79' Opel Kadett C Build - Built Show Smash to Road Rocket
- Thread Starter
- #54
Colm Quinn out near Newferry. No distance away from Portgenone.
- Thread Starter
- #55
Colm phoned today to tell me they have the inside painted and to bring out the boot lid Rubber and Door Rubbers so they can mount/space the doors/boot lid properly (Bonnet Rubbers were already in a box in the workshop)
So here it is. Finished essentially. When i arrived down the bonnet was being wet sanded and the boot lid was being mounted.
Inside looks as good as the outside. Almost be a shame to put bits of interior back in!
Hopefully get her transported home next week all being well!
I can see a few cold late nights in the shed ahead of me!
So here it is. Finished essentially. When i arrived down the bonnet was being wet sanded and the boot lid was being mounted.
Inside looks as good as the outside. Almost be a shame to put bits of interior back in!
Hopefully get her transported home next week all being well!
I can see a few cold late nights in the shed ahead of me!
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You know where I’m at if you need a hand.
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- #57
OddsieTurbo
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Love the colour nice build 
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- #60
Ha ha I’ll take that!
clrrk
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I still remember my heart sinking when I got the phone call to tell me about the crash. As an event organiser you never fully appreciate that people put their pride and joys at risk every time they bring them out on the road to bring it to your event. You do your part to make sure they stay safe at the show but you never think that a car or driver will get hurt/damaged on the way.
Once we knew you were okay we were all immediately gutted by the loss of your car.
The new is looking incredible! Good to see you were able to salvage some parts from the original car. Can't wait to see it finished, will be a real credit to you.
Once we knew you were okay we were all immediately gutted by the loss of your car.
The new is looking incredible! Good to see you were able to salvage some parts from the original car. Can't wait to see it finished, will be a real credit to you.
- Thread Starter
- #63
Thanks lad I really appreciate it. It was such a good show and i was absolutely buzzing that someone else thought enough of my wee Kadett to have it on display let along inside. Honestly you’ve no idea how proud I was. It was a really great show. Pensioner sailed out across the dual carriage way in front of me so at least you know I wasn’t the sort to be acting the eejit in the car.
Appreciate the kind words about the new car. It’s been my sole focus ever since. Wanting to replace the car and get back on my feet was major motivation after the accident. Just taken longer than expected but providing I can get it ready for our wedding in April I’ll be happy! Funny how something as simple a car can become part of who you are in some ways.
R
Cro
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How does it get transported?
- Thread Starter
- #66
As soon as Mark is free!
It would probably fit in the back of the Audi with a push. Mark Smiley will lift it in the enclosed shuttle.
- Thread Starter
- #68
Thanks for the help fingerblasting the life out of the Filler Neck Bung. It was something to behold, like watching David Attenborough narrate an animal in its natural habitat.
Anyway, couple of updates:
1)Car Home and few more parts ordered while i gave it a wipe down with Hybrid
2) Fitted Front and rear lights including rear back panel
3) Wiper linkage and Motor Fitted (absolute pig of a job that cost me half the skin on both arms due to it being situated behind the dash agains the scuttle panel.)
4) Pedal Box fitted, Bracket painted etc
5) Fuel Tank Fitted and it doesn't foul the cage (thanks for Wishart for the stupidly tidy cage fab) and thanks for @Jamie-g for the extra pair of hands/banter
6) Back Manta A axle stripped of drums, backing plates cut to suit and disk conversion carried out, only to realise the end of the half shafts are shot as they're not quite true and the drisk are rotating slightly off. Think warped disk on roids. It would be undrivable. We reckon the flange of the half shaft was bent in a previous life from being batteredin in and out with a hammer. An issue that wouldnt be as noticeable with the drums being a bit more forgiving if there had been a mill or two tolerance behind the face of the drum. So the Backaxle is out of commission until I find a set of half shafts.
7) Test Fitted Seat, probably a tickle high but literally couldn't fit it any lower without going for a carcass style spine crusher bucket seat. Super Comfy though and spot on distance from pedal box location etc. (Test fitted the seat before settling on the left/right position of the pedal box.
8) Front Springs arrived yesterday so just waiting on Dampers and rear springs to get it back on its wheels (providing i can find two half shafts)
9) Doors rebuilt, linkage sorted out and re assembled with door cards etc. Window Rubbers are a horrendous job. Almost advertised the car for sale. Was ready for pushing it into the harbour that night. But like you all know thats when ye need to lock up and go and sit drinking tae in front of the fire. I've yet to find a good solution to anything whilst in the middle of a fit of rage =)
(Yes pedal box mount bar wasnt put it completely straight so when i squared it off the seat it left the pedal box front lip looking like its not straight. Ill remove and trim this soon enough. My OCD couldnt look at it permanently half a mm further forward on one side than the other but as for now its spot on to get the car on the road for the wedding. After that ill tinker at it when im not under so much pressure)
Handle will need the bottom of it trimmed so it doesnt rub against the paint on the cage. may even fashion up some Door Pull Tags rather than the chunky retro handle.
Thoughts on the thin chrome lip on the back panel? @Jamie-g wants me to paint it all black but not sure? thoughts?
Reservoirs just sitting in loose for now.
Stood for a good while scratching my head about whether to face the horror that will be re assembling and re fitting the Heater/Fan Unit, I know if i dont ill get caught out some time with a window needing de misted but its going to be an absolute bitch of a job. lots of silicone and swearing.
Oil Cooler Test fitted and sits perfect behind the front grille so that was a small win. Shout out to Sports and Spares in Ballymena for hooking me up with some tiny gauge silicone pipe for me to split and run over the edge of the notched front panel for the outputs on the cooler. Mark and Harold are always happy to help. One of the few places left that really makes you appreciate the oldschool face to face service that comes with building a friendship with a local vendor. (listen to me talking like an 80 year old, but its true!)
Thats a crusty hoor of a hub. Cleaned up and wire brushed it before fitting disks.
Just fired the nuts on to make sure the disk was tight and properly seated before i lost my mind about the off kilter rotation. Ruined my day. p.s. before anyone starts ripping me out about the studs not being on the right way two of them had ropey threads so put them on backwards to reach the bit that was causing issues.
With a couple of tidy brackets the Manta axle will take Mk4 Astra Callipers and disks which is handy as they'll fit under most rims.
Current State of play:
Waiting on Front and Rear Bilsteins
Waiting for Rear Springs
Jonny Law to re assemble and stick the head on the engine in the next week or two.
Before we drop the engine in for good the the car will need dry fit test again out at Paul Mooneys.
I still have a spare XE Block/Head out there so we will re fit the engine and test fit the Type9 Box to measure for the length of the prop shaft. (Also need a type 9 ford end splined end for the the gearbox end of the prop so i can get it welded in in place of the current opel gearbox end.
The Type9 Box will also need the linkage shorted and housing re welded in order to bring it out in the right place on the tunnel. The Xe is mounted as far back as we can get it to the firewall so the ford box is a wee bit too long on the linkage side of things.
Lots to do and not a lot of time to do it. Cant really progress until I find a set of Manta A half shafts. So if any of you Know or hear of anything please shout. Ill buy a full Manta A axle to get the shafts if needs be but most fellas are hiding them away. Gotta be someone on here has one!
WISH LIST:
MANTA A HALF SHAFTS or COMPLETE AXLE
FRONT SPLINED END OF A FORD TYPE 9 PROPSHAFT
Thanks in Advance folks =)
Anyway, couple of updates:
1)Car Home and few more parts ordered while i gave it a wipe down with Hybrid
2) Fitted Front and rear lights including rear back panel
3) Wiper linkage and Motor Fitted (absolute pig of a job that cost me half the skin on both arms due to it being situated behind the dash agains the scuttle panel.)
4) Pedal Box fitted, Bracket painted etc
5) Fuel Tank Fitted and it doesn't foul the cage (thanks for Wishart for the stupidly tidy cage fab) and thanks for @Jamie-g for the extra pair of hands/banter
6) Back Manta A axle stripped of drums, backing plates cut to suit and disk conversion carried out, only to realise the end of the half shafts are shot as they're not quite true and the drisk are rotating slightly off. Think warped disk on roids. It would be undrivable. We reckon the flange of the half shaft was bent in a previous life from being batteredin in and out with a hammer. An issue that wouldnt be as noticeable with the drums being a bit more forgiving if there had been a mill or two tolerance behind the face of the drum. So the Backaxle is out of commission until I find a set of half shafts.
7) Test Fitted Seat, probably a tickle high but literally couldn't fit it any lower without going for a carcass style spine crusher bucket seat. Super Comfy though and spot on distance from pedal box location etc. (Test fitted the seat before settling on the left/right position of the pedal box.
8) Front Springs arrived yesterday so just waiting on Dampers and rear springs to get it back on its wheels (providing i can find two half shafts)
9) Doors rebuilt, linkage sorted out and re assembled with door cards etc. Window Rubbers are a horrendous job. Almost advertised the car for sale. Was ready for pushing it into the harbour that night. But like you all know thats when ye need to lock up and go and sit drinking tae in front of the fire. I've yet to find a good solution to anything whilst in the middle of a fit of rage =)
(Yes pedal box mount bar wasnt put it completely straight so when i squared it off the seat it left the pedal box front lip looking like its not straight. Ill remove and trim this soon enough. My OCD couldnt look at it permanently half a mm further forward on one side than the other but as for now its spot on to get the car on the road for the wedding. After that ill tinker at it when im not under so much pressure)
Handle will need the bottom of it trimmed so it doesnt rub against the paint on the cage. may even fashion up some Door Pull Tags rather than the chunky retro handle.
Thoughts on the thin chrome lip on the back panel? @Jamie-g wants me to paint it all black but not sure? thoughts?
Reservoirs just sitting in loose for now.
Stood for a good while scratching my head about whether to face the horror that will be re assembling and re fitting the Heater/Fan Unit, I know if i dont ill get caught out some time with a window needing de misted but its going to be an absolute bitch of a job. lots of silicone and swearing.
Oil Cooler Test fitted and sits perfect behind the front grille so that was a small win. Shout out to Sports and Spares in Ballymena for hooking me up with some tiny gauge silicone pipe for me to split and run over the edge of the notched front panel for the outputs on the cooler. Mark and Harold are always happy to help. One of the few places left that really makes you appreciate the oldschool face to face service that comes with building a friendship with a local vendor. (listen to me talking like an 80 year old, but its true!)
Thats a crusty hoor of a hub. Cleaned up and wire brushed it before fitting disks.
Just fired the nuts on to make sure the disk was tight and properly seated before i lost my mind about the off kilter rotation. Ruined my day. p.s. before anyone starts ripping me out about the studs not being on the right way two of them had ropey threads so put them on backwards to reach the bit that was causing issues.
With a couple of tidy brackets the Manta axle will take Mk4 Astra Callipers and disks which is handy as they'll fit under most rims.
Current State of play:
Waiting on Front and Rear Bilsteins
Waiting for Rear Springs
Jonny Law to re assemble and stick the head on the engine in the next week or two.
Before we drop the engine in for good the the car will need dry fit test again out at Paul Mooneys.
I still have a spare XE Block/Head out there so we will re fit the engine and test fit the Type9 Box to measure for the length of the prop shaft. (Also need a type 9 ford end splined end for the the gearbox end of the prop so i can get it welded in in place of the current opel gearbox end.
The Type9 Box will also need the linkage shorted and housing re welded in order to bring it out in the right place on the tunnel. The Xe is mounted as far back as we can get it to the firewall so the ford box is a wee bit too long on the linkage side of things.
Lots to do and not a lot of time to do it. Cant really progress until I find a set of Manta A half shafts. So if any of you Know or hear of anything please shout. Ill buy a full Manta A axle to get the shafts if needs be but most fellas are hiding them away. Gotta be someone on here has one!
WISH LIST:
MANTA A HALF SHAFTS or COMPLETE AXLE
FRONT SPLINED END OF A FORD TYPE 9 PROPSHAFT
Thanks in Advance folks =)
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Cro
RMS Regular
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- 5,616
- Location
- Under the bonnet...
Not loving the chrome but too early to tell until badges and exhaust is on etc. not convinced black is the way either
No dynamat or anything going in?
No dynamat or anything going in?
We got a few bits from this guy for our Ascona A when we were building it:
Worth a shot for the half shafts. His English isn't great, so e-mail, and google translate is your friend!
Worth a shot for the half shafts. His English isn't great, so e-mail, and google translate is your friend!
- Thread Starter
- #72
His son Patrick de Boer is looking for me already! Small world!We got a few bits from this guy for our Ascona A when we were building it:
Worth a shot for the half shafts. His English isn't great, so e-mail, and google translate is your friend!
thanks!
- Thread Starter
- #75
Front Axle in tonight along with upper wishbone assembly. Thankfully id taken plenty of photos when dismantling the setup in the first place. 4 spacers/washers on the upper wishbone alone. Pressed the balljoints into the Lower wishbones and nipped the boot on one(reproduction wishbones so one was a smidge tighter than the other) so need a new boot before i mount both. Hubs are sitting in a bucket of diesel melting off old waxoyl and dirt before getting wire brushed and painted up. Handy when your da is 5ft 2 and as strong as an ox. These auld country boys were just made different. Man could bench press a loaded transit if he was stuck. Must have been all those teenage years throwing creamery cans on and off the back of my grandfathers milk lorry. Anyway, will get a ball joint boot and sort that while the arm is free then i'll connect up the rest of the assembly and seat the springs before connecting all up.
