Author Topic: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion  (Read 84842 times)

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Offline BDA

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #285 on: Tuesday,May 01, 2018, 09:05:02 AM »
Amazing stuff, Roddy! Are you doing a fully custom rewiring?

I'm glad you're posting your pictures here because I don't have an Instagram account.

Offline RoddyMac

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #286 on: Tuesday,May 01, 2018, 09:16:59 AM »
Quote
Are you doing a fully custom rewiring?

I'm keeping it somewhat stock, the modifications so far are the charging circuit to suit a Denso alternator, removed the power window wiring (going with 47 style windows, another thing that's on the list to do in the next two weeks), went from a two fuse to four fuse box, added wiring for the ignition computer, coil, TPS, and crank sensor, added a horn relay, separated the heater and cooling fan wiring (there are now dedicated switches for each item), and taped off the oil pressure wiring (I'm using a mechanical gauge), and taped off the oil pressure lamp.  I figured that someone might want to reinstall the oil lamp and electric gauge so the wires are still there, but not used.  Other than that, the wiring is stock and surprisingly, the original harness was in decent shape, just needed to be re-wrapped with non adhesive tape.

Offline Rosco5000

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #287 on: Wednesday,May 02, 2018, 04:17:34 PM »
Hey Rod,
Check your PMs I sent you a contact in Abbotsford that might be able to help you with inspection.  Can't wait to see this thing on the road.
Ross
1974 Europa Special
1969 Europa S2
1970 Lotus Elan +2
1978 Austin Mini - 1275, big brakes
1991 Ford Explorer - Lifted on 33s, custom lift and radius arms
2005 Chrysler 300C - chipped, lowered 22s
2011 Cadillac Escalade - Stage 3 cam, Headers, CAI, 2,600 stall converter

Offline RoddyMac

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #288 on: Monday,May 14, 2018, 12:47:14 PM »
Well, this last weekend was supposed to be the final push to having the car done for the upcoming show, unfortunately I don't think I'll make it.  Saturday was spent sorting the wiring, tightening all the suspension, giving the car the final once over before starting it and making sure it works ok etc.  But, it's still not running, I ran into an electrical gremlin which ate up most of the weekend.  I finally resorted to making up a whole new sub harness for the "green" circuit which seems to have cured the issue.  The downside was once it was cured I was out of time.  Luckily I did have some help over the weekend from SWMBO, she did a fantastic job on covering the seat cushions and helping with various jobs with the car:





At the end of the Sunday the QA inspector (my niece) decided to stick her nose in, and concluded that things seem to be ok:



She seems to really like the car and the garage, when ever she's around she has to sit in the drivers side and play with steering wheel.

As it stands right now, I have probably 3 days work of work to get the car running and driving, and I'm undecided if I should take a break and get back to the car in a week or so, or head to the shop every night after work and try my hardest to get the car ready for the show (provided I can find a tow company that can drop it off and pick it up). 


Rod

Offline Rosco5000

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #289 on: Monday,May 14, 2018, 02:43:06 PM »
Looking good Rod, it doesn't sound like you are going to make it to the ABFM, that's too bad.  My dad and I got the Plus 2 going good enough to make it but there are some teething issues as well but nothing we can't work out.
Cheers,
Ross
1974 Europa Special
1969 Europa S2
1970 Lotus Elan +2
1978 Austin Mini - 1275, big brakes
1991 Ford Explorer - Lifted on 33s, custom lift and radius arms
2005 Chrysler 300C - chipped, lowered 22s
2011 Cadillac Escalade - Stage 3 cam, Headers, CAI, 2,600 stall converter

Offline dakazman

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #290 on: Monday,May 14, 2018, 04:28:50 PM »
Great assistant rod, the seats look fantastic.
Dakazman

Offline BDA

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #291 on: Monday,May 14, 2018, 05:23:34 PM »
Everything is looking great, Roddy, but then look at your assistant! It's a team effort, right?!  :) And tell SWMBO that she did a great job on the seats!

I know it's disappointing to miss an event, but you'll get it together soon enough and there'll be lots of events. I'll wager you'll get a lot of attention at all of them!

Offline RoddyMac

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #292 on: Tuesday,May 15, 2018, 07:58:48 AM »
Well, SWMBO decided to crack the whip last night and made us go back out to the shop.  She re-covered the A pillars as I had nicked the vinyl while putting the dash and dash top in.  Myself, on the other hand, got to play with petrol last night and lo and behold, it runs again.  I did have to pull the carbs back off to cure a slight leak and re-tighten some hose clamps for the heater take off's, but it runs. 

Tonight's task is changing out the oil pressure feed line to the gauge (it got trapped between the body and chassis when reinstalling the body and now has a pinhole), bolting the seats in and maybe, just maybe start on installing the windscreen.  I'll post some pics tomorrow of the progress.

Rod

Offline BDA

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #293 on: Tuesday,May 15, 2018, 09:43:06 AM »
Congratulations, Roddy!  :beerchug:

Can't wait to see your pictures!

Offline RoddyMac

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #294 on: Friday,May 18, 2018, 07:56:21 AM »
Unfortunately, only one picture to post:



But lots of work has been done.  Both seats and tracks are now loosely bolted in, the windscreen is in, wiring is mostly sorted, heater valve relocated (see below), carpets are "in" (still need to get the fronts bound and add some snaps), and a bunch of other small items.

Onto the heater valve, I chose to use a VW heater valve as their A) cheap and B) quite a nice small unit.  The downside is the VW unit uses 5/8" hoses, and the heater core is 1/2".  No problem I thought, I'll just make up some adapters to go from 1/2" to 5/8".   I had also wanted to put the valve behind the dash so that I could get to it.  That didn't work out as planned.  The dash arrangement I had made left very little room for the valve, so some very odd looking adapters/elbows were fabricated.  Unfortunately, they didn't work either.  I noticed the cooling system require a lot more liquid than what I had thought.  Turns out I was making a swimming pool out of the drivers side footwell.  After much cursing, the valve was removed and relocated to the engine bay, the downside is in order to adjust the temp I'll have to lift the engine cover, the plus side is no more bloody water leaks in the cockpit.

Today and tonight will hopefully see the doors reinstalled, some interior trim panels made and installed, "rub strips" fabricated to go below the chassis so that the body won't scrape on sleeping policemen, and hopefully make it go up and down the driveway under it's own power.  Then it's up early tomorrow to load it onto a flatdeck and it's off the show.  After which, I will consume my body weight in beer and forget about the car for a few days. 

Offline BDA

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #295 on: Friday,May 18, 2018, 09:20:38 AM »
That's great news, Roddy! I can't wait to see your report on your first drive! Good luck at the show! You should do well!

Offline Bodzer

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #296 on: Sunday,May 20, 2018, 01:54:15 AM »
Hi Roddy,

What a great build! Congratulations. Can I just ask you how you are going to fix in the door windows? I’m going down the same route and have late S2 doors.

Cheers.

Offline RoddyMac

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #297 on: Tuesday,May 22, 2018, 07:14:28 AM »
Bodzer,
During the build I glassed in the opening for the door windows and created a flange similar to the original one that the window frame is bonded to.  The idea is to either use some furflex as a finisher and seal, or get some aluminium channel (very small channel), mitre and fit it to the opening, then cover in vinyl, and glue in place (using PU or something similar).  The seal for the channel method would most likely be some self adhesive closed cell foam tape.  I'm still in the design/fabricate stage for those, so I'll post pics as that progresses.

In other news, this happened (again sorry for double posting on here and intagram):







The car wasn't quite finished and moved under it's own power the night before the show.  It had to be put on a flat deck to get there and back, but it did garner a lot of attention. The next few weeks will be spent getting the car actually finished and inspected so that I can legally drive it.

Rod

Offline Bainford

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #298 on: Tuesday,May 22, 2018, 08:31:32 AM »
Congrats on getting it out of the yard and making the show. Your Europa is absolutely gorgeous. I think, one of the very nicest I've seen. Hopefully you get that thing on the road soon.  :beerchug:
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

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Offline Bodzer

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Re: My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion
« Reply #299 on: Tuesday,May 22, 2018, 09:50:31 AM »
Hi Rod,

Thanks for the information. Great pictures.

Regards,

Pete