No action last night as I almost got stuck down at the barn on Tuesday night as the little Suzuki Swift was spinning on ice and snow trying to get back up the hill that leads to the barn so I thought I'd wait a day or so to let other traffic clear the way. Tonight after work my car wouldn't start as the battery was totally dead so I thought I'd be stranded in the multi storey but it bump started fine down one of the ramps and I headed to the barn worrying that the same would happen on way home. It was -4 degrees inside tonight but was a successfull visit. The threaded barrel nut things holding the tank retaining rods unscrewed quite easily and the following pictures will show this.
electrical unit needed moved out of way to get at bottom barrel nut. top nut visible here. 5/16" ring spanner used on small nut holding unit to inner wing
2nd nut accessible from other side of inner wing. 1st one does not have this option as hidden behind vaccum tank
with unit out of way large nuts can be removed with 5/8" spanner
tank and retaining straps showing barrel nuts/locknut arrangement
It was only a small step but nothing was broken or sheared and the threads were remarkably clean so am happy. I don't think I've had one sheared bolt on the car apart from one or two when I was dismantling the rear bumper blades to be sent away for re-chroming. I left the metal straps in some rust removing liquid called Deox C, which is fantastic, and in a week or so they should be clean enough to re-paint.
The car started first turn of the key when I left but I just could not get up the hill to head home and was about to give up after about 5 attempts. The penultimate one was most successful when I built up some momentum round a corner to shoot up the hill in 1st all the way, so I rolled back down for another to try this again and on the way back round the bend almost skidded into the dry stone wall over the stream it crosses but thankfully it worked but I hope I don't have to do it for the next 3 weeks or so that this weather is predicted.
the faithful Swift
Good to see you back in action again. I too have been somewhat less than enthusiastic about my projects of late but seeing you back on board has rallied the troops!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Every small step counts. I may have solved my welding problems too: There is a welder on Ebay that is exactly what I had before and I enjoyed welding with that so if I win it I could be back welding the rear valance and finishing the sills in a week or so : )
ReplyDeleteBtw....are you the chap who posted some time ago who is doing up a Jag too?