K20 project off to a good start
- Thread starter Rodger
- Start date
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- box engine swap box k20
fiatmonkey
Tim Hoover
Mate! Looking purrrty
I may have to buy you a airplane ticket to come out and help me with my the new project and get all the wiring sorted. Keep it up!
Rodger
True Classic
I'm there!! I'll take sunny Cal any day.Mate! Looking purrrty
I may have to buy you a airplane ticket to come out and help me with my the new project and get all the wiring sorted. Keep it up!
Can't wait to hear what you are up to now.
Rodger
True Classic
Yeah, I worry about that but my goal was not to end up with a garage queen. I guess in a way it is good that these cars never seem to appreciate so it's not like I will end up with a valuable museum piece. I plan to drive it a lot as long as it is a dry day.Looking good Rodger
I think when your done you should not dive this car it may get dirty
Great work keep it up
fiatmonkey
Tim Hoover
Rodger
True Classic
So, I have found some time to get back in the garage. With the wiring harness done, it’s good to get back to wrenching again. I finished assembling the headlight buckets and got those installed. It takes a little bit of tweaking to get them lined up so that they are flush with the nose cone. Added some H4 headlamps, then used Doug's nice set of new headlight screws for the trim rings, and then installed some nice aluminum replica filler plates under the headlights that I got from Henk.
Next up was the front suspension. There is a good chance that I may by moving in the next couple of months, so my goal now is to get the car to point where I can roll it so I can get it towed on a flat bed. First, I installed a new steering rack from Vick’s and then the steering column and a new ignition switch.
Then new coil overs from MWB connected to their camber plates, my rebuilt hubs, and the assorted control arms and radius rods. It is finally starting to look like a car!
Next up was the front suspension. There is a good chance that I may by moving in the next couple of months, so my goal now is to get the car to point where I can roll it so I can get it towed on a flat bed. First, I installed a new steering rack from Vick’s and then the steering column and a new ignition switch.
Then new coil overs from MWB connected to their camber plates, my rebuilt hubs, and the assorted control arms and radius rods. It is finally starting to look like a car!
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fiatmonkey
Tim Hoover
Looking nice Rodger!
motoTrooper
True Classic
Better than new. It's the Steve Austin X1/9. "We can rebuild it stronger, better, faster." You really should have the theme music from "The Six Million Dollar Man" play every time you go out to the garage to drive it.
bpimm
Brian Pimm
So 4 times a year here in Washington... Beautiful work.
Rodger
True Classic
Thanks! Every used part has been cleaned and powder coated or painted as appropriate. Based on prior posts by Bernice and others regarding fastener and lock washer fatigue, I replaced all of the smaller more common bolts with new, but did reuse the larger, more unique ones. All of those bolts as well as any non-painted metal parts were all yellow zinc plated. I am using all new nuts, that are mostly all flanged. All of the new bolts are also flanged. When I restored the Honda engine, I found that Honda did not use any washers, locking or otherwise, pretty much anywhere on that engine, just flanged bolts and nuts. As I am reassembling the Fiat, I have eliminated mostly all of the washers, except areas that that need a fender washer to spread out the loads or to minimize damage to painted surfaces.
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Rodger
True Classic
Especially lately. My wife is bitching constantly about the rain (again).
X1/9Cruiser
True Classic
The only thing you need now is a gigantic display case!
Rupunzell
Bernice Loui
There is little to no good reasons to NOT replace each and every threaded fastener when work is being done on a vehicle of this age unless the specific threaded fastener is very special. Some might view this as excessive, wasteful and not needed. Once the consideration of corrosion, possible abuse by prior wrenchers and more replacing the threaded bits is low cost insurance (purchased by the 100pc per size and typically $5 to $30 per 100 pc. from the local industrial distributor. mixed new surplus lots can also be found on ebay for a absolute bargain at times) and makes re-assembly easier and much nicer in many ways. This is why there is a wide variety of metric grade 8.8 to 12.9 cap screws and metic stainless in the shop. Plain nuts are generally not used or allowed except for applications that specifically require them. The most commonly used metric nut in the shop is a DIN6926, non-serrated flange nylon prevailing torque nut.
http://www.metric-threaded.com/browse.aspx?category=Metric Nylon Insert Flange Nuts&id=2196
Parts and assemblies designed and made for the exxe and other specific projects like this get the aerospace fastener treatment with few exceptions. Or specialized threaded fasteners for the engine and similar come from ARP.
Most dis-liked with mechanical stuff like this, stuff falling off or failing in service under any conditions and threaded fasteners that have become stuck for a host of reasons.
Threaded fasteners, plumbing, how parts are made and materials used in their production, their design are more often than not the root of many evil problems. The vast majority of these can be cured with varying degrees of effort.
We recently built a Triumph TR6 from the new Ratco frame up like this with most of the OEM triumph parts replaced with modern bits or designed and fabricated from scratch. Zero threaded fastener problems, zero plumbing problems, It all just works much better than as delivered.
Bernice
http://www.metric-threaded.com/browse.aspx?category=Metric Nylon Insert Flange Nuts&id=2196
Parts and assemblies designed and made for the exxe and other specific projects like this get the aerospace fastener treatment with few exceptions. Or specialized threaded fasteners for the engine and similar come from ARP.
Most dis-liked with mechanical stuff like this, stuff falling off or failing in service under any conditions and threaded fasteners that have become stuck for a host of reasons.
Threaded fasteners, plumbing, how parts are made and materials used in their production, their design are more often than not the root of many evil problems. The vast majority of these can be cured with varying degrees of effort.
We recently built a Triumph TR6 from the new Ratco frame up like this with most of the OEM triumph parts replaced with modern bits or designed and fabricated from scratch. Zero threaded fastener problems, zero plumbing problems, It all just works much better than as delivered.
Bernice
Rodger
True Classic
Had some more time today so was able to get the front brakes on. I had picked up an Allison's Big Brake kit last year from Gerald (Roobus) that didn't work out with his wheels. I had to shim the brackets out from the hubs a couple of millimeters to get the calipers centered on the rotors, but once I had that solved, it all went together nicely. Tried out one of the new wheels I got from Vick's and it fit nicely with plenty of clearance to the calipers. When I had the car in the body shop, Doug Martin had suggested that I have them roll the leading edge of the fenders to (hopefully) ellminate the tire rubbing. I also remember a suggestion by Matt at MWB and shimmed the radius rods back several millimeters as well. The tire seems to have good clearance at full lock, and seems nicely centered in the wheel well so I am happy with that.
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