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Uncle Joe
Guest
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 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:10 am Post subject: Best and worst parts of a restoration |
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For me, one the best parts of a restoration is that first drive or ride after completion. But there are other highlights as well. If its a body off job, seeing the restored engine/chassis standing in the garage. Then theres always the joy of holding that elusive part in my hand after having searched for it for months.
The worst part? Realising that the job is finished, and that suddenly you have spare time again!
What are the opinions of you others? |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22780
Location: UK
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Uncle Joe
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:49 am Post subject: |
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| Do you not enjoy the spares hunt? All those dead ends? |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22780
Location: UK
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stuchamp
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 546
Location: Iowa, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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Best.....Rebuilding an engine and hearing it fire the first time. 
Worst........Body work, removing rust, sanding, painting, etc. |
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PACresta
Joined: 26 Nov 2007
Posts: 110
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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| First engine run, and first drive. MOT pass, hopefully |
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Brian M
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 783
Location: Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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Best - getting the car running under its own steam and driving up and down my road.
There are six of us within 200 yards who have restored one or more cars and there is a Sunday morning ritual for the first run after a resto.
The rest of us line and and applaud the driver! And of course help when there are those little leaks of fluids, electricity and air that always seem to accompany the great event. In extreme circumstances even put out the fire, push start it or tow the car back to the owners house!
In the last 18 years we have done this at least a dozen times!
_________________
Brian
1970 Volvo Amazon and 1978 Safari 15-4 Caravan
Classic Safari Forum: www.classicsafaris.co.uk |
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pigtin
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 1879
Location: Herne Bay
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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Best: Driving out of the MOT station, after two years work, with the right piece of paper.
Worst: The car is finished, running, but when you put it into gear you find that the clutch plate is in the wrong way round. 
Been there done that... Don. |
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michael1912
Joined: 28 Nov 2007
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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I think the best bit has to be the first longish trip, where you can relax (no - that's not true - you are desparately scared that you have assembled something wrongly and you will come to a halt any minute) but you can sit back and enjoy it at last and think that all the troubles have been worthwhile and that it was not such a stupid idea after all.
But the worst bit has to be the cleaning of all the old bits - I have been cleaning bits of car for over 45 years and I'M FED UP WITH IT. Wish I had a hot detergent washing tank. None of the cleaning fluids I have tried in my cleaning tank have been much good. |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7212
Location: Edinburgh
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| Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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| pigtin wrote: |
Worst: The car is finished, running, but when you put it into gear you find that the clutch plate is in the wrong way round.
Been there done that... Don. |
Me too! Well not quite the same. The clutch in my Alpine developed a rattle and I was convinced that one of the diaphram fingers had broken off and might cause problems. I took the engine out, replaced the clutch (which of course looked fine) then started her only to find that the rattle was still there.
It turned out be a little separator plate inside the exhaust system where two pipes converge into one. This junction was beside the bellhousing. 
Peter |
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woljags
Joined: 26 Dec 2007
Posts: 29
Location: Maidenhead
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:41 am Post subject: |
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| The best part for me is looking through all the photos i've taken during the rebuild just after i've got back in it from a long run with no problems,the worst is finding that parts of your car are not as good as you 1st thought which puts at least 12 months on the project and a second morgage to pay for it |
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Mog
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 663
Location: Sydney
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:38 am Post subject: |
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| I had a bearing noise at the front of the engine, decided it was the water pump. Bought a new pump and put it on. Noise still there , it was the alternator bearings, replaced the bearings, no noise...... |
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woljags
Joined: 26 Dec 2007
Posts: 29
Location: Maidenhead
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:23 am Post subject: |
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| had the same thing on a Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 346 changed the pump but it turned out to be the timing chain,Arrh |
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pigtin
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 1879
Location: Herne Bay
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:57 am Post subject: |
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I've found it's best to find that 'last little thing' that caused the previous owner to lay up the car and walk away from it (other than MOT failure.) Sometimes it can come back to haunt you when you think the restoration is finished.
My Sprite had obviously had water loss problems but I noted a new transfer hose had been fitted so I left it alone. It was in deep France, a fortnight after finishing the restoration, when I discovered the clips hadn't been tightened properly. 
Don. |
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