Restoration R1028

[prop]

As I mentioned in this thread somewhere else, the body shop "Pool Lane Classics" did an appalling job on the paintwork. I left the body kit with them so that they could repair the bodywork and get the body kit to fit something like. I also instructed them NOT to paint the kit as it needed a lot of work on the surfaces and, during its time in other owners hands the kit had been cut back in places it shouldn't have been. As the body shop had never seen one before I didn't want them deciding what to trim off it. I wanted to make any decisions about it. It was an unfitted unfinished kit that someone had acquired at sometime. The original kit had long gone.
So the body shop painted it and it didn't fit.
Anyway I worked on it and with a lot of adjusting I got it to fit quite well. I used the phoenix trim when adjusting it. At the moment it is on without the trim. The biggest problem is the area where the kit turns from the side of the wing to the front. It has either been cut back too much or it wasn't built up in the first place. On the offside there is too big a gap to be covered by the rubber trim. I need to build this up when I do the final prep work prior to a proper spray job. I am not sure how or even if I can get it better. I think whatever I do I will end up with a gap at that point.

Knowing the problems Rover had producing bodywork that was the same dimension on every car. I think that a set size moulding as the ERA kit is would have caused ERA a problem to get right as well..
My car has 4 shims on the nearside front sub frame mount and 1 on the offside.
A nightmare for fitting panels.
My wheels are not in the same position in the wheel arch on each side, and that's bodywork. If you go around the displays at shows or the car park you can see the differences. It is a common problem.

[robr1006]

Mine has a similar gap approximately on the curve near the indicator lens, coincidentally this is where the bodykit snaps if you hit a high spot when driving on grass! Mine still has the original wings and front panel so I suspect that the problem did exist from the factory. I also have the very narrow body strip which makes the gap show even more.

If the supporting flange has been fixed to the front wing a little out of line this will push the body kit a couple of mm forwards and contribute to a gap here. In terms of adjustment you really only have the overlap at the frony bumper and the overlap on the sill just at the rear of the door opening.

I can see from the pictures why you instructed them not to fit your kit - they didn't even bother to clean up the moulding marks at the corner!

I have one of the aftermarket 5 piece kits in stock (just in case!) and I can tell from the moulding marks on it that the 5 piece kit has been made using the original ERA 4 piece kit and they have chosen to make it in flat sections rather that the original L shaped ERA sections - presumeably to make it easier to ship. So it must be possible to make an aftermarket 5 piece look like an original 4 piece fitment - but thinking about it a little more - if the mould was taken from a kit that had been fettled for a particular car......

I think that you have done very well with the fitment of your kit, and with alittle more fettling it will look superb!

[prop]

I had to adjust the wheel arch flange. I couldn't get the nearside kit to sit flat across the front of the car. After Many hours of fitting and refitting I decided the only way it would lie flat was if I raised the arch flange at the front by 10mm, reducing the amount as it continued to the rear. This solved the problem.
When I got the car back the first time I measured through the repeater flasher hole to the inner wing on each side. The near side was about 13mm less. Pool lane Classics should have done this during the body repair.
This wing was the worst one for damage (as Photo). When I sent the car back to Pool Lane Classics for them to put the appalling paint job right, I also had them realign the nearside wing. They put it right the second time.
When I worked out that it was the arch flange that was wrong I gave the alignment of that side a good looking at. Everything was spot on and hadn’t been moved by the damage. I can only assume that ERA had a problem with it as well.

Yes the moulding marks.
When I left the car with them the second time to put the body paint right. I heard the boss say to his man "He is just nitpicking"

Dictionary definition
"the term has become appropriated to describe the practice of meticulously searching for minor, even trivial errors in detail (often referred to as "nits" as well), and then criticising them"

Believe me the problems with the paint were NOT trivial

[prop]

Fired up the engine the other day.
Got to say its got to be one of the most satisfying moments of the rebuild when it burst into life.
It seems to be running well after a few adjustments and the Aldon Amethyst seems to be doing good. My wheels are away at the moment being refurbished.
Although the body kit still needs to be finished and painted I think I will put it in for its MOT before I finish it.
(Kid with a new toy syndrome possibly)

[prop]

The big day tomorrow Thursday. ------------- MOT

I have been out in it today to see if it will get to the test.
What a car!
Even though it isn't set up properly the potential is there.
It leans out when the revs and speed build with throttle wide open.
It causes it to backfire.
I have a richer needle and stronger spring. That should cure it.
I will leave it as it is for the test and then change it.
Wish me luck for the MOT.

[G96LUE]

Good luck. I'm sure it will fly through.

[prop]

Well, R1028 passed the MOT. No problems

Another ERA back on the road!

It has been an interesting 3 year restoration, and I have learnt a lot about the ERA.
A big thank you to all of the people on this site for their help and input. I couldn't have done the restoration as well without their knowledge and help.
A special thank you to Maurice. He was pestered by me more than anyone else via email questions etc.
I have now to finish the body kit and set up the engine on a rolling road. Hopefully I will be able to keep on top of any work needed to keep it in A1 condition. (That’s the plan)
I hope to get the car around the various shows next year. Possibly Stanford hall this year

[arrian]

Congratulations! It looks fantastic. What is that extra gauge on the pillar? Is it the wideband O2 sensor you were talking about earlier?

Arrian

[prop]

Hi Arrian,
Yes it is.
It is the AEM Wideband Air/Fuel Gauge 8.5 to 18:1 AFR with Analog Face.
I have drilled the pillar to mount it securely. I didn't want to damage any of the trim by mounting it on or in the dash. The pillar can be fixed if the gauge is ever removed. And of course it is in easy sight. I welded the boss for the sensor into the downpipe at the bend and the tail of the sensor protrudes into the large hole in the rear of the subframe where it mounts to the body. It fits nicely there.
I think it is a very good instrument as it has showed up the lean mixture causing the backfire. Hopefully with the programmable Amethyst ignition and the AFR I can get the best out of the car. Many hours playing anyway.
I have also added a air inlet temperature gauge. Whether it is any good or will help any I am not sure yet, but it looks pretty good and I haven't damaged the trim.
I can always use it as an external air temp gauge.

[arrian]

I like your air inlet temp gauge! What exactly is it and where is the sensor mounted? I have a wideband mounted in my turbo vtec powered morris 1100 and found it invaluable when I was mapping the ecu. I'll probably put one in my era when I get it on the road (at least temporarily) to make sure the mixture is ok.