CR3171 Finally going back together!

[deano59]

may I ask a question that's been bugging me since reading your threads ? tell me to rack of if you don't want to answer lol .
\you obviously did your homework b4 you bought your kit to start with you then built and finished the kit and got it on the road am I correct so far ?
you then pulled it completely down and have about re engineered every main part of the original kit can I ask why . was the kit that bad to start with engineering wise or you thought you could improve what you had already . I cant see you building it substandard the first time as the quality of your work on here is out standing to say the least .
I gather its been a few yrs since you decided to strip it and go right thru it again that would kill me knowing it was all there and was walk in rego to get it on the road again . you sir have the patience of a saint :-)

cheers dean

[Aussie Mike]

Hi Ben,

Progress has been slow for the last few weeks. I've been pretty crook. In and out of Hospital with a Kidney stone. I had Surgery a couple of weeks back and I'm on the mend now. Not an experience I can recommend.

I got out to the shed on the weekend for the first time in ages. The Gearbox is back together finally. Hopefully the engine and box will be back in the chassis this weekend.


It's a fair question Dean.

I was happy with the kit when I bought it. At the time I believe it was one of the better engineered kits on the market. However in the intervening time I've learned a lot along the way. I'm constantly collecting new skills and ideas and I can't help but apply them to the car. I've often built a part and then some time later developed some better skills and decided I could do that part better now. Take the clutch fitting I posted earlier as an example of this behavior.

It's probably a form of OCD. If I see something that is annoying me I struggle to get past it without doing something about it. I've been trying to change my ways and that's why I'm on the path back to a driving car I'm on now.


I have also had a lot of distractions over the years with family, work and moving house etc. I would try to make excuses but I cant be bothered any more. As for patience, I enjoy working on it. The journey and making all the bits has been main part of the fun. When the car is back on the road I'm sure I'll be working on a new project.

Cheers

[Modena]

Sorry to hear you haven't been well and glad you are on the mend now. I had a few health issues myself last year which meant mine will be on the road about a year later than it should have been.

[deano59]

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

Hi Ben,

Progress has been slow for the last few weeks. I've been pretty crook. In and out of Hospital with a Kidney stone. I had Surgery a couple of weeks back and I'm on the mend now. Not an experience I can recommend.

I got out to the shed on the weekend for the first time in ages. The Gearbox is back together finally. Hopefully the engine and box will be back in the chassis this weekend.


It's a fair question Dean.

I was happy with the kit when I bought it. At the time I believe it was one of the better engineered kits on the market. However in the intervening time I've learned a lot along the way. I'm constantly collecting new skills and ideas and I can't help but apply them to the car. I've often built a part and then some time later developed some better skills and decided I could do that part better now. Take the clutch fitting I posted earlier as an example of this behavior.

It's probably a form of OCD. If I see something that is annoying me I struggle to get past it without doing something about it. I've been trying to change my ways and that's why I'm on the path back to a driving car I'm on now.


I have also had a lot of distractions over the years with family, work and moving house etc. I would try to make excuses but I cant be bothered any more. As for patience, I enjoy working on it. The journey and making all the bits has been main part of the fun. When the car is back on the road I'm sure I'll be working on a new project.

Cheers

cheers for that mike I had a idea it may have been something like that im a bit the same with my race car always tinkering I run a restricted class so any gains regardless of how small all helps last yr I raced a vr commy other guys raced vl's while I out handled them on the shorter track they out run me on the longer ones so I kept changing the engine configuration ie gapless rings lighter pistons
I build a vl but built it lighter than the others . I bought and sold so many sets of mags looking for the lightest sets I could buy so less unsprung weight hell this yr I didn't even paint the car cause a tin of paint weight 8 kilos lols will paint it for next season tho end result for this yr I have a 253 that punches out 215 hp at the rw thru a 350 holley in a car that's a 140 kilos than last yr and oh boy this old fart has been giving these young bucks a real run for there money .
ive been accused of running a 308 and a 253 stroker engine 3 times this season . I just tell them put ya money up and protest im happy to pull it down if your paying me to put it back together .
a bit off track but I get where ya coming from
cheers dean

[spookypt]

Mike, can we all put in our diaries that we will see you and your marvellous machine at the 2015 Nationals???? I want to see your car and all its goodies !

[Aussie Mike]

Originally Posted by spookypt

Mike, can we all put in our diaries that we will see you and your marvellous machine at the 2015 Nationals???? I want to see your car and all its goodies !

That's the plan.

[Aussie Mike]

Just a small update.

The box is back together. Redid the mid shift conversion with the stuff I've learned since doing the first one. Much neater now.



Decided to re-engineer the old B&M shifter I originally adapted and change the geometry a bit. This meant machining the base of the shifter off and machining up a new base plate to bolt on.





Cheers

[Aussie Mike]

Hit another milestone this weekend. Finally got the engine and box back in place.



Been having fun bolting the accessories back on. Alternator, PS Pump, Coils and Oil cooler plumbing back in. Bolted the headers back on just for the look of the thing.



Got a bit of work to do to the water pump before it goes back on. There is a pinhole in one of the welds that's been bugging me.

Cheers

[PeterAllen]

Mike. Are going to weld the new base to the remaining portion of the B&M or bolt it on from under the new base?

[Aussie Mike]

I'll try and finish off the shifter tonight and post up some pics. The base will bolt to the shifter section from underneath. It still needs a fair bit of work.

Cheers

[Aussie Mike]

Here's a bit more detail on the finished shifter.

The shifter mechanism is bolted to the base from the underside using countersunk head bolts. I've been doing them this way for quite a while now.



Here it is bolted up after a bit of finishing work to round the corners and counter bore the bolt holes to recess the cap screws that hold it down.



Cheers

[Aussie Mike]

Did a bit of a fun machining project tonight. After getting the engine in and the shifter done I figured adding a bit of bling would be fun.

I picked up a black phenolic plastic shifter ball from Summit. It's got the 6 speed pattern engraved in it. It's about 2" in diameter and feels comfee in the hand. Kind of reminds me a little of the original shifter ball.

Just screwed in place and it looked unfinished and a bit ordinary. I decided to dress it up a bit and also tidy up the vinyl shifter boot I plan to use.

3 parts machined from some billet bar stock. A small tapered collar that goes under the shifter boot. A larger tapered collar that goes over the shifter boot and clamps the vinyl in place against the smaller collar. A sleeve that tidies up the top of the shift lever and hides the threads etc. The shifter ball screws down on top of it all and clamps everything in place. The length of the sleeve is machined so the shift pattern on the top of the ball is clocked into the right position when tightened.



Here it is assembled.



Pretty happy with the result.



Cheers

[Wazza]

Sweet

[750hp]

That's quite an impressive knob extension Mike.

[Modena]

that looks very OE, good work.

[sambo]

Good work Mike, matches the handbrake lever nicely.

Engine crane has been purchased and I'm pulling out the engine/gearbox on Boxing Day, so I should have my T56 to you before new years. Your beast should be back on the road by then?

[spookypt]

Originally Posted by 750hp

That's quite an impressive knob extension Mike.

Mike have you been getting any PM's for custom orders on your knob extensions. I'm sure there's a few who wouldn't mind an extra inch in their hand.

I'd have thought Wazza would have been all over this...

[Donunder]

Originally Posted by spookypt

Mike have you been getting any PM's for custom orders on your knob extensions. I'm sure there's a few who wouldn't mind an extra inch in their hand.

I'd have thought Wazza would have been all over this...

He's too busy these days Spook.

He doesn't have time, or anything else, on his hands any more.

[Aussie Mike]

This one is actually a bit of a reduction on my old billet knob. The polished alloy knob was nice but as they say once you go black...

[Gav]

No wonder your car has taken so long to put back together.
You are spending your time playing with your knob.