My first ever attempt at a light restoration

[blaze_the_6]

No mate. I have a huge front garden that is gravelled but unfortunately I have dry stone wall surrounding my property that I am not allowed to take down so I can't get my car onto the property. I would love to get it into a big shed or garage to tinker with it but it currently sits on a tiny car park (8 cars) on the boundary of my property and with winter coming it will now have to wait until the weather get better before I do anything major. I looked at your pics of where you had taken the front of the car off etc. that would just worry me mate. I'm not that capable (or brave enough) to do that. I think just getting that new engine in by yourself will deserve a pay on the back.

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Pat not pay

Bet your not living in your parents house though . I have to do all my work outside too mate so I understand your pain.

I have only ever ripped the front end off a clio and put it back together, but I have loved cars all my life but never had the balls or brains to learn one step at a time untill recently when I just jumped right in.

I have never even done a timing belt change, never mind strip a whole bay out and Im definetly not the smartest.

If you have the passion my friend, then just jump right in but make sure you have a cheap ghetto style daily to keep you going.

Im learning as I go and its a lot of fun.

Or better still (if you dont want a heart breaker) and you want to learn the smart way, is buy a half decent example like you have and repair everything that goes wrong yourself and do some light modifications that you like yourself.

I have 100% bitten off more than I can chew but I WILL get irr dun man.

Its all about the enjoyment and peeing away all your weeks wages

[blaze_the_6]

Little update for today, got my gazebo put and resined to the concrete so now I can work and do rust treatment in the shelter.

I also now have the added bonus of working on the car after work due to purchasing some flood lights.
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Also just ordered some Bilt hamber Electrox primer, Rust Buster 2k epoxy mastic, Stone chip, Blaze top coat, Bilt Hamber Deox gel and powder, Surfex HD and some clear coat from the bay

I already bought some high temp engine block enamel and exhaust manifold high temp paint.

Oh and a ton of wire brushes for my cordless with some buffing disks to boot.

[Orta]

Mate I need one of them. Need sum of the rest of that gear too as im starting a similar de rusting next week!

[blaze_the_6]

Cant recommend anything rust wise, just read up on various products and I feel that the combo I chose could be a good shot. The gazebo cost me £213 delivered and its a middle of the road product.

So far, Im quite happy with the quality of the item for the price I paid.

Fits a 306 nicely with plenty of height to do an engine swap. I also have enough room to do work on the sides of the car. Dimensions are: 3m/4.5m

[blaze_the_6]

Well guys, Im very happy I managed to get the engine out without much hassle.
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Here is some spew/coolant that left the engine as it got lifted
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This is some of the major rust that I have to deal with after I strip the rest of the bay out.
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[blaze_the_6]

Is there any technique used to remove the loom sockets from the bay?

[Niall]

Is there any technique used to remove the loom sockets from the bay?

Which ones do you mean and which side? Most are twist fit so you twist the ribbed ring to remove the male plug from the female then to remove the female plug from the body, you need to sue a flat head to tap around a lock ring holding it in.

[blaze_the_6]

sorry, should have been more clear. If you look at the second last picture, you can see the engine loom sockets near the front of the right hand side of the car. I want to remove them as im removing everything I can from the bay for a full respray.

Also another question for you smarter people, When doing a full bay respray do you just rough up the original paint work so that the new paint work sticks? A lot of my paint work will be ground back to bare metal, but I dont really want to strip the whole bay back if I dont have to.

Thanks for the help Niall, its really appreciated

[Niall]

Ah i see. If you look at the sockets from inside the engine bay, you will see there is a lock ring that holds them to the body on the same thread that the plug unscrewed from. There is notches in the lock ring so you just want to get a big flat head and tap the lock ring around with the palm of your hand. Don't use a hammer because if it needs that much force, you will break the ring (its only plastic) and then have to get another. then you can just pop the sockets through the body and tuck them out the way.

With regards to the painting, the finish doesn't have to be flawless so get some fairly harsh grit paper (160 ish) and sand it all back removing any loose material then treat it all with something like Krust to get rid of the rust. Let that do its thing, meticulously clean it then use some etch primer, then your colour coat them a good coat of lacquer.

[procta]

i would to love to put a gazebo up to store my little egg beater in, if i had the space.

[blaze_the_6]

Great, I have already decided how im going to tackle the paintwork lol its cost a fortune. Just want the Electrox primer to also cling to the original good paintwork also. Again, thank you for the help

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i would to love to put a gazebo up to store my little egg beater in, if i had the space.

Checked out your metro project, that thing looks time warp!

My old man will make me take it down once the car is completed more than likely

[Mole man]

This project is looking good buddy! Some good work your doing there! Makes me want to find another and do a similar type of restoration!

[blaze_the_6]

This project is looking good buddy! Some good work your doing there! Makes me want to find another and do a similar type of restoration!

Hi mole man, Cheers for stopping by

The rust is my major worry to be honest but I will do my best and see how it goes.

[Grant]

Its only surface rust on the chassis legs from the looks of it.

Cover it in Krust or similar after a good wire wheeling/brushing. Diluted vinegar and water also does the trick nicely.

[blaze_the_6]

Hi grant, cheers for the post:-) I have purchased some bilt hamber deox gel and some hydrate80. I presume those products will be enough after grinding and wire brushing?

I have tapped the steel with a hammer and does not seem to crumble.

[Mole man]

Yeah as said only seems to be surface rust so once you get that sorted it should be ok!

[blaze_the_6]

Got a daft question, I want to check my rear quarters for rust but I cant get the C pillar trim off. I have searched google but have not come up with much. I have taken 3 torx screws out and its still very tight in areas. I really dont want to break it.

[procta]

Great, I have already decided how im going to tackle the paintwork lol its cost a fortune. Just want the Electrox primer to also cling to the original good paintwork also. Again, thank you for the help

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i would to love to put a gazebo up to store my little egg beater in, if i had the space.

Checked out your metro project, that thing looks time warp!

My old man will make me take it down once the car is completed more than likely

very quick time warp, the blue one is supposedly be in a better condition than my red one was, but i am questioning that tbh, as my red ones floors were ok! compared to this one!
At least you have the space to put that up, as if we did have the space i recon me and my dad would have done a strip down rebuild.

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remember to take lots of photos of before and during and end.

[blaze_the_6]

amazing how the floors can be rotten but the interior and exterior look as new!

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Great, I have already decided how im going to tackle the paintwork lol its cost a fortune. Just want the Electrox primer to also cling to the original good paintwork also. Again, thank you for the help

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i would to love to put a gazebo up to store my little egg beater in, if i had the space.

Checked out your metro project, that thing looks time warp!

My old man will make me take it down once the car is completed more than likely

very quick time warp, the blue one is supposedly be in a better condition than my red one was, but i am questioning that tbh, as my red ones floors were ok! compared to this one!
At least you have the space to put that up, as if we did have the space i recon me and my dad would have done a strip down rebuild.

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remember to take lots of photos of before and during and end.

If I had the know how, I would do a complete strip down and rebuild of my car too.

[procta]

me and my dad have done this with two metros now, that was only by looking and taking photos. The reshell only took two weeks to sort out due to a few faults that cropped up. You do a bit at a time, then move on to the rest of the car. sadly me and 306s don't really go well, when working together, but gel really well when driving!

[blaze_the_6]

me and my dad have done this with two metros now, that was only by looking and taking photos. The reshell only took two weeks to sort out due to a few faults that cropped up. You do a bit at a time, then move on to the rest of the car. sadly me and 306s don't really go well, when working together, but gel really well when driving!

Its good to see that you saved her though to a very high standard. I always wanted to do the MG Metro turbo conversion on a the last phase of Rover Metro's.

I hear good things about the drive of a 306 so I cant wait to get ir dun. Just hope my rear quarter aint rusted through like some of the cars I have seen on on here :O

[procta]

me and my dad have done this with two metros now, that was only by looking and taking photos. The reshell only took two weeks to sort out due to a few faults that cropped up. You do a bit at a time, then move on to the rest of the car. sadly me and 306s don't really go well, when working together, but gel really well when driving!

Its good to see that you saved her though to a very high standard. I always wanted to do the MG Metro turbo conversion on a the last phase of Rover Metro's.

I hear good things about the drive of a 306 so I cant wait to get ir dun. Just hope my rear quarter aint rusted through like some of the cars I have seen on on here :O

sadly this shell was supposedly be better than my Red one, so the mot tester tells me, the laugh is, the gta 16v had a f*cked inner sill and an outer sill and a f*cked floor pan, this car, has a f*cked floor, inner arch and outer sill! I told the mot tester that, I question that this one is better shell! He said well it is a H plater, the other was only a year younger a J plater.
you will love the 306 mind, and you will enjoy it even more as you will have rebuilt it. Sometimes I do wish that I should have bought a 6 and rebuilt that, instead of metros.
If you want to do a few mods, do a lot of research and ask people who have done it, The lads on here a proper hard core for their info!

[blaze_the_6]

[quote='procta' pid='491116' dateline='1416239363']
me and my dad have done this with two metros now, that was only by looking and taking photos. The reshell only took two weeks to sort out due to a few faults that cropped up. You do a bit at a time, then move on to the rest of the car. sadly me and 306s don't really go well, when working together, but gel really well when driving!

Its good to see that you saved her though to a very high standard. I always wanted to do the MG Metro turbo conversion on a the last phase of Rover Metro's.

I hear good things about the drive of a 306 so I cant wait to get ir dun. Just hope my rear quarter aint rusted through like some of the cars I have seen on on here :O

Maybe get a 6 next time bud but metro's are very rare and I bet they are like go karts

its a unique motor to own plus its the same age as me

Oh and another thing, you are way more competent at working on cars than I am, so maybe you should take things to the next level and get yourself a wee MIG welder. Your car sorta reminds me of my old nova GSI rep with all the same body work issues as yours. Wish I saved it but didnt have a clue how or the money lol

[procta]

[quote='procta' pid='491116' dateline='1416239363']
me and my dad have done this with two metros now, that was only by looking and taking photos. The reshell only took two weeks to sort out due to a few faults that cropped up. You do a bit at a time, then move on to the rest of the car. sadly me and 306s don't really go well, when working together, but gel really well when driving!

Its good to see that you saved her though to a very high standard. I always wanted to do the MG Metro turbo conversion on a the last phase of Rover Metro's.

I hear good things about the drive of a 306 so I cant wait to get ir dun. Just hope my rear quarter aint rusted through like some of the cars I have seen on on here :O

Maybe get a 6 next time bud but metro's are very rare and I bet they are like go karts

its a unique motor to own plus its the same age as me

Oh and another thing, you are way more competent at working on cars than I am, so maybe you should take things to the next level and get yourself a wee MIG welder. Your car sorta reminds me of my old nova GSI rep with all the same body work issues as yours. Wish I saved it but didnt have a clue how or the money lol

They are very rare now, and they are a cracking piece of 80s/90s history. Novas i have to say are even rarer still than metros, back when i started off with metros 10 years ago, there were thin on the ground then! So god knows what they will be like now. You may step back to a nova, like i stepped back with a metro.
6 years ago, i decided why not have a go, at putting a car back on the road and going that extra step. Just a lot of photos and reading peoples threads on here too!
Have an idea on what you want this car to be, and don't steer away from it!
Remember do a bit at a time, and back off if things are going shite, also if things are going really well, but getting boring, stop and move on to another part of the car, maybe even interior or electrics.

[blaze_the_6]

Its good to see that you saved her though to a very high standard. I always wanted to do the MG Metro turbo conversion on a the last phase of Rover Metro's.

I hear good things about the drive of a 306 so I cant wait to get ir dun. Just hope my rear quarter aint rusted through like some of the cars I have seen on on here :O

Maybe get a 6 next time bud but metro's are very rare and I bet they are like go karts

its a unique motor to own plus its the same age as me

Oh and another thing, you are way more competent at working on cars than I am, so maybe you should take things to the next level and get yourself a wee MIG welder. Your car sorta reminds me of my old nova GSI rep with all the same body work issues as yours. Wish I saved it but didnt have a clue how or the money lol

They are very rare now, and they are a cracking piece of 80s/90s history. Novas i have to say are even rarer still than metros, back when i started off with metros 10 years ago, there were thin on the ground then! So god knows what they will be like now. You may step back to a nova, like i stepped back with a metro.
6 years ago, i decided why not have a go, at putting a car back on the road and going that extra step. Just a lot of photos and reading peoples threads on here too!
Have an idea on what you want this car to be, and don't steer away from it!
Remember do a bit at a time, and back off if things are going shite, also if things are going really well, but getting boring, stop and move on to another part of the car, maybe even interior or electrics.

thanks man, yeah I want my 6 to be really nice while going for the fairly standard finish. Im useless with electrics, hence the reason for labelling the whole loom. But I need to learn

If I had my nova now, I would have sorted her out, although it was nothing compared to the 6 that I got now. It looked mint on the exterior and the GSI 1.6 lump was as sweet as a nut, but the previous owner undersealed the underside and trapped loads of moisture in. It did not last long.

When you look at fords and vauxhalls, you see a spec of rust on the exterior, then 9/10 the underside is FULL of rust! but I bought my 6 with no exterior rust thinking it would be mint underneath too. I cant weld or fabricate yet so what was originally meant to be an engine swap and exterior ding removal exercise turned in to as I call it, "a light restoration"

The price of the car and the rarity of it in scotland made me buy it though and im still happy I bought it.

I had a glance at the underside when it was parked in a shed and tbh, its all pretty good apart from some one using the floor as a jacking point

[procta]

you will get there with it, and it will be topper when finished! You want to see what I did with mine, electric wise! I did learn to weld ( need a better welder) me and my dad welded the full arse end of the old metro, it lasted for nearly 5 years of its time with me. But I had to call it a day with it sadly, so the new blue was bought and everything was transferred over, must have been the fastest reshell on here lol

[blaze_the_6]

Yeah, a couple of months :O I have had my car for the best part of 6 months and since I joined this forum, I managed to get the engine and gearbox out lol. Must have been a heart breaker leaving the old red GTA though after all that work. But on the bright side, you learned a lot from it and put those new found skills in to the new Metro. I am slightly ocd when it comes to my pride and joy and I know my welding would ruin the look im after.

Thats why im going to have to fork out to get her welded.

As said before though mate, you are an inspiration

[procta]

The laugh is the Gta didn't really die, I shopped about 95% on to this one,
Only way you learn by taking your time, it took me about 9 months to get the 1st one back to a running stage, then another 2 to 3 years to get it to the car I wanted.
Always keep your eye on the bay of E and on here for odds and sods! Why not even look at phase 1ing the car?

[blaze_the_6]

Nice idea mate, I like that but I also like it being a phase 2. I really love the look of it and it really pisses me off seeing all the little dings in it lol. Im always on the bay and gumtree snooping. Im new so I cant do wanted threads yet lol plus I want rid of those 205 alloys.

My aim is to get the mechanicals in perfect working order and get all rust completely eliminated before I think about personal customisations. I have spent about £170 on paints and anti tust compounds just to get the bay protected. Im not trying to sound like im made of money (coz im deffo not ) but this is a big hobby for me and I intend on keeping this car as my pride and joy so want everything to be as good as I can get it.

I will hold that thought though of making it look phase1 as I like that idea. Im a 90's hatch nut after all.

[procta]

once you have got it mechanically sorted, your half way there! be nice to do a phase 1 as not many people really revert to the phase1, in fact I haven't seen a gti6 reverted to a phase 1, so maybe you could be the 1st.
Take your time, and enjoy the build, that's what the lads do on here.