68 stiletto Restoration

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 8:13 am

Inner bottom rear corner repaired at same time

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 8:14 am

Outer started

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Mon Oct 24, 2016 2:01 pm

Great work, Gary.

I like the idea of using lead loading to fill pin holes behind lap welds using acid-free flux. I might adapt that approach to my own restoration, when I get it going again.

IM

impstress2003 · Post by **impstress2003** » Mon Oct 24, 2016 3:14 pm

Amazing work!

Not sure if this helps, but to minimise pin holes, when I've finished a weld I point the inspection light into the cavity behind it (or a torch, etc) and turn off the garage lights. Any pinholes shine through and can be easily marked for further welding.

Cheers,
Simon

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Mon Oct 24, 2016 5:46 pm

Hi Simon I do the light trick too but sometimes you can miss one ,Iam just being over cautious

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:35 pm

Hi a few more bits cut,only got a couple of hours today found more rot

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:44 pm

Have plenty of sheet metal left!
When corner flange was cut out it left a gap in the middle so cut some 2 mm thick to push back into seam and weld both sides

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:48 pm

Still got the small corner to sort out will weld what I can in vice then slot. In place and finish on Patch

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 3:08 pm

Got screen's out today just to check condition found old tax disks
1998 reads eltham se9
1997 bit harder to work out looks like it could be Castle dunington no post code?
Any ideas?

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 3:13 pm

Last bit today the tax disk houlder was interesting

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 6:12 am

Castle Donington was where we had the first 2 ever IMPNational weekends, we hired the Melbourne Loop, way back 83, 84 I think, bet that car was there then maybe?
RC is a Derby registration so that's in the area it started its life?

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri Nov 18, 2016 6:58 am

Rear wing now on its not as good as I would like but best I can do at the. moment with what's available .
This corner was always going to be a bit of a challenge. It's going to need a bit of lead am afraid.

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 12:03 pm

Finish welded rear lower corner as this tends to rot out far too easily I've gone down the route of leaving a 3mm gap open at the bottom easy for water to run out plus easy to inject wax
Right or wrong it's done now

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 12:23 pm

Good idea, but I think Rootes never did it that way, the drain slot, which looks a lot better and will be a lot more effective at letting the water out I agree, but they had an issue with exhaust fumes entering the car, theres a tech note somewhere on that too, from the rear through any holes due to the low pressure effect, when the car was on the move it was possible for the fumes to be sucked in from the engine bay and surrounding area into any holes and vents and thus into the interior of the car poisoning the occupants, this is something you will have to test on yours and you may have to reduce or move the position of the slot along according if you suffer the same problem, and coupes were worse then saloons for doing this, obviously due to the body shape and how the airflow acted around the rear end.??

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 12:40 pm

Didn't know that I could make a rubber bung and clear it regularly we have a gas tester at work its something I'll have to check once running

cov_climax · Post by **cov_climax** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 6:47 pm

If you do keep the slot, might be worth adding some tack,welds or blobs of seam sealer to stop the two skins panting against each other.

Brian

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Sat Dec 31, 2016 6:36 pm

On to final corner, never thought I'd get here but now finding myself thinking about colours just this bit to finish off ,driver's side door to repair and bit on front pillers and all the welding finished
I must say at this point I feel very good
Happy new year

Post by **Lars Hagermark** » Sat Dec 31, 2016 8:45 pm

Been following this since start.

for you and your achievements.
Happy new year!

colimp66 · Post by **colimp66** » Sat Dec 31, 2016 9:58 pm

Great stuff Gary. You have done a cracking job on your Imp, well done.
Happy New Year and keep it going in 2017.

Cheers
Col.

pbergs · Post by **pbergs** » Sun Jan 01, 2017 8:02 pm

Such a well executed job! What was the original colour? The bits I can see look like signal red which suits the car well. If I'm honest the colour I think really complements the car is the rich metallic blue, almost turquoise. All subjective though. Well done and Happy New Year.

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Sun Jan 01, 2017 9:32 pm

The original colour was gold you can only see it now under the red on the engine lid and inside off the doors . I always intended to paint it light metallic green but resently saw a white stiletto just plane ,no pinstripe no vinyl roof
Less was more it just looked stunning just totally clean lines so now am unsure??

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:41 pm

Final wing completely welded in now
Only front lower screen pillers to do and the shell is finished

Post by **Lars Hagermark** » Thu Jan 12, 2017 9:55 pm

Wow! Superb job there.

The fun will climb to next level now.

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Thu Jan 12, 2017 9:56 pm

Does the club do medals?

MattorMatty · Post by **MattorMatty** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 7:40 pm

Well done Gary! So close now to attaching shiny parts to a shiny shell.

Matt

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:22 am

Hi all, the plan is to rub back the underneath, epoxy primer,to seal and stone chip then paint inside ,put suspension back on and paint body as rolling shell
My main question is what needs to go on before suspension eg brake pipes , fuel ? Which side do they run as car was stripped when I got it
Thanks

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:38 am

Thanks John I get the point prep will create a ton of dust

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 10:11 am

Thanks Peter I must have gone snow blind never even thought about accelerator and choke cable's,servo
I haven't got a servo yet ,the girling one seem rare and very expensive now and don't like sinthetic fluid so have looked at Lockheed.Do you know the correct ratio for the imp?
Would appreciate your thoughts on the Lockheed?

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:11 am

Disappointed now ! Just read data sheet on epoxy primer can't put it on below 15 degs and as heat in garage this time of year will cause condensation can't put paint on till it gets warmer so far and held up now due to weather !

Post by **Cally** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 4:54 pm

Re Servo

IIRC Avenger Tiger uses same remote fixing Girling Servo and Girling 'Powerstop Accessory kits' had them but in differing levels of assistance. Think I have a Servo book somewhere, and I sent some sheets from it to Bob and Grahame.
Interesting that a standard 1250 and 1500 Avenger didn't have a servo but later ones had a servo fitted in line between pedal and master cylinder, in both cases fluid reservoir fitted onto master cylinder. Also the master cylinder was a different unit and bore size on a servo'd car > Did Rootes/Chrysler know something when they stopped Girling remote servo [on opposite side of Tiger engine bay] when later Avenger disc braked models had servos fitted on new cars??

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 9:17 pm

Yes I've heard about them dumping all the fluid and then you have no brakes at all
Not the best on a single line system!!!

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 10:42 pm

Hi John can't even put filler on till I've epoxy primer then filler, epoxy again to seal filler then stopper,hibuid primer ,top coat

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:05 pm

Hi John the second coat is only a sealer you can then put anything on top cellulose, 2k what ever with no fear of any reaction

Post by **Cally** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:48 pm

Gary

Re servo dumping the fluid, I've had that but fortunately when car wasn't been driven.
Was no sign of any leaks.

I've heard that fluid gets dragged into manifold and burns in engine, even though is supposed to be one way valve in line which usually gets vacuum that works servo.

In my case(was on my previous Bronze Stiletto) it managed to empty clutch reservoir as well so had neither brakes or clutch.
It was whilst investigating this I found undone work (new brake pipes but hadn't changed ones to junction behind rad plus had remarkably shiny metallic paint but found as seller admitted later,hadn't been lacquered) and hidden work (and the money it needed to correct) that was needed to bring it up to Standard, and I decided to sell this car, having had opportunity to get little beaut I have now which is an early one and had a documented history inc photos. My original car was restored and is still around.

At least when yours is done you'll know everything has been done

Steve

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 9:53 am

I bought it stripped warts and all at least I could see most of the rot ,but not all which is usually the case but think worst is over now

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:29 pm

Cut out the bottom skin to get access to the inner then cut the center bottom frame out but left the corners although flakey as a ref point

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:37 pm

Made up the inner edge plus the ribbed section to channel the water out then cut out the 3 drainage holes

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:42 pm

Then welded the center section in

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:43 pm

Made the end pieces

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:45 pm

Welded them on but left plenty to trim off

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:50 pm

I then got it on the car to trim it to size then off again I hate putting doors on !!

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:52 pm

Tried skin on needs More work

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:55 pm

Had to break off today as the temperature has gone over 60 degs and that means I can spray so epoxy primed the under side today

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri May 12, 2017 11:35 am

I've being doing some testing with epoxy primer ,it's a product I've not used before
I sprayed a spare mild steel sheet std cr4 not zintex as you can see I put some filler and seam sealer on to see how well it stuck
Well it sticks , I mean Hammer and chisel sticks .
The corner was bent back and forward 15 times with pliers and as you can see it did not crack so that's what iam using it also sticks like s***to the metal and the best part is it's totally waterproof

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri May 12, 2017 11:46 am

Under body now coated with gravitex stone chip this was very easy to use

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Fri May 12, 2017 11:53 am

Hi col
Epoxy is Lecher , got it from express paints
Got 5 liter plus activator and thinner was about£ 75.00 del which I didn't think was to bad nice to shoot too
The thing I also like is you can recoat or put high build primer on top wet on wet within 24 hr and no need to sand .
I was out of the recoat window when I seam sealed and put the gravitex on so just used scotch brite pad to make sure but on test piece did not rough up , wanted to have the worst possible conditions and it still stuck like poo

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 16, 2017 11:00 am

Hi just been tapping threads out to clean I seem to have all the taps but this small one does anyone know the size I am assuming it's 3/16 unf ? there are 4at the front end of the transmission tunnel

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 16, 2017 6:09 pm

Thanks for all the info as I didn't strip the car down it will be a fast learning curve putting it together

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue May 16, 2017 9:06 pm

With the weather turning poor again put door back on and started grinding the bottom edge down to suit, put masking tape along the edge as a guide it's quite easy not to get straight without,
The skin has got a fair curve at the bottom and I struggled to get it right, it's still a work in progress more to follow

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Thu May 18, 2017 10:17 am

I said earlier the shell is finished just front pillers to do they are done now but forgot to load any photos so here they are not a big job but may be of interest to someone as Peter said if you want to know where an imp rusts look at mine ,N/S was the worst by far