72 TC restomod from BAT

[dakazman]

 Hi Polopharm,
 welcome to the forum   
  Your dash is not original.  the wiper switch looks like an s2  . check the wire colors coming into switch and match it up with the correct schematic listed on the link on the forum page ( last item in list) wiring diagrams.
 Have you been trying to run the A/C at idle speed?
 Dakazman

[SilverBeast]

Re the wiper switch. Can you get a closer photo of the front and back of it if possible

[Polopharm]

So I am terrible on this forum, seems my posts go anywhere they feel like in this thread....and I cat post pictures.


So current state of weirdness-
It appears that someone did the following- they did the nissan f10 master cylinder upgrade....but they put it on the clutch, blocked off 2 of the exit ports and made it a single circuit set up.
And the brakes- 4 wheel disc's from Miata, are powered by a single piston, single reservoir master cylinder!

Why on earth would they do this?

Both master cylinders have remote reservoirs. The f10 has an ENORMOUS reservoir,  the brakes have a small one, like a tilton size.

The f10 master cylinder is 3/4" bore and the slave cylinder is as well.
None of this makes any sense to me both in terms of safety with the brakes or with function relating to the clutch.

Am I missing something!!??

[BDA]

No, it doesn’t make any sense. I would put the F10 M/C where the current brake M/C is and get a proper clutch master for the clutch (I won’t be much help on the size but if you were getting too much pedal travel you should consider a bigger one and/or a smaller slave cylinder.

If you’re on a computer and you’re having trouble with resizing your pictures, this might help: http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1379.0

[jbcollier]

Hard to comment without photos.  You can send photos to me and I'll post them for you.

One a typical hydraulic clutch conversion, the clutch m/c is the one closer to the centre of the car.  Have a close look at the linkage and you will see that the clutcharmt is right under the throttle.

[Polopharm]

Hi yes I saw where the clutch master was. I think someone along the way got confused, but I have switched it back.
Original build uses a honda slave cylinder, it was binding up at the arm to release throw out bearing. I added a heim joint, adjusted position of the slave cylinder so it has less angle. Struggling to get it to bleed well, but i am optimistic that it will improve clutch feel and function.
Lost the ac compressor belt on the road. It has less than 0.5" adjustment,  so have very little margin of error with belt size. Had to eventually get one from a farm equipment supplier for a tiller! Its a 5 groove 335mm v belt. A 315 was too small and a 375 to big.  That is less than

[Polopharm]

Less than a 1 inch difference!! 

Side note just looked at a 72 tc , complete car minus tc engine with a zetec, 100% disassembled. And a massive massive collection of spares, nos parts including windshield,  straight body, solid rust free frame.

I am trying to convince myself not to buy it( its really cheap!) Problem is where to put it and how to move it all.

In my twisted mind i would build it as either an scca e production or GTL race car.

[BDA]

It sure seems like your car is now in much better hands! It already had potential and now a lot more of it will be realized. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your improvements!

That ‘72 TC sounds like another great project, especially if it is really inexpensive! What temptation!

[Polopharm]

So I got a somewhat decent clutch feel now. I was able to max out the adjustment at the pedal allowing a long throw in the master cylinder. Will still need to re engineer the slave cylinder , clutch arm set up to have better leverage but....

10 min into my first drive with a functional clutch, the timing belt started to self destruct.
First a whine , then a ticking.
You could stand and watch the broken teeth on the belt break loose and come out the front cover. So I stopped driving and towed it back.
The timing belt in this set up is within 2" of the rear bulkhead. As such this maybe an engine out service.
Anyone have experience with this on a 4age s
wap? Don't think that there is any chance that there is enough room.
Luckily these are non-interference engines.

But man, the car really doesn't like its new home.

[BDA]

For someone who really needs it, you may be in luck. I had a Toyota Corolla from the mid to late 80s with a 4AGE motor and as I remember it was a non interference motor. This website says that all 4A-GE motors are not interference motors (https://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/toyota-interference-engines-list-toyota-non-interference-engines-list/).

I might do a leak down test to confirm that. You should be able to rotate the cams so the valves are closed without putting in a new timing belt. I'd expect that the DPO cut a door in the firewall for better access to the front of the motor. You would halve to take the carpet covered Masonite from behind the seats to get to it.

[Polopharm]

No access thru cockpit. May change that now. The timing belt is loose due to tensioner being seized. Lost a bunch of teeth on belt. Will need to cut the access panel or drop engine.

What  door mounted
 mirrors work best?

[BDA]

Judging from the picture of your engine compartment in the BaT auction, it might be best for you to pull the engine. Then you'd have good access to your belt tensioner and you can cut a door through the firewall for access to the front of the engine. It would also give you a chance to check on other things like motor mounts and anything you might want to change/improve. I don't need to tell you how much this stinks! You paid good money for what should have been a nice driver and you're almost in a restoration project!

You need door mirrors that are away from the door. The Sebring mirrors  you have are more original (which were actually chrome plated pot metal rather than plastic) but it's difficult to place the passenger mirror anywhere it will do you any good. Taking Vitaloni mirrors here (http://www.talbotco.com/vitaloni_mirrors.html), I would recommend anything but the Sebring. I have Baby Turbo style mirrors and like them but to be honest, I rarely use the mirror on the passenger door. I have a convex clipon mirror on my internal rearview mirror available from ebay like this one (https://www.ebay.com/itm/301857530272?epid=628096184&hash=item46481c61a0:g:jqQAAOSwwXhi4Z1g). There are others that are even less expensive.

[jbcollier]

Hmm, sounds like teething troubles.

(sorry about that chief)

Maybe now is the time to make an access panel in the firewall.  That would save a lot of grief.

[Polopharm]

What is recommended to cover the access hole? It's my understanding that the bulkhead is not very substantial. Clear lexan could work and provide visual assessment.

As to mirror , the add on rearview
 mirror makes sense. I find the visibility pretty good, I don't want to have to fill in the holes in door , so was thinking a functional mirror would be nice. Mine is also cracked.
The overheating appears to have started due to a failing water pump. So am contemplating dropping in a used engine and rebuilding the current one. 

[BDA]

When I rebuilt my car, I chickened out when it came to replacing the firewall. I left the original and just put a layer of fiberglass cloth on the engine side. The original firewall is basically fiber board - presumably made of some nonflammable material. It is about 1/2" thick. I cut a hole and lined it with aluminum channel extrusions like you can get at a hardware store. The channel pieces were very close to the thickness of the firewall.  I put threaded inserts in the channel pieces and used a piece of aluminum plate (probably 1/8" - 3/16" thick). I have no doubt that it could be done much nicer but what I have works (though it is a huge pain to take out because of the number of screws that hold the door in!!) and it can't bee seen! Anything that is not flammable would work for a door, I would think.

Replacing the firewall is not an uncommon restoration item so you'll obviously need to see what you have now. From the inside of the engine compartment, it looks as though there was at least a little thought about replacing the insulation.