or at least that is what I have deluded myself into thinking.

I have a few friends that think I am throwing money away but sure whats 2 wings, 2 sills, 2 inner & outer wheel arches. O and a Scuttle panel

The re-trim is costing £200 less than the car, bargain! All reason went out the window a long time ago. I wanted to get the shell dipped or plastic media blasted but alas no where this side of the water does either and I'm not fannying around with ferries. My only other option is soda blasting or doing it by hand.

EDIT: Add two rear quarters to that list!

[Gert_8]

Yes, but at the end of the day, you will have a very desirable car worth a lot of money - possibly not as much as you might spend, but one hell of a lot more than the scrap value!

[bab-91]

Yes, but at the end of the day, you will have a very desirable car worth a lot of money - possibly not as much as you might spend, but one hell of a lot more than the scrap value!

A wee bit more than scrap value hopefully! but what its worth and what it will cost doesn't annoy me. I'll never sell it, unless I leave it wrapped around a tree

I read some of this back and I sound like a real moan but all Norn Iron dwellers are miserable old coonts. I actually love this car to pieces and the fact its been dubbed 'The old Hound' only makes me love it more. It will never be worth much but I get a kick out of working with it!!

The only thing that actually makes my blood boil is the electric faults!!

[bab-91]

I don't want to start another, AH MAH GAD MY M20!! thread.

BUT!


When I was starting to strip the engine bay I noticed the '84' & '89' stamp on the engine. Does this mean the head is from a 1989? If so will that affect the compression. I.e is it still a high comp engine?

[polsta]

check the number on the block bab, also worth checking with the v5 if its the original lump, i have no idea about the head- heads can be swapped, but its an 885 head, which is right, i think all pre/post face heads were 885

whats the rest of the car like then ? got the rear valance and front valance and glass stripped out etc yet ?

the rot looks quite bad, you should fully strip it, axle stands wheels off, stripp all the arch wall sealant, get al the floor pan deadening removed, wings off glass out ,both sides of bulkhead stripped, and a full assessment , before then deciding what to do

ive spent a lot on mine, and places like the bulkhead and scuttle and nooks and crannies were decent,m if you love the car, like i love mine, and truly deem it a keeper, then do it, and do it good

but as it has nice external paint, if its too rotten, maybe just patch and plate and weld it all up, minimise new panels and paint, and just get it road worthy and patched up best as can be, and drive and enjoy it daily until it gives up

you need to just weigh up how "nice" it could be if all done, if theres simply too many patches and welds all over the place that can never be made "perfect" like them bulkhead corners and stuff, unless immense expertise welding skill done to perfection, then its probably not worth throwing immense money at, but if you love it- do it, and any tech 1 you would buy would need work

good luck, hope it works out !

[bab-91]

It's not the original lump, that's why I'm suspicious. If its the wrong engine i.e low comp. It's coming out and I need more on my 'to-do' list like I need a hole in the head. I'll check the paper work but I'm pretty sure it was a engine transplant and not just a new head.

The rest of the car, hmm. If you flick threw the other pages there are some X rated rust pictures!!

The glass is out. Small bit of rust on the scuttle panel, I could patch it but going to whack in a new scuttle so I don't have to worry about it. The rear valance looks ok but there is A LOT of seam sealer around the rear tow eye. So I'll not know until I take it back to bare metal. The front valance is red on the inside so its obviously been replaced at some stage. It seems fine other than that.

The wings are off and surprisingly clean behind them (minty mint) considering the rear arches. The sills that where done 5-6 years ago are on the way out already.

Luckily the roof is solid. The only thing that would make me weigh this car was a roof transplant. Luckily it dodged the bridge.

[bab-91]

This is the good sill. The other one left a rusty poo on the gargare floor when the rear sub frame was coming off!

[Rich320I]

love the way BMW thought of little touches, a screw driver holder, excellent

[Gert_8]

^^ well, you've just wrecked it by sticking the screw driver into it....

[polsta]

to be fair, that sill looks like it was only patched up and a load of seam sealer caked over it- not even neat

[bab-91]

My face was a picture when the screw driver penetrated the sill. lol


You could well be right Karl, it might have just been patched but I had been told they where replaced. None of the work is neat. The best example is the rear arches. It looks like an orangutan put them on.

To be fair because the work is so bad. It gives me an excuse to redo everything! So every cloud has a silver lining etc

[polsta]

It's not the original lump, that's why I'm suspicious. If its the wrong engine i.e low comp. It's coming out and I need more on my 'to-do' list like I need a hole in the head. I'll check the paper work but I'm pretty sure it was a engine transplant and not just a new head.

The rest of the car, hmm. If you flick threw the other pages there are some X rated rust pictures!!

The glass is out. Small bit of rust on the scuttle panel, I could patch it but going to whack in a new scuttle so I don't have to worry about it. The rear valance looks ok but there is A LOT of seam sealer around the rear tow eye. So I'll not know until I take it back to bare metal. The front valance is red on the inside so its obviously been replaced at some stage. It seems fine other than that.

The wings are off and surprisingly clean behind them (minty mint) considering the rear arches. The sills that where done 5-6 years ago are on the way out already.

Luckily the roof is solid. The only thing that would make me weigh this car was a roof transplant. Luckily it dodged the bridge.

if its not the original engine, and it works and is good- then just keep it , until a stage the rest of the cars finished,and thats the last thing to do, dont change it if its not broke

whats the rest of the rear panel like ? ie under the kit, around the reg plate lights, etc ? if thats all perfect, its worth repairing the tow eye area, if its not- then just get a whole new panel like i did



this is pic i ment, "small bit of rust" looks bad, ive never seen a "loose" scuttle panel, is this part of it ? i thought this was the inner bulkhead, but if it is part of the scuttle panel your lucky, but looks like a major fix , especialy if it extends up the pillar ? / weakened it, lets have some glass out rust fest pics !!

i also had, abeit only very minimal just starting- rust in the floor to bulkhead join, on pas side, where yours has totaly gone on the drivers side there, scrape the sealer off the pass side and have a good look at it, a new pedal mount too - get someone to cut a nice rust free one out of a breaker with a square of metal around it

[Kos]

That's an easy fix, I fixed worse on my M3

[beemerbird]

I picked the car up in Iver on St Paddies Day 2012.

Why did I just know that six pages in we'd be knee deep in rust? *

Fair play on you for not giving up on it. Subscribed

* this is a cheap slur on the tendency for our Irish brothers to get inebriated on said day and make rash decisions, rather than any innuendo about who you may, or may not have bought it from in Iver. Well served, mystery man from Iver

[pacerpete]

I picked the car up in Iver on St Paddies Day 2012.

Why did I just know that six pages in we'd be knee deep in rust? *

Fair play on you for not giving up on it. Subscribed

* this is a cheap slur on the tendency for our Irish brothers to get inebriated on said day and make rash decisions, rather than any innuendo about who you may, or may not have bought it from in Iver. Well served, mystery man from Iver

I'm innocent, for once !

[beemerbird]

Lol

*cough* gutted?

[darren_mk]

Bab, just seeing this now.

Gutted for you.....

Speaking from recent experience, take a week or two away from it and get your head cleared, it will help.

Are you coming to the show in Bangor this Sat?

[Duke137]

Shitting hell!!

that, will be cunt of a job to put right for a skilled craftsman

Good luck mate...................................................you're going to need it

[pacerpete]

Shitting hell!!

that, will be cunt of a job to put right for a skilled craftsman

Good luck mate...................................................you're going to need it

I've 'fixed' worse !

[bab-91]

I picked the car up in Iver on St Paddies Day 2012.

Why did I just know that six pages in we'd be knee deep in rust? *

Fair play on you for not giving up on it. Subscribed

* this is a cheap slur on the tendency for our Irish brothers to get inebriated on said day and make rash decisions, rather than any innuendo about who you may, or may not have bought it from in Iver. Well served, mystery man from Iver

I'm glad you almost drown at the north west lol

Unfortunately I didn't partake on St Pats so cannot blame the fire water.

Bab, just seeing this now.

Gutted for you.....

Speaking from recent experience, take a week or two away from it and get your head cleared, it will help.

Are you coming to the show in Bangor this Sat?

To be honest, its not annoyed me! I will just have more satisfaction when it is done.... done, when it's done. *rocks back & forth*
The electrics on the other hand... id rather thumb marshmallows up the arse of a cat than deal with that particular issue.

I hadn't planned on heading down but if you push the Alpina down onto the Queens Parade. I might grace Bangor with ones attendance.

[bab-91]

this is pic i ment, "small bit of rust" looks bad, ive never seen a "loose" scuttle panel, is this part of it ? i thought this was the inner bulkhead, but if it is part of the scuttle panel your lucky, but looks like a major fix , especialy if it extends up the pillar ? / weakened it, lets have some glass out rust fest pics !!

i also had, abeit only very minimal just starting- rust in the floor to bulkhead join, on pas side, where yours has totaly gone on the drivers side there, scrape the sealer off the pass side and have a good look at it, a new pedal mount too - get someone to cut a nice rust free one out of a breaker with a square of metal around it

The rust shown isn't part of the scuttle as far as I know. I will replace the scuttle anyway. I'll throw pictures up of the rust on it but it isn't that bad. I just don't want to start patching the car, as it would be left like patch work quilt.
I will replace the bit shown with a donor. Also new scuttle panels are stamped differently so will be cutting my stamp off and fitting it to the new one. Sure what else would I do with my time.....

[darren_mk]

Bab, just seeing this now.

Gutted for you.....

Speaking from recent experience, take a week or two away from it and get your head cleared, it will help.

Are you coming to the show in Bangor this Sat?

I hadn't planned on heading down but if you push the Alpina down onto the Queens Parade. I might grace Bangor with ones attendance.

Dont tempt me, as ill keep pushing it off queens parade into the marina!!

[bab-91]

Drama queen!


I probably will call down, I think the better half is working!