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Browsing eBay for some fabric ideas. I have a rough idea in my head of what I want for the headlining and of what I don't want. Anything with a complicated Oriental/Asian pattern, or similar to what is on the seats is a no go, I think that'd be too much. But a tight geometric pattern, scattered stars or a subtle sparkle would work nicely, especially if it's gold on a black field. Here's some of the ideas I spotted. First one I spotted that I fancied. It's a little bit cheap looking, a bit too fancy dress perhaps for what I want. But it is a fairly good fabric for the purpose and being a low wear area the gold foil print is suitable. This is the most complicated pattern I spotted that I liked. Regular pattern and while it's more gold than I had thought to use, because of the form of the pattern I think it would work if the headlining was tight enough. Quite unforgiving of mistakes this one. When someone says 'Swarovski Crystal' I instantly think of the opposite of classy. But this is actually really rather nice and would be quite unusual as a headlining. The reverse of this fabric has a stronger emphasis on the black than the gold and is the way around I'd use it. However, being double-stretch (pulls both ways) it could be difficult to get even tension and is likely to be slightly see-through when fitted, which I don't want. Another gold foil print, perhaps a little too brash though. This one ticks a few goth boxes. Black taffeta is quite stiff, another unforgiving fabric, but could be coffin pleated nicely. The bit of gold sparkle prevents it looking too dull but again might make for a slightly fancy dress look, which I don't want. I'm open to suggestions and I'll likely buy direct from a haberdashers rather than eBay as I like to get my hands on fabric and see it in real light before I make a decision. Besides which, the online prices are comparable to real life prices.
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Nov 13, 2011 12:57:20 GMT
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I would have thought something along the lines of black crushed velvet or a dark fine corduroy?
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Nov 13, 2011 17:56:05 GMT
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Crushed velvet tends to suffer from rot when used in this application, so I ruled that out fairly early. Corduroy... not really thought about using that for the headlining so it's certainly something to consider.
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Nov 13, 2011 18:07:11 GMT
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With work on the engine called to a halt, it was time to do something else. Got Dad to come up with some tools and see if he could help out with fitting my double headlamps. First job was to mock everything up as before and figure out what needed cutting out. Working a bit at a time and gradually grinding back, we go the original brackets trimmed down. We trimmed them a bit more than this photo shows, but the fundamental part was getting rid of the obstructive upright. After making a cardboard template and repeatedly offering up the headlight bracket we found that the headlight bracket had to have a notch removed to accomodate the dimple for the bonnet adjustment rubbers. After much fettling it finally fit. I'll need to put a screw or two in to fix everything firmly but apart from that it's ready for the headlamps to go in once I've bought them. Adjusters are nicely accessible from the rear. They sit back further than the original lights as these units are slimmer, they also have a more aggressive appearance, which is a good thing. The unit on the right is in the final place, the one on the left is how things were originally mocked up. At some point we'll sort out the left hand side to match, I'll repaint the brackets and do some filing to get everything smoothed out nicely. Best of all, should I for any reason need to revert to the original 7" lamps, the fixing points for them are still in place on the car. I'm going to slice up the Herald grille bars to make a vertical bar grille between the new headlamps and I'll be trimming the finishing surrounds down to fit the new headlamps too. I then just need to spend about £55 on a full set of H4 units. Sadly, I can't get H4 headlamps that look like the nice domed sealed beam headlamps for a sensible price and the sealed beam units I do have don't all work, I think at least one has blown.
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Nov 13, 2011 19:56:49 GMT
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Crushed velvet tends to suffer from rot when used in this application, tell me more
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Nov 13, 2011 20:08:53 GMT
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Last Edit: Nov 13, 2011 20:33:32 GMT by PhilA
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Nov 13, 2011 23:00:16 GMT
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slackerTHEpinstriper: depends on the crushed velvet, but if you get the stuff that's normally £6 or so per metre, after a few years in sunlight it goes powdery and falls apart. I'm not sure why, but that's been my experience of it and it's not something I want to risk with the new headlining. PhilA: Well if that's not a compliment I don't know what is ;D
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Nov 13, 2011 23:18:44 GMT
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You could put the indicators in the inner lamps, like on the Dodge and leave the lower part of the valence clean; the Dodge uses Philips SilverVision bulbs so when off the units look like headlights.
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Last Edit: Nov 13, 2011 23:20:38 GMT by PhilA
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Nov 13, 2011 23:42:41 GMT
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I could, but I'd rather not, I prefer the indicators in the valance, it balances the front end out nicely. There's plans for the valance which involve a bit more grinder action anyway.
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I could, but I'd rather not, I prefer the indicators in the valance, it balances the front end out nicely. There's plans for the valance which involve a bit more grinder action anyway. I look forward to seeing your plans --Phil
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slackerTHEpinstriper: depends on the crushed velvet, but if you get the stuff that's normally £6 or so per metre, after a few years in sunlight it goes powdery and falls apart. I'm not sure why, but that's been my experience of it and it's not something I want to risk with the new headlining. PhilA: Well if that's not a compliment I don't know what is ;D i paid 3 quid a metre
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Nov 14, 2011 11:57:13 GMT
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you might be okay... but I'd be very surprised if it doesn't fade and get sun rot within a year or two, especially at the edge of windows. When it comes to car interiors, upholstery fabric seems to be the best bet, though tinting windows can help reduce UV damage, even if they're only lightly smoked. From the first retrim I learned that you need to be getting fabric from the £8 per metre range and up, but that if you can get roll ends that usually means you save a lot of money and still have enough to use. With velvets, dralon is a safe bet but can fade. Fur seems to be pretty safe but again, certain colours will fade. When fabric does bleach in a car, purple will go silver, red goes pink, blue goes towards white, black towards red or brown. Green, yellow and brown all seem fairly stable. Sometimes the fading can look good and if only the dye has suffered and you're fortunate enough for it to be a uniform fade it can even look deliberate. Best bet is to suck-it-and-see. You never know, you might have found some super cheap, colourfast, sunproof crushed velvet and if you haven't well that's just an opportunity to retrim in something even more lairy than this time around
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Nov 26, 2011 22:08:11 GMT
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Mojo slump :/
Closed the garage doors the other day until I can afford to start getting bits to rebuild the engine. We're not lifting the engine out until I've got the majority of the seals and other parts I need to replace so that I can get stuck into the rebuild as soon after removing the engine as possible.
Time is a factor too. Most of the car is shut away in the big cupboard in the back porch and the garage so it's not in the way when my housemate moves in on the 4th of December... as well as having loads of decorating I need to finish off before then too.
Plan: New windscreen and seal - the windscreen is easy to source, seal is proving tricky New headlights, finish trimming and fitting headlight brackets Fit indicator plinths (more on this at a later date) Fit towbar Construct shiny new grille from old Herald grille Modify and fit Lexus grille under bumper for increased ventilation Remove front overriders, get some coach bolts to replace them Relocate front number plate... somewhere Gas struts for bonnet to replace manky old prop Rebuild engine. New tyres Refurbish steels and alloys Paint that fourth hub cap I've been putting off doing since I lost one. Repaint wheel trims.
Have to focus on the plan. I want to get the car back on the road in time for his next MoT in April 2012. Probably won't manage that though. Definitely want to be back on the road by August 2012 at the latest.
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Last Edit: Nov 26, 2011 22:14:57 GMT by Deleted
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I might not be able to do much on the car at the moment, but I have at least put together much of the history of the car so I can get an idea of what work has been done/documented. It also highlights that the car hasn't done 160K miles but 118K, I'd done my maths incorrectly before.
04/01/1985 Delivery Service, at dealer
500 miles Service: new cambelt, new brake fluid, antifreeze check.
10/06/1985 - 2,800 miles First service, at dealer
06/12/1985 - 7,067 miles Standard service, at dealer
21/07/1986 - 12,441 miles Service, by owner
01/07/1987 - 17,948 miles Service, by owner: tappets adjusted
01/04/1988 - 23,239 miles Service, by owner
29/12/1988 - 30,000 miles Service, by owner: New cambelt, new oil filter, new air filter
28/04/1989 - 34,430 miles Service, by owner: Oil Change
24/07/1989 - (no mileage recorded) Service, at dealer: Brake fluid service
30/07/1989 - 38,000 miles Service, by owner - Brake fluid change.
08/04/1990 - 43,407 miles Service, by owner: Oil change, new oil filter
18/02/1991 - 53,598 miles Service, by owner: Oil Change, new oil filter
10/06/1991 - 58,454 miles Service, by owner.
14/12/1991 - 63,580 miles Service, by owner: OIl change, new oil filter, new spark plugs, new points
09/07/1992 - 68,402 miles Service, by owner: New oil filter, new cambelt, new alternator belt, CB points (I don't know what this is) Now I do, thanks PhilA
No date - 73,390 miles Service, by owner: New air filter, new oil filter
No date - 78,500 miles Service, by owner: New oil filter
No date - 80,731 miles Service, by owner: New oil filter
18/12/1993 - No mileage recorded Service, at dealer: Brake fluid service
22/05/1995 - 85,608 miles Service, by owner: New oil filter
20/05/1996 - 90,496 miles Service, by owner: New oil filter, new air filter, new spark plugs, new points.
12/05/1997 - 95,577 miles Service, by owner: New oil filter, new fuel filter.
That brings us up to before I owned the car. Next post will cover what I've done.
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Last Edit: Dec 3, 2011 12:28:56 GMT by Deleted
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There is a bit of a gap in the maintenance, in part because I've misplaced a few receipts from the first MoT attempt a few years ago and because my Dad and the owner previous to him (the son of the first owner) didn't keep any info/didn't do any work on the car. So we pick things up again this year.
04/05/2011 - 116,348 miles Used Radiator, new thermostat, cooling system flush, repaired backbox, new rear exhaust hanger rubbers, 2 new exhaust centre clamps, new jubilee clips on coolant hoses.
09/06/2011 - 116,877 miles New coil, new rotor arm, new distributor cap, new fuel filter
12/06/2011 - 116,882 miles Broke down due to melted points.
16/06/2011 - 116,981 miles New supressor
28/06/2011 - 117,096 Head gasket blew, car came off the road for a bit.
04/08/2011 - 117,192 miles New head gasket, new rocker cover gasket, head clean and skim, oil change, water change
24/09/2011 - 118,404 miles Used spark plug leads
31/10/2011 - 118730 miles Engine problems probably due to head gasket failure. Engine strip and rebuild begun.
That brings us up to date. After much discussion but without taking the block apart it is suspected that a combination of 'cold shock' (been running a hot thermostat) and a recent head gasket replacement has led to another head gasket blowing and the hope is that all I will need to replace is the head gasket and not the head. I'm saving up for all the seals and gubbinz to put the engine back together *before* I take it apart.
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09/07/1992 - 68,402 miles Service, by owner: New oil filter, new cambelt, new alternator belt, CB points (I don't know what this is)You repaired them recently: 12/06/2011 - 116,882 miles Broke down due to melted points. Contact Breaker points. Older name for the same thing, normally just truncated to "Points".
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Last Edit: Dec 3, 2011 3:36:30 GMT by PhilA
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*educated!* I did wonder if it were the same thing, but wasn't sure, thanks.
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Dec 19, 2011 22:35:50 GMT
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Emdee is awesome for finding this picture. I'm bidding on some interesting cupboard handles and, providing they don't go for crazy money, they'll do the trick. I'm keeping it under wraps for now until I've got them in my grubby little mitts. In other news, I've got a chromed gas strut for the bonnet to replace the annoying manual prop and some bright gold brocade curtains to redo the headlining. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey.
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We shall see.... First lot of 16 handles bought and waiting for them to be delivered. Second lot ends tomorrow night and will either make or break the idea I think, fully expecting to be bidsniped on them.
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