Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Richard H]

Excellent work.

If I'm brutally honest, I'm not too keen on the alloys, I think some more period wheels might set it off better.

But it's not my car, so who really cares!

[bob2]

I think starmags are infact quite correct, they were quite common in the late 70's and early 80's not as much as slotmags though!
I do like them although to really pull the look the car needs to be lowered a bit!!
A set of wheels and a slight drop are reversible mods.
For me its more the colour, I think I'd have left it brown or else some sort of beige instead, both typical colours of the era!
However if Jason likes it who are we to argue, its his car after all!!
Good work Jason, now get that interior in place and put the wheels on, I really want to see it sitting on those wheels!!!

[Keith D]

Jason,

You've got about nine weeks before I front up in Todmorden. Will it be ready to take me for my first ever run in a Simca?

Keith

[Jason]

hi everyone,

the colour is 'cadbury' purple (just like the chocolate bar wrappers ) its cellulose paint.
the idea was to have a classic car with a modern touch, after all if I want to go out in an all classic, I'll use the Alvis

but my idea was to restore a car that isn't popular anymore and make it stand out from the crowd, something that would get a lot of attention from younger drivers or as we call them 'boy racers'.....just something different I suppose.

as for SLOWLY, I've still got a few parts to track down, she needs......
master cylinder....mines seized solid
wheel cylinders....all seized solid
new brake flexi pipes
new brakes pipes making up

and the parts could take some finding

anyways, right now I'm on with re-building the engine and gearbox I've no photos of how it looks at the moment but its cleaning up great.

bob2.....it would be expensive to lower it, I'd love to, but the front suspension is a transverse leaf spring (goes across the car) and to lower it would mean having to have a new spring made.

keith......I'm hoping to have her back on the road in about 5 weeks from now.....watch this space
_________________
"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".

[bob2]

Didnt know these had transverse leaf springs on the front, quite antiquated for a 1977 car especially it being a french car!!
What about the rear?
And for the front, couldnt you take off one of the springs, wouldn't the car sit lower then, surely something can be done, I've seen these on the internet (if my memory is correct) sitting quite low actually hugging the tyres.

I've never had a lowered car actually but do like the look of low cars, although not very practical!

[Jason]

well been rebuilding the engine and gearbox over the past week....

when removed from the car....




and coming along nicely......




and as it looks now, nearly ready to go back in the car well block and gearbox anyway....





hoping to get it refitted over the bank holiday weekend depending on the weather

bob2, it has coil springs on the back.
I took a leaf out of the front, it didn't make much of a difference in the height and the front suspension was very soft without it, so I put it back and it'll have to stay at the normal height.
_________________
"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".

[Jason]

forgot to mention what engine work I've done.....

bores honed
new piston rings fitted
new crankshaft bearings fitted
new big end bearings fitted

I don't think that there was anything wrong with the ones I removed as its only done 10,000 miles, but better to do them to save any hassle at a later date

jason
_________________
"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".

[Ray the rocker]

Do you work 24 hrs a day jason ! great job done on the body and how do you manage to get engine parts so quickly--and rebuild within a blink of an eye !!! I wish i had a mech in my garage team who puts in so much dedication,you`ll end up with no classics to repair at your speed!!
Good luck with the road test on monday---hehehe....


Cheers--Ray the Rocker.....

[Jason]

hi ray, not quite 24 hours a day

I've been on earlies all week at work and I started work on the engine on tuesday afternoon and I've done 6 hours everyday this week including today, so thats 24 hours work on the engine so far.

I ordered the parts (from america via ebay) as soon as the engine was removed thats how I got them so quickly. but I'm still a few brake parts short, mainly a master cylinder and wheel cylinders. I'm off to a car show at macclesfield on sunday with the father in law so I'll have a good rumage through the autojumble whilst there.

if the weathers good tommorow, I'm hoping to get the engine block and gearbox back in, if not it'll be monday if the weathers good....thats the problem of not having a garage

once its been refitted, I'll get some photos posted up
_________________
"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".

[Roger-hatchy]

[Keith D]

Jason,
The speed that you work at, I don't think a garage would make it any faster for you! It's coming along fantastically!
Keith

[Jason]

well as the weather wasn't too bad today......the gearbox and engine block are back in!......pics......










so I've got the ancillaries to sort and refit and I'm waiting on a delivery of an headgasket set that I ordered earlier in the week.

I spent this afternoon (after fitting the engine and gearbox) flushing the radiator and cleaning it up......it goes to the right of the engine block and the fan and water pump are belt driven from the crankshaft.....just in case you was wondering

edit....I forgot to mention that I bought these this evening too off ebay.....


I'll have to make a manifold now to fit them
_________________
"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".

[pryantcc]

Hey Jason, great work! It appears, however, that yesterday's work was in vain: you've put the engine in the wrong end?!

[bob2]

What size are those dellortos Jason?
Will sound nice with those on!

[Jason]

hi everyone, not much to report on the Simca at the moment, I've been doing the fiddly job of replacing all the brake pipes.
I've also refitted the radiator and heater hoses (which run under the car)

noel, the dellortos are in fact solex and they're 1.5 inch and I think she'll sound great with them on too.

jobs still to do......

refit water pump
refit cylinder head with new carbs (got to make a manifold)
refit front bumper
fit headlights
make a new headlining (mine ripped when refitting it)
get some tyres for alloy wheels
make some moulds for fibreglass wheel arches (I'm making them at work, as I work in a fibreglass factory)

there are probably a few bits that I've missed but its getting there slowly
_________________
"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".