A much overdue update! I’ve had three days off this week, following New Year’s, to try and get a move on with the van mechanicals.
First up a nice easy job, fitting the gear shifter. This is the Scat shifter I took out of the van, I’ve had the base powder coated (of course!) and the springs etc plated:
I then finished building up the engine. I’ve not changed anything substantial with the engine as it was running fine before the resto. It’s just had a good clean up, the original tinware powder coated, a proper SVDA dizzy (with pertronix ignition) to replace the 009, reinstated cooling flaps and thermostat, and a nice vintage speed exhaust! Looking pretty clean and tidy:
I also kept the original Bosch coil which was looking a bit tired with surface rust coming through, so gave it a clean up and paint with some left over ‘koni red’ paint:
With the engine pretty much built up it was time to get the gearbox and engine in!
First up, the gearbox. It’s had a good clean up and then a coat of Dynax UC (probably overkill but it can’t hurt):
Much grunting and swearing later, and the gearbox is in, plus the drive shafts:
At this point I realised I had a bit of a problem when I came to fit the clutch cable bowden tube. The steel tube under the van that it connects to was around 10cm too short, meaning the bowden tube wouldn’t fit! This must have snapped off at some point in the resto and I’d not realised. Keen to avoid having to weld under the van this late in the game, having spent a huge amount of time on it, my mind started churning for a neat workaround.
Cue the following day, and I scrounged a 15cm piece of thick wall stainless tube from Ali across the yard, with an OD thick enough to fit into the bowden tube. I then got the first 5cm of the tube turned down in a lathe to fit snuggly inside the tube that runs under the van:
And all installed under the van, problem solved. (the bowden tube may still need some washers at the other end yet, I’ll see how it goes):
And finally this morning’s job, the all important engine install! All ready to go with the van jacked up and engine on my manky old rug:
Much more grunting, sweating and longer than I’d care to admit and the engine is in (they’re doable on your own, but it’s a bit of a workout!):
Not too shabby:
I need to finish plumbing the engine in this week, fit the front brake calipers, bleed the brakes and finish some of the steering column and then I should be in a position to try and fire the engine up!
Brake calipers are pretty much ready to go, and of course got the koni red treatment (Max wanted the “Porsche” look!):
