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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:17 am Post subject: Progress Report on my Renault Ondine in Bolivia |
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I realized that what I've posted on this project was in the middle of another thread on Renaults, so this will be the real thread on my progress.
I've now had the Renault for 1 year, although I've only spent 51 days in Tarija where I have the car. It has been a busy year.
This is how it started
The interior after a little cleaning
front suspension
And the brakes after pounding them off
_________________ Richard's Cars - NEW **
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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:24 am Post subject: |
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Continuing...
A little sand blasting and straightening
A little paint
A machine shop to fabricate the eccentrics for the steering
Then one saturday morning I called a neighbor over and we tied a firehose around the engine and pulled it.
Discovery of the welded side of the block and the split bridge between cylinders 2 and 3, turning the sleeves in to ovals and scratching the pistons.
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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:33 am Post subject: |
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continuing...
Block is now welded properly
Pulled the rear suspension one night after work
Transmission oil was more like thickened honey
Engine supports were cracked, so I got to borrow a welder and weld for the first time in more than 40 years.
Then a little straightening, welding of the oil pan, and protectant
A little primer and paint
Cleaning up of the manifolds
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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:39 am Post subject: |
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continuing...
touching up of the teeth on the transmission
Some new bearings and reassembly of the transmission
Then polishing the cast aluminum rear grill after some welding
And then I ran out of time. Hope to be back there by the end of May to get some more done. _________________ Richard's Cars - NEW **
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bob2
Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 1727 Location: Malta
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:53 am Post subject: |
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Wow all the refurbished parts are looking great, well done!!
If I'm not mistaken you had a mini pickup as well undergoing restoration, what happened to that?! |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22447 Location: UK
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Greg
Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 445 Location: Dreamland Margate
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Great topic, very interesting.
The work you've done so far looks great!
All the best,
Greg |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7118 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:04 am Post subject: |
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Hi Richard,
I imagine that if you'd been into hiking instead of old cars then you'd have been an Antarctic explorer!
You really pick the difficult ones but what a transformation!
Well done!
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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I really wanted to get to Antarctica. Closest I got was Ushuaia, which is the southernmost town in the world. I found out how to get there and passed the information on to some friends who had time. I had to get back north.
Coincidentally, the 1927 Chrysler I've been trying to buy started its life in Ushuaia.
I updated the Mini progress yesterday too. _________________ Richard's Cars - NEW **
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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 12:03 am Post subject: |
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Got back to Tarija for 10 days and squeezed in a little work on the car.
First I got the package from Buenos Aires with my conversion parts to 12 volt, plus the steering wheel and lighting controls
Of course that alternator has to sparkle, so I took some buffing compound and Meguair's to it.
Then I took apart the steering rack I picked up in Argentina a couple of months ago. Inside was almost new, so I'll use this one.
A little honing of the new cylinder sleeve
And sanding off the scratches from the pistons. This engine was only run a few miles after the last rebuild, then sat for about 25 years. The new pistons were scratched from the cracked bridge between the 2nd and 3rd cylinders allowing the block to expand and the sleeves to oval.
The machine shop broke their 12mm x 18 in bit making my water tube, So the engine will have to wait for me to come back in a couple of weeks.
Might as well get started on the trim, right?
I'm not sure how this is supposed to come off, but this spring steel did the trick
Of course there were some dents in the stainless
Lots more details on my site _________________ Richard's Cars - NEW **
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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 12:20 am Post subject: |
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Got a little work done on the car in the last three weeks. I decided I could do office wok from home from 6:30 to 8:00, car from 8 to noon, then office from 1 to 7 or 8 pm. Very productive
Lots of parts to assemble
Found one broken oil control ring (since they were "new" I hadn't pulled them yet) so I ordered a new set.
Several missing or defective gaskets in the "complete" set I had bought, so had to make a few.
Had to replace a few studs and cut them down to fit, but got the engine assembled
Here is a before and after
Also adapted the filter housing to fit a 3/4" filter rather than the 16 mm original.
Here is the transmission/differential assemble before
and after
Anyway, more pics on my site, but here is the power train installed
And a rear brake
_________________ Richard's Cars - NEW **
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richardlw
Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 138
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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Got some more done this week, taking the seats to my upholsterer so he can have the framework and cushions ready for me to buy the fabric at the end of the month.
Also got my body guy turned on to cutting out the rust and making replacement panels.
My brother-in-law will be sending me updates these next two weeks while I'm away. _________________ Richard's Cars - NEW **
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47p2
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 2009 Location: Glasgow
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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A lot of work going on there, keep it up _________________ ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars |
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Polypedates
Joined: 24 Sep 2012 Posts: 16
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, some impressive workmanship going on there! I wish I had those sort of skills.
I look forward to the next update |
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D4B
Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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Stunning ~ Best wishes with it |
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