Practically Classics Forum

good luck

The first thing done today was to change the tow bar bracket over to the
correct one for the winch bracket. The first time I tried to but the pin in it
didn't want to take the pin. It wasn't until I realised that the pin wouldn't
go in due to bolt heads sticking out further than what may have been used
by the previous owner who made this setup!

I had to make the drop pin hole just a touch bigger with the industrial
dremmel grinding bits with the drill. I screwed my legs and right arm up just
lifting this up to the towbar to see it will fit!

The sooner the bit for the end of the winch cable comes the sooner I can get
the old girl off the inspection pit and get to work on the old girl.

Well the winch bits came finally in the post so the winch cable
end was sorted and the hook fitted.

And she's off the pit, the winch attached to a tree hook to the
car's towing eye.





After putting the winch where she was ment to be, I pulled out
the cable to it's full length which is about 15metres.



After mother reversed the landrover onto the drive close to the
garage between the trees next the caravan. it was that which I
used as an object to attach the car's winch hook too. By this
time the brakes had freed themslves enough so the old girl could
be pushed back the rest of the way



A good wash down needed to get all the debris and bird muck off
the car before I start on her tomorrow.





And the boards removed from the inspection pit so it can dry out
before being cleared out. Now you can understand why I was
reluctant to go into the pit to work on the car.



As for my American counter part Jimbo, well he has progressed a
fair bit with the three throttle bodies on his v6 so much so here
is a video of it in operation.

jimbo in MI wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etVa_f-gJRY

good to see it moving again.. any luck on getting her running yet?

An axle stand under the torsion bar mounts and the trolley jack under
the box section under the spare wheel well. Passenger side first



And after carefully removing the spring, I thought I'd clear the dirt
and rust off.As I pushed the bar gently down nothing till I chipped
some rust off with a screw driver with very little strength.The tin
worm was through to the chamber as the thing started P'ing oil all
over!



So that is one shock shot to hell, luckily I found out now rather than
doing around a corner. That is more money to fork out, and I may as
well think about changing the other rear shock as well just incase!

Then there is the slight issue of diameter if the spring seats/top hat.
The normal spring would sit on the metal ring with the shock absorber
bolting into the rubber diaphragm. The coilover spring is no where near
wide enough to use the old strut top hat. Should I make one as I have
some steel plate thick enough or should I cut the mk2 R/T springs to
suit?




Cutting the springs how best do I do it to cut them to the proper length
so they don't shatter?

Mitsuru wrote:Cutting the springs how best do I do it to cut them to the proper length
so they don't shatter?

If you are talking about cutting suspension coils with the intention of lowering the car then the answer is .......DON'T, it's a bloody stupid thing to do, in my book

these aren't mk1 neon springs, which is why they are too big!
These are off a mk2 r/t neon

If you count the number of coils on a standard spring vs a lowered one you will notice they are the same. The difference is the space between them.
Cutting springs will change your suspension characteristics, not necessarily in a desirable way.

And it's a silly dangerous thing to do if you don't know what you're doing.

Get the right springs.

Just got off the phone after ringing around for a new rear left strut!!
The average price flung at me was either £97 or £140 plus tax (20%)

Rockauto wanted £38 for one but wanted £40 to £60 for shipping.

My friendly local parts store Sewell's also did some ringing around for me
and got the price of £67 including tax with delivery to them for Tuesday
as it would be a special order part no matter who I ordered it from!

As the last time shopped around for struts was for the front of the neon
and the best quote I got was £57 if I recall that included tax I was thinking
the back ones would be cheaper!! So I was thinking I might be able to get
two for the price I'm now paying just for one!!