1987 3.2 Carrera Backdate project - Sladeys hotrod

[sladey]

Harsh but fair

[Gary71]

Glad he did my conveyencing a few years back, there would be no hope now!

[sladey]

Late. Tired, but good progress


Ian's excellent work on the headlining


Side windows, and outer door trim and handles on


Lights and front bumper on


I've managed to lose the drivers side sidelight/indicator lens. Ian's kindly going to lend me one for the MOT but I'll order a pair of new ones now

[sladey]

Windscreens in this morning





Starting to properly feel like a car now

[Bootsy]

Go go team Slade!

Looking great.

[Northy]

Great work Mark!

Really cool colour and I'm liking the arch profiles too.

[DustyM]

I agree, those rear arches look good.

[Ferry Man]

Looks great Mark. I think it's too good to use.

It doesn't look like your car. It's been silver & orange for so long, it's going to take a while for us to get used to it.

It really is a fantastic transformation, not just in colour but a thorough mechanical and bodywork restoration. I can't wait to see the car.
Now change that avatar for something bluer.

[sladey]

Thanks guys

Yes I agree it's not like my car yet. However I've got a load of decals waiting to go on - I think once they are all in place and the stance is sorted it will be the new slademobile

Got another long night tonight but the end is in sight....

[Darren65]

Being honest, I didn't think you had a chance of making CLM!

Really glad you did and hats off to you and your helpers for a tremendous effort…..…major inspiration to one and all and your car looks great!

Will always be DDK's favourite Hot Rod!



Respect

[radioboy1]

Looking great, I think the colour really suits the shape.

[DustyM]

Must have been a late one Mark, no update?

Good luck with the MOT today, we'll all have fingers crossed.


Cheers
Jon

[johnM]

Must have been a late one Mark, no update?

Good luck with the MOT today, we'll all have fingers crossed.


Cheers
Jon

Ditto ^

[left4dead]

I hope everything goes well with the MOT today, Mark.

Please post some photos of the metamorphosised beast out in the sunshine?

Great work all round.

[sladey]

OK so almost there....

Yes it was a late one - out in garage till 1:15 this morning

Ian was a great help and helped until after 10:00

OK so taking the day in order:-

Neil came during the day to polish up the paintwork. It worked on some panels but not on others - the paint was still too soft on thosoe - another day or 2 and it will be ready for those to do.

I came home after work and Ian came round shortly after.

Fitted the windscreen wipers and washers

Ian fitted the vinyl covers for the B posts. Part way through he popped out the seal from the leading edge of the rear window - that took us both a while to get it back in - eventually fairy liquid did the job and it popped in fine.

When the fitters came to fit the windscreens on Tuesday they comment how well the headliner had been fitted - unprompted comment from people who see this work every day. Ian has an alternate career available if he wants it.

Got the front lights all working - Ian had to lend me a lens (I need to order two new indicator lenses - prefer silver surrounds - where is best to order them from?) which has been fitted on sticking out a bit as I didn't want to risk cracking his lenses.

I bought some pukka front sidelight/indicator units off Mike, but the bulb holders currently in place don't fit them so I'll need to sort new bulb holders and do a proper job at a later date. For the moment I'll stick with the piece of crap units I bought years ago - they are fibreglass and appear to have been moulded from a turd.
The sidelight on the offside wouldn't work and there was not power to it so I had to take out the headlight. Unfortunately when fitting it yesterday I'd ended up having to put a bolt in and even more unfortunately as I unscrewed it it scratched the paint! took it down to the primer.

I told Neil on the phone later and he said not to worry - he'll touch that in with a small airbrush.

To sort the bolt out I ground off the corners to make it smaller and round and then cut a slot in the head. I can't use the proper one because the tab it goes into as opened up in size so needed to go to slightly bigger than M6

Having got the light out still couldn't find out why the sidelight wasn't working. Ian asked about the rear sidelight on the Offside - I confirmed that wasnt working as well. Ian checked and there wasn't a fuse! he went home and got a fuse and lights were working, front and back!

While he was doing that I fitted the petrol filler pipe. Had a slight inner scream when I realised Ian had shut the filler door before I'd connected up the opening pull mechanism. Managed to get to it from underneath and open it. My filler pipe is from the later car and has two ears on it to hold it more securely. There were no corresponding brackets on the new wings I'd bought. Aaaaargh! Phoned Neil to ask if there were any on the wing I'd lent him. After discussion we reached the conclusion that there were no ears on the early cars and they were held in place by the stiff rubber. Cut off the ears and fitted it.

Rear bumper. - it was handy having Ian there as he could hold it in place while I tightened the nuts from below. Held the seals on with double sided tape. Not entirely happy with their finished position but I improved it and am OK for the moment.

Went to do the rubber hold-downs for the engine lid. These just didn't seem right - I bought the small versions and I couldn't see that they were long enough. I'll have another look on t'interweb at other installations (Jason a pick of yours would be good) to see if I've bought the wrong ones or am trying to fit them in the wrong place. For the moment I've left them off - the lid stays down nicely on it's own.

Fitted the numbers plates front and rear. I'd bought an especially cheapy one for the front as this will be taken off when the strips is fitted and a nicer sticker one fitted on top. I was concerned I'd have to remove some of the stick but it wasn't very stick anyway.

By this time it was getting late and I didn't feel like doing the whole interior. I therefore popped the drivers seat in and bolted it down.

Finally I can go to bed......

Seatbelts!!!

Had to grab the panels they are threaded through and fit the belts for the drivers seat. That went fine.

Went to bed and forgot to take my contact lenses out